Valli Subbiah, the founder of KC High, has over 30 years of dedicated experience in the field of education. From working with students in rural India to the coveted Fayerweather Street School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Valli has cultivated a holistic understanding of education that seamlessly blends grassroots insights with global perspectives.
It was during her seven years in Fayerweather Street School that she recognized the strengths of the Indian school system and envisioned amalgamating her Cambridge learnings with traditional Indian methodologies. From the simple environs of the Children’s Garden School Montessori Training programme under the loving eyes of Shakuntala Sarma to the Regional College of Education, Mysore and on to the hallowed halls of Tufts and Harvard universities in the United States, Valli steadily built her educational base and refined her educational theories, gathered data and deepened her understanding of children and learning.
A fall on the winter ice of Boston propelled Valli to move back to India in 1999. And what a blessing that fall is for the children of KC.
In her own words: "Although it would be nice at an idealistic level to have a 'custom-built' education for each child, we have to be aware that in everything we do, we are not alone...we are social beings and we will have to conform--your freedom only extends as far as somebody else's. We must allow the child the freedom to speculate... The very first KC after school program was born out of this vision -- to extend opportunities to children to dabble in a range of activities and learning experiences that would further guide their interests and probably their life trajectories as well…”
She recognized a niche in the afterschool market and started small, serving working parents with a safe space for their children in the KC Afterschool. Today, KC High has over 800 students in the U & Me program, pre-school and grades 1-12. The KC world is about learning, not teaching. Central to the KC culture is the building of tomorrow’s citizens. Service learning, where children work with local organizations throughout the year, is integral to the curriculum.
An avid traveller, Valli’s exploration is incomplete without visiting the local school. With the excitement of a kid in a candy store, Valli studies the nuances of teaching and learning in her school visits. She has also participated in international study groups in Reggio Emilia (a legendary pre-school program in Italy) and Finland.
KC High’s growth, from an after school activity centre to a globally recognized institution, reflects a commitment to providing socially relevant education without compromising personalized attention and strong community ties. Valli and her dedicated team at KC High are not merely adopting best practices but pioneering next practices. The constant pursuit of excellence and a forward-looking approach define Valli's enduring impact on education.
Watch Ms.Valli Subbiah share the story of how KC has grown over the past 25 years from its inception as an afterschool activity centre.
6 окт 2024
