Kinderjoy Educare Review
|
|
|
Kinderjoy Educare classroom
|
The first thing that we noticed when we walked in Kinderjoy Educare (Bedok Campus)was how happy everyone was, be it the teachers, kids or even parents themselves.
Perhaps it was the brightly coloured walls which were decorated with children-crafted charts that exuded the warmth or the way the teachers enthusiastically interacted with their classes while the children happily clapped and sang. But whatever the case, it was hard to miss the positive upbeat vibe of the centre.
|
|
|
Ms. Sophia Gill
|
After putting our bags down and touring the place, we met up with Mrs. Sophia Gill, director of Kinderjoy Educare Pte Ltd who runs the centre’s two campuses simultaneously. Gill, formerly in Finance, realised shortly after getting married that her true passion lied with children.
With the encouragement and support from her husband, Gill opened Kinderjoy Educare at Jalan Tenaga 14 years ago. As her children got older, and she had more free time, she decided to open up the Bedok Campus. Gill personally attends to many issues in both branches where her visits are eagerly awaited by both staff and children.
She believes that a child should not be encompassed by academics alone. Thus she personally observes and draws up different programmes to suit the ability and help with the development of the children in each individual class. Using more of a ‘hands on’ approach, she and her staff are able to record remarkable changes in the children’s mental and physical development by the end of the course.
Curriculum
|
|
|
Classroom banner: By the children, for the children
|
The centre is home to children from as young as toddlers, to second year ‘kindergarteners’. With a strong staff of 10 at the Bedok branch and 8 in Jalan Tenaga, the children are able to get lots of personal attention and learn various things each day.
Mornings are usually allocated for English and afternoons for Mandarin. The curriculum gives equal importance to both languages. Children also have lessons in Science, Arts and Crafts, Music and Cooking.
Parents and Teachers
|
|
|
Kinderjoy’s teaching staff
|
As for teachers, most are young and vibrant, so as to be able to keep up with the children’s high level of energy.
Teachers are also encouraged to form a bond with the parents. For example, at the beginning of each academic year, the teachers send out a memo to the parents that contain vital information, such as a short introduction about the teacher, contact number and other essential information that parents should be made aware of. As for the rest of the year, meetings are conducted frequently to give them a scope on their child’s performance and participation in work and class. A monthly newsletter is also sent home to keep the parents abreast on the happenings of the centre.
Discipline
Discipline is handled in a rather tasteful fashion at the centre. Teachers withhold favourite lessons and TV programmes as a form of punishment rather than smacking or shouting at the children. A child is given opportunities and privileges like teenagers or older children but misbehaviour can lead to the privileges being evoked. For example, if a child enjoys Arts and Crafts, naughty behaviour can cause him to miss his next Arts and Crafts lesson. Children and not isolated during such a time but rather are with their classmates but just not able to participate in the activities. The adults use communication as a form of rectifying any discipline problem. Getting the child to voice out the reasons for acting up, the staff pitch themselves a position of not only understanding the child better but also being able to more fair in cases such as fighting, etc.
Discipline and punishing are two very different things.
Our Verdict
Overall, Kinderjoy Educare exuded abundance of love, care and dedication. We give it our two thumbs up.
Link to Kinderjoy Education website: To find out more information Visit Kinderjoy Education!