About the Author:-
DR DENISE LAI CHUA was, between 1997 and 2018, the founder and Managing Director of the Wee Care Group Singapore, a company that provided both early childhood and early intervention programmes, including preschool inclusion, for children with additional learning needs. An experienced and highly-skilled early childhood practitioner and leader, Denise now spends her time writing, consulting, and training parents, early childhood educators, and special needs’ educators around Asia through the Centre for Applied Practice in Education (CAPE) in Hong Kong. She is a Doctor in Education, an International Behaviour Analyst (IBA)™, and a Birkman Certified Professional (BCP). Her areas of research interest include social justice, power and politics in education, child and
language development, Applied Behaviour Analysis, and a Theory of Mind. She blogs at www.makingripples.co.uk.
Praise for the book:-
“Denise will be known for her pioneering work in building a preschool that not only perfected the power of play but turned in the requisite achievements in both her gifted and special charges. With detail and intensity, this book takes the reader through the preschool “wilderness” of the late 1990s to 2000s and the hit and miss changes by the government in this sector. It would really be fitting for parents, teachers, administrators, and policymakers to take heed to regroup and recall that teaching is really about the heart and soul.” — Hwee Goh Wee Care Mother of four, 2005–13; TV Journalist, Media Consultant, and Author
“Whether you are an educator, parent, entrepreneur, policymaker, Singaporean or otherwise, you will find Denise’s autoethnography to be a gloriously beautiful yet painfully familiar or perhaps cathartic read. You may not agree with her convictions or decisions, but you will no doubt be challenged and inspired by her unparalleled intelligence, vulnerable eloquence, visionary leadership, and above all, her deep and abiding faith and passion.” — Dr Lydia L. S. Chan Member, Board of Governors and Chairperson, Council, Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education
“More than just the trials and tribulations of starting a business, Preschool in the Wilderness offers a warm, sincere, and insightful take on Denise’s journey on setting up and finally letting go of Wee Care. She takes us in depth into the realm of special needs education and preschool education, as she navigates and charts her own path whilst wearing different hats, sharing her joys, challenges, and frustrations. An intriguing and provocative read for all parents.” — Isabella Loke Wee Care Mother, 2011–14
“Denise tells the story of her 21-year journey in what she calls the early childhood wilderness in Singapore. She tells of her experiences in the multiple roles she played … as a teacher, business owner, leader, curriculum designer, mother. She shares the joys and struggles, relationships and conflicts, insights and tensions in her daily life as an early childhood educator and as the wilderness is slowly transformed by the changes taking place over time. Whether we read to listen to the voice of an early childhood educator in Singapore, or to ponder on the changes and issues that are part of our nation’s journey in early childhood, there is something to prompt us to reflect on who we are in this early childhood community and our place in this wilderness.” — Dr Hanin Hussain Senior Lecturer/Assistant Head (Early Childhood), Psychology and Child & Human Development Academic Group, National Institute of Education-Nanyang Technological University
“It has been quite a while since I have read a book till the early hours of the morning. As I was drawn deeper and deeper into the author’s journey, I had to complete it. Throughout the book, her account of the dilemma between her idealism and realism, struggles between what is good for each child and the balance sheet, fulfilling regulatory requirements and a host of other professional predicaments, is personal yet objective. Her decisions are ably supported by citations of facts and well conducted research findings. She has rightly described her narration as an autoethnography. Though this book is written with parents, academicians, and policymakers in mind, many operators and principals, especially those who value quality early childhood education, will be able to identify with Denise. All early childhood educators, whether they are principals or practitioners, as well as parents, will benefit from this book as it provides so many insights into the operation of early childhood organisations, which include parents’ aspirations and demands, staff well-being, and regulatory requirements. It should be on the recommended reading list for early childhood trainees. The only let down is the end of the journey; while I understand Denise’s reason for walking away after spending more than 20 years of her life to build the renowned Wee Care in Singapore, I would have preferred a happier ending.” — Datuk Dr Chiam Heng Keng Founding President, Early Childhood Care & Education Council, Malaysia
“This book is a must-read for at least three groups of people: devoted professionals, policymakers, and parents of young children. It demonstrates the workability of a business model for running a “new” kind of preschool. Denise documents her innovative and enduring endeavours, with strong personal reflections, to operate Wee Care in a way that was financially self-sustainable, creative, honest, and most of all, committed to prioritising children’s and parents’ needs. When developing public policies, policymakers should be able to learn from this book to remove unnecessary hindrances and facilitate devoted professionals to deliver high-quality services. Parents can also reflect on what it means to choose the “right” kind of nursery or kindergarten for their child.” — Professor Ly-Yun Chang Institute of Sociology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan
