Aunty May and Ms Nicole nurture children from aged 1.5 to 7 years old (and sometimes older!); making reading easy, while instilling skills and a growth mindset that will serve them well beyond school.
LONDON, UK
The Beginning
1971
Getting Started began with Aunty May’s interest in a better method for nurturing and educating children. Trained by a direct protégé of Maria Montessori herself, in 1971, UK, Aunty May continued teaching through the late 70s, and formally established Getting Started in 1996.
SINGAPORE
Life Education
2001 – Present
The Getting Started method is an amalgamation of various personally curated methods of child education and raising. While teaching styles are influenced by training methods such as Montessori, Shichida and Soul Learning, Aunty May had developed her own method of child education. This has evolved to include Ms Nicole’s passion in understanding how belief systems, emotional wounds, and attachment styles shape our perception of the world.
No two children are alike, therefore, keeping class sizes cozy, GettingStarted ensures that each child receives their own bespoke version of GettingStarted’s programme, according to their needs.
CLASSES
Each child is encouraged to develop at their own pace. With a small class, our low student-to-teacher ratio allows for more individualised attention and meaningful connection.
To nurture both cognitive growth and inner awareness, our program includes, but is not limited to:
- dot cards and flash cards: to support early numeracy and literacy in an engaging, visual format
- The foundational 3Rs: (r)eading, w(r)iting and a(r)ithmetic (optional and developmentally paced)
- Understanding how the brain and subconscious work to foster self-love, confidence, and personal empowerment
- Learning about our upstairs (executive function) and downstairs (fight/flight/emotional) brain: to build emotional literacy and self-regulation skills
- Integrative brain development, including activities that bridge left-brain logic with right-brain creativity and intuition
- Energy awareness and sensitivity training, helping children tune into subtle emotional and environmental cues
In addition, we guide children to:
- Cultivate a growth mindset and a love for learning
- Develop self-reliance and confidence in their own abilities
Practice empathy and kindness towards others (and self!)
TEACHERS
May Ng (Aunty May!)
Children don’t do what you say, they see what you do
. Trained in the Montessori Method of teaching in London with a diploma in early childhood education and childcare in 1971, May’s trainers were personally trained by Maria Montessori herself.
Training & Internship – London, UK, 1971
. Teaching young children since the late 70s. Formally established Getting Started children’s classes from 1996, and parenting classes shortly after, around the turn of the century.
. Attended 4 of Dr. Shichida Makoto’s seminars when he came down to Singapore. Was persuaded by Dr Shichida to speak at one of his seminars in 2001.
Davis Dyslexia
. 4 Days Fundamentals of Davis Dyslexia Correction Workshop – 2002
Soul Learning Company in Right Brain Training, Trained by Pamela Hickein Bozeman Montana USA
. Certificate of Completion – Teacher Training Course Level 2 – 2002.
. Certificate of Completion – Master Instructor Level 3 – 2004
University of Metaphysics and University of Sedona
. Bachelor of Metaphysical Science B.M.Sc – 2007
Nicole Wong (Ms Nicole!)
. Masters in Counselling (Flinders Uni, Adelaide) – in progress
. Graduate Diploma in Counselling (Flinders Uni, Adelaide) – Nov, 2025
. Certified Hypnotherapist (RTT Training School, Sydney) – Nov, 2018
. Certified Rapid Transformational Therapist (RTT Training School, Sydney) – Nov, 2018
. Bachelor of Psychological Science (La Trobe University, Melbourne)
. Diploma in Mass Communication (Ngee Ann Polytechnic)
. Full time teaching since 2012
. 10 years apprenticeship with Getting Started under close guidance and supervision of Aunty May.
Nicole has always had a love for children; and a passion for understanding the human psyche to encourage growth and flourishing. A combination of these traits have led to discovering and being greatly influenced by the principles from
Person-Centred Therapy,
Positive Discipline,
Good Inside,
Emotion Coaching,
Attachment Theory, and
A Growth Mindset.
With the belief that connection begins with listening, truly listening, with empathy, curiosity, and the assumption of best intentions, Nicole creates nurturing environments where children feel seen, heard, and valued.
We do too much talking at each other, and not enough actual listening.
Guided by the belief that “they’re not giving you a hard time, they’re having a hard time” and “what skills are they missing right now?”, Nicole helps children build core social-emotional skills like self-regulation, empathy, problem-solving, and emotional awareness. Through gentle, sturdy guidance and natural consequences, she empowers them to grow with confidence and compassion.
Nicole also recognises that supporting children means supporting the adults who care for them. She is deeply passionate about helping parents understand the emotional patterns that shape their responses—many of which are inherited and unconscious. By bringing self-awareness into parenting, adults can move from reactivity to intentional connection.
When we parent with self-understanding, we create emotionally safe spaces that foster resilience, empathy, and lifelong well-being.
Currently pursuing a Master’s in Counselling, Nicole is expanding her work to walk alongside parents and caregivers as they raise not just children, but future humans whom, from feeling emotionally secure and deeply loved, have the courage to be kind, the strength to stay grounded, and the capacity to connect deeply with others.