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HE STARTuesday 6 May 2014

Creating a RECIPE for success > 5 Important role of sports > 9

StarSpecial

The wholesomechild

Choosing the right education mix.

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2BRIGHT KIDSStarSpecial, Tuesday 6 May 2014

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A completeeducation experienceF

OR a certain generation ofpeople, boarding schoolholds a sense of romance and

dventure, most probably becausef images of midnight feasts,xciting sports tournaments and

unbreakable friendships conjuredup by Enid Blytons series of schooltories and, more recently, the

Harry Potterseries.Boarding school has always

been an option in Malaysia.Though not the mainstreamhoice of parents and students,here are numerous Malaysian

boarding schools, some with quitehigh international repute.

A few decades ago, education

ptions were more limited andparents who wanted a solid,nternationally recognisedducation for their children

would look to schools abroad,raditionally to the United

Kingdom and more recently toAustralia and the United States.

In the past 10 years, theboarding option has become morepopular in Malaysia, especiallywith the setting up of newnternational schools that offer

boarding and the advent of well-stablished boarding schools to

Malaysian shores.The population of international

tudents in Malaysia has increasedn no small part because of the

overnments initiatives underhe Economic Transformation

Plan to promote the country as annternational education hub.

Malaysia has become adestination of choice for parentseeking an international educationor their children. Parents canlso benefit from the relativelyffordable cost of living andducation in the country. This

has indirectly promoted thencrease of boarding offerings fororeign and local students, saysohn Mackle, principal of Sunwaynternational School.

A bigger offering

Parents dont want to sendtheir children abroad to beeducated anymore. They realisethat they will lose the opportunityto see their children grow up; theywont be able to see them competein matches, performances andproductions if they are so far away.They want to be more closelyinvolved in their childrens lives,says Jane Smith, deputy head ofEpsom College in Malaysia.

While parents feel this way,they have also realised thatboarding is able to providetheir children something that

day schools cannot a deeperinvolvement in academics andco-curricular activities that leadsto greater self-development.

A boarding programme offerschildren much more. There aredistinct times set aside for studyand tutors available to helpstudents after school. Boarderscan also receive academic helpfrom peers and older boarders,explains Trevor Schubert, NexusInternational Schools director ofboarding.

Boarding schools often offermuch more than great academicprogrammes; students have theopportunity for sporting success,to get involved in music, drama

and community-based initiatives,and to exercise leadership skills.

Day schools offer limitedstudent-teacher contact hours andso can struggle to give studentsthese opportunities. But in aboarding environment, there isboth the staffing and the timeduring evenings and weekends forstudents to gain experience and arange of skills, says Smith, addingthat in the boarding environment,students are immersed in afocused and dynamic learningcommunity where achievement isthe norm and success is the aim.

In-depth involvement

Boarding certainly means aheightened interaction betweenthe boarder and teachers andother students, which offers thestudent multiple dimensions oflearning.

Not only do students get deeplyinvolved in academics, learningextends even further to self-development.

Students have the opportunityfor first-hand learning of differentcultures and languages, andeducators universally agree thatboarding school creates studentswho are more independent,

responsible and disciplined thanstudents from day schools.

The pastoral care the boarderreceives emotional supportthat reinforces development is another factor that sets theboarding experience apart from aday school experience.

This care means that thestudent is given the time andsupport she needs to thrive,explore her interests and thusexcel in her school career andoverall development.

Students in boarding getto know their teachers andhousemistress or housemastersvery well.

They are also guided and

influenced by their co-curricularprogramme teachers and coachesin a way that does not happenwithin a day schools more limitedprogramme, says Smith.

A childs identity and self-perception are moulded duringher schooling years.

So it is of paramountimportance that the environmentin which she spends most of hertime school is equipped tosupport and fashion her into asuccessful individual. Boardingschools definitely provide thisideal environment.

BESIDES being a childscaregivers, parents should

ideally be the ultimate authorityin a childs life. Parents actas a childs social and moralcompass, and the child learnsfrom the actions and exampleof the parents, both overtly andsubconsciously.

So what happens when achild spends the majority of hertime away from her parents atboarding school? The schoolingyears are the most crucial fora childs development into asuccessful adult, so boardingschools have a lot to do when itcomes to balancing the childsindependent development withdiscipline.

Rules and regulations areimportant not only to givechildren a sense of structure androutine, but also for their safety.Discipline in boarding schoolsis usually strictly enforced,which pushes students todevelop mature and responsibleattitudes towards academics andlife in general.

Most boarding schools put inplace philosophies for living thatenable boarders to thrive in acommunity living environmentaway from the authority ofparents.

For example, NexusInternational School has in placea Choose Respect Communitywhere boarders are expected tohave respect in everything they

do, everyone they encounter aswell as self-respect.

Sunway International Schooluses a method of reasoningwhere authority figures providereasons and explanations forrules and the consequences ofbehaviours, which encouragesstudents to analyse their ownbehaviour and leads them tobecoming socially aware andaccountable for their actions.

Independence and maturityat school, however, do not meanthat the child does not need herfamily any longer.

