Anima says, “the program is geared to individuals rather than academics.” Moreover, she tries to balance the curricu- lumwith other activities such as music and art; she notes that Indian parents are typically interested in their children ex- celling in the arts as well as academics. Little Scholars is open from 6AM to 6PM five days a wee, and unlike many preschools, the schedule is flexible;parents can dro off and pick up their children anytime they choose. Since it provides daycare as ell as the preschool, the schedule includes lunchtime, snacks, and a two-hour nap. The school is aimed at being culturally sensitive. There is a mix of Asians, Indians, and Blacks, as well as Caucasians in the school, reflecting the demographics of the Evergreen area. Manjit Mahendran, a teacher at Little Scholars, says, “The different cultures learn from one another.” Anima has plans to start language progras in Indian, Mandarin, and Vietnamese, and to start an after-school club called “Paigam” (“a message”) which would be open to all cultures. Anima has noticed that Indian parents are more conrned with academics than the daycare aspect; they are very in- volved in their children’s education. “They always check their children’s cubbies, to make sure they’re learning,” she says. She doesn’t find the Indian emphasis on academics sur- prising. She says it is simply assumed in many middle-class and upper-class households that the children will go to be- come professionals. She herself is an active member and past president of the Indian Business and Professional Women; the club membership includes many prominent Indian women who are doctors, CEO’s, and lawyers.
The teacher to student ratio is 1:12 in the preschool sec- tion. Every teacher is expected to have the usual early child- hood education requirements, as well as in-house training in the Challenger methodology. There is rigorous quality con- trol, as regional managers tour the school on a rotating basis to ensure that the school is adhering to Challenger standards. Poornima Kaneka sends both her sons, one 5 years old, one three, to Challenger. She investigated other schools but se- lected Challenger because “the curiculumwas the best – both the phonics and the playtime.” When asked what the attrac- tion of Challenger schools is for Indians, she said, “Indians give more importance to education. What our parents ex- pected from us is the same thing we expect from our chil- dren.” Parental involvement is heavily encouraged at Chal- lenger, another attraction to Indian parents who tend to keep close tabs on their children’s education. The school sponsors a “Small World” day where a parent is invited to come talk about a native holiday or tradition. LITTLE SCHOLARS Challenger and Montessori have many sites the Bay Area. Little scholars, on the other hand, is a privately owned preschool. It was opened in 1983 by Anima Desei in the Ever- green area of San Jose. In 1994, responding to parental re- quests, she opened a second branch which teaches kindergarten through third grade. The preschool’s primary mission is school readiness, such as writing and phonics, but it seeks to keep its emphasis on academics low-keyed.
KUMON
Inside the campbell Kumon Center, there is a sign that out- lines Kumon Features: “Strong Fundamental Skills – Im- proved Study Habits and Self- learning skills Increased Self Confidence – Enhanced Con- centration and Increased At- tention span.” It is a very impressive set of claims. The center opens at 3:00, but five minutes til three students al- ready hover outside the door, clutching their papers, eager to come inside and start. Ruby Vaswani, who runs the Campbell Center, says it is not unusual; the kids often show up early and all but press their noses against the glass until the doors are unlocked and they are allowed in. there was
Parental involvement is heavily encouraged at Challenger, another attraction to Indian parents who tend to keep close tabs on their children’s education. The school sponsors a “Small World” day where a parent is invited to come talk about a native holiday or tradition.
26 indiaparentmagazine.org
School Special 2017
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