Learning about festivals with Emily and Katie

FESTIVALS BRING BRITISH AND INDIAN PUPILS TOGETHER


Ms Katie Coleborn and Ms Emily Connors of Winterbourne(Ridings High) School UK had a unique opportunity to spend a part of their gap year teaching pre school and pre primary pupils of Bal Bharati Public school Dwarka about festivals of their native country . It was a collaborative project where the British girls learnt not only the methodology adopted for teaching in kindergarten school but also got an opportunity to share their personal experiences while teaching about Festivals . The teachers had Bal Bharati had designed lesson plans on festivals where children got an opportunity to celebrate different festivals including Diwali , Christmas, Holi and Halloween . Children enjoyed making Christmas and Diwali decorations for their classroom where Emily and Katie helped them sharing their expertise and experiences . “It brought back memories of spending time with my parents while putting up the Christmas Tree “ said Emily who appreciated the common threads of joy , festivity and reverence for Holy spirit exhibited in both Diwali and Christmas . Kids on the other hand had fun with decorations and sweets on both occasions . They coloured Santa and Diwali Diyas with same fervour.

Pre primary school children had the maximum fun celebrating Halloween and Holi giving them ample scope to pamper the urchin in them . The Ghost party was big hit with children trying to scare the wits out of each other with their scary costumes and props. Teachers took this opportunity to address the issue of fears nestled inside subconscious of children and showed them how to have fun with figments of their imagination. Emily and Katie showed them some tricks which they had learnt while growing up in England . They lamented the fact that most families in losing out on these traditions which give family values and feeling of togetherness in the pursuit of modern lifestyle .

The entire preschool and preprimary section had fun riot with colours on the occasion of Holi . There were fun games organized which included Pichkari and balloon race and clown race among others. Everyone present was left the place looking like a veritable rainbow of colours splashed all over them . Joy written large on their faces and smiling indolently Katie said “This was the best day of my visit .I could not have experienced it had I not come here.” Both the girls expressed their gratitude for the warm hospitality and the unique Indian experience provided to them by staff and Principal of Bal Bharati Public school Dwarka.