THE STAR, MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018

Opportunities to
discover
The first step to raising an independent person is to give him
the freedom to explore. Read on to learn how you can encourage
independence in your child during the school holidays.
2 Bright Kids
EVERY school holiday, students face
endless possibilities in how they
can spend their free time.
However, it is easy to fall into
the trap of sleeping, watching
television and spending countless
hours scrolling through social
media every day if they are not
given productive things to do.
Parents can take the initiative to
present their children with
opportunities to experience new
things and gain new knowledge
that they may not get to learn in
school.
Choosing the right programme
or activity for children can be
overwhelming, as parents need to
consider the values and skills they
wish to impart in their children for
real-world survival, in addition to
time and cost constraints.
Below are some beneficial and
productive activities for your
children to do during the long
school break.
Forming new leaders
As a child grows into maturity
within and outside his usual social
circle, it is vital for him to be able
to take the lead when situation
calls for it, especially when making
his own life decisions.
Leadership and interest-based
camps are a perfect avenue to
shape children’s decision-making
Making the most of it
Community service educates children on real-world issues and gives them an opportunity to play a part in alleviating
those issues.
skill. Additionally, they give young
individuals the opportunity to:
l Make new friends
l Develop independence away
from home
l Learn new cultures and skills
from campmates and officers
l Improve social skills
l Lead a more active lifestyle
In Malaysia, various camps
are organised during the school
holidays to cater to different
needs. For example, Children
Adventure Challenge is a
programme designed by
Outward Bound Malaysia to
teach children values such as
independence, teamwork and
courage through outdoor
activities.
According to Taufik Yusop,
marketing director for Outward
Bound Malaysia, school holidays
are the best time for children to
gain new experiences outside
the school setting.
“If you observe today’s
environment, most kids are
being forced to focus on
academics. Their days are filled
with school and tuition classes.
Therefore, holidays are the best
time for them to enjoy
themselves through exploring
and playing.
“It is natural for kids to play,
but through camps, they are
learning as well. While they do
not learn how to solve
mathematical problems, they
are learning ways to
communicate with others, be
resilient and be creative in
solving daily problems,” he says.
Through his experience
working at the Outward Bound
School in Lumut, Perak, Taufik
has received positive feedback
from parents who have sent
Life skills in the making
School holidays are the
perfect time for a parent to
teach her child independent
living in the comfort of
home.
Cooking, gardening,
running errands and other
house chores are essential to
a child’s growth, as they
build resilience, self-esteem
and a sense of responsibility
from young.
In an article titled Why
Helping at Home is Good for
Kids published by the
University of Melbourne last
year, Prof Dorothy Scott
states that the role of a child
in the family has diminished
over the years because
technological and digital
revolutions have reduced the
need for a child to contribute
THE STAR, MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018
their children for the
programmes held.
“They were really glad to see
their kids washing their own
plates after meals. After
participating in the
programmes, the kids are also
more active and want to do
challenging activities during the
weekends. Some parents were
surprised that their son or
daughter could now make
friends more easily.”
Breaking out of the box
School holidays are the
perfect time for a child to
explore and improve herself
through learning a new skill or
language, or discovering an
interest. With the extra free
time, she can delve fully into
something new and decide if
she wants to do it for the long
term.
Parents can gauge their
child’s interest and sign her up
for classes or workshops that
would benefit her physically,
emotionally and mentally.
While activities such as
dancing and sports can motivate
her to be active, being
multilingual can improve her
cognitive skills and place her
ahead of her peers in social
adaptability.
Beyond the confines of a
structured lesson or workshop,
a parent and child can also
discover new interests together.
Playing badminton together
or whipping up new recipes in
the kitchen can lead to
memorable experiences such as
encouraging each other to not
give up when one feels tired
from playing and laughing
together when a recipe does not
turn out as expected.
These experiences will
teach a child important lessons
such as the value of persistence
and not taking failures too
seriously.
Be an asset to society
There is no better way to
build a child’s character than to
expose him to the act of giving
from young. This can be done
by encouraging and
accompanying him to
participate in charity work or
community service during the
holidays.
