Blog: SHEMROCK Group of Schools

When we talk about Preschool, the very first question that comes in our mind is – what is a PRESHOOL and what benefit will it provide my child?

Preschool is an educational institution for children who are too small to be sent to a formal school (preferably between 2 to 4 years of age group). Preschool provides basic education and training to these little kids. Today Preschool provides numerous advantages to your child. One of the most important benefits of enrolling your child in a preschool is the social skills that the child learns through interaction with children of his/her age. It is the preschool where the child learns basics of life – like how to sit, stand, walk and talk. Children learn to make friends, learn to follow directions, observe things and become an amiable human being.

Preschool also lays the foundations for academic learning. It provides children the opportunity to participate in creative and fun-filled activities which is usually not possible at home or in home schooling. These types of activities can enrich children’s lives, enhance their development and provide them with tons of fun things to do during the day. Moreover we can say that Preschool helps your child learn new things in life independently.

In preschool children are usually taught poems and songs – building blocks needed to grasp phonics and reading skills when it is developmentally appropriate. Each and every activity is well-planned and well-managed by the trained preschool teachers. For example the play that takes place with water, sand, and containers form the foundation for understanding some basic math concepts. Matching, sequencing, one-to-one correspondence are all activities that are done over and over in preschool settings and help children get ready to learn academics. Watching other children pursue a challenging task helps gain motivation. The presence of other children and a wide variety of activity materials are two big reasons why a preschool is important for the growth and development of your child.

Surveys reveal that children who go to a Preschool are more active, attentive and clever at works. They learn things faster as compared to children who don’t go to preschools.

Hence we can say that preschools are beneficial for your kids and it can do many things that will help children be successful when formal school begins. Sending your child to preschool will really help him/her develop required social skills.

In the month of August we had/have the following celebrations at Shemrock.

Friendship Day
Friendship day at Shemrock schools was celebrated on 1st August 2009. The programme started at 4:00 p.m and continued till 6:00 p.m. The two hour programme had a lot more than just fun and masti for the kids.

Friendship Day at Shemrock is a masti day. For masti and celebration there were many fun-filled activities for the kids to enjoy like Train Ride, Talent Show, Fun Games and Aqua Dance. A lot of children participated in various games especially aqua dance and won beautiful prizes. Additionally children exchanged gifts, toys and sweets with their friends. My child really enjoyed the Friendship Day celebration at Shemrock, said an enthusiastic father.

Apart from all this there were some interesting competitions for the parents like ‘Friendship band making’ & ‘card making’. It was surprising to see a huge number of parents including moms and dads both participate in the competitions. They equally enjoyed the day with their kids.

Raksha Bandhan:
Raksha Bandhan is an important festival of our Indian culture. It is a festival of love and affection shared between a brother and a sister. Raksha Bandhan at Shemrock was celebrated on 3rd August 2009 with lots of fun and masti. There were lots of exciting activities for the kids to enjoy like Rakhi decoration contest, card making, singing and dancing programmes. Children on that day came in colorful party dress. They exchanged sweets and toffees with their friends, had lunch together and did lots of masti. Teachers also told children stories related to Raksha Bandhan so as to enlighten them with the true meaning of this festival.

Janmashtami 2009 Celebration:
Janmashtami is one of the important festivals in India. It is a day when we honor and celebrate the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna – the eight incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Shemrock schools will be celebrating Janmashtami on 13th August 2009 at the school premises itself.

Children on that day will come in colorful-party dresses. Some children will also come in Radha or Krishna attire. Lots of activities and games are planned for the Janmashtami day celebration like dancing, singing etc. But the most interesting of all the activities will be ‘Matka breaking’ in which children have to break the ‘Matka’ full of Butter. For this they can take help of their friends. Everyone is really excited for this activity.

Independence Day 2009 Celebration:
15th August 1947 is an important day in the Indian calendar. It is celebrated as the Independence Day of India. The date commemorates the day when India got freedom from the British rule after a long struggle. This national festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm all over the country including Shemrock.

