We, parents, want our children to be leaders who can communicate clearly with all kinds of people of all ages, who are open to learning from others, who are willing to be challenged and have a clear vision for not just their future but also for the people around them.
We can wish and hope but how actually can we help them become true leaders?
Paz Cruz-Tayag, the S.A.M. Franchisee of S.A.M. San Mateo, believes that having the values of being passionate and committed will help our kids to be persistent in finding solutions, which should a leader be good at. She further explained:
I believe and live by the following SAM values – passion and commitment to give what is best for the students, encouragement and positive reinforcement, and critical thinking.
I also want our students to have such values. It is important that they develop a commitment and passion for learning. At a time when there is so much misinformation and children would simply go to Facebook, TikTok, or YouTube to look for the information that they need, we need to equip them with the skills for discernment, proper judgment, and decision-making.
They have to understand that the easy way may not help them in the long run. Simply copying the answers, quoting what they read, or memorizing formulas and equations will not prepare them for the future.
They must have the discipline to sift through the data, understand the concepts, reason in a logical way, and objectively evaluate an issue to solve everyday problems.
Owning a S.A.M. franchise was actually the answer to Paz’s quest for a business that can also serve her neighborhood. She narrated:
In 2017, I wanted to put up a business that is close to my heart and will help my community. I knew that this would involve children and education. I researched on the different enrichment programs and S.A.M Singapore Math caught my attention.
Unlike the other more established enrichment programs here in the Philippines, S.A.M or Seriously Addictive Math focuses on critical thinking and problem solving – skills that are needed in the 21st century and skills that our students really have to improve on, as shown by international benchmarking studies.
There were other programs offering Singapore Math in the country but I learned that it is only S.A.M that is 100% made in Singapore. This made it easy for me to choose and franchise S.A.M. I only want to offer the best program to my students.
After her discussions with the S.A.M Franchise Director, she attended an intensive training program on Singapore Math and on Center Management. This is where she learned how and why Mathematics can help her in day-to-day operations.
“Having learned Math the traditional way when I was still a student, the training provided me with the opportunity to discover a fun and easier way of learning the subject.
It challenged me to go beyond the usual and to explore other ways of solving problems. The training enhanced my creativity and critical thinking skills and prepared me for teaching and managing our Center,” she said.
Having personally experienced the difference that S.A.M. can offer in person, it is not hard for Paz and S.A.M. San Mateo to attract parents and children to try Singapore Math and witness the distinctive yet fun approach it offers.
“In four years, S.A.M San Mateo has already established itself as a leading enrichment center in our community.
We pride ourselves on always delivering quality education through our highly professional and competent teachers and our unique and revolutionary approaches in teaching. The Bar Model approach, for example, has greatly helped our students visualize and solve problems,” she added.
Because of this S.A.M. San Mateo has continuously developed its students’ learning competencies.
“We had several students who feared numbers and hated Math but when exposed to our unique methodology and with the guidance of our teachers, eventually learned to love Math. Some of these students even went on to get very high grades in the subject and win in Math competitions.
We are also very proud of our students who learned to be critical of what they read. At S.A.M, our students have to constantly solve word problems.
Because of this, they have become more analytical, never satisfied with what they see on the surface, but always evaluating all information, questioning and challenging ideas.”
Paz deduced that leaders should be problem solvers first. She hopes that modeling the S.A.M. values and teaching to her students will contribute to nation-building by developing their students into future leaders capable of looking at the bigger picture, visualizing a better world, and making sound decisions for the greater good.
Trying to address the needs of her community, Paz has become a leader herself. Owning a S.A.M. franchise will not just guide the students in solving different math problems but will also enrich the community as it helps develop future leaders good at problem-solving. This way our children will bring themselves, the others, and eventually the whole community toward success.
