Kids Chronicles _ Pre-primary First Edition

NEWSLETTER Issue 01 | JULY 2021 | Pre Primary 1

TABLE OF CO N TE N TS 3. From the Principal’s Desk 6. Message from the Co-ordinator 8. Counsellor’s Corner 14. Kindergarten News 15. Snippets of Events Celebrated 19. Curriculum Covered – Nursery 20. Vocab Building 22.. Valuable Feedback from Parent 25. Teacher’s Feedback on Virtual Schooling 27. Kids Corner 34. Informative Corner 39.Thank You 2

Pre-school is when the little ones are separated from the comfort zone of their homes and from their parents. It becomes imperative, therefore, that pre-school becomes a second home for a child— a place where love and care is given in abundance, which would make a child feel comfortable and secure. This is the first place where children come together and develop a sense of self; it is an environment that fosters self-esteem. The child begins to conceptualise ideas about themselves and the world around them. The child learns the import of her or his own name, belongings, and friends. Pre-school, hence, becomes the perfect space to learn and grow; it becomes the place for the childs foundations— the roots for lifelong education and progress. The skills and knowledge that the child stands to acquire at pre- school have a significant impact on the aptitude and attitude of the child in the subsequent stages of life. Research also points towards the fact that children, who were enrolled at Pre-school at an early age have considerably enhanced social skills, fewer behavioural issues, and better grades without any need for special attention. For EuroSchool as well, Pre-school is where it all began! Pre-school has been the backbone of Euro School, Airoli, r3ight from its founding years.

The department of early education has always set itself apart in terms of excellence and has always been attuned with the Euro School’s ethos of balanced schooling and discovering oneself. I believe that the onus of igniting enthusiasm to learn in young minds lies squarely on the shoulders of the Pre-primary vertical. This is the stage where the little ones learn to augment their spirit of enquiry. It is here where a childs curiosity and abilities are enhanced and channelled towards education and learning. It makes me proud to say that EuroSchool has been fulfilling these very responsibilities with the same rigour and enthusiasm over the last eleven years. It has been a matter of pride and joy to see young toddlers blossoming into young adults equipped with multiple skill sets of Public Speaking, Music, Art, and so on, along with excelling in Scholastic and Co-scholastic activities. Over the years I have witnessed the Pre-primary section at our school evolving with the changing times. Learners as young as 2.5 - 4.5 years of age are successfully grasping and exploring dynamic and complex themes of Environment Sustainability, Life beyond Earth, and so on. This goes to show the competency and skill of our Pre- primary educators. 4

Moreover, at this time of the pandemic, this department has risen to the occasion by replicating all those wonderful efforts and by enhancing them on online platforms. Innovative events, enrichment programs, and several other virtual celebrations continually ensure that learning is joyous, continuous, and enriching for our little ones. Having been part of these wonderful programs, I have only but marvelled at the extent of personal engagement of the team under the able guidance of the coordinators, Ms. Rekha Nair Fernandes and Ms. Karishma Gogri . Thanks to the consistent efforts put forward by the pre-primary team along with the heart-warming support extended by the parents, education and learning continued successfully, despite these challenging times we face today. To have our little learners engaged in the process of learning in our virtual school has been possible solely due to the magical combination of human connect mixed impeccably with modern technology. -Ms. Geeta Agarwal Principal EuroSchool- Airoli 5

Message from the Coordinator “Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity, but in doing it.” We stand poised on the threshold of a new era, an era of renaissance, an era of change in the dynamics of education. I believe the journey through school is a special one, where the children are at the heart of the decisions we make. We ensure they are happy, confident, inspired, and thus strive towards independent learning and academic success. My aim as a Pre-primary coordinator is to ensure that each child can achieve and progress to their full potential, in their academic, creative, personal, physical, moral and spiritual development. We aim to deliver this through the highest quality of teaching and learning within a happy and safe environment.

I’m so sure that my little students would explore and learn, reveal the mysteries of nature, make tremendous changes in the field of science and technology, sketch amazing portraits, pen down literary masterpieces and make their institution proud with their achievements. I also take this opportunity to thank the parents of our students for having bestowed their faith and confidence in us. Your faith in us is our driving force. - Ms. Rekha Nair Fernandes (Pre-primary Coordinator) EuroSchool, Airoli

Counsellor’s ‘The greatest gifts we can give our children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.’ - Dr. Maria Montessori From birth, children are on a quest for independence. We see this as babies try to spoon-feed themselves or insist on taking off their own diapers, as toddlers demand to dress themselves or turn the faucet on at the sink. Opportunities to develop independence are immensely important for building a sense of self and self-esteem — not to mention frustration tolerance and perseverance! Still, as parents it’s hard not to worry at the thought of our preschoolers racing for the step stool, climbing up, and then trying to pour themselves a glass of milk. Letting children carry out tasks often means that the task will take twice as long — and be three times as messy. And It can be hard to watch your child try, fail and feel frustrated or disappointed. So, the underlying question is presented: How can we instill independence in children? Here are some simple ways to do just that. 8