> SEE NEXT PAGE
to the household as an
economic unit.
As families have now
turned into units of passive
consumption, she suggests
that modern children may be
losing resilience through the
lack of helping or being
useful to others.
“Positive psychology talks
of resilience being related to
factors like being part of
something larger than
yourself as an antidote to the
passiveness that comes from
a consumer society.
“The hypothesis is that by
promoting required
helpfulness and contributing
to the well-being of others
we might be able to help
children build their own
identity,” she says.
THE STAR, MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018
Helping parents with house chores from an early age promotes helpfulness and responsibility in
children.
Guided development
> FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
Orphanages, animal shelters and soup
kitchens are good places to nurture humility,
compassion and empathy for the world.
Parents can take the opportunity to
educate their child about real-world issues
happening outside their protective bubble
while instilling the virtue of volunteering.
The main goal is to develop a child who
understands that he is not entitled to the
world.
Rev Dr James A. Willson, founder and
director of Diamond Home, a shelter for
needy and orphaned children and youth in
Ayer Tawar, Perak, believes that introducing
children to community work and the
practice of helping the less fortunate instils
gratitude and generosity.
He adds that parents play an important
role in facilitating these experiences to
contribute to their child’s growth.
Dr Willson says, “One can never
underestimate the value of spending
time with children as it is an investment
whose rewards will be evident later in
their lives.
“Emulating social awareness and a sense
of responsibility to our children helps build
a brighter tomorrow for the less fortunate
and society at large.”
According to him, children who have had
multiple interactions with individuals in
need of society’s help and care tend to be
less demanding with their parents and have
a strong sense of gratitude for what they
have.
“These children experience a real sense of
meaning and purpose as they see the impact
Let them explore
While parents may get caught up in
planning activities and signing their
children up for educational programmes,
it is important to remember that children
can also learn when they are left to
explore on their own.
As children grow and mature, they will
need the freedom to explore their
surroundings and interests that will
shape their character and identity
further down the line.
Hobbies such as reading, drawing,
making model crafts and dabbling in
science projects are best done when a
child is provided free time outside
structured activities. These hobbies are
also great avenues for your child to bond
with his friends through shared interest
and time spent together.
While there is a misconception that
television shows, cartoons and video
games are considered empty
Bright Kids 3
made in the lives of those that their kindness
touches.”
Broadening horizons
Besides being a great time for parents to
bond with their children, travelling as a
family is a great educational experience for
kids.
Through travel, children are exposed to
different perspectives of life. Even a trip
back to the hometown can be educational
for them, as it allows them to better
understand their roots and strengthen their
sense of identity.
Travelling can also develop children’s
appreciation for history and culture. For
example, visiting Melaka helps them learn
the state’s origin as an international port
pioneered by Parameswara in the 1400s.
The old buildings of A’Famosa, Stadthuys
and old churches transport them back in
time to when the Portuguese invaded
Melaka. Besides that, parents can immerse
their children in the culture and origins of
the Baba Nyonya.
Travel does not always have to be time-
consuming and expensive. Parents can
arrange day trips to national landmarks such
as the National Museum, Batu Caves and the
Royal Selangor Visitor Centre, which can cost
almost nothing to be experienced by the
whole family.
There are plenty of opportunities out there
for children to spend their school holidays
wisely and productively. However, parents
must play their part in helping kids choose
and plan stimulating activities that will
contribute to their holistic growth.
entertainment, the experience can be
made educational if parents carefully
monitor the content of the games or
shows before allowing their child to
consume it.
A study published in the American
Psychologist in 2013 titled The Benefits of
Playing Videogames suggests that as
video games have changed in nature
over the years to be more complex,
diverse, realistic and social in nature,
children can benefit from them
cognitively, emotionally and socially.
Furthermore, educational television
programmes such as Dora the Explorer,
How It’s Made and Food Science expose
children to new languages, culture,
engineering and biotechnology in fun
and interesting ways.
With the right guidance and
monitoring, your child can enjoy a fun
and inspiring childhood beyond school.
4 Bright Kids
THE International Baccalaureate Middle
Years Programme (IB MYP) is an
internationally recognised, high-achieving,
pedagogical framework that is well known
for successfully preparing students for pre-
university and tertiary studies.
It offers seamless progression to the
International Baccalaureate Diploma
Programme (IBDP) as well as others such
as the United Kingdom’s A-Levels, the United
States’ Advanced Placement programme,
Canada’s Ontario Secondary School Diploma
(Grade 12) and Australia’s state-awarded
secondary school certificates of education.
Sunway International School (SIS)
campuses in Sunway City and Sunway
Iskandar are the only two schools in
Malaysia that offer the Ontario curriculum.
Both schools were granted IB World School
status and offer the IBDP.
SIS Sunway Iskandar is currently a
candidate school for the IB MYP.
SIS executive director Cheng Mien Wee
explains, “We offer an academically relevant
curriculum by incorporating the IB MYP
framework alongside the Canadian (Ontario)
middle years programme because the
Canadian education system has a long-
standing track record of successfully
preparing students for university.”
Ontario is Canada’s largest province and a
major contributor to the country’s strong
reputation of being at the top of the list of
English-speaking countries for quality
education.
According to the Program for International
Student Assessment by the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development,
Canada’s school education has consistently
been ranked among the top 10 in the world.
The best of both worlds
The IB MYP focuses on pedagogical
approaches in terms of teaching methods
and the development of students as self-
directed, critical learners. In terms of
content, the IB MYP is flexible in that it
dovetails with most school curricula across
the world.
Combined curricula to
ensure preparedness
SIS offers the IB and Ontario curricula, which help develop well-rounded, academically excellent
graduates.
It is noteworthy that the Canadian
educational philosophy matches the IB
MYP’s intent in clear, congruent ways.
The compatibility between the Ontario
curriculum and IB MYP framework offers a
schooling experience that is unmatched in
Malaysia.
Cheng elaborates, “In putting the IB MYP
and Ontario middle years curricula together,
learning is framed by two excellent
educational programmes. Both programmes
focus on the use of formative assessments as
a valuable method of guiding and
encouraging students to develop ownership
and mastery of their learning.”
According to Anthony Petitti, principal of
SIS Sunway Iskandar, the Six Cs by Dr
Michael Fullan are fully embraced and
integrated into the Ontario school
curriculum. Dr Fullan is an eminent leader
in Canadian and international education
and has been instrumental in shifting
educational discourses across Canada and
around the world.
The Six Cs stand for character,
citizenship, collaboration, communication,
creativity and critical thinking. Petitti
elaborates that the educational outcomes
of the Six Cs align with the IB Learner
Profile.
As an advocate for the Ontario school
curriculum, Petitti considers Canada to be
a good example of how schooling can
produce outstanding, well-rounded critical
learners who are ready for the world’s
best universities.
A growth mindset
BRIGHT Kids is a catchy title for a newspaper
supplement and one undoubtedly designed
to draw parents in, but it rankles me.
It gets me thinking about the word
“bright”, which here is used in the sense of
“intelligent”. What do we mean by it? What
does it signify? Does it matter?
Back in the 1990s, particularly in the
United States, there was a movement among
parents to continually praise their children.
The idea was that if you told your children
they were clever, they would be clever.
This idea came from the best of intentions,
but Dr Carol Dweck, a psychology professor
at Stanford University, pointed out that it had
the potential to backfire big time!
Based on careful research, Dr Dweck
concluded that the use of such praise did not
empower young people – it simply made
them think that things such as intelligence
were innate.
The leap children were making was, “I’m
good at this, because I was born this way.”
Therefore, when something doesn’t come to
them easily, their first reaction is to give up,
saying, “I am not good at this, so I will never
be good at this.”
Dr Dweck argued that parents and
teachers would do better to praise
THE STAR, MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018
Graduation requirements
IBDP graduation requirements include a
component called Creativity, Action, Service,
which matches Ontario’s graduation
requirement of completing 40 hours
(minimum) of documented community
service.
