Mona Singh, vice president of Sesame Workshop tells Rama Dwivedi about why quality education is important in formative days and how their curriculum is tailoured to encourage the imagination of a child
What is the importance of a good pre-school for a childIJ
A good pre-school is indispensable for a child. We inculcate in them the values they grow up with. They should understand what good behaviour and bad behaviour is. The pre-school age is the time when habits are imbibed.
How is this pre-school different from othersIJ
Our workshop focuses on research based and quality content. We focus not just on the elementary education and grooming the children for school, but for life. We use a variety of techniques including TV programmes, books, games, mobile apps and community engagement initiatives. We also focus on progressive education. We want to change the pre-school education paradigm in India which is still very bookish.
Tell us about the programmesIJ
We have four pre-school programmes—playgroup, pre-nursery, nursery and prep. It caters to the children from 2-6 years of age. We also have afterschool programmes for 6-8 years of age that includes detective, explorer and inventor modules. The detective module is where children become detectives and solve mysteries whereas explorer is all about performing tasks that facilitate learning in the real world. In the inventor module, we encourage them to create something on their own.
What methodology do you follow in deciding the curriculumIJ
Every child is uniquely creative. Some learn by seeing while the other just follow an activity. We follow a methodology which caters to every child’s need. Firstly, we introduce the concept with the help of our material and then recall it through verbal or visual conversations. For instance, we’ve weather boards in classrooms and children are asked to change it depending on how it is outside- rainy, sunny, cloudy, etc. Basically, weather and elementary science becomes a child play.
Our interactive sessions encourage children to think and talk about day-to-day things like why should they care for their pets or why is personal hygiene important.
Your Indian venture Galli Galli Sim Sim was a big hit in India. What kind of response did you receiveIJ
We had a presence in India since 2006 with Galli Galli Sim Sim which was an instant hit and garnered a lot of popularity. The show is watched by over 10 million children every year.
A study carried out in 2010 by independent researchers suggested that the children who watched episodes on nutrition greatly improved their knowledge of milk and its nutritional benefits. According to another study, 70 per cent of parents watch the show alongside their children, reinforcing learning at home.
What is the role of Muppets in the teaching processIJ
Muppets are role models for children who love to mimic action. So why not set good role models that they can look up toIJ For instance Chamki, a five-year-old school going girl, brushing her teeth twice a day sends a strong message to the viewers. It both engages and educates them.