Author: mangala

CBSE formed in the year 1929; it was initially named as the ‘Board of High School and Intermediate Education, Rajputana.’ Over the years, it has witnessed significant expansion.   

In 1952, the board got its present name, and in 1962, it was reconstituted. In the beginning, the main goal of the board was to serve the educational institutions more effectively and cater to the educational needs of students whose parents served in the central government and had transferable jobs.

From 309 schools in 1962, the board has grown to 29,340 schools as of 2024. Additionally, the board has opened 257 schools in 25 foreign countries. There are 1247 Kendriya Vidyalayas, 5280 government/aided schools, 22408 independent schools, 648 Jawhar Novodaya Vidyalayas, and 14 Central Tibetan schools.

In the CBSE system, students are evaluated based on internal and external assessments.

• Internal assessments include regular tests, assignments, and projects. Marks are also allotted depending on activities like listening and talking skills, lab work, attendance, participation in cocurricular activities, discipline, etc.
• External assessments include term-end examinations, practicals, and viva voce. These marks solely depend on the performance of students in the board exams conducted by the CBSE board.

Hence, the CBSE takes into account not only the academic performance but also other factors. In this manner, the students are continuously evaluated throughout the year. It lays emphasis on overall performance. 

For Classes 1 to 10, the board follows a Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) model, focusing on both scholastic and co-scholastic areas. From Class 9 onwards, students face a more structured annual examination. 

For Class 10 and 12, CBSE conducts national-level board exams. The pattern typically includes objective-type questions (MCQs), short-answer questions, and long-answer questions, with a strong emphasis on conceptual clarity and application-based learning. 

Explore: Art and Craft Ideas for Kids 

Saying “Please” and “Thank You”

Words like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ might sound simple yet they are effective. Adding please while asking a favour or requesting a person makes it more genuine and valuable. While thanking someone after taking their help reflects gratitude. These words highlight respect, kindness and politeness. 

Greeting Others Politely

Greeting teachers and parents with ‘Good Morning’ or friends with a simple ‘Hi’ fosters healthy relationships. Addressing elders respectfully promotes social warmth. Encourage children to have a smile during conversations and teach them how to introduce themselves when meeting new people. 

Sharing with Others

It is often said that sharing is caring. Encourage children to share things with those in need. For instance, feeding bread to stray dogs, lending an extra pencil to a friend or sharing knowledge. These acts promote kindness and help children experience the joy of giving.

Apologising When Wrong

Teach kids to say a simple ‘sorry’ when they hurt someone with their actions or words. It works like magic and shows that they are responsible and aware of the mistakes they have made. It teaches empathy, helps in reducing differences and builds emotional awareness.

Table Manners

Teach children important table manners like eating with one hand, not talking while chewing, and waiting their turn at the table. Habits like chewing with their mouth closed and using a napkin help them behave politely and confidently in social settings.

Listening Without Interrupting

Encourage children to listen without interrupting, as it builds patience and attentiveness. It allows them to understand others’ feelings and perspectives better. This habit builds stronger emotional relationships and helps them in becoming more thoughtful and empathetic in conversations.

Respecting Personal Space

Make kids aware of boundaries and respecting others’ privacy. Habits like touching others’ belongings without permission, understanding when someone needs alone time or avoiding standing too close foster respectful and healthy interactions. 

Using Indoor Voice

Encourage appropriate voice levels based on environment and situation. It shows respect for shared spaces like libraries, classrooms or others’ homes. Therefore, encourage children to adjust voice levels accordingly to promote calm interactions.

Taking Turns

Whether it is talking in a conversation, while playing games or giving others a  chance to use public property, taking turns builds patience, fairness and respect for others. This habit fosters cooperation and strengthens social bonds from an early age.

Saying “Excuse Me”

Teach children to say ‘excuse me’ to politely get someone’s attention, pass by others or when interrupting a conversation. It reflects respect and politeness while cultivating considerate behaviour in social situations.

Nature activities in the outdoors help kids connect with the environment through hands-on exploration outside. Let us look over a few outdoor activities.

Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt
This is a fun outdoor activity. Organise a nature scavenger hunt encouraging children to spot and list different plants, insects and birds. It is an excellent way to reinforce classroom learnings.

Plant a Tree or Garden
Teach children to plant a sapling on important days like birthdays or organise a seed-sowing event in the school. By planting seeds or saplings, children learn the values of responsibility and sustainability.

Clean-Up Challenge
Organise a mini cleanup of the playground, local park, nearby street or backyard. This activity promotes awareness of keeping the environment clean and helps build eco-conscious habits.

Blend learning with play through these stimulating and brain-boosting activities.

• DIY Science Experiments
  DIY experiments are a great way to learn hands-on. Simple experiments like making a volcano with baking soda and vinegar or creating a rainbow using thermocol spark curiosity and make learning fun.

• Puzzles and Board Games
  Puzzles and board games improve focus and critical thinking skills. Age-appropriate games like jigsaw, crosswords, Sudoku, Scrabble and memory-based puzzles boost retention and enhance vocabulary and logic. They promote family bonding and teamwork among kids.

• Story Time Theatre
  This is a fun indoor activity that encourages kids to act out their favourite stories with costumes and props. This promotes self-expression, creativity, and imagination while boosting confidence and communication skills.

Creative Play Ideas

Let your child’s imagination soar with these hands-on creative play options.

• Indoor Camping
  Set up a play tent or blanket fort for a cosy indoor camping experience. Add sleeping bags, flashlights and snacks to make it more lively. Encourage kids to share stories and play games for greater bonding.

• Art and Craft Station
  Art and craft station encourages creativity and self-expression in kids. Set up a corner and provide children-friendly basic supplies like scissors, paper, glue, paints and coloured pencils to draw, paint and craft their own masterpieces. 

• DIY Puppet Show
  Help children create DIY puppets using socks, napkins or paper bags. Set up a small stage and put on a family puppet performance. encourage children to write short stories or scenes that boost their storytelling skills.

Explore: Long-term benefits of early childhood education 

It’s crucial to understand your current writing style before attempting to improve it. Examine the size, spacing, slant, and letter connections in your writing. Ask yourself: Is it easy to read? Do letters always have the same appearance? You can also ask your teacher for feedback or compare it with examples of good handwriting.

1. Letters Are Either Too Small or Too Big
   Solution: Use lined paper and practice writing inside the lines to develop consistency.
2. Inconsistent Word or Letter Spacing
   Solution: When writing, use a pencil or finger as a spacer. Practice writing evenly and slowly.
3. Incomplete Letters
   Solution: Pay close attention to completely forming each letter. Practice writing neat letter samples by tracing them.
4. Inconsistent Slant
   Solution: To maintain letter consistency, use slanted guidelines or lightly mark the angle on paper.
5. Bad Pencil Grip
   Solution: Pick a comfortable pen or pencil or use a pencil grip. To improve control, hold it with your thumb and index finger.

6. Writing Too Quickly
   Solution: Slow down to increase neatness and prioritise accuracy over speed.

7. Tired Fingers or Hands
   Solution: Take brief pauses while writing. To relax your fingers, perform easy hand stretches or exercises.

8. Messy Cursive Writing Solution: Practice joining letters correctly and maintain uniform spacing. trace cursive worksheets to improve fluency.

1. Bead Stringing: As kids thread beads onto strings to make jewellery or patterns, it enhances their accuracy and focus.
2. Origami: Creating shapes out of paper requires careful focus and improves fine motor control.
3. Clay Modelling: Using clay to create shapes improves hand-eye coordination and strength.
4. Dot Painting: Dot art tools or cotton swabs improve hand-eye coordination and concentration.
5. Cut-and-Paste Collages: Organising shapes into designs and cutting them improves spatial awareness and visual tracking.

Through the development of critical thinking, focus, and problem-solving abilities, art and craft activities aid in academic progress. These artistic endeavours foster self-expression, enhance memory recall, and develop fine motor skills—all of which are critical for writing. 

Additionally, creating art lowers stress, which improves students’ focus and openness to learning and enhances their general academic achievement.