In addition, the International
Baccalaureate (IB) requires units of
interdisciplinary study. In every year of the
IB MYP, students participate in study that
takes place across pairs of subjects such as
English and Mathematics or Science and
Physical Education.
Similarly, the Ontario curriculum includes
interdisciplinary subjects on its list of credit
courses. This is another example of how the
educational philosophies and approaches of
the Ontario and IB curricula are well
matched.
The IB MYP and IBDP culminate in final-
year examinations that determine the
outcome of several years of study. It is
required that IB students demonstrate
achievements across a wide range of
subjects.
This matches well with how high school
diplomas are earned in Canada. To obtain
the Ontario Secondary School Diploma,
students must earn academic credits across a
range of subject areas.
Applications for the January 2019 intake
are now open for SIS’ Sunway City and
Sunway Iskandar campuses.
n For more information, visit www.sis.
sunway.edu.my
children’s efforts. She wanted us to
understand that intelligence is not fixed but
elastic. Out of this came her work on growth
mindset.
She pointed to the different approaches –
fixed or growth – that one can take on a task,
and argued that it is the growth mindset that
we need to promote in schools. Effort,
resilience, risk-taking, reflection,
perseverance and failure are the things that
make us better.
At Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar (KTJ), our focus is
squarely on a growth mindset. We want all
our students to believe that they can exceed
expectations, not just meet them. There is
always room to reflect, adjust, adapt and
improve.
As part of this, students and staff need to
be willing to make mistakes, learn from
those mistakes and try again.
This is the skill set that will best serve
young people in the fast-paced, ever-
changing, technology-driven world in which
they will live and work – a world we are
preparing them for at KTJ. – By Dr Glenn
Moodie, principal of KTJ
n For more information, e-mail registrar@
ktj.edu.my or visit www.ktj.edu.my
THE STAR, MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018
Epsom Prep School allows students to attain life skills through structured curricular and
extracurricular activities.
The best of
tradition and
technology
EPSOM Prep School focuses on creating a
dynamic learning environment that draws
on established and modern techniques.
The school knows that children learn best
when they are happy and engaged, which is
why it takes pride in cultivating a welcoming
school atmosphere.
With excellent teaching, fantastic facilities,
a varied curriculum and dedicated
educators, Epsom Prep School has all the
elements needed to provide a good
education and the added advantage of a
positive and supportive environment.
Upon enrolling in the school, your child
will become part of the Epsom family in
no time.
The focus at Epsom is on positive
education. Epsom wants all children to enjoy
learning, so it bases its work on seven
foundations of positive education – joy,
purpose, power, gratitude, connection,
possibility and resilience.
Modern teaching methods
It is vital in today’s increasingly connected
and digital times that teaching stays current
and relevant. Epsom prides itself on its
cutting-edge teaching methods, encouraging
21st century skills such as collaboration and
communication across age groups and
subjects.
Each subject features a tailored approach
taught by specialist teachers. For example,
based on the method's record of success,
Epsom uses the Singaporean method to teach
mathematics. Epsom believes that students
should not just get the right answer, they
should know why an answer is correct and
be able to explain the reasoning behind it.
There is no such thing as rote learning at
Epsom. It encourages engagement with the
subject matter to enable true understanding
of every lesson.
At Epsom, there is always something new
going on. The varied curriculum includes
drama, physical education, swimming,
computing and languages such as Mandarin,
French and Spanish.
Epsom also considers English to be of
utmost importance. For children who need
help with their English language skills, the
school provides special support through its
English as an Additional Language and
Bright Kids 5
Intensive English Language Provision
courses.
Small student groups enable students to
learn the language in a friendly, supportive
environment.
An encouraging environment
An important part of the Epsom way is
the low student-to-teacher ratio. This means
that every child gets the attention that he or
she needs and is supported and challenged
according to the requirements of each task
to maximise learning potential.
Teachers and teaching assistants have
close, observant relationships with the
students, finding out how best to stimulate
their attention and learning capacities and
tailoring lessons to meet their needs.
