BRIGHT KIDS

THE STAR, TUESDAY 4 JUNE 2019

Unleash your child's creativityMusic and the arts are great developmental tools for children, and parents

should encourage their children to explore these areas.

Hajj education for Muslim studentsIN a continuous effort to provide quality early childhood education to the younger generation, Smart Reader Worldwide organises educational events to complement the excellent educational experience it offers. Smart Reader Worldwide, via the Smart Reader Kids Islamic Programme, is giving students valuable hands-on experience with its upcoming Smart Hajj event on July 22.

The Smart Hajj event caters to Muslim students at Smart Reader Kids centres nationwide. It is a hajj simulation that will be conducted on a much smaller scale to pique students’ interest and evoke their curiosity on the practice and conduct of this fifth pillar of Islam. This event offers practical activities of hajj rituals, which include tawaf, wukuf, adorning the ihram and sa’i to ensure students receive the best educational hajj experience from a young age.

An extension of the curriculum offered in the Smart Reader Kids Islamic Programme, this event is held in collaboration with Persatuan Tadika Islam Malaysia (Pertim). All participants will receive guidance from experienced Pertim officers.

Regarding the importance of participating in this event, Smart Reader Kids Taman Kinrara franchisee Siti Muharram Beevi Abdul

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AMANDA Tay Xiao-Ping, a professional dancer and dance instructor, describes ballet as an artistic performance that usually tells a story through dance. It is believed to have originated from the Italian Renaissance courts in the 15th century.

It is a wondrous experience to watch a ballet recital with the dancers gliding across the stage with ease and poise. However, of all the people in the audience mesmerised by ballet dancers, how many know the countless hours of practice needed and discipline these professionals have?

Don’t be put off by this if you are considering ballet as an extracurricular activity for your kid, because this dedication and discipline is the very reason ballet makes for a great activity.

An elegant art formAccording to Tay, not many

people consider ballet when

choosing extracurricular activities for their kids, which to her is a mistake.

“Ballet is not just a performance art but also an exercise form that can be immensely beneficial to children. It is highly technical and consists of graceful movements, which require a lot of focus and discipline to learn.

“It also helps children be aware of their bodies and enhances coordination as well as balance, because ballet involves all the muscles in the body from the neck to the tips of the toes,” says Tay.

Another factor that makes ballet a great extracurricular activity for children is how it teaches the importance of teamwork. Ballet recitals are rarely performed solo and when performing alongside others, everyone must work with each other. It requires a great deal of collaboration and learning it from a young age will train

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Dancing through life

Rahuman says, “The children are taught that hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. This programme encourages them to gain more knowledge about hajj as well as the process itself.”

She also shares that her interest in the event stems from her desire to ensure that the children have a better understanding of Islam as a whole under the Smart Reader Kids Islamic programme. In an effort to make this simulation more exciting for Smart Reader Kids students, each participant will be equipped with an ihram cloth/praying attire, hajj simulation module, hajj kit and certificate of participation that they can use as reference in the future.

When asked about how she incorporates the spirit of Ramadan

into daily lessons

during this holy month, Smart Reader Kids Taman Universiti (Johor) principal Yuliza Hasmah Yahya says, “The common practice at school during Ramadan is to recite prayers and hold simulations of wuduk. Besides that, the children are encouraged to perform prayers and charitable actions (sedekah).”

Smart Reader Kids welcomes parents to experience this exciting journey together. Parents are invited to visit any of the 300 centres nationwide to enquire about the international award-winning programmes, enrolment and facilities offered by Smart Reader Kids.

n For details, call 03-62795555 or the SMARTLine at 1300 885 555, or visit www.smartreader.edu.my

A leading curriculum for the 21st century

SUNWAY International School (SIS) has built its reputation of more than 10 years by offering one of the world’s leading curricula from Ontario, Canada. Sunway has “hung its hat” on Canadian education for good reason. By many measures, both quantitative and qualitative, it leads the English-speaking world in terms of student results.

The Programme for International Student Assessment conducted by the Organisation of Economic Co-Operation and Development has consistently ranked Canada ahead of all other English-speaking nations such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and New Zealand in its assessment of reading, mathematics and science for 15- to 16-year-olds.

