‘Teachers made my son feel comfortable during his school admission interaction’

Sadaf Abbasi says she cannot thank the teachers of Apeejay Kharghar enough for facilitating her children’s overall development right from the beginning. Her son Shayaan is in class KG and her daughter Shiza is in Class IV. The mother-of-two tells us more about the admission process, how her children are progressing, and more. Edited excerpts:

What made you opt for Apeejay School, Kharghar?

We shifted to Navi Mumbai from Delhi for my husband’s job. Both he and I wanted our daughter, who had just become eligible for school then, to study in a Central Board of Secondary Education institute. When we started searching, we came across a survey that listed Apeejay School, Kharghar, as one of the top 10 schools in Navi Mumbai. We decided to enroll Shiza in the school, in nursery.

Also Read: ‘It’s all about experiential learning at Apeejay School, Kharghar’

Now in Class IV, Shiza has shown significant growth over the past few years, not just in terms of academics but her overall persona. Since we had a great experience, we were in no doubt about enrolling our son Shayaan in Apeejay as well.

Can you tell us more about the kind of improvements you have seen in Shiza?

Shiza used to be a shy kid in nursery. While she was comfortable with me, she hesitated a lot to speak with others. She was also overcome with stage fear. Her class teacher Sudeshna ma’am was the one who began to ask her to participate in class activities where she had to speak. Shiza ended up participating in a host of events, from sports to the annual day programme, festive events, and so on. By the time she reached class KG, I think she became fearless. Her teacher Mini ma’am boosted her confidence further. In fact, my little girl also won the “best speaker” award, which was a remarkable achievement. She also participated in an inter-school GK quiz competition. I would also like to specially mention Sarika ma’am, who has also been instrumental in my daughter’s progress.

Would you say teachers help tiny tots interact better and identify their potential?

Each student gets personal attention from the teachers. The Parent Teacher Meeting (PTM), which is held mostly every month, helps parents stay updated about their child’s progress. Parents can easily reach out to teachers to express their concerns if any. They are always available on call or WhatsApp which makes communication easier.

What kind of progress have you seen in Shayaan?

Thanks to phonics being introduced in nursery, my son can already read small sentences. And he can spell and write words correctly. Phonics was new for my child, but his class teacher Parveen ma’am did a great job in teaching him despite being in the virtual mode. In KG, Shayaan has learnt action and sound diagrams.

Since April, my son has participated in about four-five competitions like Hindi recitation, English recitation, drawing competition, and so on. The teachers have made it compulsory for each student to participate and the results have been wonderful.

What was the admission process?

For my son, who got enrolled last year, the interview took place online and it went smoothly. Although I was allowed to sit during the interview, the teachers made my son feel so comfortable that I did not need to intervene.

For new parents looking to enroll their toddlers in school, can you share some tips to prepare their child for an interview?

My son was asked about geometrical shapes and was also asked to identify some animals. Interestingly, the teachers framed the questions around my son’s appearance — they asked him what he was wearing, what the illustration on his T-shirt was all about, and so on – -which is how they were able to help my son open up and interact with them. Shayaan enjoyed the conversation.

To parents, I would like to say: It is not like the teachers ask complex questions. What they really want to make sure of is if a child is responsive.