Podar Innovation Center - Curriculum and Content
Curriculum and Content Development is at the core of the Podar Innovation Centre. The team specializes in creating curriculum and content based on the guidelines of various boards including CBSE, ICSE, CAIE and the Maharashtra State Board.
The Curriculum and Content Team of the PIC provides a wide range of academic solutions to schools, within and outside the Podar Education Network, including those aligned to the Podar Curriculum Consultancy and the Podar Learn Schools.
The Podar System of Education values the child as a strong, capable and resilient individual, rich with wonder and knowledge. Every child brings with him deep curiosity and potential and this innate curiosity drives his interest to understand the world and his place within it. Our curriculum allows the child to reflect, solve, create, grow and most importantly, think. The core elements of the PIC Curriculum are as follows:
Curriculum Solutions Period Allocation
For optimal effectiveness of the entire teaching – learning process it is important that the time devoted to each subject is well planned. The syllabus designed for a particular academic year needs to be carefully distributed for successful learning to happen. Thus the PIC team provides the schools with a period allocation plan that synchronizes completely with the syllabus laid.
Syllabus
Schools are provided with a syllabus for each grade and subject. The syllabus provides the teacher with the number of periods required to complete a particular lesson. The syllabus is planned keeping in mind the tentative number of working days that each school is expected to have in a single academic year. While formulating the syllabus care is taken to include sufficient time for revision of topics. The syllabus also accounts for the loss of teaching time over various events like the school annual day, sports day and other activities.
(Click here to view a sample syllabus)
Teacher's Manual
Teachers need to make wise decisions about the strategies and methods that they would apply to help learners understand & move systematically toward learner centric goals. Lesson planning is a vital component of the teaching-learning process. Proper classroom planning keeps teachers organized and on track while teaching. The better prepared the teacher is, the more likely she will be able to handle whatever unexpectedly happens in the lesson. PIC provides user friendly Teacher’s Manuals to guide teachers on how to facilitate successful lessons. The Teacher's manual is the instructor’s road map of what students need to learn and how to deliver the lesson effectively during the given class time. The manuals recommend the use of stories, poems and other stimuli as set induction. They incorporate instructional strategies that lead to fruitful thinking. They provide the teacher with tips to integrate learnings together and make the lessons interactive.
Assessments
Assessment resources include Question Paper, Blue Print and Answer Schemes to these Question Papers.
Academic solutions also contain Practice Sheets / Question Banks and Revision Tests as per the requirement of each subject. These resources provide the needed revision and help to the students to prepare for their exams.
(Click here to view a sample question paper, Question Bank and Revision Tests)
Academic Products and Programmes
Theatre in Education
Podar Innovation Centre took one more step beyond academics in enhancing the teaching learning experience for its students with its program on Theatre in Education. TiE uses interactive theatre and drama activities and practices to help aid the educational process. The foundation of the program lies in the belief that students learn best by doing. Theatre and drama provide opportunities to students to experience and perceive the concept in an individualized way.
Over and above the drilling of the concept, TiE also helps in enhancing communication skills and developing and honing the performance related skills, thus building the students’ confidence.
Remedial Learning
Every child achieves learning at their own pace. Some students pick up faster than the others, while some others require additional support. PIC provides resources that aid the teachers to provide additional support for students who require remediation. These resources are broadly in the form of worksheets on Literacy and Numeracy. These worksheets assist students to accomplish expected proficiencies in core academic skills.
Senior Secondary Plus Program
Most students from the science stream of Grades XI and XII pursue competitive exams like the JEE and NEET.
We understand that one goal is as important to the student as the other and so we support them in the pursuit of both of these goals.
PIC has collaborated with GuruAankalan for Senior Secondary Plus Program.
GuruAankalan provides study material and assessments for four subjects (physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics) for 2 years.
Academic Guidance for Std. IX & X
Robust academic guidance is given to teachers for grades IX and X. It is ensured that the students are provided with exam oriented content which will prepare them systematically for the Board exams.
Symphonics
Symphonics is the in-house phonics program that spreads from Pre-school to Std. V. The program aims to develop a strong foundation in English language learning by integrating phonics into the learning of reading, writing and spelling of words.
The program incorporates the use of colourful flashcards, interesting stories and melodic rhymes for making learning joyful. The journey to reading is made easy and enjoyable with the help of read-along books which are in simple decodable text. Extensive lesson plans and illustrated teaching and behaviour manuals support effective teaching.
Spell the Beans
Spellings form an integral part of not only Languages but for all other subjects too. Yet, the learning of spellings has always been a dull and drab activity for learners.
Keeping this in mind PIC designed a programme by the name of ‘Spell the Beans’. This programme incorporates the use of fun-filled activities intended at retention of spellings. This program targets the students from Grade III to Grade IX.
Math Gym
Math gym sheet is an exercise designed on particular concepts in mathematics. Students are asked to solve 4 – 5 questions on the concept every day. It provides the brain the required exercise to ensure that the concept is not only drilled and retained in the brain but also provides opportunity to practise formulae and calculations. Thus building a strong foundation of every mathematical concept taught at a particular grade level.
Math Lab
All Podar International Schools have a specially designed Math Lab. These labs are equipped with state-of-the-art tools and equipment that provide students with hands on opportunities to apply the learning from the classrooms. The Podar Innovation Centre design Math Lab activities that help in strengthening mathematical concepts by providing hands on experience to students in understanding the concept clearly. It helps in making math more enjoyable and student friendly and thus develops their interest in the subject.
Khan Academy Math Program
PIC has introduced the Math Program of the Khan Academy to selected schools. This program contains practice exercises, instructional videos and a personalized learning dashboard that helps every child to learn at his own pace. Students are provided immediate feedback. The interface is child friendly and provides motivation to practice more math in the form of praise pop-ups.
The teacher interface of the program provides reports on progress of every child in terms of individual growth of every student. These reports help the teacher in initiating focussed remediation in the classroom.
Life Skills
Students gather knowledge and its application through the core curriculum. However, in today’s time and generation certain basic skills of life can sometimes get ignored. We, at Podar Education Network believe in the holistic development of our students. Therefore, we focus not only on knowledge but also in the development of life skills among our students.
Our curriculum goes beyond academics through the Life skills modules that bring omivalues in life. Students are taught basic skills appropriate for their age that help them in becoming independent and progressively move towards being helpful to others. By building social and emotional skills students are empowered to face challenges in life successfully. Students learn to feel empathic and to establish and maintain positive relationships.
These modules are incorporated into the daily curriculum. The skills are imparted using kinesthetic activities and strategies like cooperative and collaborative learning, peer partner learning and team based learning.
Beanstalk Olympiads
Beanstalk Olympiad for students is a benchmark test in English, mathematics and science. The Olympiad emanated from the goal to take academic competition to a level of excellence from where we could measure the strengths of our students and work in the direction of improvisation. It envisions the enhancement of the knowledge of the learners by providing a competitive platform, thus elevating the teaching – learning process. Learning happens when the students are actively engaged in the real academic sense. Beanstalk Olympiad endeavours to promote the same.
Curriculum and Content Development is at the core of the Podar Innovation Centre. The team specializes in creating curriculum and content based on the guidelines of various boards including CBSE, ICSE, CAIE and the Maharashtra State Board.
The Curriculum and Content Team of the PIC provides a wide range of academic solutions to schools, within and outside the Podar Education Network, including those aligned to the Podar Curriculum Consultancy and the Podar Learn Schools.
The Podar System of Education values the child as a strong, capable and resilient individual, rich with wonder and knowledge. Every child brings with him deep curiosity and potential and this innate curiosity drives his interest to understand the world and his place within it. Our curriculum allows the child to reflect, solve, create, grow and most importantly, think. The core elements of the PIC Curriculum are as follows:
Curriculum Solutions Period Allocation
For optimal effectiveness of the entire teaching – learning process it is important that the time devoted to each subject is well planned. The syllabus designed for a particular academic year needs to be carefully distributed for successful learning to happen. Thus the PIC team provides the schools with a period allocation plan that synchronizes completely with the syllabus laid.
Syllabus
Schools are provided with a syllabus for each grade and subject. The syllabus provides the teacher with the number of periods required to complete a particular lesson. The syllabus is planned keeping in mind the tentative number of working days that each school is expected to have in a single academic year. While formulating the syllabus care is taken to include sufficient time for revision of topics. The syllabus also accounts for the loss of teaching time over various events like the school annual day, sports day and other activities.
(Click here to view a sample syllabus)
Teacher's Manual
Teachers need to make wise decisions about the strategies and methods that they would apply to help learners understand & move systematically toward learner centric goals. Lesson planning is a vital component of the teaching-learning process. Proper classroom planning keeps teachers organized and on track while teaching. The better prepared the teacher is, the more likely she will be able to handle whatever unexpectedly happens in the lesson. PIC provides user friendly Teacher’s Manuals to guide teachers on how to facilitate successful lessons. The Teacher's manual is the instructor’s road map of what students need to learn and how to deliver the lesson effectively during the given class time. The manuals recommend the use of stories, poems and other stimuli as set induction. They incorporate instructional strategies that lead to fruitful thinking. They provide the teacher with tips to integrate learnings together and make the lessons interactive.
Assessments
Assessment resources include Question Paper, Blue Print and Answer Schemes to these Question Papers.
Academic solutions also contain Practice Sheets / Question Banks and Revision Tests as per the requirement of each subject. These resources provide the needed revision and help to the students to prepare for their exams.
(Click here to view a sample question paper, Question Bank and Revision Tests)
Academic Products and Programmes
Theatre in Education
Podar Innovation Centre took one more step beyond academics in enhancing the teaching learning experience for its students with its program on Theatre in Education. TiE uses interactive theatre and drama activities and practices to help aid the educational process. The foundation of the program lies in the belief that students learn best by doing. Theatre and drama provide opportunities to students to experience and perceive the concept in an individualized way.
Over and above the drilling of the concept, TiE also helps in enhancing communication skills and developing and honing the performance related skills, thus building the students’ confidence.
Remedial Learning
Every child achieves learning at their own pace. Some students pick up faster than the others, while some others require additional support. PIC provides resources that aid the teachers to provide additional support for students who require remediation. These resources are broadly in the form of worksheets on Literacy and Numeracy. These worksheets assist students to accomplish expected proficiencies in core academic skills.
Senior Secondary Plus Program
Most students from the science stream of Grades XI and XII pursue competitive exams like the JEE and NEET.
We understand that one goal is as important to the student as the other and so we support them in the pursuit of both of these goals.
PIC has collaborated with GuruAankalan for Senior Secondary Plus Program.
GuruAankalan provides study material and assessments for four subjects (physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics) for 2 years.
Academic Guidance for Std. IX & X
Robust academic guidance is given to teachers for grades IX and X. It is ensured that the students are provided with exam oriented content which will prepare them systematically for the Board exams.
Symphonics
Symphonics is the in-house phonics program that spreads from Pre-school to Std. V. The program aims to develop a strong foundation in English language learning by integrating phonics into the learning of reading, writing and spelling of words.
The program incorporates the use of colourful flashcards, interesting stories and melodic rhymes for making learning joyful. The journey to reading is made easy and enjoyable with the help of read-along books which are in simple decodable text. Extensive lesson plans and illustrated teaching and behaviour manuals support effective teaching.
Spell the Beans
Spellings form an integral part of not only Languages but for all other subjects too. Yet, the learning of spellings has always been a dull and drab activity for learners.
Keeping this in mind PIC designed a programme by the name of ‘Spell the Beans’. This programme incorporates the use of fun-filled activities intended at retention of spellings. This program targets the students from Grade III to Grade IX.
Math Gym
Math gym sheet is an exercise designed on particular concepts in mathematics. Students are asked to solve 4 – 5 questions on the concept every day. It provides the brain the required exercise to ensure that the concept is not only drilled and retained in the brain but also provides opportunity to practise formulae and calculations. Thus building a strong foundation of every mathematical concept taught at a particular grade level.
Math Lab
All Podar International Schools have a specially designed Math Lab. These labs are equipped with state-of-the-art tools and equipment that provide students with hands on opportunities to apply the learning from the classrooms. The Podar Innovation Centre design Math Lab activities that help in strengthening mathematical concepts by providing hands on experience to students in understanding the concept clearly. It helps in making math more enjoyable and student friendly and thus develops their interest in the subject.
Khan Academy Math Program
PIC has introduced the Math Program of the Khan Academy to selected schools. This program contains practice exercises, instructional videos and a personalized learning dashboard that helps every child to learn at his own pace. Students are provided immediate feedback. The interface is child friendly and provides motivation to practice more math in the form of praise pop-ups.
The teacher interface of the program provides reports on progress of every child in terms of individual growth of every student. These reports help the teacher in initiating focussed remediation in the classroom.
Life Skills
Students gather knowledge and its application through the core curriculum. However, in today’s time and generation certain basic skills of life can sometimes get ignored. We, at Podar Education Network believe in the holistic development of our students. Therefore, we focus not only on knowledge but also in the development of life skills among our students.
Our curriculum goes beyond academics through the Life skills modules that bring omivalues in life. Students are taught basic skills appropriate for their age that help them in becoming independent and progressively move towards being helpful to others. By building social and emotional skills students are empowered to face challenges in life successfully. Students learn to feel empathic and to establish and maintain positive relationships.
These modules are incorporated into the daily curriculum. The skills are imparted using kinesthetic activities and strategies like cooperative and collaborative learning, peer partner learning and team based learning.
Beanstalk Olympiads
Beanstalk Olympiad for students is a benchmark test in English, mathematics and science. The Olympiad emanated from the goal to take academic competition to a level of excellence from where we could measure the strengths of our students and work in the direction of improvisation. It envisions the enhancement of the knowledge of the learners by providing a competitive platform, thus elevating the teaching – learning process. Learning happens when the students are actively engaged in the real academic sense. Beanstalk Olympiad endeavours to promote the same.
- Student’s Birth Certificate.
- Student’s Aadhaar Card.
- School Leaving Certificate (can be submitted later if currently not available) (Std 2 onwards).
- UDISE Number (Unified District Information System for Education) from current school (Std 2 onwards).
- Student's previous/current class Report Card (Std 2 onwards).
- Address proof (any one) : a) Ration Card. b) Electricity Bill c) Passport d) Aadhar Card.
- Aadhar card of any one parent/guardian.
- Pan Card of any one parent/guardian.
- Passport size photograph of the student.
- Caste Certificate (if applicable).
- Theatre
- Indian and Western Dance
- Classical and International Music
- Public Speaking and Debating
- Computer Animation
Online Admission Process:
- Complete the online application form.
- The following documents are to be uploaded while filling the online application form:
- Student’s Birth Certificate.
- Student’s Aadhaar Card.
- School Leaving Certificate (can be submitted later if currently not available) (Std 2 onwards).
- UDISE Number (Unified District Information System for Education) from current school (Std 2 onwards).
- Student's previous/current class Report Card (Std 2 onwards).
- Address proof (any one) : a) Ration Card. b) Electricity Bill c) Passport d) Aadhar Card.
- Aadhar card of any one parent/guardian.
- Pan Card of any one parent/guardian.
- Passport size photograph of the student.
- Caste Certificate (if applicable).
- After submitting the online application form, if there are seats available in the standard that you have applied in, an email with a payment link for the first term fees will be sent to you. Parents are requested to make the necessary payment online.
- Complete the application form either online or collect the form from the school.
- Please submit the completed application form along with following documents at the School Office:
- Photocopy of Student’s Birth Certificate.
- Photocopy of Student’s Aadhaar Card.
- School Leaving Certificate (can be submitted later if currently not available) (Std 2 onwards).
- UDISE Number (Unified District Information System for Education) from current school (Std 2 onwards).
- Photocopy of Student's previous/current class Report Card (Std 2 onwards).
- Photocopy of Address proof (any one) : a) Ration Card. b) Electricity Bill c) Passport d) Aadhar Card.
- Photocopy of Aadhar card of any one parent/guardian.
- Photocopy of Pan Card of any one parent/guardian.
- 3 Passport size photographs of the student.
- Caste Certificate (if applicable).
- Please submit a Cheque with the first term fees to the School Office. All payments at the School are to be made by Cheque. Please mention the name of your ward, and contact number on the rear side of the Cheque. Fees once paid will be strictly non-refundable.
