Learning Vision offers great child care!
theAsianparent.com had the opportunity to visit Learning Vision @ Sunshine Place, a centre known for friendly teachers and a spacious environment. The purpose-built centre was well-equipped with learning and thematic corners to promote independent exploration, especially for students in preparation for primary 1.
By now, I am sure most parents are aware that preschool experiences are beneficial to children and will help them be ready and successful when formal school begins. In a nutshell, we send our children to preschool as we believe the ability to interact with other children is one of the benefits neither nanny nor house-keeper can provide. There are other advantages to preschool education – which is primarily the foundation for academic learning. With that in mind, we at theAsianparent set out to visit Learning Vision @ Sunshine Place to see if it met the mark.
Housed within Sunshine Place Shopping Centre, this Learning Vision centre is conveniently located in the estate of Choa Chu Kang.
Principal & Vice Principal warm and motherly
Principal Emily Choo greeted us at the door with a welcoming smile. Not only has she been with Learning Vision for 12 years, her passion for teaching and nurturing has kept her in the early childhood industry for 25 years.
The first thing we noticed when we stepped into the sunlit-bright centre was warm, lively chatter from each classroom. Interactive and refreshingly exuberant, the environment was buzzing with communication. Emily, who has a Degree in Early Childhood Care and Education, introduced us to her Vice Principal – Hazlina Mohd Hashim.
Hazlina’s love for children piqued her interest in teaching, and she has been with Learning Vision for 13 years. She holds a Diploma in Pre-School Education (Teaching), and is currently undergoing a WSQ Competency Development in Special Needs Education course with a couple of other teachers twice a week and after office hours.
Hazlina explains that the WSQ course is vital to help children with special needs more effectively, ensuring they will acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to adapt. Hazlina also added that programmes at the centre have been modified to cater for the inclusion of all children.
Learning Vision @ Sunshine Place has eight classrooms and accepts children from eighteen months to six years. Full capacity is at 105 students, and the centre is almost full, mainly with children on full-day programme.
Preparing kids for primary 1: School Readiness Programme
Besides developing children academically, Learning Vision’s comprehensive curriculum encourages them to experience the joy of learning whilst ensuring Primary One readiness. The School Readiness Programme is introduced to Kindergarten 2 children at the second-half of the school calendar year.
This programme aims to provide a simulated primary school context through which children can apply and consolidate the learning skills they have acquired in their Kindergarten 2 year. At the same time, the programme further enhances and extends school readiness in the areas of academic, social, emotional and physical skills with a special focus on character development.
For example, parents are encouraged to buy dictionaries for their children, as their use is incorporated in phonics classes to complement the curriculum. Children will learn how to search for the meanings of unknown words, and better understand what they are learning in preparation for primary 1.
Children will also get to spend half a day at a primary school close by to experience what it’s like to be a student there. Often, the children are excited to visit the library and canteen as these are new experiences for them. They love the idea of getting pocket money to buy their own food at the canteen too and are encouraged to pack their own school bags and plan their own schedules as they will be ‘growing up’ soon.
A heart-warming experience
Hazlina feels a sense of achievement when students whom she had taught previously return to visit her, and tell her they are in good schools or doing very well in school. She is happy all her efforts and time spent to nurture them have been worth every second. This is why she emphasised, “it is beneficial and important to place your child in a good preschool.”
We asked Hazlina why parents should invest in a good preschool, and she had this to say, “I believe teachers play a very important role as we lay the foundation for your child. In a stimulating environment, we work upon their curiosity and imagination as a stepping stone to lifelong learning. We also encourage them to be independent learners who are not afraid to speak up and ask questions.”
The foundation of a good preschool lies in its teachers and environment. At Learning Vision, the teachers work as a family, and are very close-knit. As she and Emily are mothers themselves, they relate well to the parents, and even the teachers come to them for advice.
Fun-damental Corners we love!
Among the many fun-damental corners at the centre was one that we truly fell in love with! Located close to the toddler classroom, the Dressing Corner promises children fun-tastic role-playing time as they learn to share and interact with each other. The centre also has a Science Corner, Big Book Corner and Play Corner, all conveniently found near the classrooms for easy access.
Learning Vision @ Sunshine Place offers childcare services and preschool programmes for toddlers aged 18 months to children aged 6 years. Their operating hours are from 7.00am to 7.00pm, Mondays to Fridays, and 7.00am to 2.00pm on Saturdays.
For more information, please log on to https://www.learningvision.com, or call +65 6501 7557.
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