Burlington English, a provider of education solutions, on Sep 1 conducted the Burlington Magic of Early Years workshop at the Renaissance Hotel, Lucknow. The workshop, led by education leader Dr. Swati Popat Vats, Advisor for The Burlington Magic of Early Years and President of ECA-APER, welcomed an audience of teachers and school leaders to envision early years learning as a celebration of joy, wonder, and lifelong curiosity.
The workshop placed emphasis on age-appropriate pedagogies, child-centric practices, and the vital role of teachers and parents in the development of young learners. It kicked off with an ‘Abracadabra Workshop,’ a magic show which mesmerized the audience. During the session on ‘Magic of NEP 2020 and NCF 2022 in Our School Curriculum,’ Dr. Vats elaborated on the extent to which the frameworks have focused on holistic development, brain development in the early years, and the need to discard outdated practices in favor of more developmentally appropriate ones. The discussions focused on:
- Substituting cursive writing in foundational years classrooms with the MR font to support young learners in their writing journey.
- Focusing on mathematical concepts in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) curriculum rather than encouraging the chanting of numbers.
- Infusing play-based, activity-based, and inquiry-based learning into the foundation of every classroom experience.
- Fostering all-round development using the Panchakoshamodel for physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being.
Dr. Swati Popat Vats, speaking at the event, said, “ The early years should not focus on hastening children towards academic readiness, but rather on nurturing their cognitive, physical, and emotional development in ways that are suitable for their age. Play-based learning is key to healthy development in the foundational years. Play-based learning does not mean children don’t learn to read or write, it means they learn without the stress of rote learning. By eliminating stressful practices and replacing them with joy, choice, and a sense of wonder, we can establish a solid foundation for children’s lifelong learning. In today’s digital age, it is also important to include screen safety rhymes to help children understand the balanced use of screens.”
Commenting on the workshop, Amit Baveja, Managing Director of Burlington English in India and Southeast Asia, said, “Our early years resources, created with a deep understanding of child development, foster choice, joy, and wonder in young learners while strengthening essential skills such as literacy and numeracy. I am proud to share that our early years kit, aligned with the NCF-FS, is the only kit to have received a five-star rating from ECA-APER. I am equally proud of the 100ED Fest workshops, which guide educators through the latest developments in pedagogy, ensuring classrooms remain alive with curiosity and the drive to create positive change.”