Students can attend voluntary extra
lessons on Saturday mornings. Saturday
school is an opportunity for children to
develop their swimming skills, improve
their physical education prowess or develop
artistic ability.
Outside lesson time, student voice and
leadership are incredibly important.
Opportunities to assume positions such as
house captain and head of school are
available for students so that they may take
initiative and champion causes they feel
strongly about.
Epsom also has a school council that
offers students the chance to voice their
opinions and thoughts. Students are a vital
part of the school, and Epsom wants them
to feel involved in its running. To date, the
council has organised discos, led assemblies
and planned charitable events.
Parents play an important part in Epsom
Prep School. Whether it is attending the
Celebration Assembly, volunteering to read
with children or planning special events
such as Chuseok and Halloween, parents of
Epsom students care deeply about the
school and the school staff love having
parents involved.
Epsom keeps parents up-to-date through
coffee mornings, open days and an online
portal.
n For more information, call 06-240 4188,
e-mail enquiries@epsomcollege.edu.my or
visit www.epsomcollege.edu.my
6 Bright Kids
Trusted, proven method
MORRIS Allen English opened its doors in
2008 to meet the growing demand for
effective learning of English. Since then,
more than 5,000 students have passed
through the doors of the three Morris Allen
branches located in the Klang Valley.
These students not only saw marked
improvement in their command of English,
but also learnt lifelong skills through Morris
Allen English’s trusted and proven learning
method.
A reputable English enrichment centre
with many years of expertise, Morris Allen
English believes in encouraging students
aged between four and 17 to have fun with
learning while being taught in an
environment conducive to effective learning.
Besides its qualified, nurturing teachers,
what sets Morris Allen English apart is its
interactive teaching method, which focuses
on four major areas of a child’s language
development – listening, speaking, reading
and writing.
In each area, students are guided on
listening comprehension, reading interest,
oral and writing skills, and critical thinking.
By adopting this interactive method, students
learn English in ways that they find more
meaningful and effective.
The importance of spoken English for
students must not be underestimated.
Speaking is a fundamental part of every
class. The earlier children are exposed to
good spoken language, the easier it is for
them to pick up the different sounds they
need to know to read and write the
language.
All the courses offered at Morris Allen
English employ this interactive approach
using methods that help instil the love of
learning in students. Morris Allen English
believes in giving students the freedom to
openly express themselves and explore the
English language in a fun setting.
Besides the enrichment programme, the
short courses and holiday programme have
To facilitate the learning of English, children are
exposed to different aspects of the language.
been popular among parents. Focusing on
specific skill areas, these courses offer a good
introduction to the Morris Allen English
methodology.
Many students who started out with a
short course have continued attending
regular weekly classes as they find the
interactive method fun. Parents are
thoroughly pleased with the progress of their
children.
This month marks the 10th anniversary of
Morris Allen English in Malaysia. This
significant milestone will be celebrated with
many activities and special offers for
students.
n For more information, call 03-7726 7656
(Angeline)/03-7880 3169 (J.C./Yati) or e-mail
angeline@morrisallen-malaysia.com/jc@
fmpromos.com/yati@fmpromos.com
Say goodbye
to head lice
HEAD lice infestations occur prevalently
among children and can affect as many as
one in five children. There is a myth that lice
can jump from one head to another, but in
truth, close head-to-head contact is needed
for lice to spread.
Common treatments available can be
harmful or contain toxic pesticide-based
ingredients such as permethrin, lindane
(also known as gamma benzene
hexachloride) and benzyl benzoate.
Alternatively, herbal preparations are
available in the market. However, there is a
lack of data on the safety and toxicity of
herbal preparations.
Lice Clear was produced to overcome the
issues and concerns regarding the toxicity of
pesticide-based products and herbal
preparations to treat head lice.
Lice Clear is safe and effective as it is
developed without toxic pesticide-based
ingredients. Parents can bid goodbye to head
lice infestations with Lice Clear.
