‘Teachers at Apeejay Kharghar helped my son come out of his shell’

Divjot Singh Saini, a student of the sixth standard at Apeejay Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, was too shy to take part in school activities but his teachers boosted his confidence every step of the way, says his mother Kamalpreet Kaur Saini. Her younger son Sehaj also studies in the same school. In an interview, Kamalpreet talks about how teachers at Apeejay Kharghar helped hone her sons’ talent. Excerpts:

How long have your sons studied at Apeejay Kharghar?

My elder son Divjot Singh Saini has been in the school right from the start, since nursery. Sehaj is now in KG.

Why did you choose this school?

My husband, Inderjit Singh Saini, wanted our children to study in a CBSE school. We shortlisted some schools and Apeejay was among the top three schools in Kharghar. We found out that the school is very good in terms of academics. That’s how we chose it.

What developments have you noticed in your sons?

There has been a lot of progress in Divjot because of the teachers who push him to do better every day. My son used to be shy, but his talent was identified by the teachers who then encouraged him to take part in co-curricular activities. The teachers always believed in him, which helped him gain confidence gradually.

Sehaj is two steps ahead of his brother. He is like the hero of his class!

How helpful are the teachers?

There are at least 10 students of Apeejay in our residential complex, but we have never seen anyone go for coaching classes. That is because of the schoolteachers who already prepare the kids so well. This holds true even in case of the online classes. From the required support to extensive notes, they provide the best of everything. Parents do not really have to worry about anything. I would say hats off to the teachers!

What is also significant is the ‘thematic-learning’ approach, where the students more or less focus on a particular topic in all the subjects they are studying, from Science to English. For instance, if they are being taught about seasons or festivals, they will perhaps do a phonetics class or make a craft on the same.  This way, the concepts become very clear.

What about online classes?

My sons missed their online classes for 15 days. But when they joined again, they did not struggle much to grasp the lessons. The teachers use a variety of tools to explain the concepts, from PowerPoint presentations to activities. The kids learn so much in just one session. It actually becomes quite convenient for the parents too. In fact, my children trust their teachers more than us when it comes to learning.

It is especially difficult to teach such small kids online, but teachers make sure that each kid gets proper attention, and the learning is smooth. The kids also enjoy the co-curricular activities which take place along with their studies. It makes them look forward to the classes.

With online classes, parents seem to be coping with the added pressure of helping children with their assignments besides personal responsibilities. Tell us about your experience.

There are times when I am unable to attend my sons’ classes. Thanks to the support from teachers, Divjot is able to attend classes independently. They make sure to speak to the parents after class to update them about the lessons. There have also been instances where kids’ grandparents attended online classes and they got maximum cooperation from the teachers. Personally, I have never faced any problem.