FEEL

WE EXPERIENCED

Though our children were engaging with children of very diverse population, it was not part and parcel of their daily experiences. We thus wanted to shift this, and make diversity and inclusivity a key part of every child’s education!

Watch Kiran share how the RTE program started at Riverside, and the vision behind the program.

3:48

Try the empathy lens:


Observe a child on a street for an entire day and everything that they encounter on the streets. Then consider what a great education could do for that child.


Visit the home of your house help or any of your support staff; to understand and get a perspective that is very different from our own.


Try the empathy lens

OUR INSIGHTS

  • We were very keen for the profile of the children at Riverside to mimic a ‘Mini India’. Otherwise it is very easy to isolate children from the reality of India and its people. We strongly felt that diversity and inclusion were fundamental for deeper and more compassionate learning.

  • Although RTE was a mandate, for us it became a huge opportunity to not only honor the act, but also to make it into a program so that children’s experience of diversity became seamless.

  • Involving parents’ right from the start of the program was a great way to invite support and collaboration throughout.

A year of pre-work and due diligence was hugely beneficial in developing a genuinely inclusive RTE program; and not just an after school remedial program.

IMAGINE

WHAT IF...

there was a way to create an inclusive community of learners which offered real diversity in terms of gender, demographies and geography?

WE DESIGNED

An inclusive RTE program with the primary goal of aligning it with the child’s academic need and well being.

Subsequent design of the various interventions & strategies under the program are done so children get the best possible opportunity to succeed.

Various interventions such as ‘Home Visits’, ‘After School Program’, ‘World is my School’, ‘Summer School’, ‘One-on-One ensure rigor for competence; and reduce the gap between awareness / exposure and learning.

To bridge the gap between home and school we also developed the support program called ‘Koshish’ for parents.

Regular meetings within the teacher team are greatly helpful to share updates and progress on each child.

DO

HERE IS WHAT WE DO

This video helps make visible the process of the RTE from ‘intention’ to ‘action’.

05:56

See a glimpse of the various interventions and strategies under the RTE program. See how it is a 360° program involving all the key stakeholders, designed keeping the child at the centre.

  • 04:26

    A) Summer School

    In this video, watch teachers share the relevance and need for the Summer school called ‘Teach to Reach’. See the different kinds of exposure and rigor given to students under this program.

  • 02:51

    B) World is my School

    See the relevance behind the program in this video, and notice the various experiences and visits that are planned and what students and parents feel about it.


STAKEHOLDER INSIGHTS

In this section, Riverside edu-heroes share strategies and insights from their experience of the process and how the process has impacted their practice.

  • 06:42

    FAQ Video

    In this video watch Priyanka share key strategies and guidelines for running an inclusive RTE program at school.

  • 04:41

    Impact Video

    Watch how the RTE program impacted Priyanka, her students and other stakeholders.

Resources

Interventions

TIPS FOR THE LEADERS

  • Transparency with key stakeholders including parents, teachers, students and other staff goes a long way in designing as well as running an inclusive RTE program. This helps the initiative become seamlessly integrated in the school system and be more than just an after school program.

  • Having the parent body on board for this program is vital; both for alignment as well as inviting support and collaboration.

  • Observing some of the initiatives with your teachers under RTE program (like ‘Summer School’, ‘World is my School’ or ‘Koshish Program’ for parents) with some of your teachers might be a great way to understand their value and possible impact!

  • Designing tools and curriculum for the program can be contextualized to the child and their background; especially important in the younger years when they start school.