Whether your child is in preschool or primary school, they’ll be actively observing the world around them, sharing new ideas with peers, exploring new things, and asking questions with utmost curiosity. The traditional approach to education leverages this natural curiosity by exposing students to a results-oriented environment, where the absorption of class content, memorisation, and tests are laid out so that they meet the expectations of the educators and the curriculum. However, a curriculum that perfectly balances academic success with well-being and character development is paramount in preparing the little ones for the future ahead of them. And there is no better way to equip them with the skills required to thrive in the changing future than with holistic education. As such, even when enrolled in primary school student care, the activities and programmes should equip students with a holistic set of knowledge. One way to do so is to enrol them in a student care services programme that factors in the importance of holistic education when designing a curriculum.
Be it our Tween Works after-school student care and even preschool curriculum, we have always understood the importance of holistic education and has thus crafted a well-balanced curriculum that covers various learning areas to facilitate optimal learning. But what is holistic education, how can it benefit your child and what can you expect when your child is exposed to a more holistic approach to learning? We cover them in this blog.
What is Holistic Education?
Holistic education is an approach that focuses on the development of a child by addressing their emotional, social, and cognitive needs. It’s person-centred, meaning that it is customised to fit a child’s interests, skills, and feelings, so they’re more motivated to learn. The ultimate goal of this approach is to foster the child’s abilities so that they can develop into a well-rounded and confident individual in the future.
With holistic education, there’s a great emphasis on creating and maintaining a positive school environment and providing optimal resources and support throughout a child’s learning journey. Teachers who aim to provide students with holistic education are also trained and experienced to accommodate students with various educational needs and learning capabilities. That way, no child is left behind.
Therefore, when scouring for after school care services, be sure it takes on a holistic approach to learning with a carefully crafted and well-balanced curriculum. This way you can rest assured knowing that the student care services educate students beyond core academics, so they not only have a strong foundation in a core curriculum, but they also have a comprehensive understanding of the world around them.
The Benefits of Holistic Education in Student Care
Our primary school student care services offer three programmes: Half-day, Ad-hoc Full Day, and Holiday. All of which provides holistic education for students. So, why is it that Tots & Teddies pushes for holistic education even in our after school care programmes?
It is common for some primary school students to struggle with grasping concepts taught through the conventional style of teaching that’s often observed in most Singapore schools. This usually involves the teacher standing in front of the classroom and discussing data, figures, and facts on a whiteboard or visual aid. This kind of teaching style might not be enough or even effective in helping children retain what they have learned.
In contrast, holistic education in after school care and holiday programmes such as those offered in our primary school student care services are more dynamic and put emphasis on the topic while keeping students highly engaged. It allows more room for hands-on, independent learning rather than long drawn-out discussions and memorisation. Other benefits of a holistic education in student care services include: We’ve seen the different benefits our student care programme has given our students. Here are some of them:
1. Improved Academic Achievement
Because these student-centered holistic education-driven student care services are catered to the child’s specific learning styles and carried out in a supportive learning environment, students are more than likely to develop crucial skills and be more proactive when it comes to their own learning. This, in turn, results in better academic performance.
2. Enhanced Mental & Emotional Well-Being
Maintaining a supportive environment that promotes positive interactions and reinforcement can improve your child’s self-esteem and overall mental and emotional well-being. And what distinguishes a great child care centre from others is that they pay close attention to every child that enrols in the student care programme, ensuring that they are heard, understood, and safe.
3. Development of Strong Critical Thinking Skills
A holistic education-driven curriculum involves teaching real-world problems and encourages students to come up with their own solutions through age-appropriate hands-on activities. This allows them to hone their skills in gathering and analysing information, ultimately building their foundation for strong critical thinking skills.
Creating a Holistic Learning Culture
As mentioned previously, holistic education is vastly different from the conventional way of teaching. A lot of planning and research are required to create and maintain a holistic learning culture. This means that the learning environments must be planned carefully to ensure each student’s safety and designed to spark their interest in learning. The educators must also be trained to effectively bring the holistic approach to a varied range of learning experiences regardless of whether they are facilitating an after school care programme or student holiday camp.
So, what can you expect from student care services that integrate holistic education into the curriculum?
1. Experiential Learning
The focus should never just be on whether or not your child gets high marks on their tests. Rather, it should be on what’s most important – nurturing them into well-rounded individuals. That’s why after school care activities should not only include learning areas that tackle core academics but also engage the students in outdoor activities, art projects, and learning through socialisation. This broadens your child’s horizons, preparing them for real-world encounters.
2. Strong Student-Teacher Relationships
Nurturing students’ trust is crucial in the holistic approach to education in student care services. This is why extra effort should be taken to get to know each student, making a low teacher-to-student ratio a crucial feature. Learning about each student and building strong student-teacher relationships with them enables the educators to know what learning style is effective for each individual and closely facilitates their learning and progress.
3. Exploring Different Learning Styles
When your child enrols in student care services that observe holistic education, then they’re going to be exposed to different learning styles. All students are different. That’s why exposing children to different learning styles allows them to discover techniques that will effectively help them retain information in the future. Also, it guides the teachers to know what teaching strategies can help your child understand topics better moving forward.
Prepare Your Child for the Future with a Student-centered Holistic Education
What makes Tween Works stand out from other after-school student care services is that we run a fun and well-balanced programme that focuses on the most important aspects of child care – the best environment, healthy food, and specially curated programmes for your children. Our uniquely curated in-house programmes include Creative Arts, Growth Mindset, and Bizkids. We also have thematic project-based student care holiday programmes to instil life skills and learning experiences that go beyond the four walls of the classroom.
Your child experiences a learning environment is carefully planned to match their interests and address their specific needs through exploration, manipulation, and a sense of discovery. We also have a full-time head of curriculums that designs programmes that will nurture confident and resilient kids.
Would you like to know more about our student holiday camps and after school care for primary school students in Singapore? Feel free to contact us today.
