At the Little U Boutique, we guide teens in Foundational Academic Thinking in Language and Logic. There are 4 core modules in Boutique. Each module is pegged to a criteria from the competency Critical Thinking. Students who finish each module successfully will obtain a credit for their MTC Learning Record. The modules repeat in cycles of 2 years. Each module will take up 1 term (or 16 weeks).
Each module has …
1) a required reading list. Students who are unable to read the texts will be given replacement materials to support their learning needs.
2) a project cover sheet. The project cover sheet (and appendixed documents) will be the final evidence uploaded to the MTC portal for the MTC Learning Record. Once accepted by the administrator on the portal, the evidence is equivalent to 1 credit obtained for the competency.
Essay
Taught by Dawn Fung
Criteria : Relevance
Skills picked up in this module :
- Fundamentals : Basic grammar rules and reading skills.
- Research : Develop clarity in finding information from a range of trustworthy sources. Analyse sources for relevant content creation.
- Design a writing voice : Develop a clear writing voice through exploring a range of essay types.
- Feedback : Develop a robust feedback mechanism to improve your own writing.
We look at essay writing as a form of personal expression and a successful way to disseminate opinions that reflect language proficiency.
Read essays by students of Little U
Minecraft, Popcorn and Popcorn Brain, English, Allergies and Kpop, Writing
The final submission was externally evaluated by Wan Ling. Wan Ling is an ex-MOE teacher who taught humanities, especially Geography and Social Studies to teens. She believes that an appreciation of Humanities is essential in helping us make good choices in today’s complex world. She was a keynote speaker in the Homeschool Convention 2021.
View the Project Cover Sheet for the full information about this module.
Access is given only to Little U students.
Copperplate Calligraphy
Taught by Dorothy Chew, Founder of Art of Letters
Criteria : Precision
Skills picked up in this module :
- Tools & materials: Familiarise yourself with calligraphic tools (holders, nibs, inks, papers, etc).
- Letterforms, proportions & guidelines: Recognise the basic letterforms unique to Copperplate script. Draw guidelines for the Copperplate script.
- Forming letters: Correctly form Copperplate letters for lowercase, uppercase, numbers & punctuation.
- Letter connections & spacing: Correctly join letters to form words, and to write sentences with appropriate word spacing.
- Evaluation: Develop an eye for evaluating Copperplate script and its use.
- Variations: Create variations of Copperplate letterforms.
- Layout principles: Learn layout principles and experiment with creating pieces for various purposes.
- Create a piece: Create an original piece of writing in Copperplate in continuous prose.
Students will learn about the emergence of Copperplate as a calligraphic style in history. They will learn to identify the unique Copperplate letterforms and create pieces using Copperplate calligraphy.
Final submissions by students of Little U
The final submission was externally evaluated by Eleanor Winters. A commercial as well as a fine- art calligrapher, Eleanor Winters’ works have been exhibited in museums and galleries in the US and Europe. The author of six calligraphy books, she has served as Director of the Calligraphy Workshop in New York for 25 years, taught as a Professor of Art at Long Island University (1990-2005), and served on the faculty of the New York Society of Scribes Calligraphy School. Selections of her work can be seen on www.alamemoireparis.com.
View the Project Cover Sheet for the full information about this module.
Access is given only to Little U students.
Real Life Math
Taught by Vivian Kwek
Criteria : Reason
Skills picked up in this module :
- Logical reasoning: Applying mathematical reasoning to make informed financial decisions.
- Analytical thinking: Reflecting on the effectiveness of financial decisions.
- Problem-solving: Setting realistic financial goals.
- Metacognition: Evaluating personal strengths and areas for improvement in financial literacy and decision-making.
- Budgeting and Financial Planning: Create, track, and adjust monthly budgets to manage income, expenses, and savings.
- Credit and Debt Analysis: Understand, calculate, and manage different types of credit, debt, and repayment strategies.
- Investment and Savings Strategy: Compare investment options, assess risks, and plan effectively to achieve financial goals.
- Cost Comparison and Justification: Use math to compare costs and justify financial decisions with clear quantitative analysis.
- Data Analysis and Interpretation: Analyze and interpret financial data to draw accurate conclusions and spot misleading information.
View Project Cover Sheet for full information about the upcoming term.
Access is given only to Little U students.
This is an introduction to real life decision making using mathematical concepts. Students learn how to analyse information using mathematical concepts to make informed decisions.
As the final assessment, the student will put together a portfolio or binder with: A proposal to achieve a financial goal, incorporating budgeting, analysing financial decisions, earning an income, understanding credit/debt, as well as saving/investments, and analysing simple statistical trends. In addition, they will be required to identify the gaps in resources and skills needed to achieve the financial goal and suggest ways to fill the gaps.
The final submission for Term 1’s Real Life Math was externally evaluated by Ding Zhen Xin. Zhen Xin has been an educator for more than 20 years to children from pre-school to secondary levels. Besides teaching Biology in a Junior College, she was also involved in MOE HQ work in curriculum development, assessment and policy. In order to obtain flexibility in work, she joined Prudential as a Wealth Manager and sees it as an opportunity to share financial literacy with families. Since then, Zhen Xin has been serving families like her own to have adequate wealth protection and wealth accumulation portfolio to achieve a peace of mind for their families.
Advocacy
Taught by Dr. Hana Alhadad
Launched : Term 2, 2025
Criteria : Fairness
Skills picked up in this module :
- Understand fundamental children’s rights: Learn core principles from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (e.g., right to education, protection from harm, participation in decisions)
- Develop self-advocacy competence: Articulate personal needs, boundaries, and goals confidently.
- Build peer and community advocacy skills: Foster empathy and collective problem-solving (e.g., group projects addressing local issues).
- Strengthen civic engagement: Engage with institutions (e.g., schools, policymakers) to advocate for systemic change.
Through engaging activities, real-world case studies, and hands-on projects, you’ll learn how to speak up, stand strong, and inspire your community to create a fairer, safer world for all. Every young voice matters!
The full Boutique Curriculum
| Module | Primary Criterion |
| Essay | Relevance |
| Copperplate Calligraphy | Precision |
| Real Life Math | Reason |
| Advocacy | Fairness |
We aim to run these modules throughout the year by Term 1, 2025.
All students may take the modules as many times as they wish. Each student’s experience and assessment will be customised by the educator. This approach deepens both the breadth and depth of the skills learned, as well as overall critical thinking.
Some things to note:
You do not have to complete everything. Some neurodivergent learners may prefer to focus on a specific module or criterion. We will provide guidance accordingly.
Earning Credits at Little U
There are up to 16 credits that a student may obtain at Little U based on our 4 competencies and 16 criteria.
10–13 credits: The student is prepared to apply for employment, diploma programs, or foundation university courses. This range demonstrates strong evidence of competency through the student’s achievements, validated by teachers and external evaluators.
14–16 credits: A student achieving this level qualifies to apply for undergraduate university programs. The final three credits represent the student’s most recent and challenging work, supported by compelling evidence of competency, validated by teachers and external evaluators.
There are 4 levels of achievements in our Little U assessment rubrics : EMERGING, DEVELOPING, ESTABLISHED, APPLYING.
APPLYING : 1 credit. Strong work for a student applying to a diploma or undergraduate course.
ESTABLISHED : 1 credit. Adequate work for a student applying to a diploma or undergraduate course.
DEVELOPING : 0.5 credit. A credit that is at DEVELOPING requires another piece of evidence to substantiate the claim that the student can earn this criterion.
EMERGING : 0 credits
Find out more about our Specialised Track
