THE STAR Tuesday 3 June 2014

Enhancing students’ learning experiences > 4 Showcase of R.E.A.L artistic talent > 15

StarSpecial

Exploringthe futureA world of knowledge to discover.

2 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 3 June 2014

For bookings and further information, contact your advertising agency or the following:

MOTORING

StarSpecial

Your first car guide

We lay down the options for your first set of wheels.

rlds collide > 6-7

POSTGRADUATE

StarSpecialTHE STAR Tuesday 21 January 2014

your own PACE > 8Engineering your future > 10

Be the chosen one

The right MBA will help to

boost your career.

StarSpecialTHE STAR Tuesday 4 February 2014

ur body weight status > 3Quality, affordable international education > 5

Unlocking

your potential

BRIGHT KIDS

Buying new or used? > 8Lifestyle options > 10

MOTORING

StarSpecialTHE STAR Sunday 12 January 2014

Chinese New Year

motoring guideThe best offers in town and the hottest cars available this year.

SOUTHERNPROPERTYStarSpecial

THE STAR Thursday 30 January 2014

Rise ofthe south

Supplement Team – Email: supp@thestar.com.my

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Go wild and enjoy, kids!THE outdoors is a natural

playground for children and adults alike. It is a place

that presents children with the opportunity for adventure, discovery, imagination, and deepens their connection with the environment. Children can

learn a lot about the natural world just by heading out to the garden, beach or waterfall.

During this school break, instead of just watching out for their safety and well-being, adult guardians who accompany children to the outdoors can

make use of the occasion to guide and teach children valuable lessons in geography, biology and physics, among other things. Here are some activities to do and phenomena and questions that children may encounter in the great outdoors.

How are waves formed?Wind waves are surface waves that occur on the surface of seas, lakes and rivers resulting from wind blowing over a stretch of fluid. They can range from small ripples to waves more than 30m high.

What causes the changes in sea levels?The rise and fall of sea levels is caused by gravitational forces of the moon and sun as well as the rotation of the Earth.

What is the count and diversity of the population of the creatures in the beach?Mark an area about 10ft by 10ft and count the number of individual creatures and type of creatures in that small area of the beach. You can also do the same in another part of the beach, for example, under a large group of rocks or boulders, and then compare the results.

Why are leaves different from each other?Collect as many different leaves and compare their shapes (oval, pointy, thin and long), texture (waxy, hairy, smooth), and how they are arranged on the twigs (in spirals, in pairs or one after the other).

How are rainbows formed? Are the colours always arranged the same way? Can you name all the colours?When a beam of sunlight reaches Earth, it is seen as white. Sometimes, the beam of light hits raindrops. If it hits the raindrops at a certain angle, the sunbeam separates into the colours that make up white light. Each colour slows down at different speeds when it enters the raindrop, creating the rainbow.

Why does the sun appear to move across the sky? How does the sun’s position in the sky affect the size of shadows?The sun is stationed in the same position and does not move at all. It appears to move because of the Earth’s orbit around the sun and the rotation of the Earth on its own axis. At night, your location on Earth faces away from the sun, and therefore receives no light.

StarSpecial, Tuesday 3 June 2014 BRIGHT KIDS 3

Savour the benefits of wholegrainsWHOLEGRAINS offer

many benefits to adults and children. A grain is

the edible portion of the seed of a plant and it is made up of three different parts – the bran, endosperm and germ.

Wholegrains are rich in vitamins B (B1 and B2) and E, minerals like magnesium, zinc and selenium, dietary fibres and plenty of other phytochemicals that have antioxidant properties.

Wholegrains can reduce the risk of some chronic diseases. This is why they are vital to your family’s diet.

Many grains that we consume these days are processed and refined.

Processed food removes valuable outer layers like the bran and germ, leaving only the endosperm. It is carried out to give the grain a finer texture and to improve its shelf life.

However, when this process is carried out, dietary fibres, iron and many B vitamins that are in the bran and germ are also removed.

Most of the rice that we consume today is either refined or polished.

Some common types of unrefined wholegrains that we come across regularly are:l Unpolished (brown) ricel Whole wheatl Oatsl Cornl Buckwheatl Dehulled barley (not pearled barley)l Rye

Goodness of wholegrains

Research has shown the numerous health benefits of wholegrains. In fact, high consumption of wholegrains has been known to reduce the risk of several types of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer.

Additionally, a diet that is rich

in wholegrains can improve your overall gastrointestinal health as it regulates the movement of stools, preventing constipation.

Studies have also shown that consuming wholegrains can reduce the risk of obesity and weight gain.

It is recommended that we consume between four and eight servings of rice and other cereal products (preferably wholegrain)

and tubers daily.

Identifying wholegrain products

Here are some tips to help you to identify wholegrains products the next time you do your shopping:l Look at the product name for words like “wholegrain”, “wholemeal” or “whole” before

It is easy to incorporate wholegrains into your daily diet. Wholegrains can reduce the risk of some chronic diseases. This is why they are vital to your diet.

the name of the grain. Words like “softmeal”, “7 grain”, “multi-grain” or “enriched” do not necessarily mean the product is a wholegrain product.l Check the ingredient list and make sure that wholegrain is listed as an ingredient. For example, whole-wheat flour or whole oats.l Be aware of products that are highlighted as having high fibre as this does not necessarily mean that they are wholegrain foods. For example, foods that contain wheat bran or oat bran may be high in dietary fibre but they are not wholegrain products as they only have bran.l Colours can often mislead us. For example, brown-coloured bread does not necessarily mean that it is made of wholemeal flour. In fact, many wholegrain cereals and wholegrain food products have a lighter colour.l Some products have a logo on them that identifies them as wholegrain foods so keep an eye out for this logo.

Wholegrains in yourdiet

It is easy to incorporate wholegrains into your everyday dishes. Here are some tips to help you achieve a wholesome wholegrain diet.l When cooking rice, choose to mix white rice and brown rice together.l Choose wholegrain alternatives for breads, biscuits and cereal products.l Use wholemeal flour when cooking or baking breads, muffins or cookies.l Use wholegrains such as oats and barley to thicken soups and gravies instead of corn flour.l Coat chicken or fish with wholegrain cereals, wholemeal bread crumbs or oats.

Incorporating wholegrains is an easy way to make your diet healthier.

Start eating more wholegrains for you and your family to start reaping the many benefits this foodstuff has to offer.

