Nurturing Confident Learners
Introduction R.E.A.L Kids is one of the programmes offered under R.E.A.L Education Group. As its name suggests, we share the very philosophy of who we are and what we envision education should be: “Results Enhancing through Active Learning” or R.E.A.L. R.E.A.L Kids was introduced to provide holistic, relevant, and appropriate learning programmes and activities for young learners or preschoolers. Established in 1986, R.E.A.L Kids (formerly known as Child Enrichment Centre or CEC) is one of the country’s largest owner-operated preschool chains with more than 30 centres nationwide. It is also the first to incorporate the Multiple Intelligences theory, introduced by Dr. Howard Gardner, in Malaysian preschool education.
Given its length of existence and service to the community, R.E.A.L Kids has undergone several phases of transformation. Specifically, the enhancement done in the development of our in-house designed learning materials and activities. We are passionate about providing kids with only the best education, hence, we never waiver in our commitment to utilize our in-house talents in coming up with the finest learning materials for our young learners. Opening the school year this 2018 marks another milestone for R.E.A.L Kids and our curriculum development team, also known as Centre for Learning and Teaching (CeLT), as we are launching our new R.E.A.L Kids Learning Journey; the name we adapted for our new preschool curriculum. Being one of the pioneers in quality preschool education in Malaysia, the R.E.A.L Kids Learning Journey is considered to be the most comprehensive and relevant learning programme designed for preschool learners. The new learning journey encompasses not only the learning materials, but also the meticulous attention given to come up with appropriate learning principles, design of learning spaces, 21st century learning approaches and methodologies, the role of learning technology, learning activities, and assessment for learning.
“The learner is and will always be at the core of all our efforts and initiatives.� All these concepts and enhancements were studied, tested, and developed with the learners in mind. The centrality of the learner and how they will learn better became the primary motivation for us. The learner is and will always be at the core of all our efforts and initiatives. At R.E.A.L Kids, we strive to provide the most appropriate learning journey for our kids in order for them to become confident learners, ready to face the challenges of primary schooling and beyond. Journey with us through this material and discover the great things in store for your kids, their future co-learners, and friends. Thank you for choosing R.E.A.L Kids.
Welcome
to the R.E.A.L Kids Learning Journey.
The
Ongoing Shift The world that we know now is undergoing profound changes each moment. As a result, the future is becoming more uncertain. Engulfed by rapid transformation and evolution, our tasks as educators have become more daunting. We are driven by knowledge and fuelled by fast and vast information. The demands of not repeating but improving on the generation we supersede are immense. We are being led into a future that pushes us to question what we know.
“Eventually, R.E.A.L Education makes use of the ongoing shift as a platform to drive our transformation and improvement efforts.� The more we desire to provide the most appropriate education services, the more we realize the need to be more cautious and meticulous in selecting the appropriate elements to be changed, enhanced, or even added.
R.E.A.L Education acknowledged the overwhelming notion of uncertainty of the future. We are also aware that this uncertainty should not become a hindrance for us not to do something to improve our educational programmes and services, but rather, this should give us strong motivation to extensively study our current offerings and pursue enhancement and innovation in order to approximate the plausible key attitude, skills, and knowledge our younger learners might need later in life. This extensive attempt to arrive at a working model leads our team to conduct extensive research, benchmarking, designing, testing, and revising. This is to ensure better understanding and later assimilation of various significant best practices, trends, and working paradigms relevant to our programmes.
AB C
Eventually, R.E.A.L Education makes use of the ongoing shift as a platform to drive our transformation and improvement efforts. Finally, the R.E.A.L Kids Learning Journey became our response. This purposefully-designed curriculum put the learner at the centre of our core initiative, giving significant attention to the desired learning outcomes that learners will try to achieve and the various learning experiences that will help facilitate their learning. The R.E.A.L Kids Learning Journey is an expression of our strong commitment and resolution; to share with our parents and students the improvement we have made in our learning principles and approaches, learning materials, learning spaces, learning facilitation model, learning activities, and learning standards.
Values Drive Us that
R.E.A.L stands for “Results Enhancing through Active Learning” and this philosophy has been our compass in every step of our journey. We strive for real and authentic learning that is continuous. Learning is a part of who we are and an aspect of the individual that we strive to enhance not just for now but also in preparation for life. Learning is based on our understanding that it starts from the learners and they drive their own learning journey. As an education provider, we merely create the environment to ensure the learning experience is active and engages the learners to achieve their full potential. The R.E.A.L experience is that of transformative learning. We strive to meet the expectations of institutions for students to deliver the intellectual competencies to build a better future, as well as the expectations of individuals to enhance their identity and develop their potential to contribute to society.
We provide individuals the opportunity to become better than they were. It is a process, a lifelong journey, and a lifelong transformation.
“The R.E.A.L experience is that of transformative learning.” We are firmly committed to fulfilling our mission of transforming the lives of people, who are then able to transform communities and have a long-lasting impact on society. The road to our vision is long and challenging. It is a process that works from the inside out and pushes us out of our comfort zone. It requires taking one step back to go two steps forward. R.E.A.L Education’s desire for excellence lies at its core; our core values. These consist of Character, Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, and Creativity; simply known as the 5Cs.
Character We uphold integrity, dignity, responsibility, inclusiveness, and anything noble which guides our thoughts, words, and actions.
Collaboration
Communication
We foster cooperation with trust and respect, and we recognize everyone’s contribution no matter how small.
