Unlike ships that pass in the night or caravans navigating the vast featureless deserts, Yu Der Kindergarten has endured, taken root and flourished since its founding by Madam Sha Yen Ru (LLB) in Jalan Khoo Teik Ee, off Jalan Imbi in 1952. After Madam Sha retired in 1981, Mrs Tang nee Lee Seow Fong took over the kindergarten and in that same year Yu Der was relocated to Jalan Tun Razak. Many students have graduated from Yu Der during its 16 years at Jalan Tun Razak. Soon after, two branches were opened in Pandan Jaya and Pandan Indah to accommodate more students. However, due to the expiry of the rental contract at Jalan Tun Razak in November 1997, Yu Der moved the main school to its current location in Pandan Indah.
From its post World War Two colonial heritage building to the modern present day facilities in Pandan Indah, Yu Der has had a proud unbroken history of providing quality education. There might even be a possibility that your parents or grandparents have attended the same kindergarten when they were young. Walking through the hallowed halls and passageways of this historic kindergarten, we experience a sense of awe, a sense of walking through a time capsule.
Having helmed Yu Der Kindergarten for 36 years, Mrs. Tang has taken the backseat now while her daughter, Ms. Tang takes responsibility for the day-to-day running of Yu Der. Our meeting with Ms. Tang was a pleasant one. Our first impression was that she appeared to be calm and poised, which we later found out can be attributed to her training in Chinese cultural dance since young. Ms. Tang has been involved in early childhood education for slightly over 10 years and her passion is still going strong, being a mother herself she understands the importance of quality education and she has so much hope for the younger generation.
Education Philosophy
The education philosophy reflects the hopes that Ms. Tang and Yu Der Kindergarten have for the future generation, i.e. to cultivate future children with multiple abilities, focusing on 7 main areas:
- Social
- Physical
- Emotional
- Creativity
- Cognitive
- Language
- Disposition
“Our current emphasis at Yu Der is on disposition,” explained Ms. Tang. Disposition being the inherent qualities of a person’s mind and character, is therefore equally important as acquiring knowledge and skills. Disposition can only be cultivated and nurtured through habits and practices such as reading, the arts and music.
Mrs Tang is a strong advocator of early reading for children, therefore pictorial reading is incorporated into their syllabus where children will learn the stories through the pictures; and from the stories they would learn about moral values and good manners in life. It’s amazing how you may find children who are not yet able to write able to recognize the words in the pictorial reading materials. “This not only helps children improve their vocabulary, it also helps them develop their thinking skills, so we do it in all 3 languages (English, Chinese and Bahasa Malaysia)” said Ms. Tang while demonstrating the materials used. Rich vocabulary is essential for essay-writing and expressing themselves when children advance into national primary schools.
Extracurricular Activities
Besides the compulsory pictorial reading, there is an optional library membership – students are encouraged to loan a book on a weekly basis for reading at home, while parents are encouraged to read together with their children. While academics are important in Malaysia’s education system, Yu Der recognizes the importance of extra-curricular activities as well, such as music, wushu, arts and physical activities. Every morning before classes begin, children will be brought to the park opposite the kindergarten for stretching exercises and a morning jog. Yu Der has found that the children are able to concentrate better in class after these light morning exertions. These morning exercises could not have differed much from the activities our parents or grandparents engaged in during colonial times! As Ms. Tang and her sister are both actively involved in Chinese cultural dance, they also offer dance classes to their students. Therefore, it came as no surprise when we were shown the kindergarten’s dance studio, its size being as big as the classrooms, replete with floor to ceiling mirrors and whole wall spanning ballet barres and air-conditioning. With Yu Der kindergarten steeped in history and tradition, for a second, I just wondered how many famous and well-known artistes and dancers have passed through its doors.
Education and Technology
Nowadays when we speak to teachers or parents, inevitably one will hear complaints about children’s addiction to their smart gadgets. However, rather than avoiding or stopping it, Ms. Tang acknowledges that technology has become an indispensable part of our lives. “If we can’t stop them, why not embrace it and use it to our advantage?” There is a plan to combine education with technology via an educational app to support children’s learning, and Ms. Tang said that this will be available very soon.
Yu Der is a beautiful paradox – so much has changed yet so much remains the same. Through the years countless students have graduated and left Yu Der yet hundreds still come through its doors with the same thirst for knowledge and the same hunger to learn. Additionally, many teachers have come and gone, yet those that are here today still possess the same passion and dedication towards this noblest of professions as those from a bygone time.
Speaking to Ms. Tang made us realize that being a kindergarten educator is a tough job. It is more than just educating small children. It requires a lot of dedication and passion. As the world continues to grow and develop, teaching methods have to be adjusted to suit the interest and needs of the younger generation. We believe that Yu Der Kindergarten is a well-rounded kindergarten that will provide the foundation necessary for the future of your child.
