In our daily interactions with our children, there are numerous teachable opportunities we have to make use of, be it involving them in decision makings for the family or pointing out to them their mistakes & how they can improve in future.
Recently, we had a debate on whether we should make a trip to the newly completed Hello Kitty land. You see, we just visited Legoland & missed a few rides like dragon & water slide. In our post-trip discussion, we thought of visiting hello kitty land if we are going Legoland again.
Gorgor: No way! I'm a boy & boys don't go hello kitty land. If you are staying at the hotel for the night, I'll stay in the room to watch tv.
Meimei looking disappointed
Me: But gorgor may be captured by bad guy & you will have no gorgor...we can't go hello kitty land unless gorgor comes along
Meimei thinking about the implications
Meimei: Ok lo. We won't go hello kitty land. I don't want bad guy to catch gorgor
After a few hours...
Gorgor pondered over his decision after observing how disappointed meimei was
Gorgor: Mummy, meimei is very caring hor...
Me: Yes, why (totally forgot about the discussion)
Gorgor: I watched on tv commercial that there is a station to make accessories at hello kitty land. I will go & make accessories for meimei lo
Me: (eyes wide open)...speechless
My heart melted when I realized how much they love each other. Although it is only an hypothetical discussion (ya, we didn't promise when we are going), these are the teachable moments of taking the sibling's view into consideration when making decisions. At least I know if I'm not around one day, they will take care of each other.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Oh Xmas Tree!
Xmas is round the corner. Like previous years, we have made creating our own version of crafty Xmas Trees our family tradition. When the children were younger, we explored conical objects, complete with a star to top it off. Now that they are older, we decorated, painted & pasted to assemble a Xmas tree. Of course, we still top it off with a star!
Merry Xmas!
Merry Xmas!
Friday, November 16, 2012
Rounding up the academic year 2012
Time flies. A year just slipped by and this week of school term is filled with PTMs, open house, farewell parties & the anxiety of receiving the report book.
Enjoyed watching mei's performance & how she interacted with friends in school. She's loud & clear in her singing & recital, great in her motor skills to coordinate the dance steps & followed the timing of the song playing on the xylophone. Mummy was busy snapping photo of her proud moments while she explained her art work including the missing kite that has been chosen to appear in the school magazine.
Spent some time talking to the form teacher as she won't be taking them through K2 next year. As a mum herself, she shared her experience of bringing up children of different abilities and characters, juggle worklife balance & latest changes of pri school system which I have not realized. Specific to mei's development, she recommended to practice more on addition questions through games like fishing (add up 2 cards to get the number). Learning through play is so much fun, we will definitely play more this holidays.
For gorgor, it was time to clear his locker & school bag. Well, 1 learning point is that we will need plastic covers to sustain his books for mei to use. His worksheets & quizzes are all crumpled even with a folder. Guess he's still not organized enough & room for improvement in P2.
Academically, he came in 1st in position & aced all 3 core subjects with occasional Bs in social studies, moral education & PE. I know his motor skills are still not as developed & even received a letter to go for a flat-foot check. I'm proud that he has completed the 1st leg of the marathon but also know that there's a long way to go. There will definitely be some disappointment in upper pri & sec school grades in later part of his life as P1 is relatively easy. I'll wait for that moment to deal with it. Meanwhile, it's time to pack for our 1st road trip...
Enjoyed watching mei's performance & how she interacted with friends in school. She's loud & clear in her singing & recital, great in her motor skills to coordinate the dance steps & followed the timing of the song playing on the xylophone. Mummy was busy snapping photo of her proud moments while she explained her art work including the missing kite that has been chosen to appear in the school magazine.
Spent some time talking to the form teacher as she won't be taking them through K2 next year. As a mum herself, she shared her experience of bringing up children of different abilities and characters, juggle worklife balance & latest changes of pri school system which I have not realized. Specific to mei's development, she recommended to practice more on addition questions through games like fishing (add up 2 cards to get the number). Learning through play is so much fun, we will definitely play more this holidays.
For gorgor, it was time to clear his locker & school bag. Well, 1 learning point is that we will need plastic covers to sustain his books for mei to use. His worksheets & quizzes are all crumpled even with a folder. Guess he's still not organized enough & room for improvement in P2.
Academically, he came in 1st in position & aced all 3 core subjects with occasional Bs in social studies, moral education & PE. I know his motor skills are still not as developed & even received a letter to go for a flat-foot check. I'm proud that he has completed the 1st leg of the marathon but also know that there's a long way to go. There will definitely be some disappointment in upper pri & sec school grades in later part of his life as P1 is relatively easy. I'll wait for that moment to deal with it. Meanwhile, it's time to pack for our 1st road trip...
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Desaru Learning Journey
These days, children get to go on overseas trips in primary school. Yes, at P1! I recalled my first overseas school trip was at sec 2 to melacca. Well, that also meant that parents need to go along. Since we are applying leave, must as well bring mei along and make it a family holiday.
We covered 3 destinations- Desaru fruit farm, chocolate factory & wong's kampong. At each destination, gorgor had to complete some quizzes after each visit or activity. In Reggio, it encourages the child to learn and explore the environment- real life, in action, from self-observations, interactive instead of reading from books or listening to teachers. We (yah, parents included) learnt more about fruits, how chocolate is made and Malay culture. We also survived long bus rides with rowdy boys while we were trying to catch forty winks while caught in the PIE jam.
It was a long day for all of us. To reinforce the learning points, we recapped our experience from photos we took over the weekend. Documenting our memories through collage and captions. Last but not least, gorgor had to email his teacher about his trip. I realized how ICT has become an important communication channel to a kid now. He needed to address his teacher and sign off with his name instead of simply submitting a composition or diary which is already tough enough for a P1 kid.
That aside, I'm sure the children will remember their 1st overseas school trip like how I remembered mine. It's the beginning of the learning journey and more eye-openers in the days to come.
