Giving his students a good start every morning

I was trawling the web for leads on my next writing assignment when I found this post.  You can imagine my surprise to see my son's school principal, Dr Chin from Tao Nan School in the news! Fortunately, it is GOOD news. 

As my son is in the afternoon session, he doesn't have the benefit to be greeted by or to greet Dr Chin every morning.  However, Dr. Chin does his 'rounds' in the afternoon during recess to mingle with the lower primary students.  How do I know? I was a parent volunteer at these recess time for the first half of the school year.  

During that period, I observed that the students are comfortable in the presence of Dr. Chin (unlike our time in school when the principal was fearsome and unapproachable).  I was also impressed that Dr. Chin took the time and effort to meet his students and establish a friendly rapport between him and his students, as well as the staff and volunteers who work on the school grounds.

While some parents from other schools may snigger and make fun when they hear of the principal's unusual practices - greeting his students at the school gates, dictating that they have to bow and greet him when they see him - parents of current Tao Nan students know that it is an effective way for the principal to make himself visible and accessible to the kids who passes through the school gates.

"Dr Chin always respond when we greet him," my son said, adding "he never just walk away."  I too, have witnessed Dr Chin countless of time with his fair share of greetings, followed by friendly conversation with the students and parent-volunteers.  As a result, he's built an atmosphere of respect and friendliness on the school grounds.

A principal like Dr. Chin is hard to come by.  I'm grateful that he is the principal during my son's first year of primary education, as his attitude and leadership are good grounds for a strong foundation to my son's academic journey.

Here's the article from Asia One EDvantage that this blog is based on. Share your thoughts and stories of good principals who engage with their student body.

Principal stands outside gate to welcome students every morning

The principal of Tao Nan School says he hopes to give students a good start to each morning.

SINGAPORE - It is a sight you don't see very often, if at all - a man standing outside a school gate, smiling and welcoming pupils as they stream into the school every morning.


And the man is not a worker at the school, nor a teacher, but the principal.


Dr Chin Kim Woon, principal of Tao Nan School, takes it upon himself to stand outside the school gates every morning to greet pupils from Primary 1 to 6 as they come in.

According to some parents the Shin Min Daily spoke to, Dr Chin bows ever slightly to greet each one of them, and does so no matter rain or shine.
His actions have touched many parents, one of whom contacted the Chinese daily to pay tribute to him, ahead of "Teachers' Day" in September.Madam Huang Li Fen, 44, who works in the insurance sector, has two boys studying in Tao Nan Primary. She told Shin Min she always sees Dr Chin outside the school gate at 7am when she takes her sons to school.
He always has a warm and sincere smile for all his pupils, says Madam Huang.
She recalled how when it rains, Dr Chin would carry a large umbrella to shelter the kids from the car to the school building after their parents had dropped them off.

According to her son who studies in the afternoon session, Dr Chin also makes it a point to share a few stories during the assembly that will imbue kids with the right moral values.

When interviewed by Shin Min Daily, Dr Chin says he does his morning routine because he believes mornings are the most important part of the day.
He quoted an old Chinese saying, on "how one's plan for the day largely depends on the morning".

Dr Chin, who has more than 20 years experience in teaching, said it is important to "be full of life and energy in the morning", and hopes to give students a good start to each day.

According to a reporter who observed Dr Chin, pupils will automatically greet Dr Chin cheerily, with no hint of fear of trepidation as one would expect when faced with the principal.
Dr Chin also spots students with undone shoe-laces, and tells them to tie them up before they trip.