A “Prism” which reflects Hope and Optimism by Disha Batra

Disha Batra founded KIDS PRISM, a Bangalore based International and Integrated preschool at HBR Layout, last year in December, 2014 .It was established with an aim of providing a secure and nurturing environment for the differently abled and underprivileged kids, where their journey of exploration and learning can be started in a holistic manner.

“We believe that every child is a ray of light waiting to burst into a rainbow. We are just that prism” Disha says

In an exclusive interview with Feministaa.com, Disha answers to some important questions related to the expectations aligned to her special venture called” Kids Prism “

You run a very special school; and there would be different needs when you cater to differently-abled and underprivileged children. What facilities are you offering in your school that helps such children get a feel of a ‘normal’ school environment? And how is it different from running any other school?

Kids Prism believes in providing an equal opportunity to children with special needs.  An inclusive program is implemented where this gap is bridged. The challenge is to maintain the quality and bring a blend between the contrasting backgrounds of the students. Importantly, it is our duty to manage the expectations of the parents, and that is something we actively focus on. The assessment and evaluation method followed at kidsprism is individualized for each student. We provide a comprehensive report in not only the spectrum of academics but behavior and development too. The integration, application and assimilation in not only the curriculum but also the student body is what sets us apart from another schools.

How important is it for a teacher to make a differently abled child feel that he is an equal part of the society? How do you train your faculty for these children?

The faculty is exposed to the problems and hardships of these families. Parents attend seminars and counselling sessions, where they are sensitised to the needs of these children. I would like to mention that they are all put through a special training in order to cater to the academic needs of these children. They are trained in different methodologies of teaching, with the right sense of emotion, patience and perseverance.All children can contribute to the society in their own unique ways is what teachers at Kids Prism are prepared to harness from all students.

You believe that every child has a huge hidden potential. Give us some instances and incidents where children at your school have shown the ability to be at par with children who are not differently abled?

The creative curriculum is aimed at focussing on the core skills of these special children in the field of Arts and Sports. It is over whelming to see that these special children, though learn at their own pace, reflect long term learning and demonstrate higher ability in spatial learning and problem solving technique.

You are committed to a noble cause at such a huge scale. There would have been some instance that has pushed you to take this step. Please throw some light on what motivates you to carry on this noble work.

Unrelenting passion, sheer hard work, belief in a dream and the pursuit of keeping it alive despite all odds is my mantra. The significance and impact of quality education is well-known. After having completed 17 years in the field of education and working in several international schools, I felt a strong desire to build an ideal, state of the art environment to nurture children. That resulted in the birth of “Kids Prism”. The curriculum at Kids Prism follows an integrated thematic approach and is inspired by the highly regarded and proven method of Maria Montessori.Our biggest motivation is to see education transform these children and unfurl their vast hidden potential.

It is said that India is one of the worst countries for the specially abled children and aged. Do you see this attitude in the children’s parents? In your opinion what could be done to change this mindset?

Exposure to international methods of teaching has helped in broadening the Indian mind frame, though it still remains an uphill task. The mindset of parents have changed as they are no longer in denial, and are trying to embrace the situation.Parental workshops are an effective method in correcting mindsets, something which we conduct often at Kids Prism. Such workshops go a long way in creating a bond of understanding and empathy rather than pity or rejection.

Give your opinion on how well the government is supporting the needs of differently abled children? What other steps should the government be taking to make the society a better place for differently abled children?

The task is a complex one. We need to put in collective effort from all members of society, including the government. There can be more grants, concessions and aids disbursed in this space. Additionally, with regard to making the society a better place, the government can further improve the infrastructure facilities for the differently abled people.Providing services for the convenience of such children and their families as well as offering economic, medical and occupational support can go a long way in improving the situation.

Please give a message to the various NGO’s running schools with a similar aim as yours.

A unified effort is required in this space we should aim to ensure that each and every child gets an equal opportunity to receive quality education irrespective of his or her abilities. An inclusive society is what we should aim to create and we hope to move forward together in this space.

Feministaa.com wishes Disha Batra all the best and we hope her noble efforts are able to make a substantial difference in the lives of these special children.