Our education experts got together for a brainstorming session. Second from the left: Dr Larry Scripp, Dean of Music in Education; Third from the left: Paulene Smith, Senior Director of Training; Standing: Brian Caswell, Dean of Research and Programme Development, Far right: Heather McCloud, Senior Manager, MindChamps Reading & Writing.
Every year, it is a tradition for our education experts to meet at the MindChamps Headquarters here in Singapore.
In recent years, this largely involved Mr Brian Caswell, Dean of Research and Programme Development at MindChamps, conducting sessions with the curriculum and training team to keep them updated on the upgrades to the various programmes.
This year, however, we were honoured to have Dr Larry Scripp at this annual gathering, as he joins MindChamps as Dean of Music in Education.
Among the titles and roles held by Dr Scripp include the Founding Chair of Music-in-Education at the New England Conservatory, as well as the Founding Director and Senior Researcher for the Center for Music and Arts in Education (CMIE) at Boston, Massachusetts.
His role as a researcher saw him design and implement research studies investigating young children’s symbolic development, musical perception and representation, and a new conception of musical giftedness at Harvard University.
MindChamps is the first educational organisation that I have encountered that believes in and builds on empirical research in education as we do. They are always willing to share research-based practices with others. That’s why I have decided to join MindChamps. It is a perfect marriage of theory and practice in education, and a better understanding of what 21st Century education can be.
– Dr Larry Scripp, Dean of Music in Education, MindChamps
Incorporating music into early childhood learning
To kick-start his role as Dean of Music in Education at MindChamps, Dr Scripp has developed a methodology that will change the world of early childhood learning.
Rather than focusing on the performance aspect of music, the methodology developed by Dr Scripp involves the use of a broad range of musical literacy skills in conjunction with all the major areas of studies – mathematics and language in particular.
This eventually aids in the development of other areas of learning beyond the overall curriculum. It is an approach which brings positive results and a new model of early childhood learning into the 21st century.
A warm welcome to the MindChamps family
Indeed, we are excited to have Dr Larry Scripp onboard as one of our education experts, as he brings his expertise and research to curriculum development at MindChamps.
This is affirmed by Mr David Chiem, Founder CEO and Executive Chairman of MindChamps PreSchool Ltd, who said:
“We are very pleased to have Dr. Larry Scripp aboard. He shares the same ideas of what the 21st Century of education should be and has a wealth of empirical research in this area which we can tap into.”