Gift Preschool Education to Children in India

The month of April rings in a quiet period with the laughter of the children who have finished their academic year sorely missing at the centres. But, behind the scenes, it is also a time of frenetic activity going on.

300 new teachers were hired, trained and ready to shape young minds. They became brand ambassadors reaching out to the neighbouring villages, talking to the communities about the importance of early childhood education and ensuring that children enroll in our centres. HLC opened up 58 new centres in Karnataka, 21 centres and 5 partner schools in Maharashtra to welcome more children into our family for the coming year.

Workshops for 400 existing teachers.

Albert Einstein said “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” Teaching young minds requires not only passion but also a good understanding of pedagogy and purposeful planning. To achieve this, professional development workshops were conducted for teachers who had spent more than two years. Ensuring that all of this is recorded and analyzed for improving our performance is important. So, tablet usage and attendance/assessment modules on the tablets were rolled out.

With all these done, a bright new academic year has begun in June in Karnataka and July in Maharashtra.

As the academic session 2015-16 comes to a close, bringing with it the rush of year end assessments and reflection, it also beckons the ritualistic Annul Day event at each of our centres.

Across the 230 villages we work with, these annual days spread over February and March have become more than a ‘centre’ activity. In most places, the entire village throngs to watch our little children perform dances and skits. The teachers and the field staff put days of effort to pull off the evening of celebrations. From sponsoring the stage, prizes, chairs etc. in cash or by volunteering to help in kind with the logistics and networks, the parent community takes complete ownership of the event and it is nothing less than a festival. Community members not associated with Hippocampus Learning Centres participate with equal enthusiasm encouraging the children and teachers.

All our children, in the Kindergarten and after school programs, with confidence and pride display their years’ learning. It is endearing to watch all the hard work for the year by our teachers and the students culminate in the one evening that acts as an indicator of change – of community acceptance and ownership, and most of all the pushing each of our sense of possibility.

Do take a look at our selection of Annual Day pictures from a few centres 

With appreciation for your continued support of our children,

Shruthi