Knowledge Tree Montessori Kindergarten, Ara Damansara

If being around kids clearly brings you joy, and wanting to see them thrive is your passion, then it stands to reason that establishing your own kindergarten would be a natural inclination.

Ms Kelly, the founder of Knowledge Tree started her journey into the world of early education at a young age herself, accepting a job as a teacher in an established kindergarten. Her keen interest brought her overseas to study deeper and learn even more about teaching the young. What attracted her the most at the time was the Montessori approach of early education.

As much as she (and we all, as a matter of fact) respects and acknowledges the Montessori curriculum, we have to admit that in this ever-evolving world of high technology and rapid changes, we cannot rely on it solely as the base of our young ones’ early education. “Modifications have to be made for this century-old approach to work for our kids today, for, as their needs increase, so should the level of knowledge they acquire, especially during the critical learning years of preschool and kindergarten,” Ms Kelly shared.

It may seem like a tall order, but it is what parents can expect via the professional teaching pedagogy at Knowledge Tree Montessori Kindergarten, a well-known kindergarten that has been championing early education since 2006. One notable fact to note is, there are teachers who have been happily carrying out their educating duties here for these past 15 years - From parents’ perspective, the presence of passionate teachers who stick to their posts is an indication that the kindergarten is an outstanding one.

Headquartered in Ara Damansara, Petaling Jaya, the Knowledge Tree has three branches in the Klang Valley currently, with talks of more underway in Johor as well as Penang. Behind this success is a dedicated team of teachers and staff who have made it their mission to help children learn and develop, with a focus on preparing them for entry into any primary school of their choice. “It is my task as the founder to ensure that children get the education they need in a safe, engaging and fun space that is conducive for growth and development. Using the Montessori approach as a base, my team and I have carefully planned a curriculum that will help children develop in all important areas of their lives,” she explained to Kiddy123. Well, we know that it’s the curriculum that sets the foundation of an educational establishment, and at Knowledge Tree, it is indeed a well-rounded one, and we were told that they also have their own colour-coded books to help with children’s language acquisition, allowing them higher proficiency in their written and spoken English.

Classes are categorised into four levels and they are the Pre-Mont Level, followed by levels 1-3.

Getting young minds ready for a more structural education experience, the Pre-Mont Level introduces little ones to basic mathematics and sensorial activities, as well as useful practical life skills from simple kitchen tasks to clothing themselves and countless more skills in between, such as sponging, carrying, stacking, etc. They will also learn how to fully utilise Montessori materials for their learning advantages. From Level 1 through 3, academic acquisition will be prioritised with due focus on Math, Science, English and Bahasa Malaysia, as well as Mandarin.

The balance of learning and playing has to be taken into consideration. In fact, given due thought, focusing too much on academics alone will do no good for a child, and neither will a curriculum that prioritises play over academics,” Ms Kelly stated. “These have to be well proportioned to reap the best results in the outcome of a child’s development during the critical growing years.

One exceptional and outstanding practice here at Knowledge Tree that has awed us at Kiddy123 is their Mindfulness activity, which all children and teachers practice, daily, at the kindergarten. At least once a day, children are encouraged to calm their mind and take in deep breaths, and release them. The practice is done in such a way that will allow them to be sharper in their thoughts all day, and be able to focus better too!

Academically, students of Knowledge Tree thrive with a curriculum that develops their mathematics ability, knowledge of science as well as their language acquisition of English and Bahasa Malaysia. This will include their grammar, comprehension, vocabulary and spelling. If a child will be enrolled into a Chinese primary school, a more extensive tuition in Mandarin will be offered to ensure that he or she will be able to thrive in school. Similarly, an extensive Bahasa Malaysia course is also offered, and it is one that is appreciated by parents of six-year-olds, whose children need to have a better command of the language prior to entering a national school (Sekolah Kebangsaan).

As one of the top kindergartens in Selangor, Knowledge Tree is also known for its stellar after-school activities which covers a vast area of interest such as language classes (Mandarin and Bahasa Malaysia); Music; Arts & Crafts; Speech & Drama, etc. Other than being a well-known kindergarten, Knowledge Tree also offers a flexible childcare service, a safe, homely yet stimulating place where parents can send their kids to after school.

A conducive environment matters!

Leaning on the best that a Montessori-based education has to offer, Ms Kelly spares no effort in ensuring that the environment is kept supportive and engaging. This way, children will be inclined to want to learn on their own, and with adequate guidance, it is essentially the best way for children to learn. A good kindergarten, one which parents will speak of to their peers, family and friends, is one that children love to attend. At any one of Knowledge Tree’s branches, children are found to thrive in their academic subjects, and have adequate exposure to sensorial learning, and develop better problem-solving skills. They’ll also have lots of activity time where they’ll get to move about to release pent-up energy. They’ll not just exercise their bodies, but also sharpen their motor skills and develop better hand-eye coordination.

Parents who send their children here have no doubt that they have made the best choice in helping their children during their critical developing years. After all, when children have a strong foundation in education, they will surely thrive!