Kidzee Rayagada

and embraces the parents as well, for we believe learning remains incomplete unless a holistic, conducive, and seamless transition is effected between school and home. Our Parent-Toddler program helps parents foster their children's social, creative, and physical skills thus improving their overall development through a scientific approach. Creating parental awareness is a challenge that stares the pre-school segment in the face, and we have already set the ball rolling here. In fine, we believe the way we speak to our children shapes their inner voice. Our life skills orientation at an early age is strategized to accomplish skills, flourish talent, and instill confidence. We equip a child with all that takes for her to become a master of her own life. Our pedagogical framework shapes up around an integrated approach to learning that gleans out the unique potential in each child and helps nurturing it. Every Kidzee centre follows a uniform, well-planned and systematic curriculum that integrates all types of activities that a child will see in the real world around her. It is important to note that we build the curriculum to cover knowledge, attitude, and life skills. A wide range of activities and programs are planned on a regular basis to provide children with experiences where they can explore their uniqueness and also supplement their classroom learning. Engaging and exciting theme-based activities that make the best use of the iLLUME kit are planned for throughout the year. We focus on activities that develop thinking and expression. The activities cater to the needs of all the children and their unique learning styles. Margaret Mead had once said, "Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” The Kidzee teacher is entrusted with the responsibility and accountability to create life-readiness in children. We believe, a teacher who does not 'teach' but helps the children develop their unique potential, is a success. Irrespective of the background and the experience, we make all Kidzee teachers undergo the 'Illuminaire' training which entails a well-evolved pedagogical orientation with activities devised for physical, social, and emotional development of a child. This training is dynamic, insightful and stresses on hands-on skills which ensures that the teachers are fully equipped to facilitate children’s development and education. This program equips each teacher with the skills required to implement the iLLUME pedagogy. Concepts outlined as themes, well-designed worksheets and observation sheets to note down developmental milestones are some of the components of a teacher's kit at Kidzee. A dedicated scheme of eighty hours of structured learning every year, along with a regular regime of workshops and seminars, classroom observation, and feedback empower the teachers at Kidzee/ECCE experts to become premium-quality facilitators. Teacher's Seminars and Workshops Kidzee regularly organizes seminars and workshops for teachers. These seminars and workshops are conducted by professionals on various topics such as Early Childhood Care and Education, child psychology, child development, etc. Every workshop is designed to give teachers powerful, effective and practical techniques which are easy to incorporate in their daily functioning and even easier to use with children. A question and answer session after every Workshop / Seminar ensures clear and in-depth understanding of the concepts and better interactions with the trainers. We have our academic managers who observe all teachers conducting Illume in action and provide feedback. All these combined enable the teachers and support in bringing Illume to life. Our infrastructural needs ensure that spacious, breezy, well-lit, comfortable and conducive classrooms along with balmy play areas are a non-negotiable. Experiential learning spaces, sensorial learning equipment and spaces, too, are a must-have. Every Kidzee classroom is designed in such a way that iLLUME is implemented and executed in the best possible manner. From carefully creating open places filled with child friendly equipment to visual stimulation through pictures & videos, every classroom is engineered to provide children with the best learning experience. Gauging all children by the same standards is what we consider as unfair, for, we believe that every child is unique and possesses infinite potential. We practice an observational and continual assessment, rather than a competitive one. So, rather than burdening children with tests and exams, they are observed non-intrusively and gauged on their individual developments. This methodology allows children to be free of judgmental evaluation, and thus provides them with an environment free from anxiety, to foster whole-hearted, spontaneous exploration and learning. Hence, our assessment collaterals focus not so much on what has been memorized but rather check if the child 'is developing appropriately for her age'. Can she walk along a straight line without any imbalance? Can she identify sounds in the environment? Can she connect few dots with a straight line? Alongside, building language-readiness and numerical aptitude goes on, hand in hand, to strengthen the cognitive learning path. It is nothing but the unique potential that we endeavour to unlock in our children. iLLUME kit, which is a part of every Kidzee, is chosen by Kidzee team of experts to ensure that it stimulates all the intelligences of a child and provides her with multiple pathways to enhance learning. The focus is on providing learning aids that help the child to explore and learn in ways that interest her. Feedback is shared with the parents at regular intervals wherein areas for further development are identified and mutually agreed upon, thereby supporting the child in multiple ways. At Kidzee, parents are viewed as contributive and active partners. We work on the principle that parenting styles differ based on each one’s experiences. Kidzee Parents provides a platform for parents to come and share their experiences, discuss their concerns and take away learnings from other fellow parents. Regular seminars and workshops are held to align parents with Kidzee's approach and enable them to develop a safe, healthy, hygienic and developmentally appropriate environment, even at home.