Boarding does not becomea surrogate parent; rather it isan extension of the boarders

family. These days, boardingacknowledges parents as theprimary caregivers and staffwork in partnership withparents to look after the child,says Trevor Schubert, NexusInternational Schools director ofboarding.

Children always need thepatient and caring guidance oftheir parents but by the age of11 most are ready for broaderinfluences in their lives, addsJane Smith, deputy head ofEpsom College in Malaysia.

A balance of discipline

and independenceBy this age, preteens have

developed social skills, healthy

self-esteem and a firm andpositive identity, which allowthem to enjoy and benefitfrom boarding life led by theirhousemaster or housemistressand teachers, she continues.

The structures of a goodboarding school act as goodparents do by offering a safeenvironment from which toexplore the world, achieve orfail and then try again withsupport and guidance fromexperts in their field, all leadingto success within the studentsown areas of interest.

While boardings rigorousacademics and disciplinecould be perceived to creategraduates who are so alignedto school culture and closed offfrom the real world that life onthe outside poses a challengeto them, studies have in factshown that the opposite is true.

Students with a boardingbackground are more curiousabout others, are betterinformed about current events,more interested in learning,and have better social skillsthan many students from dayschools.

Boarding allows childrenthe opportunity to live andlearn alongside childrenfrom different backgroundsand cultures an invaluableexperience for adult life, says

Smith.Graduates of boarding school

are also better prepared thanmost to enter university andthe working world as theywill have learned to look afterthemselves, each other and theenvironment, says Schubert.

Boarders are also taughtto give their time to othersand to work together. Theydevelop the discipline neededto complete work of a highstandard during study time, hecontinues.

This discipline will latertranslate into responsibilityand success in life, and anindividual

who cancontributeto societyand thenation.

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StarSpecial, Tuesday 6 May 2014 BRIGHT KIDS 3

Fostering critical thinking in childrenC

HILDRENS constant Butwhy mummy? Why daddy?questions can really get

under ones skin at times. We can,however, view these questionss the start of a childs criticalhinking skills development.

According to Claire McLeod,lementary school principal of IGBnternational School, the ability tohink critically is often consideredkey skill for success in everyday

ife and contributes to academicuccess.

To be able to think critically,hildren need to ask differentypes of questions that willxpand their thoughts beyond

what they see on the surface.

In the InternationalBaccalaureate Primary YearsProgramme (IB PYP), criticalthinking skills are developedthrough a concept-drivencurriculum as a means ofsupporting enquiry skills.

An extract from Makingthe PYP Happen:A curriculumframework for internationaleducation, InternationalBaccalaureate Organization(2009)states: A concept-drivencurriculum helps the learner

to construct meaning throughimproved critical thinking and thetransfer of knowledge.

The concepts are central tothe curriculum and are providedin the form of key questionsthat are broad and open-ended.Key concepts help teachers andstudents consider the differentways of thinking and learningabout the world. It stimulatesstudents to extend and deepentheir inquiries.

The key concepts are:laire McLeod, elementary schoolrincipal of IGB International School.

Key concepts of the International Baccalaureate Programme help stimulate students to extend and deepen their enquiries.

lForm: What is it like?lFunction: How does it work?lCausation: Why is it like it is?lChange: How is it changing?lConnection: How is itconnected to other things?lPerspective: What are thepoints of view?lResponsibility: What is ourresponsibility?lReflection: How do we know?

Teachers explicitly teach andencourage students to thinkabout and use the different types

of questions.Rather than the usual closed

questions such as How many?

or What is this colour?, excellentteachers model and encouragestudents to ask higher orderquestions such as Why is it likethis?, How is this connected?,How do you feel? or How doyou think other people may feelabout this?.

Actively involving studentsin performing reflectionand evaluation through thequestioning process whetherin groups or individual settingspromotes the development ofcritical thinking skills.

The simple habit of askingrather than telling can makea crucial impact on theirdevelopment.

Along with the IB PYP keyconcepts is the development ofthe IB Learner Profile attributes,where students becomeinquirers, thinkers, open-mindedand reflective.

This supports the developmentof critical thinking throughout astudents life in an IB school.

IGB International School is an IBWorld School located in Sierramasand an education provider forstudents from age three to 17. Theschool will open on August 18 thisyear.

nFor more information, visitwww.igbis.edu.my

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International communityfor holistic development

BASED in Bandar Springhill,Port Dickson, UCSIInternational School offers

ull boarding to students. Thechool comprises an internationalommunity of students andducators, making it perfect forhe holistic development of a child.

The school was built awayrom city distractions, which isne of the reasons boarding is

ffered. We are also reaching outo international students, so theboarding programme providesn opportunity for them to fullymmerse themselves in schoolulture, says Scott Wayne Tillar,ne of the schools boarding

parents.The boarding programme

s also a perfect complemento the schools IB Diploma

Program, continues Tillar. Bothhe IB and boarding programmesomplement each other to preparetudents academically and sociallyor future success at university.

