Coimbatore: iDiscoveri, a social enterprise to revamp education in India, has initiated a programme, XSEED, to help children develop a strong foundation in the primary years, which is critical for a child's development.

The new scheme of education is to be adopted at Perks Junior School from June 2010.

300 schools

Orienting the parents about the programme recently, Anustup Nayak, a partner with iDiscoveri, says the programme has been adopted in over 300 schools reaching over 1,20,000 students across the country and abroad.

As a practical approach, the team trains teachers on innovative teaching methods, since they should have a sound understanding of how children should be taught.

The coverage of topics in XSEED is in line with the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) guidelines, and meets the requirements of CBSE and State matriculation boards.

XSEED is not an additional programme or syllabus that needs to be implemented beyond the class hours, Mr. Nayak points out.

The aim of the curriculum is to bring out a ‘winning child', he says and adds that the children must enjoy learning.

Mr. Nayak says that the reality is that teachers and parents struggle through early years. “In such a situation we blame teachers and the government.”

Unconventional ways

He says that XSEED incorporates several innovative methods.

In Mathematics, beads, cubes and several such aids make the abstract concepts of numbers and fraction real for children.

Science is made easier to understand by making children find answers to scientific questions through experimentation themselves.

In English, grammar is learnt in the context of application by using high-quality reading materials.

Similarly, Social Science is learnt using project works like surveys and interviews in addition to reading and finding information through various other sources.

Each topic taught under the XSEED programme progresses through experience, observation, analysis and action.

An ongoing assessment system is also followed ensuring that teachers are able to detect issues with the child's learning as soon as they teach, and hence take timely corrective action.

“There should not be a gap between the teacher and student. Even the back-benchers can raise questions,” he says.

Detailing further, he says the students' workbook is designed to make a child think.

The teachers will get a manual.

Parents' role

On the role of parents, Mr. Nayak says that they should spend time conversing with the child, read with the child everyday and encourage the child to complete his/her homework independently.

On the results so far, Mr. Nayak says that children are performing better than the children taught in the traditional way and parents have reported that children's skills are improving.

Change

Principal of Perks School, Elizabeth Edwin says that the school will stress on the new methodology which will bring about a change in the system.

The programme will also focus on all-round development of a child's abilities.

A video clipping on what exactly is happening in the classroom was also shown.

Courtesy - Hindu