Innovation at its best
Lice Clear, a colourless liquid gel, has
been clinically proven to eliminate head
lice and lice eggs (nits) in just three simple
steps. Its primary ingredient is a superior
food-grade synthetic lubricant called
dimethicone, which has a well-known
safety profile.
As dimethicone is a food-grade ingredient,
parents need not worry because it is
odourless, non-irritating and hypoallergenic.
Dimethicone fills the tracheal system of head
lice within minutes, interrupting their
oxygen supply and leading to their rapid
deaths.
Dimethicone is known for its rheological
(flow) property, which makes the comb-out
process smooth and easy because it
lubricates the hair and allows the comb to
glide through effortlessly.
As Lice Clear is a pesticide-free product, it
can be safely reapplied if the head lice
infestation reoccurs. Lice Clear is classified
as a medical device.
Education is key
As all socio-economic classes are
susceptible to lice, it is vital for the public to
be aware of this problem so that early
detection may take place.
Children with head lice normally
Lice Clear helps parents get rid of their children’s head lice safely and effectively.
THE STAR, MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018
Lice Clear was produced
to overcome the issues
and concerns regarding
the toxicity of pesticide-
based products and herbal
preparations to treat head
lice.
experience tickling sensations on their
scalps, the feeling that something is moving
in their hair, itchiness, soreness and trouble
sleeping (as lice are more active in the dark).
There are two ways to search for lice.
Check the child’s scalp when her hair is dry.
Pay special attention to the area behind the
ears as a rash may occur due to scratching.
Although lice are small and tend to avoid
light, try to spot them moving.
Nits are tiny white or yellowish teardrop-
shaped sacs that are often hard to
distinguish from dandruff. Adult lice are no
bigger than a sesame seed and tan in colour.
The second way is to pour lots of
conditioner on the child’s hair and comb it in
sections from the roots to the ends using a
lice comb. Nits stick to the hair like glue, so if
your child has lice, the insects will be visible
on the comb.
If parents are still unsure whether lice
are present or have been eradicated after
completing these two steps, it is advisable
for them to bring their child to a doctor.
Ensuring safety
According to the United States’ Food and
Drug Administration, using pesticide-based
products to remove head lice should be a last
resort as it may cause serious side effects.
Lice Clear is available at local clinics and
leading pharmacies. The product is sold
together with a lice comb at RM21.00 in
peninsular Malaysia and RM21.40 in Sabah,
Sarawak and Labuan (suggested retail price).
This article is brought to you by Apex
Pharmacy Marketing Sdn Bhd.
n For more information, call 03-5629 3720
(Yong).
7 Bright Kids
Exploration beyond the classroom
HOLIDAY camps are beneficial for
children of all ages. As safe places
away from home, these camps
allow children to come out of
their shell, build self-esteem, find
their own identities alongside
their peers and explore and
discover new things.
With the school holidays just
around the corner, countless child
education and development
centres will be hosting specialised
programmes to keep children
entertained.
As parents, you may be spoilt
for choice with the options
available, but there is always
something to suit your child’s
personality.
Stepping out of his
comfort zones
Centres that offer outdoor
learning strive to educate youth
on self-discipline, physical fitness,
craftsmanship and compassion.
Designed to promote
independence, such programmes
allow children to explore the
world away from the familiar
home setting.
Courses at these centres focus
on adventure activities such as
camping, jungle trekking,
swimming, hiking and kayaking
that can open children’s minds to
the wonders of the outdoors.
Being one with nature
Nature conservation camps
expose your children to fun
activities while educating them on
issues related to the environment
such as global warming and the
effects of deforestation,
industrialisation and illegal
activities on the flora and fauna in
Malaysia’s lush tropical rainforests.
For example, when visiting a
wildlife conservation centre,
children will be taught about the
importance of protecting wildlife,
threats faced by animals on the
endangered species list,
significance of rehabilitation, need
for relocation and how the world
would be affected should such
animals go extinct.
In a direct manner, children are
made aware of how conservation
organisations advocate for the
rights of these animals while
sheltering and rehabilitating those
that fall victim to man-made
activities.
Hence, the next generation is
taught how to conserve and take
care of the environment and
nature’s well-being.
