Science is exciting for children because they have the opportunity to work hands on and apply real life labs to conceptual knowledge.

Our school has well equipped physics, chemistry and biology laboratories which all conform to the National Curriculum Framework. Science lab has been given a central and distinctive role in our science curriculum.The Science facilitators in our institution feel that there are rich benefits in learning by doing.

The main objectives that may be achieved are:

• Manipulative – inquiry, investigative skills
• Cognitive – critical thinking, application, analysis, synthesis
• Attitudinal – curiosity, interest, objectivity, confidence, collaboration

Classes VIII

Concepts are reinforced by conducting demonstrations of the experiments for young enthusiastic minds.

Classes IX & X:

Each class is divided into three groups. Each group attends the lab (Physics, Chemistry or Biology) in a cyclic order. We have 50 and 80 minutes per week for practical classes for Class IX and X respectively. The students are assessed in terms of procedure, record maintenance and viva. At the end of the year they take a 3 hour practical examination.

Project Citizen is promoted by the centre for Civic Education and funded by the U.S. Department of Education under the Education for Democracy Act approved by the United States Congress. Project Citizen India is part of this initiative. It is in its 3rd year and our school has been part of this programme since its inception. Students of Class VIII and IX are a part of this program.

Project Citizen is a portfolio-based civic education project and a model performance assessment activity. Project Citizen is a civic education program that promotes competent and responsible participation. It actively engages students in learning how to monitor and influence public policy and encourages civic participation among students, their parents, and members of the community.

As a class project, students work together to identify and study a public policy issue, eventually developing an action plan for implementing their policy. The final product is a portfolio displaying each group’s work. In a culminating activity the class presents its portfolio in a simulated legislative hearing, demonstrating their knowledge and understanding of how public policy is formulated.

Values and attitudes inherent in the Project Citizen program include: individual rights and responsibilities, self-discipline/self-governance, civility, courage, respect for the rights of other individuals, respect for the rule of law, honesty, open-mindedness, critical-mindedness, negotiation and compromise, persistence, civic-mindedness, compassion, patriotism, tolerance, active community participation, fairness, decision-making, balancing individual interests, and the common good.

The objectives of this programme are:

• To actively engage students in learning how to monitor and influence public policy.
• To encourage civic participation amongst students, their parents and members of the community
• To work cooperatively to identify and study a public policy issue
• To develop an action plan for implementing their policy.
• To develop the skills necessary to display a portfolio
• To develop the skills necessary to present their portfolio in a simulated legislative hearing
• To demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of how public policy is formulated.
• To develop values inherent in the project:
  - individual rights and responsibilities
  - self discipline/governance
  - civility, courage, respect for the rights of other individuals, respect for the rule of law,
  - honesty, open mindedness
  - critical mindedness, negotiation and compromise
  - Compassion, patriotism, tolerance, active community participation, balancing individual interest and common good.

Some of the solutions that our children have worked on as a class are - menace of plastic, garbage disposal, child labour, illiteracy, environmental degradation and sexual abuse. This programme has added to the students' knowledge and deepened their understanding of how we can all work together to make our community better.

Education is complete only when it imparts the ability to think independently and rationally. We do not leave any stone unturned to give our students a platform to express themselves as vibrant, resourceful and sensitive individuals.

To achieve this goal and to execute this ideal in their daily routine, we have hobby classes conducted whereby professionals from various fields guide the students. Every Thursday, Hobby classes are conducted for students of classes VII to IX for an hour.

Theatre, Speakers and Western Dance clubs helps children to communicate in three different forms. Aero modeling, Ship modeling and ceramic art club exposes their creativity both scientifically and artistically. Cookery club for todays youngsters help hone their culinary skills for a healthy diet and a better living. Karate has been introduced for martial art fans for physical fitness as well as self defense. For inquisitive minds to explore and write we have the Magazine club.

Robotics and Electronics club are sought after by the math/logical thinkers and for those who favour the outdoors the Nature Club beckons.

The school identifies the best professionals and invites them to the school to be our resource persons. Since these are practising professionals, they are able to give the children a wonderful, real-life perspective and opportunity to hone their talents. The school as a policy ensures that no child repeats the same hobby in subsequent years, so that they may explore different hobbies. Hence their multiple intelligences are fully utilized as the students are encouraged to opt for the hobby of their choice spread over three years. Each year the child is given a certificate of credit of having completed one hobby for that particular year.

The culmination of the learning process is showcased at the end of 20 sessions, when HOBBY DAY is observed. On a Saturday, parents are invited and children showcase what they have learnt for the past one year. Parents get an opportunity to interact with the professionals and also give them a fair idea of what is in store for their kids the next year.

SEEK, an acronym for Students Editorial Entity of Kumarans, took its inception in 1990. The SEEK committee, which is nominated every year, is a carefully chosen amalgam of the best minds of Class X and the Associates who assist them are from Class IX.

The work of the committee is two fold:

• Conducting an inter school competition for high school students every year in which students from about 60 schools all over Bangalore come to exhibit their literary and cultural talents.

