A child at this stage has a nascent, impressionable mind, trying to make sense of the world around him. The Pre-primary spaces at Sanskar International School, provide children a joyful and secure environment to explore and discover.
The curriculum aims to "meet tomorrow's challenges today" and the experiential learning approach helps children make sense of the world around them through engaging in activities both in and outside the classrooms. The curriculum is designed to help young children excel in language and cognitive learning. It also promotes independence, curiosity, decision making, cooperation, persistence, creativity and problem solving.
The domains of learning are:
- communication, language and literacy
- numeracy and logic
- knowledge and understanding of the world
- physical development
- aesthetic and creative development
- social and emotional development
The activities for different domains and concepts are planned purposefully to enable children to engage with and experience the concepts.
Circle Time is an integral part of the daily rhythm. The "Baat-Cheet Time" is a space where children share their thoughts and also listen to their peers.
Teachers reflect on children’s learning and nurture their development by engaging in an ongoing process of observation, documentation and assessment. They are committed to instill a joy of learning in their young students that will stay with them for a life time.
The primary school program focuses on an interdisciplinary approach with an attempt to find connections across domains, helping the learner to see connections along with relating to real life experiences.
Children are constantly engaged in observations, questioning and probing– dwelling deeper into concepts.
A conscious effort is made to imbibe the inquiry approach in our curriculum. Using appropriate learning contexts, tools of inquiry, multiple ways of assessing the child’s progress and helping a child to become an independent learner are some of the focus areas
In the Primary classes, learning of Math is a joyful experience connecting to real life events. The focus of learning is on – developing number sense, spatial sense, recognize patterns and gradually rise to attend the problems with algorithm and abstraction.
Skills of problem solving, reasoning, reflecting are learnt through contextual stories and concrete materials with a lot of hands on activities which engage students in learning concepts.
The curriculum is developed in collaboration with Jodogyan, a self–supporting non–profit organization. Students from Grade 1 onwards also experience Robotics Curriculum.
The language rich environment inside and outside the SIS classrooms,builds up child's familiarity with the English and Hindi language through meaningful interaction with peers and teachers. Children are exposed to wide range of texts and literary genre to promote appreciation of language.
The reading program supports the students in developing fluency. Drama and theater is used to foster effective use of language.
Our environmental studies program provides a dynamic framework which enables the child to explore the world along with learning skills such as, recording, researching, reasoning, and learning to work together in a team.
Children are curious by nature and are keen to understand the world around them. They love to observe, investigate things close to their immediate surroundings enjoy connecting and analyze their findings.
The Sanskar International School student experiences the excitement of discovering new solutions and creative ideas.
The syllabus is designed thematically integrating Science and Social Sciences with the spiral building up of concepts from grade I–V, moving from the local context to the global.
The underlying principles of the program address change and continuity, diversity, interdependence, responsibility, processes and causes and consequences.
Appropriate field trips have been incorporated to enhance the scope for experiential learning.
An integral part of the curriculum, all students participate in the domains of art, music, dance, theater and physical education. Through these spaces self–confidence, cultural appreciation and skills of team work and leadership qualities are enhanced.
Through the Art education program students are exposed to multiple techniques and art appreciation focused on developing aesthetic sensibilities.
A wide range of experiences are provided to our students through drawing, painting, clay work, calligraphy and craft work.
The music curriculum exposes all students to the basic elements of both vocal and instrumental. The sense of melody and rhythm are enhanced. Our students participate and appreciate different genre of music.
Through the teaching of dance students learn the skills of body coordination, expression, appreciation, sense of rhythm, participation and develop cultural sensitivity.
Physical Education program plays an important role in the student’s overall development. Our students are involved in both indoor and outdoor games along with athletics.
The focus is on developing skills of agility, balance and stamina in the primary classes. Along with enhancing these skills students learn work in a team helping to build on leadership skills, self–discipline and problem solving technique.
