Growing up smart
THE hand that rocks the cradle helps improve the reading important to choose a suitable one.
rules the world. Parents play an proficiency and behaviour of Choose one that:
important role in raising smart and underperforming children in l Has omega-3 fish oil with
healthy kids. mainstream primary schools. optimal levels of DHA – an ideal
A mother who gives her child Dr Alex Richardson, senior product should have 133mg DHA
supplements containing researcher at the University of per burstlet
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from Oxford, says, “The results showed l Has chewable burstlets with a
fish oils know that it is important that taking daily supplements of tasty content so kids can have fun
in helping her child grow up smart. omega-3 DHA improved reading chewing them instead of
Infant milk powders are performance for the poorest swallowing capsules
commonly fortified with DHA, as readers (those in the lowest fifth of l Taste great with no fishy Giving your child sufficient
research shows that DHA the range) and helped these aftertaste DHA and EPA in her diet
encourages healthy development children catch up with their peer l Is safe and free from mercury can contribute to her
especially during the first few group.” and heavy metals healthy development.
years of a child’s life.
Some parents may wonder if
only infants or toddlers can benefit
Getting the right dose This educational article
is brought to you by
from taking DHA. It is not too late The dietary sources of DHA are Nature’s Way.
to give DHA from omega-3 fish oil oily fishes such as tuna, salmon,
to older children. In fact, it helps mackerel and trout. The World
them to catch up with their peers. Health Organization recommends n For more
According to a 2012 study a 200mg to 250mg combination of information,
published in the PLOS ONE eicosapentaenoic acid and DHA for call 03-7932 2138.
journal, giving 600mg/day of children aged six to 10.
omega-3 DHA to children aged However, parents know
seven to nine for 16 weeks how difficult it is to get a
kid to eat fish
regularly because of
the fishy taste and
the risk of choking
on fish bones.
As such, giving
your kids a good
omega-3 fish oil
supplement is the
best way to ensure
that he or she gets
the all-important
DHA on a daily basis.
As not all omega-3 fish
oil with DHA supplements
for kids are the same, it is
2 Bright Kids THE STAR, TUESDAY 6 MARCH 2018
Semester-based distinctiveness
THE Canadian education system discussions, presentations and
takes pride in being consistently classroom projects.
ranked top among English- In addition, longer class time
speaking countries. offers teachers the opportunity to
The 2015 Programme for work with students more
International Student Assessment personally.
survey conducted by the By seeing the same students
Organisation of Economic every day, teachers can better
Co-operation Development reveals understand each student’s
that Canada was ranked 7th strengths and weaknesses and
overall, leaving behind countries work with them individually to
such as the United Kingdom, improve their learning.
Australia and the United States. Homework time is spread over
Designed to be flexible, Canadian half the number of subjects and
(Ontario) education focuses on students have fewer examinations
individual learning and character to sit for at the end of each
building by acknowledging each semester.
individual’s strengths. Having a consistent routine
The system believes in every day will inculcate a regular
continuous learning. Through its study habit and enable students to
assessments method of 70% learn at their own pace. They will
coursework and 30% final also have more time and
assessments, students gain opportunities to consult with their
knowledge and skills that they can teachers if they have any queries.
apply to novel situations in At SIS, the semester-based
effective ways. By employing the semester-based approach to education, Sunway International School gives students a more structure prepares students for
Apart from its unique in-depth learning experience. university studies. Towards the
assessment method, Ontario’s high end of Grade 12, SIS students
schools are given flexibility in standard instruction requirements. knowledge and understanding of the amount of learning time is should have completed 30 credits
operating their programme and Replicating the semester-based the content learnt. increased. subjects, 40 hours of community
timetable. Schools may choose to system in Malaysia, SIS has gained In a semester-based structure, service and pass a literacy test to
operate either a year-long or
semester-based structure.
positive reviews from students and
parents.
students in Grade 9 and higher
study eight subjects over two
Reduced subjects, earn them an OSSD.
SIS continues to build on a
Sunway International School semesters – four credit subjects in longer interactions history of quality and excellence,
(SIS) is the only school in Malaysia
to offer the Canadian (Ontario)
Structure the first and another four credit
subjects in the second semester of With double the class time, SIS
combining a challenging
curriculum, excellent educators
curriculum. The conventional year-long the academic year. teachers have more time to clarify and hard-working students.
It is among 19 schools outside structure has been adopted by The duration of classes at SIS is a topic, especially one with SIS will be hosting a parents info
the Ontario region offering credits most countries in the world. 75 to 80 minutes compared to a complex ideas that require more session on March 10.
toward the Ontario Secondary Typically, students enrol in up to regular year-long class of 40 time for students to digest.
