‘Word can’t describe how good this school is’

Some parents carry the burden of choosing the right school for their child on their shoulders; they don’t depend on what others have to say. Therefore, such parents need to make the right choice since they rely solely on themselves.

Meet Pooja Gupta and her Chartered Accountant husband Tarun Kumar Gupta. “I am the eldest daughter-in-law in the family. The onus of taking responsibility for the entire family rested on my husband and me. Back then, there was no one to tell us that which is the right school to choose for my son, Sanchit, (now in class VI). I had heard of Apeejay Rhythms Kinderworld in Jalandhar since it opened a couple of years before my son took admission in 2014 and went ahead and enrolled him. When it was time for my daughter’s admission, Kinderworld was the obvious choice,” Pooja said.

Excerpts from the interview.

Had you heard about Apeejay?

Practically everyone in Jalandhar has heard of Apeejay Schools. When it was time to look for a school for my son, we relied on ourselves to make the right choice. Of course, we had heard good things about Rhythms Kinderworld. We had heard that it has the perfect combination of academics and extracurricular activities. The fact that I won’t have to change schools was an added advantage at Apeejay. When it was time for my daughter, Bhanvi (now in class I) at Apeejay School, Model Town in Jalandhar, to go to school, Apeejay was the obvious choice.

What are some of the things that convinced you that Apeejay was the right choice?

We had heard that the teachers are good; the infrastructure is good, and most importantly the teaching methodology is good. Some cousins of my husband had studied at Apeejay as well. Their feedback clinched the deal for us.

What is the learning curve for your children?

I would say that both of them are doing well in school. My son has recently won the Rubik’s Cube Championship. I got a call from the school to come to the school so that Sanchit can showcase his talent. My daughter is doing well in her class as well.

You teach Abacus and get students from different schools. How do Apeejayites outshine them?

So many of my students are from different schools and the one glaring difference is the lack of confidence that I see in other kids. Just to give an example. A class VIII student from another school was unable to take the mic and speak in my class when I organised a small event. But my son has been speaking confidently since he was in class V.

My daughter is super confident. Last year, when she was in UKG, she hosted the show. She had to learn five pages of script which she did beautifully. Then there was a state-level Abacus event at Lovely Professional University. There must have been over a thousand people inside. The person on the stage asked if anyone knew Saraswati Vandana. My daughter was the only one who raised her hand. Her confidence was so high that despite not knowing it, she walked up to the stage and recited Gayatri Mantra.

How are the teachers at the school?

I am fully satisfied with the teachers here. The most important thing is that both my children are happy going to school. They never make a fuss. This says a lot. My daughter’s class is Shikha ma’am. My son’s class teacher is Meeta ma’am. Both the teachers are excellent.

You teach Abacus. How can the child become good at Math?

There is a frame with beads in it. The kids over a period of time can memorise them and know where they are even with their eyes closed. Some of the frames have 100 beads. In the competition that is being organised in Jalandhar at the state and then national levels. The kids are required to solve 200 questions in eight minutes. My students are practicing for that at present. The best part is that one can learn how to multiply, divide, square root, and even do decimal sums. My daughter can do 100-plus sums. The best age to start learning Abacus is from age five to 13.

Are parent-teacher meetings held regularly?

Yes. There are times when I call the teacher and they answer our queries promptly. At times, if they can’t answer the phone, they always call back. This is seldom seen in other schools.

How was the teaching during COVID-19 for your son?

The teachers were very good. I got a lot of complaints from parents that their child lagged but there was no such thing at Apeejay. My son and I took the studies very seriously and treated it like he was going to school. I made sure that he completed his work and submitted it on time. You can’t blame the teachers all the time. Some effort has to come from the parents as well.