We covered 3 destinations- Desaru fruit farm, chocolate factory & wong's kampong. At each destination, gorgor had to complete some quizzes after each visit or activity. In Reggio, it encourages the child to learn and explore the environment- real life, in action, from self-observations, interactive instead of reading from books or listening to teachers. We (yah, parents included) learnt more about fruits, how chocolate is made and Malay culture. We also survived long bus rides with rowdy boys while we were trying to catch forty winks while caught in the PIE jam.
It was a long day for all of us. To reinforce the learning points, we recapped our experience from photos we took over the weekend. Documenting our memories through collage and captions. Last but not least, gorgor had to email his teacher about his trip. I realized how ICT has become an important communication channel to a kid now. He needed to address his teacher and sign off with his name instead of simply submitting a composition or diary which is already tough enough for a P1 kid.
That aside, I'm sure the children will remember their 1st overseas school trip like how I remembered mine. It's the beginning of the learning journey and more eye-openers in the days to come.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Paper Plate Crafts
Paper plate is another versatile craft material for kids. It is round, hence suitable for making masks and animals without the hassle of cutting. We have used paper plates to make clicks, turtle shells and animal faces. The best part is they come in different sizes.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Give them a Childhood
Prime Minister urged parents to give our children their childhood at his national day rally speech. Well, childhood in Singapore is no longer like kumpong days. I grew up in HDB flats and outdoor was limited to playgrounds & occasional family excursions to haw paw villa & east coast park. So what should a proper childhood be, in today's context- fast paced, technologically-dependent, self-centered society?
Specifically, he was referring to giving children more free time, instead of sending them to 2 kindergartens & tuitions round the clock. Ok, that's manageable. Our children have been attending 4-hr kindergarten b4 starting primary school. Enrichment is restricted to their requested activity- music, art or ballet. They spent most of their free time drawing, playing, singing, watching tv, playing iPhone (oops!) etc. Homework is restricted to 2 pages of worksheets on Fridays for K1 and e-learning for P1. I'm trying to enforce more outdoor time per week, but it's constrained by our schedule, weather and pure laziness.
To encourage more babies, strategies like worklife balance, subsidies/ priority in housing and pre-school education are suggested, without details until the white paper is out. It has sparked off discussion online and forums on printed media. Everyone gave good and bad examples of sending children to pre-school enrichments, pri-sch preparations and whether homework should be given for pre-schools.
To me, all these are personal decisions that cannot be moderated at the ministry level. Didn't MOE enforce 5-day week? Why did I still see children in uniform regularly on Sundays at nearby popular primary school which was over-subscribed 3 times at phase 2b this year? It can only be encouraged but not endorsed. Maternity leave of 4 month was reviewed and considered "sufficient". If an employee needs more than 4 months, she can extend using her annual or even no pay leave if required. There is no one- size-fit-all model.
Among all the strategies discussed, giving them their well-deserved childhood is the minimum we can offer. And to do that, I can only afford to have 2 kids, with 24 hours to distribute between family, work and self. We will continue to implement our no-tuition policy and include more outdoor time in our schedule. Afterall, childhood is the memory that a child has when he grew up. I can only remember the silly games I played with my sister but has long forgotten what was taught in the classroom.
Specifically, he was referring to giving children more free time, instead of sending them to 2 kindergartens & tuitions round the clock. Ok, that's manageable. Our children have been attending 4-hr kindergarten b4 starting primary school. Enrichment is restricted to their requested activity- music, art or ballet. They spent most of their free time drawing, playing, singing, watching tv, playing iPhone (oops!) etc. Homework is restricted to 2 pages of worksheets on Fridays for K1 and e-learning for P1. I'm trying to enforce more outdoor time per week, but it's constrained by our schedule, weather and pure laziness.
To encourage more babies, strategies like worklife balance, subsidies/ priority in housing and pre-school education are suggested, without details until the white paper is out. It has sparked off discussion online and forums on printed media. Everyone gave good and bad examples of sending children to pre-school enrichments, pri-sch preparations and whether homework should be given for pre-schools.
To me, all these are personal decisions that cannot be moderated at the ministry level. Didn't MOE enforce 5-day week? Why did I still see children in uniform regularly on Sundays at nearby popular primary school which was over-subscribed 3 times at phase 2b this year? It can only be encouraged but not endorsed. Maternity leave of 4 month was reviewed and considered "sufficient". If an employee needs more than 4 months, she can extend using her annual or even no pay leave if required. There is no one- size-fit-all model.
Among all the strategies discussed, giving them their well-deserved childhood is the minimum we can offer. And to do that, I can only afford to have 2 kids, with 24 hours to distribute between family, work and self. We will continue to implement our no-tuition policy and include more outdoor time in our schedule. Afterall, childhood is the memory that a child has when he grew up. I can only remember the silly games I played with my sister but has long forgotten what was taught in the classroom.
The Mad Hatter's Tea Party
It's Sep holidays and the malls have transformed into different settings to attract the children (parents actually) to their shops. We attended a tea party, yup, Alice in Wonderland musical, to be specific.
The songs and dances were lively. The costumes and makeup were nicely done (better than barbie live, I would think). We enjoyed ourselves for a good 30min after lunch. The queen of hearts was the "bad guy" as mei put it, but she's really funny demanding the audience to bow and clap to her demands.
After the tea party, we continued with some related activities at home, reading the Alice in wonderland book (which I managed to retrieved after a 30min search). I asked mei to draw a white rabbit with a clock watch on his chest after reading.
It's always fun to see stories come alive. Looking forward to watching Arabian night next week. Stay tuned!
The songs and dances were lively. The costumes and makeup were nicely done (better than barbie live, I would think). We enjoyed ourselves for a good 30min after lunch. The queen of hearts was the "bad guy" as mei put it, but she's really funny demanding the audience to bow and clap to her demands.
