Articles by Chitra Aiyer

Indira Swaminathan, an educational consultant, recalls the story of a Nisha*, a teenager with learning difficulties who joined Akshyam Early Learning Centre, where Indira is founder-director. When she first joined their school, Nisha was more of a spectator to daily activities. When Indira asked her to help her out, she laughed and said, "No, I don't have any brains." To which, Indira simply said, "You are talking to me, it shows that you are capable and can help me." Over a period of time, Nisha learnt to assist the younger children with tying their shoe laces, getting the required books…

Pics: Chitra Iyer. Holy celebrations with friends.Little holi players.Colors and joy.Colour attack.Smears and splashes.Holika‹ › $(document).ready(function(){ $('.carousel .carousel-inner .item').first().attr('class', 'active item');});⊕

Slide show The market waking up to a busy day. Pic: Chitra Aiyer. A little boy making idlis for selling at his family's shack in the market. Pic: Chitra Aiyer. Fresh vegetables arrive in little tempos. Pic: Chitra Aiyer. Vendors often engage you in conversation if you have the time. Pic: Chitra Aiyer Market transactions. Pic: Chitra Aiyer. Waiting for his customers. Pic: Chitra Aiyer. A charming girl I ran into. Pic: Chitra Aiyer Kanji for breakfast - from a cart that sells breakfast nearby. Pic: Chitra Aiyer. A happy little kid minding his dad's produce. Pic: Chitra Aiyer A…

While many parents prefer traditional, mainstream schools, there are others looking out for options. Tradition has edged the mass towards mainstream schools with blackboards and report cards, but a growing number of parents in Bengaluru are opting for an alternative method of education - alternative schools. The names one usually comes across while mulling over alternative education are Montessori, Jiddu Krishnamurthi, Steiner/Waldorf, Reggio Emilia, etc. While following these schools of thought, some schools do bank on their own home-grown methods of teaching too. Some of the better-known unconventional schools in Bangalore are The Valley School, Centre for Learning, Shibhumi, Poorna,…

If you overhear a group of middle class parents talking, you are likely to hear the topic of schools – especially so around the time of admissions. The emotions vary from excitement to speculation to worry to concern to resignation. Many parents consider choosing a school among well established private schools as one of the big decisions they will be taking for their child. Parents talk about the criteria for selecting schools and discuss schools' approach to teaching, wondering if a certain methodology will work best for their child. Parents queueing up at at National Public School, Koramangala for admission…

It's nearing end of October; it is that time of the year when the school admission process is in full swing in Bengaluru and many parents are trying to find schools that will work best for their children. This article provides a checklist of criteria to look for before narrowing down on schools. This guide is primarily aimed at parents looking at Montessori and Kindergarten admissions. How does one go about figuring out the “right” school? Your precious 4-year-old probably gives you very little clue about his or her preference. The logical way of going about school-hunting is to consider…