Recipe

Ingredients:• 6 ripe lady finger bananas(pisang emas), mashed• 125g unsalted butter, softened• 2 (medium) eggs, lightly beaten• 100g brown sugar• 130g plain flour• 70g wholemeal flour• 1 teaspoon baking powder• 1 teaspoon baking soda• 30g cocoa powder• 50ml low fat milk• 50g walnut, chopped• 30g raisins (optional)• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence (optional)

Banana chocolate walnut wholesome muffins

Method:• Sift the flour, wholemeal flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder together.• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.• Beat in eggs, mashed bananas, milk and vanilla essence.• Use a large spoon to fold in flour mixture, walnuts and raisin until everything is combined well.• Spoon the mixture into paper-lined muffin tins until

two-thirds full.• Top the mixture with additional chopped walnuts and raisins if you wish.• Bake in an oven that is preheated to 180°C for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the muffin.• Remove the muffins fromthe oven and cool on wire racks.• Serve the muffins for afternoon tea or breakfast with milk, tea, coffee or hot chocolate.

The Nestlé Healthy Kids Programme is aimed at improving nutrition knowledge and promoting active lifestyles among school students aged between seven and 17. It consists of two modules – a Primary School Module called the Nestlé Healthy Kids Programme and the Secondary School Module called Program Cara Hidup Sihat. Both programmes are based on a multi-partnership approach, collaborating with national health and educational authorities such as Ministry of Education, Nutrition Society of Malaysia and Universiti Putra Malaysia. To learn more about the programme, visit www.healthykids.org.my

About the Nestlé Healthy Kids Programme

4 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 3 June 2014

Enhancing students’learning experiences

PARENTS looking at the various educational opportunities for their

children will find the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme an excellent choice.

Some institutes may choose to offer only the IB Diploma Programme in the final two years as a pre-university course while other IB World Schools offer up to four IB programmes that provide a connected educational experience for students aged between three and 18.

Linking all IB programmes is a set of 10 attributes that are known as the Learner Profile.

Introduced with the Primary Years Programme (PYP) in the 1990s and adopted by all IB programmes a decade later, the attributes outline what IB learners should strive to cultivate in an IB education.

The attributes reflect the IB mission in action, which is to develop internationally minded people who recognise humanity and the shared guardianship of the planet. This in turn helps create a better and more peaceful world.

The Learner Profile has been reviewed twice, with the most recent being in 2002, by collaborative teams of highly respected international educators.

The current set of attributes state that IB learners strive to be balanced, knowledgeable, reflective, principled, open-minded, caring, communicators, risk-takers, inquirers and thinkers.

Each attribute also has a description written from the perspective of an IB learner, such as this one for “principled”: We

act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.

Lennox Meldrum, secondary school principal at IGB International School, an IB World School at Sierramas and Valencia in Kuala Lumpur, says that integrating the Learner Profile attributes into teaching makes for better learning experiences for students.

“Becoming a scientist involves more than just being an inquirer or knowledgeable about facts and formulae, it also requires a student to develop communication skills and to be a risk-taker with some of his ideas.

“Our economics and music teachers can both discuss how the music industry operates globally, linking the topic to how the general public should be principled when considering downloading music from illegal sites or buying pirated CDs.”

Schools that offer IB programmes build their unitsof study with the LearnerProfile embedded into the

classroom experience.IB teachers know that learning

is not simply a passive reception of facts but rather, occurs when experiences are connected to real-life contexts and internalised through thinking and reflection to extend knowledge, ideas and skills.

Researchers have also found that emotional intelligence is a vital attribute for learning. Students learn about themselves through social engagement, observation and following role models.

By encouraging students to be caring and balanced, the Learner Profile helps to develop a stronger emotional intelligence.

The Learner Profile also extends to students’ learning outside of the classroom, says Anne Fowles, head of IGB International School.

“Our subjects are only one area where students are exposed to the Learner Profile. They also undertake service learning that requires students to be open-minded and caring, and participation in sporting teams and extracurricular activities emphasise the need to be balanced and be good communicators.”

Learning experiences do not always need to lead to formalised assessments, says Fowles.

“An IB student is not only intellectually challenged by our academically rigorous programmes but also has the opportunity to develop the attributes of an outstanding global citizen.”

University admissions officers often comment on how well-balanced IB graduates are both academically and socially. Increasingly, universities seek IB graduates as they have been shown to successfully and quickly adjust to life beyond school.

To see how the Learner Profile is embedded in the IB programmes, parents should visit IGB International School and discuss with its team of educators how IGB’s courses can prepare students for success.

As a school offering the IB programmes for students from age three to 18, the Learners Profile is deeply embedded inall IGB’s learning experiences.

n For more information, visit www.igbis.edu.my

Lennox Meldrum is the secondary school principal at IGB International School.

Integrating the Learner Profile attributes into teaching makes for better learning experiences for students.

StarSpecial, Tuesday 3 June 2014 BRIGHT KIDS 5

Jeremie Wen-Jian Gan performing the comic ballet Coppélia last year.

Being a straight-As student at Sri UCSI School, Gan’s motto is to focus on the task at hand whether it is dancing or studying.

Dance with passionSRI UCSI school student Jeremie Wen-Jian Gan was only 15 years old when he

performed in The Bluebird solo for a classical ballet competition last year.

The Bluebird is one of the most dazzling and difficult of the international ballet repertoire. Part of the famed Sleeping Beauty ballet, it made its debut in 1890 to the music of Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Less challenging ballet roles usually involve taking breathers in the corner of the stage in between sessions.

In The Bluebird, however, the soloist is required to portray the bird in flight and this involves executing powerful jumps across the stage.

During the Asian Grand Prix competition in Hong Kong, Gan took on another challenging solo, the role of the farmer Colas in the La Fille Mal Gardée, which is one of the most significant of modern ballets.

Gan’s determination and talent caught the eye of the director of the New Zealand School of Dance (NZSD), Garry Trinder. Also the president of the jury for the Asian Grand Prix, Trinder awarded a one-year dance scholarship to three male participants of the competition.

Gan was one of those awarded with the dance scholarship, and was the only Malaysian among the three. He is currently learning ballet from the best and making Malaysia proud as he is meeting the exacting standards of the acclaimed NZSD.

In April this year, Gan performed the role of Colas again. His solo was part of the NZSD’s studio performance and he was coached by NZSD graduate and the former principal dancer and ballet master of The Royal Danish Ballet, Martin James.

Dancing around the world

It was Gan’s mother, who was

also his first ballet teacher, who suggested that he perform in school to introduce ballet to his friends.

Gan never felt like an outsider because Sri UCSI’s close-knit community readily accepted him.

As the students do not have a vast social hierarchy, juniors and seniors mix around often and soon the whole school knew of his involvement in ballet.

Sri UCSI School’s support was also crucial in helping him keep up with his studies when he had to travel for ballet competitions. His travels included a week in

Australia and two months in Japan.

