aCAREdemy, Subang Jaya

What do parents these days look for in a daycare centre? What are parents’ expectations towards daycare establishments other than a place for their children to be looked after till they are done at the office and can come pick them up to go home? As a sought-after daycare and after-school care provider, aCAREdemy places great priority in wholesome and complete care for children, maximising the time spent here to great efficiency.

A recent visit to the spacious facility at SS19, Subang Jaya gave us a better understanding of why parents don’t mind forgoing other centres which may be closer and more convenient for them in favour of this one. At hand to welcome and enlighten us on what makes aCAREdemy stand out was its founder and Principal, Soo Teng.

A Haven for Children

Taking up a large double storey corner lot, aCAREdemy gives off a certain zen which is unique, quite unlike most daycare facilities with their colourful murals and logos. This calmness, we feel, goes a long way in quieting the senses and letting kids rest and refresh their bodies and minds. After all, they are growing kids and it will never do for their lives to be filled with endless stress of schooling and academic matters to the point of not being able to cope. Here, at aCAREdemy, is where things take a positive turn for children, renewing their confidence in their own natural learning abilities.

Bridging Learning Barriers

As a quality daycare provider, maximising time in the best interest of the children has always been a priority here. In this regard, aCAREdemy, through its own research, has found that language, especially for children who attended SJKC, tends to be a barrier for academic studies. It’s not hard to see why, as Soo Teng explained. One simple example is, a child who is actually good at math may still be held back, simply because he isn’t proficient enough in the language being used for that subject and hence, can’t fully comprehend the math questions. This is why literacy skills is taken seriously here with daily practice via reading time.

Contrary to your typical preschool or kindergarten systems of set learning time where a child’s learning has to take place in a cramped 4 hour window in the morning, aCAREdemy offers learning opportunities throughout the day. When children’s capabilities to learn via exposure to a loving, conducive and stimulating environment are taken into account, guidance by teachers and caregivers therein offers a complete early education experience, It’s exactly the kind of care that will allow them to fully enjoy their childhood while equipping themselves for success.

The curriculum at aCAREdemy can be summed up as Thematic and it is curated following the belief that children need to, at the end of the day, be well-prepared for a life of challenges and to succeed in this modern era of technology and fast changes. aCAREdemy stands by, and in its own way, implements Micheal Fullan’s 6C’s of Education. They are:

Optimising Children's Learning via Brain Gym®

Getting children to love learning is clearly prioritised at aCAREdemy, which is why all students here participate in a series of exercises targeted to stimulate the brain and help children think, concentrate, memorise and learn better. Known as Brain Gym®, these exercises were created by Paul and Gail Dennison, after concluding that when children are stressed, not in the right frame of mind, or were simply inactive the whole day, learning becomes a more difficult feat. As an International Certified Brain Gym® Movement facilitator, Soo Teng notes remarkable improvements in her students’ focus power, as well as their mental, physical and emotional readiness for learning.
 
These Brain Gym® movements are made up of simple, fun, yet effective movements that work wonders as a ‘pick-me-up’ before children take on any kind of activity that requires them to activate their brain. They are practised before they start on their homework, as well as during lessons in class.
 
Brain Gym® exercises are designed to access different parts of the brain and coordinate whole brain to whole body to optimise their learning power and ultimately, enrich their daily learning experiences. Parents of aCAREdemy students continuously acknowledge the differences this has made in their children’s attitudes towards learning, which makes it all the more worthwhile for Soo Teng to be a proud Brain Gym® Movement Facilitator. She also offers Brain Gym® 104 as well as guidance to those who are interested to be a Brain Gym® Movement Facilitator.