A Guide to Primary Schools in Singapore

In 2015, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development published the biggest global education school ranking based on the subjects Science and Math. It did not come as a surprise that Singapore is on top of the list based on the quality of education given from primary schools to college.  The Ministry of Education in Singapore believes that education is important in building the economy and nation. The government allotted the budget sufficient enough for each child to have education in primary schools in Singapore and finish 10 years of schooling. Aside from education, Singapore has been a consistent performer when it comes to trade and commerce, infrastructure, and transportation since their independence in 1965.

Education is a great equalizer and trains you to ask questions. It is likewise a place where ideas can be implemented, challenged, and restructured with the goal of implementing students with the knowledge on how to improve the society.  The school should be a training ground for a life lived well. This is the main reason why primary schools in Singapore make sure that they provide integrated and extensive curriculum for the kids.

Currently, Singapore’s education system is composed of six years of primary school education, four to five years of secondary education and two years at junior college, polytechnic University Education. There are two main types of primary schools in Singapore – government and government aided.  These are broadly classified into mainstream schools, autonomous schools with improved niche program such as aesthetics, arts and sports education and independent schools with greater autonomy in programs and operations as well as International profit and non-profit primary schools. 

Moreover, primary school in Singapore is composed of Preschool playgroup (age 3-4), Kindergarten (age 4-6), Primary school – Primary 1 (age 6-7), Primary 2 (age 7-8), Primary 3 (age 8-9), Primary 4 (age 9-10), Primary 5 (age 10-11), and Primary 6 (age 11-12).

Children usually progress in a natural, predictable sequence from one developmental milestone to the next. But each child grows at his own pace. Some children may be advanced in one area, such as language, but behind in another aspect, such as motor development. Milestones usually are grouped into five major areas: cognitive development, emotional development, physical growth, social development, language development, and sensory and motor development.

In addition, pre-school children learn the basic language (Malay, Tamil, Chinese and English), writing skills, arts and crafts, physical activities as well as socialization skills for three to four hours every day.  

Various primary schools in Singapore are also focused into rearing a child who is globally competitive while respecting global diversity.  The primary schools not only house locals but children of different nationalities as well. It is interesting to note that the student body is composed of 10 to 30 different nationalities.  These international schools usually adapt a curriculum different from that of the country’s own curriculum, which promotes a genuine interest in the cultural beliefs of the students, enhancing their communication skills as well as preparing the students for further study and work whether local or overseas.

5 Benefits of Going to Kindergarten in Singapore

Most parents believe that it is important to send their children to school at a young age.  There are a  lot of areas assessed to determine if the child is ready for kindergarten in Singapore. These areas include cognitive, emotional, and social development.  Here are the five benefits of going to international kindergarten in Singapore.

1.  Children are exposed to the “work and play” kind of environment at Kindergarten. Usually, kindergarten classes are informal classes in which the teachers portray that they are really the kid’s second mother.  Kindergarten is the place wherein the child can learn and play at the same time.  There are a lot of activities, such as nursery rhymes, songs and poems, provided in school, which teach different concepts like the alphabet and basic number skills.  Music, craft works, and role playing are also included in the curriculum and these encourage the use of the child’s imagination. 

2. Kindergarten is an opportunity for learning beyond the comforts of home. In kindergarten, the children are able to meet people other than their families. At a young age, they will learn to understand and accept the individual differences just by looking at his or her classmate’s appearance. Although most kindergarten schools have an informal set up, some schools allow their students to just roam around inside the classroom and sit on the floor. Kindergarten is a good way of transitioning and introducing the children into a structured learning as they go along.  It also prepares children towards the more complex subjects such as Math and Science, which is where Singaporeans are very good at. 

3.  Enrolling your child in a Kindergarten is a good opportunity in igniting their curiosity through learning and significant interaction. In a usual classroom set up, the teacher acts as the facilitator but the children are asked to exchange their own ideas with each other. There is no right or wrong answers in this kind of set up so as to encourage the kids to tap their curiosity in answering the questions.  Activities outside the classroom such as a mini-tour in the school garden can ignite the child’s curiosity because of the discoveries found in the area.  What an amazing opportunity for learning, isn’t it?

4.  Kindergarten activities aid in the motor development of the child. It is a good move to send the child in kindergarten because they are able to use and improve their motor skills through the use of different fine motor activities at school. In kindergarten, kids are allowed to use clay, buttons, shells, and even seeds to learn the concept of figures and numbers.

5. Kindergarten is the best possible kick-starter for life. Early childhood development is very important.  Most Singaporean schools have developed a curriculum that is aligned with early childhood framework. In this case, there is flexibility in developing the child in his or her formative years.  Aside from that, the child learns to trust and communicate with his or her teachers and classmates because they share a common goal, which is a holistic learning experience even at a young age.  

7 Things to Expect in a Reading Program

As the cliché goes, reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. In kindergarten, children are involved in reading and writing programs. As parents, we should know the things and activities that we should be expecting when enrolling our kids to a reading program. Here we discuss the seven things to expect in a preschool reading program.

1.  The Alphabet. It is not surprising that even before the child enters the school, he is already familiar with the alphabet because his parents taught him at home. During a reading program, kids are also taught with the basics using different approaches, such as playing an ABC balloon game in which the kids are asked to form a circle, toss the balloon from side to side, and the kid with the balloon will recite the letters as the activities go along. In this way, the child is able to play while learning.

2.  Children are exposed to phonics during reading program. These are activities utilized specifically for children at an early age for them to learn how to practice saying the sound of the words or the words itself.  In these activities, the teacher will be the first one to pronounce the word and he or she would allow the children to speak up and mimic what she had said. They would often associate the words with pictures so that the child will easily recognize the words.

3. Writing. Kids are taught how to write by using books with tracing materials on it. This is the fastest way for kids to learn how to write at an early age. Of course, these tracing papers are only here for a short while as the child learns how to write the letters without the dotted lines to guide him.

4. Expect a lot of take home activities for the kids. Fun practice makes perfect. More often, the child is given a test to see if they are able to retain the things that they learned in school.  Usually, these are in the form of storytelling, role playing or reading, and comprehension tests.

5.  A child’s confidence is built because at an early age, he or she will be proficient in reading and writing. Although reading proficiency is not the only measure of success, it pays to at least enroll the child in a reading and writing program.  In reading classes, there are plenty of opportunities for learning. The classroom environment is conducive to learning and interaction.  The teachers use developmentally appropriate reading and writing materials to insure that children are getting what is developmentally appropriate for their kids. 

6. There are different reading strategies applied to reading and writing programs. There is individual storytelling and guided reading incorporated in the curriculum.

7. There are different stages in drawing and writing. First stage includes the random scribbling, controlled scribbling, lines and patterns and pictures of objects and people, and letter and word practice.  These are integrated in the curriculum allowing the children to learn at a proper pace.  After these stages, the artworks of children are placed on the wall or displayed for them to see the progress of their work and for them to feel a sense of accomplishment in their task.