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Balwadi (Preschool)
Annual Report 2012-2013
Pratham Delhi Education Initiative
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Balwadi (Preschool) Programme
Introduction
Pratham over the years has been in setting up community based preschool centers
referred to as “Balwadis” for children in 3-5 years age group. These centers operate
usually from the homes of the volunteers and engage children in addressing their
developmental needs with the overall goal of school readiness. During last 12 years,
Pratham Delhi has consistently enrolled about 10,000 children every year in its
preschool programme.
Goals for Balwadi Programme
The objectives of the programme are as follows:
•
•
Early childhood education through play-way methods and to develop the school
going habit in children
All round development of the child which includes physical development, language
development, cognitive development, social development and emotional
development
Objectives, Indicator and Outcome
Objective
Child is physically as
well
as
mentally
independent
Without any hesitation
and with confidence is
able to express his ideas
Dedication and curiosity
to
learn
and
ask
questions
Flips through the pages
of books and is curious
to
go
through
the
content as well
Is able to mingle up and
play with other children
Is aware of cleanliness
of his body, clothes and
belongings
Inculcates good habits
like
washing
hands,
waiting for one’s turn
and taking care of his
belongings
Is able to critically
analyse
Indicator
Outcome
Happily comes in class
Will come
class
Anxiously waits for his
turn
Comes clean and tidy to
class
Shares his toys etc.
Recites
poems
with
expressions and actions
Takes
care
belongings
of
his
happily
in
Mingles and plays with
other children
Is able to recite poems
with
actions
and
expressions
Tells story in his own
words
Learns good habits
Follows little instructions
Tells story in his own
words
Asks questions in class
Critically analyses
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Need of Balwadi Classes in Communities
Lack of awareness and importance of pre-school education amongst parents
Lack of time for children amongst parents
Children unable to mingle up with their peer group
Trend of nuclear families
•
•
•
•
Details of classes in Communities
S. No
Zones
Units/Classes
Children
Teachers/
Volunteers
1
North Shahdra
64
1430
52
2
South Shahdra
61
1275
61
3
Rohini
50
1021
50
4
Civil lines
25
520
25
5
Karol Bagh
27
530
27
Through these Balwadis classes, Pratham has been able to reach around 10421 children.
Implementation Strategy
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
This programme is for 3-5 years old community children who are not in any preschool.
Each class having about 20 children and organised for 3 hours a day
This class runs for about 10 months during the year.
The classes run in the house of the teacher and also in the community place like
mandir, park, verandah of the house.
All the activities of the curriculum based on the play way method.
The curriculum based on the day wise activities to be conducted in the classroom
by the teacher.
The activities are been designed with keeping in mind the fact that the time span
of concentration of the child is about 10 to 15 minutes only. So, the activities
should be of different varieties so that the child doesn’t get bored. Hence, a
balanced plan of activities will include following activities:
•
Silent and noisy.
•
Outdoor and indoor.
•
Individual and group work.
•
Free play and Structured or Guided play.
•
Child led and teacher led.
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5 Types of development crucial during growing years
Physical
Cognitive
All round
development
Emotional
Language
Social
Activities based on 5 types of development
All Round Development
Language
Development
Recite poem
Story telling
Sound chart
Picture Reading
Role Play
Puzzles
Word Recognition
Social
Development
Interaction &
discussion
Sharing
Playing games
Celebration
Emotional
Development
Interaction
in
class
Games
Role play
Cognitive
Development
Collage work
Picture reading
Word game
Arranging
numbers
Puzzles
Number
recognition
Physical
Development
Drawing
Colouring
Walking
Hand painting
Paper folding
Thumb painting
Clapping
Jumping
Tearing paper
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&
Curriculum in Balwadi Class
The curriculum has a “THEME BASED “approach. The 3 themes on which the curriculum
is based are as follows:
•
•
•
Me and my family
Me and my body parts
Plants and animals
Each theme takes about 2 1/2 to 3 months to complete depending on the children and
teachers’ capacity. “Project work” follows the completion of the theme..
Project day:
Project work is done after the completion of a theme. It is a daylong activity,
conducted in all the classes, in which all the members of the Balwadi team and few
invited people visited as many Balwadis possible during the day on this day, the
Balwadi teacher’s conduct a set of pre-decided activities across the zone.
Importance of project day:•
•
•
•
•
Enhances children’s learning capability
Highlights the impact and outcome of the programme
Revision
Motivating teachers
Awareness of parents and community
Training and Workshops
Numbers of training and workshops organized for the teachers throughout the years
Initial training for the teachers in the month of July is for six days. After the training,
teachers are given 15 days to settle the classes and to try out the activities of the
curriculum. The teachers are called after 15 days, and their problems are discussed and
solved. E.g.; management of class, children cry to go home early, if one child cries the
others are ready to follow them. So, it is suggested that the teacher does more of free
play, games, and rhymes and so on with the children.
When the classes get settled, the meetings are fixed fortnightly or weekly depending on
the need of the area and teachers. The trainings are been given before the starting of
the new theme each time. 15 to 20 days of training throughout the years. Also attend
workshops like art and craft, clay making & puppet making etc
Teaching Learning Material
•
Puzzle games
•
Theme based chart
•
Slate
•
Workbooks
•
Blocks
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•
Colours
Assessment/ Evaluation of Children
The evaluation of the children is done on monthly basis and theme wise. The child is
tested on the basis of the activities done by the child according to the curriculum.
Also we have tested these children through pre and post test. Below graph showed
that in pre test only 20% children are able to draw picture on their own and in post
that more than half of children are able to draw pictures. 27% children in pre test are
able to arrange cards and in post test more than 72% children of this e group
comfortably arrange the cards in sequence.
Balwadi/Anganwadi Post Test Observation Report
90.0
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
81.0
19.0
79.9
20.1
73.3
26.7
78.5
21.5
72.8
27.2
73.7
26.3
Can
Cant
Share things
with others
Can Draw Recite Poem &
Can
Sequentially Classify two
Picture on
Stories
Participate in arrange cards different
their own
Discussion on the basic
voices
of
Colour/Shapes
Events and celebrations
•
•
•
•
•
•
August- Independence day, Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtmi
October- Dusshera and Eid
November- Children’s day and Diwali
December- Christmas and New Year
January- Lohri and Republic day
March- Holi
Challenges
•
•
•
•
•
•
Teachers conducted classes in their houses which leads to insufficient space for
performing activities
Drop out ratio is high because of lack of awareness amongst parents and the
families of these students often shift their domicile
Variations in grasping ability because of age span (3-5 years)
Prevailing illiteracy amongst parents
Variations in learning and understanding amongst children of same age group
Less availability of qualified teachers because of low pay scale
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Achievements
•
•
•
•
Every year 400 hundred students enrolled in schools after getting pre-school
education
Enhances grasping power, understanding and learning ability of children
Inculcating mannerisms and good habits amongst children
Retention level good in schools because a child adapts himself/herself to the
school environment
Case study
Saizul
Four year old Saizul came to Pratham Balwadi a few months back. Initially he was very hesitant to
even enter the class and would often run back with his mother. However, daily efforts put in by the
teacher along with some fun and games in the class gradually made him interested. Today Saizul sits
through the class, interacts with peers, chants poems and most of all he is the first one to come to
the Balwadi class and often the last one to leave. Saizul loves his Balwadi class.
Husna
Husna was an angry five year old who would never interact with anyone in the class. She would only
grumble and cry to go back home. Two months in a Pratham Balwadi and she started to recite
poems, speak new words and also made a few friends. Today, she is a happy child her teachers
always wanted her to be.
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