by on 22/09/2020 2094
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Johan Preschool in SS2 Petaling Jaya started in 2016—taking over a previous kindergarten that was founded back in 1977. They are a visionary early childhood education centre, one that aims to give young children an experiential learning journey that is both fun and memorable.
The preschool accepts kids ages 3 to 6, and has centres (including a nursery) in Kelana Mahkota and Bukit Tinggi Klang.
When the opportunity to acquire an established preschool came up, three individuals who believed in the transformational power of education decided to band together—and share their own inspirational vision for young minds.
Joe, Sheryn and Max come from a corporate background, where they’ve had a lot of opportunities to grow and reflect back on how much their own education has shaped them.
With Johan Preschool, the owners wanted to try and fulfil their idea of what effective learning should be: a school that sees each kid as an individual and encourages them to explore their world. The preschool’s logo is a kite, where its various colours represent their belief that each child is unique and has the opportunity to fly as high as possible with proper guidance.
When the owners took over the preschool, they were keen to break away from traditional rote learning and fully classroom-bound activities. They wanted to provide wholesome, well-rounded education that would encourage curiosity and heaps of joy.
This is why the syllabus at Johan Preschool includes many unique learning activities, like a science project for each year group. Each year group would look after plants, an ant colony, chickens, or Malaysian fighting fish. Kids also learn about important concepts like savings and are encouraged to clean their surroundings and toys. This develops a sense of responsibility, awareness and appreciation in them.
The curriculum used at Johan Preschool can be seen as an effective mix of different teaching methods. Activities are practical, sensorial, hands-on, creative and emphasize self-care.
In regard to hiring teachers, Johan Preschool makes sure to choose those they feel are truly committed to the purpose of helping children grow, in line with their vision. Most importantly, the teachers must love kids. Furthermore, the teachers themselves must be willing to evolve and learn.
Teachers here go through several interviews with the owners before being chosen, which shows how careful they are about who is in charge of guiding and influencing their young students. As a way to enhance their teachers’ capabilities, Johan Preschool also provides their educators with continuous training and development in areas such as team building, CPR and recently Speech & Drama training.
Johan Preschool loves the outdoors, and tries to create opportunities for their students to breathe in fresh air whenever possible. Students here can play in the outdoor playground and even have regular picnics. Their facilities are ideal for young children, as they have ample space for kids to move about.
They also have a big garden where they grow plants and harvest them.
All kids who join Johan Preschool are required to take part in the annual concert and sports day. The concert is a big event, where families can not only enjoy performances but also view an exhibition of what their kids have been working on at school. For the youngest students (toddlers) they are encouraged to take part in fun sensorial activities while the older ones participate in more competitive events.
Every two months, kids are taken for educational field trips. The owners put a lot of planning into their trips beforehand—ensuring safety, smooth transitions, and as much benefit for the kids as possible.
Other than that, a special event called the ‘Harry Potter Breakfast’ is held every year, where kids come together and prepare their meals—then eat them while sitting around a long dining table (just like in the Harry Potter movies).
To provide kids with a well-rounded experience, the centre offers the Socatots program that comes from the United Kingdom.
Johan Preschool understands the importance of physical development for children as part of their growing up process, hence Socatots is a weekly program that provides physical exercises for all ages that helps to develop gross motor skills, self-confidence and physical growth.
Johan Preschool believes a child’s learning is not complete without the involvement of parents. They recognise that only through parents’ support and collaboration, can effective education take place. This is why they have regular meetings with parents to discuss expectations and feedback on children’s progress in different areas.
