editorial
For the Parent in you To know, to understand, to connect
I
recently came across an article on MSNBC that was titled: ‘Did Being Adopted Contribute to Steve Job’s Success?’ In this article, the author, Jeremy Greenberg comments, “I actually think that adopted kids like Mr Jobs might grow up to have an abundance of faith and confidence,
because they get to experience the remarkable love and generosity of their adoptive parents – people with the exceptional capacity to take any child as their own.” He concludes with the statement, “Who couldn’t conquer the world (or at least create the iPad) with that kind of foundation?” Our cover story, ‘Opt to Adopt’, features adoptive parents, who in turn feel blessed for the child that has entered their lives in such a special way. Today we have a lot of options and changes happening across school boards and curriculums. At the state level the Matriculation, Anglo Indian and State boards are all merging into one Samacheer Kalvi. In the CBSE (and soon in Samacheer Kalvi) there is a change in the evaluation process from the
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summative testing (tests and exams) to the formative testing of the Continuous Curriculum Evaluation (CCE). Also, today we have a choice of international boards such as the IGCSE and IB. What does all this mean? How do I know what is best for my child? In our special story on, “The Curriculum Dilemma”, we try to answer some of these questions, so you the parent can make a more informed decision for your child. It is not only important to understand what each board has to offer, it is equally important to know and understand your child’s aptitude and learning style, so that you may select a school where the child is most comfortable learning. Our Teen Circle introduces a topic that most parents are uncomfortable discussing with their children – puberty. In today’s world where information is freely accessible, it is important for the parent to openly discuss this issue with the child and clarify any misinformation the child may be exposed to. We now have our magazine online for you to read. We encourage you to participate in our online discussions and to share your articles, recipes or pictures with other parents at www.parentcircle.in. With all this discussion on the best curriculum for your child it is important to keep in mind the Chinese Proverb: “Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.”
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COVER STORY P.30
The Curriculum Dilemma
SPECIAL P.22
Opt to Adopt CENTRESPREAD P.28
REGULARS 6 10 20 14 16 19 42 38 46 48 56
IN FOCUS Help Build your Child’s Self-esteem Helicopter Parenting
50
LEARNING Encouraging Public Speaking in Chidren Helping Children with Public Presentations
52
HEALTH CIRCLE
54
Nutritional Deficiencies in Children
CHECK IT OUT Board Games of Yore
PARENT CHEF 5 Healthy Soups
EVENTS Chennai this Month
TEEN CIRCLE Talking to your Preteen about Puberty
FORUM
DESTINATIONS God’s Eden: The Valley of Flowers
ROOTS Heritage Trips Made Fun The Revival of Traditional Games
LIGHTER VEIN Voice of Experience ON THE COVER ADYANTH GANESH PHOTOGRAPH BY ARJUN DOGRA
2
RESOURCES
MINDSET
Parent Circle / November 2011
4 8 9 55
YOUR WORD PARENT EXPRESS ‘We wanted to adopt’
TEEN EXPRESS Unconditional Love
DISCUSSION POINT Pocket Money and your Child
your word
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Letters to the Editor A close weaving of Tamil culture is maintained in all the articles, which is refreshing. The articles in the magazine ensure a feeling of walking in the morning grass still alive with dew drops. VENKATRAMAN, A CHENNAI PARENT My best wishes to Parent Circle on the launch of their website. I appreciate the authentic information on parenting and other child related information in your magazine. Wishing you growth and success. S JAYANTI, PSYCHOLOGIST, HYDERABAD The magazine is well-balanced & the different sections take into account the many facets of parenting & child rearing. The magazine is also like an ‘advice tool’ which helps the parents in their parenting role. Especially in today’s world of ‘nuclear families’, where there is no elder in the house to advise or give tips on parenting, this kind of help is invaluable. Also for the young parents, the first timers, it is almost like a step by step guide on
PARENT FORUM
what to do and what not to do. All in all, it is a complete magazine for all kinds of parents. It is a
Dhanya Bhaskaran from Ayanambakkam, Chennai posted her nature-loving son Niranjan’s picture in PARENT FORUM.
