There is this controversy over the name-switch from NTUC Childcare to My First Skool. The organisation was chided for encouraging misspelling. Its deputy CEO, Ms Ho Yin Fong, has explained the childcare’s education approach (largely a Whole-language Approach) to clarify its intention. From my personal experiences, I agree that it’s the correct approach for early years teaching [she did mention that their teachers ‘will help the children learn to spell (correctly)’].
However, it’s a big mistake to use the non-word ‘Skool’ although it’s out of good intention. It is not a form of creativity as some have claimed, as misspelling is often used as a gimmick by advertisers to grasp consumers’ attention.
Now that it has served its purpose in highlighting its education approach to the public, the name should be changed to My First School in the correct spelling.
Their early childhood education experts are beaten by their own teaching philosophy - they believe in providing rich environmental prints to teach common sight words. Think about it – What environmental print, to the little ones, is more prominent than the name of the school that they attend?
Everyone makes mistakes. I will be the first to salute them if they were to admit their mistake and correct it without delay, just like what they hope to inculcate in their students that ‘they must not be fearful of making mistakes’.
This would be a very good display of reflective
practice – the most precious element in education,
isn’t it?
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