5 Movies That Will Help Your Child Accept The Life At A Residential Schools

It is a popular belief, children who perform poorly at school or are undisciplined are sent to boarding schools. But that is not true, boarding schools give a bright future along with academic advancement and are renowned for their strictness and discipline. Many of these schools are located in spectacular natural settings that promise to both enrich a child's education and provide them with life-changing experiences.

The thought of boarding schools conjures up images of boring lectures, teachers who are either strict or loving, seniors who are bullies, peers who make great friends, some fun and some not so fun moments. But life at a boarding school can be a lot of fun with the best academic excellence. Imagine where Ishaan Awasthi in Taare Zameen Par would be, had he not met Ram Sankar Nikumbh his mentor, had he not attended boarding school. Would Harry Potter have ever made friends for lifetime like Ron and Hermoine if he hadn't attended Hogwarts?

Life At A Boarding School

In boarding schools, students reside on the campus while receiving a formal education. It is a tough choice for kids as well as parents to send their little ones away from the safety and comfort of their own homes. But, sometimes it is necessary. Be it better academics, future prospects, or simply training for life lessons, a residential school is the best place for you to learn and grow.

As a parent if you are considering residential schools as an option for formal schooling you may consider these top schools in Dehradun - the school capital of India.

Life in boarding school is quite different from regular school. You don’t just sleep or wake up in your school dorms but you spend months together at a time in your assigned dorms. You eat breakfast and lunch at the same time as the whole school in big halls with your bunkmates or classmates. Apart from scholastic training, you are expected to engage in co-curricular and extra curricular activities in the noon and evening after the end of school day. There are lots of sports activities, cultural activities and creative activities that students can choose from. And of course all this is alongside endless hours of bonding and making friendships, your own personal growth, a realisation of independence, responsibility, value of group work, leadership, and much more.

So if your pre-teen is worried about how this new experience is going to be, try watching these movies together to help your little young adult transition to a residential school with confidence.

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Rockford

Nagesh Kukunoor’s Rockford movie portrays a wonderful student-teacher bond. The movie is about Rajesh Naidu, a 13-year-old boy who is upset about leaving home and enters Rockford Boys’ High School. Despite the struggle of managing life in the hostel without any support, he becomes friends with Selva and David. He also bonds with PT teacher Johnny Matthew who is like a life coach to him. Rajesh becomes so attached to Matthew that he even fights for him on a false accusation put on him by the school captain Raja. The movie weaves a plot of sweet and sour moments in a boarding school where students learn to face challenges, make friends, and live life without the safety net of parents.

Taare Zameen Par

Every child is unique and it’s not important to always follow the rules set by society to be successful in life. Ishaan maybe was not the ideal student who raised his hand in class to answer, or jotted notes perfectly. But, he is a very keen and accomplished student of art. Nikumbh identifies Ishaan’s learning disability but also understands his strengths and helps him to work on his weaknesses. He supports Ishaan to pave his way from being the least favourite student in the class to being the face on the school magazine.

It also draws our attention to students with physical disabilities (Ishaan’s friend Rajan) who are being welcomed into a normal school and the determination with which Rajan strives to lead a happy school life. In the end, Ishan overcomes his disorder and rediscovers his confidence in his artistic talent.

Harry Potter Series

Unknown paths can lead to undiscovered strengths. Harry was so unsure of himself in the first instalment of the movie but with each sequel, he picked up skills and strength. With the guidance of Dumbledore, Sirius Black, and Lupin and the support of his friends and even those who dislike him initially, he fights Voldemort – the most feared wizard of the Harry Potter Universe.

Potter movies and Hogwarts have always emphasised on inclusivity. Across their student - teacher group there are Pure Blood, Half-Blood, and even from non-wizarding families. Throughout its sequels, the famous wizard school encourages students to fight for justice, to take difficult but correct decisions in life like when Dumbledore awards extra 10 points to Neville Longbottom for standing against his friends when they were wrong.

Also, a lesson working together and knowing your friends have got your back and you have got theirs when the wizards and witches of Hogwarts fight the final fight with Voldemort - remember who all come together to win this one?