An experience he remembers was learning ballet in the city of Nara, Japan, last year, which also coincided with his Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) examination year.

Since he was going to spend the months of June and July in Japan, with his PMR examinations coming up in October, his teachers compiled all the notes for the lessons he would miss to help him keep up with the lessons and offered him their e-mail addresses.

Upon his return, Gan had extra

lessons to help him catch up. This mainly involved revising past year questions with the entire class. The effort paid off and Gan scored straight As for his PMR examinations.

Gan attributes his quality performances and academic success to his mother, mainly her support and advice to stay focused.

“When I am dancing, I don’t think about my schoolwork – I focus on dancing – and vice-versa,” he says.

Gan’s journey was not always smooth. He went through the

initial pains of progressing with ballet and encountered a stage when he wanted to quit.

However, his passion for the art prevailed and today his ultimate aim is to be the artistic director of a ballet company.

Having travelled to several countries in his pursuit of ballet has also exposed him to a range of practices by ballet dancers, including arriving an hour earlier for lessons and leaving an hour later after wiping down the studio.

Gan has come a long way since he was taught to point his toes. He has gained learning experience from some of the best ballet teachers in New Zealand and continues to make leaps and bounds in realising his ballet ambition.

n For more information on Sri UCSI School, call 03-5637 7108 or visit www.sriucsi.edu.my

6 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 3 June 2014

Besides academic benefits, extra-curricular activities can also impact students’ personal development in a number of ways.

Nurturing well-rounded studentsTHESE days most schools pride

themselves on broad activity programmes that are aimed

at developing students beyond the formal classroom, mainly through co-curricular programmes or extra-curricular programmes.

The difference between the two is that a co-curricular programme is considered of equal value to a school’s academic programme. It is often a compulsory programme, included in the school fees and takes place during school hours.

The selections commonly include sports, the arts, music as well as clubs and societies. They generally aim to enhance children’s school experience and help them gain valuable skills and knowledge.

Extra-curricular activities (ECA), on the other hand, tend to be optional, require additional cost and take place out of school hours.

Outside providers may be hired to teach these sessions and increase the number of activities and the depth to which they are taught.

A student’s choice of co-curricular options influences their college applications as institutions often look at the depth of students’ involvement in these ECAs, which should be in-depth, show students’ development and perseverance and be relevant to their future area of study at university.

Besides academic benefits,

ECAs can also impact students’ personal development in a number of ways.

Hence, schools should actively assist parents in helping children achieve a healthy lifestyle by offering a daily co-curricular programme that is fun, active and developmental, in addition to active playtimes and regular physical education or sports lessons.

Through these activities, students will develop good habits such as being on time for practice, wearing the right uniform, organising equipment and be reliable and trustworthy.

The teacher and a good learning environment helps model the child into a well-rounded

person and facilitates interactions outside the classroom, as teachers and students would have learned to have greater respect for each other and be able to work together.

Life skills can also be fostered through a well-structured and creative co-curricular programme. These can include culinary skills, the arts, first aid and other skills with long-term benefits.

The key is giving children access to relevant clubs and activities so that they can develop their interest over time and enable deeper learning.

Parents need to look out for clubs that children will be interested in for a long time rather than forcing them to take

a different one each term. The activities may become their hobbies, which offer enjoyment and socialisation, and team skills that are fostered through sports and group events.

What makes a good co-curricular programme?

The facilities offered by a school reflect on its capability to offer a broad, rich co-curricular programme for all students. These can include theatre, music departments, multiple sports pitches and design studios, which can offer students an in-depth learning experience. Parents should also find out how accessible these facilities are for students.

Staff quality is also a factor important in having a successful co-curricular programme. Parents should enquire on the staff’s qualifications and teaching experience and how much time

they contribute to the programme. Also consider the school’s

budgeting for co-curricular programmes and ensure that there is proper funding and resources for the activities involved.

Timing is also an important factor to ensure students have enough time for co-curricular or ECA activities and that the programmes are central to the vision of the institution.

Overall, co-curricular programmes that are taught by experienced staff and given generous time allocations and good funding can greatly impact students’ development and ambitions, allowing them to enjoy school and increase their self-esteem.

Epsom College in Malaysia believes in developing students beyond the formal classroom.

n For more information, visitnew.epsomcollege.edu.com

Schools should offer a daily co-curricular programme.

StarSpecial, Tuesday 3 June 2014 BRIGHT KIDS 7

Safari Kid provides a balanced and structured preschool environment that allows children to thrive and flourish while preparing them for a dynamic and fast changing world.

International preschool franchise comes to Malaysia

SAFARI Kid Asia, part of the American-based Safari Kid, had its first open house

from April 25 to 27, bringing its unique educational philosophies and successful programmes to Malaysia.

According to Aniruddh Gupta, chief executive officer of Safari Kid Asia, the preschool’s new location in Kuala Lumpur is a big step into Asia for Safari Kid.

“Fresh off establishing a centre in Hong Kong, this move into South-East Asia is an exciting one for us. With a brand new campus and a vibrant curriculum supplemented by activities designed to build motor skills and stimulate the child’s mind, we are set to bring new life to the Malaysian education scene,” he says.

Seventy per cent of the parents who attended the first open house have already enrolled their children into the preschool.

Founded in California in 2005 by Shy Mudakavi, Safari Kid has educated more than 4,000 children across 17 locations worldwide.

The preschool has developed a curriculum that integrates best international practices in early childhood education with its own mathematics and literacy curriculum, and so provides preschoolers with a comprehensive and structured learning model.

Incorporating the best practices from the Montessori and Steiner systems of early education, Safari Kid uses the highly successful emergent curriculum approach to teach children.

While its customisation

method recognises that each child is unique and learns at their own pace, the accelerated learning model enables children to read by the age of three and write and do mental mathematics by the age of five.

The Safari Kid learning programme also focuses on interpersonal, social and public speaking skills to instil

confidence and help children develop social and emotional skills.

The main focus of Safari Kid’s preschool curriculum is to help children attain key milestones in cognition, motor development, socio-emotional achievements and language skills.

For parents in Asia who are looking for a balanced and

structured preschool environment for their children, Safari Kid provides the ideal environment that allows every child to thrive and flourish while preparing for a dynamic and fast-changing world.

Parents who attended the open house shared that there are many early childhood centres in Malaysia but there is no competition for quality.

Finding a preschool that provides a comprehensive education for their children can be a stressful process for parents.

“The opening in April was a celebration of the joyful spirit behind our learning processes here at Safari Kid and it gave us the opportunity to share this with the parents,” adds Gupta.

Mudakavi, who is the president and group chief executive officer of Safari Kid, was also present to support the Malaysian team.

