R.Dis.No.197/11
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Parent Circle Volume 1 Issue 4 August 2011 Price ` 40
P.18 Cover Story
Early education in Preschools
ARE CHILDREN GETTING THE BEST?
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Parent Circle
Relationships I Health I Nature I Culture I Learning I Activities
editorial
For the Parent in you To know, to understand, to connect
T
oday, as I am evaluating colleges for my son who will be completing his 12th standard next year, I cannot help reflecting on his educational journey that began 17 years ago as an infant with books and toys and explorations at home and outside. Yes, I was then an over enthusiastic
mom, wanting him to learn anything and everything. He went to his first parent-child playschool when he was just 1½ years old. By 2 ½ years I sent him to preschool five mornings a week. He cried his whole first week. By 5 years he was not only sent to an all day school, but in my desire to expose him to various activities, I enrolled him in several afterschool activities as well. I soon realised my folly when he would often come home complaining of headaches and throw tantrums. I was wiser with my second one. My daughter went to preschool only 2 mornings a week and went to only half a day of kindergarten when she was 5 years old. As any child expert would vouch, the first five years are the most formative and crucial years in the
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child’s intellectual, emotional and social development. It is important that during these crucial first years, the child develops strong bonds with his parents, secure in the comfort of having his mother or father around him as much as possible. However, in today’s changing family environment, often with both parents working, it becomes necessary to look at alternative care for the child. Yes, and as parents we want to ensure that our children get a head start in their education. Under these circumstances, at what age should we send our children off to preschool? How do we choose the right preschool for our children? These are some of the topics Parent Circle explores in our special story on choosing preschools. In celebration of Chennai week in August, our cover story gives you short takes on the various aspects of Chennai’s heritage, fun facts, its culture and food. In view of Indian Independence day on August 15th, we take time to reflect on the freedom and values envisioned by our freedom fighters. How can we inculcate this spirit of independence in both our children and ourselves? As I leave it to you to explore this issue further, remember that you as a parent are the child’s first and best teacher.
Nalina Ramalakshmi PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nalina Ramalakshmi
CREATIVE HEAD Rangashree Srinivas
HEAD - OPERATIONS Neeta Kamath
MANAGING EDITOR Nitya Varadarajan
VISUALISER G Swarupa
ADVERTISING General Manager S Visalam
ASSISTANT EDITOR S Sudha
GRAPHIC DESIGNER M Ravisankar PRODUCTION CONSULTANT Poochi Venkat
CIRCULATION C Ganesh S Thirumalai ADMINISTRATION Sheeja Sasindran
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Parent Circle is published by Nalina Ramalakshmi, Shri Harini Media Pvt. Ltd. All editorial material including editorial comments, opinions and statement of facts appearing in this publication, represent the views of its respective authors and does not necessarily carry the endorsement of the publishers. Information carried in Parent Circle is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed. The publication of any advertisements or listings is not to be construed as an endorsement of the product or service offered.
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COVER STORY
Early education in Preschools Are children getting the best?
SPECIAL
P.18
Celebrating Chennai Madras Day Special
A few Chennai preschoolers
REGULARS
RESOURCES 38
CHECK IT OUT Good Reads for All Ages
10 MINDSET To Salute the Spirit of Independence Day
46
PARENT CHEF Tri-colour Delights!
12 LEARNING Learning to Listen
48
HANDS ON Palm Frond Puppet
53
CLASSIFIEDS
54
EVENTS Chennai this Month
6 IN FOCUS
Write Away
24 DESTINATIONS Down ECR 34 TEEN CIRCLE Be a Parent, not a Friend
FORUM
36 TECH TALK Academic Help on the Net 40 CIRCLE OF LIFE Pets and You 44 HEALTH CIRCLE Learning to Recognise and
Prevent Dental Problems
49 ROOTS Understanding Lakshmi ON THE COVER TANVI KAMAT AT KAPALEESHWARAR TEMPLE TANK PHOTOGRAPH BY ARJUN DOGRA
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Parent Circle / August 2011
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PARENT EXPRESS Making Moves in the
Jigsaw Puzzle of Education
50
VIEWPOINT Learning Can Be Fun!
