Can the education system really be fun for our children? With the academic pressure students are placed under, maybe the importance of having fun while learning should be given more attention.
Or so think the experts at Singapore’s famous ‘Study Room.’
theAsianparent spoke with Lim Wei Yi – fondly called Wei by his students – to give us some insights into the importance of having fun while learning.
From A Diligent Journalist To A Dedicated Educator
Image source: Facebook / Study Room
Before getting into the way Study Room ensures the importance of having fun while learning is instilled in parents and students, we got to know a little more about the centre’s founder.
Before Study Room, Wei worked as a journalist for more than 10 years. He even got to work at Dow Jones and Bloomberg. And jumpstarting the education centre with his “buddy” Wallace Wong was a sort of “mid-life crisis” decision.
“I was covering emerging market stocks, with an emphasis on China. Every day, work was intense as the A-shares market was very volatile,” says Wei.
While drowning under work for not only local shares but also regional stories and overnight stories for the US audience, Wei felt like he “needed more meaning” in his life.
That opportunity arose when Wei was guiding his nephew with school work. He was surprised to find that the education system in Singapore was still the same as during his time.
“There was still a lot of rote-learning, memorising and doing of 10-year series. It thought me thinking if I could do something to contribute to the change of the system,” he shares.
It was then that he met up with his friend Wallace who was luckily “on the same page about the education system.”
Despite still being busy with their own jobs at the time, the two decided to start a Facebook page to provide study tips for students. While it was originally only supposed to be an “extra-curriculum activity” for them, they were surprised by the enthusiastic response from both parents and students.
“We were encouraged so we decided to have some classes on Saturdays. Even without advertising, we managed to fill the classes. All signs seem to point to the fact that this was our new calling. Thus, we made the decision to quit our day job and focus on Study Room. The rest is history,” says Wei.
“I still love journalism and we can change the world with quality reporting too, but I want to start doing so with the future generation,” he makes sure to add.
Why Academic Journey In Singapore Is Not Without Challenges
Wei shares with us some of the challenges they faced while setting up Study Room to help children in Singapore.
1. Balancing traditional and their own unique way of learning
Wei says one of the challenges they faced was having to balance “creativity, joy of learning and doing well for the examinations” when teaching children.
“We want to ensure that students are critically thinking, going the extra mile, becoming more independent learners and enjoying learning. These qualities are equally important to us,” he tells theAsianparent.
He adds, “Fortunately, most parents are on board with us on this, but with the pressure-cooker system, it is inevitable that some would flag that they prefer the traditional mode of just memorising. We would need to convince these parents how understanding and learning outside the class are just as pertinent.”
2. Finding teachers who were in line with their vision
It was also a huge challenge getting quality teachers for the centre. Their criteria for teachers was not whether they were NIE-trained, but on how passionate they are in teaching.
Aside from just knowing the subject matter, it was also important that they “love children and are invested in making the classes fun.”
“We also want a diverse group of teachers who can provide students insights about the world too. As a boutique centre, our reputation is everything. Our teachers represent us so it is our top priority to get great teachers,” says Wei.
He also shares how they take at least half a year to find a new teacher and have been lucky so far with their search. For instance, one of the centre’s teachers named Jun would conduct her classes even after the scheduled timetable to ensure that her students are ready.
Another one of their teachers, Anna, has 40 years of experience at ACS and is actually no retired. Yet she continues to teach as it is her passion.
Wei adds, “All her students love her- she could handle both online and physical classes with ease and can be fun and firm at the same time.”
3. Managing their time
It was a challenge having to handle enquiries to teaching, cleaning the place and even marketing the centre. Especially during their initial years, there were no rest days and Wei had to work “till the wee hours” every day.
“While hours are more regular now, we still try to be hands-on in things we find important. For instance, I still handle all enquiries despite the heavy workload. That’s the first point of contact and I want to be able to share my Study Room story with the potential members of the Study Room family,” says Wei.
He adds, “Hopefully, this extra touch would make the experience more personal for the parents who are enrolling their child.”
Image source: Facebook / Study Room
4. Dealing with the pandemic and online classes
Just like the rest of the world, there were also challenges brought upon by COVID-19. It was not easy having to move classes online along with teaching teachers and students “how to handle online classes.”
Wei says there was some difficulty adjusting to the sudden changes while also ensuring the safety of their students.
Despite these challenges, Wei and his team still love what they do. Their personal relationships with their students as well as getting to see them “flourish and improve” motivated them to move forward.
“I hope we are one of the reasons that they have a memorable childhood and they can think of us when they want to do good in future,” he says.
