The $26,000 mistake.. (and replies from Ministry, SEED)

This experience by an early childhood education aspirant shows the need to take on a course (any course) with your eyes open, and ask all questions, even silly ones, until you are satisfied that the course and the institute delivering it are exactly what you seek, in building your career. But as can be seen from the replies, all's not lost..

Mar 20, 2010
NO PRESCHOOL JOB AFTER MASTER'S
The $26,000 mistake

IN 2006, I found that the Regional Training and Resource Centre in Early Childhood Care and Education for Asia (RTRC Asia) - now known as the Seed Institute - offered a master's programme in early childhood education together with the Wheelock College in the United States. It was published on the website and prospectus that a bachelor's degree in any discipline qualifies for admission to the master's programme.

When I asked about career prospects, I was told by RTRC that graduates of this master's programme were qualified to be curriculum specialists and the programme was popular among preschools here. The cost of the programme was $26,000 without GST. With this information, and the notion of a possible career in early childhood education, I applied for the programme and was admitted.

However, after paying $26,000 and completing the two-year part-time master's programme with distinction, I was told by all preschools that I am not qualified to be a preschool teacher, let alone a curriculum specialist, or hold any management role in a preschool setting. This is because I do not have the basic teaching qualifications such as a certificate or diploma in early childhood education.

On further check, I found out from the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports' (MCYS) childcare division that it would recognise the Master of Science (Early Childhood) qualification conferred by Wheelock College only at the diploma level and only after I fulfilled supervised practical modules of diploma programmes run by approved training agencies.

I also found out from MCYS that it does not recognise the Master of Science (Early Childhood) conferred by Wheelock College as a qualification to teach or supervise in preschools here. To work as a preschool teacher, I must pay additional fees and complete the diploma course.

I hope Seed Institute and MCYS can address the following:

•Why did RTRC offer a master's programme that is not even recognised at diploma level by MCYS?

•During my registration, why did RTRC lead prospective students like me - and especially those seeking a career change to early childhood education - into an expensive master's programme instead of introducing the fundamental certificate and diploma courses accredited for the preschool teaching profession?

•Why did MCYS and other government agencies not intervene to prevent such costly mistakes?

•Why are the additional requirements for graduates with a master's in early childhood education not highlighted in the training route for preschool teaching?

Madeleine Chang (Ms)

**********************************************

Mar 26, 2010
Preschool teachers need practical training

I REFER to the letter by Ms Madeleine Chang last Saturday, 'The $26,000 mistake'.

Early childhood teachers require a Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education-Teaching (DECCE-T) and at least five GCE O-level credits including a B4 grade (or better) in English Language.

Tertiary-level early childhood qualifications which demonstrate that a candidate has undergone relevant practical training and acquired appropriate academic content are also acceptable. Teaching children requires both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. This information is available at www.childcarelink.gov.sg.

The Master of Science (Early Childhood Education) conferred jointly by Wheelock College and Seed Institute provides important academic grounding for those wishing to further their career in the early childhood sector as trainers and curriculum specialists. This course, however, does not provide a 300-hour practicum module, as most candidates already have basic qualifications in early childhood education. The practicum module ensures that would-be teachers are able to translate academic knowledge into practice in an early childhood setting.

To be a qualified preschool teacher, Ms Chang need not undergo the full DECCE-T course. She would only need to pass the practicum module.

We thank Ms Chang for her feedback and wish her well in her career in early childhood education.

Eugene Leong
Director, Child Care Division
Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports

===========================================

Mar 26, 2010
Seed Institute helping aspiring educator

I THANK Ms Madeleine Chang ('The $26,000 mistake'; last Saturday) for the opportunity to clarify on the value and intent of our master's programme.

The Wheelock College-Seed Institute Master of Science (Early Childhood Education) is an academic qualification that equips professionals, including those from other fields, with a strategic understanding of the industry.

To date, the course is into its sixth intake. We have seen a mix of students with prior early childhood education experience and qualifications, as well as those who do not have that but meet the academic entry requirements.

Our graduates have since been employed as curriculum specialists, trainers, business managers and franchise owners.

Our master's programme enables educators, industry professionals and mid-career professionals to better understand and develop young children and industry requirements.

