HotH 6 | House on the Hill

A Day in the Life at House on the Hill Hollandse Club

The HotH Team July 2022

4 Beautiful Locations Islandwide At House on the Hill, we strive to embody the true Montessori method and philosophy in every lesson and activity. Book A Tour What did you do in school today? The tidbits of information we receive from our children in response to this classic question can range from endearing, to informative, to cliff-hanging. “I found a toad in the garden!” “I ate cherries.” “I played with my new friend!” “I don’t remember.” If only we could be a fly on the wall and see for ourselves what our children do in a day at House on the Hill! Every day at school is different, in part because of the different flexible care options offered to suit families’ needs, including half and full day care and options for coming two, three or five times a week. Additionally, the daily routine will be adjusted for each class level and the specifics of each centre. But no matter the day or the centre, each child spends their days in a stimulating learning environment, filled with care, fun, and openness. At the newly opened House on the Hill Hollandse Club campus, the children are settling into their new school happily. The freshly renovated rooms are starting to fill with the sounds of chatter, singing, learning, laughing, eating and more. Here’s a glimpse into what a typical day is like here at House on the Hill Hollandse Club. Good Morning! By 8:30 each morning the children have arrived and are mingling with their friends. Whether they walk, roll up on a scooter, ride the bus, or catch a cab, each child is greeted by the teachers and goes through a health check before entering the school. First things first, we like to move in the morning! Here at Hollandse Club, the little ones run out for playtime in the sunshine at the playground! Montessori Work Time Every day each child has uninterrupted Montessori time. Our children in the Playgroup and Pre-Nursery will work for 30 to 45 minutes each day and the mixed age Nursery to Kindergarten classes will work for the full three-hour cycle. As classical music plays in the background, the children are free to move about their classrooms and choose the activities that draw their attention. The teachers will observe the children to find appropriate windows to work with them one-on-one, introducing new materials and concepts in a focused and individualized manner. Throughout this cycle you will find children working on subtraction, practicing phonic sounds with the sandpaper letters, focusing on matching the different sounds of the sound box, serving themselves snacks, or taking a quiet break in the library. They are also practicing concentration and time management skills! Circle Time Each classroom is a community, and each day they will find the time to gather together for Circle Time. The Good Morning Song includes the days of the week and the months of the year, and it is always great to see one of the children in the Nursery to Kindergarten class leading their peers in the song! During Circle Time the class might also read stories and share stories about what happened over their weekends! They’ll use this time to discuss important upcoming events and whatever may be affecting their community. Mandarin It’s time for Mandarin class! Our fun loving Lao Shi fill this time with engaging songs, games, stories, crafts, fun character writing practice, role play and more. These are integrated into the immersive reading, writing and speaking curriculum, designed to build confidence and a love of the language. Soon, we will be introducing our very popular elective afternoon Mandarin programme (天天向上). Here, the children are exposed to traditional culture, arts and crafts, stories, Chinese painting, poetry reading, dramatic expression and more. This approach has proven very effective, our students love expressing themselves in Mandarin! We believe in a no-stress, supportive environment that encourages bonding with the language, building a strong foundation to grow and develop from. Lunch Time What makes for a great lunch? At House on the Hill, nutrition is very important to us. Our nutritionally balanced meals are designed to support young, developing bodies, helping them to have the energy they need to learn and play happily. We use quality ingredients for our delicious lunches, with no added flavour enhancers. Each day our aunties cook fresh meals with whole grain carbohydrates, healthy proteins, lots of vegetables and always, some yummy fruit! Lunch is also a good time for the children to develop social and emotional skills, enjoying their meals with their peers. They also work together to prepare the table, serve themselves and clean up afterwards. Afternoon After lunch some children will head home with parents and guardians, while others will freshen up, change out of their uniforms, and settle in for a nap. Older children or children who do not nap anymore will be engaged in quiet activities in the classroom. When it’s time to wake up, the students will fold and keep their own bedding. Now recharged, the children spend the afternoon taking part in a multitude of activities, from getting their hands dirty helping to care for our herb garden to dancing gleefully during music and movement. Pending the schedule for the day, they might work on creative expression activities such as edible dough play, head out to collect some treasures from Mother Nature or work on their motor skill development in the classrooms and out in the playground. The teachers also take the opportunity during quieter moments to collaborate for lesson planning, send updates to parents and organise upcoming events and activities. Active little bodies need good nourishment to keep energy and focus levels high. We serve healthy snacks in the afternoon, such as refreshing fruit salad for hot days, or the children’s favourite – banana smoothies! As the day draws to a close, it’s time to pack up and head home for dinner. And that’s what a usual day in the life at House on the Hill Hollandse Club looks like! If you would like to find out more about joining

