Ivy Ong-Wood
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
HK Standard
Welcome to Almitas Academy. Student population: two. And to the two pupils, 11-year-old Brandon and nine-year-old Bradley, the licensed primary school is also known as "mommy's school" - it was started by their mom, Chan-Yeo Peck Leng, last year at a cost of HK$1 million.
The inspiration for Chan-Yeo, the wife of Antiquities Advisory Board chairman and former Legislative Council member Bernard Charnwut Chan, in starting the school is obvious.
"Because I have been taking care of them since they were babies, I know them so well. I know their needs, strengths and weaknesses."
Having quit her job as a businesswoman to become a full-time mom when Brandon was born, the self- confessed "passionate mom" said she started out "wanting to allow them to develop to their full potential."
She added: "Many like-minded parents came to ask me about training their children. When I share with them my experience and when they apply the teaching on a consistent basis, they see the results. And therefore I want to help more people and thus set up this school."
From the start, Almitas Academy was never meant to be a school solely for the two boys. It just happened that way.
Chan-Yeo wanted a school that was different from the mainstream - one where parental involvement and character building would make up the cornerstones of the curriculum. "From my experience, when I continued the teaching and training my sons in all circumstances, I could see the results and gradually the fruits coming out of them. I want to share with other like-minded parents so they too can enjoy the fruits."
As it was a radical departure from the hands-off, exam-oriented curriculum, other parents needed time to be persuaded. Hence, the school-for-two situation in the first year.
"We had quite a few parents' meetings last year. A lot of them liked what we have but they were not ready to join the school as they are not ready to invest the time to work closely with the school to train their children. The school encourages much parental involvement as we believe parents are the main influence on their children."
Having shown that her concept works, though, Chan-Yeo has managed to sign on two more children for this school year and is confident that, come September, the boys will be seeing more classmates.
It costs HK$60,000 a year to enrol. But, as Chan-Yeo pointed out, it is "one fee for two" because parents get free workshops that give tips such as how to get their child to obey them or do the housework.
The school, housed in a commercial building in North Point, has six Education Bureau-registered teachers, both part and fulltime. "We are planning to move to a bigger place to reduce the rental - maybe to sublet some space in an existing school, rent an abandoned school site or a grounded site surrounded by greenery," said Chan- Yeo.
Being licensed by the bureau, it operates strictly according to guidelines in terms of whom to employ, number of holidays and so on.
It uses the Accelerated Christian Education curriculum, a US program that has been in use by homeschools and private schools since 1970. In addition to the core subjects of mathematics, science, social studies, creative writing and word building, Almitas Academy also offers a Chinese-language component.
ACE's selling point is that it is "individualized and non-graded," allowing a child to progress at his own pace. Said Chan-Yeo: "The daughter of a pastor in the Philippines finished Grade 12, the highest grade, at 14. Because she was so young, her father let her study other things first before she went to university at 16."
Despite having such a unique curriculum, Chan-Yeo is confident that Almitas Academy graduates will have no problems assimilating into the system.
The school is currently licensed as a primary school so, in a year's time, if Brandon's mom doesn't start a secondary school, he will have to go to a mainstream school.
Chan-Yeo believes Brandon will fit in as he already has the right foundation. "The most important thing is building character as academic performance is not everything. If someone has a strong character, he or she is able to make the right decision and choose to do right even when he or she does not feel like it. That is what makes a person stand out."
One example: "Brandon was able to reach grade six in his piano within three years from initial piano lessons and will be taking his grade eight exam at the end of this year. I don't have to tell him to practice - he does this with much self- discipline every day, and many times at 6.45am after he has just gotten up.
"I must say he has a very good and dedicated piano teacher, and as I partner closely with the teacher, I was able to help my son reach his maximum potential. This is what I mean by parental involvement."
The most crucial thing, for her, is for a child to achieve his full potential. That is why she named her school Almitas, which means to nurture or bounty in Latin.
"Once we have instilled good character traits and values into their hearts, they are able to excel in many areas of their lives."
Website: almitas.edu.hk