According to her, some parents who visited the open house shared similar requirements as parents in the United States. She is confident that Safari Kid will grow fast in Malaysia.

Safari Kid will host its third open house from June 6 to 8. Parents can learn more about Safari Kid’s programme and meet the team at the learning centre. Safari Kid is also offering a 30% discount on fees.

The open house in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, will feature fun and educational activities and parents are encouraged to bring their children along to explore the campus.

n For more information, visit www.safarikidasia.com

8 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 3 June 2014

By ANUSHIA KANDASIVAM

MALAYSIA is fortunate to have a rich education environment that

supports several curricula – the national curriculum and several international curricula.

This unique mix means that Malaysians have the opportunity for different kinds of education, which in turn means that the rakyat is now made up of people who come from various educational backgrounds and have distinct ways of thinking.

This diversity of the mind is essential in nation building, which is the main aim of the national curriculum.

Malaysia is a developing country, and in order to reach its goal of attaining high-income developed nation status by 2020, it needs as much manpower and brainpower as possible.

Just as Malaysia needs people who are able to look far ahead into the nation’s future, at the same time it needs those who are capable of looking outward and seeing and understanding where Malaysia stands in relation to the rest of the world.

Education driveseconomic growth

The much discussed Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 is part of this aspiration to move forward in global society and

Education that elevates the country

economy. In the foreword to the Blueprint, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak says that education is the driver of economic growth.

The main aim of the Blueprint is to transform the country’s education landscape into one that can support the education of nation builders who are competitive in the global environment.

This need for young minds that are dedicated to Malaysia’s future and international in outlook means that the national curriculum has to move away from its traditional system of

rote learning and regurgitation, which is the intended direction of the Blueprint.

Also in the foreword, Minister of Education Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin says: “In order to compete with the best in the world, our education system must develop young Malaysians who are knowledgeable, think critically and creatively, have leadership skills and are able to communicate with the rest of the world.

“Just as importantly, our students must be imbued with values, ethics and a sense of nationhood, enabling them to make the right choices for

themselves, their families and the country...”.

Transforming the system

One way the Blueprint is implementing this change is through the new PBS system (Penilaian Berasaskan Sekolah) that was fully implemented this year.

The PBS-based third form examination, Pentaksiran Berasaskan Sekolah Menegah Rendah, started this year. The PBS system will be applied to UPSR level grades by 2016.

This system shifts the focus away from the centralised examination system to school-based assessments as a means to eliminate the need for content recall and spotting questions in major examinations and introduce higher-order thinking skills to students.

The plan is that by 2016, 80% of exam questions for the UPSR exam, 80% of questions for the Form 3 central assessment, 75% of questions for SPM core subjects and 50% of questions for SPM elective subjects will be higher-order thinking questions.

To this end, enquiry-based learning and co-curricular activities that are aimed at developing students’ capacity to think creatively and critically are already included in the national curriculum.

“Teachers have been directed to

move away from rote learning and instead aim at increasing students’ participation, real-life experience, teamwork, and problem-solving and analytic skills, thus encouraging students to learn about the wider world beyond the school gates and beyond our shores,” says Julia Woo Sow Fun, principal of Sri UCSI Primary School.

“With the high-stakes centralised PMR examination removed from the equation, schools are given more autonomy to adjust the syllabus of certain subjects to include topics that are more practically relevant and have a global perspective,” adds Tan See Miin, principal of Sri UCSI Secondary School.

Complementingcurricula

The fact that higher order thinking skills – the ability to think critically and apply knowledge gained in the classroom to various situations, even new ones – have been lacking in the education of Malaysian youth is a familiar topic of discussion so this revision to the national curriculum has long been desired, especially since the arrival of international curricula into the country has put the national curriculum up for comparison against the former.

> TURN TO PAGE 9

Diversity is essential in nation building, which is the main aim of the national curriculum.

StarSpecial, Tuesday 3 June 2014 BRIGHT KIDS 9

NATIONAL curriculum versus international curricular – this comparison has also brought to the fore the lack of “global perspective” in the national curriculum: by their very nature, international curricula are global in outlook while including components especially tailored to their host countries.

This aspect of international curricula, along with their more holistic teaching methods, can be adapted and used to elevate the national curriculum and local educators.

In fact, the success of the decentralised examination system and the Blueprint’s plans as a whole is very much dependant on teachers’ skills.

A study by the Ministry of Education conducted as part of the research for the Blueprint on teaching methods in local public schools found that 50% of lessons observed (out of 125 lessons across 41 schools) were delivered unsatisfactorily in that they did not sufficiently engage students and were more focused on achieving surface-level content understanding for assessment purposes rather than true understanding for critical analysis and application.

“Teaching methods should be more interactive than is traditionally seen in Malaysia. The lecture-based style still leaves out three main components: the “How?”, the “Why?” and

> FROM PAGE 8

Evolving the national curriculum for future successthe opportunity for students to share their ideas openly in order to see if they can derive new interpretations and a deeper understanding of what they learn,” says Brendan Mehdi Lanza, head of operations of UCSI Schools in Subang.

“Training and support for teachers from the government and their respective schools is therefore very important,” says Kang Wai Kee, principal of Rafflesia Private School, adding that the government should raise the standards of teaching and widen the curriculum to include more international focus.

In 2007, the government raised the pre-service training qualification for primary school teachers from a diploma to a bachelor’s degree, matching the existing requirements for secondary school teachers.

This saw 31% of teachers possessing at least a bachelor’s degree in 2010.

However, the government has realised that this gain is still insufficient for the purposes of transforming the education system the way it wants to and so, through the Blueprint, is planning to revamp the teacher training system to include elements found in teacher training programmes that supply the world’s top performing education systems.

This includes components such as placements, increased hours of practicum, ongoing professional

development and improved working conditions.

High aspirations

The Blueprint intends to elevate Malaysia to the top third of countries in terms of performance in international assessments as measured by outcomes in TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) and PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment, a global assessment of mathematics, reading and science abilities conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) within the next 15 years.

As of the last PISA report in 2012, Malaysia scored below the average of countries within the OECD for all three components and is ranked at in the bottom third of the survey.

If the educational reforms already implemented are successful, Malaysia should show a significant improvement in the next PISA report, due out next year, as hoped for by the Ministry of Education.

The ultimate aim of the Blueprint is to provide all Malaysian children with the opportunity to “attain an excellent education that is uniquely Malaysian and comparable to the best international systems”.

With the best practices of already successful international

curricula readily observable in the Malaysian education environment, there should be no lack of tools to achieve this aspiration.

In 2007, the government raised the pre-service training qualification for primary school teachers from a diploma to a bachelor’s degree, matching the existing requirements for secondary school teachers.This saw 31% of teachers possessing at least a bachelor’s degree in 2010.

