A Prerana Waldorf School Alumni Perspective
I went to preschool when I was 6 and continued till my 12th grade.
I enjoyed school very much as a child. I had a fantastic teacher and the best part was that she stayed with us from grades 1-6. Now when I look back, I realize she knew me more than my family. I loved going to school every day and also I used to ask a Saturday school. I enjoyed learning, and especially the main lessons about history, geography, botany. We used to create our own plays, doing projects, celebrating the all seasons together in the class, and making my own musical instruments and toys. The transition to grade 9 was different for me and I had to deal with a wide range of different cognitive capacities and subjects.
The instructional methods and the teachers’ command over the subjects have an indelible impression on me and have hence helped me focus on my studies. I could perform well in my higher education due to this rhythm and discipline I experience in Prerana. I am now a Doctor in Hyderabad. And Human Physiology and Anatomy done in class VII greatly influenced me to select this path. I have made lifelong friends and some of us are still in touch. I remember when I went back to school after many years as a Doctor, my Biology teacher Parimala ma’am was pleasantly surprised to see me. Two pearls dropped from her eyes. This is totally worth it. It was definitely my first school of choice when my son was 4 years old. I visit and meet the teachers and staff periodically not just as a parent but to re-visit my school days.
- Batch of 2007
Teachers have three loves: love of learning, love of learners, and the love of bringing the first two loves together. And today I proudly say that my teachers in Prerana could arouse the interest and love for the subjects in me. I loved my experience in Prerana Waldorf School. After we moved from the US my parents decided to enroll me in Prerana and I was apprehensive as everything around me was different. I was wondering about new friends and new teachers. But soon my anxieties were put to rest as I could make good friends with my teacher making a good situation for all the new students in the class to mingle with the old.
I progressed well through my grades and could overcome my inhibitions about many things. I remember how I was involved in all the concepts and not just rote learning. The bean bag exercises in the morning circle were really interesting and every day we classmates used to wonder what new activity ma’am will bring today. Little did I know then, these exercises were the reason for good retention and recall ability. I chose to continue on in high school instead of switching to a new school after graduating 10th grade. After completing my Engineering in Computer Science we moved back to the US. I felt prepared for higher and advanced education. I never felt nervous to go to a large university and the transition was pretty seamless.
I am from the generation who is blessed to have created delightful and fond memories of school life to cherish forever that I can share with my children.
- Batch of 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed my Waldorf education as a whole. There are parts of it that I wish had been different. For instance, in the lower grades, I dreaded the review part we had every day. But this is responsible for my strengthened memory that now I am able to remember and recall things in the right time. Because of this, review, reading and narration I have never been self-conscious even while in a large group. I believe that Waldorf School does a very good job of inculcating capacities to be able to eventually overcome those obstacles that you face as an adult. Now when I see my peers in my profession struggling to make decisions, I thank my school for preparing me for life and not just the academics that I feel confident in decision making or always ready to face challenges. I remember doing painting or knitting with class was most rejuvenating exercise. And those artistic activities have really helped me conceptualize my thoughts and turn into an idea. I never knew handwriting is also important and how my teacher emphasized on our handwriting through form drawings. As a child one would not understand but now when I look back I feel super happy to have joined Prerana. Today I see most of the schools are working on strengthening their intelligent quotient, whereas Waldorf Schools work equally on willing and feeling. That is all round development. Thank you to all my teachers in Prerana.
- Batch of 2009
I think the most important thing that Waldorf taught me was that you aren’t good at everything. Some things come easy to you and some things take a lot longer to get the hang of it. Throughout my Waldorf schooling, I had to do everything from math, writing journals and languages to woodwork, painting, form drawing, Perspective drawing, throwing a javelin in Grade V Olympics and building a wall in III grade as a part of the house building block. You see that your peers excel at some things and have trouble with others. Maybe I can help my friend to carve a spoon and she can help me write a journal. I think that if
If I had gone to a normal school I would have felt that I was terrible at everything having to do with school because marks might define me. But the Waldorf school showed me that I have to recognize my strengths and weaknesses and work on what my aptitude is about and that these skills have value. This gave me self-worth, and it gave me the strength to work on the things that don’t come so naturally to me.
I believe that Waldorf fuels curiosity and creativity and self worth.
- Batch of 2013
As a student, I valued the warm and open atmosphere at school and the teachers. I felt wanted and my voice heard. As an adult, I would say it is the holistic approach to the development of the child that I find really unique and inspiring. It’s the whole child that matters, not just a test score. I still have in my memories the introduction to Ray of Light in grade VI, we created a dark room and the experience is unforgettable. Imagine you are learning the math or science concepts not by reading but by doing. That absence of darkness that day ignited my mind with curiosity and questions. We were taught concepts and lessons through movement and play and not the gadgets or by rote learning. The learning was alive!!