Counsellor’s Ø Stop Doing Everything We, parents want to make sure everything is done, and done right. There are too many things to do in a day to waste time redoing a simple task. Yet, when parents do every little activity for their child it will be more stressful on the parent. Also, this will be more hurtful for the child if they feel you think they still need to be babied. The first step in trying to change any situation is evaluating what exactly needs to change. To raise independent children you must give them a chance to be independent. Ø Avoid Hand-Holding Your Child Many parents confuse guidance with hand-holding and constantly intervene in the child’s actions if he is doing something wrong or is taking longer than needed. When your child is young, it is good to guide your child with some instructions or open-ended suggestions that inform him of the possibility that the task can be completed in an easier way. But as he grows up, let him come to you if he needs help, rather than intervening needlessly.

Counsellor’s Ø Make time If it takes her 10 minutes to brush their teeth, start your morning 10 minutes earlier (and put down the brush!). When they are not being micromanaged, they may surprise you with their co-operation, and you’ll be a calmer influence when you’re not racing against the clock. Ø Forget perfection Accept that they won’t do the task as well as you. If the milk spills, show them how to clean it up without criticism and assure them it happens to everyone. Ø Have Empathy Towards Your Child Your child is just learning to be independent, so it won’t be easy for him. Avoid scolding him or putting him down, even if he fails to do something that is quite simple. Be there to support him and help him out if he asks for it, without judging him. 9

Counsellor’s Ø Teach Your Child to Solve Problems Independently Be it school-related problems or any issues he might have with siblings or friends, let your child know that certain problems have to be resolved by him and you can’t help him with those. Guide him if needed by providing him with a different perspective of the situation. Ø Establish a Proper Routine Children can have trouble making decisions for themselves if they don’t think sequentially. This can be easily handled by establishing a fixed routine for them. Once your kid knows what needs to be done on a particular day and at a particular time, he will start doing it all by himself. Ø Introduce Choices With Limited Options Asking your child what he would like to eat at a restaurant can get quite overwhelming for him since the restaurant menu is quite expansive. Instead, pick a bunch of options from the menu and ask him to choose from the selected options. Starting off with a limited array can help him make a choice easily and prepare him for newer ones. 10

Counsellor’s What to say while they work and play What we call the “P-R-I-D-E” skills are strategies that have been shown to help increase positive behaviors in young children: Ø PRAISE: Praise your child’s appropriate behavior. This helps increase the specific behavior that you are addressing and contributes to a warm interaction with your child. For example, “Great job lining up those blocks!” or, “I’m proud of you for sticking with that puzzle!” Ø REFLECT: Reflect appropriate speech. This helps demonstrate to your child that you are listening and understanding. For example, your child says, “I made a tower.” And then you say, “You made a tower!” Ø IMITATE appropriate behavior and play. This gives positive attention (the most powerful reward) to good behavior and promotes cooperation. For instance, when your child builds a tower, you begin to stack blocks too. 10

Counsellor’s Ø DESCRIBE your child’s appropriate behavior. This reinforces your child’s positive play and draws their attention to it. You might say, “I see you drew a rainbow!” or, “We are building a tower together.” Ø Be ENTHUSIASTIC! This makes your interactions feel warmer and keeps your child interested. For example, you can use a playful voice, exaggerate your emotions when you’re talking and smile often. -MS. SMITA NAIR HOD(Dept of Spl Edn and Counseling) EuroSchool- Airoli 10

Kindergarten News Events Celebrated :- o Mother Earth Day o Summer Splash o World Safety Day o Mother’s Day & International Day of Dance o International day of yoga along with Father’s Day o Eid Celebration o Friendship Day Celebration Upcoming Events & Celebrations :- 11 Ø Independence Day & Parsi New Year Ø Raksha Bandhan Ø Janmashtami Ø Ganpati Celebration Ø International Peace Day Ø Gandhi Jayanti Ø Dussehra Ø Diwali Ø Grandparents Day Celebration

Mother Earth Day Summer Splash

World Safety Day Mother’s Day & International Day of Dance

Father’s Day & International Day of Yoga Eid Celebration

Friendship Day

Nursery Curriculum Covered:- Literacy :- Letters A, B, C Math Lab :- Introduction to No 1 ,2 & 3 Scientific Thinking :- All about Myself, My Family, Transport Word of the Week :- Responsible, Loving, Exciting Shape :- Circle Color :- Red 19

Vocabulary Building by our EuroJuniors Word of the Week :- Variety, Medicinal, Blooming, Shady, Unique, Striking, Energetic, Elaborate. Sight Words :- Leaves, Seeds, Bud, Shrubs, Herbs, Animals, Farm, Herbivores, Carnivores, Omnivores, Habitat, Forest, Tiger, Desert, Camel, Arctic, Ocean, Walrus, Lobster, Crab, Endangered, Extinct, Dinosaur, Giraffe, Zoo, Food, Nutrients, Healthy, Milk, Egg, Grow, Glow, 20 Fruit, Vegetables.