very valuable and a well-thought-of magazine! MAHIMA BHANUKUMAR, BANGALORE It is a wonderful magazine for all parents in bringing up their children. The articles that I read here relate to my experiences in day to day life. I like the suggestions you give, as they are very
You too can post pictures, share parenting experiences, post recipes, videos and links!
helpful and practical. I would also like to make a suggestion. It would be great if you could also publish Parent Circle in Tamil. This way it would have a greater reach. It would be very useful to those parents who do not know English, but who could definitely benefit from the articles published in the magazine. In fact, I have
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been asked whether there is a Tamil edition of this magazine by many parents on several occasions. P WILLIAM CHARLES, CHENNAI
Also find... n Local Listings n Activities & Workshops n Education & Enrichment n Articles & Information n Read, subscribe, advertis e in the Ezine And more... Please send in your letter with the subject line “Letters to the Editor”, before November 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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Parent Circle / November 2011
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special
BY RANGASHREE SRINIVAS
A
this through the stories of some
ahead with an unrelated adoption of a child
adoptive families.
in need. Today she is a favourite
BOND OF LOVE dopting a child is no
with everybody.
G Nageswaran and R Revathi are the
Srividhya already knows and has accepted
more or no less than an alternate way
parents of a lively little six-year-old girl.
her adoptive status. We are Sai Baba
to parenting. As a part of an important
Srividhya was adopted when she was
devotees and have told her that she is
nodal body, the Adoptions Coordination
just 72 days old. When Revathi had
a gift from God. We have exposed her
Agency, Tamil Nadu, I come across varied
some trouble with her pregnancy leading
to people who are economically less
perceptions to the idea of adoption. I am
to complications, the couple decided to
fortunate and have explained to her that
constantly in touch with scores of parents
adopt a child. “What began as a selfish
waiting in the wings to bring a child into
thought, transformed into a need to do
their homes, whom they can call their own.
something purposeful with our lives,” says Nageswaran. “When Srividhya
It is said that a biological child is born from
came into our lives, our family dynamics
your womb, but an adopted child is born
was transformed into something magical.
from your heart. The bond between the
We gave up minor squabbling and strove
adoptive parent and adopted child is very,
to make our home a haven of peace for
very special. It cannot be expressed in
our child. Initially my family wanted us to
words, but here is an attempt to illustrate
adopt from within the family, but we went
22 Parent Circle / November 2011
Srividhya with her parents
cover story
BY V VENKATACHALAM
CBSE In 1965, the Central Board
Board level exams. In 1985, in Chennai
of Secondary Education (CBSE) was
which 85 were affiliated to this system.
reorganized from the existing Board of Rajputana at Ajmer, which was prevailing
The ICSE The Indian Certificate
in five states. The board was given
of Secondary Education ( ICSE) is a
an all-India character under the
Christian Minority board, that has been
chairmanship of Zakir Hussain before he
given the status of a national board.
became President.
Handed down from the British, It is
alone, there were around 237 schools, of
relatively less popular in the country. In The CBSE curriculum was adopted by the
terms of syllabus standards, it is close to
Kendriya Vidyalaya schools – the schools
the CBSE.
attended by the children of people serving in the armed forces and the government.
Other Boards
At that time, the CBSE was called Higher
Across the country there are
Secondary. People liked it because there
totally 32 boards, excluding
was no requirement of a pre-university
the two national boards CBSE
course (PUC) after this, which amounted
and ICSE. Most of the others
to a one year ‘saving’ in education. Later
follow state patterns like the
after the 10 plus 2 was introduced, this
Manipuri pattern, Punjab
advantage was lost.
pattern, West Bengal pattern, Tamil Nadu pattern. Some like
Owing to the huge popularity of the
the Anglo Indian Board, the
CBSE and the inability of Kendriya
Madarasa Board or the Oriental
Vidyalayas to expand, private schools
Schools have community or
were allowed to get affiliated to this Board.
religious undertones. The 32
Until 1975, all the CBSE schools were
boards, instead of trying
following their own curriculum when Dr
to complement
K Venkatasubramanian, a renowned
each other
economist and eminent educationist
to promote
introduced the Plus 2, standardising the
value-based
30 Parent Circle / November 2011
education, compete with each other and
4 Eliminating cut-throat competition
Samacheer Kalvi has managed to
bring cleavage into the system.
among high achievers
downgrade the Matriculation system (to
4 Reducing societal pressure and
accommodate the learning capability
providing the learner with more flexibility
of students from lower hierarchies) and
the Matriculation Board to compete with
IGCSE and IB The
upgrade the Corporation and
the growing popularity of the CBSE board.
