Home Educare Services

After getting married, I realised juggling with work and home is never easy for a Singaporean woman. Not to mention about still pursuing my interests in child development courses in the evening after work. That took away a lot of time from my family in the past. 


Do you feel in the same situation sometimes? Not enough time for everything and for everyone? Especially those young parents with commitments to work and family. Or the 'sandwiched' generation where you have very young children and aging parents to take care at the same time too.


After 17 years working in educational field, I decided to start my home based educare services 24/7 as I see that there are some unmet needs faced by the working class parents:

• Preschool children tend to 'fall sick' as they are building resistance to diseases in the early years. However, working parents need to take 'urgent child sick leave', as schools are not allowed to keep the infected child in the school, for the health concerns of the child and other children. Frequent incidents will affected the parents' performance at work. Not all parents have understanding bosses or workmates in this fast pace society and annual leave, sick leave entitlements are limited per year.

• Parents who need to work non-office timings or shift works, often have to look for alternate caregivers to pick up their children on time, before the school closes for daily operation. Another major concern will be late dinner time for their children if parents need to work overtime.

• Unlike our Australia educational system where we get most of the Early Childhood Education Manual, local Educators do not have the luxuries of having small children-teacher ratio. Children who develop at a slower pace tends to lose out as less attention can be given to them (local Teacher-Students ratio range from 1:4 for infants to 1:25 for kindergarten kids).

• Sometimes parents also need a break from child-minding to have quality couple time to strengthen their marriages as well.

the list goes on...


My faithful companion of 16 years (& still counting) and I love having children in our cosy little home. Many children have went through our care over the years due to recommendations from other parents and friends. Feel free to meet us for a discussion if you need any educare services that cater to your needs.

My 1st Home-based Educare Services  in my HDB 3 room unit in 2003. 

My 2nd Home as it is twice the size. (HDB EA 147metre sq)

Amenities nearby: Just a few steps away!

Exercise Gym & Playground & Table Tennis Equipment  

Community Garden & Family Clinic & Children Haven

Indoor Manipulative Toys & Lots of Books + Storyteller *(^_^)*

How to come here?
By Public Transport 

By Mass Rapid Transit (MRT)
You will have to alight at the Boon Lay MRT Station and board Bus 241. It will take approximately 10 minutes to reach here. 

By Taxi / Cab
You may instruct the driver to go to Jurong West Street 91 or Pioneer Road North. We are situated at  Jurong West Street 91, in between Juying Secondary School and Xingnan Primary School. 

By Bus
You can take:
» Bus no. 241 and alight at the 2nd bus stop (after City Harvest Church landmark) along Jurong West Street 91. 

Click here for useful bus information. 

By Car 
Changi International Airport
Drive West along the East Coast Parkway (ECP) for 19.5 k.m. and continue into Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE). Go along Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) for 18 k.m. And exit into Pioneer Circus Exit 18. Make a right turn at Pioneer Circus to Pioneer Road North. Travel along Pioneer Road North for 4.5 k.m. And turn left into Jurong West Street 91. 

Malaysia (Woodlands Causeway)
Drive South along Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) for 9.5 k.m. And make a left turn into Kranji Expressway (KJE). Go along Kranji Expressway (KJE) for 7 k.m. and continue into Pan-Island Expressway (PIE-Tuas). Go along Pan-Island Expressway (PIE-Tuas) and exit at Pioneer Road North Exit 38. Travel Pioneer Road North for 0.6 k.m and turn right into Jurong West Street 91. 

Malaysia (Tuas Causeway)
Drive East along Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) for approximately 6 k.m. And exit into Pioneer Circus Exit 18. Make a left turn at Pioneer Circus to Pioneer Road North. Travel along Pioneer Road North for 4.5 k.m. And turn left into Jurong West Street 91.


Or  See Map

*Emergency pick up sick children services is made available for childcare centres, kindergartens and schools in Jurong vicinity only. Visit to the Family Clinic nearby can be arranged as well.

* Parents/Guardians from other vicinities with own transportation are also welcome to send & fetch your child from here.

*I'm trained as a first aider in ST JOHN since secondary school and I go for First Aider Refresher Course every 3 years. Last year  I have also completed  the new module in "Child First Aid Training for Infant/Child Care Personnel  Course" (Valid from July 2010~2013). 

Caring for School-Age Children

I am also trained in 'Before & After School Care Program' certificate course conducted by YMCA. I used to take care of foreign students who stay in my home under Guardianship Stay in Services. Mainly my students are from People's Republic of China (PRC), Malaysia and from Indonesia. 