At UCSI International School,tudents are supervised 24 hours a

day by boarding parents who liven campus. Girls are supervised

by a female boarding parent andboys by a male boarding parent.The students attend nightly studyessions in the school library andhe boarding parents provide

homework help.The student hostels are located

n the same building as thenternational school. Boys andirls live on separate floors andach floor can only be entered by

use of access cards.We also take great care to

ffer students a safe environmentnd give parents peace of mind.

Our 24-hour CCTV operateshroughout the school and

campus and our security team ishighly trained, says Tillar.

Even the boarders nutritionis taken care of the cafeteriaserves healthy food and drinkitems. Meals are balanced withprotein, vegetables, fresh fruitsand dairy items. The menu isan international one, includingWestern, Malay, Chinese, Filipinoand other dishes from around theworld.

The school facilities allow theboarders to enjoy a rich varietyof activities. Each boarding floorfeatures a TV room that includes arefrigerator, microwave oven andcomfortable seating.

Sports facilities include anOlympic-sized swimming pool,nine-hole golf course, footballfield, basketball court, tennis andvolleyball courts, gymnasium, anda student lounge with table tennis

equipment and a pool table.Boarding parents also plan

off-campus outings for thestudents such as trips to KualaLumpur, beach retreats, bowlingtournaments, mountain bikingand hiking.

UCSI International Schoolsboarding programme aims tofoster the development of activeand compassionate lifelonglearners in tandem with the IB

programme offered by the school,says Tillar.

We uphold high internationalstandards when it comes to ourteachers and academic facilities.We have a highly qualifiedteaching staff and all core subjectsare taught by professionalexpatriate teachers.

This along with our modernclassrooms and sciencelaboratories (biology, chemistryand physics laboratories) are partof our formula for success when itcomes to producing exceptionalstudents who are ready to meetfuture challenges, he says.

nFor more information or tomake an appointment to tour theschool, contact Scott or Lauren at06-638 6888 or e-mail [email protected] facilities allow its boarders to enjoy a rich variety of activities.

UCSI International School takesgreat care to offer students a safeenvironment.

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Creating a RECIPE for successE

DUCATION is the process ofteaching and nurturing. It isa lifelong activity and plays

vital part in the development of

n individual and society, makingt an important process that isostered in every age and culture.

In the past, a schoolsgreatest emphasis was onpreparing children to take public

xaminations.Teaching mainly involved

finishing a syllabusnd completing

homework.

Character education, on theother hand, is a deliberate effortto cultivate positive personalattributes and civility among

students.These qualities should bepromoted explicitly, modelled,taught, expected, celebratedand continuously practised ineveryday situations.

In short, character educationis the promotion

of universallydesirable

qualities suchas respect,responsibility,honesty and

integrity.Interactions

aylors International School offers a stimulating and supportive setting through a sound balance of academic excellence andpportunities for personal development.

between teachers and studentsare essential.

In dealing with students,educators contribute towards

building their students character.Hence, many schools use the termcharacter building rather thancharacter education becausecharacter building requires acontinuous process of teaching,changing and transforming thebehaviour of students.

In character building, it isimportant to know the basic traitsof good character. Some attributesthat are important to build good

character include asense of justice,fair play, self-discipline andcontrol, gratitude,wisdom,

integrity,humanity,

fortitude, hard work, love and apositive attitude.

At Taylors InternationalSchool, the educators place astrong emphasis on characterbuilding. Their character buildingprogrammes are based on six corevalues, with the acronym RECIPE.

Taylors prides itself in havingthe right RECIPE to mould eachstudent to become a wholesomeand successful individual.

Parents who are looking fora suitable school with a well-balanced and global educationprogramme can visit TaylorsInternational Schools Open Weekat the Kuala Lumpur campus fromMay 14 to 17.

nFor more information, contactthe admissions department at03-9200 9898 or visitwww.tis.edu.my

Good morals and values are instilled in students through character buildingprogrammes that are grounded in the best of Eastern and Western values.

Being dedicated to a culture of

Openness in

Acting with

Being

Creating

Respecting and caring for each other

Excellence

Communication

Integrity

Passionate in what we do

Enjoyable environments

Taylors RECIPE for wholesome, successful individuals

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Get physically active and fitE

XERCISE is an importantpart of growing up healthyand parents have the power

o instil in their children themportance of exercising. The

best way to do this is by gettinghildren involved in the samexercise or sport that the parentakes part in.

Exercising together with yourhildren has many benefits:lMaintains good health:Exercising can help improve onesoverall health and helps maintain

normal body weight. Exerciselso promotes the growth of

healthy bones, muscles, jointsnd helps build stamina andndurance.lBrings the family closer:Exercising allows parents theopportunity to bond and have funwith their children.lIncreases self-esteem andonfidence: Being involved inports can increase a childself-esteem and confidence

nd mastering a sports activitywill give the child a sense of

ccomplishment.

The Physical Activity Pyramid

The Physical Activity Pyramids an excellent tool that both

parents and children can usen determining the amount of

physical activity they each get.The pyramid is divided into fourparts.

At the bottom of the pyramid ishe list of activities that should bearried out every day.

