Whole Education
Indus Early Learning Centre- Whitefield, is one of the few early learning schools that goes beyond academics, catering to students’ signature strengths. Here arts, crafts, music, dance, drama and sports are given as much importance as academics. The Leadership Curriculum, unique to Indus, allows for students to set skill-based goals in several areas. We believe that skill development is absolutely essential to prepare students for life.
All of these aspects provide for Whole Education. The Leadership Curriculum, Community Service Projects, Show and tell etc are just some of the opportunities provided to the students. Through these features we aim to teach skills that would prepare students for the VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) world that lies ahead of them. Indus is also the only school that has a section in the report card on Whole Education, placing it on par with academics.
We firmly believe in providing whole education, but not at the cost of academics.
1) Tikkun Olam
Children don't simply observe the world, they also imagine how it could be different, hence the concept of Tikkun Olam or heal the world, nurtures empathy and also gives them a personal vision. The vision is decided by the child and facilitated by teachers and parents.
2) Deep Reading
In today’s battle of plasma vs. paper, it is important for children to know when to allocate attention to those deep reading processes and when to move or skim through interesting content. ‘How we read and what we read reflects how we think and the quality and nature of our thought’. In the digital age there is too much stimulation and the ability to focus is limited. It is therefore imperative that we develop a bi-literate brain.
3) Junk Yard Philosophy
Einstein said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge", because imagination opens the door to creativity and innovation. This can be achieved through the Israeli concept of a Junkyard. When children play with each other with junk, household items and scrap materials; they manipulate materials, express themselves verbally and non-verbally, plan, act, interact, react, and try different roles. This encourages them to become independent thinkers, risk takers, decision makers and also conflict resolvers.
4) Biophilia
With the advent of technology, students are spending most of the time indoors and are experiencing a nature deficit disorder. Reconnecting with nature (Biophilia) is another way to foster empathy, a sense of responsibility, resilience and also creativity. The benefits of connecting with nature are immense - it fosters their intellect though inquiry and experimentation - bringing out the scientist in them.
The curriculum encourages children to ask questions, plan investigations, explore various outcomes, and reach logical conclusions, with teachers as facilitators. For older children from ages 4 to 6 the curriculum has a strong focus on conceptual learning and development of leadership skills. Children engage in a transdisciplinary curriculum that meets international benchmarks.
Leadership Curriculum
The leadership curriculum at Indus focuses on self-actualization of students, helping them value their talent to ultimately unlock their potential. Knowledge acquired from the classrooms to a large extent augments practical understanding. The main agenda of the leadership curriculum is to connect the children to society, to the environment, and most importantly to themselves.
Leadership is experiential and transformational. However, experiences are quite meaningless unless one reflects on them and learns something from them. Reflection is an art and a science.
Whole Education
Indus is one of the few schools that goes beyond academics, catering to students’ signature strengths. Here arts, crafts, music, dance, drama and sports are given as much importance as academics. The Leadership Curriculum, unique to Indus, allows for students to set skill-based goals in several areas. We believe that skill development is absolutely essential to prepare students for life.
All of these aspects provide for Whole Education. The Leadership Curriculum, Indus Orchestra, House Visions, Community Service Projects, inter-school tournaments, inter-house competitions are just some of the opportunities provide to students. Through these features we aim to teach skills that would prepare students for the VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) world that lies ahead of them. Indus is also the only school that has a section in the report card on Whole Education, placing it on par with academics.
We firmly believe in providing whole education, but not at the cost of academics.
