The F.E.P. is a one-year parenting programme which was started in Singapore in September 2000. It is designed to form parents as primary educators of their children. The present programme is targetted at parents of young children.

The requirements of the programme include reading books written by educational experts on topics covering techniques such as systems of motivation, fostering self-esteem and preventive education.

Participants put personal action plans into practice. These entail helping children to develop virtues and good habits to become responsible persons of character and inner strength. Meetings are held once a month for participants to share their thoughts and experiences, based on personally drawn-up action plans. Both husband and wife are required to participate. Every couple will be guided by a personal advisor for the entire programme.

Introduction

The F.E.P. is one of the programs offered by the European Institute of Educational Sciences (EIES) and brought into Singapore by FES. It has been successfully run in Spain, United States of America, Italy, Brazil, Glasgow, Sweden, Mexico and Nigeria.

The program is targeted at parents and educators handling children from birth to 14 years of age. It is designed to form parents as primary educators of their children.

Educating today

The task of parenting is in a state of revolution today. The values that parents want for their children are often not found in the society where they live. Schools, teachers and even the friends of the children may even be opposed to the values that parents impart to their children; not to mention the powerful and often negative influence of the mass media. In order to counteract these negative influences, parents see, more and more, the need to improve themselves as educators.

The current situation has led to widespread concern and inspired the development of educational methods that offer fresh hope to parents. Parents have every reason to be optimistic as recent research in the area of human behaviour has given some valuable insights in the field of family education.

Parents who are keen on raising their children well should be aware of the new resources offered by the educational sciences. Good parenting will then be the norm and "problem children" the exception.

In our society we have to educate for the future

The future is not a matter of chance. Each person helps to shape the future each day. Each family participates in this process by striving to help children become free and responsible adults. To do this, parents need careful preparation, training, as well as a professional approach.

Good parenting requires serious effort, but it is worthwhile. In striving to improve, the family will be happier, more united, and become an important influence to other families.

A brief explanation of the basics of the Family Education Program, in a question and answer form, is appended below:

What is the F.E.P.?

The Family Education Program is a training program for parents to be the primary educators of their children. Its main objective is the personal improvement of children through the development of the will.

What does "Training the Will" mean?

This means training our children to become free and responsible adults with character and inner strength, that will enable them to make life long decisions and to overcome whatever obstacles they may encounter in life.

How is this Training of the Will carried out in the F.E.P.?

Education of the will can be divided into:

• Early education
• Effective education
• Preventive education
• Education by example
• Motivated Education
• Personalised education

Why do we aim at Early Education and Training of the Will?

The development of new educational techniques in the area of sensitive periods and guiding instincts has led specialists to encourage education from a very early age. Through early stimulation of the various faculties of the child, the maximum development of the child's potential can be achieved.

If the brain is stimulated when its cells (neurons) are beginning to mature, the connections between these cells will increase considerably, leading to a greater development of the brain. Early education and training of the will is based on this theory.

What is Effective Education?

Recent research in the area of human motivation, carried out mainly in the business environment, confirm that "when we motivate a subject whose will is in a positive and receptive mode, POSITIVE SYNERGY is generated, and this considerably increases the results obtained." The will is better disposed to behave positively in an atmosphere of friendship, gentleness, joy, confidence and calm.

What is Preventive Education?

Just as we say "prevention is better than cure" when speaking of physical illness, better educational results are obtained when a child is taught to do good acts, rather than when the child is reprimanded for bad acts. Anticipating problems is easier than correcting them. If we train our children well and teach them the consequences of wrong behaviour, they will know how to make the right decisions in life.

What is Education by Example?

Education by example continues to be the main foundation of the child's education, and the best example for children is to see their parents strive to become better persons. Parents and children pursue the same objectives of personal improvement together.

What is Motivated Education?

The best motivation for a good act is the value of the act itself - knowing that we are doing something that is really good. Rewards and punishments only motivate a person correctly if they bear some proportion to the act itself and lead to the same objective. A good or bad act should not be rewarded or punished with something material, as this implies a greater appreciation of material objects than the values that are to be imparted.

What is Personalised Education?

Each child should be educated differently because each child is different: no two children are the same. Parents should get to know each one of their children very well, in order to educate each child as a unique, unrepeatable person.

How does the F.E.P. achieve the objective of improving our children?

A complete education caters for the whole person, and includes the:

• Physical development;
• Intellectual development; and
• Training of the will.

The first two aspects are usually dealt with in the normal education system. However, the F.E.P. has been specifically designed to help parents train their children's will.

How can parents help to develop their children's will?

Parents can help their children to develop the will by encouraging their children to acquire good habits. This is done mainly by the parents' example, their word and advice. Parents carry out their educational program through ACTION PLANS, which are specific for each situation.

What is the commitment involved in the F.E.P.?

Participants are required:

• To read two set books of the F.E.P. series every three months.
  
• To draw up and carry out Action Plans for their children that foster good habits.
  
• To attend a two-hour meeting every month with the 10 other couples with children of a similar age.
  
• To attend a two-hour session every three months with an EIES Adviser.

What educational method does the F.E.P. use?

The F.E.P. uses a group self-teaching method that is based on two well-known techniques:

• Active Learning System that is widely used in American universities.
• Quality Circles, which have proved effective in Japanese, American and German companies. Educational specialists write the series of books used in the F.E.P. An integral part of the F.E.P. is the working guides found at the end of each book consisting of group and individual assignment.

UPCOMING DATES FOR THE F.E.P. Informational session for interested parents: Saturday 15 December, 2.30 - 4.30pm Blk 153 Toa Payoh Lor 2 #26-604 Singapore 310153 One-year diploma program: February 2008 - February 2009 Cost: $50 registration fee plus $300 per couple per trimester. To register sms Marjorie Lim 98473459 or email: marjcyp@singnet.com.sg Click here to download flyer.

"Our children's virtues were something we would not have addressed so carefully if not for the programme. The books were very useful - different from what you'd find in shops. Even though the course has ended, the techniques have become so much a part of us. The best thing is that we actually see improvement in our children!" - Kirk and Clarissa (parents of 3 children who successfully completed the Family Education Programme in 2005)