After the tea party, we continued with some related activities at home, reading the Alice in wonderland book (which I managed to retrieved after a 30min search). I asked mei to draw a white rabbit with a clock watch on his chest after reading.
It's always fun to see stories come alive. Looking forward to watching Arabian night next week. Stay tuned!
Monday, August 20, 2012
Sibling Activities
I used to find it tough to think of activities that can engage both children at one go. I was overly worried that mei won't like "boy's stuff" & vice versa. Not anymore. I can hear them giggling over self-created jokes and songs. It doesn't matter if it's over barbie or dragon ball. They enjoy the songs and movies together.
Here are some of their favorite sibling activities
Drawing
Mei has been drawing with gorgor everyday after school. You can see how her drawings are influenced by gorgor's when her mermaids and princesses start to grow claws & fangs.
Designing games
Gorgor likes to design games like maze & puzzles on paper. Mei is usually his target player. Mei involves herself in creating more girly characters & stunts.
iPhone
Ok, it's not the best activity but they do play & collaborate on iPhone games like smurf & zombie makeover. Mei is not ready to play scramble & words yet, but she can draw something for gorgor to guess.
Singing & Dancing
Gorgor has been taking music classes and mei ballet. While gorgor is practicing, mei is secretly singing solfege and dancing along the melody. Mei also taught gorgor some ballet moves eg. Froggy diamond & butterfly flaps.
Well, when they are not fighting, they are definitely enjoying each others company. It is so nice to have a big brother, I always tell mei.
Here are some of their favorite sibling activities
Drawing
Mei has been drawing with gorgor everyday after school. You can see how her drawings are influenced by gorgor's when her mermaids and princesses start to grow claws & fangs.
Designing games
Gorgor likes to design games like maze & puzzles on paper. Mei is usually his target player. Mei involves herself in creating more girly characters & stunts.
iPhone
Ok, it's not the best activity but they do play & collaborate on iPhone games like smurf & zombie makeover. Mei is not ready to play scramble & words yet, but she can draw something for gorgor to guess.
Singing & Dancing
Gorgor has been taking music classes and mei ballet. While gorgor is practicing, mei is secretly singing solfege and dancing along the melody. Mei also taught gorgor some ballet moves eg. Froggy diamond & butterfly flaps.
Well, when they are not fighting, they are definitely enjoying each others company. It is so nice to have a big brother, I always tell mei.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Singapore Skyline theme crafts
With more iconic building sprouting out at marina, our Singapore skyline has taken on a new distinct character. Let the child enjoy the magnificent night light & create his own skyline on his own. Create fireworks with glitters against dark sky. Understand the geometry of flyers (introduce some maths concept of dividing a circle). Not forgetting the super cantilever skygarden of marina sands. 
Toilet Roll Crafts
We keep every toilet roll to craft. We can cut them out into sections to create flower petals. Even create a neck for the duck's head. The cylindrical shape can be used to make a beautiful castle with cardboard pieces. The kids even created their own game by throwing a marble into the toilet roll sections marked 10,20,30 etc. A great maths cum aiming game!
That explains why mei's favorite past time is painting toilet rolls...
That explains why mei's favorite past time is painting toilet rolls...
Tissue Box Crafts
Tissue box is one of the most versatile and easily available craft material. From monsters to room deco, from treasure chest to musical instruments. All you need is a pair of adult scissors, coloured papers & you are ready to embark on a journey to create it with your child!
The child can have lotsa fun playing the new toy he has created. Trust me, it beats any electronic game that you can buy from the stores!
The child can have lotsa fun playing the new toy he has created. Trust me, it beats any electronic game that you can buy from the stores!
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Happy Birthday Singapore
As expected, we were not successful in balloting for NDP tickets. We watched the show live at the comfort of our living room while the children draw. Earlier in the day, we baked some cupcakes & sprinkled colourful chips like fireworks. While gorgor drew his merlions (both real & cute versions), mei continued with her toilet roll painting.
Happy Birthday Singapore!
Happy Birthday Singapore!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
The Default Activity
As soon as they can sit still, my kids have been doodling and crafting. We maintain a constant supply of pencils and papers at easily accessible locations at home.
Painting requires more help, eg. Cleaning the brushes, changing water and mixing colours. As they grow up, they are able to paint on their own without much help. I just need to lay some newspaper on the floor and bring out the art supplies.
Mei likes to mix colours and paint on toilet rolls. I think it's the texture of the toilet roll which is slightly thicker than normal paper and the shape of the toilet rolls that makes it interesting for her. She will hold on to the roll, paint as she turns. She will use her favorite pink and explore new colours by mixing pink and beige, red and silver etc. It's sheer joy observing her paint toilet rolls. It must be therapeutic for her.
Painting requires more help, eg. Cleaning the brushes, changing water and mixing colours. As they grow up, they are able to paint on their own without much help. I just need to lay some newspaper on the floor and bring out the art supplies.
Mei likes to mix colours and paint on toilet rolls. I think it's the texture of the toilet roll which is slightly thicker than normal paper and the shape of the toilet rolls that makes it interesting for her. She will hold on to the roll, paint as she turns. She will use her favorite pink and explore new colours by mixing pink and beige, red and silver etc. It's sheer joy observing her paint toilet rolls. It must be therapeutic for her.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Missing Bottle Missing Books
Mei was singing this new song from school- missing metal, missing strings...it reminds me if her brother. He lost his water bottle & a new book he bought from the book fair 2 days in a row.
Besides reminding (to the extent of nagging) him to take care if his things, there are nothing much we parents can do as we are not in school to help him organize his things. He had to learn the hard way because he was "spoon-fed" all the way in preschool. We wished we could start earlier.
Kids nowadays don't feel the pinch of losing things anymore. They assume the item will be replaced unlike our days when we treasure every gifts we receive instead of using hand-me-downs. Even the "used" items are usually lightly used.