52
DISCUSSION POINT Reality Shows
56
LIGHTER VEIN I Can Wait
your word
Letters to the Editor
TERS
BEST LET
I am an avid reader of your magazine and I must congratulate your team for coming up trumps, every issue. My only son is 22 years old, and actually I am done with parenting. But the point I want to make is that there is enough intrigue in your content to
How lucky I was to find your magazine
mesmerise anyone.
in my friend’s house. I grabbed the same
The first thing I look for is your cookery column. This issue's
and went through every page. I missed Dr Pugazhendi's recent camp for senior citizens but his article came as a solace to me. Your magazine is full of information and guidance for young mothers. How I wish there was such a magazine when I was young. Then I was seeking help and guidance from my in laws, parents and friends to bring up my sons. Even now, as my grand daughters are growing, I would like to read your magazine and discuss subjects with my daughters-in-law. KAMAKSHI SUNDARAM, Mother of two sons and grandmother of three girls
centrespread, 4 week lunch menus is innovative. The articles in Lighter Vein make for great reading. The Teen Lingo article, threw a lot of light on the jargon around me. Scaling the Himalayas was an eye opener and the success stories made interesting reading too. The article on puppetry is also a must read! The Tao of Vegetable gardening gave me a lot of pointers for making my small balcony garden house-proud. In short, a thoroughly enjoyable and refreshing July issue. SUDHA RAJA, musician and home-maker The sports article in the July issue was amazing. The concept, the way it was designed, was totally different. The article brings awareness to the layman on the importance of sports and playing it for fun, health and competition. I liked the
I find that in Parent Circle, from cover
holistic approach!
to cover, the content points to a fantastic
When we were young, we played games and sports for the fun
effort. Though many of your readers ought
of it. Later, we grew into the competitive groove. But it is totally
to be parents like myself, we can relive
different today. Parents ask of a coach the day they enroll the
our childhood and growing up years. It is
child, “When will he (the child) get his medal?” Many still do
important that your articles carry more of
not know the hard work and commitment this involves, both
what goes on in the mind of children, so that
from their side and the child’s. I hope to see many such articles
parents can identify with them more closely.
in future.
TK SRINIVAS CHARI, father of a
B GIRISH, father of a 9-year-old girl
14-year-old girl I found the magazine quite interesting. The recipes were very What I like about Parent Circle is that it
good. However, the 4 week lunch menus, though good in terms
appeals to all the cross-sections of people.
of concept, were not practical in terms of bus snacks.
There are takeaways on Parenting, Health and Culture. I liked the ‘Sports’ recipes in the July issue, and I am a student of catering myself! The language is excellent. It can be appreciated by the erudite as well as the Please send in your letter with the subject line “Letters to the Editor”, before August 15, 2011, to editorial@ parentcircle.in or send them to PARENT CIRCLE, 3rd Floor Shri Renga Vihar, 8/14 First Cross St, Karpagam Gardens, Adyar, Chennai 600020, India.
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common man, who is not so high-brow. The Sports article was greatly refreshing and different. There were no long passages on cricket! I feel that cricket is killing other sports and the time spent on other sports goes unrecognised. The focus on the Olympic sports is laudable. THALAIVASAL VIJAY, father of two children
Parent Circle / August 2011
Children tend to get squeezed in buses; often their bags are kept in a different place away from their seats. How can they eat aaloo chat or rajma salad as a bus snack? Also, I doubt if cut fruits will stay fresh till the end of a school day, given Chennai’s weather conditions. I would humbly suggest that the child eat a couple of biscuits, or a little namkeen or chips (even if this is unhealthy) from a convenient tear-off-pack that he can keep with him. NISHA RAJASHEKAR, mother of an 8-year-old boy
special
M
usic and masala, colour and splendour, elegance and beauty, simplicity and sincerity‌that’s Chennai! This queen city of the South today is an amalgamation of what is left of its colourful history coupled with the influx of modernity. Let us celebrate Chennai - then and now - with a list of things that makes us love this city even more.
n at ural h e r it a g e Pul i ca t L a ke The second largest
brackish water lagoon on the Indian sub-continent, Pulicat Lake covers a total area of 461 square kilometres. During the monsoon (August or September), Pulicat Lake is filled with phytoplankton and zooplankton. These microscopic organisms constitute essential food for invertebrates and fish. As a result, thousands of birds are attracted to the lake.
Tambaram range of P a l l i k a r na i M a rs hl a nd the Forest Department recently, this fresh water swamp adjacent to the Bay of Bengal, is situated about 20 kilometres south of Chennai. The swamp is helpful in charging the aquifers of the region. It is one of the last few remaining natural ecosystems in the city.
Adyar E st u ar y a n d C re e k The portion
Ve d a ntha nga l Bi rd S a ntua r y Located
of water where the river meets the ocean is low in salinity and has high plankton availability which serves as a good nursery for fish. The flow of tidal water in and out of the creek earlier facilitated boat rides. Gui ndy N at ion al P a r k The smallest
national park located in the heart of the city, the Guindy Park has over 350 species of plants and forms a natural destination for botanists. Pal l i k a r n a i Ma r sh lan d Declared as a
reserve forest area and brought under the Mad ras H ig h Cou r t
in the Kancheepuram district about 75 kilometres from Chennai, Vedanthangal is home for migratory birds such as pintail, garganey, grey wagtail, blue-winged teal and common sandpiper. It is one of the oldest water bird sanctuaries in the country. Vedanthangal in Tamil means 'hamlet of the hunter'. This area was a favourite hunting spot for the local landlords 300 years ago. The region attracted a variety of birds because it was dotted with small lakes that acted as feeding grounds for the birds. The best time to visit this sanctuary is from November to March.
c ul t u ral h e r i t ag e South India has a rich repertoire of dance and music forms that seem to run in the blood of Chennaiites. Children, even before they can recite the alphabet, are sent to music and dance classes. Though Carnatic classical and folk songs are popular, Bharatanatyam, a south Indian classical dance, is very much alive even today as it depicts mythological stories in the form of graceful movements. Street theatre is popular in the villages and it has become a source of education and entertainment for people as they depict history and mythology.
a rch it e c t ura l he r i t a g e N a ti o na l A r t G a l l e r y & M u s e u m T he a tre (Egmo re ) This is a repository of the traditional paintings of
structure surrounded by the cannons captured or used by the British during the wars.
Tanjore, Rajput, Moghul, Kangra and Deccani schools as well as modern paintings in oil, tempera, water colour and acrylic mediums. The gallery has a wide collection of Raja Ravi Varma paintings, which are considered as National Treasures.
M a dra s Hi gh C o ur t (Egmo re ) One of the three
Next to the gallery is the Madras Museum Theatre opened in 1896. Built by the British in IndoSaracenic style, the museum theatre is a grand
C he pa uk Pa l a c e & A mi r M a ha l (Wa l l a jah Road )
High Courts in India sanctioned by Her Majesty Queen Victoria in a letter bearing the date 26th June 1862, is a very good example of an Indo-Saracenic style of architecture. One of the earliest Mughal-style buildings in the city designed by the English engineer Paul Benfield
cover story
P
reschool education emphasises learning through
preschools do not provide support for emotionally
fun. But holistic education is much more than the
affected children, and the problem is not dealt with
ABCs, the 123s, rhymes and activities taught in
early, it could lead to ADHD and dyslexia later on.”
preschools. A child’s brain develops the fastest in the first three years and whatever children
learn or experience during these formative years moulds their thinking and behaviour for the rest of their
Right age for preschool education
lives. So preschools play a vital role in shaping our
While parents are eager to send their children to the
children into better individuals.