Wild Child

This movie is a journey of a wild child leaving home and finding herself. The plot of this movie revolves around a spoiled teenager who is sent to a boarding school as a punishment. Poppy in this movie realises her irresponsible and self-centred behaviour and redeems herself. This movie is the best example of how to never give up on yourself or others. However, parental guidance while watching this one is important depending on how comfortable you are allowing your pre-teen to be exposed to expletives and sexual content.

3 Idiots

Who doesn’t know this one! While it classifies as a perfect Bollywood movie, there is a lot you can take away from Farhan, Raju and Rancho - roommates and engineering students. Rancho’s mantra of “Excellence Ke Piche Bhago, Kamyabi Apne Aap Milegi” has changed the perspective of thousands of students and their parents as well.

Rancho's upbeat and refreshing attitude pushed his friends Farhan and Raju to think differently. Farhan decides to pursue his passion and Raju starts believing in his capabilities. This movie shows how hostel life is more than just being a roommate. If Farhan and Raju never met Rancho they would have struggled with the path they had taken but not chosen with their heart. The movie tells us a lot about hostel life, friendship, and going after our own aspirations from this film.

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What Impact Do Boarding Schools Have On A Child?

Learning Values And Building Intrinsic Qualities

Students who graduate from boarding schools can manage everything on their own. From doing their homework and doing basic household chores to complex and mature problem solving skills, organising skills, values such as respect, care and gratitude are innate to these students. But this is after they graduate. Initially, parents could give their wards a short run-in of what is expected of them at their new home away from home. Basic things like following waking up rules, taking a shower, having your laundry in place (you may not have to wash your own clothes, but if you don’t send it to the laundry you won’t have fresh sets) making your own bed, taking care of your belongings etc. These practices will be helpful once your child starts living at the boarding school.

These fundamental manners prepare their child for adulthood and help them become self-reliant and ready in this competitive world.

This self-sufficiency makes it easier for the child to adjust to being on their own among peers. Along with making the students real-world savvy, boarding school also emphasises character development. They impart values like integrity, courtesy, and a diligent work ethic to their students.

More Than Just Academics

Boarding schools majorly focus on more than scholastic achievements. It offers a wider range of activities on the campus itself. The unique activities kids can enrol range from learning jiu-jitsu, boxing, rock climbing, scuba diving, to agriculture, gardening and carpentry. They also have basic facilities like Robotics camp, school bands and piano labs, infirmary, medical bane and theatre room etc. Along with this, they provide extra curricular activities that will help the students to cultivate their hobbies like crafts, school debates and elocutions competition, dramatics, sports events and many more.

Leisure Activities

If you’re wondering what happens on weekends, well it’s just like what you would do at home. Students are expected to complete their homework assignments and study during the assigned time and then the day is open to visits to the city where the school is located. On long weekends or short holidays students can visit their homes or sign up for thrilling adventures like canyon water slides and karting and many more organised by the school for children who won’t be going home for the break.

Diverse Experiences

Boarding schools offer a multicultural environment. Diversity is one of the major advantages of boarding schools, under the same roof, students from various parts of the country come together to learn and grow. If the one is from Maharashtra and their other roommate could be from Kerala. This gives the students a chance to learn about each other's cultures, languages, and of course food which provides a great bonding experience. This teaches them to appreciate differences and coexist peacefully.

Friendships For A Lifetime

But this is not enough to convince you to attend a boarding school if it doesn’t include the friends that the child will make there. Don't you seem excited about a sleepover with a friend? Consider what would happen if the sleepover lasted a year or more. Sounds like fun, right? The friendships that are made at a boarding school are buddies for life. These connections develop over time with people who support you during good times and bad.

It's crucial to talk to children about how it's okay and normal for them to experience homesickness and also encourage them to talk about it to their school counsellor or confide in their friend. Don’t forget to reassure them that you will always be around to hear them out whenever they feel the need. Encourage open communication and create a welcoming environment. So that your youngster expresses any worries or emotions. It's parents’ responsibility to help children prepare their minds for independence and the responsibilities that come with it.

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