While I'm contemplating whether to buy him a new water bottle, it was returned to him the next day. He must have left it somewhere and his friend has put it in his locker as he has left for the day.
Besides reminding (to the extent of nagging) him to take care if his things, there are nothing much we parents can do as we are not in school to help him organize his things. He had to learn the hard way because he was "spoon-fed" all the way in preschool. We wished we could start earlier.
Kids nowadays don't feel the pinch of losing things anymore. They assume the item will be replaced unlike our days when we treasure every gifts we receive instead of using hand-me-downs. Even the "used" items are usually lightly used.
While I'm contemplating whether to buy him a new water bottle, it was returned to him the next day. He must have left it somewhere and his friend has put it in his locker as he has left for the day.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Creating a maths game
As part of the independent research study, our boy has to design a game. Over a full day learning journey, they learnt more about game mechanisms, techniques and steps in designing their games. Their homework is to prototype the game and play test with family and friends.
Last Friday evening, we brainstormed on the game title and general rules of the games. We decided on the game components to make- a game board & cards. We started the project on Saturday evening, cutting cardboards, deciding where to place plus and minus signs. Along the way, we made adjustments to the placement of the signs so that meaningful addition and subtraction sentences can be made.
Generally, his game, Number City, goes like this- Each player draws 8 cards and start to create maths sentences with each turn until he finishes his cards. To add challenges, we designed special cards eg. Swap, draw 2, exchange, to spice up the game. He has not decided whether to use a "magic" card to clear the board totally and start from an empty board.
In play testing, we subjected the game to different scenarios that will never been known if it remains in concept. He learnt how to explain his game creation with rules he set and answer questions on decisions he made. Tough for a P1 but it is indeed a learning journey, for both mother & son.
Last Friday evening, we brainstormed on the game title and general rules of the games. We decided on the game components to make- a game board & cards. We started the project on Saturday evening, cutting cardboards, deciding where to place plus and minus signs. Along the way, we made adjustments to the placement of the signs so that meaningful addition and subtraction sentences can be made.
Generally, his game, Number City, goes like this- Each player draws 8 cards and start to create maths sentences with each turn until he finishes his cards. To add challenges, we designed special cards eg. Swap, draw 2, exchange, to spice up the game. He has not decided whether to use a "magic" card to clear the board totally and start from an empty board.
In play testing, we subjected the game to different scenarios that will never been known if it remains in concept. He learnt how to explain his game creation with rules he set and answer questions on decisions he made. Tough for a P1 but it is indeed a learning journey, for both mother & son.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Raising Independent Kids
Completing a task for a child is usually faster than waiting for the child to explore through trial and error. It takes time for a toddler to self-feed and toilet train. Along the journey, there will be messes to clear and frustrations. Many parents will give in and wait for the child to be "ready" before retrying.
My children are taken care by their grandparents when I'm at work. There are different ground rules set at the 2 households. MIL tends to give in and feed the child even if the child is ready is self-feed. Her reason being she will rather feed the child than clearing the mess that will be left on the table and floor as she has housework piling up.
When we pick our children home after work and over weekends, we adopt the DIY approach at home. If the child doesn't keep their toys, the mess will be left at it is or thrown away after a few warnings. I'll rather live with the mess than having irresponsible children.
Children adapt to different situations quickly. They are ready to be independent when given the chance. Given the time and space, the child can learn at their own pace. Failure is part & parcel of growing up. Observing how my children behave under different caregivers, I can see how the environment can mould the future of a child.
My children are taken care by their grandparents when I'm at work. There are different ground rules set at the 2 households. MIL tends to give in and feed the child even if the child is ready is self-feed. Her reason being she will rather feed the child than clearing the mess that will be left on the table and floor as she has housework piling up.
When we pick our children home after work and over weekends, we adopt the DIY approach at home. If the child doesn't keep their toys, the mess will be left at it is or thrown away after a few warnings. I'll rather live with the mess than having irresponsible children.
Children adapt to different situations quickly. They are ready to be independent when given the chance. Given the time and space, the child can learn at their own pace. Failure is part & parcel of growing up. Observing how my children behave under different caregivers, I can see how the environment can mould the future of a child.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Daily Reports
I work long hours but make it a point to talk to my children everyday, 1 to 1, eye to eye, for at least 5 min, unless they are asleep by the time I reach home. My children know that mummy is interested to know what they learnt in school and the daily tidbits of their classroom activities.
It is usually easier to dish out juicy stuffs from mei. You see, she's the class monitress calibre- helpful otherwise busybody. She will tell me who has been naughty and talkative, how many times can her friend bounce the ball and who fell down/ vomitted/ made teacher angry etc. After the daily reporting, I'll prompt her to tell me a new word she learnt (Chinese or English) or new song she sang. If she forgot the lyrics or melody, she will pay more attention in class the next day and complete the song the same evening.
For gorgor, he will reply that nothing unusual happened. Instead he will tell me how much he spend at each stall during tea break and lunch, how much chilli he added in his laksa and about catching and monkey bar he played in school. Recently, he has been selected to join the school art CCA. But he's still reluctant to share more even though he was excited to go for the CCA after class. I have to nudge him and persuade him by telling him mummy didn't have a chance to join school art CCA (then called ECA) during my school days (which is true). Slowly, he opened up and told me about the Popsicle group project they have done for the 1st session.
The idea behind this activity is simple. Mummy no longer have time (& energy) to prepare materials for crafts everyday. By replacing with a simple conversation, I kill 2 birds with 1 stone by getting 1st hand information of what they did in school and they get a chance to practice their reporting skills by verbalizing their thoughts.
That's our daily bonding activity, what's yours?
It is usually easier to dish out juicy stuffs from mei. You see, she's the class monitress calibre- helpful otherwise busybody. She will tell me who has been naughty and talkative, how many times can her friend bounce the ball and who fell down/ vomitted/ made teacher angry etc. After the daily reporting, I'll prompt her to tell me a new word she learnt (Chinese or English) or new song she sang. If she forgot the lyrics or melody, she will pay more attention in class the next day and complete the song the same evening.
