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About us
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”(Proverbs 22:6)
Our Philosophy
As an elite language learning centre, we are mindful that we have to teach our children to read, write and speak well; yet we are equally mindful that language is the avenue through which children engage with the world, and language training is the de facto means to build children’s knowledge as well as their world view.
We have an unwavering conviction in how a child ought to be trained. Our holistic philosophy of “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) compels us to:
Train a child – children ought to be taught to learn for themselves. This might seem paradoxical but in essence it means equipping our children with the best means to embark on their own journey of life long learning.
In the way he should go – children’s lives are only as effective as the sum of their knowledge, their ability to use their knowledge, and their choices in making use of their abilities. Learning to make choices on the basis on wisdom, compassion and courage requires proactive mentoring.
He will not turn from it – what children learn ought to benefit them for the long term. The common lament that “so much of what I have learnt at school is useless for adulthood” is a strong indictment on ineffective teaching and a lost of focus on what is truly important. A focus on what is truly important requires discernment of what genuine significance is, and a commitment to remain focused in the face of demands and distractions.
It is our hope that these convictions are reflected in the way we interact with each child and in the way we conduct every programme.
Our Pith
“pith: the essential part, substantial quality (as of meaning)” – Merriam-Webster
At Wiseland, we build our teaching and learning around 3 core values which we derived from our philosophy. Our emphasis on Focus, Fortitude and Fellowship informs and builds everything we do.
Focus
We are a language centre for young children, we only teach English and only to pre-secondary children. Focus enables us to concentrate on one area of expertise, and to concentrate on one target group of learners. This frees our teachers and management from the distraction of other disciplines as we focus on practices and pedagogy that are most conducive and effective to help our children read, write, listen and speak well in English.
Fortitude
We challenge our children (and teachers!) to excel and to overcome themselves every class, not just because learning something difficult is rewarding (it is!) but more importantly because facing and overcoming one’s challenges builds courage. Courage, often a missing quality amongst children in an affluent society, is not just a good human virtue but is also the most essential component to lifelong learning. Our teachers, who know each child intimately, will always make them tip-toe in each class in order to scale a slightly higher height. Stretching is the norm at Wiseland and “I will try” is the attitude we strive to nurture in every child.
Fellowship
An intimate learning environment makes learning a joy, and we work to make each class a time of mutual support and development. Our class size is between 2-5 so our teachers know each child well, including their ability, learning style and temperaments; they pro-actively use these traits to help each of them develope themselves as well as each other as they participate in discussions and team teaching (even at 4 years old!). A child who is immersed in this environment will soon find teamwork an indispensable part of learning, and supporting one and other a natural classroom attitude. The attitudinal and behavioural change in a child who has experienced this fellowship-in-class is unmistakable and benefits them for all areas of life.