Examples of these activitiesnclude walking up and down thetairs, walking to the shops, doing

household chores, gardening andparking the car at a reasonabledistance from the office as this

llows you to walk more.The next level of the pyramid

omprises activities that shouldbe carried out five to six times aweek.

These physical activities ofmoderate intensity should be doneor at least 30 minutes a day.

Examples of these activitiesnclude brisk walking, cycling,wimming, dancing, skipping,

hiking, aerobic exercises and alsoplaying sports such as football,badminton, basketball and tennis.

On the third level of thepyramid are the activities that

you should do two to three timesweek, for example, stretching,

push ups, partial sit ups, legpresses, sitting and reaching

xercises, and weightlifting.These activities increase flexibility,trength and endurance.

At the top of the pyramid areedentary activities that should

be carried out minimally, such asplaying video games, watching TV

nd surfing the Internet.

Limiting sedentary lifestyles

The Achieving 10,000 stepscampaign, an initiative by theMinistry of Health Malaysia,encourages Malaysians to lead ahealthier lifestyle. The campaigninvolves taking at least 10,000steps a day. Ten thousand steps

are equivalent to a little morethan 6km of walking. A sedentaryperson usually walks between3,000 and 4,000 steps a day soadding the extra steps can lead tobetter health.

There are plenty of activitiesthat one can do to achieve thisgoal. Here are some tips to achieve10,000 steps a day:lWalk or cycle to school.lActively participate duringphysical education classes.lHelp out with household chores.lChoose to walk up the stairsinstead of taking the lift orescalator.

lEngage in outdoor activitieswith your children.lAllow young children to play asmuch as possible in a safe outdoorenvironment.

60 minutes of physicalactivity for better fitness

For children and young people,physical activity includes games,sports, transportation, chores,recreational activities, physicaleducation or planned exercise inthe context of family, school andcommunity activities.

The Malaysia Dietary Guidelinefor children and adolescents (2013)encourages the young to:lBe physically active every day inas many ways as they can. A goodway is by incorporating morephysical activities in their day-to-day activities. Parents should notrestrict their children from beingnaturally active.lAccumulate at least 60 minutes

of moderate-intensity physicalactivity daily. Activities forchildren and young people shouldmatch their age, maturity level,developmental or skill level andhealth status. Children often carryout physical activities in shortbursts therefore accumulation ofphysical activity over the day is apractical approach.lAt least three times a week,participate in activities thatincrease muscle and bonestrength. Some activities that helpto strengthen muscles includepush-ups, pull-ups and sit-upswhile some activities that help tostrengthen bones include usinga skipping rope, running and

playing basketball.

Being physically active will benefit both adults and children alike.

Children should incorporate physicalexercise in their day-to-day activities.

The physical activity pyramid.

The Nestl Healthy Kids Programme is aimed at improving nutritionknowledge and promoting active lifestyles among school studentsaged between seven and 17. It consists of two modules a PrimarySchool Module called the Nestl Healthy Kids Programme, and theSecondary School Module called Program Cara Hidup Sihat. Bothprogrammes are based on a multi-partnership approach, collaboratingwith national health and educational authorities such as Ministry ofEducation, Nutrition Society of Malaysia and Universiti Putra Malaysia.To learn more about the programme, visit www.healthykids.org.my

About the Nestl Healthy Kids Programme

Limit

2-3 times a week

Everyday

5-6 times a week

Limit physicalinacitivy and

sedentary habits

Participate in activities that increaseflexibility, strength and endurance ofthe muscle as many as 2-3 times a week

Accumulate at least 30 minutes per day of moderate intensityphysical activity on at least 5-6 days a week, preferably daily

Be active everyday in as many ways as you can

Stretching Push up Partial sit-up Leg press Sit and reach exercise Weight lifting (dumb bell)

Brisk walking Football Badminton Hiking Cycling Aerobic exercise Basket ball Swimming Dancing

Sepak takraw Skipping rope Tennis

Walk up the stairsWalk to the shopHouse workGardening

Walk up to the officePark your car a distance wayIncrease walking each dayIncrease walking up and down the stairs

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Rich tradition in boardingB

OARDING offers manyopportunities for takingon responsibility, learning

eamwork and leadership, and

t enables our students to beonfident young men and womenby the time they leave us so thatwhen they go to university, theywill not only be able to stand onheir own two feet, but thrive as

well, says Mike Oliver, head of theenior school of Epsom College in

Malaysia (ECiM).Epsom College has a long-held

eputation for academic excellencend a first-class British boardingxperience. Epsom in the United

Kingdom has educated Malaysiansor decades, so it is only fittinghat it is now in Malaysia.

When Epsom opens its doors tots first intake in September this

year, ECiM will provide a home-rom-home education for studentsrom Malaysia and around theegion that will enable them toeceive a good education while

developing lifelong friendships.The offer of full and weekly

boarding mirrors our school inhe UK and allows us full access to

both the Malaysian market as wells the wider Asean region. Weekly

boarding is particularly populart Epsom as it gives students thepace and support to becomendependent while allowingamilies to meet up on the

weekends, explains Jane Smith,ECiMs head of prep school.