School Diploma (OSSD). eight subjects throughout the minutes. For the entire semester, Teachers can also utilise the n For more information, call
SIS is inspected annually by the entire academic year. the weekly timetable is the same. extended time to apply a variety of 03-7491 8070 (Sunway City)/
Ontario Ministry of Education to At the end of the academic The number of subjects students teaching strategies, such as group 07-297 8070 (Sunway Iskandar)
ensure the school meets the year, they are assessed on their study each day is reduced while work, laboratory experiments, or visit www.sis.sunway.edu.my
4 Bright Kids THE STAR, TUESDAY 6 MARCH 2018
bullying others is
1997 study involving sacred and explicit: tattling is
remembering and recalling bad.
words found that subjects
recognised words with negative important, as is Consequently, ignoring that a
fight is happening becomes the
connotations more successfully
than positive ones.
teaching him how most logical response. The child
to manage his
is safe and out of the way with
If people try harder to avoid his honour intact, so what
and escape bad moods than to
induce or prolong good moods, emotions. happens between other children
is none of his business.
imagine then not just the These silent bystanders soon
immense effects of being turn apathetic to others being
bullied but also how serious “To many people in Malaysia, subject to verbal and nonverbal
the initial trauma that caning was a normal part of violence. Still others choose to
would drive a child to bully childhood. Most of us think watch instead.
others was. caning is a part of growing up. Similar to drivers slowing
Realising that, “I always ask adults if they down to look at a car crash on
caregivers should be wanted to be caned and most of the highway, there is a degree of
aware of how their them say no, so why are we helpless fascination people find
actions will be mirrored hitting our children? We are themselves subject to when
by children. teaching them that the solution there is someone else in trouble.
Scolding a child for to someone misbehaving is In a bully-versus-victim
spilling some food could physical violence,” says Wong. situation, the bully is also a
very likely cause them to threat towards bystanders to
respond to similar l Surface-level treatment – remain silent, especially when
situations in the same way Zero-tolerance policies in schools more than one bully is involved.
towards other children, are set up as the end-all to
even if you praised them bullying. They imply that bullies Moving away from punishing
for cleaning up the mess are synonymous with bad bullies may open up a different
later. people, which is often not the world of possibilities in
case at all. eradicating violence among
Understandably, schools are children.
not allowed to spare much Investigating why a child is
attention for the bully because bullying others is important, as
their priority is to keep other is teaching him how to manage
students safe. his emotions.
However, if a child enjoys If even adults need help
causing harm to his peers, it is interpreting and analysing mood
more important for his changes and feelings, why
caregivers to focus on why he shouldn’t children be afforded
feels that way than to bemoan the same treatment?
the fact that he does. While it is commendable that
Seeking professional help to numerous solutions have been
treat the underlying cause of his proposed for dealing with
violent behaviour would go violence in children, more focus
further than punishing him for could be placed on prevention.
responding in the only way he Merely parroting moral values
knows how. out of a textbook may not be
That is not to say that older effective but leading by example
children who are perfectly is. After all, that is how bullies
aware of the cause and effect of are created in the first place.
their behaviour should be If we exclude abuse from our
exempt from punishment, but displays to children and replace
being equipped by their it with compassion and empathy,
caregivers with the skill to would bullies never be created
process and understand their in the first place? We will never
emotions from a young age is know until we try.
instrumental in helping them As monumental a task as it
develop more positive may seem, we can take small
tendencies than violent ones. steps towards our goal.
Abolishing the notion that adults
l Bystander apathy – have power over children,
Children are constantly told to treating children as equals who
stay out of fights and not get need guidance and realising that
involved because their safety children are simply unfamiliar
comes first and, usually, the with norms and expectations
lesson ends there. In some cases, that come with experience could
an adult is sought out to break be the first steps in nudging the
up the fight. bullying culture into extinction.
However, these children have All it takes is for every person
seen their peers or siblings be to pause to take a look at their
publicly punished for lesser actions and move forward with
offences. How would adults a little more kindness in their
respond to this more serious hearts.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 6 MARCH 2018 Bright Kids 5
Training students
for the future
WHEN students make decisions about what From their research, they must produce
they want to do in future, the most obvious an outcome that communicates their
place to seek inspiration is the older findings, which can take the form of a
generation. dissertation, artefact or performance.
It is natural to look to those who have Recent projects completed by ECiM Sixth
made it in their careers and aspire to Form students include a dissertation on the
replicate their success. impact of the British Empire on the
However, for students of the 21st century, economic growth of India, the creation of a
the job market in which they will be piece of text compression software and a
operating when they graduate may bear documentary on how attitudes to feminism
little resemblance to the one in which their differ between the United Kingdom and
parents’ generation achieved success. Malaysia.