Social/Cultural Upbringing in Montessori

Amanda June 2022

“Within the child lies the fate of the future.“ – Dr. Maria Montessori We are a proud Montessori school and hold fiercely to the tenets of the Montessori Method, as laid out by Dr. Maria Montessori. A central and core component of our schools’ curriculum is the social and cultural curriculum. We encourage kindness and respect, building an understanding of harmonious living amongst our students, which we hope they will take to heart and carry on as they develop into adults. Every experience is thought through and purposeful. In their daily activities and interactions, our children develop social and emotional awareness as they relate to their classmates, teachers, and surroundings. Children learn the world they live in and the various cultures through subjects that include science, zoology, geography, history and art. In their mixed-age classrooms, children experience mutual learning opportunities and collaboration. Through daily interactions and group activities, our students develop social skills necessary to relate and participate in a harmonious society. It is our belief and hope that in helping to set this fundamental foundation for our children, we have set wheels in motion. They start to learn self-awareness and awareness of their surroundings. This helps eases difficult transitions and inculcates a sense of confidence and comfort as they age and develop. Social Development the Montessori Way Humans, by natural design, are social creatures. In the real-life world, interactions with others occur regardless of differences amongst us (e.g. race, religion, age). A Montessori classroom of different age-groups seeks to mirror this. Mixed-aged grouping is a classic part of a Montessori curriculum. Montessori pedagogy believes in peer-learning through mixed-aged grouping as it avoids competition amongst them and promotes a healthier learning adventure. Every day in class, the children develop the social skills necessary to relate and participate in a harmonious society. In a class of different ages and skills, the older children become more sensitive to the younger children’s needs and through their own, personal experiences, can predict and help problem-solve the challenges a younger child might currently go through. It is often common in our schools to see an older child wiping tears off a younger child’s face and holding their hands to calm them down! On the other hand, younger children feel less ‘pressured’ in a new environment – especially for new additions to the class. We see that the younger ones have trust and support in, relying on the older children for guidance. This mimics the siblings-at-home relationship, and we have seen many interactions where the younger children are inspired by the older ones, who in turn ‘lead’ play and lead the way. Having the experience of being helped, and admiring or looking towards the older kids for inspiration imparts confidence and a sense of security in the younger children. We also encourage them to see that one day, they too, will be older and can pay it forward to other newer, younger children. Cultural Development the Montessori Way Cultural lessons/experiences enliven a child’s understanding of the very much adult world around them, and helps them make sense of it through their discoveries. Admittedly, the Cultural exploration in Montessori curriculum is very broad in content, but it does tend to be quite specific in its intent. Typical topics such as Botany and Zoology are well-received by children of various ages as they tend to be worlds that children experience in a daily sense and therefore can relate. Experiences such as observing caterpillars morphing into butterflies, growing seeds into edibles, rearing stick insects or even nursing injured birds back to health give children concrete and tactile understanding of the essential needs in life. They develop emotional depth as love and care naturally pours out while taking care of the animals and plants, as well as a deep-rooted understanding of one’s sense of self. Travelling to different parts of the world at a much younger age is common for many of our students. Deeper and more complex topics such as History and Geography – just to name a few – makes sense as well. Going through the puzzle maps of the countries of the world helps them relate to their travels and to the different countries they’ve been. The act of the Montessori birthday walk tracks and marks a child’s year in life in a simple but essential history lesson. It drives a child to understand how ‘much’ they have grown. This in turn, helps them to make that connection to the milestones they have gone through to get to where they are currently. It helps to facilitate a lifetime habit of pausing, self-reflection and acknowledgement of growth. Comments such as “I was so small and could only cry!” or “I could only crawl then!” are common throughout birthday walks and mark a child’s understanding of their physical and emotional growth. It is a natural inclination for people to seek connections through their experiences, especially with young children. The cultural concepts taught through the Montessori pedagogy aim to help children connect and make sense of the world through their own discoveries and experimental journeys.

