The early years of a child are the formational years. This is when we cultivate a child’s cognitive, social, physical, emotional and cultural skills, so that these skills can be moulded into the best of the child’s abilities in later schooling years.
They form an understanding and opinion of everything during this time. How they learn and what they learn during these years define the outlook and approach they will develop towards education and the world in general later in life.
To that end, Olive Trails, is a place of adventure, growth and learning for pre-schoolers. We use play-based and child-centric pedagogies to provoke children’s curiosity and constantly challenge their thinking.
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Founder – Olive Trails
Rupal Kanakia
I have always been passionate about learning. So much so that I believe education is the tool that will help me empower the women and youth of the country.
For two decades, the Kanakia family has strived hard to impart quality education and I am now going to lead by example. I have always wanted to become one of the game changers in the educational space in the country.
Having grown up studying within the Indian Education dynamic and later learning how and why the rote learning methods are just not enough, I understand the needs of the system and am very well equipped with my relevant experience of leading various educational institutions and with my education and knowledge in the field gained by attending various training programs, conferences, and workshops about being an educator.
The culmination of all of the above has led to the bright start of Olive Trails, a pre-school with a unique curriculum for Early Years Education, that boasts of a learning environment designed specially to provoke curiosity and constantly challenge a child’s thinking. As a founder of this new venture, that is a place of adventure, growth and learning, I hope to realize my destiny of brining the best of international learning pedagogies to the country and enlighten the young minds of the 21st century learners.
Founder – Olive Trails
Niyati Kanakia
Truth be told, your life probably does not have just one ‘calling’. I have also dabbled and explored, only to find out that the more I look the more I find myself.
This exploration started at a very young age. I have always experienced a sense of gravitation towards art; it became my preferred medium of expression. My inclination towards exploring my creative side led me to try various forms of art, which helped me find my soul in painting, especially abstract painting. Today, some of my paintings are even on display at Kanakia Spaces offices.
In 2012, I created a series titled ‘Stray Musings’, which explored various aspects of nature and spirituality. Ten of these went on to be displayed in my first exhibit titled “Kaal Bhairav” in London. Since then, my art has been displayed at multiple art festivals and I recently won an award for an installation at an exhibit in Mumbai.
My exploration of nature fuelled my passion for animals; their welfare and preservation. My disposition to try new things also saw me working as a paralegal at Desai and Diwanji. Finally, I am now drawn to the field of education, which, unsurprisingly, is a result of my family running five schools across Mumbai and Gujarat. However, this interest in education did not set in until I witnessed first-hand the gaping need for quality education in our country. Being one of the fortunate ones to receive a quality education, I found a surging eagerness to bring the same opportunities to others in the country. I believe that opportunities provided through a balanced academic programme can enable a student to do brilliant things, whereas rote academic programmes can hinder their development process.
I plan to spend the next few years doing extensive research and development in the field of education. Delving into the scope around the concept of e-learning, I hope to create opportunities using contemporary pedagogies and advancements in technology. I may have entered yet another new phase of my life, but it’s part of an exciting journey and I look forward to seeing where this new-found passion will take me. For now, it is my calling to add value to the education system and the lives of students in our country.
FEATURED TEAM MEMBERS
Head of Operations
Paminder Kohli
Atelierista
Krina Chauhan
Curriculum Coordinator
Talatnaaz Killedar
Curriculum Coordinator
Heena Vikam
VISION
We believe in enriching young minds with knowledge, skills and humanistic values. Our innovative curriculum strives for academic excellence, as well as the development of our students into lifelong learners and 21st century leaders. We aspire to create an inspiring environment for young enquiring minds that will soon go on to make the world a better place.
MISSION
We deliver a collaborative, advanced education that fosters the necessary etiquette, skills, and mental and physical well-being required to form self-motivated leaders and responsible future citizens. Inquiring young minds will find an educative environment perfectly suited for their ever-growing curiosities.
