A Different Kind of Tuition
A Different Kind of Tuition is a values-centric workshop for primary school children we ran across 2017.
A playful spin on what kids are heavily subjected to - Tuition, we wanted to offer them a different approach to learning the fundamental (and in our opinion, just as important) values and life skills that are not taught in our local education system.
We imbue the following values in our program:
- Empathy
- Mindfulness
- Growth Mindset
- Compassion
- Gratitude
- Patience
- Respect
- Positivity
- Creativity
- Appreciation for what they already have
- Emotional balance
Through this program, we wished to build the next generation of Singapore into mentally strong and gracious people who will have these values and life skills to guide them through their growing years up until adulthood and beyond, as they deal with increasing distractions in school and life, that are heavily filled with mindless interactions in the digital world.
How it works:
A Different Kind of Tuition (ADKT) was held at our partner organisation - Ling Kwang Home for Senior Citizens, with the participation of resident elderly folks. Each participating child was then paired up with an elderly folk in a buddy-system.
All of our ADKT workshops were conducted this way to match-make the needs of the elderly folks with the excellent learning opportunities such a context provided for children.
Throughout the workshop, children communicated and assisted the elderly folks they were assigned, to complete tasks that are hands-on and tactile. While the children learned new skills and gained values, the elderly folks received companionship and therapeutic tactility - This made a beautiful partnership.
The Learning Themes we ran were:
- Urban Farming & Gardening
- Entrepreneurship
- Cooking with Plants
- Botanical Art
Background:
This proprietary program was developed and facilitated by Super Farmers founder, Cynthea Lam, who believes this world needs happier kids who will have access to self-care skills and good value systems to deal with the sometimes insurmountable amounts of stress and peer pressure they face in school and friends, and more dangerously, the digital world they would grow up in.
The idea for A Different Kind of Tuition was sparked after the filming for Turn Back The Clock had ended, and a burning passion remained in Cynthea to continue helping the elderly folks who hardly got to see their families anymore.
"This world needs compassionate leaders who think with their hearts first. - Cynthea"
17 June 2017 - Urban Farming & Gardening
19 August 2017 - Entrepreneurship Building 
9 September 2017 - Botanical Art Making 
18 November 2017 - Noodle Making 