Helping Children To Be More Independent At Home

The HotH Team May 2022

“Independence is an ongoing and organic process. As a child learns to pour water, put on his/her shoes, or clean his/her workspace, he or she becomes a more confident, independent individual which will lead to ongoing benefits throughout life.” – Dr. Maria Montessori A lot of parents are amazed at what their children can do in school. At House On The Hill, our children have the freedom to follow their instincts and choose the activities that call to them, developing their independence. Having seen how they are in school, some parents have asked me “why is my child not doing things on her/his own at home?”, “how do I let my child be a little more independent at home?”, “why is my child not doing anything by him/herself at home?”, or “they are always making a mess when they do things on their own”. Baby steps need to be taken to foster independence in children. The Montessori Method promotes independence by giving a child the ability to make their own choices, providing gentle guidance and allowing them to learn at their own pace. To share my personal experience; I’m a parent to 2 girls. I started with simple tasks in their daily routine at home to encourage independence, such as putting their clothes away in the laundry basket, wiping their eating mat after mealtime, putting their shoes away, packing up their toys after playtime, self–feeding during mealtime…etc. It took some time, and mess (part of the learning process) for them to be confident enough to tell me that “I can do it”. Once they were comfortable with these simple tasks at home, they started to approach me to help out with my chores. I realised that they wanted to learn how to complete more challenging tasks. So I began to let them help out by completing tasks like making their beds after waking up, folding and keeping the laundry away, sweeping their bedroom etc. Most of the time, my first child finds joy in doing all these by herself and often comes to me to say “Can I help you a little more?” with a cheeky smile. My younger one looks up to her sister and will follow what her elder sister does at home. Getting them involved in chores also allows me to have a little bonding session! I believe that encouraging independence in children can start from a very young age, it helps them to be confident and makes them happy when they can do things on their own. Also, an independent child means that you have fewer tasks on your plate! Here are some tried-and-tested recommendations from me to nurture independence at home, based on my personal experience: Tips for fostering independence at home: Learn to let go (trust your child!) The first step in getting your children to be more independent is for you to stop doing everything for them. Instead of doing it for them, show them how to do it. Let go, and you will be amazed by what your child can do! Build in extra time Children take time to complete a task on their own, especially in the initial stage. Building in extra time keeps the pressure off you and also allows children to have enough time to learn at their own pace. Don’t strive for perfection We don’t want them to be afraid of making mistakes. Letting children learn from their mistakes helps build resilience and is essential to raising a confident and happy child. Allowing them to struggle and sometimes fail, allows them to develop important social and emotional skills. Applauding their effort Giving your child positive feedback when they complete a task and appreciating their effort works wonders in promoting their confidence! Provide choices Allow your child to make choices and decide on things they want to do themselves. Giving choices within parameters provides children with safe boundaries within which they can practise doing things for themselves. Letting your child develop independence can be challenging for parents but it is very rewarding. There are so many ways to prepare your child for independence and it should be a gradual process from a young age. “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.” – Dr. Maria Montessori.

