Alphabet Playhouse Launches Revamped Professional Development Programme for its Preschool Teachers
Alphabet Playhouse’s Rosette Programme seeks to map out clear career progression pathways and boost the knowledge and skills of preschool educators.
On 28 November 2020, Alphabet Playhouse launched a revamped professional development programme for its preschool teachers. In line with the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA)’s announcement to review preschool teachers’ professional development, this initiative supports our belief that alongside our sports and music-based curriculum, our preschool educators play an important role. At Alphabet Playhouse, our teachers will need to lead children, unleash their potential and grow their courage, confidence, creativity, joy for learning and resilience.
“Like the fluffy dandelions that glow in the Sun, with each fruit flying to greater heights in the wind, and then growing anew and flourishing into yellow blooms, our teachers embody GRACE – gentleness, resilience, affection, calmness, and exuberance in their teaching dispositions,” said Mdm Susan Sim, Head of Research and Development (Training & Curriculum) of Global Eduhub.
Mapping out Clear Advancement Pathways
Alphabet Playhouse values our educators and we wish to support their professional growth. To give our preschool teachers a clearer understanding of the expectations, knowledge and skills they need at each job grade, the Rosette programme with roll out role profiles to define the competencies, training programmes, and career pathways for teachers. Through this, they will then know what they need to do to improve themselves to progress in their careers.
We also recognise that every teacher has different strengths and preferences. As such, early childhood educators at Alphabet Playhouse can select between the curriculum track or the administration track when advancing their careers.
Mdm Sim, who was previously from Singapore’s Ministry of Education as a Gifted Education Programme teacher, a Head of Department (Science) and her last post as a Head of Department (School Staff Developer), began helming the Research and Development Team in August, added that, “we believe strongly in building their career, providing clear career advancement structure that defines the opportunities, rewards, career pathways and the training required for them to progress.”
Boosting Educators’ Competencies
Alphabet Playhouse’s Teacher Growth Model envisions each teacher in her full radiance, blooming, and then catching the wind to take flight. It seeks to develop teachers to be Competent Professionals, Collaborative Learners, and Community Builders who embody the core values of Passion, Integrity, Innovation, Excellence and Empathy and the teaching dispositions of GRACE (Gentle, Resilient, Affectionate, Calm, Exuberant).
While teachers carefully nurture children to help them grow and bloom to their fullest, they need to continuously upskill too!
In the revamped professional development programme, the appraisal framework will go beyond an evaluation of a staff’s performance to prioritise the holistic development of a teacher, guided by the 3 teacher outcomes. Senior colleagues will mentor junior colleagues as they participate in reflective practice. Teachers will also be given opportunities for professional dialogue with their fellow colleagues during weekly time-table professional learning.
To support this cause, Alphabet Playhouse will put in place plans to build up a more robust pool of support staff. With additional manpower, our preschool educators can then be offloaded from their duties for such collaborative learning and mentoring. Doing so enables early childhood educators to identify their learning needs in a timely fashion, seek out the necessary resources and gather peer-support, as well as attend relevant bite-sized, byte-sized, and progressive training courses to upgrade their knowledge, skills, and competencies.
Apart from the mandatory courses, Alphabet Playhouse’s educators can also opt to participate in courses that may not be work-related but nurture their interest or as a way to unwind. For instance, teachers who are interested in honing their skills in terrarium-making can go for classes, which they can apply for through the new Learning Management System.
Overall, the revamped professional development framework seeks to nourish and protect our educators as the rosette protects the dandelion until it is ready to bloom and soar higher in their knowledge and skills of early childhood teaching and learning, sharpening their skillsets and developing themselves to become competent professionals in the art and science of teaching that will truly enable children’s imagination to take flight!
About Alphabet Playhouse
Alphabet Playhouse – A trusted premium preschool with over 20 years of experience, catering to the international community. With a keen emphasis on uncovering every child’s potential through fun and adventurous learning, Alphabet Playhouse sends students on a journey of knowledge, letting children discover more about the world around them. Aided by a strong set of curricular materials focusing on what is important for children, as well as top of the line facilities, Alphabet Playhouse ensures top-notch education for all of its students, who come from many countries like Japan, France, UK, Australia, India and the USA.
