Things I Learnt As A Parent After Experiencing An Award-Winning Preschool For A Day With My Child

If you’re a parent, you’ll know that setting a good foundation for your child’s cognitive development doesn’t just kick in when he or she enters Primary 1. It starts as even as early as 18 months old. And with so many kindergartens out there, selecting one can sometimes be a tall order.

New to the whole kindergarten ball game, a couple of mothers from TSL decided to sit in on a day at school at award-winning Mulberry Learning’s Jurong East campus to see what it’s all about. My colleague, Sabrina, even brought along her son Gareth (age 3) to join one of their nursery classes for an afternoon to experience their Habits of Mind™ framework and Reggio-Emilia approach.

Here’s what we learnt about the school after an afternoon shadowing their N2 class:

Their 1:10 teacher-student ratio means your child gets more individual attention

At Mulberry Learning, every class appoints two language teachers – an English and Chinese teacher – to a group of no more than 10 students to ensure each child gets an equal amount of attention and care. At any point in time, either teacher is available to translate the lesson to ensure no one gets left behind.

Lessons ensure your child is fluent in both English and Mandarin

Each language lesson is planned with the purpose of helping the children recognise the varying tonal sounds of the characters whilst familiarising themselves with new words. The goal here is to have each child be able to recognise over 2,000 Chinese words, 80 idioms and even be able to recite several pieces of Chinese poetry.

Fun fact: The school also uses the classic Di Zi Gui (弟子规) to help put in place good morals and good behaviour.

Children are empowered to lead their own “projects” and field trips

Learning the process of pizza making
Image credit: Mulberry Learning

Another interesting programme that takes centre stage is “Project Inquiry” – a biannual collaborative project that allows the class to spearhead their own learning. Reppin’ the Reggio Emilia approach, it begins with a massive brainstorming session where every child is encouraged to list out topics of interest they wish to delve into.

Moreover, their planned field trips are also student-initiated allowing the kids to harness their curiosity and take charge of their own learning.

Each lesson shapes your child into a critical thinker

We got to see first hand how Habits of Mind was reinforced during the Sorting Letter Sounds Association activity. Every lesson, activity and revision session in Mulberry Learning’s daily curriculum is conscientiously planned to inculcate these habits in the children’s minds, gifting them the necessary set of skills to be able to make well-calculated decisions to excel in the future.

Meals are planned by nutritionists from GNC and Nature’s Farm

We all know nutrition is a crucial building block in raising a healthy and robust child, but mealtimes can be a stressful affair for some parents, especially if you’ve got a little picky eater on your hands. If your little one constantly demands a variety, then the four rotational menus at Mulberry Learning will help.

Curated by professional nutritionists from GNC and Nature’s Farm, meals are cooked freshly to ensure that your child consumes a balanced diet to meet his or her growing nutritional requirements.

Prep your children for the future at Mulberry Learning

As a mother whose child is well on her way to preschool, it was an eye-opening experience to sit in and see what actually goes on behind school doors at Mulberry Learning. And though preschools that offer your child a quality education are a dime a dozen, what really sets Mulberry Learning aside is its Habits of Mind™ framework.

Combined with the Reggio Emilia approach, its sprawling campus and planned curriculum make Mulberry Learning a perfect match for parents looking to harness the full potential of their children’s imagination and empower them to make their own decisions from a young age.

Read the full experience on TheSmartLocal.com here

*Article courtesy of TheSmartLocal.com Singapore, By Locals For Locals.
Extracted from this article originally written by Kimberly Lauren Wong for TheSmartLocal.com and republished with permission.*