Sponsored Review
I don’t consider myself to be a parent who is overly concerned about my kids’ academic achievements. Perhaps, it’s because Joey has never really needed me to be concerned in any way. She is in Primary 3 this year, and she did very well in Primary 1 and 2, where she came in second position in class for both years. Because of that, she got into the best Primary 3 class in her cohort this year. I’m extremely proud of her because I gave her minimal help, so she did well purely because of her own diligence and attentive listening in class.
For the first time this year, however, I noticed that Joey was starting to struggle in her Math subject. Even though she continued to do relatively well in her other subjects, it was obvious that Math was her weakest link. She would spend hours trying to complete her Math homework, often breaking down in tears because she did not know how to solve the problems, or could not understand the new concepts taught in class. She would come home with surprise Math tests that had borderline results. The husband and I tried to help her by revising and explaining the concepts to her, but it was an arduous journey for both sides. We were frustrated, and Joey was even more so. She started to lose confidence in the subject and we often heard her say things like, ‘I’m just not good in Math.’, or ‘This is SO TOUGH. There is no way I know how to solve it.’
That was when this self-acclaimed cool and collected mummy started to panic. Surely some form of help or coaching must be given to Joey before she loses all interest in Math!
Perhaps I would be the best person who could understand the emotional and mental stress that Joey was going through. I myself struggled with Math as a kid. Languages have always been my strength, but when it comes to Math, I needed double and triple the amount of time to grasp concepts and apply them correctly. It didn’t help that I was extremely careless as well, so growing up, my Math results had always been the reason for my despair. I eventually did obtain a distinction for Math in my O and A’ Levels, but that was after months and months of very hard work and daily overcoming of feelings of low self-esteem. Having gone through the journey myself, I understood that there is a way to improve results, especially when it comes to subjects like Math. I just needed to find the best way to help my girl.
At the very point when I was wondering about the options I had for Joey, I was approached by The Learning Lab, to do a review of their program. I jumped right at it, of course. Even before that, I’ve heard raving comments from friends who have been sending their kids to The Learning Lab for enrichment classes. I even have a few friends who are currently teaching there and they tell me that they are confident and proud of their curriculum and that I should seriously consider sending my kids to them.
My First Impression
Before Joey started her classes, I attended a briefing session conducted by The Learning Lab, and I went away feeling assured and confident that it was just the right place for Joey. And these are my reasons why:
1. Encourages and Builds Interest In Subjects, And Not Just Imparting Knowledge
Although my main objective was for Joey to improve in her Math, I was really more concerned about cultivating her interest in the subject. I knew that she was starting to feel fearful towards the subject, and that fear would be the greatest stumbling block in her learning journey. I wanted her to conquer that fear and better still, fall in love with Math! From the sharing of one of the senior teachers, I could tell that The Learning Lab aims to help students discover how to learn better and eventually do well for the subjects. Most of the time, kids don’t learn well because they could not relate to the way the teaching was delivered, thus very little learning is retained. The Learning Lab uses modern methods and interesting lessons to pique the interest of the kids, thus helping them to develop an interest in the subjects they didn’t enjoy previously. That’s being inspiring.
2. Dedicated Team of 30 Curriculum-Developers
The curriculum used at The Learning Lab is copyrighted, and developed by an internal team of 30 people. These people work hard at developing worksheets and materials for every subject and level, and they are committed to making every lesson a valuable and insightful one. I particularly liked how they would incorporate current affairs into their curriculum, making it really up-to-date and relevant. Kids nowadays are exposed to all kinds of information and trends, so it is definitely good to engage them in that manner. This is one way to make the kids look forward to their classes as well, because they never know what to expect at the next class. Because the entire curriculum is developed in-house, what the kids learn at The Learning Lab cannot be learnt elsewhere. That’s being unique.
3. Modern, Contemporary & State-Of-The-Art Classrooms & Facilities
Who does not like to study in a conducive environment that aids learning? When we were shown around the classrooms at The Learning Lab United Square, I was blown away by how well-designed the whole place was. The classrooms resemble professional board rooms in large corporations (and not classroom style like we would usually expect to see) and sophisticated equipment are used to aid the teachers in their classes. I was told that the design and layout of the rooms was meant to help the students think and behave like they are managers engaged in a meeting or discussion where everyone can bounce off ideas, interact and ask questions. It helps in the learning process and builds their confidence as well. That’s being cutting-edge.
Her First Lesson
So, finally the day arrived for Joey to attend her first lesson. She was a little nervous, she told me, before the lesson. It was her first academically-related enrichment class, and it was for Math! I reassured her that she would enjoy herself. I saw throngs of students walk out after the earlier classes ended, and there was an air about these students that stood out – They looked like they could conquer the world! Joey, on the other hand, looked apprehensive and uptight. I wondered if she would look different after the class.
As it was Joey’s first lesson, we were brought on a quick tour just to familiarize ourselves with the place. Joey received her student card and was shown where she would scan her card for attendance-taking every week before her class.
Then we were shown various classrooms located on different levels in United Square. I could tell that Joey was a little taken aback by what she saw – The classrooms didn’t look like the classrooms in her school, and those with on-going classes had students who all seemed very engaged in their lessons, with some having class discussions with their teachers, etc. This particular space located on Level 4 of United Square amazed Joey because there were music stations (one of it playing Taylor Swift’s songs – her favorite singer!), more classrooms and sofa area for students to hang out before and after classes. All of a sudden, there was a spark in her eye that wasn’t there before the tour. Perhaps, she was starting to anticipate for her class to start too, after seeing how amazing the whole place was.
Joey class lasted for 1 hour & 45 minutes and as I saw her walk out of the class, I was happy she looked just as I expected – Smiling, confident and chatting with a friend! It was nice to know that she not only survived her first Math enrichment class, she seemed to have enjoyed herself. I had a chat with her, and even though her first comment was, ‘There’s homework to be done! We learnt fractions today and it’s very hard!’, she quickly moved on to tell me about how funny her classmates were, and how one of her new friends (the one who walked out with her) explained to her some of the things that she didn’t understand very well in class. I say, that sounds like a good sign to me!
When we reached home, Joey commented out of the blue, “Mummy, can we continue going for the classes at The Learning Lab? I think I like it.”
Now, that’s a very good sign. :)
Follow us on our journey with The Learning Lab as Joey conquers this giant called Math. I look forward to giving you a good report at the end of the term! For more information on what The Learning Lab has to offer, check out their website at http://www.thelearninglab.com.sg/.
