Excerpts of LiveChat with KidZee experts: All you need to know about pre-schooling and curriculum – Part 2

Moms all over India connected with the experts– Ms Sindhu Aven, Head – Academics, Zee Learn Ltd and Mr Dipnarayan Chakraborty, Research Head, Zee Learn Ltd on this LiveChat on BabyChakra on September 5, 2015.

Q: Which board of education should I select for my child? In the long run, I want my kid to have great opportunities and to be well equipped to handle competitive exams.

A: All boards are perfectly okay if you guide your child enough, however there is a common perception that CBSE is more aligned to the competitive exams. Please note that students from all boards have a fair chance of cracking the exams. I would request you to focus at the child’s wholesome and joyful development at this stage. A happy and confident child will be successful anyway!

Q: My niece is shifting from Delhi to Gwalior. Please suggest some good preschool.

A: You need to do a little research when you shift to Gwalior, as to which school is closer to your residence, what curricula do they provide and also look at the safety aspects of each school. Keep these things in mind and decide a preschool.

Q: By when exactly is the child expected to understand colours?

A: Exposure to colours may begin from the time when the child is 6 months old, and child may identify and label a few of them by the age of 3 years.

Q: My 3 years 4 months old daughter is still not comfortable to inform about her potty beforehand. I have been trying since she was 1.5 years old. Please advise.

A: You may observe the child for a while and look for signs when she’s about to poop for e.g. going in one corner, secluding herself etc. You may also take her to the washroom frequently.

Q: What’s the basic difference between CBSE and IB schooling? Is it true that IB boards are more teacher dependent rather than text book dependent?

A: All boards are comparable, as all of them have different approach of learning. Some boards provide more of practical approach and some focus more on gaining theoretical knowledge. And yes, it is true that IB board is more teacher dependent and open to different methods of learning, it is more exploratory in nature.

Q: My 2 years old child is a good observer but is not speaking clearly. Is this normal? When should I send her to play school?

A: Every child has his/her own pace of development. It is great that the child is a good observer. It is a good idea to enrol the child to preschool as he/she will get more exposure to develop her language skills.

Q: Which is the right age to start a child’s schooling?

A: Research shows that the best age for the child to start preschool is 2 years as it helps the child in his/her primary grades.

Q: How much sleep is necessary for a kid who is studying, depending on their age?

A: Around 8- 10 hours of sound sleep should be enough.

Q: My daughter is very fond of playing games on a smartphone. She plays for around 2-3 hours a day. Is this good for her or not?

A: It would be better if you limit the time to 15-20 minutes a day because at this age social development and physical development are more important.

Q: My 3.5 years old son cannot recognise his bag and bottle at school. What should I do?

A: You can tag his photograph on his bag and his bottle and introduce it to him gradually.

Q: I understand that every child has his or her own growth milestones. In that case is it okay to expect so much information from them during admission interview? Do you think the process followed these days is good enough?

A: Yes, it is true that all the children have different milestones. An interview is usually taken to interact with the child and see their communication skills; there shouldn’t be any more expectations.

Q: At what age is it fair to introduce the child to music or dance class?

A: Introducing child to music can be done in any class, it depends on the child’s interest and the parent’s choice.

Q: Is it true that some schools judge the parent profile during admissions? If yes, what do they look for?

A: Schools give admission on lottery basis depending on the radius. This, however, differs from school to school.

Q: My child finds it difficult to remember something taught in school or any message given by teacher. They have a school diary but he does not write properly in it. Is this normal?

A: It is perfectly normal because at this age it’s difficult for them to write everything, so teachers might write diaries for them.

Find this interesting? Read the Part 1 of the Q & As from this Chat.