150 274
LIFE&FAMILY
150
January15
Why did you start MSIS?
Jayne:
During 15 years at White Lodge
I’ve seen that not every child is suited
to move on to a mainstream school,
or the resources are just not able to
accommodate them, and they have
nowhere to go. We’ve seen a trend of
families relocating to other countries
to find a suitable school. In a country
like Singapore, that’s not good enough;
these children, both local and expatriate,
deserve better.
What learning programmes do
you offer?
Jayne:
I visited many schools offering
different programmes, but it was the
Port Phillip Specialist School (PPSS) in
Melbourne that was most impressive,
and seemed the most suitable for
what I hope to achieve. Offering a
watered-down mainstream curriculum,
as some schools do, was not an option.
Parents of children with special needs that don’t fit inside the
mainstream schooling models can have a difficult time finding
appropriate education for their son or daughter in Singapore.
Melbourne Specialist International School
(MSIS) has opened
in response to that demand. JAYNE NADARAJOO, founder of eight
White Lodge preschools and kindergartens, and JULIET COOPER,
who moved from Australia in September to become principal of
MSIS, explain what the new school is all about.
PPSS offers an original, accredited
and purpose-designed programme
with a focus on learning through the
visual and performing arts. We also
have plans for The Pantry to become
a vocational hub that provides learning
and opportunities for young people with
special needs, including work-related
skills, occupational health and safety,
industry specific skills and travel training.
Juliet:
As deputy principal at PPSS,
every day I saw the practical results
of having dance, music, art, drama
and physical therapy as the basis for
learning. It’s a unique and fun way both
to teach and to learn functional English,
Mathematics and independent living
skills. For example, we teach the words
and adding skills that students need to
know to function in the community, so
they can go to the shop independently
and buy their lunch safely, without being
taken advantage of.
We teach this in numerous ways,
while the children are actively engaged
with learning. For example, through
counting steps in dance and through
sport, students can learn about space,
shapes and counting.
Who is suited to MSIS?
Jayne:
Children with special needs who
do not fit into any of the current school
models. It doesn’t mean they are not
good enough, rather that their strengths
lie elsewhere.
Juliet:
Every child has an assessment,
and then an individual learning plan is
devised in conjunction with therapists
and parents, based on the student’s
personal goals. My 14-year-old son
Monty, who has an intellectual disability,
is also attending MSIS.
Describe a typical school day for
a student at MSIS.
Juliet:
Depending on their individual
learning plan, a student’s day might
include a session at Sky Gym, English
lessons, dance, art, outdoor play, maths,
ball sports and bike-riding. We take into
account a child’s individual learning
needs; theymay do traditional academics
for 10 minutes, and then take a break for
10 minutes, for example. Students with
autism or other special needs often need
LEARNING
OUTSIDE
THE SQUARE