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Enrichment classes for kids seem to be such a common trend now that it seems almost weird that my kids are in none of those at all. Some of my friends asked me if I am worried for my kids – whether they can catch on academically, and whether they are on par with the rest of their classmates. The truth is, I don’t know for sure. And I also don’t have the full confidence that my kids can cope with their academic demands without additional help. But, seeing how tired Joey looks by the end of the day when she comes home from school and still has to tackle the mountain-high homework assigned by the teachers everyday, I am not sure if I should burden her with more work. In fact, most enrichment and tuition centres I know of focus more on drilling the kids on whatever is being taught in school and getting them to keep doing assessments in hope that they can catch on with the syllabus. I often wonder if that is the best solution.
I imagine if I am a kid struggling with a certain subject because I have difficulties understanding the concepts, doing more assessment and practice papers would make no difference – I still would not understand the concepts. In fact, I might get so put off by the subject that I give up on it totally. Now, that’s certainly not what I want to see happening to my kids. Joey is generally good in her languages, but when it comes to Math, she sometimes struggle with grasping the concepts fully. I’ve personally witnessed how she chose to ‘run away’ or at least avoid doing the Math sums for a while because it got too frustrating. I don’t see how making her do even more of the very things she’s apprehensive about would help her.
When I brought the kids to Eye Level’s new enrichment centre branch at Jurong West Street 92, I was looking forward to hear what the instructors would share with me. I was told that Eye Level uses a unique curriculum that first identifies which level the kids are at, before starting them on an enrichment journey that is suitable for them. As one of the instructors put it, it’s like a ‘customized’ curriculum, to meet the specific needs of every kid. I like how that sounds! Essentially, an Eye Level education begins with seeing things from a student’s eye level. Their systematic and individualized program caters to students of all abilities using a unique and proven learning method. This allows each child to have a customized starting point depending on their ability, regardless of his/her age and/or school grade. Instead of making our kids go through enrichment lessons meant for their specific age group, students are assessed before they start their lessons to ascertain their level, and then attempt structured practice or assessment papers suitable for their level. This means that students who are weaker can gain more confidence along the way and learn at a pace that is comfortable and beneficial for them, while the more advanced students can have the opportunity to pursue higher learning goals and learn at a much faster pace that will keep them motivated and feeling a sense of achievement.
Joey and Jayne were each given a Math & critical thinking diagnostic assessment at the Eye Level Learning Centre at Jurong West. It must be Jayne’s first time taking a mini examination, and she looked so serious! Haha! After the girls completed their assessment, the instructor explained to me about the levels that my girls are at. It was a good analysis that gave me a better understanding of their learning abilities and areas of their weaknesses, and I felt more empowered with those information.
I love the assessment papers that the students at Eye Level Learning Centre do when they go for their weekly lessons. Everything’s so colorful and full of graphics! The main reason is of course to get the kids interested and focused on finishing the papers. Apart from the subject papers, every student will also attempt a paper on critical thinking and go home with some homework to complete before the next lesson. The assessment papers are well-structured, aligned with MOE’s syllabus and proven to be able to help students fully understand and master the required concepts in a progressive manner.
After visiting Eye Level Jurong West, there are 5 things I like about them:
1. Individualized instruction.
The fact that every student is assessed individually helps the Centre to tailor their learning experience accordingly. Because of that, the instructors are also better able to coach the students. A personalized service is always better at meeting needs, in my opinion. The instructors shared with me that they attended courses on how to handle kids with special learning disabilities such as ADHD, so such kids would also benefit from classes at Eye Level, with the pace tailored to their needs.
2. The study materials are systematic, structured and interesting.
This is not a typical enrichment centre that makes kids go through all the tedious papers they do in school. Eye Level’s assessment papers are colorful, interesting and fun to do. The critical thinking paper, especially, is what every student look forward to doing at every lesson because it is fun.
3. The instructors are patient, smiley and make my kids feel comfortable.
Now, that’s really important. My kids (like most kids) learn best in an environment that is not hostile or stressful. It was Jayne’s first time attempting to complete an assessment paper on her own, and the instructor guided and assured her every step of the way. It certainly made her feel more confident about herself. The instructor also showed me a reward chart that every student would be given. They would be given reward stars for every homework completed and for answering questions correctly. Completed reward charts would allow them to exchange for gifts from the instructor. Nice idea. :)
4. There is continuous and constant feedback between teachers and parents.
Apart from the bi-yearly parents’ meetings, the teacher will continuously give feedback to the parents about their kids’ performance, and whether they are able to progress on to the next level of learning. Parents naturally want to know if their kids are doing alright, and we appreciate every feedback we get about our kids.
5. The Curriculum aids in developing critical thinking ability.
Eye Level focuses on building each student’s foundation in Math and English, as well as helping students to gain self-confidence, interest in learning, and develops a child’s critical thinking and analytical skills. I was told that Eye Level offers CTM (Critical Thinking Math) - something which is much sought after in the Maths curriculum. We all know that academics is not everything. For our kids to succeed in life, they need critical thinking skills. Why not develop that in them from young?
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* THE GREAT LEARNING CARNIVAL! *
Now, if you are interested to find out more about what Eye Level can offer you, here is your opportunity! Eye Level Jurong West is organizing a two-day Carnival this weekend on 20-21 Sep at the open area in front of Block 960 Jurong West Street 92. The Great Learning Carnival will bring to you a weekend of fun, learning and prizes! Apart from goody bags, sure-win lucky dip (really good prizes – see poster below!) and art competition at the Carnival, here are some exclusive benefits for you!
- Users who RSVP on the carnival on http://www.eyeleveljw.com/ till Sep 21 will enjoy “1 free Diagnostic test + 1 Trial Lesson” (worth S$68) – only for the first 100 sign-ups.
- In addition, The J Babies’ readers who quotes ‘KLESSIS’ at the Carnival will be entitled to “$20 Popular Voucher” - limit to first 10 course registration/ sign-ups.
The Great Learning Carnival is brought to you by Eye Level Jurong West. Find out more about them at:
https://www.facebook.com/eyelevel.jurongwest
How to get there:
By Bus: Bus No. 241 from Boon Lay Interchange, alight at Blk 962 (6 stops)
By Car: Park at multi-storey carpark beside Nanyang CC
As a leading provider in supplemental education for Math, English, Eye Level learning centers strive to teach and tutor children ages 3-14 in basic learning skills. Eye Level is a supplemental education program that originated in Korea about 30 years ago and now has over 2.5 million children enrolled world-wide. They are the leading provider of supplemental education in the areas of Math and English. The J Babies was engaged to provide an independent review of their services. All text and photographs used in this post belong to the blog owner. Other graphics are provided by Eye Level Jurong West.