In extraordinary times such as these, parents are making an informed choice of keeping their little ones engaged in meaningful activities. Shilpa’s Edu~Fun Activity Classes has a host of exciting learning with fun exercises, packed with a punch in 30-minute virtual interactive sessions. With her 14 years of rich experience in the teaching profession, Shilpa Modi builds an instant connection with kids, something that comes to her with natural ease. Asrashaheen.in chats up with her to know more.
Are you a multitasking mom/dad of tiny tots trying your best to concentrate on your laptop in the work-from-home (WFH) corner of a cacophonous room? Is your keyboard a landing ground for origami dragons and paper airplanes? Well, you are certainly not alone. Thanks to the new normal of the Covid-19 world, this is a universal scenario in homes where WFH is now a way of life. However, the moment you put yourselves into the little shoes of your teeny-tiny ones, the lack of an undisturbed workspace becomes the least of your worries. After all, 2020 hasn’t been easy for your kids either. Cut off from their peer groups/friends and physical schooling experience… restricted from recreation outside homes… constrained from free movement and physical activities in public places… This surely isn’t a child’s play!
In extraordinary times such as these, when curtailing the risk of infection to our loved is our utmost priority, making informed choices is the way forward. While many parents are well aware that gadgets are double-edged swords, they are being very selective and discreet in opting for a quality and meaningful screen time for their children. This is where Shilpa’s Edu~Fun Activity Classes steps in.
Mumbai-based Shilpa Modi, Early Childcare Educator and School Counsellor, conducts a host of exciting learning with fun activities in her 30-minute classes, curated by her with the focus on children’s (2 to 10 years) holistic development. Shilpa’s classes are gaining recognition not just in India but the world over with children from Australia, USA, UK and UAE enrolled in her sessions. Asrashaheen.in takes a virtual glance at Shilpa’s Edu~Fun Activity Classes and chats up with her to find more.
Shilpa’s Edu~Fun Activity Classes at a Glance
- Activities – Emphasis on fun experiments, story-telling/puppet/picture talk, Spanish greetings, pattern recognition, sorting activities, cookery skills, games/concept-based learning, art/craft activities, animal yoga
- Focus areas – Cognitive, Creative, Language, Gross, and Fine Motor Skills
- Practical life exercises -learning by doing and having fun along the way
- Enhancing memory, concentration, vocabulary, confidence & curiosity
- Keeping the class size small (preferable max of 5 kids) to build a personal connect
On Pandemic & Kids
“The world has never, in our lifetimes, faced a situation like we are seeing today. For kids, this has been an even bigger change as most of them cannot understand the gravity of the situation or the reason why they are locked in their houses for months. I feel it is very important for kids to stimulate their minds in creative ways and my classes aim to do exactly this by creating curiosity, involving them by doing hands-on activities, and challenging them by introducing them to new concepts — all in a fun-filled lively interactive session where they are able to express themselves freely.
It’s true that technology can be a double-edged sword and that’s why striking the right balance is a key to successfully using technology with caution and care. The offline preparation for my classes and also the activities during my sessions are all non-technology based (such as experiments, art, and craft activities, pattern recognition, games, etc.) Also the sessions are limited to a maximum of 30 minutes to restrict the screen time for the young ones,” she informs.
Building Personal Connect & Making Learning Joyful
Shilpa creates an instant connection with kids in her virtual sessions, which is quite rare with many run-of-the-mill online classes. Her unique way of treating children as equals is perhaps what makes her popular among them. With 14 years of rich experience in the teaching profession, developing a spontaneous rapport with children is something that comes to her with natural ease.
“My USP is the personal connection that I naturally develop with the children in my class. I have intentionally limited my class size to a maximum size of 5 children per session and I also do many individual sessions. I feel building a personal rapport is extremely crucial for kids to be able to express themselves freely and also helps in widening their learning horizons. This personal connection goes a long way in building their confidence and enabling them to have an enjoyable learning experience. The best validation that I receive for this is in the form of the personalized and warm testimonials from the parents,” sums up Shilpa.
Spanish Greetings – the Icing on the Cake
“Children’s ability to compartmentalize and grasp different languages at a young age is indeed astounding. I believe that when children are exposed to multiple languages in their early years, they show signs of augmented creativity and mental dexterity. Children have an amazing capability of learning and becoming proficient in multiple languages if they start learning them at an early age.
In order to make Spanish learning fun, I introduce the child to basic greetings, rhymes and games which they pick up very quickly.
Shilpa’s enriching teaching journey
“The last 14 years in the teaching profession have been very satisfying and fulfilling for me. I have always been fascinated by the prospect of being able to mould the lives of the precious little children at an age when they are most impressionable. I decided to pursue my true passion, which was early childcare. I enrolled into a one-year fulltime program for early childcare education. After some internship stints, I joined a playschool as an assistant teacher. There was no looking back after that. Over the next 12 years at this playschool, I went on from being an assistant teacher to becoming a senior coordinator and then to managing the entire playschool. I also went on to pursue a PG Diploma in school counselling as I realized counselling skills are a very important asset in this profession,” recollects Shilpa.
Globetrotting Broadens Her Teaching Perspective
“I feel blessed to have the opportunity to travel extensively around the globe. This has only broadened my perspective and has also helped me in fine tuning my teaching skills. I have been able to connect with and relate to a global audience of kids with diverse culture backgrounds and upbringing.
Currently in my Edu~Fun classes, I am teaching kids not just from across India but also from countries such as Australia, USA, UK and UAE. My classes have also generated interest in parents and kids from many other countries around the globe,” she explains.
From Shilpa’s ex-students keeping in touch with her by greeting her through messages on Guru Purnima to the younger toddlers pestering their moms for a class with her on Sundays too, she has a special place in the hearts of her students who have their own unique ways of expressing “Gracias” to their beloved teacher!