The Secret Tools of a HotH Lao Shi

The HotH Team March 2022

你好！ The Mandarin programme at House on the Hill is one of the children’s favourite parts of their day in school, and this is due in no small part to our team of passionate Lao Shi (老师). Our Lao Shi diligently and conscientiously work to ensure that our students have a robust foundation in the language, with a fun and engaging curriculum designed to keep our young charges focused and excited to learn. After many months of planning, we finally launched a new afternoon, elective, full-immersion Mandarin programme (天天向上) last month. So far the reviews have been very positive. For this blog post, we thought we would take a look in the toolkit of our Lao Shi and pull out the secret tools that they use to engage with their students and make their classes so fun and effective. 天天向上 Curriculum In Singapore especially, many of our students graduate and go on to primary school programs where having a good foundation in Mandarin is extremely important. While our daily Mandarin program is extremely robust, parents who want more dedicated time with the language for their children now have the choice of daily whole afternoon immersive Mandarin environment. The curriculum takes the children through a combination of games, storytelling, cultural immersion and learning materials, with a focus on 听说读写 (listening, speaking, reading and writing). Our aim is to develop students who can comfortably and confidently use the language, with a strong foundation to build on as they leave us for primary school. They will also have a strong connection with the culture and language. So, how do our Lao Shi creatively help the children learn? For many of us adults, learning languages can be a challenge; this is even more so for young, easily distractable children. One of the best ways to learn Mandarin is by making it fun! This starts with the Lao Shi themselves, who approach lessons with a sense of adventure. We know that young children respond best to animation and smiles, and lots of body movement! This video is a great example of having fun whilst learning with Lao Shi – here she turns herself into the river in a role playing game. Secret Tool No. 1: Games! This leads us to the first secret tool in Lao Shi’s toolkit – games! A popular favourite with the children is learning through games. The Lao Shi employ all manner of games in class, such as action, role playing, music, card and outdoor games. This encourages pure immersion in the language and facilitates becoming more at ease with using it in a casual and informal setting. Secret Tool No. 2: Music and Movement Each term, our students will learn songs that relate to the theme of the term, which is an enjoyable way for young children to listen, acquire vocabulary, and for memory retention. This also encourages them to communicate clearly and well. We usually start a class by cranking up the speakers and having some singing and dancing as a warm up. Families can also have a sing-a-long session by using the song links that Lao Shi share with parents. Children even enjoy doing a little performance for their own families at home. Secret Tool No. 3: Pens The best way to encourage good Mandarin writing skills is by constant practice and repetition. Lao Shi employ different methods to keep this practice time fresh, through worksheets and crafts. Different writing implements develop fine motor skills and prepare students for writing in primary school. Plus, writing with different colours is fun! Secret Tool No. 4: Printer and Laminating Machine Lao Shi often use printers and laminating machines to make their own equipment to aid with learning. These help to bring a topic to life for the children, in a simple and easy to understand manner. Secret Tool No. 5: Glue Glue is our Lao Shis’ favourite tool in the their toolkit. They are super creative and glue helps them to create all types of fun learning materials to use in class! For example, Mandarin Sandpaper Strokes Drawing on our Montessori background, Lao Shi created a Mandarin version of the Sandpaper letters. Dr. Maria Montessori emphasized that writing should come before reading when learning language, and the same holds true for Mandarin. Our students first learn to trace basic 笔画 (strokes) and repeat the word to Lao Shi. Tracing the letters gives children the foundation for beautiful penmanship and helps them to learn how the sounds they hear are written. Lao Shi use crafts to encourage creative hands-on learning. This helps children relate their knowledge from the lessons to their work, increasing their interest in Mandarin. Secret Tool No.6 : The Great Outdoors There’s something about being outdoors that makes learning so much more fun! We go out when the weather is good, for water calligraphy, games and crafts. The children are more engaged and can experience the fun of learning Mandarin in a relaxed and happy atmosphere. Real life experiences and lots of exploration help to bring the language to life! To learn more about our regular Mandarin programme, please read our blog post: https://houseonthehill.com.sg/loving-mandarin

