The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the world as we know it. Most of us are trying to proceed with daily life under this “new normal” of social distancing and safety protocols. While we are not certain of when this global crisis would end, we are sure of one thing: we cannot approach this situation with yesterday’s logic. Tackling the problem requires a new perspective. Already businesses and institutions are starting to shift to online platforms with more still to follow. Many schools are driven to adapt online learning to continue education at a safe distance but the reality is most are unprepared to do so due to the huge technical requirements. Which leads us to question: how will we know if our school of choice is up to the challenge?

The Philippine Science High School (or Pisay for short) is well-known for being one of the best schools in the country. This is in no small part due to the admission to the school being extremely competitive. With over 20,000 applications each year, only 5% of the examinees (who must belong to the top ten percent of their class and have a final grade of 85 or higher in their Math and Science subjects) pass the exam. Here at Eastbridge, we are incredibly proud of our history of producing Pisay passers almost every year. This year’s exam passer is none other than our very own Jayden Pondoc.

There are several questions that may arise in the minds of parents when they hear that Eastbridge is a non-traditional or a progressive school. Some think that it will become difficult for their children to enter a traditional school later on once they start their kid at Eastbridge. Or, that maybe a non-traditional school has less subjects than traditional ones since it seems that non-traditional schools tend to have more playtime and more toys and manipulatives. Still some think that non-traditional schools are using new and therefore untested methods that may later prove to be non-beneficial to the students when they go into elementary, high school or college.

For more than ten years, Singapore students have been in the top ranking worldwide as per studies by Trends International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). There's no secret in this outstanding performance at all. The Singapore education ministry simply created a unique curriculum called Singapore Math and implemented it and the rest is history.

What's unique about Singapore Math? Math students in Singapore are taught to master core concepts first before moving on to solve more abstract problems. This is done by extensive use of visual aids clearly modeling word problems through pictorials to enhance understanding and retention. Singapore Math also emphasizes the development of strong number sense, excellent mental-math skills, and a deep understanding of place value.