Gautam, my younger son, is in Pre-kg. He is a little younger than most kids in his class as he is born in September. I remember that when Siddharth started preschool, in PreKg all they did was play games, play on the slides, learn some easy rhymes, and do some cursory learning of alphabet. They did no writing, whatsoever. This was in 2005. In LKG, they began teaching him how to hold a pencil and slowly graduated to standing lines, sleeping lines, letters of the alphabet, and some elementary numbers. In UKG, they did cursive writing and three-letter words and simple sentences.
Cut to 2009, Gautam already has so many writing books. Within one month of beginning school, he is onto Siddharth’s LKG syllabus. He has to write all the letters of the alphabet and has already completed numbers till 10. Luckily, his teacher understands that being younger he is not able to hold the pencil correctly as yet leave alone write. But, he is very receptive to what is being taught and is eager to learn (something which he does not demonstrate at home:)). We help him hold the pencil to scribble. He does enjoy coloring and loves learning shlokas too. Apparently, next year they will begin cursive writing! It is preposterous, and I am going to take it up with the Principal too.
My point is, do the kids have any less pressures of studies in the later years that at the age of 3 years too their enjoyment is taken away. Why should the school not evaluate and choose its curriculum in a scientific way? Should they be bending to the pressure of some hyperactive parents who are in a rush to make robots out of their children? Shouldn’t they be using their experience to formulate a course plan suited to the abilities of the child at that age, which makes a child more receptive to learning instead of fearing it? I remember the kindergarten of my days, when we had loads of storytelling, rhymes, coloring, drawing, playing in the sand and so many fun activities. The actual studying sessions were interspersed in between.
I am dismayed at how kids are losing out on the fun in their childhood. Gautam even gets homework! The HRD ministry needs to have a serious relook at the curriculum being taught in our schools. Just by initiating grading system or making the 10th exams optional for CBSE does not do any “real” reduction of pressure on the students. We really do need a comprehension-based, slow approach in teaching instead of cramming too many topics which escape a child’s comprehension. I hope more parents come out and raise their voices for these issues.
Rachna says 
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