SHHK-Preschool featured in Young Parents Guide 2016
The Preschool is an initiative by Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan (SHHK) to provide a wholesome and holistic preschool education in Singapore. It believes that children should be nurtured and moulded from a tender age. Huay Kuan’s stays committed to education. With more than 175 years of excellent foundation in education, Huay Kuan is well positioned to nurture children as life-long learners who are future ready.
The SHHKPS is located in a standalone building which houses 12 individual classrooms, 2 special rooms including an art room and a music-and-movement room. It also has a unique expanded home space specially designed to simulate a home environment for the Living Skill Programme. Facilities include a kitchenette, living room and reading corners. This space is the size of 4 classrooms. All indoor learning spaces are fully air-conditioned. All spaces are specially designed to be children-centric. In addition, there are also sufficient outdoor spaces including the Froebel Living Garden and Indoor Sports Area for activities.
The student-teacher ratio for N1/N2 is 2 teachers to 15 students & K1/K2 is 2 teachers to 20 students.
The language weightage at SHHKPS for N1 to K1 is 80% Chinese and 20% English. For K2, the weightage is adjusted to 60% Chinese and 40% English. SHHKPS is guided by the curriculum framework set out by the Ministry of Education. The learning of Chinese is integral to the development of our children. It inculcates a sense of culture identity through Chinese. Writing of Chinese characters and Hanyu Pinyin are inclusive in our curriculum. These meaningful learning experiences will enable our children to be:
The set up and curriculum of SHHKPS was prepared with advice from external consultants including from NIE who are experts in the field of early childhood education and the teaching of Chinese Language in Singapore. Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan Cultural Academy is working on a partnership to invite these consultants to conduct in-house training for their preschool teachers.
There are two major components in the curriculum of SHHKPS: one of them is the curriculum framework set out by Ministry of Education – this is to ensure that the K2 children are ready for their continued learning journey in the primary schools. The second component is our unique programme – Living Skills Programme that combines living skills and holistic character development programme. Our children will be able to choose what they wish to do using a Plan-Do-Review Model. Teacher will invite children to decide what they would like to do after a group discussion on “Our Dream Garden”. Children may choose to draw by using coloured pencils, crayons or water colours. They can do it independently or with their good friends. Children can also choose to build their garden in 3 dimension using recycle materials. Teachers will be around to facilitate, guide and provide support to these children. Thenafter, children will be gathered and share their experiences in completing their work. Children are actively engaged, involved during the whole process.
At SHHK Preschool, we strive to achieve a sustained engagement of parents throughout their children’s learning journey. While parents are encourage to participate in our preschool’s programmes such as festive celebrations, the Parents-in-Partnership programme extends the classroom into the child’s home. Parents reinforce their child’s learning curve in tandem with the child’s experience gained in school. Constant engagement of parents on the learning habits and progress of their child is key to the success of the Parents-in-Partnership programme. This means that education goes beyond the classroom – it is cultivated even at home, thus ensuring the success of raising a holistic child that is happy, caring and future ready.
For example, parents are invited to participate in our “Celebration of Learning Journey” with their children. There are four celebrations in a year, i.e. Dumpling Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Sports Day and Year End Concert. The aims of these celebrations are (1) to appreciate our children’s learning and development, (2) promote family bonding.
The school also has a parent-volunteer group to engage parents to assist us in preparing purposeful activities for our children. To date we have 6 volunteers. In addition to two parent-teacher meetings in a year, our teachers constantly engage and update parents on the learning habits and progress of their child.
English lessons are conducted on a daily basis. Each lesson encompasses listening, speaking, reading and writing that is appropriately planned for different age groups. Spelling is introduced to K2 children in their second term as an awareness programme to prep the children for primary school education.
Mathematics and Discovery Science are conducted in Chinese from N1 to K1. These two subjects are taught in English in K2. This is to ensure a smooth transition to meet the requirements in primary school. Mathematics lesson are conducted using concrete objects, authentic learning corners and relevant teaching materials. Children learn about concepts of number bonds, patterning, grouping, sorting and matching etc. Real-life examples in the Froebel Living Garden, outdoors and indoors are used for Discovery Science. Hands- on experiments are arranged for children to learn through their five senses, problem solving skills and locomotor skills. For example lesson on ‘shadow’ is conducted in the classroom, in the garden or outdoor space. Children were able to observe and understand
Music and Movement Programme is incorporated in our curriculum. No extra charges are charged to parents. Lessons are designed by qualified instructors from SHHK Dance Theatre, a professional Chinese Dance group. The programme caters to N1 to K2 students on a weekly basis.
Currently our children undergo a basic course in music and movement. They are also introduced or exposed to different types of dances, music and even wushu-dance as they progress.
Art class
Art lesson in the living skills programme focuses on observations and emotion sensing skills. Lessons are designed to boost the use of art as a form of expression. Example: 2014, Mother’s Day was approaching and teacher informed the children to design a card for their mothers. One boy drew a big heart shape on the paper then he coloured it with blue. The teacher was puzzled. His classmate, a little girl sat next to him knew that the boy did not get what he wanted from home. She was able to appreciate his feeling and informed the teacher that he was unhappy. The role of the teacher is to facilitate the process which allows children to interpret and express themselves through art.
Orff music lesson has the similar function. Orff music is conducted by our teachers during the living skills programme where lessons are injected with a “natural sense of play” element for children to understand and learn rhythms through discovery to create their own music.
Our children attend Structured Classroom Lessons and Living Skills Programme which encompasses the learning of living skills and holistic character development daily. Classroom lessons are conducted in both Chinese and English languages – language and literacy, mathematics, discovery science, fun with music and art and craft. K1 and K2 children will have their show and tell (in both languages), current affairs and character building on a weekly basis. During the Living Skills Programme our children are immersed in a Chinese environment – where they learn to listen, speak and read Chinese through activities – Chinese reading programme, games, gardening and DIY items. Music and Movement Programme is scheduled once a week. Indoor motor-skill development activities and physical exercises are scheduled once a week each for N2 to K2. Extra times on physical exercises and outdoor plays have been catered for N1 children for better motor-skill development and coordination. Lessons on aesthetic expression are essential for all levels on a weekly basis.
Young Parents Guide 2016