In addition, a recent and extensive qualitative research study conducted by The Economist magazine places Canada second in the world in preparing students for the future, beaten only by New Zealand. This qualitative study of inputs, supports and pedagogies in education, conducted through interviews of many of the world’s leading educators, is another testimony to the efficacy of Canadian education.

Strong foundations in its world-renowned Early Years Program and 21st century educational thinking have provided Canadian and SIS students with a springboard to develop critical thinking skills, work and learn collaboratively and creatively, be effective communicators, develop positive character attributes and become truly global citizens; the six Cs of leading edge curricula, as described by Michael Fullan, a world leading educator and advisor to the Ontario (Canada) Ministry of Education.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Programmes

SIS is also an IB World School, offering the IB Diploma Programme at both Sunway City and Sunway Iskandar campuses. The IB Diploma Programme is perhaps the most

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highly regarded high school diploma in the world. Universities across the globe highly value students with an IB Diploma Programme, often providing advanced placements up to a full year. They know that students with an IB Diploma come well prepared for the challenges of university life.

In addition, SIS Sunway Iskandar has become an IB Middle Years Program (MYP) candidate school, with full authorisation expected in 2020. In the MYP, SIS will continue to offer the Ontario curriculum with the required adjustments and additions within the framework of the MYP. The school has been preparing diligently to

develop the necessary scope and sequence, complements and connections between the core Ontario curriculum and requirements of the MYP, all the while keeping in mind that the IB Diploma Programme is a great option for the students at SIS.

Congruent and leading-edge curricula

SIS Sunway Iskandar will incorporate two of the worlds’ most esteemed curricula in its programme offerings from kindergarten through Grade 12, in a seamless, coherent and congruent manner. The Ontario and IB curricula are both founded on similar principles of developing and graduating students who are internationally minded, critical thinkers and oriented towards a collaborative mindset of shared understandings.

Both programmes understand that well-being is integral to student success and enhanced by offering a balanced course of study. They understand that connecting learning in an integrated manner and applying learning to real-life situations through experiential learning opportunities deepen student learning outcomes.

SIS is part of the Sunway Education Group, which is owned and governed by the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation. Come and talk to the admissions team at both campuses in Sunway City and Sunway Iskandar.

n For more information, visit sis.sunway. edu.my

Strong foundations in its world-renowned Early Years Program and in 21st century educational thinking have provided Canadian and SIS students with a springboard to develop critical thinking skills.

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Learning valuable lessons through dance> FROM PAGE 2

children to respect and communicate with their peers. These are valuable lessons that will come in handy throughout their lives.

Lifestyle-wise, the consistent exercise can help children keep fit, healthy and strong, and establishing that habit in them early on means they may find maintaining it easier. Tay shares that kids can start doing ballet from as early as four years old.

In fact, the earlier you start your kids on ballet, the better, because bodies are much more flexible during childhood. This makes it easier for them to progress to the more challenging aspects of ballet as they get older.

Addressing the gender biasOne common notion among parents is

that ballet is only for girls, and boys who pursue it are looked at as “girly”. Tay dismisses it by saying that it is mostly because of the Asian culture and mindset.

“Ballet is well accepted as an activity for boys and girls in Western countries, where a boy who joins a ballet class is not considered unmasculine. On the contrary, boys are actually required to perform difficult techniques in ballet, one of which is lifting female dancers – a common requirement for ballet duets.

“There is not enough exposure for ballet in Malaysia, which I suppose is the reason behind this mindset. In my experience, it is also why ballet is more popular among

well-to-do Malaysian parents,” she concludes.

Saying yes to ballet“There are already very few children

taking up ballet in Malaysia, but what’s really sad is that not many do it seriously,” shares Tay.

Young dancers who are serious about ballet and have supportive parents could end up making a career out of it. Tay also points out that kids wanting to pursue it professionally must get a degree or diploma in ballet, because to become successful performers, they must be able to prove their qualifications.

So, if you want your kids to learn discipline and teamwork in a fun way, practise a culture of exercise and grow up with the confidence that comes from performing, consider enrolling them in ballet classes.

