Leading Minds Chinese, Composition Beyond Creativity

Age Group : Primary 1 - Primary 6

A cognitive learning approach with rigorous curriculum that improves performance in school. Integrates Ministry of Education’s latest syllabus while enhancing vocabulary learning, grammar, comprehension understanding and creative writing.

By experiencing the interrelationships between language art and study skills, students broaden their perspective and learn how to address situations using ideas from multiple disciplines. Students find the curriculum as a whole to be highly engaging and relevant. It provides them with the necessary knowledge and skills for the future.

Enhancement of comprehensive Chinese learning in listening, reading, speaking and writing
Successful examination skill
Development of creative writing skills
Powerful memory and imagination ability
Critical thinking and expression learning
Fostering Chinese literary appreciation

Leading Minds Chinese, Thinking Comprehension

Cooperative Learning

“ 我从这件事情学到了，我们应该和大家合作，有团体精神，可能就不会有这样的结果了。做错了事就应该从中吸取经验教训，不要再犯同样的错误。”

设计总监：Benny Ong (Most Creative Director)

品牌设计：Anthony Ho (Brand Name Design)

品牌形象设计： Yao Ju (Brand Design)

品牌代言人： Fraser Chua (Brand Model)

Leading Minds Chinese, Reading Strategies

The Breakthrough Journey

我觉得，通过这次的活动我学会很多东西，也做了我以前不敢做的事情。

我会把一部分钱分给那些穷人。
节省花钱，该花的就花。把剩下的钱存到银行里。

维修学校和重建组屋。

Leading Minds Chinese, Vocabulary Development

We Learn. We Think.
We Take the Lead

我很想溜冰，因为每个星期日都很忙所以没有时间，直到现在都没有达成心愿。

我想要认真地收拾我的桌子，收拾我的房间，让它整整齐齐的，可是总是没有耐心认真地做。

我很想当个演员，但是每次都没有这个勇气，站出来表现自己。

Leading Minds English, Composition Beyond Creativity

Composition Beyond Creativity

Knowing the students thrive on critiquing ideas and thoughts based on the facts they gather, Neumind enjoys finding ways to help the students learn by teaching them how to establish criteria to judge the ideas and thoughts related to the topic they are studying.

We guide them in learning how to apply these criteria to critique whether the ideas and thoughts are rational, logical and reasonable.

Awarded Prize for Brave Deed

On my table, there is a silver plate that I had received from the police. It is very shiny. Whenever I see it, I will always think of an incident and I feel proud of. It was a brave deed that I did two months ago. It was after school and I was walking home.

Two months ago, I was walking home from school. Suddenly, I saw three men, an old man and two adults, carrying a bag. They went into a nearby forest. My curiosity was piqued. “What is in the bag?” I thought as I followed them stealthily.

When the men reached a rather bare spot in the middle of the forest, they stopped and put the bag on the grass. Then, they talked loudly about something related to money, “How much?” the old man asked.

“Three million!” the first adult said. The other adult wearing a cap just stood behind the old man and was absolutely murmured and utter not a single word.

The old man shouted, “Open the bag!” The other adult quickly opened the bag. I saw a boy struggling in it. “Robinson?” I was surprised. “So, rich boy? Tell me, how much money do your parents have?” the first adult asked.

“I will not tell!” Robinson shricked. The old man kicked Robinson and told him angrily, “Just tell! Otherwise, You will suffer!”

I was petrified. Shivers ran down my spine. Beads of perspiration trickled down my forehead. The old man continued, “Rich boy, so you do not want to tell right? Alright, the ransom will raise to twenty million!” “But, Boss, three million is enoughfor us to survive.” the first man argued. “Shut up!” the old man yelled. Soon, the argument became heated. The old man and the first adult quarrelled and the tension built up.

I wanted to run away from the scene but I was rooted to the ground. “What do I do now?” Anxious thoughts raced through my mind. Suddenly, my mind lit up. I quickly whipped out my mobile phone and called the police.