International General Certificate of
Earlier the Matriculation Board was under
Secondary Education (IGCSE) and A level
There is another important observation
the Madras University, subsequently
is certified by Cambridge and EDEXCEL
to be made in this context, which is
taken over by the state. At the Plus 2
– Pearson in India. EDEXCEL IGCSE is
‘capability’ versus ‘copability’. Why are
level alone, the Matriculation schools
followed by a few schools in the North,
there such high suicide rates inside the IIT
shared a common syllabus with the State
but they only offer ‘O’ level. EDEXCEL
campus? The reservation has not ensured
government and Corporation schools. The
is not aggressive in its marketing, while
‘copability’ despite apparently providing
Matriculation schools offered English and
Cambridge has its own ‘oomph’ to it.
‘capability through curriculum’. For many
Hindi languages, which the public wanted
This is preferred by the socially affluent
students entering a ‘CBSE or Matriculation’
and which were not offered by the state
people having diverse cultural needs,
standard when their parents have not been
schools. Since the CBSE system was
and the global Indian. The International
educated, the ‘copability’ is that much more
perceived to be tough and these schools
Baccalaureate (IB), like the IGCSE,
difficult. Even for me, though I am a Dean
commanded more fees, Matriculation
encourages thinking, research and
of a prestigious institution today, I would
schools became popular.
analysis, application and skill development,
have been better off if my grandparents
even decision-making depending on the
were educated! That would have resulted
Today, the Tamil Nadu state has
subject. Unlike the Indian boards which
in two generations of education before
introduced Samacheer Kalvi, and the
are product-oriented, the IGCSE and IB
me and I would have done better in life!
Matriculation schools have to follow the
are process-oriented. IB requires huge
The greater the education levels down the
state syllabus even at the lower classes.
investments in teacher training and the fee
generations, the better the capability and
Nothing prevents the Matriculation schools
is very steep for students.
copability of the subsequent generations.
THE ‘SOCIAL’ EVOLUTION OF EDUCATION
I also feel that as systems become more
these schools may not be incentivised sufficiently to do this. Though content-wise
Whatever the Centre and State
CBSE exams in 1975 for instance, used to
the CBSE Plus 2 and State Plus 2 syllabi
governments may do to provide uniformity
be very tough. Getting distinction (above
are on par with each other, the actual class
of syllabus, they cannot bring about
75 %) was a great achievement. Today
room transactions vary a great deal due to
‘equality in education’.
many schools follow CBSE and all are
In Tamil Nadu for instance, the late Chief Minister M G Ramachandran popularised
from offering more than what is mandated, but with the restriction on school fees,
lack of infrastructural facilities or trained/
Government schools.
popular, there will be dilution in content.
orienting their students to pass, preferably
committed human resources. A system
There is a distinct hierarchy even
that lacks these facilities will be liberal
in education, despite a comparable
with distinction.
in evaluation.
curriculum overall. As the earnings of
I predict the same thing will happen to the
people improve, their aspirations also
IB and IGCSE patterns, ten years down
The national boards are therefore
improve. The person who studied in a
the line. If they have to sustain themselves
better than state boards in recall and
Corporation school will aspire to put his
in terms of viability they will have to grow
application, and in encouraging a higher
son in a Government school. For parents
in reach, so there is bound to be some
order of thinking skills. The ICSE does
who have passed out of Government
dilution in their offering. 8
not have continuous and comprehensive
schools, their children will invariably go to a
evaluation (CCE) yet, so the CBSE has
Matriculation school. The aspiration levels
V VENKATACHALAM
an advantage. CCE has been instituted
move onwards to CBSE, ICSE, IGCSE,
IS AN EDUCATIONIST
with the idea of leading to a better learning
IB. So whatever may get done to provide
AND CURRENTLY
environment by
‘uniformity in education’ and ‘education
DEAN, VAEL’S GROUP OF
for all’, there will always be different fee
SCHOOLS.
4 Minimizing misclassification of students
structures, to accommodate the growing
on the basis of marks
aspirations of people.
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