Latest news with #MindChamps
CNA
5 days ago
- Health
- CNA
Tuberculosis screening for children at two preschools after staff tests positive
Children at two Singapore preschools — MindChamps at East Coast and MapleBear Toa Payoh — are being screened for tuberculosis, after a staff member who worked at both centres tested positive. The case was reported in July and the staff was immediately placed on medical leave. Authorities say tuberculosis is treatable and not easily spread. Those with tuberculosis usually become non-infectious within two weeks after treatment begins. Nikhil Khattar reports.
CNA
6 days ago
- Health
- CNA
Children at 2 preschools in Toa Payoh, East Coast to be screened after staff member diagnosed with tuberculosis
SINGAPORE: Children from two preschools will be screened for tuberculosis after a staff member was found to be infected with active tuberculosis disease, a spokesperson from the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said on Tuesday (Aug 13). Children at MindChamps Preschool at East Coast will be screened on Tuesday, while those from MapleBear Toa Payoh will be screened on Friday. CDA, which said it was notified of the diagnosis on Jul 15, did not specify the number of children who would undergo screening but told CNA that anyone who had "close and prolonged contact" with the diagnosed individual would be screened. Contact tracing was initiated after laboratory tests confirmed the tuberculosis diagnosis. CDA also conducted a site visit to assess the setting and identify the classes, staff and groups who would require screening. The agency added the diagnosed staff member 'promptly' began tuberculosis treatment, and was placed on medical leave to prevent further transmission. The staff member is recovering well, is non-infectious and continues to receive treatment, said CDA. CNA has reached out to both preschools for more information about the number of children affected. Persons with active tuberculosis disease usually become non-infectious within two weeks once treatment starts, the agency said. In its reply to CNA, CDA noted that tuberculosis is endemic in Singapore, but it is both curable and preventable. Individuals with latent tuberculosis have no symptoms and cannot transmit the disease. Appointments and chest X-rays at the National Tuberculosis Screening Centre will be arranged for contacts who require preventive medication to reduce the risk of developing active tuberculosis disease. A second round of screening will be held at MapleBear Toa Payoh in mid-September, 10 weeks after the date of last exposure. This is in line with national and international guidelines, said the agency. 'This timing helps pick up infections that may not appear in the first test for MapleBear Toa Payoh,' CDA said. It added that there will only be one screening for identified persons in MindChamps PreSchool at East Coast due to the 'difference in exposure period'. Responding to queries by CNA on the protocols in place, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) said that when there is any known or suspected case of tuberculosis, preschools are required to promptly notify ECDA, parents and the CDA. Hygiene, cleaning and disinfection measures to safeguard the health and well-being of all children and staff must also be implemented, ECDA said. 'As part of their regular health surveillance protocols, preschools also conduct daily temperature and health checks on all children, staff, and visitors upon arrival, and must not admit any individual who is unwell or display symptoms of infectious diseases,' ECDA added. In December 2019, a case of active tuberculosis was found at the PAP Community Foundation (PCF) Sparkletots at Bukit Batok. In 2016, preschool children at Little Greenhouse's Bukit Batok had to be screened for latent tuberculosis after a teacher was diagnosed with the disease. TIMELINE OF EVENTS According to a Jul 17 letter sent by MapleBear Toa Payoh to parents and seen by CNA, the staff member had 'officially left' the school two days prior on Jul 15. The staff member remained in 'good health' till her last working day on Jul 4, before she went on pre-scheduled leave from Jul 7 to 9. On Jul 10, she submitted medical leave for Jul 10 to 11, the school said in another letter to parents. On Jul 12, she submitted an extended medical certificate covering Jul 11 to 24, citing a 'recent health issue' without providing further details. No diagnosis was stated on the medical certificate. The person only informed the preschool via email that she was on hospitalisation leave due to a tuberculosis disease diagnosis on Jul 15. The preschool notified parents on Jul 16 and on the same day, reported the case to the Ministry of Health on Jul 16. It informed ECDA the next day, Jul 17. Parents of children at the Toa Payoh preschool who had close contact with the staff member were told on Aug 5 – several weeks after they first learned of the case – about the upcoming tuberculosis screening. CONCERNS FROM PARENTS Several parents who have children enrolled in the Toa Payoh preschool told CNA that information about the incident was not forthcoming. Mr Lim, whose three-year-old daughter who will be tested on Friday, said there was a lack of communication between parents and the school, as well as with CDA. 'Parents were trying to dig for more information from the school,' he said, adding that staff had to be continuously 'pressed' about what the tuberculosis protocols are. He acknowledged that the school faced limitations and was waiting for updates from CDA. Many parents had personally reached out to the agency but received little clarity on what the screening would involve. In a message sent to parents on Monday (Aug 12), MapleBear Toa Payoh said that it had not received a response from CDA regarding queries and the details of the screening scheduled for Friday despite sending 'multiple follow-ups'. Mr Lim also questioned why the screening was only taking place a month after the staff member's diagnosis. 'Such things are inevitable, but some parents were really freaking out. We should have received more updates as the days went along,' he said. 'Our primary gripe is that CDA took so long to tell us the next steps,' the 35-year-old creative director said. His wife, Mdm Chong, said her daughter has a respiratory condition. The mother expressed concern about how her child's lungs could be affected if she contracted tuberculosis. The couple also has an older son in a different class at MapleBear Toa Payoh. They were not informed of any screening for their son. 'Why are other age groups not being tested? My son is in the school too. Aren't they all interacting? The (staff member) also has no clarity on which (staff member) will be tested. What about the cooks and cleaners?' asked Mr Tan. Another parent, Mr Teo, who also has a six-year-old child enrolled in the same school, agreed that the scope for screening could be broadened. 'Even if the (staff member) wasn't assigned to our child's class, there could have been contact in common areas like hallways, play zones, or during arrival and dismissal times,' he said.
