Parents will never cease to worry about their children’s education, and we can’t really blame them for feeling that way. After all, in this ever-changing era of science and technology, today’s children have a lot on their plate to deal with. On one hand, parents may feel concerned about their children’s academic performance in school and there is a constant worry if they will be able to catch up with their studies. On the other hand, parents are also wise enough to understand that their children’s personality development and language skills matter a lot too, for they go down as a whole when it comes to a child’s overall development and future successes.
As for the kids themselves, it’s obvious that things are not as simple as they were for us back in the day. Kids today don’t seem to have much time left over from their daily hours for play and recreation. Instead, they have to spend more time worrying about the consequences of not completing a complicated assignment, for instance. In line with our ever-evolving world today. children are taking on subjects like Mathematics and Science at levels that are far more advanced than any other time in history.
Kiddy123 recently met up with Madam Sylaja of Brain Carve, a Whole Brain Development Programme brought in from overseas, to gain more understanding of what children today need in terms of enrichment and stimulation to become better students with a lifelong love for learning.
What is Brain Carve all about
Situated on the first floor of a corner lot of a commercial building just a stone’s throw away from Main Place Subang Jaya, Brain Carve emits an air of cheerful simplicity in its minimalist set up which is uncluttered yet highly conducive. “We opened our first outlet at Kota Kemuning about six months ago, and this one is our second, and it doubles up as our Headquarters as well,” explained Madam Sylaja.
Brain Carve is a unique development programme created especially for children between the ages of 5-16 years old. It is a six-in-one programme focusing on Mathematics and Personality Development, which are the most sought-after enrichment today, for without these skills, children may not be able to go very far in their lives. The six programmes here that cover various aspects of Whole Brain Development are:
Mathematics: 1. Magic Fingers; 2. Abacus (Mental Arithmetic); 3. Vedic Math
Personality: 4. Thinking Techniques; 5. Win in 60 Seconds; 6. Memory Techniques
The benefits of good math skills for children today
The education industry has never seen such demands in quality and results as they do today. Parents everywhere are also acknowledging the crucial role of arithmetic classes and speed counting in anticipation of a brighter future with higher prospects for their children. It’s no secret after all, that high-paying jobs somehow favour candidates who have impressive arithmetic certification. Also, it’s a known fact that if you’re exceptionally good at math, you’re also more inclined to be a sharp thinker with a problem-solving mind.
The Mathematics component of the programme offered at Brain Carve is a fun-filled one which is meant to instill the love of maths by getting children acquainted with better calculating as well as mental arithmetics techniques. Math, as we know it, can either be a joy or a pain, depending on how much you like the subject. The aim at Brain Carve is to ensure that each child who attends these classes walk away confident in their new abilities and are happy and willing to take on new math problems.
The Magic Fingers programme, as explained by Madam Sylaja, exposes children to quick and easy counting skills using their 10 fingers to add and subtract any number between 1-99. The technique not only exposes children to quick and simple ways of counting, but it also stimulates their right brain at the same time.
The Abacus programme will help children acquire indispensable skills in mental arithmetic that will be of great value throughout their schooling life and beyond. Children will first learn to use the physical abacus, and later on, perform mental arithmetics by visualising the use of the abacus. Vedic Math, on the other hand, is a programme which teaches children to solve math problems using specific patterns, to the point of them being able to solve any math question with ease. By the way, have you ever, as a child, had to contend with memorising math formulas without even knowing what’s going on? Well, fortunately, your child need not go through the same - through this unique math programme, children get the better of math formulas and steps and they’ll fully understand them too.
What Personality Development can do for your child
To be the best they can be, children should not just be expected to bring home good grades but also, they should have the skills needed to be able to express themselves, think rationally, use their creativity to solve everyday problems, etc. In fact, they should learn how to have fun while they take in all the knowledge and experience that is available around them. This is where the relevance of the Personality Development programmes at Brain Carve can be felt. “We want to ensure that children receive the best when it comes to whole brain development, and not just focus on their academic abilities,” madam Sylaja said with conviction.
The Personality Development part of the full Brain Carve whole brain programme covers Thinking Techniques; Memory Techniques as well as a unique and engaging programme called Win In 60 Seconds.
Thinking Techniques, as the name suggests, is all about getting kids to use their noodles and think out of the box to come up with creative ways to communicate, solve problems, express themselves and ultimately, enjoy a more fulfilling educational journey in school and beyond. The Memory Techniques programme trains children’s minds to be more capable and strong, helping them sharpen their memorisation skills, which is yet another sought-after quality in the world of employment today.
Win In 60 Seconds, as mentioned earlier, is unique as it is fun and engaging. During an exercise in this programme, a child will be asked to convey a statement, short story, message, etc, on a chosen topic, in just one minute. “As there is only 60 seconds to complete this task, there will be no time to be shy, to double-guess one’s self, or to be nervous!” Madam Sylaja explained with a smile. As this is an exceptionally unique way for children to learn, many students themselves are surprised at their own capabilities. In fact, it has managed to coax even the most introverted of personalities out of their shells.
One centre for all
Many families have a difficult time trying to manage their children’s schedule to free up some time for Abacus class at one centre, and perhaps Vedic math class at another centre, etc. The great thing about Brain Carve is that parents don’t have to think about where to send their kids for various enrichment classes, for they are all here under one roof. This makes it easier for parents and more enjoyable for the kids too.
While many enrichment centres tend to bombard children with information and facts, and not to mention send them home with loads of homework regardless if they understand the lesson or not, at Brain Carve, the focus is always on teaching kids techniques so that they will be able to perform tasks easily, confidently, and in a minimal amount of time. “Of course, there will be some homework to bring home, but we make sure that the child understands the lesson first before giving him or her some work to practice what they have learned,” madam Sylaja explained.
Optional programme: Fun English
Brain Carve also offers an Optional Programme called Fun English, which focuses on Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking in the English Language to further enhance students’ learning experience at the centre.