Graduates who are keen to practise as a preschool teacher after the course can take an additional practicum module to be recognised as a qualified teacher. Briefing sessions are held before the start of our courses to help students understand the programme and how it can support their career aspirations in the industry.

We have contacted Ms Chang and are discussing with her how best we can support her in a career as an early childhood education professional.

Ho Yin Fong (Ms)
Academic Director
Seed Institute

My ECE Assignments : Tracking my ECE Course Grades - Part 2..

To round off this topic of grades from my ECE course assignments, here's the final modules grades, which will again give you a good sense of the results you can expect for these assignments:

ECE Course: Specialist Diploma in Preschool Education (SDPE)

Results : DPT modules

11. Language Arts for Young Children : B+
12. Science for Young Children : B+
13. Math for Young Children : B+
14. Creative Arts : Arts B+
and Music : A
15. Children’s Play : B
16. Educational Psychology : A
17. Integrated DAP : A
18. Practicum #2 : A+

Results : DPL Modules

4. Supervision in the Use and Organisation of EC Resources : A
5. Leadership Studies : B
6. Practicum #3 : A

Refer to earlier posting for Part1 of the ECE modules grades (click below):

http://childrenareourfutureteachthemwell.blogspot.com/2009/03/tracking-my-ece-course-grades.html

GLEE -yes, that TV series..

Watching this new TV series, "Glee", one cannot help but be reminded by the "Creative Arts" module that was delivered by our erstwhile lecturer during our ECE course.




Which lecturer was this?



Well, let's see if you can relate to this and figure out who we mean (from the first 2 episodes)..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoRarLC2298&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_mZiV69a3w&feature=related


This TV series brings memories of not just our ECE lessons from the past but also the children's concerts of the more recent. Try to catch one episode (StarWorld, CH18), and see if it rubs off on you in a similar manner? Who knows? You may end up with some new ideas for your next music&movement lesson, or even your next year-end concert for your own preschool..

Education Ministry resists calls to nationalise preschool education

By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia 11 January 2010 2220 hrs

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Education said it has no plans to nationalise preschool education. Responding to MP Josephine Teo in Parliament on Monday, Education Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen said such a move could lead to conformity and thus be counter-productive to the child's development.

During a child's preschool years, teachers and parents agree that building social skills and confidence should get priority. But opinions differ on how this should be done.

Some parents said preschools should be brought into the public education system. Genevieve Loke, a parent said: "I think so. So that parents are guaranteed of the minimum standards offered by kindergartens and childcare." But opponents said this may not work in the best interests of the child, especially if this means having standardised assessments.

Patricia Koh, founder-director, Pat’s Schoolhouse, said: "If you start very early to teach children what the answers are in order for them to pass the exams or to be assessed, that's going to be very sad."

Education Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen said: "A nationalised pre-school sector would tend towards conformity which is not ideal. It would deprive parents the ability to choose from a variety of early childhood care and education models and operators that best fit the needs of their child."

The debate over nationalising the preschool sector is a long-standing one. Supporters feel that doing so will lower fees for parents and ensure some form of continuity when the child enters Primary One.

However, the Education Ministry said that such a move may lead to an over-emphasis on academic results and could in the long-run, dampen the child's interest in learning. So the ministry's position is to set broad guidelines and support the diverse options currently available. Dr Ng said: "Once you nationalise it, there is always a tendency to compare one kindergarten with the other, go to the extreme of asking us to rank kindergartens and how they perform and to then compare what teachers are, and that's that tendency."

“Our focus is one, to raise the teacher quality and to set general guidelines, broad parameters on the desired outcomes of education to avoid this issue of trying to make children ready."

Preschool fees can range from S$100 to S$1,500 a month. And asked by Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MP Josephine Teo on whether fees could be made as affordable as primary school fees, Dr Ng said his ministry provides grants to low- and middle-income families to help them pay for preschool education. Financial assistance is also given out by MCYS to help families with their children's childcare fees. - CNA/vm

See previous postings on same topic:

http://childrenareourfutureteachthemwell.blogspot.com/2009/10/legislate-preschoolsare-you-kidding.html

http://childrenareourfutureteachthemwell.blogspot.com/2009/10/preschool-education-should-be-moes-baby.html

ChildAid 2009 Rocks!

