By Ritu Mahajan
Lots of best friends,
Unforgettable memories,
Loyal Hearts,
Blossoming Faces.
School days are the best memories that we have. I can still remember the morning rush and gush when mom used to wake us up to get ready for school. It was followed by the clink and the clatter in the kitchen before we reached the breakfast table. No matter how hot and humid the weather was, we used to get ready with a lot of excitement for another invigorating day of school. There was no concept of air conditioners in the classrooms and sitting near the window was considered a privilege. The shade of trees used to be bliss in the lunch breaks.
Another reason for getting up early in the morning for school was the thrill of meeting the class teacher and friends, especially after the summer and winter vacations to share the wonderful activities and time spent with our grandparents and cousins.
I used to consider myself really fortunate if I got a chance to stand first in the queue to drink water or a chance to sit with my best friend. We used to love school events, especially the annual day, sports day and teachers’ day. The energy of the whole school during those days was different. We used to dress up like teachers and also got a chance to teach the younger ones. All these and many other small little things used to make us feel that our school is the best place in this whole wide world.
Life is changing all the time and we cannot expect the schools to be the same. Today’s schools have become more hi-tech and follow the standards set by the board. The really good schools of today have retained all the good things from the schools of the past such as warmth and personal touch. And they have gone many steps further to create a superior learning experience compared to the past. The things that set some of today’s best schools apart are:
Inclusion
While there are many good memories about my school, there are hardly any memories about any inclusion being practised. Neither can I remember the integration of curriculum being done in any of the classes. In fact, there are many ways in which some of the best Schools in Gurgaon are superior as compared to the traditional ones.
Global connections
The factors that make these schools different are that they give multiple opportunities to the learners to interact with the world – through inter school competitions, excursions, Model United Nation (MUN) events and global collaborations with schools of other countries.
Safety
The top CBSE schools in Gurgaon also ensure utmost safety of the children. Safety can be measured by safe infrastructure, hygienic food and environment, GPS enabled transport, tech enabled safety, trained and security screened personnel.
Learner centred
These schools have a learner centred and activity based curriculum, wherein each and every activity is centred around the learners. This includes experiential learning, exploration by collecting knowledge and developing skills and expression by encouraging children to express their views via multiple forums.
Integrated curriculum
The curriculum is integrated, which allows children to pursue learning in a holistic way, without the restrictions often imposed by subject boundaries. The aim is to connect the theory learned in the classroom with practical, real-life knowledge and experiences while honing the life skills of the learners simultaneously.
Counseling
The best schools arrange counselling classes that include sessions on Safety and Responsibility, Self-awareness, Understanding Emotions, No bullying, Building Attitude of Gratitude and much more through well planned methodologies.
Values based education
“Open your arms to change but don’t let go of your values.” Dalai Lama
No matter how many facilities the schools provide to the learners, the factors which will make the best schools different from the rest will be the ones which provide the right mix of opportunities for both inner and outer growth for the holistic development of learners.