SRI Bestari International School (SBIS), a school that values parents and especially mothers as the first teacher of their children, had its students all geared up with special gifts to honour their mothers on Mother’s Day.

As the saying goes, “Being a mother is about learning strengths you didn’t know you had and dealing with fears you didn’t know existed.” This special occasion once again reminded me of the tenacity that my mother possessed throughout her journey in raising me.

Ever since my father fell into severe depression when I was seven, my mum had no choice but to take on the role as the sole breadwinner. Life was difficult as she had to resort to taking on several jobs just to make ends meet. Eventually, mum decided to be a babysitter so that she could be part of her children’s journeys and care for us closely as we grew up.

I used to wonder if she ever slept and was curious of the kind of superpower she had back in those days. It drained her of energy to look after four to five toddlers and babies at the same time, while also taking care of the laundry and never-ending house chores. Many times, the help I extended to lighten her workload would be turned down with a

Mothers are our first teachers

now than we’ve ever had in the history of labour. No matter how high women have positioned themselves on the corporate ladder, however, it is crucial for women who are also mothers not to lose sight of their priceless gift – their children.

Today, the role of a mother is no doubt more challenging than ever. With a hectic lifestyle, it is good to spend some time to ponder if we as mothers are “off the track” from our responsibility to be our own children’s teachers, touching their hearts and impacting their lives.

In the spirit of SBIS’ motto – “My growth mindset begins here with GRIT (Gratitude, Resilient, Intentional Inconvenience and Teamwork)” – Bestarians celebrated the grace and grit of mothers by recognising them as a special group of people and regarding them as one of the most important partners in their education journey.

The seniors from SBIS Science Society took the lead in baking the “Pretzel with Love” and making suncatchers using melted beads for their mothers. The juniors from Little Master Chef and Creative Arts Society jointly expressed their appreciation by making flower art and baking their secret recipe chocolate cookies, which were packed with personalised messages.

Building GRIT in life through instilling gratitude is pivotal to a child’s character development. Studies have revealed that grateful children do better in school and are more likely to achieve their goals as they are more satisfied with school and life. One who embraces gratitude by counting his blessings in life shifts his focus away from materialism. When children are more

EDUCATOR'S DESK

Dr Wong Siew ChinPrincipal of SBIS

grateful, they become less materialistic because they value intrinsic things rather than extrinsic things.

SBIS had its inaugural intake in September 2017 and anticipates moving into new buildings this September. The new buildings will feature state-of-the-art facilities such as ICT suites, a Hall of Arts, a large multipurpose hall, fully equipped Science and Culinary Arts laboratories, music and dance studios, a swimming pool, an indoor playground, a modern library and purpose-built classrooms for 21st century teaching and learning.

n For enquiries, call 011-5139 7866 or 03-6273 1072.

gentle reminder of my need to study for a better future.

With proper breakfast served on the table every day (especially appreciated on examination days) and her act of kneeling to pray for me were some of the most profound moments that reflected her love. My mother, whom I regard as my first teacher, taught me the value of grit – to persevere through the raging storms in life.

In the 21st century, women are an indispensable part of the workforce. There are more women in leadership positions

Starting kids young, while they are still flexible, can help them progress faster.

Tap into our higher education expertise THE application process to higher education is complicated and can become a source of stress and anxiety for pupils and their parents. University, college, undergraduate degrees, foundation programmes; which is best? What will better suit your son or daughter and how do you, as parents and guardians, choose between the many courses that are on offer?

The answer is: by accessing the expertise available at your child’s school. There will be a member of staff whose role it is to answer all your questions, demystify the process and support you and your child every step of the way. With support and advice, the application process can become an exciting time of new opportunities and exciting enticing experiences.

A solid foundation in the International General Certificate in Secondary Education (IGCSE), with a minimum of five passes at grade C (level 6 and above to include mathematics and the sciences), is going to smooth the way to higher education. A good grade in English is desirable, although international students will generally undergo the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) that will allow them access to universities in countries where courses are delivered in English. IGCSE scores show universities (in the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe) and colleges (in the United States and Canada) that a student has a solid foundation on which to build academically.

