Balwadi

balwadi pediatric nursing

1. Balwadi

2. Meaning of Balwadi Balwadi is a rural pre - primary school run economically but scientifically and using as many educational aids as possible

3. Meaning It is a kindergarten  programme for children in the age group of 3 to 6 years.  It helps in identifying children who are ready for school admission and prepares them for schooling . Balwadi is one of the four major programs of Door Step School

4. The special features of the balwadis are: The village community manages the centre and provides a room and land for it. Free mid-day meals are not provided in the balwadis . Instead , parents are requested to send tiffin (lunch) with their children which is then shared at mealtime. This is in keeping with our policy of minimum money inputs and supports the concept of self sufficiency in the village . Communities are motivated to grow cereals, vegetables and fruits locally and a support system is provided to this happen in the village. Also , the sharing of food amongst the children helps break down caste barriers. The teacher, usually a girl or young woman of the village or of a nearby village, is appointed by the village community. Environmental education activities are given a prominent place in the balwadi programme with the aim of helping the child relate to his/her immediate environment. The annual calendar and the daily timings of the balwadis are decided by the community in accordance with the seasonal workload and convenience of the residents. The balwadi teachers are mostly young and not highly educated . Often they come out of their villages for the first time to attend a teacher-training course. by participating in the balwadi programme , they gain confidence and develop into environmentally-aware and knowledgeable adults. They are motivated to do socially-useful work and in many villages they are instrumental in the formation of women's groups.

5. Activities 1. Preparation for what's ahead The Balwadi program is geared to get children prepared for a more formal education process. We stress regular attendance for 2 hours at a stretch and participation in class, which we believe, builds children's attention span and instils in them a habit of attending school. 2. Informal Learning Process Kids are taught a variety of nursery rhymes, which builds their vocabulary of English . They learn shapes and colours through songs, pictures and toys. They also learn values and social skills. Children learn the alphabet and are introduced to numbers. These children are known to perform better in mathematics later in school. 3. Special Programs Children learn about culture by celebrating various festivals . They also enjoy picnics and other events