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Established in 2008, MindChamps PreSchool sold 22 franchises before it opened its doors. The majority of the licenses were sold to parents of children who had already attended the MindChamps Specialist programmes, and who had therefore seen both how different its programmes were and how they had benefited their children. EduNation talked to Mr David Chiem, Founder of MindChamps, to find out more about the organisation.
 Mr David Chiem, Founder and Group CEO of MindChamps, has his roots in theatre, having been a child actor at the age of 14. Later he attended the prestigious Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) where he obtained a Master’s in filmmaking. Some may wonder what the theatre has got to do with education, but it is precisely this background that has spurred on his work in the latter area.
“When I studied theatre and then cinema for a good seven years together, I realised something very important. I had learned how the world of storytelling works, and knew that throughout the history of mankind, art has been the mirror to society. That is art’s function — to reflect society as it is, and offer the potential to improve.
“When we hold up the mirror and we reflect society, people see themselves and they can get very inspired to change. But how do I change myself? That’s when I realised that if art is just the mirror, then art alone is not enough. If art is the mirror, education should be the toolbox to help a person build his or her future.
“Because I came from the art world, I looked at education through a totally different lens and from my perspective, there seemed to be a gap. When we were in school we were told what to learn so we could pass exams. But most adults — unless they work in an area related to Mathematics — would readily admit that if they were forced to sit an O level Maths exam now, all these years later, they would probably fail. Most of what we learnt at school is gone. It didn’t ‘stick’, because we were cramming in information we didn’t truly understand, information that wasn’t relevant to our life — then, or now.
“What I realised was that the role of education is to help us make sense of our world — and our life, not only in the here and now, but into the unknown future. For this, we need to learn a whole lot more than facts, figures and techniques. These may well be important — at least, for some students — but what is most important, for every student, is to develop the skills and strategies to go on learning for the rest of their lives. When did the school system ever teach us how to learn? And along with that, when did the school system ever equip us with the mindset it takes to be the best that we can be?
”We need to create an education that provides students from a very young age with the tools to build the future.”
This vision includes what is referred to at MindChamps as “The Champion Mindset” — the mindset that enables a person to achieve everything to the best of his or her potential.
The Man Behind MindChamps
 Mr Chiem is of Teochew descent. His grandparents moved from China to Vietnam, and established a trading business there. In 1975, the Vietnam War forced the Chiems to flee to Sydney, Australia. They arrived in the middle of the calendar year, during the heart of winter, not knowing a word of English.
“We got to Australia, and I didn’t speak a word of English — I didn’t even understand what hello meant. I went to a school called Cabramatta West Primary School. The teacher asked me, “What is your name?” And I didn’t understand what she was saying. I just sat there frozen and nervous. When she realised that I didn’t speak English, she starting signing with her hands. She said, ‘My name, Ms Cardogan. And you are?’ And the more she did that, the more nervous I became.
“The whole class was looking at this new boy, and I remember being confused and embarrassed, until this young girl turned to me and translated in Teochew, ‘The teacher’s asking you what’s your name, stupid!’ And I remember I started crying then. You know, first day, in a new school, in a new country, I was so nervous, and when the tears were rolling down my cheeks I thought, ‘It’s so unfair. Just because I don’t speak the language doesn’t mean I’m stupid.’”
The senior Mr Chiem had always told his family that for them to have made it to Australia was a rebirth, because not everyone who left Vietnam made it. Mr Chiem took his words to heart, and would never forget his father saying, “I can give you anything, but there’s only one thing I can give you that no one can take from you, and that’s your education.”
Realising the importance of education, he strove to work hard. Before the year was out, Mr Chiem topped his class.
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Mr David Chiem is the Founder, Chairman and Group CEO of MindChamps. At the age of 14, Mr David Chiem became the first Asian to be given a leading role on mainstream Australian television, in the internationally acclaimed drama series Butterfly Island, which ignited his passion for the arts.