Shemrock will celebrate Independence Day on 13th August 2009. On this day the whole school is decorated with national flags and tri-colour balloons. The day is also marked with flag hosting and cultural programs for the children like Hindi poem recitation, dance performances etc. Teachers also organize small skits based on the theme so as to make children more aware of their Country and its great people.

All you need to know about the ‘Swine Flu’

Dear Parents,

It’s that time of the year when most of the children tend to catch common Flu. However, in the current scenario there may be slight chances that it may be the ‘Swine Flu’ that the child may be suffering from.  At SHEMROCK, we would like to answer some of the commonly asked questions, so that you are aware of the precautions and there is no unnecessary panic.

FAQs

How does it spread?

The new ‘Swine Flu’ virus is highly contagious i.e. it spreads from person to person. Children especially under the age of five are more likely to catch this flu (or any other infection) as their immune systems are still maturing. The virus is spread through the droplets that come out of the nose or mouth when someone coughs or sneezes and do not cover their face. If someone is very nearby he/she might breathe them in; or if someone coughs or sneezes into their hand, those droplets and the virus within them are easily transferred to surfaces that the person touches, such as door handles, hand rails, telephones and keyboards. If someone touches these surfaces and touches his/her face, the virus can enter his/her system and he/she can become infected.

What precautions should we take with children to avoid ‘Swine Flu’?

• Washing hands with soap and water can reduce the chance of infection by 30 per cent. Wash hands frequently with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand cleaner when soap and water are not available.
• Clean hard surfaces (like door handles and remote controls) frequently with a normal cleaning product.
• Teach them not to touch their face and mouth, as germs on their hand may find their way into their body.
• If they have a cough or a cold, make sure they use a tissue when they cough or sneeze and then throw it away. Ensure they wash their hands after this also.
• Avoid contact with anyone who is sick, especially with flu-like symptoms.
• If one child has flu like symptoms, while another does not, try to keep them isolated from each other. Do this gently in a way that is fair to both children so that the one with the flu like symptoms does not feel that they are at fault.
• Try to avoid areas that are too crowded where people are breathing very close to your children for e.g. crowded markets, fares, packed temples etc.
• If someone has returned from abroad, go see them or have them visit you after they have spent a week or so in India. This will give time for them to manifest any flu symptoms.

What are the Common Symptoms to identify ‘Swine Flu’?

Symptoms of swine flu are like any other flu. Call your child’s paediatrician immediately if your child has any of the following symptoms and a temperature of 100° F or above or feels hot:

• Tiredness • Headache • Runny nose and sneezing • Sore throat • Shortness of breath • Loss of appetite • Vomiting and diarrhoea • Aching muscles, limb and joint pain.

Nearly everyone with swine flu has at least two of these symptoms.

What should I do if I see these symptoms in my child?

Don’t panic. You cannot confirm if your child has swine flu just based on these symptoms. As soon as you see the symptoms above, call your child’s paediatrician and inform them that your child’s flu like symptoms before you drop into their clinic. They may want to take precautions to ensure that you do not spread it to other people there. Doctors may offer a rapid flu test, but only Government lab tests can definitively show whether one has got ‘Swine Flu’ or not. While going in for tests in ‘Government Labs’, kindly make sure that yours as well as your child’s face is covered and that he/she does not touch any surfaces there. Thereafter, make sure to wash yours as well as your child’s hands after the visit.

Please do not send your child to SHEMROCK, for at-least 7 to 10 days, if he/she has flu like symptoms such as fever, cough, running nose or difficulty in breathing. It may be the common Flu but it is not worth taking chances as even that is highly contagious. In case it is a Swine Flu, it can be treated with antiviral medications if given in time; so getting your child treated immediately can save your child’s life.

Finally, remember there is no need to panic; we at SHEMROCK are being extra cautious in taking the necessary actions required to stop this flu from spreading further.

Powered By EduMAX™

The Educational Research & Training Centre