Read more - Treetop House

E-NEWSLETTER | ISSUE JANUARY 2014
Message from Law Cheok Maan
I would like to wish a very warm welcome to all
returning students and the new ones and a happy
new year to all parents. 2014 is going to be yet
another exciting year of learning and discovery for
your children at Treetop House Jln U-Thant.
In this inaugural issue of our newsletter, I would
like to share our vision of “Beyond Academic
Excellence” which encompasses our Values and
what TTH stands for. We believe that in nurturing
our young children to be the global leaders of
tomorrow, it goes beyond bringing home a string
of as in their report cards. It is about teaching and
embedding in them the three Values of Reality,
Relationship and Responsibility.
Reality is about the child inculcating a firm sense of
grounding, to be real to one self – and to the goals
that he or she has set out to do.
Relationship is about learning to respect each other
especially between teachers and parents as both
are key in creating a seamless environment of love
and trust that each child can grow in.
Responsibility is about inculcating in each child a
sense of independence to manage their own
selves. It is about being responsible in achieving
the best in whatever tasks they do in an
environment of excellence.
As teachers, we are conscious of our
responsibility towards ensuring that each child is
allowed to develop their own potential as this is
key
towards
attaining
self-confidence,
independence and making the right choices in
their adult lives. Our philosophy has always been
that every child has his or her own potential
waiting to be tapped. It is therefore crucial for our
teachers to be trained in detecting early signs of
any learning disorder among our young charges
as early detection and intervention gives the child
a better opportunity to adjust better to his or her
environment. This is where we differentiate from
other learning institutions in that we are an
inclusive school where children with learning
difficulties are able to learn alongside normal
children through our unique system which is
based on the Montessori pedagogy.
As we believe that sharing knowledge is
caring, we also have parent support group
dialogues and workshop sessions held
regularly for parents to share their
experiences and where we invite specialists
and experts to share their knowledge with
parents.
In this issue too, we have filled our
centerspread with pictures of your children
enjoying themselves with the many activities
held in the past few months.
I look forward to hearing from you – feedback,
comments, ideas – all are welcome!
Please send them to Lancy Huan
([email protected]).
About Law Cheok Maan
Law Cheok Maan is the Managing Director of
Tree Top House Sdn Bhd which operates the
Tree Top House School located at Jalan UThant.
Cheok Maan is a lawyer by profession and
was educated at the Cambridge Selwyn
College in UK. He turned to education by
choice as he believes that early intervention,
inclusion and strong parental support is
critical for children with learning differences.
He is also the author of the education series
‘Nurturing the Leaders of Tomorrow’ which
was published by Malay Mail. His passionate
commitment
towards
promoting
an
individualised educational system has been
well received within parental support groups
and those who want to see a more inclusive
educational system implemented in Malaysia.
E-NEWSLETTER | ISSUE JANUARY 2014
Charity Bazaar 2013
In November 2013, staff, parents and children of
Tree Top House came together for a charity
bazaar to raise money for Rumah Kanak-Kanak
Tengku Budriah and SPICES (spices.org.my).
SPICES are a non-profit organisation that
provides early intervention programmes for
children with learning differences, a Cause that
we are passionately dedicated towards.
The bazaar was held on a Saturday when the
weather was lovely, slightly cloudy, and not too
humid or hot. There were various booths set up
by a mix of teachers, parents and companies
who all wanted to contribute towards this Cause.
There was a variety of food such as hot crepes,
‘ais krim potong’ (local ice cream), fried rice,
jellies, cookies, cupcakes, smoked salmon and
many, many more. There were also booths
selling handmade hair accessories, jewellery,
organic food items, books as well as second
hand items. To keep the children occupied while
parents shopped, there were a number of
games booths, a bouncy castle, art and craft
activities, science experiments and nail art.
E-NEWSLETTER | ISSUE JANUARY 2014
Visitors started arriving fairly early and by midmorning the bazaar was in full swing. Coupons
were sold as there were no money exchanged at
the booths and before the event ended, all the
coupons were sold out! The bazaar ended with a
lucky draw where the prizes were contributed by
various sponsors and some parents. Some of the
prizes offered were Aeroline bus tickets, 1 night
stay at Mandarin Oriental, organic food packs and
the grand prizes were Hawa Ghazzali charm
bracelets.