Refining his craft
For children with an affinity for
the arts, art camps are places
where they can hone their skills
under the guidance of
professionals and experts, share
ideas with other camp participants
and practise their craft. Besides
that, they can gain new techniques
and ideas to use in future passion
projects.
Art camps can also help to
develop your child’s discipline,
resilience, patience and attitude
THE STAR, MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018
in the face of difficulty, be it when instilling values of sportsmanship, means that the younger generation
they are trying to complete an art community and teamwork. needs to be tech-savvy to keep this
project or play a piece of music Lifelong friendships can be chain of advancement going.
perfectly. forged through shared toils and Enrolling your child in a science-
The lessons learnt can be applied troubles as each child strives to focused camp is a good way to
in their lives after the holidays, achieve his best in a sport he is equip him with basic knowledge
influencing them to push through passionate about with the help of on science, technology, engineering
their academic endeavours in the his teammates. and mathematics subjects.
same way. A child’s sense of discipline and As individual camps tend to
responsibility can be honed explore different areas of these
Establishing lifelong through sticking to schedules and
caring for his own belongings for
subjects in depth, it can expose
your child to more advanced
lessons the duration of the camp. scientific aspects such as robotics,
biotechnology and physics.
With the rising prevalence of
obesity in Malaysia, it is important
For budding inventors and
to ensure that the younger scientists
generation does not go down the
same route of The digital age has blessed us
sedentary living with new technologies and
and unhealthy
lifestyles.
machines that have made our lives
easier in terms
Sports of carrying
camps are a out daily
good avenue tasks.
for parents However,
to get their this also
kids out
and about
while
8 Bright Kids
MALAYSIA’S education policy has
gone through some big changes in
the past few years. One such
change is the switch from
Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah
Rendah to Kurikulum Standard
Sekolah Rendah (KSSR) in the
primary school system in 2011.
The KSSR focuses more on
teaching higher-order thinking
Moulding outstanding citizens
THE importance of life values is
made clear through the way they
affect a person’s ability to function
and the decisions he makes as a
member of society.
For a child, these values are not
learnt overnight but instilled over
the years by family members and
society. Therefore, it is crucial for
parents to start early as a child’s
first impression of the world will
be through his family, and the kind
of values he learns will depend on
what he sees happening at home.
Practising good manners
One’s worth is not defined by his
academic qualifications and work
experience. It includes his ability to
engage in daily interactions with
poise and grace that endears him
to others.
Thus, the habit of practising
good manners is important if a
child is to go far in life.
Encouraging the use of polite
sayings such as “please”, “thank
you” and “sorry” can be a good
place to start in moulding the child
into a kind, considerate person
while shaping others’ perception of
him into a positive one.
The importance of honesty
Besides good manners, honesty
is another essential value to impart
to your child. While little white lies
can be brushed aside, continually
doing so normalises the act, which
can become a matter of grave
concern as it may lead your child
to tell bigger lies later that can land
him in more serious trouble.
Parents must be aware of their
actions and the consequences of
those actions to ensure that there
are no inconsistencies in
demonstrating honesty to their
child. White lies such as lying
about your child’s age to get
discounted tickets or reduced
prices are easily observed and
Building lifelong learners
skills (HOTS) than lower-order
thinking skills (LOTS). While LOTS
lead students to memorise
concepts, HOTS train them to
synthesise and analyse information
and knowledge to solve problems
and make decisions.
Students need to be equipped
with HOTS for life after
school. This is particularly
true today where analytical,
critical and creative minds
are more in demand
than ever.
absorbed, and you do not want
your children to pick up such
habits.
It is essential to teach children
the importance of honesty as well
as the consequences of lying
because these matters form their
definition of right and wrong.
The joy of learning
Reading a book, watching a
documentary and training under a
seasoned scout leader – these are
all instances of learning that a
child can be exposed to shape his
definition of what learning is.
Learning is a lifelong journey of
collecting knowledge and wisdom
from the known and unknown
parts of life. When a child
understands this, his outlook on
learning becomes more of a
desire to discover new things
rather than memorising
information to obtain a piece of
paper in university.