A Day in the Life: Keia

The HotH Team February 2022

Hi everybody, my name is Keia and I am almost 4 years old! I am in the Shiny Starfish class at House on the Hill with Ms Gim Peng and Ms Shermaine. Today, I’m going to show you what a day in my life is like! 6.00am Good Morning! I usually wake up with my siblings, Luke, Leia and Mia, as we share the same bedroom. Sometimes, Mummy wakes me if we have to leave early for school. Today, I brushed my teeth and joined my siblings at the breakfast table. 6.25am Breakfast I like to have breakfast with my siblings. We usually have toast, cereal and fruits for breakfast, strawberries and eggs are my favourite! But sometimes, auntie will prepare roti prata or noodles for us! *Mummy says oats will make me taller but I prefer roti prata. Haha. * 6.35am Bye! See you later! Kor Kor and Jie Jies leave for school. Papa sends them to their school which is nearby while I continue breakfast with mummy. Big hugs to Leia and Mia!! “Bye!!!! See you later!!” Today, I had to take an ART test. I stayed very still while Mummy helped to swab my nose. I helped Mummy to squeeze 3 drops of liquid into the test kit and waited for the result. “Yay, a negative result!” 7.00am Getting ready for school Time for a shower before putting on my uniform. I can do this all by myself! I remembered to brush my hair too! Ms Gim Peng taught me to comb my hair from roots to bottom in school. 7.20am Off we go! Time to leave home for House on the Hill! Papa helps to buckle me into the car seat and off we go! Papa drove us to school today before he went to work. Usually Mummy will drive us to school. We love to sing on our way to school! 7.35am Coffee Stop We stop by a coffeeshop near school to get coffee for mummy and her colleagues. I help mummy with her tumblers. I love watching the uncle prepare mummy’s coffee! Our hands are busy carrying things so we can’t take pictures, sorry! 7.45am Checking in at school Hello! We’re here! Today, Ms Aishah checked my temperature and I sanitised my hands, then Ms Casilda checked me in. I love arriving at school early. I get to chat with Ms Gim Peng and other teachers, plus my other friends who are early. We also get a chance to feed our school terrapin pets, Moana, Lilo, and Stitch. Enjoy your breakfast! 8.45am Playground Time My favourite time of the day! I love to run down the slope and play a game of pirates with my friends. Hot Lava is my other favourite game to play! 9am Montessori Work Time It’s time to work. Today I am writing words that I can blend. I’d been practising hard to use the LMA (Large Moveable Alphabet) to learn to build words previously. Today, Ms Gim Peng says I’ve learnt to blend and put the sounds together very well to read the 3-letter phonic words. I can transfer them down to my writing exercise book! After I completed this task, my friend and I worked on an activity together. We were figuring out how to form a story game by putting pictures together in sequence. We are learning about what happens to our food after we eat them during our thematic day (Digestion System)! Did you know that we must always chew our food into smaller pieces? For Mathematics, Ms Gim Peng introduced addition to me using the short bead stairs. I can add numbers using the beads, just like my sisters! After this, I worked with another friend on the coloured blocks. We are always able to use these to come up with creative ways to form different patterns. Today, we explored the different ways to hide the smaller blocks in the bigger cube! After this, I worked with another friend on the coloured blocks. We are always able to use these to come up with creative ways to form different patterns. Today, we explored the different ways to hide the smaller blocks in the bigger cube! 11.30am Lunch Time! I eat lunch with a small group of friends. When the food arrives, we take turns to take our bowls and serve ourselves. My favourite lunch at school is the chicken and potato with lots of cheese (my teacher calls it the Potato Chicken Pizza Slices) and the fish which I eat with bread (Mummy says this is Mediterranean Style Salmon). Mummy likes that there’s no added salt and sugar in the food, I don’t know what that means, it all tastes good to me! 12.15pm Clean up time After lunch, we take turns to wash up and change out of our uniform. I have to pack away my used clothes. 12.45pm Mandarin Class We eagerly wait for Laoshi to arrive for our Mandarin programme. Today I’m learning the words for different clothing items. So that’s the word for slippers! I’m going to practice saying these words at home. My favourite part of Mandarin class are Laoshi’s games. They are so much fun! 3pm Snack Time I always like to have my afternoon snack at school before Mummy picks me up. My favourite day is yoghurt day – that’s when I get to pick my own fruits to have with my yoghurt! I like trying lots of new fruit. Yum! 3.30pm Time to go home! It’s time to go home. I pack my bag up and make sure all my things are inside. I go to my shoe cubby and put my shoes on, then I head downstairs. There’s Mummy! I give her a hug and then we head home. See you tomorrow House on the Hill! 4.00pm Exploring with Leia and Mia My brother and sisters are home when we get back. Now it’s playtime with Leia, Mia and our cousin! We get our backpacks and wagon