Developing higher order thinking skills will be essential in future curricula.

10 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 3 June 2014

Students at NIS are preparing to stage the school’s first musical under the guidance of the English teacher, Nirmala Naidu (left).

About 30 students of various ages will be taking part in a musical production of Pocahontas.

Taking their talent to the stageMANY parents opt for an

international education to expose their children to

a holistic education that places emphasis on soft skills and extra-curricular activities.

At Nilai International School (NIS), this includes lessons and activities in areas such as drama and music as well as a host of sporting activities.

This is to give the students a well-rounded education to shape them into confident and multi-faceted individuals.

At the moment, NIS students are busy preparing for the school’s first ever musical under the guidance of the English teacher – Nirmala Naidu. About 30 students of various ages will be taking part in a musical production of Pocahontas.

Nirmala says that initially many students were shy and reserved but soon warmed up to the idea of performing on stage.

While many of the students will be on stage, a number of them will be taking charge of equally important tasks such as stage production and preparing the props and costumes for the show. These activities help create students who are well-rounded as they learn to work, rehearse and perform as a group.

Students taking part in the musical are between 10 and 16 years old (Years 5 to 10). The younger students are more playful and require more direction.

However, they are the more natural performers as they do not seem to be as self-conscious or have the same inhibitions as the older students.

It is not all fun and games as the students are working hard at memorising their lines and rehearsing at least thrice a week.

Learning their lines and practising their songs and dance routines require patience, discipline and focus.

These are the key lessons that they will take from this project.

Apart from studying the

internationally recognised IGCSE syllabus, students get undivided attention from teachers and staff throughout their time at NIS.

One of the benefits of an international school education is the small class size.

Students at NIS receive their teachers’ undivided attention and the small classes (each class at NIS does not exceed 15 students) allow the teachers to adjust their instruction methods to suit each child’s needs.

As NIS opened its doors in 2011, it is still a fairly new institution

and students benefit from having brand new state-of-the-art facilities with more being added every semester.

Apart from the drama club, students will also be exposed to a variety of extra-curricular activities such as martial arts, swimming and music lessons.

“Parents no longer need to drive their students from one tuition centre to another. NIS has everything under one roof. Here, they are assured a quality education as well as the opportunity to participate in

various co-curricular activities,” says Nirmala.

NIS also offers boarding facilities for children aged 11 and above. Boarding students are under strict supervision of housemasters and housemistresses who ensure that they complete their homework and carry out their required revision daily.

n For more information on NIS, call 06-850 2188 or visitwww.nis.edu.my

StarSpecial, Tuesday 3 June 2014 BRIGHT KIDS 11

Sunway International School (SIS) provides many opportunities for parent-teacher engagement and discussion.

SIS aims to provide social and educational benefits to its students.

The vital role ofparent engagement

SUNWAY International School (SIS) is privileged to have an involved and vibrant parent community that actively engages with and contributes to the school.

SIS has long practised a three-prong strategy that advocates tripartite cooperation between the students, parents and the school as crucial for a student’s development, academically and socially.

Plenty of opportunities are made available for parents to participate in, contribute actively to and partner with the school’s representatives and their continual efforts to support students’ growth.

Early in the start of every semester, the administration department organises a Meet-The-Teachers Night, a dedicated session to introduce parents to the school’s educators.

These sessions provide an inside look into some of the activities and significant events planned for the year.

During the sessions, a complete list of all SIS personnel’s e-mail addresses is distributed.

This is among one of the school’s initiatives to provide a platform for open, easily accessible and prompt communication between the school management team and the SIS community.

To further support the importance of consistent communication, parents and guardians are kept abreast of the developments in the school through a monthly e-mail report.

A more comprehensive SIS newsletter is published every quarter of the year and available

for download on the school’s website.

Additionally, parents have access to the school’s online course management system through password-protected, individually assigned login accounts.

This software is a powerful tool for parents to monitor their child’s academic progress as it enables teachers to provide feedback on the student’s assessments, update

daily assignments and reports, and share learning resources with students and parents.

This is further supported by the significant parent-teacher interviews, personalised one-on-one meetings between parents and teachers to discuss the student’s progress and plan steps for further improvement at the mid-semester stage.

This checkpoint is pivotal in a student’s school life as it provides

both parents and students an indication of the student’s position in the curriculum’s accumulative evaluation. On the lighter side, SIS also hosts monthly breakfast and high tea get-togethers for parents.

These social gatherings aim to foster closer relationships between parents and the school stakeholders. These informal gatherings feature light refreshments and casual conversation between attendants.

Each session is assigned a particular topic for discussion and the session is usually capped with a presentation by a staff member on the selected topic.

Periodically, parents are also rewarded with special event invitations as a token of the school’s appreciation.

The school organises and monitors for events that would be relevant to parent’s interests, and extends invitations to these for parents as SIS’ guests.

So far, SIS parents have attended motivational speaker Nick Vujicic’s presentation, musical recitals, middle school graduation ceremonies, science fairs and talent showcases, among others.

SIS parents appreciate and understand that their support both at home and at school plays a vital role in their child’s development.

The school supplements parent engagement through a variety of planned activities, both social and educational, to engender significant benefits to students, parents and the school.

n For more information, call 03-7491 8070 or visitwww.sis.sunway.edu.my

Learning to score an ‘A’ in lifeSUPERCAMP is a highly engaging enrichment programme that inspires students to excel, believe in themselves and in their ability to succeed. It empowers them with learning and life skills they need to thrive in all areas of their lives.

With more than 65,000 graduates from more than 85 countries, SuperCamp is a worldwide leader of academic and life skills programmes for students. Here are the top five reasons to attend SuperCamp: l Develop lifelong leadershipskillsThe ability to lead is a fundamental part of academic confidence and personal success. Students will discover their strengths as a leader and how to thrive in a team-based environment.l Raise gradesAlong with new confidence and increased motivation, students learn a combination of study strategies, time management and test-taking skills that they can apply in any academic situation. Students also discover their personal learning styles and ways to apply this knowledge to give them an edge in their studies. l Increase confidence and improve relationships SuperCamp provides students with the awareness and tools to courageously overcome their personal insecurities,

fear and doubts. Students use specific communication models to convey needs, frustrations and opinions in a positive manner. Also, SuperCamp’s life skills curriculum plays a pivotal role in improving a student’s relationship with people important in his or her life. l Master problem-solving andgoal-settingIndependent thought and creative problem-solving skills are integral to success, along with setting goals that reflect one’s personal values and beliefs. SuperCamp teaches students the basics of lateral and outcome thinking and ways to better organise one’s life. l Take responsibility and ownershipOne of the most important steps along the road to adulthood is taking responsibility for one’s own life. At SuperCamp, students realise the lifelong benefit of working outside their comfort zone and learn to take ownership of their actions, ultimately leading them to success.