The pastoral care that will be

available for students is second tonone. The students will receivepersonalised support, guidanceand care from staff. Accordingto Smith, this is what makesthe Epsom boarding experienceunique, which helps studentsenjoy boarding life and thrive onthe opportunities offered to them.

There are six boarding Houses,each with a resident housemasteror housemistress (HMM) and anassistant HMM, as well as twogap-years students who livewithin the boarding house.

There will be in-house andvisiting tutors on duty each nightto help students with homework.

The matron is on duty during theday, while the sanatorium willhave a full-time nurse and a teamof nurses along with a daily visitfrom a doctor.

Though ECiMs overall modelis based on the UK school, theMalaysian school has its ownunique features such as a surauand an amphitheatre. The schoolwas able to utilise the expertiseand experience of Oliver to guidethe setting up of the Malaysianboarding facilities. Oliver has beena boarding housemaster at EpsomUK for 15 years and part of theECiM project for three years.

The six Houses follow the

traditions of our sister-schoolin England, with Houses havinga unique name, colour schemeand crest that helps create a clear

identity for each group of childrenwithin that House.Students are very proud of

their House and there is a friendly,good-natured rivalry betweenHouses, particularly during sportscompetitions, says Oliver.

He goes on to explain thateach House is equipped withample facilities for the studentsuse, including brewrooms (smallkitchens), lounge areas, studynooks, games rooms, TV roomsand a courtyard garden forstudents and staff to relax in.

The boarders will alsobenefit from daily co-curricularactivities, Saturday sports fixtures,weekday evening lectures andtalks, weekend field trips andhikes, cultural events and otheractivities, adds Smith.

House staff will also arrangeevents such as barbecues, movienights, inter-house competitionsand trips to the beach toencourage students to know oneanother and really enjoy life inMalaysia, she says.

ECiMs prep school at BandarEnstek will be exclusively forstudents aged two to 11 andthe campus has been designedspecifically for their learning andpastoral needs.

These students will also haveaccess to the senior schools

facilities. The senior schoolcampus comprises modern,hi-tech and environmental-friendly buildings with specialised

facilities for music, drama andsports, as well as dedicatedscience and art departments.

nFor more information or toreserve an entry assessmentsession for your child (three to18 years old), [email protected] call 03 6211 4488 or visitwww.epsomcollege.edu.my

Boarders at ECiM benefit from daily co-curricular activities.

There are in-house tutors on duty eachnight to help students with home work.

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Nurturing minds, building characterB

EGINNING in January, theSunway International Schoolcommunity collectively

mbraced a formal characterdevelopment programme. The

Ontario Ministry of Educationstablished its characterdevelopment initiative in 2007.Character education programmesbegan to appear in school districtsn the 1990s.

The character educationprogramme at SIS is themedround a series of having a virtuef the month, a deliberate school-

wide effort to inculcate andnurture universal virtues.

For SIS, it is especiallymportant to initiate a formalharacter development

programme to help studentsxplore and reflect on the

meaning and purpose of theirtues while providing a standardf behaviour that will holdtudents accountable.

The programme relates toIS motto of nurturing minds,

building character, which focusesn developing students in a well-

balanced and holistic manner,both intellectually and character-wise.

Principal John Mackle says:We believe quality educationncludes education of the hearts well as the mind. We wanto produce graduates who haveuperior academic skills, areirtuous and practice-responsibleitizens in an increasingly diverselobal community.

The character educationprogramme is embedded in theSIS culture in an explicit andintentional manner. Frequentreminders of the months virtueare displayed at several vantagepoints around the school,including banners proclaiming themonths virtue, posters and otherdisplays made by the students.

In conjunction with thisprogramme, the Student of theMonth award is given to the

student who best exemplifiesthe qualities of the virtue of themonth.

All members of the SIS schoolcommunity share a responsibilityin modelling, teaching andencouraging daily demonstrationsof the virtue being celebrated inthat month. The teachers do theirpart by incorporating the monthsvirtue into lessons where possibleand utilise tools for trackingexemplary behaviour.

This was seen when Januarysfeatured virtue responsibility was practised with thedistribution of Student Agendaplanners, which were intendedto aid students to further developtheir planning and organisationalskills.

Virtue campaigns, such asCompassion in Action, lobbiedstudents to recount examplesof compassion they have seen,either by posting written stories

John Mackle, principal of Sunway International School,giving a speech at the character education assembly.

The students presented a short play that revolved around the virtue ofthe month during Januarys character education assembly.

on a designated notice board orcapturing the anecdotes on video.

These illustrations were thenpresented at a character educationassembly chaired by student

affairs coordinator and chairmanof the Character EducationCommittee Heath Kondro. Theassemblies also highlighted someof the SIS communitys work onthe monthly virtues with workdone by students, including photoessays, presentations and poetryrecitals, inspirational videos anduplifting speeches by students andthe teaching staff.

Character education at SISis about having excellence ineducation, creating an authenticlearning community that isvibrant and caring where studentscan think critically, feel deeply andact wisely.

This then sets the foundationfor excellence and equity atSIS and for the schools visionof a learning community thatis respectful, safe, caring andinclusive.

