At RKS, we start the morning right with a cheery welcome song and an energetic exercise routine, which will put the children in the right mood for learning. Investigators from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Studies have shown that exercise boosts the growth of new nerve cells and improves learning and memory. A morning skip, hop, song, and dance routine will jump start the children’s day and pave the way to lots of learning!
The American Academy of Pediatrics says that play is integral to the academic environment. It ensures that the school setting attends to the social and emotional development of children as well as their cognitive development. It has been shown to help children adjust to the school setting and even to enhance children’s learning readiness, learning behaviors, and problem- solving skills. At RKS, children have the freedom to choose which particular play activity they want to engage in during the structured playtime in class. This period would allow teachers to observe and assess skills manifested by each child while at play.
The Literacy subject mainly focuses on the Reading and Language skills of the child. Literacy at RKS consists of several components namely,
- Expression and Fluency
- Communicates his/her needs, emotions, and wants through words
- Asks relevant questions about stories read or shared in class
- Expresses oneself comfortably using proper pronunciation and intonation
- Vocabulary
- Recalls meanings of new words learned from lessons and stories read in class
- Uses new words in daily conversation
- Asks about meanings of unfamiliar words
- Comprehension
- Listens to stories read in class well and is able to recall details easily
- Understands the meanings of pictures and symbols
- Asks relevant questions about class lessons or stories read in class
- Reads aloud with comprehension and fluency
- Makes predictions based on title, cover, and pictures of books
- Enjoys shared and independent reading
- Reads and interprets familiar literary works (art-drawing, painting, etc.)
- Arranges events of stories in its proper sequence
- Phonetics
- Produces the correct sound of each letter in the alphabet
- Recognizes sight words
- Pronounces CVC blend words correctly
- Reads short sentences
- Grammar
- Identifies the difference between A and AN
- Identifies NOUNS
- Differentiates singular from plural nouns
- Enumerates and differentiates each punctuation mark
- Identifies VERBS
- Writes simple sentences (S-V) using proper punctuation and correct grammar
Why use Singapore Math? The driving force behind the Singapore approach is the world leading math test scores by students from Singapore. In the 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Singapore ranked number 1 followed by South Korea and Hong Kong. Singapore emphasizes thinking skills. Singapore teachers spend more time helping students to think through and verbally discuss each component of the concept. Singapore Math avoids reliance on memorized formulas and algorithms so there is not as much emphasis on repetitive practice exercises. Instead, Singapore strives to give students an understanding of math concepts by walking students through each component of a problem, and then presenting them with the whole problem to solve. This way, students are trained to think actively as they work through each step of a problem instead of plugging the problem into a formula. At RKS, we will introduce the students to Singapore Math by encouraging critical thinking skills through puzzles, pattern series, comparing and contrasting picture graphs, etc. Engaging in active numeracy thinking helps the child understand, appreciate, and love math.
RKS children will be taught the fundamentals of writing – proper pencil grasp, tracing lines, writing letters and numbers.
As is stated in the ESLRs, in HEART, we wish to form students who are kind and respectful to others. Listening to and considering what other people say, caring about other people from all walks of life, appreciating the different origins and cultures of people, helping and encouraging others whenever possible, and displaying other essential values will be taught to help mold the RKS children into well-rounded individuals.
Still stated in the RIS ESLRs, a Reesian is expected to be proactive and independent. These are prerequisites to achieving success in the real world. How then, can we prepare our RKS children for this? Through Life Skills classes, they will be taught practical daily tasks and how to accomplish them independently. These will teach them responsibility, awareness to one’s surroundings, and self-confidence.
Providing opportunities to develop large and fine motor skills is vital to a growing child. Manipulatives for individual play, puzzles, beading, and other materials geared to enhance fine motor skills are available for the children to explore, use, and master. Off-site group sports and challenging games allow the RKS children to improve on their large motor skills. Music, for many centuries now, has been an excellent tool used to enhance learning. Scientists have even proven the positive effects of exposing a fetus to music while in the mother’s womb. Music indeed, captures the mind of our little ones easily. Also, music is retained in the memory faster and longer. Children at RKS will have a lot of enjoyable time listening to, playing, and creating music!
Children should be kept abreast when it comes to current affairs and other world matters. They are our future leaders and it only makes sense that they should know about what is going on around the world as early as possible. Teachers will give a brief background on a trending national or foreign issue and will ask the students to give their opinions about it.
At RKS, a child’s imagination is encouraged to soar and be as wild as it can be! Trees can be purple, the sky could be green – the possibilities are endless. Most great ideas came from what other people consider “weird”. In our school, there is only room for innovative and unique.