SuperCamp is committed to provide each student with the necessary skills and mindset to bring out the best in them.

n For more information, call 03-6203 0525, e-mail camp@supercamp.com.my or visit www.supercamp.com.my

SuperCamp is a worldwide leader of academic and life skills programmes for students.

12 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 3 June 2014

Right environment builds IQIVAN (not his real name) is

a 14-year-old boy who had performed well in primary

school.However, his academic

performance began dropping gradually in lower secondary school and he scored lower grades than his classmates in last year’s final exam.

The problem went on for some time and caused him a lot of stress and emotional pain. He was often ridiculed by his peers at school and constantly teased.

Despite his efforts to read and revise his schoolwork, he could not seem to improve in his studies. His mother, Fang (not her real name), then realised that Ivan was revising less and less and isolating himself.

When she approached him for a face-to-face discussion, Ivan avoided her and refused to talk about his academic performance.

The unfriendly environment he experienced at school discouraged him from seeking help to improve in his studies.

His mother became worried for him as Ivan appeared to become increasingly disappointed and depressed because of his poor academic performance.

Fang decided to get Ivan a psychoeducational assessment from a professional child psychologist at ChildPsych, the Child Psychology division of the International Psychology Centre (IPC).

Assessing the issue

The child psychoeducational assessment involved an initial interview with Fang to review Ivan’s developmental history in the hope of identifying the cause of his problem.

The interview revealed that Ivan’s parents had neglected his enquiries about his environment from a young age, mainly because Fang was busy and his father had

been away from home a lot. There were many times

when Fang would get irritated by questions Ivan asked out of curiosity such as “Which country is the most populated?”, “How do plants breathe?”, and “How do fish swim in water?”.

He was commonly told to stop asking and to do his homework or watch television instead.

Ivan eventually got more discouraged and stopped asking,

which killed his curiosity and caused a drop in his IQ.

Discouraging questions causes low IQ

Apart from the interview session, the child psychologist also conducted various internationally validated psychometric tests to further diagnose Ivan’s problem.

This included the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children

(WISC-IV) fourth edition, and the Stanford Binet Intelligence Scales (BINET) fifth edition to determine his IQ and learning ability. The assessment revealed that Ivan had a low IQ.

Ivan went through a psychotherapy programme to enhance his IQ. It involved various activities related to asking logical “why” questions. Research showed that reasoning is closely allied with other domains of enquiry in psychology.

According to Dr David Lohman and Dr Joni Lakin, psychologists from the University of Iowa, reasoning, problem-solving and decision-making represent different but overlapping aspects of human intelligence.

This therapeutic programme was specially designed to develop and improve a child’s IQ. It also increases children’s knowledge, vocabulary, and comprehension abilities.

IQ and intelligence are not fixed entities and can be improved with the right psychoeducational environment that encourages IQ-related, logical- and information-based questions.

It is never too late to help your child increase his IQ but it is recommended to start as early as possible.

n For more information, call the International Psychology Center Sdn Bhd at 03-2727 7434, or visit www.malaysiapsychology.com

Asking questions from a young age is an important factor in building children’s IQ.

Morris Allen English believes in giving students the freedom to express themselves and explore the English language in a fun setting.

Learning English effectively IMPROVING one’s level of English is one thing but mastering this global language through an effective, fun and interactive manner requires an effective method and Morris Allen English has the trusted and proven method to achieve this.

A reputable English enrichment centre with more than 20 years of experience, Morris Allen English believes in encouraging students to have fun with learning as they are taught in a non-drilling environment that is conducive for effective learning.

Besides having qualified and native English-speaking teachers, Morris Allen English stands out among other schools with its teaching method that focuses on four major areas of a child’s language development – listening, speaking, reading and writing.

In each area, students are guided on their listening comprehension, reading interest, oral skills and writing skills, among other aspects. Morris Allen English believes in giving students the freedom to

express themselves and explore the English language in a fun setting.

Apart from their regular programmes, Morris Allen English also runs short courses that students can participate in to further improve on specific areas such as a creative writing course, phonics, vocabulary and grammar, which are offered to primary school-goers in addition to their regular lessons.

For students who want to overcome presentation anxieties, Morris Allen English offers the speech and drama short course, which develops students’ self-confidence via active participation in speaking and listening activities.

In this course, students focus on improving pronunciation, participate in oral reading, class discussions and various role-playing activities.

n For more details, call 03-7726 7656 (Centrepoint centre) or03-5611 9296 (Empire centre) or visitwww.morrisallen-malaysia.com

StarSpecial, Tuesday 3 June 2014 BRIGHT KIDS 13

Kerry Brown, AISM’s head of the Early Learning Centre, will talk about the Australian Early Years Learning Framework during the Open Week

Discovering the Australian optionTHE growing number of international

schools in Malaysia, especially in the Klang Valley, provides various options

for parents in choosing their children’s preschool, primary and secondary education.

Parents have to consider the different types of curriculum offered by international schools as well as their qualifications, facilities and teaching methodology.

With so many options at hand, it can be a daunting task to choose the right school for your child and ensure that your financial investment is a wise one.

From June 9 to 13, parents can learn more about what an international education has to offer at the Australian International School Malaysia’s Open Week that will be held from 10am to 1pm.

The school will be organising a series of talks delivered by its experienced Australian teachers along with other interactive activities such as storytelling, science trial classes, classroom exhibitions, student performances and a school tour.

One of the talks organised during the event is “IB, A-Levels or the Australian Higher School Certificate (HSC)?”, which will be delivered by the school’s careers and pathway planning advisor Christopher Broadbent.

“Parents often choose a school based on what they can see such as the facilities or teachers rather than the curriculum and qualifications offered,” says Broadbent.

Broadbent explains that students who wish to do their tertiary studies overseas do not necessarily have to study the same curriculum as their chosen country.

“Students from AISM have gained entry into top universities in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and many other parts of the world. Therefore, we would like to show parents how we compare to other curricula and how our teaching and learning are different,” he says.

The Open Week will also include a talk catered towards parents whose children are in early years.

It features the head of the early learning centre Kerry Brown, a distinguished children’s book author, who will speak about the teaching and learning approach adopted at AISM for this age group.

“Learning needs to be both meaningful and fun. For this reason, the Early Learning Centre at AISM uses a combination of the Australian Early Years Learning Framework (AEYLF) and the Reggio Emilia philosophy to ensure that children are actively involved in their learning.

