This story is shared by Peggy, mother of Mattias, who is part of the Educational Support Programme at LOT Jurong West.
Finding the right preschool for Mattias has been a long journey. Initially, we considered enrolling him in a regular school, but there were many conflicting thoughts and concerns. The most crucial question was whether these schools had the resources to support his learning, given that he has a rare neurological disease Pitt Hopkins Syndrome (often characterised by developmental delay, lack of speech, short attention span, etc).
At the early intervention centre, Mattias was surrounded by special needs children and received a lot of care. However, we understand that the world can be harsh, and we cannot protect him forever. We hoped that he could learn alongside typical peers, ensuring more holistic growth and development for him. Throughout this process of searching for a school, we heard about the many challenges faced by parents of special needs children in regular schools, which clarified our direction..
By chance, we learned about Singapore’s InSP and ICCP inclusive education programs through a social worker. Fortunately, we were able to join Little Olive Tree, a school participating in the ICCP program before the government terminated it. Little Olive Tree also offers an Educational Support Programme (ESP), allowing us to pay extra for continued support even after the ICCP was retired.
We love Little Olive Tree’s curriculum framework. Unlike traditional elite education, it focuses on developing various abilities in children, not just academic achievements. This aligns perfectly with our vision of an ideal school and suits Mattias well. Here, we see him happily learning and progressing, witnessing the dedication and enthusiasm of the principal and teachers, the mutual help and respect among classmates, and the willingness of teachers to communicate with parents. It feels like a big family, working together to support Mattias’s learning and growth. Thank you, all the teachers! Your hard work is deeply appreciated!
We love Little Olive Tree’s curriculum framework. Unlike traditional elite education, it focuses on developing various abilities in children, not just academic achievements. This aligns perfectly with our vision of an ideal school and suits Mattias well. Here, we see him happily learning and progressing, witnessing the dedication and enthusiasm of the principal and teachers, the mutual help and respect among classmates, and the willingness of teachers to communicate with parents. It feels like a big family, working together to support Mattias’s learning and growth.
在為 Mattias 找到合適的幼稚園的過程中，我們經歷了一段漫長的旅程。起初，我們想讓他在普通學校學習，但有太多的矛盾和考量。最重要的是，這些學校是否有足夠的資源支持他的學習。
Mattias 在早療中心接觸到的都是特殊兒童，而且常常得到很多的照顧。但我們明白，社會是殘酷的，我們不能一輩子保護他。我們希望他能與普通小朋友一起學習，能更好的平衡及獲得更全面的成長。
在這個過程中，我們聽到了許多特殊家長在普通學校遇到的挑戰，這讓我們更清晰了我們的方向。
偶然的機會下，我們與社工了解了新加坡的 InSP 和 ICCP 融合性教育項目。幸運的是，我們在政府終止 ICCP 項目之前，進入了參與計畫的 Little Olive Tree 。這所學校已有 Educational Support Programme (ESP)，即使 ICCP 被終止，我們也可以額外付費參與 ESP。
我們非常喜歡 Little Olive Tree 的課程框架。非傳統精英教育目標，著重發展孩子的多元能力，而不僅僅是學術成績。這完全符合我們對理想學校的期望，也非常適合 Mattias。在這裡，我們看見他快樂地學習與進步，看到校長和老師們的熱情與用心，看到同學們互相幫助和尊重，看到老師們願意花時間與家長溝通。這就像是一個大家庭，一起攜手並肩，帶著 Mattias 學習和成長。
感恩，老師們！ 辛苦了 <3
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