Established in 2008, SIS is apart of the Sunway EducationGroup and is a member of theJeffrey Cheah Foundation.

SIS will hold its registrationfrom May 19 to 24, where parentsand students can find out moreabout the school and the readinessassessment for the July intake.

nFor more information, call03-7491 8070 or visitwww.sis.sunway.edu.my

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StarSpecial, Tuesday 6 May 2014 COURSE FOCUS 9

WE believe in nurturingstudents to be teamplayers and develop their

kills through various channelsuch as sports and extra-

urricular activities, says StephenKamalanathan, head of sports andxtra-curricular activities at Nilainternational School (NIS).

Stephen graduated withphysical education degree

rom Winona University andmanagement degree from

Minnesota University in theUnited States.

He has more than 15 years ofeaching experience that began at

Houston Elementary School, US,before returning to Malaysia.

Stephen stresses themportance of sports and extra-urricular activities in developinghe character and maximising the

potential of each child.Many Asian parents are not as

nthusiastic as American parentswhen it comes to sports and extra-urricular activities. In the US,lthough a parent may be the chiefxecutive officer of a Fortune 500ompany, most of them make timeo watch their child compete inhe Little Kids Baseball league.

I hope to get more parentso be just as enthusiastic aboutheir childrens sports and extra-urricular activities here, he says.

At NIS, Stephen is aided by theampus sporting amenities. It hascovered swimming pool for the

tudents compulsory swimmingessons, which are conducted by

certified coaches.There are also indoor courts

for volleyball, basketball andbadminton, and a well-equippedgymnasium as well as an outdoorfootball pitch and basketball court.

NIS students also benefit frombeing in close proximity with itssister companies Nilai University(Nilai U) and Nilai Springs Golf andCountry Resort.

Stephen says that plans are

underway to provide training forthe niche sport of fencing to NISstudents.

Nilai U is a designated PusatSukan Tumpuan Fencing(Focused Sports Centre Fencing)by the Ministry of Education andis well equipped for its purpose.

We will be working with NilaiU so that our students can gainaccess to its fencing facilities andproper coaching as we intend

to produce future champions infencing, says Stephen.

NIS also plans to provide golflessons where students willbe coached at the Nilai Springs

Golf and Country Resort byprofessionals from the MizunoGolf School.

Situated across from NIS is aprivately owned sports complexwith bowling alleys and a snookerparlour, where Stephens studentsget the opportunity to bow andplay snooker.

In this digital age, manystudents prefer playing virtualbowling or snooker but I try to getthem interested in the real thing.By getting students involved ingroup and outdoor activities,they will learn valuable lessonsin socialising and how to be teamplayers, he says.

NIS aims to produceacademically excellent studentswho are socially confident.Students who are active insports will gain better focus anddiscipline that can translate intotheir academic pursuits.

This is why I urge parents toencourage their childrens extra-curricular endeavours and alsowhy NIS has spent a great dealequipping the campus with state-of-the-art facilities, both in andoutside the classrooms, he says.

Stephen says that students whodisplay higher levels of skills andability in sports are given extracoaching to prepare them forinter-school meets and possibly

NIS believes in nurturing students to be team players and develop skills throughvarious channels such as sports and extra-curricular activities.

Important role of sports

for regional tournaments in thefuture.

Stephen invites parents andkids to visit NIS. He says: You willbe impressed by the facilities thatare on par with many premiumschools in the country. We arenew and still growing. For suchcompetitive fees, parents arereally getting a great deal.

NIS is hosting its Open Day onMay 24. The campus is located inPutra Nilai and offers the ICGSEsyllabus.

nFor more information, call06-8502 188 or visitwww.nis.edu.my

Students whoare active insports will gainbetter focus anddiscipline thatcan translate intotheir academicpursuits.

Stephen Kamalanathan, headof sports and extra-curricularactivities at Nilai InternationalSchool

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Enhancing academicand life skillsWITH more than 65,000 graduates frommore than 85 countries, SuperCamp isa worldwide leader in academic and lifeskills programmes for students.

Established more than 33 years agoby Bobbi DePorter, a teen motivation andaccelerated learning expert, SuperCampis hosted in its home country, the UnitedStates, and in 16 other countries across theworld. In Malaysia, Quantum EducationSdn Bhd (QESB) works exclusively with

DePorter, her team in Quantum LearningNetwork (QLN) in the US and its regionalpartners.

What does QESB do?

QESB has a broad range of programmesfor teenage students and their parents,teachers and educators. SuperCampselite group of facilitators and educatorsconducts these programmes, which haveimpacted more than five million studentsall over the world.

For all students, success in school andin life is about academic competence

and strong character. QESBs studentprogrammes and curriculum enablestudents to be confident, motivated andachieve academic and personal excellence.

Why choose SuperCamp?

At SuperCamp, the Quantum LearningMethod optimises the students learningenvironment by creating a positiveatmosphere where students feel a sense

of belonging and participate actively. Theprogramme is centred on the belief thatchildren can excel when the learningprocess is meaningful, challenging andjoyful.