Vocabulary Building by our Euro Seniors Word of the Week :- Appreciate, Flexible, Clumsy, Optimistic, Astonished, Triumph, Chaos, Comfortable. Sight Words :- heart, brain, bones, lungs, skeleton, emotions, feelings, happy, expressions, face, anger, surprise, circle, square, envy, bigger, smaller, blue, fear, shy, green, yellow, rectangle, triangle, teacher, greater, lesser, equal, librarian, friend, pink, white, oval, semi circle. 21

Vreaspluonasbele from Parent 22

Hi All, Adrian has been blessed to have such a talented team of teachers & support staff that is making sure that my kid excels. As a parent, I was totally in a panic that my little one had to travel all alone to Airol from Mulund. But the Pandemic was a blessing in masquerade, we were able to pay more attention to him than before. Work from Home though has its set of challenges, but found Argus Jr App is an excellent option where I was able to get him to catch up on his learning and making his screen time more beneficial. Further, the app had fun quizzes, stories & activities which in turn kept him busy for the rest of the day post his online schooling. Initially, virtual schooling did make it difficult to have the little kid respond appropriately & manage the virtual session, but I must say the Teachers have been cooperative & understanding in getting kids to cope with virtual learning. The various virtual games & fun events for Grandparents Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day & various celebrations have been striking & well planned, with the little socializing that is possible virtually. Adrian has been spellbound with Math’s since childhood but it has been great that we were able to get him enrolled for HKIMO Olympiad where he won a Gold medal. Thanks to all the resources and training material t2h3 at was provided by the school coordinators.

The PTM has been also a good experience with a key understanding that my kid is been observed by both teachers even when he is on MUTE. As a parent, I am really happy with the Plan education structure of Euro School. It's wonderful to see extracurricular activities blend so well in the virtual environment where kids are enjoying choir, dance, yoga, taekwondo to the fullest. Rekha Ma’am & the Class Teachers Neetu Ma’am and Shalini Ma’am have been immensely supportive & have helped us with whatever support is needed. Euro School has adopted Virtual schooling outstandingly and must say that the kids are enjoying it. The overall experience has been prodigious with Euro School. With the current Pandemic, I don’t know when the kids will meet face to face, but looking forward to that day. -Ms.Diana Buthello. (Parent of Adrian Buthello Sr KG “A”) 24

Teacher’s Feedback on Virtual Schooling 25

The virtual medium or zoom as we know has become the most commonly used platform for learning, meeting people and event celebrations now. It has become an integral part of our life and the education field is also not a stranger when it comes to using zoom. Be it for online classes or event celebrations zoom is a norm now. When the pandemic hit last year, it was a challenge for us teachers and children to suddenly shift from an offline mode of learning to an online mode. Having said that, it also allowed us to venture into new avenues and create a unique learning experience for children. However, what I miss the most while teaching online is the physical proximity to children. It is at times a challenge to hold a child’s attention while teaching a concept as they are at the comfort of their homes and get easily distracted. It is also a challenge to extend emotional or physical support to children while teaching online. To create a suitable environment for learning at home is important to help our children progress and this must be taken as a serious responsibility by each and every one of us. In my opinion the virtual mode of teaching and learning is the new norm now and despite its various challenges, it also is a boon. - Ms. Aishwarya Trichur (Sr.KG Teacher) 26

CKOIDRSNER

Rebus Story Time

Rebus Rebus stories have a picture in place of a word. Some of them have both the word and the picture to further help the child to learn words. The rebus offers a way to enable children to help read a story before they can decipher print.

The fat ran to the Sam was baking a and ran him Sam saw the fat out of the .

Sam looked at the and . The fat ran back into the . Sam gave the fat a piece of .

Join the dots andcolor the picture 32



Incfoornrmerative 34

Reading Tips For Parents Ø Read together every day Ø Read to your child every day. Make this a warm and loving time when the two of you can cuddle close. Ø Give everything a name Ø Build your child's vocabulary by talking about interesting words and objects. For example, \"Look at that airplane! Those are the wings of the plane. Why do you think they are called wings?” Ø Say how much you enjoy reading Ø Tell your child how much you enjoy reading with him or her. Talk about \"story time\" as the favorite part of your day. Ø Read with fun in your voice Ø Read to your child with humor and expression. Use different voices.

Ø Be interactive Ø Discuss what's happening in the book, point out things on the page, and ask questions. Ø Read it again and again Ø Go ahead and read your child's favorite book for the 100th time! Ø Talk about writing, too Ø Mention to your child how we read from left to right and how words are separated by spaces. Ø Point out print everywhere Ø Talk about the written words you see in the world around you. Ask your child to find a new word on each outing. Ø Know when to stop Ø Put the book away for a while if your child loses interest or is having trouble paying attention.