by on 19/09/2017 9605
For Ms Michelle, the principal of Pink Tower Childcare Centre, two things are in her Very Important list: every child must receive proper care and attention, and her staff must not be overburdened so that they can provide quality care to the children. As such, she is very particular about her teacher to student ratios, which are indeed very low.
Our costs of course go up, but I feel this is one thing that cannot be compromised if we sincerely want to provide an educational environment that is developmentally appropriate for each childMs Michelle
The quality of her staff is also important to her. At present, 98% of her teachers have a diploma in early childhood care and education, which is way above the norm in this country.
She herself has a degree in ECCE plus an International Dip. in Montessori Pedagogy. Her stand is that her teaching staff must have enough knowledge and experience to support their students' learning at every stage.
With such well-trained and qualified personnel at Pink Tower, each child is able to enjoy an almost individualised programme. The teacher observes the child, plans for his or her individual needs, then structures the curriculum to meet these needs, whether they be in skill development, socialising, sharing, or learning. Besides this, every child is encouraged to be independent so as to build their confidence and self-esteem. Ms Michelle is also very particular about the verbal delivery to the children. Verbal abuse and threats are strictly prohibited at Pink Tower.
“Besides our teaching staff, other important areas we look into is rest and nutrition. Every child needs rest as well as stimulated activity to support their development. As for nutrition, almost everything served to our children is freshly made by us – bread, muffins, buns, salads. Out of 15 meals per week, biscuits are served only for two meals,” said Ms Michelle.
She is also very excited about a purpose-built programme to recognise Chinese characters, called Hanz Education, that Pink Tower has tested and found to be very effective. According to reports, children can learn about 100 words within 3 months using this programme, which combines games, story-telling, and reading. This seems like an answer to the prayers of parents with children entering Chinese primary schools.