With a cast of over 200 talented kids starting at 8 years of age, this ChildAid 2009 brought the house down with their performances!

Angelic voices, worldclass piano recitals, excellent renditions of Fame,

the list continues..

But when the 7 drummers started "chatting" amongst themselves, everyone was fingers-snapping and feet-stomping, bringing the new Resorts World Festive Theatre roof down..they were pure magic!

With such talents amongst our young, you get that warm sensation of "Yeah, our Singapore youth is in fine shape!" And all this, to support a worthy charitable cause, to boot. Outstanding.

I would gladly recommend all early childhood professionals to witness these mightily talented kids in our midst. You will not be disappointed, charitable cause aside.

My ECE Assignments : Practicum #3, Vocational Placement

"My ECE Assignment" series is meant to demystify ECE and make it a more pleasurable endeavour for those of us who are willing to commit to it :

Practicum Task : Evaluate Leadership Roles

(1) Record a personal statement (based on literature) about your understanding of leadership. What, to you, is leadership? What, if any, are the differences between leadership and management? What, based on your readings, are the characteristics of modern leaders?

My personal statement on leadership:
Leadership is an attribute of a person who shows the ability to lead others into change. People with leadership skills are therefore essentially change-agents. They are able to directly or indirectly influence others into accepting or following a new direction.

Anyone can thus be in a leadership position, not just people who are appointed and entrusted with specific organizational responsibilities.

The leading management guru, Tom Peters, best describes leadership (Winston Churchill Leadership Website, 2009) when he said,

“Leadership is a confidence game. Act the part”.

He also has this to say of leaders,

“Be a dealer in hope - keep an eye out for Grand Possibilities. Inspire others by throwing down a Great Challenge”.

Modern leaders therefore inspire confidence in people, and engender belief within oneself. One can see this vividly in our local context, where Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew, continues to inspire confidence in his constituents and the general public. He is the embodiment of all the characteristics of what a modern leader should hold : charismatic, influential and a pillar of integrity.

Differences in leadership and management can best be contrasted in the following 5 ways by viewing what managers and leader do (Sciarra & Dorsey 2002):

i) Managers accept responsibility, while leaders seek responsibility.
ii) Managers minimize risks, while leaders take calculated risks.
iii) Managers delegate cautiously, while leaders delegate enthusiastically.
iv) Managers view workers as employees, while leaders view workers as potential followers.
v) Managers administer, while leaders innovate.

Looking at management and leadership from the viewpoints above, the differences between them are therefore quite evident.

(2) Throughout your practicum reflect on the 14 leadership roles and record examples of how you and your senior teacher demonstrate your leadership roles.
i) Role Model
Teacher M, as the centre supervisor, takes punctuality seriously. She always made sure that she is in the centre 10 minutes before her expected starting time. Such role-modelling on her part demonstrates to her staff that this service we provide to parents is very important and punctuality should not be taken for granted.

ii) Influencer
I made it point to converse with the children in my class, during this practicum, in grammatically proper English. This reinforces the importance of proper conversational English to the children, and being highly impressionable themselves, I know this will rub off on them, over time.

iii) Mentor
Teacher M had taken upon herself to be my mentor during this practicum. She ensured that a routine of having a 20-minute meeting before the day begins, and before the day ends, with me was in place. This gave me precious time alone with her to share my views with her, and more importantly, for her to share her experience as a supervisor with me.

iv) Coach
Teacher M provided excellent coaching to me when she showed how she utilized the various IT systems to administer her day-to-day role as a supervisor of a childcare centre. She took particular care in helping me understand the need to update the CCLS system regularly, as required by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports.


v) Manager
The centre director showed her managerial skill and demonstrated leadership when she spoke directly to the parent of one of the students in my class who was showing signs of succumbing to the HFMD disease. I was in her office when she confidently spoke to the mother of the child over the telephone that even though this incident was disruptive to her work schedule but that HFMD was a serious disease and that she should come down to fetch and give relief to her child, by seeking immediate medical advice. The mother came within 30 minutes. The following day, the child was confirmed as having HFMD. It showed the importance of managing the centre with speed and with patience.

