Primary School

"An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory"
- Friedrich Engels

The primary school programme builds upon the natural curiosity and inquiry that children exhibit at this age. It is
fueled by sensorial/ experiential exploration in languages, math and science, through nature, art, music, dance
and movement. Children consolidate and connect what they learn. They inquire and explore, ponder and question,
observe and demonstrate their learning in multiple ways.

The classrooms and bulletin boards in school reflect the energy generated at this stage by the students. They are an explosion of ideas, creativity and pride. Each class sets its own rules for expected behavior and limits, guided by a broader, whole-school discipline policy. Responsibilities and expectations are clearly defined by the students.

The fundamental practices that define the primary school education programme are listed below. These are
guided by the developmental needs of the children, and ensure all-round growth:

1. Integrated Thematic Teaching: An integrated thematic curriculum views learning and teaching in a holistic way
     rather than as discrete compartmentalized subjects. It prepares children to be lifelong learners. Learning is
     made authentic by giving it a meaningful context: the themes reflect the wider world.
     This approach facilitates:
      - A sharing of ideas, leading to a richer repository of information and ideas.
      - Engagement of students in taking responsibility for their own learning.
      - Multiple roles of the educator - that of a facilitator, learner, guide and mentor.
      - A sense of community through collaborative student activities.
      - A relevant and uninterrupted method of assessment, linked to learning experiences.
2. Experiential, inquiry-based approach in primary school
3. Curriculum based on age-specific learning goals
4. Individual Learning Plans for Special Education Needs students
5. Learning centers such as fun-with-math, pretend-and-play etc., catering to self-paced learning in primary classes
6. Presentations at the end of themes
7. Continuous assessments based on observations, projects, activities, worksheets, research and
     presentations,weekly reviews
8. Special activity weeks throughtout primary school (visual and performing arts, literary, math, science)
9. Accelerated reading programme
10. An ESL (English as Second Language) Programme
11. Circle time
12. Field trips, workshops
13. Vertical learning groups
14. Technology integration
15. Teacher student ratio of 1:8 (2007 - '08)
16. Weekly student-led assemblies
17. Co-curricular activities