Mastering time management can drastically improve study efficiency. Here are some tips:

• Establish a Study Schedule: Set aside specified times during the day for studying, breaks, and other activities.
• Set Task Priorities: To prevent stress at the last minute, concentrate on critical and urgent tasks first.
• Establish Achievable Objectives: To maintain motivation, divide challenging tasks into smaller, more achievable objectives.
• Avoid Multitasking: Focus on a single task at a time to improve productivity and memory.
• Use Tools and Apps: To keep track of due dates and reminders, use calendars, planners, or apps.
• Take Regular Breaks: Taking brief breaks during study sessions helps you stay focused and avoid burnout.
• Reduce Distractions: Find a peaceful study area and use social media and phones sparingly.

Students learn more efficiently when study techniques are modified to accommodate various learning preferences. Diagrams and charts help visual learners, while conversations and recordings help auditory learners understand concepts. 

Kinaesthetic learners interact through hands-on activities, while reading/writing learners favour notes and textbooks. In all subjects and age groups, comprehension, retention, and academic performance can be improved by knowing one’s learning style and employing the appropriate strategies.

A few simple and fundamental table manners that create an impact include:

• Always wash hands before eating.
• Begin eating after everyone is seated.
• Learn to properly hold and hold utensils like spoons, knives and forks.
• Spread a napkin on the lap and use it to wipe your mouth.
• Eat with your mouth closed to avoid chewing noise. 
• Avoid talking while eating to avoid spitting.
• Instead of stretching over others, ask them politely to pass the items.
• Take onto the plate whatever you can eat and try to finish the plate.

Some common mistakes that children make while having meals include

• Talking with food in the mouth.
• Starting before everyone else.
• Spilling food on clothes.
• Making noise while eating.
• Reaching across the table.
• Using electric gadgets at the table.
  
  

  Discover: Early Childhood Education

• Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Establish a distraction-free space by eliminating unnecessary sounds, restricting screen usage, and getting the study area in order. A quiet, organised environment enables children to concentrate and increases their capacity for effective concentration.

• Establish a Consistent Routine

A daily routine ensures that children understand what to do and when to do it. Timely study, play, and rest enhance time management, minimise anxiety, and maximise concentration and efficiency.

• Break Tasks into Small Steps

Dividing tasks into manageable, tiny steps avoids pressure on children. It makes learning more accessible, builds confidence with every accomplished step, and preserves concentration during the activity or lesson.

• Encourage Physical Activity

Exercise increases brainpower, decreases stress, and enhances concentration. Promote frequent playtime, exercise, or movement breaks to enable kids to release pent-up energy and come back to learning with greater concentration and clarity of mind.

• Use Fun and Engaging Learning Methods

Use games, tales, pictures, and interactive activities to make learning enjoyable and interesting. Interactive approaches engage children, increase comprehension, and enable them to remain attentive easily.

• Ensure Proper Nutrition and Hydration

A balanced diet and adequate hydration are crucial for brain function. Get children to eat healthy meals and have plenty of water, as this maintains energy levels, fosters clear thinking and improves concentration while learning.

• Teach Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques

Implement mindfulness and relaxation strategies such as deep breathing, meditation, or quiet time. These activities assist children in coping with stress, developing self-awareness, and becoming better at remaining calm and focused when learning.

• Limit Screen Time

Restricting screen usage decreases mental exhaustion and excessive stimulation. Offline activities should be encouraged, and limits placed on device use to ensure healthier habits, improved sleep, and enhanced concentration among children during the day.

• Promote Healthy Sleep Habits

Implement a routine sleep pattern to make children get sufficient sleep. Proper sleep enhances brainpower, memory, mood, and concentration, thereby helping them study better and pay attention easily.

• Encourage Breaks and Outdoor Play

Incorporate frequent breaks and outdoor playtime to revitalise. Physical activity and exposure to sunlight enhance mental clarity, lower restlessness, and enhance concentration, enabling children to go back to their work with new energy and attention.

Discover: Best Study Techniques for Academic Success