My PRC students will come to Singapore with their mums under the scheme of STUDY MUMS. Most mums preferred to leave their kids with me from Monday-Saturday. The mums will come over to visit and bring their kids out for a day and send the kids back on Sunday nights. 


Usually when these students performed well in their studies, they will be offered Permanent Resident Statue during their Primary School Leaving Examination  final year. After which, their fathers will be given a chance to come over and stay for a few years under Family Dependance Pass for a family union eventually. 


School age children will be in the range of 7-12 years old according to our primary school system here. However due to foreign talents, the maximum age in primary level is capped at 14 locally. The main concern will be their academic results. My husband and I used to conduct tuitional lessons up to secondary levels as well.


Physical Development 
The child practices, refines, and masters complex gross and fine motor and perceptual-motor skills.


Cognitive Development 
Concrete operational thinking replaces egocentric cognition.  The child's thinking becomes more logical and rational. The child develops the ability to understand others' perspectives.


Social Development 
Relationships outside the family increase in importance, including the development of friendships and participation in a peer group. The child imitates, learns, and adopts age appropriate social roles, including those that are gender-specific. The child develops an understanding of rules.  Rules are relied upon to dictate proper social behavior and to govern social relationships and activities. 


Emotional Development
The child is industrious, purposeful, and goal directed in her activities.  He/she is confident and self-directed. The child is developing a better sense of him/herself as an individual, with likes and dislikes and special areas of skill.  He/she is capable of introspection. The child evaluates his/her worth by the ability to perform.  Self-esteem is largely derived from one's perceived abilities.

Referencing from: http://www.pacwcbt.pitt.edu/Curriculum/911-4%20FP%20and%20Child%20Development/Handouts-911-4%20Foster%20Parenting%20and%20Child%20Development/HO%206%20Developmental%20Milestones.pdf

Infants & Toddlers Developments

The first 3 years of a child's growth is critical. 

"Mindfulness from Birth"

The first essential for the child's development is concentration.
The child who concentrates is immensely happy. 
— Maria Montessori, MD

The development will be different from child to child. One child is working on observing the environment, another on making sounds, another on using his hands, another on balance. This individual variation should be respected and children not hurried in their development.

Let's us take a look at what are the issues to observe in this development from infant to toddlers:

Infant Development 1~6 months

• Physical Development
•  visual focus matures - follows objects with eyes.
• learns to localize sounds and turns to see.
• gains control of hands - learns to bat, then reach and grasp objects.
• discovers feet - brings feet to mouth and explores with feet.
• begins to sit with support.
•  large muscle play may include rolling, scooting, rocking, bouncing.
• Mental Development
• explores world with eyes and ears and begins to explore with hands and feet and mouth.
•  enjoys creating effects in the environment by own actions
• begins to recognize familiar people, objects and even events - then to anticipate them.
•  becomes aware of novelty and strangeness in people, objects and events.
•  develops definite preferences for certain people, objects and events
•  may imitate simple movements if in own repertoire.
• does one thing at a time.
• Social Development
•  special interest in people (faces and voices especially).
•  begins to smile at faces, voices and mirror image.
• quits crying when sees face or hears voice.
• begins to seek attention and contact with people.
• distinguishes among familiar people and has preferences.
• begins to coo and gurgle, babble and laugh aloud, play with sounds.
• listens to voices and may imitate sounds already in own repertoire.

Infant Development 7~12 months

• Physical Development
• begins to sit alone.
• begins to creep and crawl onto or into things.
• begins to pull to a stand, cruise (walk holding furniture), and walk alone (10-16 months).
• interest in moving about and practicing motor skills.
•  develops "pincer" (thumb and finger) grasp and begins to hold objects with one hand while manipulating them with the other.
•   with objects wants to bang, insert, poke, twist, squeeze, drop, shake, bite, throw, open/shut, push/pull, empty/fill, drag along.
•   enjoys bath play - kicking and splashing.
• Mental Development
•  interest in appearing and disappearing (objects and people) - develops 'object permanence' (looks for object out of sight at approximately 11 months).
•   interest in container/contained relationship likes to empty cupboards, drawers, and containers of objects.
•  interest in letting go and dropping objects (will use string to pull back vanished objects).
•  interest in exploration and likes many objects to explore.
•   likes to operate simple mechanisms (open/shut, push/pull) and create effects.
•  remembers people, objects, games, actions with toys - shows persistence and interest in novelty.
• beginning interest in picture books.
• Social Development
• may fear strangers or react to change - plays best with familiar person nearby.
•  watches and may imitate others.
•  sensitive to social approval and disapproval.
•  interest in getting attention and creating social effects.
•  enjoys simple social games 'peek-a-boo,' 'bye-bye'
•  babbles and plays with language - may try to imitate sounds.
•  recognizes own name and may begin to point to named objects or obey simple commands.