Each year the SEEK fest is hosted by a particular stream of the Kumarans family (SSLC, ICSE or CBSE) and the SEEK student committee plans and manages every aspect of the fest – right from designing the brochure, penning the anthem song, planning and innovating the various events to the actual execution of the events with utmost precision.

It is the school’s belief that this opportunity will help our future leaders hone the skills of effective communication and further their collaborative work through team spirit. SEEK's motto is “Scale, Soar and Surpass” and the fest provides every participant an opportunity to turn dreams into reality.

SEEK’s other objective is to bring out the yearly magazine 'Gnanamanthanam'.

• Children are the most creative and resilient community and 'Gnanamanthanam' which in Sanskrit means the churning of true knowledge, is an earnest attempt to churn out the imaginative best from them.

The magazine brings out the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings and provides a palpable platform to all the students across classes. It is the culmination for an engaging mix of diverse literary genres that include stories, poems, cartoons, puzzles and various other exciting reading experiences.

A cover page design contest is thrown open to all the students and the best entry is chosen as the cover page of the magazine for that year.

Gnanamanthanam is also a ready reckoner of the calendar of events, both curricular and co-curricular, for the academic year. It is also a record of all the victorious moments (both academic and co-curricular) that the students have pursued and achieved in various categories.

In short, Gnanamanthanam paves the way to induce students to break the existing weave of patterns and evolve themselves into their individual best.

“The most difficult times [sic] in the lives of young people are the years of transition between adolescent and adult. This is precisely the period the Award Scheme is meant to cover. It is for this reason that the chosen age range is between 14 and 25….” –

In a quest to match the mission of the school, the London-based International Award Foundation was just apt for the students of Sri Kumaran Children's Home. Formerly called The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, in India, it is called as The International Award for Young People [www.indianaward.com]. It offers a balanced, non-competitive programme of voluntary activities, which encourage personal discovery and growth, self-reliance, perseverance, responsibility to themselves and service to their community. This has been a challenging curriculum for the teenagers of the school for four years.

The students of Class 9 and above pursue their chosen form of activities under adult supervision. The school identifies various orphanages and old age home where students volunteer their services once a week. They also enhance their practical skills in dance, pottery, aeromodelling, glasswork and other activities. There is also considerable involvement and progress in sports such as basketball, football, and wall climbing. To understand the purpose of teamwork and environment-protection and to develop the essence of adventure and discovery, the award aspirants undertake expeditions and explorations.

To provide a rewarding experience, the school has involved students in many domestic youth exchange programmes. Each year, the young adults participate in exchange programmes between schools in Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, Delhi, Calcutta and Mauritius.

Many students have brought glory to themselves and the school by achieving Bronze and Silver awards in this prestigious scheme. Their resume is complete with this award. Thus, the award has recognized the productive leisure activity undertaken by the student. With such international achievement, the student stands to gain further eligibility in claiming international scholarships and above all have an unparalleled edge over other students.

Our school has a twinning Programme with Tanjong Katong Secondary School, Singapore.

Schools today have realized the importance of creating global citizens of our children and hence are focusing on building international relations by creating cultural understanding of other countries among students. As a result, many schools currently take part in the overseas students exchange programme. Kumarans too went international in 2006 through the twinning programme initiated by the Government of Singapore, with the Tanjong Katong Secondary School, a government school of Singapore.

A group of 20 students in the age group 13-14 years along with two teachers of each of the two schools visits the other school each year. Selection of students for this week-long programme is based on their academic and co-curricular performance and the result of an interview conducted by a panel of experts.

The primary objective of this programme is to learn about the other country, its customs and the way of life of its people. It paves a path for students to have an insight about the culture, traditions, food and habits of the other country. It also gives a picture of their educational policies and activities.

The host school charts out the activities for the students of the guest school. Both schools get the opportunity to attend classes on subjects like science, mathematics and others along with hands on experience in the laboratories. While Kumaranites learn to speak a little Chinese and Malay and sing songs of Singapore, TK’s are exposed to Kannada, Hindi and Indian songs. While we are made to indulge in activities like Batik painting, jewellery making, archery, skating and fencing, they go through sessions of Vedic Mathematics, Yoga, Kho-kho, Pottery, Indian art like Madhubani painting and dances like Dandia and Garba. Schools also arrange shopping trips and visits to local places of tourist interest.. In order to enrich their cultural experience, students are divided into small groups to spend a day with selected families of the students of the host school. Apart from having a chance to taste the hospitality and local food at their buddy’s house, they learn to appreciate their family structure.

The value of the student exchange programme between foreign schools is an experience of a life time. The mixing up of cultures and background help young people respect the tradition and taboos of one’s own country as well as the other. Their sense of responsibility and purpose towards their homeland is built. The exchange programme also assures personal growth as well as the growth of the institutions. It develops maturity, self confidence and communicative skills apart from helping the students to be adventurers and explorers. Strong and lasting friendships are created among the students of the two countries. Educators can discuss and share the practices and developments in the field of education. Thus individual students, teachers, institution and the countries in turn are benefited through this twinning programme.