The programme is committed toproviding students with life skills andempowers them to believe that they canaccomplish anything they set their mindto. The results thus far have been trulyamazing.

nFor more information, call 03-62030525, e-mail [email protected] orvisitwww.supercamp.com.my

SuperCamp enables students to be confident, motivated and achieve academic and personal excellence.

Nurturing the modern learnerT

HE modern learner mustdevelop new ways of thinkingthat embrace creativity and

problem-solving rather than justmemorisation. They must master

new ways of communicating viamultimedia and collaborativeprojects.

A mastery of information andommunications technology giveshem access to the tools needed toearn and express these skills.

At Rafflesia International andPrivate Schools, the lessons,urriculum and school buildings

have been designed to giveearners easy access to the toolshey need to excel academically.

One of the key features ofRafflesias education programmess the understanding that eachearner is different and unique.

Their experience of the worlds learned through sound, motion,isual input and interactions.

To create a truly effective andreative learning environmentequires the combination of eachf these methods.

This success is achievedhrough fostering a one-to-oneearning environment, whereearners are given mobile learning

devices such as tablets or laptops.Trained teachers deliver

ontent through interactiveducational applications that

promote knowledge delivery inmethods that meet the differentearning behaviour of each learner.

Students also get constantccess to lesson content through

a virtual learning environmentand courses developed by leadinginstitutes such as StanfordUniversity and Oxford University.

The schools Mobile DeviceManagement system candynamically monitor and managedevices to be made appropriate foreach class.

A single lesson allowslearners to access and evaluate

international research andresources, find videos andinteractive reports to give a broadoverview, work in groups to createcollaborative online responses,and instantly submit and sharework with other learners.

Perhaps the greatest benefitprovided by Rafflesias 21stcentury learning is the focus ofteaching programmes with a

learning to learn concept, wherepriority is given to developing keyskills and gaining independence.

Learners learn to control theirown education through accessingexpertise of their teachers, peersand overseas educators.

Rafflesia International andPrivate Schools cutting-edgecampuses, which are supportedby high-speed Wi-Fi, enables

students and teachers to accesswork from any location.

Rafflesias international linksallow its educators to benefit fromthe expertise of partner schools

in China, the United States andSingapore to create a global-minded education programme.

However, it is important tounderstand that 21st centurylearning is not simply about theuse of technology to enhancelearning.

A balanced education preparesall learners to meet the demandsof the modern world, to have ahealthy body, a sharp mind and tobe sensitive to different cultures.

Mandarin is offered as acore subject at every year level.Rafflesia caters its Chineseprogramme to the different levelsof understanding of its learners.

Curriculum objectives rangefrom mastering basic Mandarinto creating an enriched educationexperience through the study oflanguage and culture. Central toall tiers is the empowerment ofstudents through a fruitful andenjoyable learning experience.

Regardless of their linguisticbackground, learning ability orprevious education, each studentwill be provided the opportunityto immerse themselves in21st century learning throughRafflesias unique curriculum.

nFor more information,call 03 8953 9088 or visitwww.rafflesia.edu.my

Rafflesias students utilise tablets to collaborate on group assignments.

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lasses at Cambridge English for Life (CEFL) are small and interactive tonsure learning becomes an enjoyable experience and that teachers geto address the needs of individual students.

Engagingchildrenin activelearningC

AMBRIDGE English forLife (CEFL) is a distinctiveeducation centre with the

logan Making todays learningomorrows success. Teachingt CEFL places emphasis on

what students can do forhemselves rather than whatthers can do for them.

Its approach is both aommunicative and activene. Students are requiredo participate in Englishommunication that takes

place in an active learningnvironment.

CEFL students do more thanust listen. They read, write,

discuss and engage in problemolving. In particular, studentsngage in higher-order thinkingasks such as analysis, synthesis,nd evaluation.

Active learning engagestudents in two aspects doing

hings and thinking about thehings they are doing.

For more than 12 years,CEFL has been delivering awide range of English languageourses to raise the level of

English language proficiency ofts participants.

It prepares them for theCambridge English LanguageAssessment examinations (fromYoung Learners English testso Cambridges most advancedxamination) and the Certificatef Proficiency in English and

t also develops their thinkingkills.

Acquiring proficiencyn English at an early stage

pens up more opportunities

for children to engage andparticipate in activities atschool, college, work and play options they would lack withouta good standard of English.

Understanding Englishthrough listening and readingwidens childrens horizonsand broadens their knowledge.It prepares them to thinkabout their future, take a moreinformed view, gain betterprospects of success, be morearticulate in job interviews andwrite letters well.

CEFLs English languageprogrammes consist ofseveral elements and use acommunicative approach tolearning. Classes are smalland interactive to ensurelearning becomes an enjoyableexperience and that teachersget to address the needs ofindividual students.

Students enjoy classes atCEFL because not only are theyfun, they also introduce a widerange of literary and culturalknowledge.

Generally, students whothrive at CEFL also achievebetter marks in their schoolexams.

CEFL offers an educationexperience that provides forthe wider developmental needsof children. It accommodatestodays children and fosterstomorrows leaders.

nFor more information, contact03-7883 0912, [email protected] or

visit www.cambridgeforlife.org

Mastering English the interactive wayMORRIS Allen English adopts aninteractive approach to teaching andlearning that strengthens studentsEnglish skills and boosts theirconfidence and motivation to learn.

