Nursery School Admissions

This piece is for all parents who have small children and are striving for admissions to "reputed" schools. The admission procedure for one such school is as follows

a) First a "short list" is prepared based on an "interaction" (supreme court ruling prohibits interviews)
b) Final interview of parents and child determine whether the child gets admission.

We did the "Interaction" recently, and this is what it was.

Parents and their wards were taken into separate classrooms. The children had it easy, they were asked about colors, numbers and other not too difficult questions. Meanwhile, we, as parents were required to fill a four page form with essay / multiple option questions.

Insiders tell me that this form largely determines if your child makes the grade. This is a sampling of the form.

SECTION I


Q1 Do you think your child is ready for school. State three reasons why?

Correct Answer
I think my child is ready for school, because
a) My child in inquisitive and wants to learn
b) His mental faculties have developed to a point and require more than what we can give at home.
c) He has become independent and likes interacting with children his age

Incorrect Answer
a) He is terribly naughty, wants constant attention, is always breaking things etc., we want
someone else to handle him.
b) Every child goes to school at age 4


Q2 Is it "Nature" or "nurture" that determines the child's future. Comment.

Correct Answer
Nurturing refers to bringing up the child with a solid culture & value system. Nurturing shapes the child’s personality and predicts his future.

Incorrect Answer
Everyone knows that nature determines a child future. Our child was born naughty and thick-skinned and generally a pain. No amount of "nurturing" will change that and no one (including your school) can change him.


Q3 Is your child creative. How will you enhance your child's creativity?

Correct Answer
Yes, all children are naturally creative. We will enhance our child’s creativity
a) By providing the right environment, where they are encouraged to express themselves
b) By exposing them to right stimuli like toys (clay, puzzles) etc., computers, nature walks etc.
c) By encouraging all their efforts

Incorrect Answer
I will smack my child every time he shows his creativity
a) By writing, drawing,painting on the walls
b) Makes hole in the sofa with a pencil, (he imagines he is driving a car and the pencil is the gear!)


Q4 You cannot protect your child for life. How would you prepare him for life?

Correct Answer
By providing a strong culture and value system thereby producing a confident well rounded personality.
By arming them with a good education Make them physically and mentally strong to face the challenges of life

Incorrect Answer
We will save enough money so that we can put him through a good college!



SECTION II
We know that children are imaginative. Are parents also imaginative? Please write 4 lines, to check your imagination
(Kajala, my wife, did this section, I have very little imagination, hence only summary available)

Q 1 You have heard of the story of the 3 pigs and the wolf…use your imagination on how the story could end differently
Answer
The pigs and the wolf would become friends, and the wolf would build a strong house for the pigs. In the evening, they would all eat soup together from a common cauldron.

Q2 Invent a holiday of your choice. What would be the different activities / rituals associated with it?
Answer
The holiday would be called "Good Citizens Day", (this is really good, Kajala has outdone herself...). We would begin by invoking all the Gods, clean the neighbourhood, weed the park and while weeding the park also help out elders, and distribute sweets and play with street children. (Quite a working holiday!)

Q3 5 years down the line there would be a new craze sweeping the world. What would it be?
Answer
"Environment" we would clean the neighbourhood again and generally be green. Note: We last cleaned the neighbourhood 5 years ago so it requires cleaning.


Our son got through the first round and eventually the final admission, so we know our answers were suitable…