The Importance Of Having Fun While Learning
To tell us more about this concept Wei shares, “We really want the students to enjoy learning. It sounds cliché but this is very important. As our tagline goes, learn more than what is outside the curriculum.”
“Studies should not be confined to what’s in the classroom or what is in the examinations. We want the students to embrace this spirit of education,” adds Wei.
“Enjoy studying. When you enjoy an activity, it is effortless and there is no need to ‘balance’,” says Wei. He also shares two key points in instilling the importance of having fun while learning which are:
- “Not to focus on every mark you get or whether you are top in class. Nor is it to compare yourself with others.”
- “Make sure you have done your best and celebrate every milestone.”
“Learning is a marathon, not a sprint. The drive to learn needs to be sustainable. When a child enjoys why they are learning, they can be motivated and do not get burnt out so easily,” Wei tells theAsianparent.
They make learning fun as well as engaging for kids by “gamifying the classes” such as having “kahoot games and competitions.”
He adds, “When the teacher is teaching with his/her heart, the students can sense it and will enjoy the process too.”
Image source: Facebook / Study Room
What Exactly Is “Quality Education” Then?
As for high-quality education for children, Wei says it is “not about a fancy set-up or materials printed on expensive paper.” It is important that children understand what they are taught and that their teachers “do not rush through the curriculum to meet a goal.” They should instead “finish the syllabus according to the students’ pace.”
“Quality education does not just refer to helping the students effectively with their academic work. It also encompasses changing them for the better as people- making them braver, more empathetic, kinder and more resilient,” he says.
Wei advises that one way to go about this is to ensure that the teachers “tweak the curriculum to that year’s cohort’s strengths and weaknesses.”
Wei also shares how important it is that educators have a love for both the job and the children. They should also have the “willingness to go the extra mile for their students.”
“Have an open mind because we need to teach students to see the world and look at matters with different perspectives,” he adds.
Thoughts On The New PSLE Changes
While Wei does applaud MOE for taking a step towards the right direction as “the intentions are great,” he admits that it can be “fine-tuned further.”
“For instance, the bands can be narrower especially from the 40s to 60s range. Currently, if you score 45 or 64, you belong in the same category. Many parents are getting nervous because they worry about their children falling into this broad band,” he says.
He adds, “As a result, they pressure kids to study even harder. It is counteractive to the goal of reducing stress for students.”
How Parents Can Support Their Kids With Their Studies
Home-based learning has become more of the norm given the current situation. This is as much of a challenge to both children and their parents. In how parents can better support their children with their studies, Wei shares some tips with TAP that could be helpful to you:
1. It is important to ensure that younger primary school children are focused while studying
“It is good to have the computer in the public area so that adults can monitor their learning activities,” says Wei.
2. Rather than “scrutinising their every move,” secondary school children need more pep talks regarding their studies
“Of course there would be teens who would get distracted too. Instead of nagging, let them fall but just be there to support them, pick them up and love them when they do,” he adds.
3. “Celebrate every small milestone”
Parents should remember that a small step is still a step forward. As Wei says, “If you had improved from 40/100 to 50/100, you deserve a pat on the back.”
He adds, “Set reasonable expectations. A student who is getting 40/100 should be aiming for 50/100 not 90/100. Let the child know that he has support and love regardless [of] whether he does well.”
4. Ensure your child enjoys studying
“When you enjoy an activity, it is effortless and there is no need to ‘balance’,” says Wei. “The key is not to focus on every mark you get or whether you are top in class. Nor is it to compare yourself with others. The key is to make sure you have done your best and celebrate every milestone.”
5. “Start revision early”
Regarding the PSLE papers, Wei advises that students try to understand the subject instead of doing the subject blindly. He reminds kids, “Do your best but remember it does not define you.”
Have A “More Than Curriculum” Approach
When asked what “more than curriculum” means for him, Wei tells theAsianparent that it’s about letting students learn beyond the textbook.
This helps them understand “the fact that what they learn can be applied in real life.” It is also about learning tangible values, too.
“Minister Chan Chun Sing recently said, ‘What matters is not how much our students know, but how fast they learn, how able they are to adapt to an ever-changing environment.’ This aptly sums up what we have been trying to do. Get our students ready for their future beyond the static textbooks,” says Wei.
As Study Room provides both physical and online classes, Wei tells us they “want to make sure our students are all safe with the Covid-19 pandemic.”
“As rules change constantly, we have to be on the top of the game. Safety is paramount. This is our top priority,” he says. While Study Room still offers physical classes for their students, he says all parents must also note that, “The online option is here to stay.”
Lead image source from Facebook / Study Room.
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