Hence, parents should instil the
joy of learning in their child as it
can bear great fruit for him and
the world when knowledge and
wisdom are being continually
sought to better society.
How to manage money
When one only spends money
but does not earn any, it can be
easy for him to forget the hard
work that goes into getting that
money. This can lead to
overspending, not to mention
thinking that money equals
happiness. Children should be
taught the value of money and
how to manage it properly to
ensure their well-being long after
they have flown the nest.
Methods such as giving children
fixed amounts of weekly pocket
money, teaching them to budget
and educating them on the
importance of having savings can
teach children to manage their
Eye Level is an enrichment
programme developed by Daekyo,
a leading education service
provider founded in 1976 in South
Korea.
To help students become
problem solvers, critical thinkers
and lifelong learners, Eye Level
has developed robust, research-
based curricula that serve as a
model throughout the world.
The Eye Level curricula help
students learn LOTS and HOTS
and apply these skills in and
Children who absorb good values live them out to make the world a better place.
money while indirectly exposing
them to the basic concepts of
financial planning.
Resolve disagreements
peacefully
One cannot go through life
without encountering argument
and disagreement. Hence, it is
necessary to teach your child ways
to solve disputes and
confrontations in a calm and
understanding manner.
Teaching your child the value of
patience and rational thinking can
help him take a deep breath and
look at the problem from different
angles when confronted with these
situations.
outside school.
Eye Level Math trains students
to use LOTS and HOTS throughout
its 32 levels. First, students master
Basic Thinking Math by practising
addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division.
They then learn Critical Thinking
Math, dealing with situation-based
questions. To understand the
concepts of Basic Thinking Math,
students need to use LOTS.
Afterwards, they need to develop
HOTS to apply those basic concepts
in Critical Thinking Math.
Eye Level English first helps
students develop LOTS by
following instructions to learn
basic language skills through
phonics and oral fluency exercises.
After gaining a basic level of
competence in English, students
continue to follow guided
instructions to develop HOTS.
At this level, they practise
reading and writing. To improve
their reading comprehension,
students learn to analyse a
variety of texts,
including literary
works. This way,
they feel more
comfortable in
dealing with
cognitively
challenging
questions and
ideas.
This teaches your child to not
only solve disagreements in a
civil manner, but also improve his
instincts of empathy and
tolerance.
How to love
wholeheartedly
All in all, the ability to love
others with compassion and
empathy speaks more about a
person than his achievements.
Having a family whose members
all love one another regardless of
each one’s flaws can build a child’s
trust and honesty, which will
translate into his relationship with
others outside his family.
Teaching your child to love
THE STAR, MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018
Carrying out linguistic and
cognitive exercises that are
systematically organised
throughout 14 levels, students
gradually become more proficient
in English. Eye Level English not
only helps them in school but also
lays a strong foundation for their
future career, thus encouraging
them to be competitive
professionals.
As mentioned before, the KSSR
emphasises HOTS. This means that
students will be encouraged to
practise these skills in school.
Consequently, schools will have to
change their methodology of
teaching and evaluation.
To develop HOTS, students
need to become more independent,
confident and active in learning,
organising and using knowledge
and skills. This idea is compatible
with Self-Directed Learning
(SDL) – the primary approach of
Eye Level.
Throughout the SDL process,
students learn to take initiative
and responsibility. Such behaviour
is closely linked to HOTS rather
than LOTS.
Build your child’s love for
learning with Eye Level's SDL
programmes.
n For more information, call 1300
880 909 or visit an Eye Level
learning centre.
involves guiding him to accept
others for who they are even when
he disagrees with them and love
himself without succumbing to the
pressure of other people’s
expectations.
Be the model of imitation
Children tend to imitate and
emulate the actions they regularly
see, so as role models, parents
should consistently demonstrate
the values they want to impart to
their child.
Because parents play such a
large role in a child’s life, it is
essential for them to practise as
they preach to affirm the values
they want to teach through their
actions.