  

Toddler Development 1~2 years old

• Toddler Physical Development
•  endless exercise of physical skills.
• likes to lug, dump, push, pull, pile, knock down, empty and till.
• likes to climb - can manage small indoor steps.
• manipulation is more exploratory than skillful.
•  active interest in multiple small objects.
•  by 2 years, can kick, catch a large ball.
• by 2 years, can string large heads, turn knob, use screw motion. (All beads given to this age gioup should be at least 1-3/4 niches (44 mm) in diameter, however, if any object appeals to be easily swallow in the child's mouth, keep it away from the child.)
• Toddler Mental Development
•  interest in causing effects.
•  interest in mechanisms and objects that move or can he moved-prefers action toys.
• combines objects with other objects - makes simple block structures, uses simple stacking toys, does simple puzzles.
• very curious - constant experimentation with objects.
• interest in hidden-object toys.
•  at 1 1/2 to 2 years, groups/matches similar objects - enjoys simple sorting toys.
•  identifies objects by pointing - can identify pictures in book.
• enjoys water, sand play.
•  makes marks on paper, scribbles spontaneously.
•  first imitative play - imitation of adult tasks, especially caretaking and housekeeping tasks.
• Toddler Social Development
• most solitary play - relates to adults better than to children.
•  tries to do adult tasks.
• expresses affection for others - shows preference for certain soft toys, dolls.
•  likes being read to, looking at picture books, likes nursery rhymes.
• by 1 1/2, enjoys interactive games such as tag.

Toddler Development 2~3 years old

• Toddler Physical Development
• skilled at most simple large muscle skills.
• lots of physical testing - jumping from heights, climbing, hanging by arms, rolling, galloping, somersaults, rough-and-tumble play.
• throws and retrieves all kinds of objects
•  pushes self on wheeled objects with good steering.
• by 2 1/2 to 3 years, good hand and finger coordination.
•  lots of active play with small objects - explores different qualities of play materials.
• Toddler Mental Development
• interested in attributes of objects - texture, shape, size, color.
• can match a group of similar objects.
• plays with pattern, sequence, order of size.
• first counting skills.
• first creative activities (drawing, construction, clay) - process still more important than final product.
• beginning to solve problems in head.
•  imaginative fantasy play increases - continued interest in domestic imitation.
• fantasy play alone or with adult - child also makes toys carry out actions on other toys.
• Toddler Social Development
•  main interest still in parents, but begins to play cooperatively with other children (especially 30 to 36 months).
• uses language to express wishes to others.
• engages in games - likes interactions with others - also some pretend play with others.
• enjoys hearing simple stories read from picture books, especially stories with repetition.
•  strong desire for independence - shows pride in accomplishment. 

Note that these lists indicate average development - the age range at which the 'average' child can he expected to achieve a particular skill or develop a specific interest. The ages in the text are only approximate. Children develop skills at uneven rates - any one child may be 'above average' in one skill and 'below average' in another skill. For an individual child, the parent is the best judge of the child's abilities and interests at any point in his or her development. Be sure to talk to your pediatrician or an early childhood development expert if you have any concerns about your child's development.

Referencing from: http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/growthdevelopment/a/child_dev.htm

Creative Performances

Working in this field taught me to be creative with making props for concerts, listening to latest pop for performance ideas.

These are some of my past theatrical achievements with my students:

Under the Sea 

 Chinese New Year Flowers Drum Dance 

Christmas Jazz Dance

Thailand Royal Families Musical 

 Malaysian Pop Song 'Joget Lambak' by Adam

Christmas Cheer Song

Indonesia Lullaby ~ Bangawan Solo 

No Fear of Animals

One of my favourite books I read when I became a young educator in 1995 was Totto-chan, the Little Girl at the Window. It is a children's book written by Japanese television personality and UNICEF Goodwill AmbassadorTetsuko Kuroyanagi. 


The book was published originally as 窓ぎわのトットちゃん (Madogiwa no Totto-chan) in 1981, and became an instant bestseller in Japan.^[1] The book is about the values of the unconventional education that Kuroyanagi received at Tomoe Gakuen, a Tokyo elementary school founded by educator Sosaku Kobayashi during World War II, and it is considered her childhood memoir.

As for me, I grew up in the olden days of kampong, with my early childhood days spent running wild catching tadpoles, locusts and anything I can lay my hands on (with approval from my parents of course). My childhood is filled with memories of fun exploring everything and anything in the nature. 