Process of evaluation is comprehensive and continuous in both scholastic and co scholastic domains. No formal examinations are conducted and assessment is embedded in the learning process.
The assessment of the student’s learning is through a range of strategies and takes place both in and out of the classroom. Tools like rubric and checklist are used by the teachers which help in providing authentic feedback about student learning. The feedback helps in supporting the teaching learning process and meeting learning objectives.
The middle school curriculum builds on the skills acquired by the students in the primary classes through experiential learning and aims at giving students a deeper learning experience by identifying and supporting each student’s potential and recognizing their strengths.
We aim to create a fine balance between academic excellence, artistic expression, and practical skills supporting the emotional and social development of all students.
Life skills like social skills, thinking skills- critical, creative, decision making and problem solving, emotional skills and attitudes and values are embedded in the curriculum. Our ultimate aim is to help children become autonomous learners.
Aligned to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the academic plan of studies covers all disciplines of learning- social sciences, sciences, mathematics, languages- English and Hindi, Information Technology and introduction of the third language.
The focus is on an integrated approach towards learning and looking at the connections across disciplines.
SOCIAL SCIENCE EDUCATION
We believe that social sciences can provide an insight to a learner to negotiate the diversity and confusion and excitement that the world throws up. Social science content focuses on conceptual understanding, equipping children with the ability to think independently and reflect critically on social issues.
Learners will get ample opportunities to debate, discuss and reflect upon various issues. The syllabus has been designed thematically, integrating Geography, History and the Social and Political aspects.
For a student at SIS, Science is a Systematic approach to Connect and Investigate through Exploring Natural phenomena, draw Conclusions and Evaluate the findings.
The learning environment created in the classrooms encourages and challenges students to develop their sense of inquiry. Ample experiences are provided to the student to engage and enhance their observation skills, drawing inference and reasoning skills.
Mathematics teaching is focused on concept building and application in daily life. Students are taken through the concepts from concrete experiences to pictorial representations to abstract ideas. The students are also exposed to the historical aspect that is how the concept evolved through time.
There is a conscious effort not to stress on remembering facts and formulae but to follow logical steps, develop and understand arguments as well. The attempt is to help the student realize that mathematics relates to our experiences and is used in daily life.
In our schools Language education is not confined to the language classroom. A science, social science or mathematics class is ipso facto a language class. The language class offers unique opportunities. Stories, poems, songs and drama link students to their cultural heritage, and also give them an opportunity to understand their own experiences and to develop sensitivity to others.
To strengthen the language skills of all students the reading program exposes students to book discussions, debating extempore and meeting with writers.
The introduction of a third language in grade six gives students an opportunity to connect to other cultures and appreciation of diversities.
They would have a choice to continue with the chosen language in the senior school also. Sanskrit and French are offered and we have partnered with Alliance franchisees for our French Curriculum.
The IT curriculum has been specifically designed to support and enhance skills which will support students in creating, researching, inferring and applying in their academic learning.
IT is not just a subject but an important link between every subject. Learners are encouraged to regard computers as tools to be used in all aspects of their studies to aid better understanding of concepts.
Students are encouraged and equipped to make use of the new multimedia technologies to communicate ideas, describe projects, and evaluate information in their work.
Scholastic and co scholastic activities get equal importance in the school program for all round development of the students.
We follow a holistic approach to education- an integrated development stressing on physical, mental, moral and social aspects. A wide variety of co-scholastic exposure to our students will be given through art, music, dance, theater, sports and clubs like robotics, environment, debating and peace club.
Assessments are conducted for feedback and to support learning aimed at creating reflective teachers and learners. There is a well-developed system of assessment and evaluation at all levels.
This is done through a variety of methods which include oral work, mind maps, open book assignments, classroom discussions project work and experimentation and written assignments.
We at SIS follow the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation Scheme of School Based Assessment. The assessment covers both scholastic and co-scholastic areas. The grading pattern as recommended by the CBSE will be the basis of evaluation.