Overall, it was a wonderful event and we were
overwhelmed by the generosity and support of
everyone who attended it. We managed to raise
RM 20,000 which was more than our target. We
certainly felt fulfilled and happy that we have
helped to play a part in helping SPICES achieve
their mission. It was a heart-warming way to end
the year at Tree Top House.
E-NEWSLETTER | ISSUE JANUARY 2014
Holiday Programme
At the end of the 2nd and 3rd terms, Tree Top
House usually conducts a holiday programme
filled with fun activities for the children. This year
end, the holiday programme was a Christmas
theme. Every day, for a week, the children were
introduced to art and craft activities associated
with Christmas such as making Christmas
ornaments, elf hats, Advent calendar and
decorated photo frames among others. There
were also baking and cooking activities where the
children had hands on experience in making a
variety of goodies. On the last day of the holiday
programme, the older children went on a field trip
to Beryl’s Chocolate Factory where they were
taken on a tour of the factory as well as exposed
to the chocolate making process. All in all, it was a
week filled with excitement which was clearly seen
on the children’s faces when they went home
every day with their creations in their hands.
E-NEWSLETTER | ISSUE JANUARY 2014
Field Trip to The Star Media Hub
This field trip was the last event for TTH children
before the school closed for 2013. 13 children
from elementary class, accompanied by
teachers, Anushiah, Brenda and Sara, the
Assistant Principal, made a first trip to the
country’s largest newspaper media hub – The
Star. Located in Shah Alam, it took us nearly an
hour to reach there. However, the journey did not
dampen the children’s enthusiasm and
excitement to experience how a newspaper
printing plant operates.
When we arrived, we were welcomed by Selina
Ng from the Corporate Communications
department of The Star. We were then led to a
briefing room where Khairul Nizam, the
Production Executive briefed us on how the plant
operates to publish over one million copies of
newspapers a day.
After the short briefing, we were taken on a tour
of the plant where giant rolls of newsprint paper
were stored which solicitated a ‘wow!’ from the
children. The best part of the tour was when the
children were brought to the quality control room
where operations staff randomly checked on the
freshly printed newspapers for any defects . The
children were the first to see the newspapers
which were to be distributed the next day.
All the time, the children were bombarding
Khairul with lots of questions which shows their
interest in the paper publishing industry.
Visiting the printing plant was a whole new
experience for the children as it gave them the
opportunity to learn the process of printing and
publishing. We have no doubt that some of
these children may choose journalism or the
publishing industry as their future careers and it
is enough for us to know for now that this trip has
sown some early seeds of interest in them. We
hope to continue organising such educational
field trips in 2014.
E-NEWSLETTER | ISSUE JANUARY 2014
Elementary School Visit to Treetops International School, Perth
Joshua was so absorbed with the set of building blocks in front of him that he hardly lifted his head when we
came into the class. Around him are children from the ages of three to six, each similarly absorbed in his or
her own little project.
Shereen, the class teacher, is seated at one of the little tables talking quietly to a little girl as she
industriously tried to put pieces of wooden blocks together into a tower. A set of wooden pegs are neatly
placed next to the door, where the children’s colourful bag packs are hung each with his or her own name
labeled next to the peg. The walls of the classroom are filled with a myriad of children’s artworks and next to
the miniature sink are some dried up dough shaped like unbaked focaccia each with a name labeled next to
it.
This is the Children’s House of the Treetops International School, located at Darlington, Perth north of the
CBD. Located on several hectares of bush land full of wattle trees in bloom and lavendar bushes spilling on
the sidewalks, the school is different to other schools that we’ve visited in the past. With an enrolment of 160
children comprising pre-schoolers (from 18 months), Children’s House ( 3-6 years) , Wattle ( lower primary,
6-9 years), Karri ( upper primary, 9-12 years), Jarrah ( middle school, 12-15 years), Tuart ( secondary
school, 15-18 years) and the International Baccalaureate class ( Diploma program, Years 11-12), the school
is well known for its nurturing environment which supports intellectual, social, physical, spiritual and
emotional development of each students who passed through the various levels of learning.