For gorgor, he will reply that nothing unusual happened. Instead he will tell me how much he spend at each stall during tea break and lunch, how much chilli he added in his laksa and about catching and monkey bar he played in school. Recently, he has been selected to join the school art CCA. But he's still reluctant to share more even though he was excited to go for the CCA after class. I have to nudge him and persuade him by telling him mummy didn't have a chance to join school art CCA (then called ECA) during my school days (which is true). Slowly, he opened up and told me about the Popsicle group project they have done for the 1st session.
The idea behind this activity is simple. Mummy no longer have time (& energy) to prepare materials for crafts everyday. By replacing with a simple conversation, I kill 2 birds with 1 stone by getting 1st hand information of what they did in school and they get a chance to practice their reporting skills by verbalizing their thoughts.
That's our daily bonding activity, what's yours?
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Preparation for P1
This is the time of the year that everyone will be discussing about Primary School registration. A series of "how to prepare your child for primary school" talks, forum chats and articles will surface. This year, MOE even produced a video for parent's reference to consider on selecting primary schools (ie. not based on PSLE results).
Last year, I went through the frenzy accessing MOE website to monitor the take up rate of the choice school at each phase because I didn't volunteer my service at any schools like some of my friends. I haven't been lucky in balloting (including winning lucky draws) so I won't take the chance of balloting for the most popular school in the neighborhood although I'm within 1km.
This year I'm an observer as my son has already enrolled in a primary school. I read the release of info and reviewed if my son was ready for the "big school" (compared with his kindergarten at the void deck). He's fine academically (phew!) but lacked behind in his social and confidence level.
6 months into primary school, I wish i had better prepare him in the following areas:
1. Being organized
He needs to pack his bag based on daily time table. Most parents would help the child pack every night instead of going through the agony. But we thought it is important for the child to pick up some organisation skills. We expect him to remember which are the textbooks and workbooks required for each day. At times, he needs help with filing and sorting. When he forced in loads of books randomly, we would suggested he organized the books according to sizes with workbooks behind and exercise books in front. We could have trained him better in packing and sorting earlier.
2. Run but don't fall
Recess time is something new to a primary school kid. We trained him to buy food on his own including calculating how much change he should be getting back. He's fine with managing his pocket money and even bought stationery and gifts from the bookshop for meimei. He spends his free time after eating and "shopping" playing catching with friends and challenges himself on the monkey bar. But after 5 falls within a month, I thought he may have problem with balancing or motor skills. I could have prepared him better if he was exposed to more sports at a younger age.
3. Speak up at appropriate time
He has been rather quiet in class. In the Reggio-learning environment, we hope he can participate actively in discussions instead of answering only when being asked. He has marked improvements since nursery, but still room for improvement. Once he lost his pencil case and did not have the courage to approach the teacher to ask if there is lost & found items. I had to email his form teacher for help and asked him to retrieve from teacher the next day. We could have "practiced" situational role player at home before school started.
4. Be responsible for your belongings
Primary school children move around the school compound for different lessons. My child has the tendency to misplace his belongings when moving from room to room. We must constantly remind him to ensure he brings along all his belongings before he leaves the room. We could have incorporated this habit earlier at home.
Overall, I'm quite happy with his progress so far, especially having made some friends who have common interests. I think it's the kind of motivating environment that can nurture the child.
Last year, I went through the frenzy accessing MOE website to monitor the take up rate of the choice school at each phase because I didn't volunteer my service at any schools like some of my friends. I haven't been lucky in balloting (including winning lucky draws) so I won't take the chance of balloting for the most popular school in the neighborhood although I'm within 1km.
This year I'm an observer as my son has already enrolled in a primary school. I read the release of info and reviewed if my son was ready for the "big school" (compared with his kindergarten at the void deck). He's fine academically (phew!) but lacked behind in his social and confidence level.
6 months into primary school, I wish i had better prepare him in the following areas:
1. Being organized
He needs to pack his bag based on daily time table. Most parents would help the child pack every night instead of going through the agony. But we thought it is important for the child to pick up some organisation skills. We expect him to remember which are the textbooks and workbooks required for each day. At times, he needs help with filing and sorting. When he forced in loads of books randomly, we would suggested he organized the books according to sizes with workbooks behind and exercise books in front. We could have trained him better in packing and sorting earlier.
2. Run but don't fall
Recess time is something new to a primary school kid. We trained him to buy food on his own including calculating how much change he should be getting back. He's fine with managing his pocket money and even bought stationery and gifts from the bookshop for meimei. He spends his free time after eating and "shopping" playing catching with friends and challenges himself on the monkey bar. But after 5 falls within a month, I thought he may have problem with balancing or motor skills. I could have prepared him better if he was exposed to more sports at a younger age.
3. Speak up at appropriate time
He has been rather quiet in class. In the Reggio-learning environment, we hope he can participate actively in discussions instead of answering only when being asked. He has marked improvements since nursery, but still room for improvement. Once he lost his pencil case and did not have the courage to approach the teacher to ask if there is lost & found items. I had to email his form teacher for help and asked him to retrieve from teacher the next day. We could have "practiced" situational role player at home before school started.
4. Be responsible for your belongings
Primary school children move around the school compound for different lessons. My child has the tendency to misplace his belongings when moving from room to room. We must constantly remind him to ensure he brings along all his belongings before he leaves the room. We could have incorporated this habit earlier at home.
Overall, I'm quite happy with his progress so far, especially having made some friends who have common interests. I think it's the kind of motivating environment that can nurture the child.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Say People say yourself
I first heard this phrase from my son. He probably heard and learnt it from his classmates. But I soon realize it is a powerful phrase that work both ways. It simply means no double standards!