We engage in open, honest, and respectful discourse. We value each word we hear and say.
Critical Thinking
Creativity
We uphold what is valuable and working, and at the same time, we are open to challenge the status quo or the current state of things by analytically engaging well-thought facts and knowledge.
We believe in the inherent curiosity and creativity of the mind, and its ability to innovate for the better.
We strongly believe that the true foundation of holistic learning is anchored in the strong and positive exposure to and assimilation of those values.
R.E.A.L Kids
Learning Journey The R.E.A.L Kids Learning Journey places the learners at the heart of our initiatives. Education to us is about the learners. Hence, we created a framework that will guide us on how to navigate the learning journey together with our students. The ultimate goal for the R.E.A.L Kids Learning Journey is to nurture graduates that are confident learners. Having that as our end, we will provide them the opportunities and learning experiences that will help them to develop positive awareness of themselves; a good sense of physical, mental, and emotional well-being; positive sense of curiosity and discovery; and enthusiasm and motivation for learning. In the end, we would like to see them demonstrate their abilities to relate with others and make new friends; to identify and practice healthy living and other basic personal skills; and to demonstrate their basic skills in literacy, communication, numeracy, science, and expressive arts. With the R.E.A.L Kids Learning Journey, we ensure all significant elements (learning space, learning materials, and learning activities) meet the following expectations:
Learner-friendly Personalized Fun Interactive Promotes deep learning Collaborative
Integral to these expectations, we encourage our young learners to explore, investigate, express, and relish the intrinsic joy of learning. The R.E.A.L Kids Learning Journey employs relevant learning approaches that will guide us to facilitate the learning process.
Project-based learning involves teaching through engaging topics that allow the integration of meaningful learning in all content areas while also supporting development across multiple domains. Interdisciplinary learning enables teachers and learners to make connections in their learning through exploring links across the curriculum. It supports the use and application of what has been taught and learned in new and different ways and provides opportunities for deep learning.
Multiple Intelligences (MI) theory is a useful model for developing a systematic approach to nurturing and teaching children by giving significant attention to their individual needs and strengths. The MI approach has the desire to create a learning environment in which all learners are welcome and supported. Play/Game-based learning has shown potential for improved learning and educational processes in at least three areas: 1. 2. 3.
Student motivation and interest, Student learning of complex content especially in science, engineering, and technology domains, and Student learning of 21st century skills, knowledge, and practices.
The R.E.A.L Kids Learning Journey is focusing on six (6) learning areas, namely:
Character Building Character education is teaching kids about good traits that help them get along well in society. The programme blends character development, life skills, interesting stories, and activities into a comprehensive programme geared to help students to reinforce social skills, critical and creative thinking, ethical decision making, conflict resolution, and to build their self-esteem.
Language and Literacy Literacy is most commonly understood as reading and writing. But before children can read and write, they need to learn about sounds, words, language, books, and stories. Literacy includes speaking, listening, visual illiteracies such as viewing and drawing, and critical thinking.
Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) STEM is an integrated subject that supports the development of skills in cross-disciplinary, critical and creative thinking, problem solving, and digital technologies. STEM develops a set of thinking, reasoning, teamwork, and investigative and creative skills that children can use in all areas of their lives. STEM is not a stand-alone subject; it is a way to intentionally incorporate different subjects across existing curriculum.
Health and Well-being Health and Well-being includes good physical health, feelings of happiness, satisfaction, and successful social functioning. In order for children to grow happy, it is important to make sure that they are healthy and well, interacting with other children, participating in physical activities, and developing a stable routine with good habits. A strong sense of well-being provides children with confidence and optimism which maximise their learning potential. To support children’s learning, it is essential that teachers attend to children’s well-being by providing warm, trusting relationships; predictable and safe environments; affirmation and respect for all aspects of their physical, emotional, social, cognitive, linguistic, creative, and spiritual being.
Community Building Significant emphasis needs to be placed on building strong communities within each classroom, where children learn to work and play together. By building a strong community atmosphere, we can teach children to be caring, supporting, respectful, and helpful learners. The learners’ sense of community should also extend beyond the children to include families, staff, and the outside community.
Expressive Arts (Artworks, Design, Drama, Music, and Movements) Expressive Arts involves supporting children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas, and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role play, design, and technology. It teaches children to be resourceful, imaginative, and creative.
R.E.A.L Parents as
Co-facilitators of Learning
Parents and guardians of young learners play a significant role in their development. We consider the parents’ and guardians’ role as co-facilitators of the school in order to provide holistic learning environments and opportunities for our young learners. We believe that most of what the children will learn in school has its seeds from home. Their initial knowledge of things around them, the early language they acquired, the values they learned, and even the way they socialize will be brought and shared as part of their prior learning. Hence, we encourage all our parents and guardians to be very aware and involved in the learning programme and activities of their children. In doing so, when children return to their homes, their families may be able to seamlessly provide a continuum of the learning process. Parents may provide support to their children’s learning journey by having casual conversations with them during meal time. They may ask the following suggested questions to connect with their children’s experiences of the day:
What is the most interesting thing that happened in school?
How did you feel about the activity?
Did you meet someone new? Did you meet a new friend?
Are you happy with the class?
Do you like your teacher?
Do you need any help?
Another way of connecting would be to regularly check school bulletins, announcements, and student journals. R.E.A.L Kids will always welcome parents and guardians to visit us and to have a conversation with our teachers and principals.