by on 21/11/2017 30037
When I walked into the Children’s Garden, I didn’t realise I was in fact walking into a dream preschool! As a mother, one of the most important decisions is choosing which preschool to send my children to. For many mothers, the key factors to choosing ‘the one’ lies in a) the environment – Is it safe? Is it clean? Do they have space to run around, stretch, have fun in the great outdoors etc. and b) the teachers – it breaks our heart to be apart from our kids so we NEED to know that the people we are entrusting our precious little ones to are kind, compassionate, experienced, able to enrich our children’s knowledge and character, and who will love our flesh and blood as their own. Is it possible to find such a place? As you already know, the answer is ‘yes’ and we found it here at the Children’s Garden!
Meeting the principal, Kim S. Lim and assistant principal, Yvonne Ng, is an eye-opener. Kim has over 30 years of teaching experience in preschools and her CV boasts really impressive kindies such as Eton House International School, Treetop House and the Children’s House to name a few. Yvonne, for the past decade, has taught at Eton House International School Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, and a preschool in Australia. I must admit, initially, I was amazed with their work experience. But as I got to know them and their vision for their new preschool, I fell in ‘love’ with them. I am very sure that their future students and parents will come to love them and have a great bond with them too.
Kim and Yvonne have a vision to build a preschool where each child’s uniqueness and creativity is celebrated, embraced and enhanced. The children’s curiosity and wonder will be nurtured; confidence and motivation built in; and most importantly they will be nurtured into being kind and caring children. They will work hand in hand with the parents as parents are essential components to every child’s learning and development. And also because of this, they have an app where parents can download to enable them to see their child’s daily progress - from their child’s temperature to what they are learning in class.
Kim shared with us that she sees a school in two parts- the hardware and the software. The hardware is the physical part of the school and the materials and equipment used while teaching. The software, on the other hand, is the teachers. Kim believes that a school needs to look inviting (and the Children’s Garden is just that! It is cosy and bright with lots of fun books and educational toys around!). I like how the whole place is streamed with natural light and how vibrant it feels. The look is minimalist yet filled with interesting and educational toys in every corner. No preschool is complete without a mini toilet bowl and the one here is just the cutest one you might see. However, the little ones will be attracted to this establishment from the moment they walk in the front gates as the garden features a wide track that looks like tar but is actually a soft foam-like covering that the children can ride tricycles on.
The Children’s Garden also has an interesting curriculum. As they are following the International Preschool Curiculum (IPC), their lessons are based on integrated learning which means students make connections across subjects. Especially for the under 6s, this curriculum is highly beneficial as children can become more engaged in different activities that combine different skills. Kim and Yvonne believe that this is a more balanced learning approach as opposed to learning an isolated subject. The subjects that they offer are: Maths, Social Sciences (learn to role take, problem solve, culture and society etc), Literacy (English, Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese), Music and Movement, Arts and Craft and Physical Education. Student to teacher ratio stands at 5:1 (2 and 3 y.o), 8:1 (3 and 4 y.o) and 12:1 (5 and 6 y.o). The Nursery class (2 – 4 years) is from 8:30am till 12:30pm with extended hours being until 2:30pm. Kindergarten class (4 – 6 years) is from 8:30am till 2:30pm. There is also the After School Activities Programme which consists of a variety of classes to choose from and is available every Monday to Friday from 3:00pm till 5:00pm.
And now, the software… Kim and Yvonne have always been the sort of teachers we dream of as kids. Smiling, kind but yet so wise that we end up remembering their lessons even when we are all grown up as adults. They said kids need to see their teachers as people whom they respect, not fear. That teachers need to listen to what children have to say, encourage their curiosity and allow learning through enquiry. Teachers are there to guide them on independent learning, by nudging the children towards a goal but not dragging them there. The teachers are there to evoke the right questions and interests.
Kim (whom I suspect to be a child psychologist in her free time) must be the most patient person on Earth. “How do you punish the children when they become out of control?” this naïve writer asked. “We don’t punish them. Even a naughty corner is forbidden here,” she said. Instead, when Kim or the other teachers see a child engaged in mischief, they will take them aside and speak to them. The child will be asked to explain himself, allowing the teachers to see the situation from their perspective. It is along this line that a child would learn what is socially right and wrong, according to Kim who must have mentored thousands of children. Even I took this opportunity to ask her so many questions about how to parent successfully.
It is along this line that a child would learn what is socially right and wrong, according to Kim who must have mentored thousands of children. Even I took this opportunity to ask her so many questions about how to parent successfully.
And the icing on the cake…
The menu of this preschool is so yummylicious and wholesome with muffins, granola bars, nourishing pasta and so on. Kim believes that children need nutritious yet delicious meals frequently to keep them healthy and happy. Apart from this, there will be 2 fire drills yearly in the school and the establishment has been checked by Jabatan Kesihatan, Bomba and DBKL. We also suggest parents to make full use of Kim and Yvonne by talking to them and getting their take and advise on parenting and education. Truly, what can you say about teachers (or anybody for that matter) whose greatest satisfaction is to see a child happy and confident?
PS: Enrolment starts in November 2017 for their maiden January 2018 intake.