It is always easier to blame others than to find fault with ourselves. When we "say people", we should first reflect upon ourselves first. That is a constant reminder to "say yourself" before you accuse others.
At a recent training course on supervision skills, "model the way" is one of the technics used to motivate staff. My son's phrase came to mind. When we complain about our bosses, we can expect our staff complaining about us. For staff to be motivated at work, we must be their role model. If we drag our feet to work, we can't blame the kids resisting going back to school after a long term break.
Now I'm mindful how I conduct myself in front of my children. I can't tell my kids off when they are stuck to the tv & iphone when I use them so often. If you are a picky eater, get a family member to model to the child what is a healthy diet. Otherwise, say people say yourself!
It is always easier to blame others than to find fault with ourselves. When we "say people", we should first reflect upon ourselves first. That is a constant reminder to "say yourself" before you accuse others.
At a recent training course on supervision skills, "model the way" is one of the technics used to motivate staff. My son's phrase came to mind. When we complain about our bosses, we can expect our staff complaining about us. For staff to be motivated at work, we must be their role model. If we drag our feet to work, we can't blame the kids resisting going back to school after a long term break.
Now I'm mindful how I conduct myself in front of my children. I can't tell my kids off when they are stuck to the tv & iphone when I use them so often. If you are a picky eater, get a family member to model to the child what is a healthy diet. Otherwise, say people say yourself!
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Characters come alive!
What has Ben 10 and Disney Princesses have in common? They are characters that my kids like. Recently, I picked up a few Ben 10 & Disney Princess activity books from Popular bookstore. At least I don't have to "force" them to do assessment books at this age.
The Ben 10 sticker book comes with many scenes for the child to paste the selection of Ben 10 aliens. It is actually too simple for a P1 boy. But I must say the drawings are captivating. Instead of pasting stickers, I suggested we recreate the scene from Ben 10 using tissue box. He chose a scene of a car wreck and narrated the scene in his own words. I helped him cut out the box and he pasted the blue and black paper as sky & road respectively. The fun part was using all his toy cars, crushed paper, chopsticks and Ben 10 alien toys to create the fighting scene.
While gorgor was making his "Ben 10 comes alive", mei requested to recreate a scene from Aladdin's magic carpet ride. We didn't have Aladdin & Jasmine characters. So we made do with hello kitty figurine pens. She sang the song "A Whole New World" while playing with the magic carpet (which was a souvenir pouch from a recent wedding dinner I attended).
That is precisely why mei resisted cookie cutter type art class. We can have a freeplay and not be constrained by the timing of the art lesson. In fact, on the very next day, they each created another craft as a extension of what they have done.
The Ben 10 sticker book comes with many scenes for the child to paste the selection of Ben 10 aliens. It is actually too simple for a P1 boy. But I must say the drawings are captivating. Instead of pasting stickers, I suggested we recreate the scene from Ben 10 using tissue box. He chose a scene of a car wreck and narrated the scene in his own words. I helped him cut out the box and he pasted the blue and black paper as sky & road respectively. The fun part was using all his toy cars, crushed paper, chopsticks and Ben 10 alien toys to create the fighting scene.
While gorgor was making his "Ben 10 comes alive", mei requested to recreate a scene from Aladdin's magic carpet ride. We didn't have Aladdin & Jasmine characters. So we made do with hello kitty figurine pens. She sang the song "A Whole New World" while playing with the magic carpet (which was a souvenir pouch from a recent wedding dinner I attended).
That is precisely why mei resisted cookie cutter type art class. We can have a freeplay and not be constrained by the timing of the art lesson. In fact, on the very next day, they each created another craft as a extension of what they have done.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
The Invisible Ruler
Everyone has an invisible ruler in their heart. We use it to measure and judge everyday. As parents, we influence our children in establishing this ruler when they are toddlers. The child develops this ruler and calibrate accordingly with every situation they encounter in the school and eventual work.
The ruler of values is one of the most important. Integrity and honesty is among the most important values. The child learns by observing how the adults respond to a situation (even without the adult knowing). As parents, we need to be mindful and set good examples for the child to emulate. The child gets the signal that it's ok to do this and that from what they observe. Without good communication, the child will interpret and remember the reaction and react in the same way if they encounter similar situation. If you tell a (white) lie, expect your child to use this technique against you one day.
As we grow up, the boundary between black/white and right/wrong become blurred. The ruler will be benchmarked against different situations, at home, at work or in public. We may not have the time and patience to explain to the child why certain things are done a certain way. So we should try our best to conduct ourselves as the person we want our child to be.
The ruler of values is one of the most important. Integrity and honesty is among the most important values. The child learns by observing how the adults respond to a situation (even without the adult knowing). As parents, we need to be mindful and set good examples for the child to emulate. The child gets the signal that it's ok to do this and that from what they observe. Without good communication, the child will interpret and remember the reaction and react in the same way if they encounter similar situation. If you tell a (white) lie, expect your child to use this technique against you one day.
As we grow up, the boundary between black/white and right/wrong become blurred. The ruler will be benchmarked against different situations, at home, at work or in public. We may not have the time and patience to explain to the child why certain things are done a certain way. So we should try our best to conduct ourselves as the person we want our child to be.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Making Friends
Making new friends is a display of social skills. It cannot be taught. I suppose a child learn by observation, seeing how adults around them interact with new people, they form their own ways of making friends. It's surprising that my 2 children are at north & south poles of the spectrum even with similar upbringings and exposures.
My son has never been the most friendly creature. If you call his name, he will reply with a "what!", not even a "yes" of acknowledgement. I have reminded him repeatedly about this uncourteous gesture hoping that he can reply with a smile, if not a "good morning" to his friend.
My girl, on the other hand, can strike up a conversation with someone new almost immediately. I'm not sure the topic of discussion, but from gestures and expressions, it seems like she's leading the conversation while the other party listens. It's amazing as I find it difficult to talk to someone new at social events. Not sure where she picked it up from.
