January 1, 2010

St. Columba's Kindergarten of Miri

A community kindergarten always means a lot to parents. That's where the youngsters start their life long journey of learning. And parents can place their trust on the early learning educators . Besides to many people today kIndergartens reflect the social strength of a community and provide the foundation for character building.Furthermore they can be used as success indicators of a town's social achievement.


This brings to mind how parents choose kindergartens for their children. What criteria do they use? Some use historical background and scholastic achievements (can these results really tell?)of the kindergartens. Some kindergartens use very good publicity to attract parents. Some are religion-based. But many parents also choose kindergartens based on their location. Thus the Krokop Chinese Methodist Kindergarten has a very large population and continues to thrive. Some parents insist on sending their brats to high fee paying business like kindergartens with limited pupils. While some parents choose socially conscious and church funded kindergartens which do not charge much. Some parents have no choice at all but send their children to a kindergarten in their village.




Some kindergartens are attractive because of the teachers they have. My son chose a kindergarten himself after dropping out from one (He refused to go to the kindergarten for three consecutive mornings because one of the teachers laughed at his name) and finally we found one to his liking. And he was very right because the kindergarten had at that time a great music teacher (to whom he still has the greatest respect) and a good art teacher. The teachers used to say that he was a student who continued to dance even when the music had stopped! And I too enjoyed picking him up from school in the evenings. Parents of his mates were very polite and kind and several of them came from the farms nearby! He also liked the biscuits given by the kindergarten and the kind cleaning lady who smiled a lot. He had two memorable years and made life long friends not only with his classmates but with the teachers.


Many kindergartens which were first started by a church tend to be very stable and have a strong value base. For that parents are usually grateful. A friend remarked recently that her children had a very good grounding in faith because of the teachings of their kindergarten teachers. "They cannot go too wrong in their life!" They may go astray for a while but they all turn back and go the straight path in the end.



Another friend commented that a kindergarten must have a good yard for the kids to play in. Kids and play go hand in hand. They learn through play.



St.Columba's Kindergarten is one of the oldest kindergartens in Miri. Even the building it is housed in is very old and used to be the St.John's Anglican Church. It is older than the Heritage Building in fact. And its wooden structure should be preserved as a historical building for Miri.

People do not construct buildings like this any more. Perhaps one day it should be a special museum for the Anglican Church and pay tribute to those pioneers who saw the importance of sowing the seeds of learning.

16 comments:

wenn said...

great! Happy New Year!

Ensurai said...

Hi

You are bright and early!!

Happy first day of the year!!

William said...

May the new year brings you peace, joy, health and prosperity!

all3 said...

Blessed New Year, Sister Chang Yi!

God bless your new year...

Ensurai said...

Hi William.....Happy New Year...wishing you the gifts of the Holy Spirit and may the earth sing with joy!!

Ensurai said...

Hi Audrey!!!!!

Welcome home...and there are lots to do in 2010!!

For that we need all the help from above.

Happy New Year...and new hopes for a better world...

Watt said...

Dear Aunty Yi,


Wishing you & yr family a healthy n happy, topped with loads of good fortune for the new year ahead! Happy New Year 2010!!!

God bless...

Ensurai said...

Hi Watt and all

Nice to hear from you!

May your growing children and the happy parents be blessed with God's grace for the best to come!!

Keep reading and learning!

Bengbeng said...

I read this post of yrs. I have to curtail some activities of Benghui. Wondering whether i should cut Sunday school or choir or none or both.. sigh.. he cannot b involved in too much stuff :(

Ensurai said...

Hi BB
I think Sunday School should be good for him and joining a choir at his age is a little too early.

You are right. He can't be involved in too many activities. He should enjoy his childhood and have quality time with his parents. Take him fishing or share a book together. Give him memories which he will treasure when he grows older..... All the best.

Lee said...

Hi Sarawakiana, Happy new year! Wishing you the very best of 2010 and all good tidings.

Very interesting posting. Noticed the school next to a graveyard, ha ha.
Have a great year, Lee.

Ensurai said...

Happy New Year to you Uncle Lee.

Thanks. Many Anglican Churches have graveyards and schools next to each other. Old Colonial legacy.

Anonymous said...

Hi
All my younger siblings went to this kindergarten. I was too far from any kindergarten when my parents were working in the Ulu.

I had a big struggle in primary school in the Bintulu and Kuching. But later in college I was able to study better with skills taught by one very sympathetic teacher. That's how I got into science class. I will always be grateful to her.

Sometimes primary school teachers called us stupid which made our brain stop working. So I did this for myself. Whenever I heard the word I said to myself "She is a fool herself.... We are not to give up!!

Justin

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

The same yellow and blue colours, there is a building I pass when I go to school. I wonder why the house owner had such a bright colour. One day I walked and found it is a child care. Is there anything about this yellow and blue?

Ensurai said...

Justin
I am glad you held on and become what you are today....we have to be strong in order to succeed. Never mind all the bullies...and the loud talking people...

Ensurai said...

Ann
Happy New Year!

Many child care centres use blue to signify universality of education (no racial discrimination). Blue is also for peace and harmony.

And yellow represents the sun - the centre is bright and cheery as the colour indicates.

I have found many small child care centres using these two colours. But the huge ones use yellow or white as the dominant colour. And inner walls are usually white or lime green.


I have not found any document which formalises the use of these two colours for child care centres. Would be interesting to know if there is one....

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