Established some 23 years ago, Treetops International School is a community-based school with parents
playing a very active role in the school activities from sitting on its Board of Governors to everyday activities
such as planting a garden and taking turns to run cooking classes for the children – a distinctive activity in a
Montesorri curriculum. The school receives grants from the government apart from nominal school fees
collected from students.
What is most interesting is the school’s inclusive philosophy which is reflected in the enrolment of 28 special
needs students studying alongside ‘normal’ students in an environment which allows them to develop and
learn at their own pace.
E-NEWSLETTER | ISSUE JANUARY 2014
Scott Taprell, the Principal, said :
“What makes a school distinctive is the quality of its teachers and not merely the impressive infrastructure
it has. We have teachers who have been with us for over 20 years and their passion and dedication is
seen in the compassionate way they guide their charges without seeming to be instructional. As we
practise the philosophy of inclusion, our school is also fully equipped with teachers
well trained in the Montesorri curriculum as well as in the International Baccalaureate Diploma program as
IB is closely aligned with that of the Montesorri movement in general and Treetops in particular. “
Scott, who has over 30 years experience running international schools especially those offering IB
programs, also believes that developing and maintaining relationships are critical in running a successful
school and these relationship extend especially to parents and teachers. Parents are invited to attend
coffee mornings and dialogues with teachers to discuss their children’s progress other than actively
participating in the school’s activities. This is because it is critical that students especially those with
special needs have a consistent school and home environment where their learning continues.
Shereen DeSilva, the classroom teacher for the Children’s House ( ages 3-6 years) has nearly 20 children
in her class out of which 7 are diagnosed with special needs. She shared with us a comprehensive
methodology of reporting for each of the special needs students under her care. At this level, the
experienced teacher would be able to identify children with special needs through observation and simple
tests before the case is referred to a Special Needs specialist attached to the school. Upon consultation
with the affected parents, such cases are then referred to psychologists and other experts such as
Occupational Therapists (OTs) who will then draw up a plan of action for teachers and parents to follow in
helping the child overcome his or her difficulties.
E-NEWSLETTER | ISSUE JANUARY 2014
In some rare instances, there are parents who refused to accept the fact that their child needs expert help
and would insist that there is nothing wrong with their child. It takes lots of compassion and empathy from
Scott and his teachers in such situations. This is where the sharing of experiences from other parents
help in drawing up emotional support.
Geraldine Woodley, the classroom teacher for Karri ( 9-12 years) and has been with the school for over
20 years, shared with us as to how she integrates ‘Chris’ ( not his real name) a special needs child
diagnosed with ASD , as part of her class. Chris, who is highly intelligent, goes into screaming fits at
regular intervals which can be disruptive to his classmates. Geraldine would explain to his classmates that
Chris does not mean to be disruptive and that his screaming is a way of expressing his needs for
something and how they can all help Chris. This very sympathetic way of integration helps not only the
special needs child but helps the other ‘normal’ students to develop values such as friendship, sympathy,
compassionate, sensitivity and so on. Indeed, these are the values that are pinned up on every classroom
notice boards to remind the children of these basic fundamentals to being a well-rounded global citizen
who respect themselves as much as they respect others.
“ As teachers, we need to be kind but firm” said Geraldine. “There are three behaviours not allowed in
school – Distraction, Disorderliness and Disturbance – and we make sure that students know this. But a
special needs child diagnosed with autism or other disabilities, cannot help himself and their disruptive
behaviour is their way of crying for help. So we guide them in a way that they can understand and we
make it easier for them to communicate and behave in the way that is acceptable to those around them. It
is a long journey not only for the student but for his teachers and parents and that learning will continue
throughout his or her life. Giving that solid foundation early is therefore important,” she continued.
E-NEWSLETTER | ISSUE JANUARY 2014
A special needs child is deemed ready for the next level of education based on his or her behavior and
not because of academic achievements. Some are kept in a lower level for a couple of years until their
behavior show they are ready to be integrated into the next level. Jayne Simpson, a special needs
specialist attached to the school shared with us the Brigance screening process which covers
competencies such as reading, spelling, comprehension and writing or fine motor skills which is done on
a special needs child to help in determining their level of abilities in these areas. The reports are then
compiled and upon consultation with parents and teachers, an individual learning program is developed
for the child who is then placed in an appropriate class that will allow him or her to be nurtured further.