With mei around, gorgor has improved slightly. Occasionally, they will play with other children at the playground. I'm not close enough to know who initiated the game, but it is a relief that gorgor is slowly opening up to the outside world.
My son has never been the most friendly creature. If you call his name, he will reply with a "what!", not even a "yes" of acknowledgement. I have reminded him repeatedly about this uncourteous gesture hoping that he can reply with a smile, if not a "good morning" to his friend.
My girl, on the other hand, can strike up a conversation with someone new almost immediately. I'm not sure the topic of discussion, but from gestures and expressions, it seems like she's leading the conversation while the other party listens. It's amazing as I find it difficult to talk to someone new at social events. Not sure where she picked it up from.
With mei around, gorgor has improved slightly. Occasionally, they will play with other children at the playground. I'm not close enough to know who initiated the game, but it is a relief that gorgor is slowly opening up to the outside world.
Motivation
As parents, we are looking for ways to motivate our children to learn and improve. As supervisors, we realized that motivation must be staff-initiated. We can only explain to them the importance of their assigned task. The attitude of the staff to complete the task is not up to us. Learning from motivating adults, we must know how the child motivates himself.
It's easy to give up and say "I don't know" as a child. Use examples of how the child previously completed a task. "You didn't know how to count before. Now that you can count, addition is just a continuation of counting" Explain the similarity in graphics or real life illustrations. "1,2,3 + 4,5,6..." The child should be encouraged that he has mastered counting and thus willing to take a small step to learn addition.
Rewards can only dangle a carrot in front of a child like how pay increment works for a staff. Some people work for money but others want other form of recognitions. I know friends who use sticker system to encourage the child to complete her work. After accumulating a certain number of stickers, she can redeem a prize or a bigger reward. It works to a certain extent but I want my children to know that they are learning for their own benefits, not for a toy or a holiday. In fact, I earned my atari game for topping the school in P1 myself. But towards upper pri, I lost "steam" although I passed my PSLE.
If the child has an ambition, help him work towards it. Tell him studies is important for him to attain his goal. He/she may want to be a pilot, air stewardess, chef, artist or even a rock star. Recognize his ambition with a wow. My son wanted to be a famous artist. I brought him to visit museum and interview a local artist. He held his first art exhibition in class with friends giving him encouragements. He's motivated to improve his painting as his ambition has been broken down into baby action plans. It's not important whether he becomes a famous artist eventually. The message we are bringing across is if he works towards it, he is a step closer to his dream and motivated to work even harder.
It's easy to give up and say "I don't know" as a child. Use examples of how the child previously completed a task. "You didn't know how to count before. Now that you can count, addition is just a continuation of counting" Explain the similarity in graphics or real life illustrations. "1,2,3 + 4,5,6..." The child should be encouraged that he has mastered counting and thus willing to take a small step to learn addition.
Rewards can only dangle a carrot in front of a child like how pay increment works for a staff. Some people work for money but others want other form of recognitions. I know friends who use sticker system to encourage the child to complete her work. After accumulating a certain number of stickers, she can redeem a prize or a bigger reward. It works to a certain extent but I want my children to know that they are learning for their own benefits, not for a toy or a holiday. In fact, I earned my atari game for topping the school in P1 myself. But towards upper pri, I lost "steam" although I passed my PSLE.
If the child has an ambition, help him work towards it. Tell him studies is important for him to attain his goal. He/she may want to be a pilot, air stewardess, chef, artist or even a rock star. Recognize his ambition with a wow. My son wanted to be a famous artist. I brought him to visit museum and interview a local artist. He held his first art exhibition in class with friends giving him encouragements. He's motivated to improve his painting as his ambition has been broken down into baby action plans. It's not important whether he becomes a famous artist eventually. The message we are bringing across is if he works towards it, he is a step closer to his dream and motivated to work even harder.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
No tuition please
I'm praying that my children can be tuition-free at least until PSLE. I didn't attend a day of tuition in my school life and survived this crazy educational system. But I understand that climate has changed over the years. Instead of minority taking tuitions, it's the reverse in today's context.
How to keep my kids tuition-free? This is my plan. I plan to coach them in their school work when necessary but not over-prepare them ahead of school syllabus. I plan to read and write with them or expect them to read more in their free time when I'm not around to supervise. I plan to bring them out to play more to prevent myopia. This may sound out of point, but I think worklife balance should be cultivated from young. We need to be their role model who play hard and work even harder.
I've heard horror stories of P4 maths and heuristics taking over algebra. I haven't figured out what heuristics is all about. In my era, I always start my problem sum solving with "let it be x" and end with "x=?". At P1, my son is comfortable with number bonds & grasping concept of simple multiplication. I won't be coaching him in heuristics as I have no idea how it works. But I know the importance of reading and comprehension of problem sums starts from P1.
I've heard potato children failing Chinese and memorizing composition to pass. Although we don't fall under that category, reading Chinese books and speaking mandarin should suffice at this stage. I will continue to look for interesting Chinese books to entice the boy to read on his own, which I'm not too successful yet.
Science only comes into the picture in upper primary. I reckon that my son won't have much problem as he likes reading non-fiction books on animals and subscribes to national geographic kids magazine. My girl may have some resistance with science facts as she prefers princessy novels and fairy tales. We will factor in some science experiment activities if the need arises. We will continue to explore parks and zoo to appreciate mother nature.
The journey is a marathon, not a 100m dash. I hope we can smell the roses and enjoy the breeze along the way.
(afternote: I hope all parents have the right mindset when sending children for tuition as mentioned in this article http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/things-consider-sending-child-tuition-classes-102823408.html)
How to keep my kids tuition-free? This is my plan. I plan to coach them in their school work when necessary but not over-prepare them ahead of school syllabus. I plan to read and write with them or expect them to read more in their free time when I'm not around to supervise. I plan to bring them out to play more to prevent myopia. This may sound out of point, but I think worklife balance should be cultivated from young. We need to be their role model who play hard and work even harder.
