Our Wonderful Parents and Educators,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you for being here and choosing to be here on a Saturday morning with us. As a parent, I know it takes a village to raise a child, and today, I see many fellow villagers here in this room - our parents, educators and partners who care deeply about how our children grow up. Thank you, Preschool Market, for bringing the entire village, the whole kampung, together.
The initiative 'Our Wonderful Parents' was launched last year to recognise parents who have partnered their child's preschool in meaningful ways, and to celebrate strong parent-preschool partnerships. Seeing everyone here this morning encourages me that this community is thriving and growing.
I am a father of three, and my youngest is in K2 this year. At her most recent parent-teacher meeting, her teachers shared something that surprised me. At home, she tends to lean on her two older siblings or even bully the older siblings a little, since she is the youngest and can afford to do that. But at school, she is quite a different personality – (she shows) a little more leadership initiative, and offer others a helping hand. In fact, her teacher will make her be the guide to support some of the other kids.
So, I decided to change the way me and my wife parent at home. Instead of treating her as a little one, a little princess that needs to be cared for, we now give her a little more responsibility. Let her try more things on her own, even if she fails and makes mistakes. It is a good learning opportunity rather than being shielded and sheltered and lets her stumble and pick herself back up. Frankly speaking, without that conversation with her educator, I would not have known this particular behavioural aspect of her in school, and I think that has allowed me to give her more opportunity to stretch herself even at home and to create that continuum in school and the home environment.
I am sure many parents who are here also have similar insights and moments like this where one conversation with our child’s teachers changes the way you approach and how you bring up your child. Research has indeed shown how children carry their emotions, habits, and experiences across and between the home and preschool every day. When the entire environment is consistent, when the adults in both environments are aligned, we are then able to build a much more conducive environment for our child to grow up and thrive.
I know all of us are very busy with work, and it makes it very difficult to have many in-depth conversations to build these kinds of partnerships. Parents, me included, are always juggling work and other duties, running from point to point, managing household chores and we are always wondering what else should we be doing. Am I doing enough. In fact we may (even) ask - Are we being fair to our children. Can we do more with our children?
Educators come to work with genuine care (and) manage classrooms filled with children, including children with different wants and needs, backgrounds, and family situations. Our educators too face certain pressures and when parents and educators each face their own challenges and constraints, it is all the more important for the two to work closer together to address challenges and (bridge) knowledge gaps. We are stronger as partners than we are alone.
I also know that amongst parents, the question of primary school readiness weighs heavily on their minds and that is completely understandable. In fact, this period is when we are signing up for primary one.
A good partnership with your child’s educator is more than just updates on what the child did today or whether your child can read or count and how they are interacting with friends in school. It is an update over time on how the child is developing and their behavioural traits. These updates are useful, as it gives a fuller picture of how your child is developing as a person. Their character, their confidence, and their resilience, even how they respond to difficulties and building that joy of learning. I think these are important life skills. These social and emotional foundations have shown that they are the most important building blocks that we need to imbue from the earliest stage possible and have these blocks serve them well throughout their lives. To build these blocks, it requires our families and our preschools to work together.
Last year, ECDA commissioned a survey with parents. Around 9 in 10 parents were satisfied with the quality of our preschool education and recognised the important roles educators play. That is a strong foundation of trust, and a testament to the good work of our educators and operators have done to build this foundation.
When we asked parents and educators what would help them partner each other better, the message was the same. Parents wanted more clarity and asked what the role and expectation is from both parties. They ask what are the practical resources that can be put in place to help them better support their child at home. Parents have also asked for more structured opportunities for the parents to be involved, to participate in the activities in the preschools.
Our educators share that they want to be seen not as a service provider but as a partner walking the journey with a shared language, responsibility and aligned expectations, and to collaborate more effectively.
Both parents and educators want to be partners. They all want to be more involved. So, the question is how do we do that?
The shared desire is exactly what we have been hearing and today, I am very happy to announce the launch of a Parent-Preschool Partnership Guide named "We Are Wonderful Partners!".
Together with parents, educators, and sector partners, including the National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC), the Association for Early Childhood Educators Singapore (AECES), and Preschool Market, we co-created this guide. Many of these stakeholders I mentioned are in the room today. I want to thank all of you for your hard work and contributions toward strengthening this partnership.
At the heart of the Guide is a simple and practical question: How can parents and educators work together to better support the child? After all, we all want the best for our children. Through the guide, it provides a practical way forward, grounded on three values – trust, respect, and empathy.
Let me share some everyday examples, which I am sure many of us, especially parents and educators in the room will be able to recognise:
a. Trust means both parties having the confidence that the other is acting in the child's best interests. For a parent, it might mean trying out a learning approach that the teacher has recommended, even if it feels unfamiliar.
b. Respect means valuing each other’s expertise and perspectives. A parent who follows the preschool's routines and trying to follow what the child has been accustomed to and for the educator to take time to better understand a child’s family background.
c. Empathy means choosing to see that everyone is doing their best, and that everyone is trying. It can look like parents reaching out to educators through official communications channels during office hours and for educators, proactively reaching out to parents and sharing more about their child's progress, to reassure their parents.
These are small, meaningful actions but over time, we will build strong partnerships when there is emphasis and consistency.
I also want to highlight the vital role that our leaders and partners play. The environment you help create, sets the tone. The culture of a preschool is important and the way thar our educators are supported day-to-day is important. The touchpoints that we design into the curriculum are also important.
After today, the preschools will share the Parent-Preschool Guide widely. Parents can expect to see this prominently featured in reception areas and receive it digitally through preschool communication channels. As a parent myself, I will also be looking out to receive this Guide from my child’s preschool.
Alongside this, ECDA will be launching a Teachers' Day Campaign titled "It Takes Wonderful Partners to Raise A Child". This is a timely reminder that one of the most meaningful ways parents can show appreciation for educators is through positive, supportive partnership, not just on Teachers' Day, but every day.
The Guide is a starting point, and definitely not and should not be a finish line. ECDA will continue to build on this momentum, show more best practices across our preschools in the coming year and in time to come.
Many preschools (have developed very good and different) best practices, and we want to be able to collect and (share these practices) across the sector. We welcome feedback and perspectives from operators and parents.
Earlier this year, I announced the Government’s vision of Quality Preschools 2030. A vision, where children can play, learn and grow alongside their peers, and develop holistically with strong foundations that will prepare them for life. Parent-preschool partnerships will play a very key role in this, and bring our early childhood sector to the next level and in strengthening the foundations for every child. Like any meaningful relationship, these partnerships will not be built overnight. They are nurtured through intentional conversations, small gestures of trust, and the everyday moments. Seeing a room filled with all the villagers in on this conversation, and with your commitment towards building stronger partnerships, I am confident we will get there.
Parents, reach out to your child’s educators – not only when there are problems or complaints, but also to share what is happening at home, stay connected and understand what your child is experiencing in school.
Educators, please continue to invite parents as partners - not as recipients of your expertise, but as co-pilots in this journey. And to our leaders and operators, thank you for continuing to build on the strong conducive environment in which our educators and our children can thrive.
When parents and educators trust, respect, and understand each other, our children grow up knowing that the world is a place where people look out for one another. That is the kind of society we want to build here in Singapore – one family, one classroom, one partnership at a time.
Thank you.