USA Today
31-01-2025
- Business
- USA Today
How MindChamps' Patented Education Methodology Nurtures Young Minds to Their Fullest Potential
How MindChamps' Patented Education Methodology Nurtures Young Minds to Their Fullest Potential Education, particularly early childhood education, has long been rife with challenges. As teachers grapple with how to incorporate new technology and prepare young learners for success throughout their lives, it is clear that existing systems are lacking in many areas—areas that MindChamps, with its patented education methodology, is poised to address. The Story of MindChamps David Chiem, Founder, Executive Chairman, and Group CEO of MindChamps, founded the company in 1998 in Sydney, Australia, as an education research company. Chiem explains, 'The first 15 years of our lives are critical in helping shape our potential for success—and education plays a central role in shaping and focusing that potential. I founded MindChamps with the goal of better understanding how we learn so that we could then find the best ways to unlock the full potential of each individual child. Those early years of research were critical as we combined intensive research with expertise in education, psychology, neuroscience, and theater. This had a direct impact on developing our own proprietary programs, curriculum, and pedagogy and how we continue to challenge and lift global education standards.' After those early years, MindChamps established its global headquarters in Singapore, where it began offering a series of enrichment programs designed to help students thrive in the country's rigorous educational system, particularly in regard to the test subjects of English, math, science, and Chinese. The success of these programs led to the opening of the first MindChamps preschool in 2008. To date, the organization has expanded to 131 centers throughout Singapore, Australia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Myanmar, with its first location in the United States opening soon in Florida. New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Dr. Joseph Michelli outlines the company's success in his book The MindChamps Way: How to Turn an Idea Into a Global Movement. But as Chiem explains (and as Dr. Michelli highlights in his book), the unique pedagogy of MindChamps is what has spurred this global success. Understanding MindChamps' Unique Education Methodology Thanks to decades of extensive research, MindChamps has developed a distinct education methodology designed to elevate the learning experience for young students. 'At MindChamps, our approach is based upon what we call the 3-Mind Education Model,' Chiem says. 'This practical and developmental model focuses on three mindsets for children. The Champion Mind celebrates their uniqueness and finding ways to overcome adversity to achieve success. The Learning Mind focuses on assisting all learners to understand and synthesize the information and concepts they are taught. And the Creative Mind connects and integrates multiple perspectives to solve problems and come up with new ideas. Focusing on these three mindsets in tandem is key to unlocking the full potential of each child.' To put this three-mind approach into action, MindChamps uses a methodology that draws on the shared concepts found in numerical, language, emotional, social and musical learning. 'We found that an interdisciplinary approach that focuses on the shared fundamental concepts of these subject areas results in greater understanding and growth for students,' Chiem explains. 'In traditional education, these subjects are taught in separate silos. In reality, these subjects share key foundations that can facilitate more effective learning. Our methodology leverages simultaneous interdisciplinary cognition to help students develop a better understanding of these concepts in a way that helps them improve their skills and capabilities much more effectively.' The MindChamps interdisciplinary approach is distinct—so distinct, in fact, that the organization has achieved patent status for its early education approach in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. This was achieved after the MindChamps program was able to demonstrate statistically significant improvements in language literacy and musical literacy during a three-year empirical study. The ability to better synthesize, retain, and apply learning is especially critical in today's environment, where there are growing concerns that AI tools may be doing more harm than good in education, particularly when students become overly reliant on AI to solve problems for them instead of developing critical thinking skills. As valuable as the methodology is in supporting improved learning experiences, Chiem is also quick to praise all those involved in the MindChamps organization. 'A teaching methodology is useless without a strong team to carry it out. Our results are only possible thanks to everyone in the organization prioritizing the quality of teaching and learning and emphasizing high-quality care for our young learners. A supportive and nurturing environment is what translates a pedagogy into meaningful outcomes.' Uplifting Through Education With their unique and impactful vision for education, Chiem and MindChamps are well-positioned to help children thrive, thanks to their distinct interdisciplinary approach. The patented education methodology developed by MindChamps is a clear illustration that education can break free of traditional norms and deliver something more meaningful and fulfilling—and that has the potential to positively influence long-term development for students.