Finally, five policemen appeared at the scene. The three kidnappers were alarmed and they tried to fight with the police. But, the unarmed men were not a match for the CID. The policemen besieged them and pointed their pistols at them. The kidnappers had no choice but to surrender. One of the policemen thanked me for helping them to catch the kidnappers. They then walked away with the handcuffed kidnappers. “Thanks, Benny.” Robinson said gratefully. “Welcome,” I replied.

A few days later, I received a silver plate from the police. I felt extremely excited and happy. I felt proud too as I had done a brave deed.

Benny Ong
Primary 5, 23 Aug 09

My Rewrites …

Night would fall in about two hours. Sean had to get out of the forest or spend the night with the creepy crawlies. He had been hiking on the trail but had taken a wrong turn. Now, he was hopelessly lost.

A low murmur of voices caught his attention. In a distance, he spotted three men discussing a matter. Sean crept towards the safety of a tree in order not to be noticed.

The men were seated in a circle, next to a quivering sack. A scruffy bearded man, clad in a singlet and baggy pants, sat cross-legged on the ground. With an evil glint in his eye, he held out two fingers to indicate to the others that they should ask for a ransom of two million dollars.

Seated on a stone to his right, his clean-shaven accomplice shook his head and stuck out three fingers instead. “No, that multi-millionaire is filthy rich! He can jolly well pay!” He shot a cold glance at the sack as he spat out, “He will be sorry that he fired us!”

Leading Minds English, Thinking Comprehension

Thinking Comprehension

Whole-Brain-adept educators help their students define the "big picture" they see. Even though a child can see the big picture", it is only useful if they are also able to talk about or convey what they see in ways others will understand.

Neumind educators find many ways to ask their students "what if" questions as this technique is stimulating and motivating to them. Brainstorming is an excellent tool we use to bring out the natural problem-solver in the child.

Leading Minds English, Reading Strategies

Reading Strategies

A couple of interesting pieces of information about neurolingusitcs are:

1) within the integrated brain - both left and right hemisphere’s working together - the functions of one hemisphere are instantly accessible to the other hemisphere and

2) this integration, or working together of the two hemisphere’s of the brain, makes language learning more balanced.

The whole-brain teaching technique called active learning relies on providing students instruction that facilitates making connections that tap both hemispheres. In addition, whole-brain instruction focuses on teaching students how to manage their emotions while learning in order to reduce the amount of downshifting their brain does when stressed.

The integrated teaching approach is effective when implementing the principles of multiple intelligences as it provides students with a variety of different ways to learn content. Neumind implements not only the whole-brain model but also multiple intelligences and this is a superb integration of research with instructional practices.

Leading Minds English, Vocabulary Development

Vocabulary Development

When students receive intense instruction in phonological skills and in letter-sound recognition, the activity in the left temporal and parietal areas appear to normalize and reading development progresses.

Outline:

1.Begin lesson by asking students to explain how they go about learning new vocabulary.

2.Explain the concept of "short term" and "long term" learning and the importance of
contextual clues for effective "long term" memorization.

3.Present the idea of creating vocabulary charts to help students learn specific content
related vocabulary.

4.Distribute a copy of the example vocabulary chart.

5.Divide students into small groups asking them to create vocabulary charts based on a particular subject area. Example: airplane, sports, the museum, etc.

6.Students create vocabulary charts in small groups.

Leadership in You @Marina Barrage, Sep 2009

Methodology

• Provides peer support that reinforces efforts, achievements and positive attitudes

• Improves communication, listening and peer relationship skills

• Uncovers and teaches to individual learning styles, beliefs that affect academic performance

• Encourages goal-setting and taking responsibility for one’s actions

• Ensures a challenging, safe program that is intellectual, physical, creative and fun

Our Young Minds' Quotes

"The times we spent together is unforgettable and so precious. The times I spent together with my family and friends. Every second of happiness, passes by so quickly. The people around us, when in danger, they help us. When they are in danger, we help them. Very soon, I have to leave them.Every second I spent with them, is so precious."

