There was a time in the past where most cities just had a few schools which followed a standard curriculum and there were not too many options to choose from. Today, every city has a large number of schools that follow different curriculums and boards, each catering towards different aspects of learning and education. Given the diversity, this has also caused much difficulty and confusion in parents and their wards on what to go with. In Bangalore, especially the area of North Bangalore, a school like Kingston High near Manyata Hebbal provides ICSE. Besides there are many others with different boards. The important thing is for parents to understand what their children learn under each board which will help them pursue their future academic career and plan their studies accordingly. Knowing what each board is can minimise confusion for everyone concerned.

 CBSE 

CBSE Board is the most popular board that conducts two of the country’s biggest exams - JEE for Engineering & NEET for Medicine that helps students compete for seats in the majority of prestigious national institutions including IIT, NIT and AIIMS. 

Curriculum : Geared towards taking care of student’s problem solving and application skills, the CBSE curriculum teaches them concepts and how to use them in various contexts. CBSE syllabus is heavy, prepares students for the major exams they will have to eventually take and has all round focus on languages as well as Maths and Science. The CBSE English syllabus gives students a good command over their language and English speaking skills.

 Extracurricular Activities : This differs from school to school. While some schools give good attention to other activities, some focus entirely on studies.

 Scope for Undergraduates : In order to apply for engineering or medicine, it is important for students to write admission for universities anywhere across India. 12th board exams are important for such admissions and the quota for CBSE students varies from state to state. Some universities in states such as Tamil Nadu favour state board over CBSE and it is important to check with universities which board they consider. STATE BOARD State boards vary from state to state, and there are approximately 30 state boards of education in India. While some of them may promote rote learning, others encourage practicality and critical thinking. Evaluations and scoring differ from each other. Curriculum : State boards are entirely state dependent. In some states they supersede other boards and there is enough help and tuition available for the same. Since they are the board of choice in government schools, they most often focus on syllabus and rote learning rather than practical application & critical thinking. Extracurricular Activities : This differs from school to school and depends on the level of importance given to academics and other activities. Scope for Undergraduates : Students who graduate from this board have to write various entrance exams to gain admission into universities. Generally 12th exam results are considered for any future courses that require science, commerce and humanities proficiency. This differs from state to state however.

 ICSE 

The ICSE curriculum offers a well rounded education system that gives students the understanding of various content-oriented & practical concepts. Since most learning is activity-based, students develop analytical skills, gained from topics taught in class and their application. 

Curriculum : Students develop the ability to visualise, solve and understand complex concepts in this board. ICSE syllabus is vast, with many subjects to choose from. Environmental education, physics, chemistry and biology are some of the subjects in secondary school and evaluations are very strict. Music, dance and other physical activities are given equal importance. There is plenty of reading and analysing subjects and their meaning. 

Extracurricular Activities : Since this board is all about giving students an all-round education, extracurricular activities of different kinds are a given. These may be academic oriented project work, competition in sports, music and drama and even activities such as gardening, yoga and martial arts.

Scope for Undergraduates : ISCE board is very demanding especially for students in the 11th & 12th class. Because of the strict evaluations in this board, students have to fight really hard for good scores, especially if they want to appear for various engineering and medical entrance examinations. ICSE board quota differs from other boards in every university and students even have the option of switching to CBSE or State board for their last two years in school. Given the all-round development in the ICSE board, Kingston High is one of the top ICSE school in East Bangalore that offers this curriculum. As a playschool near Nagawara young students have a mix of studies and different activities for their physical and emotional growth.

Discipline is a word that has a very negative connotation to it. It implies strictness, adherence to rules and following a scheduled way of life. Discipline has come to be associated with a certain set of behaviour characteristics for so many years, all of which indicate that the behaviour of children is inappropriate and must be controlled. This is the main reason that today many children rebel against the word ‘discipline’ in any form, parents react to it strongly and educators think twice on how to go imbibing discipline in children. However general discipline is the basis for imposing discipline on the self and has to begin from a young age. Self-discipline when cultivated early in children sets them up for life. Research has found that it develops them holistically, and instills better social and leadership skills. There are many goals that are achieved by self-discipline, primary among them being empathy, patience, good personal behaviour and conscience. The above characteristics are not developed over-night but start slowly and from the time children are small. 

EMPATHY - Empathy and care are very important for children to develop self-discipline. This isn’t just towards themselves but towards others as well. As they grow, it helps them in decision making, collaboration and engagement with others. Empathy also begins at home. Children who observe their carers and educators practice empathy, follow it themselves. They extend it to other children and even animals. 

PATIENCE - Teaching a child patience is a tough job. Children today seek instant gratification from everything, and this is partly due to what they are exposed to when it comes to behaviour patterns and general media. When small, reasoning isn’t something they understand easily. To wait when it is their turn, to understand that achievement comes after several disappointments are all concepts that will hold them in good stead as they turn older. Stories and examples are great ways of inculcating this. 

GOOD PERSONAL BEHAVIOR - Good manners is one of the first things that children must know, because these will be used by them even in their adult life. ‘Please’, ‘Sorry’ and ‘Thank You’ are simple words with much impact. The only way of inculcating this is by the elders practicing it themselves. Reasoning children’s behaviour and explaining the impact of good behaviour are two very simple yet practical methods. 

CONSCIENCE - Conscience is a difficult concept to explain to children. It ties in with morals, good & bad, values and principles. An important aspect of self-discipline is for children to understand what they wish to stand by and why. The ability to differentiate between right and wrong, to practice what they think is right develops over years but has to begin early. While parents are the ones who help children develop self-discipline, it is equally important for everyone who engages with them to show by example. 

At Kingston High, a pre-school near Manyata Tech Park, Hebbal, we engage with little children and have different concepts & practices specifically designed to inculcate this crucial learning in children. From teaching them the importance of manners, to how they speak to others, from teaching them responsibility by looking after their plants and gardening, to story telling and extra-curricular activities, everything is designed as subtle learning in which they participate yet learn from