Advertisement for the Year 2018

This year I chose to advertise digitally. I felt the need to do so for many reasons. I saw my school board hanging down from the electric pole. I guess somebody tried to fiddle with it while hanging their board. But before I thought of removing it there were many boards and flex print ads hanging making it difficult to remove. 

There is not a single electric pole without boards and flex prints.Hanging boards and flex on top of other is a fun to watch. Each time I am out for a walk I see a new flex print on top of the one I saw a day before. People shamelessly hang their flex on top of others. So for me the only choice was go digitally. My school ad is running on the screen in the nearest department store. Facebook and Instagram ad is also on its way.

                                   

Wow I can even change the pictures and the contents when ever necessary. 

Five Days Holiday

Our exhibition held on 15th November made us very busy and active. I am glad it went smoothly and wish to conduct more such programs involving school children. I want teachers to give more time on children's art and craft work because children were regular and very happy. They were happy because we didn't assign them homework. I simply love to hear them hum when they are busy.

Its warm and very quite day as our five days school holiday began from Tuesday 25th of November. Thanks to the 18th SAARC summit held in Kathmandu. Today is the third day and I am flipping back my diary and old planner going through lesson plans trying to figure out if in case anything is left to teach or needs repetition so far.

I usually don't ask for feedback from parents but maybe I should because I remember filling questionnaire in my son's school in Japan. I didn't understand few Kanji but my Hiragana and Katakana was good so I somehow managed to write my opinion.

Here we have Parents Teachers meeting quarterly and I often listen them patiently answering each and every questions.

Recently week after the exhibition I had one parent who admired our effort but advised me to talk to some one who could be my consultant regarding school matters. Without hesitating I agreed and hours later I questioned myself about my dedication, experience, hard work and of course my passion. Most of all why did that parent advise me to do so hit me hard.

I tried to convince how the Montessori education is different from our traditional system. I don't know if I did but now I have to think in a new way and almost like start from the scratch. I plan to introduce the Montessori materials we have been using to the interested parents some day.  For this my only shield is to empower my teachers and staffs who have done wonderful job so far. I've made all the plans and am going to get everything sorted.

My voice

When teachers have fewer children to care for, its fun for both. They enjoy every moment. This year our famous five from Upper Kindergarten are simply adorable. They have study time in the morning and easy art and craft activities in the afternoons. What I saw in the classroom was something unusual. I guess this doesn't happen in the schools with large number of children and where fear resides deep in the child's mind regarding teachers, discipline and punishment. Although discipline in the classroom is a must but not always when the children are happy, quiet and not destructive.

 serious with their work in the morning 

easy moment in the afternoon using newspaper cuttings

Oh God! couldn't stop loving them

Preparation for the new session-2

Advertising for new enrollment was quite tiring so in the afternoons I spent time reading books. One of my favorite is J. Krishnamurthi's -Education and the significance of life where he writes Those who love their own children and the children about then, and who are therefore in earnest, will see to it that a right school is started somewhere around the corner, or in their own home. My sweet home is now a school and I thank my family for sacrificing their rooms. We kept shifting for long from room to room and finally we have the top floor and the rest three for the students. I have few sturdy plastic chairs and tables but this year I placed order for the wooden ones. I prefer wooden furniture. Let's hope the carpenters follow my direction. With my shopping for the school almost over and the rooms clean I am ready for the first day of the year 2071 which begins today.

Preparation for the new session- 1

Our yearly working calendar is coming to close this week. I want to thank my teachers and aunties who have made it seem so easy to work, comfortable and fruitful.


I want to thank all the parents who believed us and gave us the opportunity to serve their children.


Chaitra being the last month of our Nepalese calendar is quite a busy one for the parents searching new schools and the school owners promoting their schools.


Every year at this time of the school session I go busy advertising and promoting my school for enrolling new students. This year too I have many flex print banners and boards with a new logo hung on the poles.


The boundary walls are painted white and the inside playground walls red. Ah............ quite tiring I spent the whole day looking at the painters work as it was holiday.


Well tomorrow is yet another day to think about promotion in a different way.

.

My voice

While I was making these hats I wondered if I am overdoing this kind of activities like -making teaching materials, giving to children, taking photographs and posting. But it’s my heart which says continue and don't stop. It’s my recently developed passion and I am enjoying every bit of it. I thank my preschoolers who are always hungry for new activities.

In Nepal we have course books for preschoolers. We are confined to these books and try to complete the course on time. We even mark them fail and do not upgrade them. I did the same until recently when I started my own preschool.

I remember I had 38 preschoolers to handle all by myself and even if I had made these kind of materials it won't have being possible in such a large group.

Right now I have pressure from parents who want their children get through reputed schools in Kathmandu. There are coaching centers running classes for entrance exam in grade one. I feel they are teaching more than what a child would learn in grade one.

As for me I feel preschoolers mean getting ready for school and not learning grade one course.

Well I am trying to make few changes even if small to make each child’s moment here in the preschool enjoyable and memorable.

I made these colorful hats for matching inspired by Dr. Seuss-“The Cat In The Hat”