‘Both my children are more confident now’

Her son, Aryaaman Gupta is a student of class II at Apeejay School, Faridabad in Sector 15. Her daughter Sanchi recently joined the school in the nursery as well. Meet Aanchal Gupta, a homemaker who says that every child in their family is an Apeejayite – her sister-in-law’s son, Samarth Gupta, who is in class VI is from Apeejay too!

“There were so many reasons why I chose Apeejay for my son when he had to start formal schooling. Of course, the fact that my sister-in-law’s son has been in that school for years was one of the considerations. I spoke to a lot of teachers at the school where Aryaaman was a preschooler. I was told that the teachers there were excellent, and that they were always available to address queries – even at night. Hence, I chose to send my son to Apeejay,” Gupta said.

Excerpts from an interview.

How important was it for you to be in sync with the teachers?

It was extremely important for me. There are so many good schools in Faridabad and each is better than the other; they even have a brand value. A parent must have that ease and bond with the teacher. A parent has to be comfortable with the teacher and if that is not achieved, it will be tough for the student to develop a sense of comfort.

I have such a good relationship with my son’s teachers. Even for the slightest of issues I text and they are immediately addressed and ease my mind. A child needs to be comfortable with parents at home and teachers in school.

Have there been many changes in your son now that he is going to school?

When he joined the school in the nursery, a few months later COVID-19 pandemic hit, and schools shut down. Now that he is going to the school, there has once again been a tremendous change in his learning curve as well.

Was it tough for him to settle down once the school opened?

Yes, he was a bit uncomfortable in the beginning. I spoke with his class teacher Archana ma’am and told her that Aryaaman’s behaviour has changed. Within a couple of weeks, my son was back to being himself. His teacher made it easy for him and he wanted to go to school once again.

What were the changes in Sanchi?

She started going to the nursery. She was an introvert. She was not used to talking to strangers, never having met them due to COVID-19. Even when people asked her name, she would remain quiet. But once she started offline classes, within three months, there was a sea change. I even went to the headmistress and expressed my gratitude.

The school holds stage activities for these tiny tots. I knew that Sanchi would not utter a single word. Her first two activities were not so good. But her third was amazing. She spoke so loudly; it was amazing,

What is the teaching methodology in the nursery?

It is very good. The best part is that there is no burden on her. I feel that there is pressure on kids today; they are becoming soft. Even the parents are not putting pressure on the kid. I just feel that homework should be given; it is an activity that helps a parent bond with their child.   

How was the teaching during the lockdown period?

Kudos to the teachers of Apeejay to have devised the lesson plan in such a manner that they kept the kids engaged even online. I was amazed at the hard work that they put into each class. I have a large social circle and after discussing it with other parents I realised how brilliant Apeejay teachers are. I loved the interactive way they taught. I was happy that my decision to send Aryaaman to Apeejay was correct.

Even online, there was never a time when Aryaaman had raised his hand and the teacher ignored his query. The teachers are very careful to take care of an issue that was raised by the parent and to never repeat it.

Can you share some instances of how the teachers made the class more interactive?

For Aryaaman, the teacher used a globe to teach and show the kids the country. Some activities were with cotton and paintings. Yes, I too had to put in a bit of effort but the impact on my son was tremendous. I also realised that I was struggling with one child, the teacher had around to deal with 40. But they never lost their calm; they always had a smile on their face.

How are Apeejayites different from other schools?

Children who study at Apeejay are so different from students from other schools. When people look at Aryaaman and Sanchi, they want to know which school they are going to. Both my children are so confident and well-mannered. The activities that the school organises instill so many values in the children. Most schools have a western touch to them. I am glad that Apeejay is different. They ensure that the kids are taught about Indian culture and traditions. I always recommend this school to all parents.