Empowerment
Through Technology
In an increasingly digital world, educators at Skool4Kidz are focused on preparing the next generation to become future-ready.
children are more capable than people often give them credit for. Take coding, for instance — a field of computer science which many assume is understandable only to tech-savvy adults. But over a few days in December 2022, children in various Skool4Kidz centres across Singapore could be seen enthusiastically engaging in age-appropriate coding activities.
With guidance from educators, Kindergarten 1 classes learned how to move the Bee-Bot, a programmable floor robot, on a grid map showing the different parts of a plant. Sticking to the plant theme, Kindergarten 2 children took things up a notch by working together to program a 16-step instruction using Matatalab Motion coding blocks to go through the sequence of a plant’s life cycle.
Child-friendly tech toys like the Bee-Bot make learning to code fun and engaging for little ones.
Educators organised these activities for children as part of the Hour of Code, an annual global event which aims to encourage students’ interest in coding through hour-long fun activities and games. Skool4Kidz was in fact the first among preschools in Singapore to join this movement in 2017. This is emblematic of Skool4Kidz’s unique curriculum, where early childhood (EC) educators use advanced educational technologies to enrich children’s learning.
Pushing Digital Boundaries
Led by Dr Jane Ching-Kwan, a renowned leader in Singapore’s EC scene, a team of pedagogical specialists designed Skool4Kidz’s tech-infused curriculum. It revolves around selected themes and incorporates technology into children’s lessons and playtime using a wide range of tech toys, gadgets, apps and online platforms. Through this approach, children develop critical 21st-century skills such as computational thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and the confidence to be creative.
Coding sessions with robotic toys are thus not just planned once a year for the Hour of Code, but factored into the regular preschool schedule. Care is also taken to integrate technology throughout the various learning activities, both indoors and outdoors, for a more holistic experience. For example, Skool4Kidz Campus @ Yishun has a community herb garden, where children can scan QR codes using a tablet to find out more about the plants grown there. The plants are then harvested and used as ingredients in the children’s meals, allowing them to make further connections in their learning.
Care is taken to integrate technology throughout the various learning activities,
both indoors and outdoors, for a more holistic experience.
Care is taken to integrate technology throughout the various learning activities, both indoors and outdoors, for a more holistic experience.
Moreover, the use of technology does more than build digital literacy in little ones. It also expands the range of tools available to EC educators and early intervention professionals in supporting children with mild developmental needs. By leveraging these tech aids, educators can better cater to the diverse learning styles of children and design differentiated activities to address their individual needs, hence fostering an inclusive learning environment.
Staying on Top of Tech
Of course, the implementation of a tech-infused curriculum requires that educators themselves be well-versed in technological matters. Away from the classroom, Skool4Kidz’s teaching staff attend professional development courses to keep pace with the latest trends in tech-enhanced learning. This is on top of the numerous other training programmes that they take to refresh their knowledge and practices, be it to promote language skills in children, pick up new ideas for hands-on play, understand the impact of nutrition on child development, or cultivate children’s social-emotional competencies through community outreach initiatives.
Educators at Skool4Kidz are trained to be intentional in planning learning activities that value the individuality of each child.
There is no clearer proof of the passion and dedication Skool4Kidz educators have for their jobs than the Singapore Preschool Accreditation Framework (SPARK) certification which has been conferred on all eligible Skool4Kidz preschools. Awarded by the Early Childhood Development Agency, SPARK certification is given to centres in recognition of their excellence in programme delivery, teacher quality, as well as centre leadership and management.
Several preschools have also participated in global robotics and coding competitions, to great success. In 2021, a team of children from Skool4Kidz Preschool @ Yishun Oleander Breeze won the ‘Matatalab Creative Star Year Award’ and came in second overall at the MatataWorld Robotics Competition. This strong showing was repeated in the 2022 edition of the event, where children from Skool4Kidz Campus @ Sengkang Riverside Park clinched the ‘Matatalab Coding Star Award’. Such feats demonstrate that children are on the right track to empowering themselves in a digital future, thanks to the forward-thinking curriculum espoused by their educators.
Skool4Kidz Preschool
Skool4Kidz Preschool is a member of Kinderland International Education and was appointed as an anchor operator in 2014. It currently has a total of 22 centres nationwide, including four large campuses, with more preschools in the pipeline.
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