Apeejay School – Rama Mandi helped my daughter defeat stage fright: Swati Kataria

Ms. Swati Kataria is a dietician and her husband
Mr. Mandeep Kataria is an Associate Professor with the CT Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jalandhar. The couple’s daughter, Antar, is studying in class 3 of Apeejay School – Rama Mandi, Jalandhar. In a candid interview, she recalls how the school helped Antar become a more confident person on-stage.

You must have evaluated many options. What made you pick Apeejay?
We live in a Madar, a small village near Rama Mandi. We had two options before us including Apeejay. The reason we chose Apeejay for Antar was because we wanted a school to which we can relate to, similar to the one where we had studied. Also, the other school had an artificial playground and lacked open spaces.

Tell us about the improvements you’ve seen in your child over the years?
Antar has been studying in the school since nursery. My child never went to a play school, so we were a little apprehensive as to how she will interact with other students in Nursery. But, we were pleasantly surprised to see her adapting so well to the new environment. In fact, over time she started enjoying going to school. Initially, Antar was hesitant to express herself in front of our relatives and friends. She has now become more comfortable while interacting with others. More importantly, her confidence has reached new heights. She is brilliant on the stage. She has no stage fear because the school has given her numerous opportunities to express herself. It’s not as if my daughter alone is comfortable on stage, almost all students perform confidently on the stage. Antar has been actively participating in all the extra-curricular activities and she is getting a lot of appreciation for it. Another thing I like about the school is that it gives the requisite attention to all students in the class, unlike other schools which focus just on the toppers.

Are you happy with the teachers at the school?
The teachers are extremely cooperative. Whenever you call or message them they reply back. Even during summer holidays they respond to queries. They are very friendly during PTMs and give detailed feedback on your child.

Please share with us a moment that touched you deeply.
It was Antar’s first year in school and there was a competition organised around Holi. The parents were also invited. There was a table where the students were painting and doing other activities. Antar too was painting and she spoiled her hands with colours. I was about to point this out to Antar, but before that her class teachers said to her: ‘Never mind Antar. We can wash our hands later. Do as you want’. I realised from that moment that you have to give freedom to children and they will learn.

“Unlike other schools, Apeejay School – Rama Mandi, has been taking online classes regularly. The school follows a fixed time table. This has helped children become more organised.”

Swati Kataria