What is True Education? -- Soka Kindergarten Independence Camp
Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Those who noez ah pUaz would noe tt ah pUaz iSh in Singapore Soka Association (SSA). Well, some may heard of it while otherz may not. Understandin' of ah pUaz' religion might differ too. For those who dun noe, it's a Buddhist religion. ah pUaz' not goanna tok bout his religion here coz it can't be done in juz one entry post .. & furthur more, it won't be effective at all. It takez more than juz readin' to understand any religion. But for those who are interested to noe more, you can alwayz ask ah pUaz personally, he's willing to share.

As ah pUaz was sayin', he not going to tok bout his religion, but maybe ah pUaz should do a lil' intro bout his organisation (organisation, not religion) before you gUyz can understand the xtracted partz below. It'll make more sense you see ..

Singapore Soka Association (SSA) is part of Soka Gakkai International (SGI) and has alwayz believe in peace, cultural & education. Talkin' bout EDUCATION, many dun noe tt there's a Soka Kindergarten in Singapore (at Tampines, juz beside Tampines Safra). Also, there a Soka University in Japan and a Soka University of America.

The xtract below iSh from a email which ah pUaz' fren wrote down his thotz after helpin' bout at Soka Kindergarten Independence Camp. It's rather long, but do spend some time to read it if you are free, coz ah pUaz had a few goosebumpz while readin' it. It's really nice.

P.S. It's a gUy who wrote his thotz, not a gAl. He's frm NUS.

(",)


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What is True Education? -- Soka Kindergarten Independence Camp

Dear all,
The following is some thoughts I had, and the things I learnt after the Soka Kindergarten Independence Camp.

Soka Kindergarten (SK)
To look at pictures I took during the camp, please visit the following website:
http://skindepedencecamp2006.blogspot.com/

26 May'06 was the start of a 2-day "Independence Camp" - the first camp of the SK kid - where the kids are said to grow up, as it's the first time they sleep outside the comfort of their home. It started off with fun and learning at the science centre where they visited the eco-garden, and discovery zone etc. They apparently loved the "water works" - where they get the rare chance to get wet - the most. About 20 "Soka Student Division" (SD) students from local polytechnics and universities went to help out as camp helpers. (Initially some of the guys were still relatively reserved but I just started off quite naturally talking in high pitch with the kids. Putting my ego aside -- that is the way to talk to kids -- this I learnt through experience during my relief teaching of Lower Primary kids. Indeed at the end of the camp all the guys were like "big kids" talking like "no one's businesses" in "a strange way" to the kids! The guys in particular got some praises from the teachers for being very helpful especially those who got wet at the waterworks and have to help dry and change the kids out of wet clothing! Some as a result realized their innate fatherly nature ...

That night we had a "campfire" where we danced to the music and the camp helpers prepared "the chicken dance" for the kids! Children, what's the magic word? -- "Music please!" The kids just were always so vibrant and full of life that even when we tucked them to sleep they were not showing any signs of tiredness when the camp helpers were all yawning away ... At the end of the camp there was much hugging and the SD students couldn't bear to leave the place! We learnt so much from the kids first-hand what Soka education is truly about.

Note: contrary to common beliefs, 60% of the SK student population is NOT from Soka members' families. In fact even not all the teachers are Soka members. SK is a very diversified population of Chinese, Indians, Eurasians, Japanese, Koreans etc.

The principal Mrs. Tay shared with us what is Soka education about.
"SOKA means 'creating value' in Japanese. Therefore, Soka education is about educating children the importance of creating value. Soka education is about heart-to-heart dialogue. It's commitment. It's the understanding that: purpose of education is the lifelong happiness of the heart. Wisdom comes from understanding how life in life is interrelated. Deeply respecting the learner unlocks inner-motivated learning. "

Heart-to-heart dialogue - the teachers encourage the students to talk by talking to them, this is in contrast to many other teachers in schools that suppress this quality by getting students to strictly follow rules and keep quiet.

Wisdom comes from understanding how life in life is interrelated. The children must understand that what they learn now will affect their whole life. In addition, it's not just the teachers in the kindergarten but the world each people the children meet will teach him/her.

"Method of teaching: through heart to heart dialogues where the teachers listen to the children (and also learn from the children), they encourage the children to think, initiate and be eager to solve problems." It's the natural innate instinct or curiosity of every child to ask questions and always learn. An innovative way which is distinctly different from other child-care or kindergarten, SK have NO spellings and such lessons, instead they learn through projects (e.g. after learning about fire fighting the class will present what they learnt to other students, some even built fire engine that are as tall as them and design their own fire fighting costumes) and they initiate what they want to learn, they even have creative computer lessons where they learn to use programs like Microsoft Word and design their own articles deciding what pictures to put etc ... (not merely "see and put" what the teachers say).

"The SK kindergarten also believes that the learners need to be global citizens." They play together in a team to learn about accepting neighbours, understanding multi-racism, i.e. that people are not different due to their skin colours. Children tend to be self-centred when they enter nursery as they do not have the innate awareness of a society yet. So the nursery will have the classes named after the nature. Moving on to K1 the classes are named after various Singapore pioneers like Yusok Ishak, Tan Kim Seng etc. And the chosen pioneers are from different races to teach the kids about multi-racism. Then at K2 the classes are named global writers like Hugo, Anderson, and Aesop etc. So from nursery to K2, the kids gradually move from "I" to "We" to "Others".

The SK is a beautiful 3-storey tall, fully air-conditioned building where the corridors are named "lanes" i.e. the whole SK is just like a mini global city! In fact the kids have a mini "post office" in the building. It has just 'expanded' and the setting is made as realistic as possible with the counter, "stamp-vending machine" etc - I was wondering if any kids aspire to be a postman. But I digressed - The kids will write to each other from other classes and drop them in the SK mailbox at the main gate. The K2 students will then be "postmen" every morning and deliver these mails to the mail boxes outside the respective kids' classrooms! Oh the stamps are also designed by the kids themselves! How wonderful! Few other children form other kindergarten will get such exposure to learn about being global citizens. In fact even most tertiary students may not understand that! SK kids are so way "in front"! (Gee, I certainly regret being born long before SK is established in Singapore.)

Just like this time where we students from the Soka Student Division (poly and university) -local tertiary institutions - went to help out and learn with the kids, students from Soka University in Japan also have had their chance to come to Singapore to have an exchange with the kids! Therefore, the kids will have someone as a concrete role model and look forward to their bright future ahead which will otherwise be quite abstract.

The kids also have gym lessons and they are certainly capable of doing a lot of stunts. These lessons definitely will train their courage too.

The teachers: "Humanistic teachers are a key in Soka education. A truly humanistic person raises a truly humanistic person."

The principal, Mrs. Tay, also said that the teachers really care for the kids so much that the kids can feel it! When the teachers get angry some of the kids cry! I really was convinced when I saw a similar incident myself! -- A student apparently took his classmate's light-stick but the teacher did not shout and yell but instead merely said firmly, "Who's the one that took his light-stick? I'm very sad that this kind of thing happen." The student immediately owned up! Wow!
Indeed the Soka educators must be creative to bring out the creative potential which is different in each single child.

I asked Mrs. Tay, "Even as a short-term relief teacher at Primary School, I felt the pressure to follow the lesson plan and keep the children quiet at all times. At times, I am really reluctant but I had to shout at them - I feel so bad!! -- to keep them quiet so I can teach what's on the textbook! Not forgetting the big class size, how do teachers attain a heart-to-heart dialogue?" She suggested perhaps teachers could use the time during recess to sit down and talk to the kids, really know them and care for them. The kids can really feel it and in turn will willingly cooperate during lesson times. In fact if you tell them your problems, who knows, they may even have the solutions! (don't underestimate them!) In the end it boils down to how creative and caring the teacher wants to be.

Kids nowadays are smart indeed. I was really lost for words when Primary Two kids asked me, "Why you so handsome?" Ha.
Or "Teacher can don't do anymore work? I really want to vomit blood le!" These words coming from a Primary Two?!!

Or I said, "If you don't brush your teeth, the bad guys in your mouth will attack your teeth.
They 'corrected' me, "No, these are not bad guys. They are germs, bad germs."

You wondered the show "Kids say The Darnest things" is real? Reconsider.

At times their words really make me laugh heartily. This is a reason why though at times I may be traumatized that I would risk losing my voice, I still prefer to relief-teach at Primary instead of JC level.

Oh another observation: Kids love to help teachers: clean the whiteboard, carry books, set up projectors, etc... Well at least the P1s and 2s at RSS that I taught, do. They love to come out to present their answers too! This is indeed the crucial period to encourage and reward this kind of behavior rather than to curb it.)

The Kids: The SK kids are definitely DIFFERENT! They are wonderful and they learnt to care and help for each other.

At the science centre water-works, the SK kids are very well-behaved without being told, this is in comparison to kids from another kindergarten also present. They are also very warm people. At night when we tucked them to sleep at the camp, we took almost forty min just to settle them down as they said good night to almost everyone around them. They would hug the teachers and the camp helpers tightly before the soothing music played get them settled down to sleep. I was very touched when the kids took the initiative to hug me really tightly!
The next morning they would greet us cheerfully. "Good Morning!" and I would ask them, "Where is my morning Hi-Five?"

There was also a boy called Wai guan who went around hugging us big bro big sis i.e. the camp helpers. And he said he like us and wants to be friends with us. We all lost count of the number of times he hugged us respectively. Other kid once said, "Come here" as we were walking in a file at Science Centre eco-garden. I was surprised when he just wants to hold my hand as we walk! Ha!

There is something different about SK kindergarten kids! (Yes and I'm proud to say my current tuition student is from SK too! now in Sec Four le!)

Oh just a side note: I enjoyed watching the kids brushing their teeth and Wai guan is also my teeth ambassador! Because he brushes very thoroughly that when all the rest finishes he is still brushing! Oh yes the SK need mirrors in the toilets at the 3rd floor - essential so they can look how they brush their teeth - can someone please sponsor?

I'm hoping to collaborate between perhaps the dental students at NUS or NYP and SK to educate the SK kids about dental health. Anyone interested please contact me. Thanks!

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The School Motto: Strong, Righteous and Free
Strong: The children learnt to be strong and courageous. Not physically but character wise, i.e. they must learn to admit to their mistake and say sorry.

Righteous: Morally upright.

Free: Free with a sense of responsibility. They are given freedom to do certain things they want to if they are capable of giving valid reasons. Mrs. Tay cited an example: sometimes during mass story telling sessions a kid may want to read a book by the side alone from others -- As long as he/she can provide a valid reason why he/she wants to do so, they will allow.

Soka Education Philosophy
"Education is an important undertaking of the Singapore Soka association. Based on the Soka education philosophy of "value-creation", SSA Soka Kindergarten opens in January 1993, offering Kindergarten year one and two classes. In year 2000, the school started the nursery classes, and the school has had an international population comprising Chinese, Indian, Malay, Sikh, Japanese, American, Australian and Korean students. Over the years, some 750 students have graduated from the school. The Kindergarten's mission is to cultivate each child's individuality and potential to the fullest in the course of preparing him/her for formal school education."

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Again, it's stressed that the kindergarten does not teach spelling. We were concerned and asked about the disparity the kid will face when he goes to primary school. Mrs. Tay explained that these are part of learning to adapt. They'll grow accustomed to the life in about a month's time. In my opinion it boils down to what kind of personality we want our child have in the future. To know how to spell is not something unique but to know how to help others is. I knew someone whose grandson has graduated from Soka kindergarten and she lamented that she had to bring him to extra lessons when he started Primary education. Then I probed further about how is the child as a person i.e. as a human? She then smiled and rattled on with pride that his grandson knows how to help his friends and once even hurt himself in the process due to another kid not cooperating. You asked me if "which kindergarten I will let my child go to"? The answer is obvious.

A teacher
To some, is a job.
To some, it's called a career.
But a true educator takes the name as
A commitment.
A passsion.
Life-long.

A true educator must be creative
To bring out the creative potential of every different child.
He must be strong at all times.
A slight negativism disappoints the young minds.
Even when he's tired,
He can't afford to show negativity
Not a tinge!

It's not easy being an Educator.
Students look up to him.
His little gestures,
The glow in his eyes,
All determine if the student will be confident
Or not.

True Courageous Educators,
I Salute You.
With my heart.

(Dedicated to all true educators. Some had passed away. But memories stay. Forever. Generations after generations. I truly experienced personally the little things a teacher showed in his/her actions/tone of voice/eyes that can really destroy my confidence. Or build it. ) (Never give up! Politics? Lousy education system? Just remember even the seemingly worst and rebellious student are waiting for one teacher patient enough to help them. Just one. Are you the one?)

Kudos.

Regards,
Ruixiang.
Creation with Love ©
28 May 2006

ah pUaz posted at 12:41:00 PM