“Play-based explorations ensure that children are able to make real-life connections with their learning,” says Brown.

The Open Week will also feature presentations delivered by the principal and heads of school, from which parents can learn more about the school’s philosophies and key learning areas. While parents attend the talks, a storytelling session will be carried out for younger children and a science trial class for older children.

An interactive school tour will also be held where parents can enter designated classrooms, explore students’ work and speak to teachers and students as well as see the AISM’s performing arts centre, which includes purpose-designed rooms for performing arts, a library and a black-box theatre.

The tour will demonstrate the 21st century learning practice of AISM, which features modern and open-concept classrooms and flexible learning spaces designed to facilitate learning beyond the classroom.

n To register for the talks, school tour or activities, call 03-8949 5000 or e-mail events@aism.edu.my

Christopher Broadbent, AISM teacher and Pathway Planning Advisor, will talk about the differences in the Australian curriculum as compared to IB and A-Levels.

14 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 3 June 2014

New branch, new opportunitiesTHE British Council has

opened a new branch, bringing its popular

English language courses closer to residents and working professionals in Selangor.

British Council Mutiara Damansara is the first British Council branch housed inside a shopping mall. The 540sq m facility is located on the second floor of The Curve.

The Mutiara Damansara branch is scheduled to deliver the same English courses provided in the Kuala Lumpur branch with programmes for children aged from five to 17 and communicative English courses in the evenings for young adults and professionals.

The British Council English courses, which are taken by more than 5,000 students every term in the city centre branch, provide a distinctive, holistic approach to language learning.

Lessons for preschool to upper secondary children help them reach their potential while building their confidence in speaking English.

A rich variety of interactive activities prepare them to use English in real life and also

The new British Council branch in Mutiara Damansara offers classes for both children and adults.

Proficiency in EnglishTHE need to master English is undisputed and education authorities continue to explore ways in which English standards in schools can be improved.

Reinforcement through tutorials is not only important to raise proficiency levels but also for the change it produces in the mindset of students who start to think in English.

This leads to more effective communication and more effective learning.

With close to 60 centres nationwide, Cambridge English For Life (CEFL) is one of the leading providers of quality English language courses in Malaysia.

Courses at CEFL lead to the prestigious University of Cambridge English Language Assessment examinations, which are conducted worldwide and recognised throughout the world as a valid measure of a candidate’s English language proficiency.

The examinations test all four language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking to provide a comprehensive

assessment of a candidate’s ability. To prepare for these exams, students must be given the opportunity to develop each skill and at CEFL, courses have been designed to do precisely that.

Classes are small and interactive. Students are encouraged to participate, with group work and fun activities being an integral part of each lesson.

Students are given placement tests to ensure they start at a level appropriate to their proficiency.

They can then progress level by level to reach a standard that will serve them well in terms of entry to college or university.

CEFL has a wide range of courses for students of all ages: preschool, primary and secondary levels, and for adults, there are Conversational and Business English courses. All CEFL centres are open for registration.

n For more information, visitwww.cambridgeforlife.org

CEFL has a wide range of courses for students of all ages.

support their school work. A typical lesson may include

acting out a story, singing a song, preparing a group presentation or solving a problem. The lessons are conducted in English so

children soon find themselves using the language with ease. This activity-oriented, communicative approach is underpinned by solid grammar instruction and vocabulary development.

Students at the new branch in Mutiara Damansara will be able to enjoy a state-of-the-art learning environment. Every classroom has an “interactive whiteboard” that is linked to British Council’s English language learning websites, teacher-generated digital materials and a range of listening and reading resources.

British Council teachers are all qualified to teach English as a foreign language and bring with them a wealth of experience to the classroom, which enables them to motivate learners and encourage active involvement in the learning.

They understand the need to build trusting relationships with every child to ensure an enjoyable and supportive learning environment for their students.

The British Council prides itself on its commitment to training and developing its teaching staff, enabling them to constantly improve and discover new ways of engaging with students.

Another positive aspect of the learning experience at the British Council is regular opportunities for parents to get involved in their children’s learning. Frequent workshops help parents

understand how they can best support the English language learning that goes on in the classroom.

One example is when parents are taught to review vocabulary after the lesson or to use word games to help children memorise new words and their spelling.

Every child receives a term progress report and parent meetings provide a scope for individual consultations.

In addition, there are many communication channels to help busy parents keep up-to-date with new events and special activities at the British Council.

The new teaching centre’s location at The Curve will be advantageous to parents. They will be able to drop their children off and then enjoy a couple of hours shopping or relaxing in a coffee shop.

As the centre will run English courses for adults as well, its strategic location at The Curve offers many advantages for those wanting to study after work hours or after university classes.

n For more information, call 03-2723 7900 or visitwww.britishcouncil.my

StarSpecial, Tuesday 3 June 2014 BRIGHT KIDS 15

Showcase of R.E.A.L artistic talent

THE Metamorphosis Art Exhibition held at R.E.A.L Schools, Suria Campus in Cheras was a significant event that

provided a platform for budding artists to hone their talents while raising funds for charity through the sale of its paintings.

The exhibition took place last week at the school’s purpose-built art gallery and lived up to its aim to showcase students’ works of art to the public and expand the school’s impressive portfolio.

The name of the exhibition, Metamorphosis, was taken from the biological term that encompasses the physical process of growth from birth to adulthood, which involves different stages of life.

The name was, therefore, a fitting metaphor to signify students’ growth and the ongoing journey that develops their artistic prowess from novice to expert.

The exhibition featured 45 art pieces by 12 students, including a few contributed by external guest artists. The medium of choice for the paintings was acrylic and 30% of the proceeds generated from the sale were donated to selected welfare homes and orphanages in Selangor.

Organised and driven by students and teachers of the school’s dedicated arts and design programme, the inaugural exhibition met its two main objectives – raising funds for a noble, charitable cause and creating valuable opportunities for young, aspiring artists to display their creations to a large audience.

Fanning the flames of interestin art

R.E.A.L Schools’ unique and innovative arts and design programme serves to provide additional classes to students who have an interest and passion in art. There are three modules under this programme – fine art, graphic design and fashion design.

The various events and activities that are organised by the school such

The Metamorphosis Art Exhibition was aimed to raise funds for a noble, charitable cause and create valuable opportunities for young, aspiring artists to display their creations to a large audience.

as Metamorphosis also succeeded in promoting the programme further as seen by the highly encouraging response from students.

As a result, the number of students who have joined the programme has grown to 220.

According to the school’s head of

programme Mohd Farid Yusoff, “These focused initiatives are meant to support students with everything they need – from teaching to tools and facilities – in order to bring their artistic talents, interests and abilities to a higher level.

