17/01/2013
Pearls of God is located in suburban Hindmotor, just outside of Kolkata. Designated by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), National Department of Education, India, serves approximately 2000 students with 47 classroom teachers. The teaching methods and philosophies vary widely from teacher to teacher. Most of the teachers employ progressive methods, though to quite different extremes. The school wide curriculum is not rigidly enforced, thus, teachers have time for both independent projects and creative methods. In addition to its classroom teachers, the school has a strong group of support teachers and non-classroom staff. All staff members are in constant contact and collaboration with respect to students and learning environments.
The neighborhoods are primarily middle and upper-class, and include a college town. Most students in the school are involved in extracurricular activities, including attending foreign language classes, attending karate classes, playing chess, playing sports activities including football, soccer, basketball, kho kho and playing musical instruments. Many of the students are engaged in at least two different activities outside of school. In general, these students are looking to succeed, and in the fourth grade all already concerned with the grades they are receiving on tests and papers. In general, the students come to school the expectation that they will succeed in school.
Parents are constantly in the school environment. Whether they are volunteering for school trips, helping in a classroom party, or bringing in something that their child forget, parents figure strongly in the day-to-day life of the school. They also wield a lot of power over teachers and administrators with their not infrequent requests of changes in curriculum and methods.
The school is rich in both material and people resources. Most of the children were above grade level in reading and students are motivated to learn before they set foot in the classroom.
