When we moved here in December, Bhumi started going in 1st std. here in a CBSE board school and she was going to have exams a week after Xmas break. So I kept a tuition teacher who would teach her all the subjects. (We were mainly worried for Hindi) It has been 5 months since we moved here and I find few things extremely strange that I want to share here with you:
People here start putting their kids in nursery even before they meet the age criteria, then kid repeats the nursery. Or put their kids in Jr. KG even if they are too young and make them repeat the Jr. KG. I don’t understand WHY?
Folks start putting their kids in tuitions when they are in Jr. KG. The reason being : kid is not sitting with us and studying!! The schools here are yet to start and tuitions have already started for my neighbor’s girl who will now come in 1st std.
When we grew up, most of us would not have gone for tuitions or classes at that early an age. I remember I went to tuition teacher towards the end of my 10th std. When did you first start going to tuitions or classes?
This year we have decided not to keep tuitions for Bhumi and see how she does. And whether we are also able to keep up with her homework and other work load 🙂
Nice topic Amisha. I had a special relation with tuition classes since my dad owned and operated one (for Stds 9-12) . :-).
I went to coaching classes starting Std 9 for Maths and Science. (And continued for 10, 11, 12).
Its surprising to see such young kids (Jr K, etc) in tuition classes.
I was amazed as well when my cousin told me that she takes tuitions for kids in Jr. KG. Upon asking her what does she teach – she works on their reading skills!!! Since we are on the topic of school – my cousin mentioned they teach (Podar ICSE, Santacruz )all through computers/power point presentations to the kids in KG. There is no blackboard in their class.
Wow…seems like in this digital age, handwriting skills will eventually become less and less important :-(. IMHO, a handwritten note/teaching method would provide a more personal touch.
And with such young kids going for tuitions, it makes me wonder – Are we really making progress thru’ all these technology advances ?
And the funny part is its mainly Kutchi Gujju kids going for tuitions…….
Moms too busy with social obligations and dads dhanda ma busy che….so no time for kids…..
One thing parents forget is with starting tuitons this early they practically are spoon feeding their kids, killing the self learning abilities which are of great use in higher education and takin away all their play time.
Another thing funny I found is everyone wants their kids to get A grade in all subjects…..noone can tolerate a B grade. We had a neighbour who would go cribbing all over the town when her son got B grade in Drawing……and she is not the only one in this category
Sneha since you mentioned about Drawing, drawing has actually become an essential part of studies here. Kids loose their grades because of poor drawing skills. Even I am thinking of putting Bhumi in drawing class.
Ya I know. me too took Science-Maths classes only for 10th and 12th. Too much commercial stuff/craze and too much competition going on.
On the other hand not meaning to side the classes, many a times these classes can be productive & playway mode of development. Kids get to explore their abilities, learn to be on par with newer stuff (for ex: younger kids are so fast with computers whereas at that age most of us were not even exposed to it).
May be that’s what they’ll call a generation gap between us and our kids few years down the line 😉
Whenever I go to India , I have an arguement with my sister she has kept tuition teacher for her son. She herself was good in studies and was taking tuitions . But I guess I have to understand from her point of view. Acheivement is extremely important . Getting good grades is so important to enter into good college . So to get good grades you do well in middle school and to do well in middle school do well in elementary and we are going backwards and now we have reached preschool. So acheivement in preschool is important. I guess since we all have lived in States we have different perspective. We are seeing there are many careers you can enter into and live a decent life but that is not true in India
It is true that kids do not listen to their parents in India . I have heard that complaint from lots of people. So part of it is parenting skills, grandparents pampering etc.
I guess fathers involment in child’s bringing is zero contribution so everything becmes mom’s responsibility . That also makes things difficult.
Other social obligations just makes things impossible.
Parents passing on their dreams to their kids . Since many parents did not get a chance so they do not want their kids to miss.
I also agree with Honey that they could be fun if taught in a playway method.
My sis in Law’s daughter goes to grammer class and last year she went on phonics class and her daughter loves it . .
My first tuition was in third grade only for one year and then in 9 thand 10 th grade in math and science. In third grade I was extremely scared of going to school becoz my teacher was very strict and I was too scared so my mom thought may be tuition would help. I refused to go to school
Isnt that crazy that hobby activities like drawing are forced on kids and they need to perform….i always thought that art subjects cannot be forced on anyone one has to have natural inclination towards it………true parents are just trying to dump all their wishes and unfulfilled dreams on the kids and pressurise them…..thats what leads to high school suicide cases and other mental problems………
That is crazy. I heard in proper mumbai I don’t know the name of school. They are teaching everything in computer and parents are feeling really happy about that.
Slowly they are starting techniques by teaching them by play.
Phonetics class is other thing that is becoming popular among Jr and Sr KG students here in Mumbai.
That is what I was wondering: Bhumi learned phonics there in US – preschools so well that I am worried for Keya, how well the current school will teach them phonics in Jr KG. And it is extremely important that they learn their phonics properly to become good readers as they grow.
Talking about Phonic classes….we have this one lady very famous called and runs Sushma’s classes….so if you are from Matunga Wadala or Sion and come from upper middle class-rich class and are Gujju or Kutchi you have to send your child to her…its a Status symbol…..she started off as teacher who would come home to teach a group of 4-5 kids then had a small space in my building…and now has about 3-4 flats and booking needs to be done when you are pregnant or latest when your child is a month old so that he/she can go to the class when he/she turns 1.5 years old….. its crazy…….but yeah hai Mumbai meri Jaan!!!!