‘Garden of perfect blooms’

Baug-E-Jamsheed is truly a garden of bright, multi-hued ‘flowers.’ Some turbaned, some mop-haired, some pigtailed. Some plump, some petite. But a common feature that showed on all 260 young faces was an enthusiasm for being there.

Started by the Jamshedpur Parsi Association in 1979 with 35 children and two teachers, the Baug-E-Jamsheed Pre-Primary School in Jamshedpur run under the aegis of the Jamshed­pur Zoroastrian Association Education Society, is today greatly sought after by parents as a stepping stone into the world of education for their young wards.

"Our mission,” says the genial principal Shireen Dotivala, "is to provide a safe, caring, positive and fun-filled learning environment.”

The children were having fun: squishing a sponge in water and then wringing it dry to comprehend the concept of ‘wet’ and ‘dry.’ And if one thought watermelons were only for eating, one was wrong! At Baug-E-Jam­sheed watermelons are used to introduce three and four year olds to the concept of a sphere; of the differences between a whole, a half and a quarter; of size; of color and of contrast. And then the tiny tots bite into the luscious fruit to get the taste of it!

Enthusiastic students of Baug-E-Jamsheed

The emphasis at every stage is on activity-based learning. "Hear a thing, remember it for an hour. See a thing and remember it for a day. But do a thing and you will remember it for a lifetime!” This is the premise on which teaching techniques at Baug-E-Jamsheed are based.

There is floor seating or low seating in each class. A blackboard running around the class walls at the children’s height eliminates the burden and the breakage of carrying slates. Each of the seven classrooms from Nursery to Lower KG has its own computer and a Library Corner.

Nature walks, nurturing plants, a piano to accompany action songs, daily yoga and, best of all, no homework! These are some of the radical changes brought about by Dotivala after she joined as headmistress in 1988. "Changes are not always welcome or easy,” explained Dotivala. "But once teachers and parents realized the benefits of these methods, I got their full cooperation.”

Every month at the parent-teacher meeting parents can freely interact with teachers and get feedback on their child’s progress. For those who might be hesitant to voice their concerns, there is a drop-box which asks: "Got a suggestion? Speak up! We need new ideas!”

Certain days in the school calendar are earmarked as Open House, when parents can sit in on classes to witness both the teaching and learning methods. "Since it is mostly mothers who are more involved with bringing up children and interacting with the teacher, we have set aside a special ‘Daddy’s Day at School,’” Doti­vala said. "Fathers are encouraged to bring the children to school and spend as much time as they can spare, painting, cutting out patterns and playing with the children. Both fathers and children love this interaction.”

In a reflection of Parsi population trends worldwide, Baug-E-Jamsheed has only two Parsi children in a total strength of 260. The staff does a little better with four Parsis (inclusive of administrative staff) in a total strength of 16.

Bird-like Bepsi Modi, wife of Ervad Soli Modi, head priest of the Jamshedpur Agiary, is an active and adored teacher. Her forte being art and computers, she is constantly in demand, making charts, pictures, worksheets and cutouts for the classes.

Capable and qualified, Doti­vala prefers to refer to herself as a ‘teacher’ rather than an ‘administrator.’ She obtained her BSc, majoring in Child Development from the Maharaja Sayajirao University in Baroda. She worked as a kindergarten teacher at the Sacred Heart Convent in Jamshedpur in the early years of her marriage but gave up her job to bring up her three children Kainaz, Xerxes and Yim. When the children were old enough not to need her undivided attention, the trustees of Baug-E-Jamsheed, Daisy Irani and Silloo Surti and her own husband Navzar, urged her to take up her present assignment.

Through all the multifarious activities of the school, Dotivala keeps the children, the teachers and herself focused on "Our Vision,” which is to encourage children to become lifelong learners by making the learning process fun for them.

"In our garden of perfect blooms, we do have some with certain handicaps. There is a mentally challenged boy, a hearing impaired child, hyperactive students and some with minor physical defects,” said Dotivala. "Our students and teachers are encouraged to love and respect these children through whom we learn invaluable lessons in compassion, understanding and appreciation.”

Despite its minuscule Parsi component, Zoroastrian ideology and inputs in the school are strong. On the first day of every academic session a jashan is held with the presence and participation of all the teachers and trustees. All major festivals are celebrated, including Jamshedi Navroz. The children make ‘chalk’ designs in the courtyard, hug and wish each other Navroz Mubarak and apply tilli (red dots on the forehead) to their friends. The universal values of good thoughts, good words and good deeds are ingrained in each child through songs and stories at every opportunity. The school is what it is due to its dynamic principal, dedicated staff and supportive trustees.

Dotivala’s love for little children doesn’t stop at giving them a hug and a smile. She believes in the potential of each child and teacher and is constantly seeking innovative ways to bring out their talents and encourage free expression. Every two years classes are rotated to avoid stagnation among the teaching staff. Teaching aids are used keeping in mind the requirements of each age group. In-house teachers’ training programs are constantly underway.

Top of the line technology plays as important a part as colored wooden blocks in widening the horizons of a child’s mind. Dotivala and her staff are into TAL — Technology Aided Learning. They are also members of JEET — Jam­shed­pur’s Enlightened and Empowered Teachers. Along with 22 other city schools, Baug-E-Jamsheed is a member of PACE — Principals’ Awareness for Creativity in Education. Dotivala is also the coordinator of a newly formed cluster of six school principals, three of whom are Parsis — Nargis Madon of J. H. Tarapore School, Amy Billimoria of Tarapore School Agrico and Dotivala herself.

In 2003 Dotivala was presented a national award by Intel for ‘Best Integration of Technology Aided Learning’ for the Eastern Zone. Her approach has shattered the myth that a pre-primary school is just a room away from home where three-year-old tots are kept out of harm’s way for a few hours. "This is the most important and exciting period of a child’s development,” she enthuses. "Lifelong values can be ingrained and a vision for the future imprinted on each little mind. An awesome responsibility for those of us who undertake to nurture them.”

On March 19, 2007 Baug-E-Jams­heed was visited by the principals of five schools in Wigan, UK. One of them remarked, "Today we were to visit the Centre for Excellence, but instead we have come to a center of excellence.” They were really impressed by the school.

The school adopts a theme every year and works around it. Last year it was ‘Healthy Kids, Happy Kids.’ This being the centenary year of the founding of TISCO (Tata Iron and Steel Company, now Tata Steel) and of the city of Jamshedpur, the theme is ‘I Love Jam­shed­pur.’ As Dotivala explains, "We the people of Jamshedpur have the natural resources, the means and the capability to enjoy quality living in our Steel City. But we are restricted by our apathy and indifference.”

Through the ‘I Love Jamshedpur’ theme, the school hopes to instill in its young students and their parents an awareness of Jamshedpur as a ‘Steel City, Clean City, Green City.’ On March 17, 2007 they launched a "Clean Jam Campaign” along with parents, committee members and other dignitaries of the town. It started with a multimedia presentation, wherein all made a pledge to keep Jamshedpur clean and green. This was followed by the children and their parents decorating paper bags with messages to keep the city clean. These bags were later given to shopkeepers to distribute to their customers so that the message of a cleaner, greener and heal­thier Jamshedpur is spread to citizens of that city.

Says Dotivala, "In this new endeavor, our youngest citizens will fulfill the vision of our founder, Jamsetji Tata, after whom our school has been named Baug-E-Jamsheed or ‘Garden of Jamsheed.’”