We hope that last week’s piece on Jamnabai Narsee School’s IB PYP was helpful to all the parents out there. This week, for our second interview, we spoke to Nidhi Goel, whose daughter Prerna is in the 3rd grade in the Ecole Mondiale World School’s IB PYP curriculum.
WHICH SCHOOL IS RIGHT FOR YOUR CHILD?
School: Ecole Mondiale World School
Curriculum: IB PYP
Parent: Nidhi Goel
Child: Prerna Goel
Grade: 3
What made you choose the IB curriculum for your child?
N: I live in a joint family, and while Prerna is my elder child, there are other children in the house who study at Ecole Mondiale. Because of this, the school was always my first choice, and the only curriculum it hosts is the IB one.
At the same time, I was also aware that my children (my younger child also studies in the same school, in a lower grade) would definitely be going overseas to complete their higher education. The IB program helps prepare them for the style of study that they will experience abroad, while ICSE and other Indian educational boards will not do so. In fact, Indian boards are actually completely different from the kind of education supported overseas.
Finally, IB provides a different way for the child to develop – they are taught why something is happening, instead of simply being told about something as an immutable fact. It is a much more practical curriculum, and each step is detailed, making concepts easier for the child to understand. IB also encourages different types of learning, like online, and a child’s learning during non-school hours. Ecole Mondiale also has a plethora of library resources, and ensures that everything is submitted online so that the teachers are aware of how much and what is being learnt out of school. The projects are streamlined and creatively minded, so that the child is made to think about concepts.
Because of this, I feel that IB is a real boon for children, and allows them to learn in a more creative, interactive, and practical way than other syllabi.
What made you choose Ecole Mondiale over other IB schools?
N: As mentioned before, there are children in my family who were already studying in the school. Aside from that fact, I found that the infrastructure in Ecole was much superior compared to other IB schools. Furthermore, it was the only school that I could find that had been conducting a completely certified IB program – PYP, MYP, and IBDP – for a significant period of time. Other IB schools, like Jamnabai and Oberoi, have only recently started one or more of the components in their school, and I preferred going with the well established school, especially as my daughter is currently in PYP.
Finally, I also spoke with the Vice Principal and co-ordinator of the school’s PYP, and attended a public seminar hosted by the school for interested parents on the benefits of the PYP program, and was convinced that this would be beneficial for my child.
What has been your experience with Ecole Mondiale as a parent?
N: I have found that the teachers and co-ordinators of the school have been extremely approachable, and it is easy to arrange meetings with them, over and aside from school arranged meet-ups. Furthermore, they are ready to converse with parents, and are not secretive about anything.
Furthermore, the school has also taken steps to address many concerns that parents of young children in today’s world have. For example, the security in the school is brilliant, and the children are trained to deal with any unfortunate disaster that might happen. The school has arranged for emergency contacts for all the children in case of a disaster or general emergency, and have planned well for things such as contacting parents and reassuring children caught up in the emergency.
While there is a constant shuffle of teachers from class to class because of the nature of the IB program, they are nonetheless well aware of everything that is happening because the co-ordinators are skilled and capable at keeping the teachers updated.
The sports infrastructure in the school is also great – they have a pool, a football field, etc. Finally, anything that happens in school is immediately sent to the parents’ phone so that they are aware of what is happening, and can contact teachers immediately in order to address any concerns. The online platform is very streamlined, and everything – from homework to the school calendar – is available on it. Most importantly, there are frequent training programs for parents, teaching them how to use the platform.
What has been your child’s experience with Ecole?
N: My daughters both enjoy school – in fact, the best warning I have when they are misbehaving is telling them that they will not be sent to school.
Aside from general enjoyment of the teaching style and curriculum, the school has also taken steps to ensure that children get the best out of their experience in the school. There is an effective anti-bullying program in place, and a great canteen. There is also a good student to teacher ratio – for every set of 20 students; there are 2 teachers available. The school has also hired specialised teachers, and students are given both, the encouragement and facilities necessary to get them to explore subjects and concepts they are interested in, like art or music.
What advice would you give to parents applying for admission to Ecole Mondiale’s IB program?
N: Parents should make absolutely certain that they are equipped for the challenges that having a child in the IB curriculum will bring before applying. IB requires a lot of involvement from the side of the parents, and unlike in ICSE, parents cannot simply leave the child to the school’s directions. IB involves a lot of self- and home-learning, and the parents should be prepared to deal with that.
Parents should also be aware that if their child is in IB, there is a good chance that they will be need to be involved in their child’s academic life consistently and perhaps even daily, and that they cannot simply limit their involvement to the examination period. IB involves constant assessment for students, to ensure overall development and they are not burdened with having to cram or learn everything by rote last minute. Any parents thinking of Ecole Mondiale, or any other IB program, should be ready to give a good amount of time to both the school and their children.
