Love Our World
Our young children learn to Love Our World by showing care to the plants. They adopted potted plants in their class.
PCF Tampines-Changkat Blk 318 offers two types of curriculums to suit the needs of parents. The first being the "Standard" Programme, which is the standard curriculum for most PCF centers in Singapore. The second, the "SMART" programme, which exposes the children to enriching activities that include gymnastics, music and creative thinking programs.
The SMART Programme includes:
1. Gymnastics Program
The children are trained under the expert guidance of qualified coaches that are recognized and registered under the "Singapore Sports Council". The weekly gymnastic sessions work wonders in developing and enhancing the children's gross motor skills. At the end of the year, the children get an opportunity to perform for their parents in the Annual Graduation Concert and exhibit their gymnastic skills.
2. Musical Toolbox Program
The aim of this program is to use the various elements music to stimulate children’s learning and to equip them with musical skills for further formal instrumental instruction. It also provides music competence for the children in a fun and innovative step-by –step process while ensuring that the child receives a layered approach towards achieving a solid musical foundation.
The syllabus covers the fundamental theory of music e.g. pitch, tone and dynamics. The children will be exposed to various percussion instruments and will learn to name and play a total of 6 percussion instruments.
3. Creative Thinking Program - adopted from a West German curriculum
The weekly lessons emphasise situational based learning through a power point presentation and provide opportunities for children to verbalise their ideas and learn effective problem solving skills. Worksheets given at the end of the lesson further reinforce and authenticate what children have learnt. Also, teachers in charge of the program are required to attend regular course reviews and training so that they can deliver the program effectively.
Table Tennis Enrichment
Table tennis is a sport that has proven to improve hand eye coordination, gross motor skills and concentration. Since July 2012, 19 children at the centre have had the opportunity to learn table tennis from our very own Singapore National Players. Currently, the lessons are held for 1hour every week by professional table tennis coaches. The children who show a flair and talent for the sport may be hand-picked to further develop their skills. There is scope for the class to be expanded in order to take in more children due to popular demand.
Community Service & Educational Workshops
In 2012, a workshop was conducted by Singapore Children’s Society, titled "Child Abuse: I can protect myself". The workshop was open to teachers, Parent Support Group" members and children who were accompanied by an adult. It aimed to highlight the importance of educating parents and young children on the dangers of Sexual abuse. The message was brought across through a song, story and a rap so that even the children who attended understood how to protect themselves from such dangers. For example, a segment of the talk was focused on educating the children on the appropriate names of their body parts and how they can differentiate between "good" and "bad" touches. Members of the parent support group also realised the importance of conducting the session in the classrooms for the benefit and education of the children.
The centre also participates in Charity events such as Ang Bao Donation Drives, to lend a helping hand to the less fortunate in the neighbourhood. Many children donated part of their pocket money to the needy and understood the importance of helping others in need by giving generously and also appreciating what they have.
As part of Greenwave 2012, the centre adopted a tree and planted it in the center. Teachers and children were actively involved in the planting ceremony. Every class takes turns to care for the tree by watering and caring for it along with the other plants in the center. A week before the actual ceremony, lessons were planned to educate the children on the importance of having plants in the environment and how plants and trees help in stabilizing the climate and how deforestation can harm. It covered a broad perspective on how deforestation can harm the environment too. During the lesson, the children also used recycled materials to grow their own bean sprout plants too. The children learnt to care for their bean sprouts and this helped in developing in them a sense of responsibility. The centre also took part in the "Little Green Dot" Recycling Program, which emphasized on naming and understanding the 3 R’s ;Recycle, Reduce and Reuse materials. The children got hands-on learning on how to recycle their tetra packs through the 3F’s that stand for flip, flat and flatten.
Fieldtrips in line with Class Learning
During arts and craft lessons, the children are exposed to different art media which they use as another outlet to express themselves creatively. The teachers use different mediums of material and craft techniques to enhance the children’s bright ideas and allow their imaginative juices to flow. In August 2012, the Centre took the children on a fieldtrip to participate in the "Istana Art Event", which is an annual outreach event organised by the National Heritage Board and led by the Singapore Art Museum. The children participated in the "On-the-Spot" Art Competition and fun craft activities at the Arts and Heritage Village. Such learning experiences are meaningful and provide scope for children to discover things for themselves through observations, inquiry, exploration and first-hand sensorial experiences. Furthermore, such excursions provide opportunities for children to interact with materials and people to broaden their knowledge and build relationships.
Active Parent Support Group
This group meets every term to discuss, propose, develop and execute a proper agenda for the term activities. During the Open House 2012, parent volunteers helped out in craft sessions and conducted dance workshops for the children. This allowed them to foster closer relations with the teachers as well as each other and gain better understanding to facilitate parent-teacher communication. The centre’s dedicated Staff and Principal also worked closely with the parents and showed their gratitude by sourcing and signing them up for enriching workshops. Such programs included Reading Programmes at Tampines Regional Library and Appreciation Ceremonies.
Awards and Achievements
The centre has received the Innovation Award for PLC: Chinese Language – di zi gui.
