Baker & Bloom prioritises creativity and success beyond the classroom

Baker & Bloom is a K-12 education centre that cultivates creative literacy and entrepreneurial mindsets in kids. Unlike other tutorial centres that cater to standardised tests, its mission and curriculum focus on a child’s long-term success.

Founder and educational director Renée Boey is no stranger to the schools industry. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Education and has worked as a full-time IB English and Humanities teacher whilst organising poetry, debate, creative writing, social entrepreneurship workshops for other educators on the side.

Read more: Hong Kong children’s brands and the entrepreneurs behind them

Growing up in a boarding school in New Hampshire, Boey was immersed in an environment that gave her the freedom to discover her interests but also the guidance to pursue them in a deep and rigorous way. This inspired her to start Baker & Bloom. “I started the organisation to help Hong Kong students unleash their creativity despite the stress and stifling burden of exams,” she says.

There are many centres that focus solely on preparing students to perform on exams and others that focus on play and curiosity. Boey’s aim with Baker & Bloom is to bring both of these aspects together. Beyond achievement on tests, she hopes to help kids to see the beauty of a subject, develop a critical mind and have fun making things they choose to, whether it’s a book or a robot.

Read more: Selina Kong on creating a space for children to learn through play

“When students come to class at Baker & Bloom, they tell us how much they enjoy learning here and how it’s different from other places because they have choice or because they find it personally interesting,” says the educational director. “We often hear from parents how their children have become inspired to write more or create their own projects afterwards.”

Computers have rigour; humans have creativity. Without the ability to think creatively, students cannot innovate, adapt to change, or develop new mindsets. This is the mindset that Baker & Bloom follows. “A student’s academic record and grades don’t tell us much about them as individuals, their ability to solve a problem, their empathy for others,” says Boey.

Read more: How to prepare your children for the future of work

Currently, she is currently working with a team of educators in preparation for the opening of a new primary school in 2021. Named Bloom Academy, it will offer a new model of schooling with a mission to cultivate compassionate creators and social innovators.

“We want to take our experience offering high-quality teaching and combine it with a progressive pedagogy that promotes student agency. It may be the first of its kind in our city, but I believe lots of people here are ready for new ways to prepare their children for the future.”

Learn more about the innovative education services offered at Baker & Bloom by visiting its website.