A TYPICAL DAY AT SERRA

A TYPICAL DAY AT SERRA

A typical day at SERRA begins with a warm welcome and a cheerful smile. As a healthy environment is a prerequisite in our pre-school, parents, children and everybody who enter our premises sanitise their hands. A temperature check at the gate ensures that a child who is unwell is sent back home to rest and recover.

Parents are free to either drop their children off at the gate in the capable hands of our staff, or accompany them right up to their classroom and leave after the child has settled in.

Each classroom is divided into ‘learning centres’ that cater to different areas of development. Children are allowed to choose an area of interest to explore, or are gently guided by their teacher towards a learning goal. The teacher addresses children in small groups or individually to gain an insight into their thought processes.

Later, all the children sit together in a circle to discuss the day, the weather or any subject under the sun. The older children even talk about news and share observations about the world around them. All children are encouraged to be active participants in the discussion.

At SERRA, it is not the teacher but the children themselves who mark their own attendance. They are engaged in small group activities (like singing songs and moving to the music) that develop social skills. At times, parents are also encouraged to participate.

Group activity is then followed by the ‘Theme of Inquiry’ for the day. The topic could be based on any subject, which is then explored through scientific experiments, field visits, active discussion or a hands-on activity that involves the use of a device.

In order to inculcate sustainable development among children, we make an effort to use environment friendly products and reuse scrap materials. The children ask questions, investigate, hypothesise, experiment, form opinions and develop ideas.

At SERRA, even snack time is an opportunity to emphasise good health and hygiene habits. The teacher is armed with a chart that lists each child’s individual needs and allergies, if any. All the children wash their hands while singing a jolly song that encourages them to do the same regularly. While eating, the teacher and children have a light discussion about the food (its taste, smell, colour, texture, healthy versus junk, etc) or talk about plans for the weekend, an upcoming event, a new addition to a family. Some days are allotted as ‘no gas cooking days’, where the teacher and children cook up a delicious and nutritious snack.

The snack break is followed by a brief period of rest and then it is time to play outdoors. As per our ‘no hat no play’ policy, children must wear their sun hats and shoes before venturing out. Beside a wide variety of play equipment, the children engage in group games, eurhythmy (rhythmic movements) and gardening lessons facilitated by the teacher. They play with sand and water, and learn how to care for our school pets.

Before the children leave for home, the younger ones spend some time in expressing themselves through art or sensory play. The older children indulge in literacy and numeracy activities that involve playing with letters, words and numbers, getting familiar with skills like matching, discriminating, patterning, sequencing, sorting, ordering, classifying and problem solving.
Just before it is time to go home, parents can walk into the classroom and observe the children while they play and learn. If the parents wish to speak with the teacher, they may wait till all the children leave or decide on a later date and time. Parents must sign out as they exit the gate with their children. And so ends another happy, productive day at SERRA.