Six Essential Skills for Children’s Positive Development

Amanda January 2022

Six Essential Skills for Children’s Positive Development by Nurul Fitton Montessori does not always mean specific materials found in our classrooms. Much of it comes down to a central philosophy and an awareness within our educators, to create meaningful, holistic experiences that help our children to better engage their curiosity and develop their senses.. A Montessori education places much stock on “holistic education” – in other words, the holistic development of the emotional, artistic, creative and academic aspects of a child’s life. This approach nurtures the growth of all the different areas of a child’s mind, in an attractive as well as natural way. We aim to enable children to make the greatest possible use of their academic learning as a tool for social and emotional growth. Our Montessori-led curriculum thus focuses on developing the six essential skills to children’s positive development. This helps our students to be engaged with all facets of learning, emerging as confident, joyful, independent young people, full of curiosity and a love of learning. Here are the six essential skills that the Montessori method helps to nurture, and how that in turn develops growth in a holistic fashion. 1. The child as a spontaneous observer of nature “Only through freedom and environmental experience is it practically possible for human development to occur.” – Dr Maria Montessori Children are instinctively attracted to plants! At House on the Hill we bring children to nature, and bring nature to the children. We aim for a balance of free play and Montessori inspired activities that help children care for and learn about their environment. For example, we set flower pots made of recycled bottles all around our compounds. The children never forget to water the plants with their little watering cans. Very often, we notice that they are silent and peaceful, completely absorbed in contemplation. Spending time in an outdoor environment is vital to the development of the whole child. Not only is it a natural extension of the study of botany in the classroom, but playing and learning outdoors promotes physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development. We use our time in nature to encourage a connection to it. We discuss how to care for it and how to be environmentally responsible. 2. The child as a lover of all living beings “Children have an anxious concern for living beings, and the satisfaction of this instinct fills them with delight.” – Dr Maria Montessori All children have innate concern for living beings, and the satisfaction of this instinct fills them with delight. They are filled with feelings of tenderness and enthusiasm, and the desire to care for these beings. Helping to care for a furry or scaly class pet is a fun and an exciting exercise for children in HotH. We have adopted a number of animals over the years. Aside from being an extension of the learning of zoology, a class pet teaches the children important values such as compassion, empathy, respect, and responsibility for other living things. We nurture leadership and character building through caring for our hamsters, terrapins or even stick insects in the classroom. In the picture below, the child was so struck by the changes undergone by the little hamster that she could describe its development, reporting its growth like a miniature zoologist. It is never too early to learn to care for the needs of other living beings. Whether they are helping to empty the water in a terrapin’s tank, or feeding the stick insects with some mulberry leaves, our children learn to be responsible and develop strong human-animal bonds. These relationships also help to strengthen a child’s social skills, giving them the potential to do better in a school setting. Social & emotional development begins at a very young age — these skills help to guide our emotions and feel empathy, as well as building healthy relationships. It helps children to recognise if someone is sad, and ask if they are okay; helps them with understanding their thoughts and feelings, and develops their ability to relate to others. *Do note that all child-animal interactions are supervised. 3. The child as an explorer of endless discoveries “We especially need imagination in science. It is not all mathematics, nor all logic, but it is somewhat beauty and poetry”. – Dr Maria Montessori Children love to experiment independently. We use activities such as engaging in hands-on science activities to develop curiosity, observation and focus, as well as the cognitive skills of sorting, learning to classify and motor skill development. When children engage freely in science activities, they begin to realize that some experiments will work while others do not. This is a critical learning process. A child who is constantly testing new objects may be ready to move on to more challenging task. Trial and error is important when learning science. In the picture, the child is observing diligently, focusing on the experiment that she has just conducted. What worked? What didn’t work? How could I do it differently next time? The world is a fascinating place and we want our students to hone and maintain a sense of curiosity, learning step-by-step ways to play, discover, explore – and conquer! 4. The child as an advocate of cultural diversity “Culture and education have no bounds or limits.” – Dr Maria Montessori The Montessori curriculum supports an understanding of the cultural diversity of the world. One of the ways we support this is when we observe festivals of the diverse cultural practices of those who make our community. Instead of beginning with a particular festive celebration, we build on the children’s imaginative powers and begin the lesson with stories that explore the traditions and practices of the individual ethnic group. These stories create a framework of detailed information, and extend into more specific lessons of explorations and research. It is our priority to support cultural diversity, by exposing the children to as many other cultures and practices as possible. Here in this Lunar New Year observance