best of preschools as early as 18 months of age,
What are the prerequisites of a preschool? What should parents look for in a preschool before they choose one for their child? Ideally, the learning environment in a preschool should be conducive. It should help children in the acquisition of knowledge
some grandparents dispute the very idea of sending little ones to a preschool. E. Balasubramaniam’s twoyear-old granddaughter Mahima goes to a preschool in Mylapore and stays back with the day care till someone picks her up in the late evening.
and self-discovery and provide a wholesome
Says Mahima’s grandfather, “Children should not be
development.
sent to school before they are five. Bonding with the
Some schools offer programmes in which the parent is with the child in the class. Kids Central has such programmes for children from 9 months upto 1 1/2 years for an hour. Parents are allowed to stay with the children for 3 days a week. Chettinad Hari Shree Vidyalayam allows the parent of the pre-primary child to be with the child for the first month.
mother is very important for the child. Every parent should spend at least 2 hours with the child everyday – just being with them, talking and teaching them something new. The mother is the best teacher.” According to eminent educationist Padma Srinath, “Parents should realise that most pre-kindergarteners (and even lower kindergarteners) are not ready to part
Gowri Krishnamurthy, child psychologist and
from the mother for several hours a day. The child
counsellor with St. Michael’s Academy says, “If
feels that it is not wanted by the mother and there is a deep subconscious impact at this early age.”
26 Parent Circle / August 2011
PHOTOS CREDIT ARJUN DOGRA & SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGES
Sudha S
Contrary to the present preschool education system in India, Swedish children are enrolled in the primary only when they turn 7. In some cases, parents also have the option of delaying starting school for their child until the age of 8, if they think it is in the best interests of
PHYSICAL SKILLS Preschool curriculum should focus on
important features that parents should look for in a preschool.
developing children's gross and fine motor
The preschool should be run by a
skills. In other words, time spent sitting
qualified person.
indoors should equal time spent on their feet.
It should have a hygienic environment. There should be ample scope for children
their child.
INTELLECTUAL SKILLS
to showcase their creativity.
In India, 2 and a half to 3 years is widely
Intellectual skill development should focus
considered to be the right age for children
Teaching aids should inspire the children
on language, knowledge, art, music, dance
to be in preschool though some parents
to learn even as they play, and help
and any other activity that interests
feel they are school-ready much earlier.
develop their senses.
the child.
Can preschools provide the best early education for my child?
SPIRITUAL SKILLS
develop hand and eye coordination.
Preschool teachers should help children
Children should be taught basic manners
recognise that there are many animals,
and etiquette like saying ‘sorry’ and ‘thank
people and trees who share this world with
you’.8
Many preschools take in children as early
in them. They should also teach children
as 18 months to 2 years of age and offer
about the mysterious wonders of the
Montessori, Kindergarten, Waldorf and
universe, the unfailing sun that makes the
Playway methods of teaching.
day and the wonderful breeze that makes
If parents are determined to send a child to preschool, they should ensure that the school has a programme content that encourages the five basic skills outlined below by Padma Srinath. SOCIALISING SKILLS Children should be given at least 30 minutes of socialising time during their preschool hours to encourage bonding with the teacher, and with other children. EMOTIONAL SKILLS The preschool should build the child’s self esteem and not thwart it.Trivial issues like coming late to school or any other emotional stress the child is facing
them and imprint the idea of non-violence
us feel so good.
What should parents look for in a preschool? Today’s parents are slowly getting convinced that preschool education does give an edge. But the innumerable questions that arise in their minds are -- Which is the best preschool in the neighbourhood? How do I make sure that my child is under the best teacher and caretaker?
should be sorted out immediately with
Sudha Kasturirangan,
the parents. The school should make the
who runs a playschool in
child understand that he can do something
Kottur Gardens, says that
and that he has his place in a group. This
the maximum development of
will help build his self-confidence and
the child happens between
emotional strength. For instance, if your
0-6 years of age. A trained
child draws a circle and says that it is an
nursery school teacher
elephant, the preschool teacher should
with decades of
acknowledge the child’s effort rather than
experience,
ridicule his work. She can say that she can
Sudha
see the tummy or the head.
highlights a few
Educational materials should help children
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