Once IGCSE is completed, the next step is finalising your choices in A-Levels. Aim to work with your child’s teachers to see

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The most successful candidates are able to think creatively and outside the box. This ability comes from exposure to new experiences and challenges and having to apply prior learning in new contexts.

where his strengths lie and what combinations would be best given his areas of interest. Do not worry too much about specific courses at this stage unless your child is hoping to study medicine, veterinary medicine or dentistry. Ask the higher education advisor or counsellor any questions you may have and remember that he is there to support you.

How do you decide which country your child should study in? As a general rule, American, Canadian and Australian universities and colleges provide a more general education and the opportunity to major in a subject or discipline later on. UK universities tend to focus on a specific subject or combination of subjects from the outset. Remember that your child can apply to institutions in more than one country, so there is no need to decide until

she has received her offers.The application process should begin in

earnest in Year 12 with IELTS, SAT or ACT (for US colleges) and personal statements (for UK universities). Ask what support is available for your child and, once again, encourage your child to take full advantage of the help on offer. Applications will be sent from the month of September in the student’s Year 13 and offer letters should come shortly after.

Finally, what do you do if things go wrong? What if there is a problem? The answer is to seek advice from the school advisor. There is always support available and a plan B. In the meantime, encourage your child to enjoy learning, read widely and take advantage of all the opportunities

available. The most successful candidates are able to think creatively and outside the box. This ability comes from exposure to new experiences and challenges and having to apply prior learning in new contexts. – By Catherine Carden-Brown, head of higher education and career at Epsom College in Malaysia (ECiM)

n ECiM is holding an Info Day for prospective Sixth Form students on June 15. All Year 11 students and Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia leavers are invited. The school’s Sixth Form specialists will be on hand to give advice and guidance about subject combinations, university applications and students’ future career options. To register, email enquiries@epsomcollege.edu.my

Higher education counsellors can help you get your kids on the right track.

Healthy guts for stronger kids

THE human gut consists of a complex community of microorganisms known as gut microbiota. A child’s gut microbiota is more susceptible compared with an adult’s, as children are born with sterile intestinal tracts and gut microbiota only begin developing after birth through interactions with the environment.

This early establishment of gut microbiota may be easily disrupted by factors such as caesarean delivery, formula feeding and use of antibiotics. A disrupted gut microbiota balance in children may result in weakened immunity, cases of diarrhoea, constipation or upset stomach.

Probiotics, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Clinical studies have shown that introducing probiotics to growing children can help to improve their intestinal function and restore the balance of gut microbiota.

However, WHO confirms that health benefits from probiotics are strain-specific. In other words, the probiotics used in a supplement must be clinically proven and well studied to ensure the safety and efficacy of the product.

Biogrow Probiotics KIDS Powder is specially formulated for growing children, especially those with poor gut health, digestion and appetite and who fall sick easily. It is made in Denmark and contains six billion colony-forming units (CFUs) per 1g sachet and three clinically proven probiotic strains that have gone through extensive strain-specific clinical trials that involve young children. The three probiotic strains have been clinically proven to promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, improve bowel function and support child growth and development.

Biogrow Probiotics KIDS Powder is suitable for children above the age of one, including those who are vegetarian. Take one sachet orally or mix the powder with a small amount of room-temperature water or milk to give your children clinically proven gut health benefits.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 4 JUNE 201912 Bright Kids

Biogrow Probiotics KIDS Powder:l When taken daily, it can restore your

child’s gut microbiota balancel Has six billion CFUs per 1g sachetl Has three clinically proven probiotic

strains:– Bifidobacterium lactis, BB-12– Streptococcus thermophilus, TH-4– Lactobacillus paracasei, L. casei 431l Contains 500mg of inulin (prebiotic) to

support the growth of probiotics in the gutl Is orange-flavouredl Is sugar-freel Requires no refrigeration

n For more information, call 03-7956 2220 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or email info@biogrow.com.my or visit www.facebook.com/BiogrowKIDS

This is a supplement product advertisement.KKLIU No.2920/2018

Clinical studies have shown that introducing probiotics to growing children can help to improve their intestinal function and restore the balance of gut microbiota.

Biogrow Probiotics KIDS Powder is specially formulated for growing children.