Checking In: Life after House on the Hill

The HotH Team December 2021

We caught up with some of our House on the Hill alumni families recently, to see how our not-so-little anymore graduates have been doing! Our students usually leave us around the age of 6 to move to primary school, either Singapore Ministry of Education or International curriculums. This is a big move for the students, who might be overwhelmed emotionally or academically. At House on the Hill, we take pride in guiding each child through their Kindergarten 2 level and preparing them for this transition. But don’t just listen to us, hear from our parents! We caught up with 7 families who graduated between the years of 2018 to 2020 to see how our students coped with the move and how they’re doing now. 4 Beautiful Locations Islandwide At House on the Hill, we strive to embody the true Montessori method and philosophy in every lesson and activity. Book A Tour They were generous in sharing their experiences with us, and we are pleased to share their stories in this month’s blog post. “She still misses her teachers!” – Mikaela, Graduated 2018 Mikaela in HotH and all grown up with her little sister (now also in HotH!) “Learning at House on the Hill was fun and memorable. The teachers nurtured each child to their fullest potential and Mikaela’s leadership and good self-help skills were put to use in her primary school. Mikaela was well prepared for primary school with House on the Hill curriculum that instils strong language and mathematical skills for each child. She was able to adapt to primary school learning easily. With confidence and trust, I worked hand in hand with the teachers as they provide feedback to improve on Mikaela’s learning. Transition to primary school was smooth with no fuss all thanks to the teachers at House on the Hill! ” – Naomi, mum of Mikaela, graduated 2018 To read Naomi’s sharing, please click here “After the first day at school, we saw a big smile on his face” – Moran, Graduated 2020 Moran working on the golden beads in HotH and in primary school now “We came to HotH in March 2017 and stayed there for almost 4 years. We witnessed HotH grow from a small family preschool to a three-branch big preschool. At the same time, they accompanied Moran from a little innocent baby to a confident boy, and accompanied us from being new, inexperienced parents to parents with clear goals. When Moran first came to Singapore, he could not speak any English, and could not express himself well. But the teachers were very patient, they taught him not only the English language but also how to take care of himself. To help Moran get used to the new environment, I often joined in the school activities, did different volunteer assignments, made play dates with his classmates etc. Moran grew up in HotH freely and comfortably, which gave him a memorable childhood and a strong base for his whole life.” – Lifeng and Guanyu, parents of Moran, graduated 2020 To read Lifeng and Guanyu’s sharing, please click here “Sometimes he feels that most of the things he has learned it before in HotH.” – Philip, Graduated 2019 Working on Constructive Triangles for Maths skills in HotH, and now more advanced Math work as a young man “We always feel confident that Philip will be able to cope his further study in Primary School because HotH has prepared him so well.” – Agus and Frida, parents of Philip, graduated 2019 To read Agus and Frida’s sharing, please click here “We believe she was more than ready for that next stage” – Maia, Graduated 2019 Maia walking home from the first HotH Mount Sophia Tower House and now with little sister Gia (currently at HotH!) “Maia has exceeded any expectations we had in terms of academic achievement. She is in a school with small class sizes similar to HotH and a setting which allows children to study at their own pace and move forward quickly if they grasp, understand and pass the relevant primary level test. She has been quick to accept new challenges and is so motivated by seeing her own results, that it drives her even more. We honestly do believe that having had a good foundation for her education from her time at HotH helped her strengthen this belief in herself too.” – Shereen and Raj, parents of Maia, graduated 2019 To read Shereen and Raj’s sharing, please click here “[He] does not feel intimidated by the learning environment at Nanyang Primary School” – Joshua, Graduated 2020 Joshua proudly showing off his lacing on the bow tying frame and now in primary school “Joshua was certainly more than ready for P1 in all aspects. He was independent and confident on his first day of school. He also showed little difficulty handling the academic portion of P1. His P1 teachers at our first PTA presented a picture of a confident boy who cared a lot for friends and was conscientious with his work with a good learning orientation.” – Mark and Jacqueline, parents of Joshua, graduated 2020 To read Mark and Jacqueline’s sharing, please click here “Emma had a lot of fun!” – Emma, Graduated 2019 Learning spelling with sandpaper letters; Emma now in primary school “Our experience was great [at House on the Hill]. We felt that Emma is in good and responsible hands. We felt that everyone’s focus is to educate and nurture while understanding that every child needs are unique. The teachers were really doing their best to help Emma progress and we could see her developing day by day. HotH approach is holistic from plating and learning to health and nutrition experts. Emma had a lot of fun.” – Gin and Tamir, parents of Emma, graduated 2019 To read Gin and Tamir’s sharing, please click here “The mixed-age class setting also helped Maya to have more chances to interact with kids of different ages” – Maya, Graduated 2020 Focused in

HotH Family Spotlight: Phillip

Amanda December 2021

Life after House on the Hill is an ongoing series where we look back at how the various graduates have been doing! In this article, we look at graduate Phillip and his life in primary school. Graduate of Year 2019 – Philip Parent’s Names – Agus and Frida 1. What did you like about House on the Hill? HotH provides opportunities for Philip to learn beyond the curriculum and we feel that HotH have a good environment for learning and great assistance for any obstacles in personal development for Philip. 2. At any point in Philip’s pre-school years did you have any reservation on how he will cope in Primary/Grade school?  We always feel confident that Philip will be able to cope his further study in Primary School because HotH has prepared him so well. 3. Do you think Philip was well prepared for Primary/Grade school in terms of Self Care, Confidence, Curriculum? Yes. 4. How is Philip coping with Primary 1/Grade 1? He’s coping very well and sometimes he feels that most of the things he has learned it before in HotH. 5. Your overall experience at House on the Hill.  It is very good experience and we are very satisfied with the results. 6. What advice do you have for new parents of House on the Hill? We advise all the new parents to believe in your children and enjoy the process of learning in HotH. This is part of an ongoing series for Life after House on the Hill. Read more about the other graduates here!