How about the community? The society? We are not closely related to them, but they help us to make the world a better place. Who knows what will happen in the future? Some people are trying to make the world a better place, while some are just trying to destroy it.Smokers, drug addicts, all these people think that smoking and drugs is their life. They cannot live without them. While some other people, just laze around at home, doing nothing. They think life is useless.

No, it is not true. They can try to change their life style, but they choose not to. They are given a chance, but they won't accept it.We just have to think positively and find a way to solve the problem.

We can make a change in our life if we are not satisfied. We should accept every chance given and try to improve. Life is interesting but it depends on how you think about it."

Leadership in You @MacRitchie, Sep 2009

Learning Scope:

This excursion is specially designed to develop an interest in children for the learning of English and Mandarin in the application of cultural development and leadership skills. We engage young learners to research works by connecting them to the leading minds in the world and be confident to take the lead in life. Exciting interactive activities including drama expression, craft, famous people around us and leadership skills.

Objective:

To understand the current cultural landscape in Singapore

Content:

Team spirit; intrapersonal intelligence; leadership skills

Leadership in You @Malacca, Jun 2009

Cultural Visit to the Historical City
徒步旅行之古城游记

Much Ado About History
The History of Malacca

古城历史
讲解古城的历史，由来及特征。
让学生了解历史，丰富学生的课外知识。

Connecting the Ancient to Modernization

标志建筑
结合标志性建筑物将其由来。
结合历史和现在生活结成对比，延伸教育意义。

“在游古城的路途中，我看到了许多东西。我发现马六甲的房子都是非常陈旧的。还有一些学校，看起来很特别，因为它们不但老旧而且每间学校的校碑上都会刻有学校的创建日期。我们沿路再走下去，就是古城的入口。接着，我们爬上一座小山，在山顶，我们看到两名外国人在弹唱吉他。原来他们靠弹吉它赚钱生活，可是他们看起来却很快乐，唱的很开心，一点也不觉得累。 我们后来到的郑和馆，我们看到了许多历史文物，也了解了一些古时候人们的生活状态。通过了解历史，我知道了原来马六甲曾经被葡萄牙、荷兰、英国和日本侵略过，它们的许多建筑物和文化都受到了这四个国家的影响。”
Vivian Chan, Pei Chun Primary

"I think the feeling I had earlier was amazing. I was very scared to step up but suddenly I heard and saw my good friend, Freeman, he stepped up so I got as much courage as I can. And I stepped up. I think it helped me a lot of and next time I will definitely do better as to be the first to step up. I will be the first to step up next time. "

"I am ... sporty smart fun cool courteous kind behaved artistic fast volleyball player loud student." Jarrel Yang, Catholic High

“我是——一只小公鸡，喜欢在别人面前夸自己。一个数学天才，在数学的测验中考得很好。一座小山，上面有无数的东西和知识。 我以后是——一棵白杨树, 常常不起眼但我能为路人挡风遮雨。一个红番茄，我已成熟了，不要再有孩子气。 ” Benny Ong, Pei Chun Primary

Leadership in You @Leisure Farm, Dec 2008

Teaching Methodology: Identifying individual’s intelligences and greatest potential in different domain

教学理念：把每一个学生培训为领域中的领导者

Objective: To be the leader by enhancing confidence, to foster learning appreciation and moral values

活动目标：培养学生成为一个领导者的自信心，使学生对生活，对生命的意义有所感悟。珍惜父母所创造的生活条件，学会感恩。

"I am … I am a clever, sporty and creative boy. I am active, and I like to travel. I am fast, and good in soccer."

"I feel very nervous because I was scared that other people will laugh. I felt more nervous when almost everybody went up the stage. My friends encouraged me. Finally, I went up the stage. " Ebenezer Chan

"I felt quite nervous in the beginning but after my friend's encouragement, and taking the first step. I did not feel as nervous any more. I learnt from this experience that we should have the courage to do things and be brave enough to do it. I hope to do better the next time. I think that I should have enough preparation before doing on stage. " Vivian Chan