ECA Workshop for Teachers in KiiT International School
KiiT International School, which is the nodal centre for Early Childhood Education in eastern India with Chairperson, Dr. Mona Lisa Bal as Territory Head, conducted a workshop on 21st February 2015 on “Best Curricular Practices in Early Learning Years” for teachers from all over the city. Eminent Educationist and Pre-Primary Learning Expert, Ms. Nidhi Dhawan, Director, Happy Hours School, and Dr. Pratap Rath, Professor of Psychology and Child Rights Activist, addressed on the occasion.
Ms. Dhawan brought out the importance of involving and addressing the natural curiosity of the child in a graded structured but innovative manner, with varied approaches to learning without stereotyping and rote memorization. Rather, the emphasis should be in tapping the child’s curiosity and imagination to lead to the ultimate goal of making learning a joyful process of discovery and exploration. She highlighted the possibilities of innovation through crosswords, riddles, illustrations etc. showcasing some of the worksheets done by children from her School.
Dr. Rath conducted a session on right to life with dignity where he emphasized on the need for educators to realize their own individuality, uniqueness and self-esteem in order to be able to mold children as unique individuals. He also demonstrated innovative ways of teaching Math and making complex calculations simple for children. His session was extremely well received and interactive for the teachers.
Dr. Bal, who emphasized on the need for a stress free, happy and safe environment for early learners by making use of technology, innovation and creativity to spark off the latent capabilities in them. Ms. Rajalaxmi Panda, Faculty, Department of Psychology in KiiT International School conducted a few games to energize the teachers and reinforce the views of the educators while Ms. Nandita Mishra, Dy Head and ECA Secretary, KiiT International School moderated the sessions summing up the views of the speakers for the participants. The feedback from each and every participant was overwhelmingly positive and encouraging. The session was organized by Ms. Theodora Fernandez, Coordinator, Kinder Orland, KiiT International School and her team of Kinder Orland teachers.