As today’s students consider their next Last year, 43% of students gained an A*
steps in pursuing their university studies grade for their EPQ and many of them were
and future careers, they must bear in mind able to achieve their university offers with
that the landscape may look very different the help of a strong grade in EPQ.
from the one they expect. Universities view the EPQ favourably, with
A recent survey of the global job market Cambridge University making the following
suggested that 25% of jobs on offer today did comment: “We welcome the introduction of
not exist 10 years ago. New sectors and the Extended Project and would encourage
specialisms are becoming increasingly students to undertake one as it will help
prominent in areas such as digital media and them develop independent study and
sustainability. research skills and ease the transition from
Job titles such as green architect, user school to higher education.”
experience designer and chief listening In addition, Durham University recently
officer are becoming commonplace in a reported that one in five successful
market where priorities are changing applicants had completed the EPQ,
rapidly. With the last job offering a starting suggesting that a wider skills profile is
annual salary of US$75,000 (RM292,237.50), viewed desirably by the UK’s top universities.
it is worth paying attention to what is Looking beyond preparation for
happening here. university, the Sixth Form team at ECiM
These rapid developments have gotten the believes that the qualification will also
Sixth Form team at Epsom College in prepare students for the unpredictability of
Malaysia (ECiM) thinking about how it can the 21st century job market.
best prepare students for these new There is potential for the subject content
opportunities, even those that might not of A-Levels to become increasingly remote
exist yet. from the future needs and requirements of
One way in which the team hopes to do employment. Old established professions
this is by promoting the Extended Project such as accountancy and law are currently
Qualification (EPQ) among ECiM students. vying with new sectors as the careers of the
This qualification encourages students to future.
develop important skills of independent While we cannot predict what direction
enquiry, communication and organisation future developments are going to take, we
and is worth the same number of UCAS can endeavour to train students in skills that
points as half of an A-Level. will be transferable to a range of professions,
Successful completion of the qualification including the ones that have yet to exist.
requires students to research a topic of
interest, which must be distinct from their n For more information, visit
A-Levels studies. www.epsomcollege.edu.my
6 Bright Kids THE STAR, TUESDAY 6 MARCH 2018
Providing
someone else via the Internet, phone relationships with others evidence when reporting him or
or other interactive digital her
technologies. Online harassment is now among l Talk to an adult they trust
While adults who are familiar the top five cyber threats in about what happened, especially if
with the Internet may know how to Malaysia. According to Malaysia’s the perpetrator could be harming
university
handle cyberbullies, children are cyber security organisation MyCERT, other people as well
guidance
MARLBOROUGH College universities, including the
Malaysia (MCM) takes pride in University of Oxford, British
being one of the leading schools Columbia University, Imperial
in South-East Asia, offering a College London, King’s College
Sixth Form experience that is London, George Washington
second to none. University, Boston College in
With more than 175 years of Toronto and National University
boarding experience, of Singapore.
Marlborough College believes MCM runs various initiatives
that a boarding education, to help pupils apply to university,
particularly in the Sixth Form, including an Oxbridge Club and
offers guided independence and the annual University Fair,
valuable pre-university which has proved to be very
experience as pupils prepare for successful and is attended by 60
life away from home and top global universities.
independent study. It hosts career afternoons with
The boarding environment at representatives from leading
MCM delivers excellent pastoral professions in attendance and
care with many opportunities for offers ongoing one-to-one
leadership roles and the support for pupils.
development of soft skills and MCM also organises an annual
qualities that strengthen visit to its sister school in the
applications to top universities. United Kingdom along with a
A crucial element of the tour of UK universities, as well as
overall experience is quality pre- a trip to visit colleges in the
university guidance, support and United States, utilising the well-
advice to assist pupils in gaining established links that MCM has
entrance to their first-choice formed from being a genuine
university. expansion of Marlborough
MCM’s graduating cohort in College UK with a global outlook.
2016 and 2017 averaged 35 “What has been highly
points in their International gratifying about our students is
Baccalaureate (IB) diploma – five the variety of places that they
points above the world average have successfully applied to,”
and two points ahead of the says Andrew MacDonald, head of
Asian average. university guidance at MCM.
This, along with outstanding “Naturally, being from a
application support, resulted in traditional British school, many
pupils attending some of the of our students apply to top-
world’s leading universities. ranking UK universities, but
MCM pupils received offers others with a more global
from 24 of the world’s top 100 outlook have been successful in
universities featured in the QS gaining entry to some of the best
World University Rankings 2016 universities in the world.
– no mean feat for the “Studying the IB Diploma
institution’s first ever, non- Programme acts as a global
selective cohort. passport that allows our students
From London School of to compete and succeed on the
Economics in the United world stage.
Kingdom and the University of “At MCM, we pride ourselves
Melbourne in Australia to McGill in giving them everything they
University in Canada and Yale need to thrive at the next level
University in the United States, and to eventually take up their
MCM pupils are sought after places as leaders and influencers
globally by the very best higher in whichever field they seek to
education institutions. pursue.”
The current Upper Sixth pupils
have continued this success by n For more information, visit
securing offers from similar www.marlboroughcollege.my
8 Bright Kids THE STAR, TUESDAY 6 MARCH 2018