The school has facilities such as media and computer labs, music and drama studios as well as a
culinary studio where children practice their culinary skills.
During such creative activities, the children from various classes are merged to allow the older ones to
be role models and mentors to the younger ones.
In the Middle School, students are given a list of expectations and encouraged to find their own
solutions within set deadlines. This allows them the freedom to discover and set up their own work
process while at the same time knowing that the teacher is always there in the background to guide
them and for them to refer to if they come to a stumbling block.
This independence and ability to think for themselves is what differentiates the Montessori way of
learning from the mainstream education system and what I believe will pave the way for our children to
be excellent in all aspects of their lives.
E-NEWSLETTER | ISSUE JANUARY 2014
Enrichment Classes / Full Day & Half Day Programme
All enrichment classes and the full day and half day programme will commence on 06-01-2014.
However, there will be no water play for this week as the children will need time to settle into their new
environment and routine. We will assume that your child will continue to be enrolled for the program/s
previously enrolled last term unless you give us further instructions. For those who are interested in
enrolling for the new term, please contact the Administrators, Jacqui or Jan to make the necessary
arrangements.
Culture Theme
The Culture theme for January to June will be ‘The Solar System & Prehistoric Animals’. As always, we
encourage parent participation in any way you feel you are able to. We will be covering a range of topics
and if you have any books or materials that you would like to share and participate in with your child’s
class, please inform the class teacher.
Traffic
We would like to encourage patience and courtesy when in queue (please keep to the right hand side)
to drop off your child in the morning. If you do not intend to walk your child into his/her classroom,
please allow the teachers on duty to help your child from the car and send him/her to class.
If you wish to send your child to his/her classroom, kindly park in the parking bays. Waiting for a parking
bay may take some time and we ask for your patience as we endeavour to help you through the
process. Double parking is discouraged unless you take a short time to send your child.
If you are being chauffeured, please instruct your driver to wait outside the school and not circulate or
park at the lay-by bays to ease traffic congestion whilst you escort your child into the classroom. This is
to help parents with very young children who need parking space. Otherwise, we can help your child
alight from the vehicle.
Chinese New Year Open House
Holidays
Date: 15 Feb, 2014 (Saturday)
14/1 – Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday
Time: 9 am – 11 am
17/1 – Thaipusam
Venue: Tree Top House
30/1 – 7/2 – Chinese New Year
A yearly event where there will be various booths
to introduce the traditions and customs of the
Chinese New Year festivities. There will also be
food tasting as well as performances by the older
children. The highlight of this open house is
usually a lion dance troope who will make an
appearance towards the end of the event.
E-NEWSLETTER | ISSUE JANUARY 2014
Information for new parents
We are a Montessori pre-school and most of our teachers hold a Diploma in Montessori Education /
Early Childhood. Below is the fee structure for the term (4 months - Jan-April, May-Aug, Sept-Dec) for all
the offered programmes. All age groups pay the same; it is just the matter of the programme selected.
Morning Programme
Time: 8:45 am - 1 pm
Half Day Programme
Time : 8:45 am - 3 pm
Full Day Programme
Time : 8:45 am - 5:30 pm
There will be other one-time payment such as administrative fees, school kit & refundable deposit (terms
& conditions apply).
Class size varies accordingly to space of room and teacher child ratio according to age range.
Toddlers (18 months to < 2.6 yrs)
Teacher: child ratio - 1:4
Level 1 (2.6 to 3.0 yrs)
Teacher: child ratio - 1:6
Level 1 (3.0 to 4.0 yrs)
Teacher: child ratio - 1:8
Level 2 (4.0 to 6.0 yrs)
Teacher: child ratio - 1:10
(although a senior teacher will be assigned 1:12)
Our school is open for visits Monday - Friday, 9 am - 3 pm daily except gazetted public holidays. Feel
free to call 03 21412941 and come by for a visit with your child to view the environment. Jacqui or Jan,
our Administrators will walk you through the admission process and provide you the necessary further
information.