The aim of Parent Orientations is to give parents an opportunity to experience and understand the world their child explores in school. It identifies the specific skill set of every child and helps each one of them to derive motivation from within as well as from the environment.
At St. Columba’s, we completely understand the importance of a child’s growth and the sensitive role of parents along with teachers, wherein your child's learning is fostered through the joint efforts of parents, teachers and the school. Keeping this in mind, the second batch of Online Parent Orientations were conducted on 22nd July, 26th July, 11th August and 13th August 2021 for Classes KG, 1, 2 and 3 respectively through the Zoom platform.
Our respected Principal, Brother Miranda, the Junior School Headmistress, Mrs. Ritu Kaushal, Coordinators, Mrs. Vandana Mehrotra for Classes KG and 1, Miss. Vandana Sharma for Classes 2 and 3 and all the teachers of Junior Wing conducted the Orientation with the parents
Brother Miranda began the sessions mentioning the theme “The Gift You Are!”. He spoke about the role of ‘Positive Affirmations’, the belief that we have been lovingly created by God and how we should see goodness not only in ourselves but in others all the time.
Mrs. Ritu Kaushal, the Headmistress of the Junior School enlightened the parents about the importance of NCERT books as they follow a child centric approach and encourage children to reflect on their own learning and to discover things around their environment. She also showed how EVS is integrated in Maths and English across our curriculum. This was followed by elaborating on how each scholastic subject is integrated with the SDGs, Value Education, the 5Ps and Social Justice through experiential learning and the teaching of life skills.
Mrs. Kaushal also focused on the importance of teaching our children to be safe, responsible and respectful online. Our Headmistress stressed on the importance of quality time spent by parents with their children. She shared some tips on how to stay calm, listen patiently and reassure the child by following some basic breathing exercises. The coordinators discussed the CORE COMPETENCIES in detail for reading, communication, social skills etc., in each Parent Orientation.
The KG teachers talked about the 5 domains i.e., Social and Emotional Development, Literacy and language Development, Physical and motor Development, Creative Art and Aesthetic Appreciation and Cognitive Development. The colourful pictures of our little Kindergarteners engaged in different activities also demonstrated the ways these domains are achieved in our daily curriculum.
The teachers of classes 1-3 explained to the parents about the skills and competencies that the students have acquired so far and what all they will achieve at the end of the Term 1. This was followed by showcasing the winners of the Intra Class and Inter Class Activities and the Inter School Competitions who have brought laurels and glory to our school. The teachers also commended the boys who TURN IN their work regularly, wear their school uniform and maintain proper netiquette during online classes. Other activities – National Reading Day, Earth Day, Special Assemblies, Founder’s Day, HANP Winners, Symphony, etc., were showcased depicting the brilliant participation and performance of our students.
The learning centre team presented some fine motor activities integrated with life skills that were done with the students like beading, chain building, pasta in straw, buttoning, tying laces and zipping. They also reiterated the use of board games, yoga and sorting activities to increase the attention span of the children.
An interesting video showcasing the various Co Scholastic activities of Art, Elocution, Library, Physical Education, Western and Indian Music was presented. The video surely gave intriguing and entertaining glimpses of these subjects and the roles they play in bringing the best out in our children.
The parents were informed about the upcoming events and assessments. Mrs. Kaushal concluded the sessions by making the parents aware of their parental role and stressed on the students’ good personal health and hygiene. Some tips were shared on how to improve the concentration in children and improve their writing skills. Parents Feedback and Expectations from parents were also shared.
In the end, Brother Miranda shared the attendance link and added that the foundations for a good parent teacher relationship are frequent and open communication, mutual respect and a clear understanding of what is best for each individual child. We are all looking forward to the day when the children brighten up the school with their presence as they walk in and out of the corridors, unpack their bags, decorate the classrooms with colours and set on their journey of imagination.
Overall, these were valuable and informative orientations for all.