I developed no fear towards animals and grow to love them as my companions. There were chickens running everywhere in the kampong which was good for practising running & catching skills if you like. Just kidding... :P

However, it saddens me to see that this new generation of children do not know how to co-exist with animals. Either they are fearful of the animals or some turn nasty torturing the animals because no one taught them the proper way to handle and how to love the animals.

So whenever there's opportunity, I will volunteer to bring in live animals/pets for children to observe and learn to like animals. Good moral values are important and need to be taught to young children when they are still teachable.

The children get to observe a hamster for documentation during science lesson. Students are taught empathy for a baby kitten we found during nature walk, which was adopted by one of the parents eventually. 
Bringing students to Jurong Birds Park enhanced their knowledge about life cycles & habits of birds. 

Referencing from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totto-Chan:_The_Little_Girl_at_the_Window

Exploring Nature & Art

Getting my students to overcome their fear of insects and appreciating the wonderful world of herbs & plants  is a first step to getting them to be kind to nature.

A lot of parents here shun the nature due to mosquitoes bites and their busy work schedules. it is such a pity that young students are growing up with a fear of bugs and what lurch behind all that grassy land, despite we are an island with natural beauty in the past.

As land get scarce in Singapore, flat dwellers who love nature are only given a small plot of community land to do their gardening hobby. I am fortunate to be able to bring my little toddler students to the nearby community garden to explore what nature and plants in their growing stages are all about.

 A fine day to go exploring the garden.

 Toddlers learn through their senses: touching the different parts of the plants, smelling the fragrance of the flowers, looking at the colours, shapes & sizes, tasting of lady fingers in class later & hearing the popping of seeds from balsam plants.

They are very curious about this purplish flower plant that we shared that its colour is used for making local cakes. 

 Students get to choose the different plants from the community garden to feel the texture and use what they preferred for individual artworks.

It is always good for the students to explore their own creative expressions with natural resources around.

Multiple Intelligences Theory by Howard Gardner

One of my most interested education approaches, as it tap on the different intelligence we can help to nurture within each child. Everyone is an individual with preferred needs, emotions and ideas. Some are stronger in one area, weaker in another. 


We are all talented in our unique ways. You agree?

These are the different areas of intelligences we can developed to certain degree:


Logical-mathematical intelligence consists of the capacity to analyze problems logically, carry out mathematical operations, and investigate issues scientifically. In Howard Gardner's words, it entails the ability to detect patterns, reason deductively and think logically. This intelligence is most often associated with scientific and mathematical thinking.

Spatial intelligence involves the potential to recognize and use the patterns of wide space and more confined areas.

See how serious the students are, as they engross in figuring out the different process in threading & patterning, while developing their fine motor skills & eyes-hand co-ordination.

Musical intelligence involves skill in the performance, composition, and appreciation of musical patterns. It encompasses the capacity to recognize and compose musical pitches, tones, and rhythms. According to Howard Gardner musical intelligence runs in an almost structural parallel to linguistic intelligence.

Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence entails the potential of using one's whole body or parts of the body to solve problems. It is the ability to use mental abilities to coordinate bodily movements. Howard Gardner sees mental and physical activity as related.

Naturalist Intelligence refers to natural tendency to classify and discriminate among elements in a complex system; interest in nature and natural phenomena; pattern recognition and ability to categorize and recognize individual examples as belonging to a group; can map and chart relationships. Skills and Careers: Biologist; geneticist; veterinarian, farmer, rancher; lab sciences, naturalist; botanist.

Balancing their bodies at outdoor play with different obstacles, following the dance steps with instructions from educator during music and movement, checking out plants & insects for observation during nature walk are some of the daily activities in scaffolding their learning curves.

Interpersonal intelligence is concerned with the capacity to understand the intentions, motivations and desires of other people. It allows people to work effectively with others. Educators, salespeople, religious and political leaders and counsellors all need a well-developed interpersonal intelligence.

Intrapersonal intelligence entails the capacity to understand oneself, to appreciate one's feelings, fears and motivations. In Howard Gardner's view it involves having an effective working model of ourselves, and to be able to use such information to regulate our lives.

Social interaction with peers are essential for emotional growth & development.

Spiritual Intelligence Gravitates toward religion, theology, mysticism and the transcendent. Concern with cosmic issues, supernatural, meaning of life's event; spends time in altered states such as meditation, self-hypnosis, and prayer; and connects with others in non-ordinary ways that may help and heal the other. Skills and Careers: Monastic lifestyles; minister; mediator, alternative medicine, yoga and martial arts teachers, 

Existential Intelligence Concern with ultimate issues; continuity of spirit between lifetimes; sense of relationship with beings of other planes and the cosmos. Skills and Careers: Examples include spiritual masters such as Gandhi, Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama 

So which areas of intelligences will you be planning to assist your child to develop further? 