With this approach, students are

motivated to become learners andface new challenges while havinggreater confidence to take risks intheir learning.

Morris Allen English implementsthis interactive structure in lessonsto ensure students enjoy learningEnglish. With a teaching approachthat focuses on an interactive multi-sensory system, students activelyengage in speaking, listening, readingand writing activities.

Qualified and experiencedteachers

The key resource for learning is theeducators. Teaching a language is bestdone by trained professionals whoare native speakers of the language.Morris Allen English teachers arecarefully selected native speakers ofEnglish who have gained recognisedteaching qualifications and are backedwith years of teaching experience.

Its qualified and experiencedteachers understand students needsand this ensures that they provide aninteractive learning environment thatnurtures the progress of students.

The Morris Allen Englishinteractive learning systemfocuses on four major areas ofEnglish language development listening, speaking, reading andwriting. Each lesson is carefullystructured to involve students ininteractive activities that includeelements of these four major areas.

Morris Allen English recognisesthat speaking and listening arethe keys to learning a language.Conversing with native speakersexposes students to good modelsof English and provides moreopportunities for good Englishlanguage development.

Its teachers provideopportunities for students toexplore language and develop

new vocabulary in a secure andnurturing environment.

There is also a listeningcomprehension componentincluded in lessons where studentslisten and respond to instructionsand questions.

Often, this involves a funactivity such as colouring, butthe importance of listening toinstructions and responding withthe correct action is the focus ofthis component.

Students eventually learn todifferentiate between the soundsof the English language.

nFor more information, call03-7726 7656 or visitwww.morrisallen-malaysia.com

The Morris Allen English interactive learning system focuses on four major areas ofEnglish language development listening, speaking, reading and writing.

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Multiple Intelligencesfor maximum fun

MANY people wish for theirchildrens early childhoodeducation experience to

be better than their own. This iswhy they strive to provide theirhildren with the best.

There are many modern andnnovative learning approachesvailable in the market.

However, when it comes tone that adopts a near-scientific

pproach towards the teachingnd learning of pre-schoolers orhildren who attend kindergarten,ery few are as proven, effectivend revolutionary as Multiplentelligences (MI).

What is MI?

Traditionally, intelligence ismeasured by only one method

ones IQ level. This may beccurate to a certain extent but is

now considered to be outdated.The MI approach, which was

ounded by Prof Howard Gardnerf Harvard University, measures

ntelligence on a wider scale ashere are at least eight differentypes of intelligence.

MI andR.E.A.L Kids

By having MI as its foundation,R.E.A.L Kids has tailored a pre-chool programme that is fullf enrichment activities suchs swimming, song and dance,

public speaking, puzzle solving,torytelling, arts and craft, andulinary arts that are designed tongage and captivate children.

Role playing and groupctivities, meanwhile, teachhildren important interpersonalkills such as cooperation,

teamwork and trust.In short, MI is not just an after-

school activity, but one that isincorporated into the R.E.A.L Kidscurriculum.

Daily lessons are designed tobring out a childs talents andinterests enabling him to enjoyand respond to his lessons.

Every individual is smartin different ways. R.E.A.L Kids

customises its curriculum to eachchild based on the concept thatchildren learn best through theirareas of strength, learning needsand preferences.

At R.E.A.L Kids, this approachis delivered within speciallydesigned environments or childspaces, which include purpose-built facilities such as MI LearningRooms and Corners.

How MI is applied atR.E.A.L Kids

R.E.A.L Kids has developedways of teaching and learning thatpromote all eight intelligencesin order to assess, identify andnurture students in a morein-depth, holistic and wholesomemanner. Here is an example ofhow this approach is applied when

The Multiple Intelligences approach employed by R.E.A.L Kids is designed to bring out the best in children.

conducting a simple lesson onrainbows:lTelling a story of how a rainbowgets its colours (verbal-linguisticintelligence or word smart)lCounting and identifying thevarious colours of a rainbow(logical-mathematical or numbersmart)lDrawing a rainbow andcolouring it. Then asking the

children to imagine themselvesas a rainbow and asking themwhich colour they would like to be(visual-spatial or picture smart)lObserving a real rainbow afterthe rain or watching a videoclip on rainbows (intrapersonal-individual intelligence or selfsmart)lSinging or playing a songabout rainbows (naturalist-environmental intelligenceor nature smart and musical-rhythmic intelligence or musicsmart)lGetting children into a groupand forming a rainbow curve(bodily-kinaesthetic intelligenceor body smart and interpersonal-social intelligence or people smart)

The MI approach has beenproven to make learning moremeaningful, interesting andeffective for children. This formof experiential learning enablesstudents to actively participate inall learning activities.

Perhaps more importantly,pre-schoolers are able to have funand create cherished memoriesalong the way that last a lifetime,says Rachel Leow, generalmanager of R.E.A.L Kids.

nFor more information,call 03-5631 8000 or visitwww.realkids.edu.my

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