HotH Family Spotlight: Moran

Amanda December 2021

Life after House on the Hill is an ongoing series where we look back at how the various graduates have been doing! In this article, we look at graduate Moran and his life in primary school. Graduate of Year 2020 – Moran Parents’ Names – Lifeng and Guanyu 1. What did you like about House on the Hill? It is like a big family full of love, including kind teachers, natural environments, healthy food and scientific curriculums. All of these can help children grow up well, both in body and inner world. 2. At any point in Moran’s pre-school years did you have any reservation on how he will cope in Primary/Grade school? We didn’t make too much extra preparations. Only in K2, we followed what the teachers required, and read story books together every day. 2. Do you think Moran was well prepared for Primary/Grade school in terms of Self Care, Confidence, Curriculum? Yes, I think he was well prepared for the primary school. During the HotH, Moran learnt how to take care of himself, including dressing up, preparing water and food, packing school bags etc. All of these helped him face school time alone greatly. At HotH, different aged kids are together, elder ones always help teachers take care of younger ones. During this course, Moran learnt how to be with different people, find his way to get along, which supported his move to a new school quickly. For the curriculum, I think there is no gap. The Montessori teaching method is similar to what he has learnt in the primary school, it built a good math concept and understanding for him. And the phonics teaching also helped Moran a lot. We speak Chinese at home, he learnt English by nature and from the teachers. Before graduation, he could talk with his teachers and friends smoothly. 3. How is Moran coping with Primary 1/Grade 1? He transited to primary 1 more smoothly and quickly than we expected. On the first morning, he showed worry, but after the first day’s school we saw a big smile on his face. Now Moran loved his primary school, teachers and friends very much. 4. Your overall experience at House on the Hill. We came to HotH in March 2017 and stayed here for almost 4 years. We witnessed the HotH from a small family preschool to a three-branch big preschool. At the same time, they accompanied Moran from a little innocent baby to a confident boy, and accompanied us from new parents to firm parents with clear goals. When Moran first came here, he cannot speak any English, and cannot express himself. But the teachers were very patient, they taught him not only the English language but also how to take care of himself. To help Moran get used to the new environment, I often joined in the school activities, did different volunteer activities, made play dates with his classmates etc. Moran grew up here freely and comfortably, which gave him a memorable childhood and a strong base for the rest of his life. 5. What advice do you have for new parents of House on the Hill? Trust the school, trust the teachers, trust your kids, follow the same principles as the school at home and join the school activities more. Then you can grow up together! This is part of an ongoing series for Life after House on the Hill. Read more about the other graduates here!

HotH Family Spotlight: Mikaela

Amanda December 2021

Life after House on the Hill is an ongoing series where we look back at how the various graduates have been doing! In this article, we look at graduate Mikaela and her life in primary school. Graduate of Year 2018 – Mikaela Parents’ Names – Naomi 1. What did you like about House on the Hill? House on the Hill made an impact on Mikaela’s pre-school years and she still misses her teachers! 2. Do you think Mikaela was well prepared for Primary/Grade school in terms of Self Care, Confidence, Curriculum? Learning at House on the Hill was fun and memorable. The teachers nurtured each child to their fullest potential and Mikaela’s leadership and good self-help skills were put to use in her primary school. Mikaela was well prepared for primary school with House on the Hill curriculum that instills strong language and mathematical skills for each child. She was able to adapt to primary school learning easily. With confidence and trust, I worked hand in hand with the teachers as they provide feedback to improve on Mikaela’s learning. 3. How is Mikaela coping with Primary 1/Grade 1? Transition to primary school was smooth with no fuss all thanks to the teachers at House on the Hill!  This is part of an ongoing series for Life after House on the Hill. Read more about the other graduates here!

Category: HotH

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Checking In: Life after House on the Hill

HotH Family Spotlight: Phillip

HotH Family Spotlight: Moran

HotH Family Spotlight: Mikaela

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