Referencing from: http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm ,  http://www.lifecircles-inc.com/Learningtheories/Gardner.html 

Imparting cultures to the next generation ~ Part 2

Well, Singapore is fast becoming a melting pot for all races and ethics from different part of the world. With the never-ending evolution in technology, our world is simply just a small global village with a click away for networking and communication.

You will be surprised at what our little ones are absorbing nowadays from the media. But we can also use the media to our benefits to enhance children's learning too.

On Universal Children's Day which fall on 20th November, I like to take the chance to explore different countries' habits, traditions and food with my students. Sometimes I let the students choose the country they like to know and using multi-media to educate them with more knowledge. (This is also one of the methods used in Project Approach Theory)

 Demonstration of sushi making. 

Concrete materials (clothings, flags,etc) are used to enhance learning, especially for visual learners. Listening to the videos online help those audio learners. Hand-on experience with the food preparation will engage the active learners who are more kinesthetic by nature.

One of my students' favourite videos is 'Black or White' by Micheal Jackson after our discussion on different races, cultures and religion. This video never fail to make them laugh. Although I will strongly discourage them from making too much noise at home as Dad will get really angry with them. :P

Imparting cultures to the next generation ~ Part 1

I believe strongly in respecting different cultures and traditions from the varies races and religions. 


Being from mixed parentage myself (Well, my handsome Caucasian paternal grandpa travelled from his homeland in Portugal and sailed to Burma, where he was enchanted by a sweet native lady there. They had a total of 18 children. After which, my beloved Dad came to Singapore in his youth to seek his fortune here. He met Mum who was from China Heilongjiang. So I'm officially a 'local product of Singapore') , I am very privileged to have the opportunity to understand the traditions from both the East & the West. 


During Chinese New Year (CNY), I will be busy sharing the traditional habits and story of how CNY came about. It is usually the most important time of the year for all the Chinese in Singapore.

My students love to listen to the story and follow the correct ways of addressing their elders.

They also enjoy trying their hands on painting seasonal flowers.

 As well as making Chinese lanterns with Hong Bao papers.

Of course not forgetting the feasting... Yummy! *(^_^)*

My Journey in Early Childhood Education

I started as a 2nd language Teacher in a childcare centre right after I completed my GCE 'O' level in Dec 1994.

I was only 16 back then.

Being the youngest in the centre, there's a lot for me to learn from the scratch. Washing little bums after the children finished their daily 'businesses' is a regular affair. Working shift hours at random, to cater to the needs of other colleagues with families, is our way of showing care for all the team members.

Parents are concerned more about child minding services during that period as both parents need to work to support the family. Little was expected of their academic but mainly about their kids' safety.  The children enjoy coming to the centre for playmates and quality time with their caregivers.

As time passes, I begin to seek an interest to improve my knowledge about child development. After completing my 1st working year with the centre, they approved my request to go for further studies in Early Childhood Education.

Back in those days, there were only Basic, Inter-medium & Advance certificate courses for educators. After completing each course, I was bonded to my centre for 1-2 years each for the different courses I took.

Finally when diploma in Early Childhood Education was introduced, I choose to study on my own. Mainly due to that I do not wish to be bonded to any centre for 4 years.

Studying is always a good way to keep oneself abreast of the current teaching methods. Sharing of ideas with other educators is another way to improve oneself of better knowledge of child development.

As there are different centres coming up with varies educational approaches (Multiple Intelligences/Project Approach/Montessori, etc) , it is wiser to expand my knowledge to learn from other senior mentors in the field. So moving onto other centres is ideal for intra-personal development to compare the pros and cons of the approaches used and eventually starting my home-based services.

Philosophy As An Educator

A very warm welcome to all parents and friends, 

Thanks for popping by my blog pertaining to development and management of children's behaviors. Being trained and experienced with children as an early childhood educator since 1994, it has been an interesting journey as Singapore educational trait is now shifting towards Western concepts of 'bringing out the creativity within each child'. 

Feel free to share with the community about your views with regards to the challenging issues about children in this new era.  As for me, I will be sharing about my professional journey over the years... 

My philosophy as an educator can be summarize as a word –

‘HEART’

Having Fun

Encouragements

Active Involvements

Resourceful

Trust

I believe in shepherding the hearts of children to help them to grow up to be

confident and competent individuals.

Every one of us is talented in one way or another.

We can share and learn from one another too.

And we are all here to learn…