Maitri School, a new Special Needs Education school, set up by Metta Welfare Association envisions for the students to lead independent and meaningful lives. Our students will be equipped with skills for daily living, emotional management and regulation, as well as vocational skills.
The school will serve students with moderate to severe autism from 7 to 18 years old, with priority given to Singapore Citizens. It has a total school capacity of 300. With effect from 2021, the school will offer 25 places per year in our M1 classes which serve children aged 7. As of 2023, we have classes, M1 to M3, for students aged 7 to 9 respectively.
The new school building will be located at Pasir Ris and is estimated to be ready in the year 2028. In the interim, all classes are held within the premises of Metta Welfare Association and Metta School which are co-located at Simei.
慈明学校是慈光福利协会设立的一所特殊教育学校，旨在让学生过独立而有意义的生活，学习日常生活技能、情绪管理和职业技能。
学校专为年龄介于7岁至18岁的中度至重度自闭症学生而设，在考虑招生时，新加坡公民将会被优先考虑。学校总容量为300人。从2021年起，学校每年将为7岁的儿童提供25个名额。截至2023年，学校还将分别为年龄在7岁至9岁之间的学生开设M1至M3的课程。
新校舍将位于巴西立，预计将于2028年完工。在此期间，所有课程将在位于四美的慈光福利协会和慈光学校内进行。
Our Beliefs
We believe that all children on the autism spectrum are unique and their needs are different from each other. They have unique talents as well.
We believe that all children can learn, we have to design programme/interventions to equip them with the necessary knowledge, skills and attributes; so that they are empowered to take care of themselves and earn their own keep.
The subjects offered for the young students entering Maitri Programme are:
- Functional Literacy & Communication
- Functional Numeracy
- Personal Management
- Social Emotional Learning
- Home Living & Home Economics
- Adapted Physical Education
- Performing & Visual Arts
办学信念
我们相信患有自闭症的孩子都是独一无二的，他们的需求互不相同。 他们也有独特的才能。
我们相信所有的孩子都能学习，我们必须设计适合的课程，让孩子具备必要的知识和技能； 使他们有能力照顾自己并自足自给。
慈明课程教科是：
1. 英语与沟通
2. 算术
3. 个人管理
4. 社交情感
5. 居家生活与 家政
6. 体育
7. 表演与视觉艺术
Functional Academics
Literacy, Communication and Numeracy are important building blocks to learning, living working, and accessing to services. The curriculum will be spaced appropriately with students placed in the appropriate modules. The baseline will be for students to acquire money skills and time management skills when they graduate from the school.
In the area of Literacy and Communications, it will include learning of Picture Exchange Communications System (PECS) and other assistive devices for the students who are non-verbal. The means to communicate is critical to students in the Maitri Programme, to reduce frustration and promote understanding and connection with others.
学术
识字，沟通和算术是学习，生活和工作的重要基础。学校将致力于安排适当课程给予学生。 基线是学生从学校毕业时获得生活技能和时间管理技能的基础。
在语言和交流领域，慈明课程的学生将学习图片交换通讯系统(PECS)。如有需要，将为孩子增设辅助设备。 能够与他人交流，表达自己的需要和想法对慈明课程的学生有关重要，它可以减少孩子的挫败感并增进与他人的理解和联系。
Social-Emotional Learning
Social-Emotional Learning refers to acquiring a set of skills necessary to handle self and relationships. Students with Autism has deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts.
Students with Autism exhibits challenging behaviours mainly because they struggle to understand what is happening around them or struggle to communicate about their emotional and physical needs; or when they have sensory overload including unable to cope with being in an unfamiliar situations or events. It is important that they learn self-regulation, behaviour self-management, and social skills.
社交情感学习
社交情感学习是一套处理自我和人际关系所需的技能。 慈明课程的学生在社交沟通和社交互动都存在困难。
慈明课程的学生有可能会表现出挑战性的行为，主要原因是因为他们难以理解周围发生的事情或难以就自己的情感释怀； 或他们的感觉超负荷，包括无法应付陌生的情况或事件。他们必须学习自我调节情绪，自我管理和社交技能。
Independent Living Skills
Independent Living Skills includes practical skills required to care for oneself, and function safety and meaningfully in the community. The skills include self-care when they are younger, followed by Home Living and extend to Community Living and travelling skills when they are older. Health & fitness, Aesthetics development will also be good platform for the students to develop interest for leisure activities.
Communications and Social Skills are the most fundamental since communication is the foundation of all human relationships. This is also an area of deficit for students with Autism, and a significant portion of the curriculum will be devoted to training the students on communication and social skills.
The aim is for the students to acquire the ability to learn so that they can become self-directed and life-long learners.
独立生活技能
生活技能包括自我保健，居家生活，并在成长时扩展到社区生活技能。 健康生活，美术发展也将是学生培养休闲活动兴趣的良好平台。
沟通和社交技能是最基本的，因为沟通是所有人类关系的基础。 这也是慈明课程的学生学习时的一大障碍，慈明课程的很大一部分时间将用于培训学生的沟通和社交技能。
学习的最终目的是让学生获得学习能力，使他们能够成为自我指导和终身学习者。