More importantly, the programme enables the school to identify students with

potential who can take centre stagein large-scale events.

Inspiring students to greater heights

Among the guest artists who appeared at the event was the Special Jury Award winner of the 2012 Rasa Alam Exhibition, Suzlee Ibrahim, who featured two of her works – Rhythm of Colour and Orange Space.

Other notable guest artists include Abd Halim Hassan, Simon Onn and Hazrah Ngah. The exhibition also featured the participation of several personalities from the local art scene, namely printmaker Faizal Suhif, and fine artists Dzul Afiq, Halijah Hamzah and Zaidah Abdullah.

Their attendance brought vigour to the event, where they shared their experience and expertise with promising students.

In turn, students had the opportunity to tap into the guests’ invaluable insight and be inspired by their achievements.

For these students, getting to exhibit their work to the public for the first time in a formal setting was an achievement that brought them self-satisfaction.

This would hopefully help motivate them to continue painting and taking their passion and interest in fine art to the next level.

n For further enquiries, call R.E.A.L Schools at 03-9021 3601 (Suria Campus, Cheras),03-7842 3228 (Cahaya Campus, Shah Alam) or visit www.realschools.edu.my

Tips for spring cleaningTAKE advantage of this holiday period to get your children to organise and clean their rooms before the next school term. A messy room can affect their mood and thought processes, especially if they are trying to do their homework.

Ideally they should be encouraged to clean their room regularly to avoid having to deal with a large mess after a few weeks of neglect.

Cleaning and organising are not the first thing children would like to do during the school holidays so to make the most of this opportunity, consider how you can go about encouraging your child to clean their rooms.

Here is a list of ideas you could try out. Incentivise

l If your children receive pocket money, tell them they will only receive it after they have organised their space. Or even better, hide it among their things such as clothes or toys and turn spring cleaning into a treasure hunt. l To make it even more interesting, assign each child (if you have more than one) different colours and ask them to put away as many of those particularly coloured objects as quick as they can. Playing some music during theactivity will also stir up a more exciting mood.

Use a checklistl Depending on how much work needs to be done, it is a good idea to draw up a checklist to keep track of what they have done. Every task, no matter how big or small, can go onto the list where they can tick it off to give themselves the satisfaction of completing a task.l To get the ball rolling, start them off with easy tasks such as organising their desks or clearing their wardrobes. Then progress to the harder tasks, perhaps even

throwing in an incentive or two. Donate or throw it away

l The best thing to keep in mind while spring cleaning is to throw, recycle or donate anything that your children have not used in more than a year. Examples of things that can be donated are clothes, shoes, toys, books and reusable containers. l Once you have decided on what to keep, throw or give away, separate everything into piles. Stationery and books can be placed in the same box or container and shoes can be arranged neatly according to occasion. This segregating method can be applied to most things in the house as well.l It is highly recommended to get plastic boxes of the same size so they can be stacked neatly in storage. On top of that, zip-lock bags to store smaller items are useful to keep things neat and tidy. You could label these zip-lock bags and boxes to make it easier to identify their contents. l During the clean-up, children will find things that have gotten dusty due to underuse. So before starting the clean up and to prevent a bout of sneezes, use anti-bacterial wipes or a wet cloth to wipe surfaces and anything that appears dusty.

Clean weeklyl Setting aside an hour or two a week to clean up and organise is the best way to maintain the cleanliness of children’s space. This is the way to go if you are not the type to clean regularly. It would be easier, however, to stick to a once-a-week schedule to avoid an accumulation of unused items. This will instil good habit in children to be consistent in their actions and give them more time for work and play.

16 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 3 June 2014

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Learning from industry professionalsSEGi College Subang Jaya’s

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) students

were recently given an insight into the ever-changing early childcare industry by two renowned experts.

Datin Radziah Mohd Daud and Dr Irene Leow Kim Choo, who pioneered ECCE as a professional career in Malaysia, shared their experience at a talk at the campus.

Quality education is crucial in the early years of a child’s life. Several years ago, it was common for daycare and ECCE centres to enlist helpers who did not possess the necessary paper qualifications to teach or care for young children.

Radziah began by sharing her 30-year journey in the world of ECCE. She was a qualified nurse and worked in hospitals in Alor Star before she went to work in London. Upon her return to Malaysia, she worked at the National Family Planning Board where she was tasked to establish childcare centres.

Radziah then left the board to establish her own home-based playgroup to be closer to her family. After much encouragement, she opened a larger school and devoted her time and efforts to raising the standards of ECCE.

Her hard work was recognised by the government and she was

instrumental in setting up various preschools in Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur and Kuching. She also assisted in establishing daycare centres for several government-linked companies and the School in Hospital programmes.

Recently, the SEGi University Group appointed Radziah as its industry advisor for ECCE programmes.

At a recent Segian talk, Radziah shared stories of her extraordinary journey and reminded students that the ECCE field is one that guarantees satisfaction beyond

monetary gain, and that one cannot be in the field without passion for children.

Dr Irene Leow then shared her experience as a professional ECCE teacher. She has 26 years of experience in the ECCE field as the principal and operator of the Seri Mawar Childcare and Development Centre in Ampang, Selangor.

Dr Leow is a certified trainer for childcare programmes under the Welfare Department and Association of Registered Childcare Providers Malaysia

(ARCPM). She is also a member of the Professional Certification Board of the ECCE and has been a part-time lecturer at SEGi College Subang Jaya since 2004.

Dr Leow explained the latest scientific findings that reveal early experiences as being important for the development of a child’s brain.

Quality ECCE can help reduce the rate of school dropouts and crime rates in later years, while poor early childcare and education can create irreversible harm.

As a result of these findings, the government is now raising the bar

for ECCE standards.By 2020, all preschools in

Malaysia will have to adhere to national quality standards, including a rule that every teacher must have the minimum academic qualification of a diploma.

Dr Leow emphasised that a professional has to be not only knowledgeable but also competent in his or her job.

The person embodies all professional ethics and strives for continuous professional growth by constantly learning and improving, in addition to speaking and dressing well. Dr Leow added that professionals such as doctors, lawyers and engineers are members of professional boards.

As such, there will be an ECCE Council for professionals by 2017 to ensure standards are adhered to and only those who are qualified will provide ECCE services.

Radziah and Dr Leow also reminded students that ECCE teachers play crucial roles in the community and that these professionals are blessed in so many other ways when they invest in the lives of young children.

n For more information, call 03-6145 1777 or 1800 887 344, e-mail askme@segi.edu.my or visit www.segi.edu.my

Datin Radziah (left) and Dr Irene Leow are respected industry leaders in the ECCE field and are working together to educate the next generation of ECCE leaders.