vi) Collaborator
I acted in my role as a collaborator when I worked with Teacher M to prepare for a new nature corner involving a new rabbit, for the children. We had to bring the rabbit for proper medical treatment at a local clinic, before purchasing a pet cage for it. After preparing some common information about rabbits for other teachers to use, the children in the centre took turns over the next 2 days to view, hold and play with the rabbit, thus initiating a new experience of nature for the children.

vii) Networker
The centre took the step of engaging with the Town Council, at the suggestion of Teacher M, to utilize the neighbourhood spice and vegetable garden for the benefit of the children. Permission was granted for the children to visit the garden monthly, with the added bonus of having a Town Council member present to personally show the children the various highlights of the garden. Such networking was valuable to the centre.

viii) Challenger
I took the initiative to bring my observation to Teacher M that the front door of the centre seemed to be left unlocked for most of a typical day. I shared my view that this might pose a potential safety issue for the children, especially if due to various reasons, unwanted visitors enter the centre and abducted a child. My view on this matter was acknowledged as a good one by the management.

ix) Team builder / Team player / Team leader
As a team player, I participated with the whole team when we were required to clean and sanitized all the classrooms, learning materials and mattresses, when we learnt that HFMD had infected one of the students in our class. This was done during the nap time of the children, and we stayed over at the centre till 7.30pm that day to ensure that the job was properly executed.

x) Decision maker
When it came to light that the venue of a field trip had to be changed due to unforeseen circumstances, Teacher M exhibited her leadership skill as a decision-maker when she took the decision to divert the field trip to a new venue, even though there was less than 3 days left to the actual field trip day. She could have cancelled the field trip, as recommended by a few teachers, but she decided to continue with it but to another venue, in the interest of the children. I appreciated her leadership skill in this instance.


(3) Conclude with a paragraph as to what you see as being the challenges that exist in the provision of effective leadership in the Singaporean early childhood settings.

The main challenge that exist in the provision of effective leadership in early childhood settings here is tied to the perception held by many parents and the public at large about what childcare centres really mean to them.

Childcare centres still carry the connotation of child-minding to many. As such, early childhood education as a professional field on its own, suffers from a lack of understanding and more importantly, lack of respect by the general public.

As a consequence, leadership in the field of early childhood education here holds little traction and currency within the corridors of power, which in turn leads to this cycle of disinterest, apathy and lack of leadership, in that order.

The other challenge stems from the heavy workload of preschool teachers today, especially in childcare centres. All childcare centre educators are literally swamped with the day-to-day needs of running their classes well that they simply have no extra leeway, in terms of time and resources, to innovate, be creative and to initiate new teaching methodologies in class.

Leadership within their own classroom context thus takes second stage, while daily needs take centre stage.


References:

1. Sciarra, D.J. & Dorsey, A.G. (2002). Leaders and supervisors in childcare programs. Albany, N.Y. : Delmar Thomson Learning.

2. Winston Churchill Leadership Website [Online database]. Retrieved April 22, 2009 from World Wide Web : http://www.winston-churchill-leadership.com/peters-definition.html

Autism and Vaccines : No link, says MOH

No link between vaccines and autism: MOH

ST Forum: 26Oct 2009

MR TAN Soon Kiam ('Dispel concerns about complications after vaccinating kids', Forum Online last Thursday) was concerned about complications from childhood vaccines.

We would like to assure Mr Tan that the vaccines used here have been approved by the Health Sciences Authority and are deemed safe for the intended use by the general population. Side effects are usually mild, like a sore arm or a slight fever. Serious allergic reactions are very rare.

As for Mr Tan's concerns about autism and vaccination, there is strong scientific evidence to show that there is no link between vaccines and autism. This view is shared by the health authorities in the United States, Britain and the World Health Organisation. Independent reviews by the Cochrane Collaboration and the US Institute of Medicine have also come to the same conclusion.

In fact, the unfounded belief that vaccines can cause autism has caused much harm. It had led to declines in immunisation coverage in some countries in Europe, to the point where measles had been declared endemic in Britain, and epidemics had occurred in Switzerland, Austria and Italy last year.

Karen Tan (Ms)Director, Corporate Communications

Ministry of Health