I've heard horror stories of P4 maths and heuristics taking over algebra. I haven't figured out what heuristics is all about. In my era, I always start my problem sum solving with "let it be x" and end with "x=?". At P1, my son is comfortable with number bonds & grasping concept of simple multiplication. I won't be coaching him in heuristics as I have no idea how it works. But I know the importance of reading and comprehension of problem sums starts from P1.
I've heard potato children failing Chinese and memorizing composition to pass. Although we don't fall under that category, reading Chinese books and speaking mandarin should suffice at this stage. I will continue to look for interesting Chinese books to entice the boy to read on his own, which I'm not too successful yet.
Science only comes into the picture in upper primary. I reckon that my son won't have much problem as he likes reading non-fiction books on animals and subscribes to national geographic kids magazine. My girl may have some resistance with science facts as she prefers princessy novels and fairy tales. We will factor in some science experiment activities if the need arises. We will continue to explore parks and zoo to appreciate mother nature.
The journey is a marathon, not a 100m dash. I hope we can smell the roses and enjoy the breeze along the way.
(afternote: I hope all parents have the right mindset when sending children for tuition as mentioned in this article http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/things-consider-sending-child-tuition-classes-102823408.html)
As easy as ABC
Our kids play with a variety of alphabet toys since they were born. From cloth books, magnets to stamps, they started recognizing letters without realizing they were learning.
Getting to know the letters is fundamental to phonetical reading. Immersing the child in the alphabet world is essential. Once they are comfortable with the 26 letters, you can start pointing the letters to them anywhere you go. From signboards to newspaper headlines.
Don't be too anxious to start with tracing letters until the child is ready to sit down on a task willingly. No amount of assessment books can replace the everyday adventure of exploring the environment. Play it out!
Getting to know the letters is fundamental to phonetical reading. Immersing the child in the alphabet world is essential. Once they are comfortable with the 26 letters, you can start pointing the letters to them anywhere you go. From signboards to newspaper headlines.
Don't be too anxious to start with tracing letters until the child is ready to sit down on a task willingly. No amount of assessment books can replace the everyday adventure of exploring the environment. Play it out!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Draw a Story
Before a child learn to write, he can draw a story and tell it aloud. He can create his own story characters and add in interesting scenes before he knows how to spell words. When he picks up phonics, help him blend and add in simple keywords to the picture. If he's into comics, add in thinking or speech bubbles to the characters.
The story need not be complicated. It can even be nonsensical. Depending on the age of the child, ask him "why, where, what" questions. Respect the reply from the author and ask "what if" something else happens, would the ending be different.
This builds up the fundamentals of composition writing without words. The next step would be to write simple sentences that link the story.
The story need not be complicated. It can even be nonsensical. Depending on the age of the child, ask him "why, where, what" questions. Respect the reply from the author and ask "what if" something else happens, would the ending be different.
This builds up the fundamentals of composition writing without words. The next step would be to write simple sentences that link the story.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Co-creating the Environment
Nothing beats learning in the environment created by the child himself. Depending on the child's age, ask him for his opinion where to position the furniture. Give him 2 choices and ask him why he chose 1 over the other. Tell him it's his table where he writes & draws. Provide accessible writing materials near the table.
Start a home library. Bring the child to choose his own books or ask him what books he likes to read. Involve the child to arrange the books from biggest to smallest or arrange according to titles.
If the child is going to have his own room, let him be responsible for cleaning up the room. Discuss where he should keep his toys and books after use. Use the walls to display his writings and drawings. Discuss how often he wants to change the exhibits or whether he wants to set a theme for the display and help him work towards his goal.
By co-creating, he will feel the ownership of the environment and instill his sense of responsibility towards maintaining it.
Start a home library. Bring the child to choose his own books or ask him what books he likes to read. Involve the child to arrange the books from biggest to smallest or arrange according to titles.
If the child is going to have his own room, let him be responsible for cleaning up the room. Discuss where he should keep his toys and books after use. Use the walls to display his writings and drawings. Discuss how often he wants to change the exhibits or whether he wants to set a theme for the display and help him work towards his goal.
By co-creating, he will feel the ownership of the environment and instill his sense of responsibility towards maintaining it.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Practice makes perfect
Our boy is quite a perfectionist. When he's doing something well, he tends to want to do it again and again to improve himself. He will continue until we ask him to stop. That explains why he draws the same picture everyday.
On the contrary, if he sees a challenge ahead, he will pout and scream at himself. To encourage him, we need to break the task into achievable bits so that he can see the "results" as parts to achieve the goal. When practicing piano, he needs to practise the more challenging phrases many times until he gets it before playing the whole song. When he plays a note wrong accidentally, he will start from the beginning.
This is a double-edged sword. It has been difficult to motivate him to start something new unless he is confident he can do it. He used to watch others playing at the playground before he finally went up the slide. Mei was exactly the opposite. She will go up the steps and slide down immediately.
But once he's into something, it's guaranteed that he will not give up easily. He will motivate himself to perfection and attempts more difficult tasks at his own pace. Mei, on the other hand, tries everything that comes in the way and gives up as when she thinks she's lost interest. For eg. She requested to drop out from art class to attend ballet class.
While the 2 children approach challenges different, the key is practice makes perfect. We always encourage them to put on efforts to practice be it writing, drawing, dancing or public speaking. We may not be good at the 1st attempt, but we will be better.
On the contrary, if he sees a challenge ahead, he will pout and scream at himself. To encourage him, we need to break the task into achievable bits so that he can see the "results" as parts to achieve the goal. When practicing piano, he needs to practise the more challenging phrases many times until he gets it before playing the whole song. When he plays a note wrong accidentally, he will start from the beginning.
This is a double-edged sword. It has been difficult to motivate him to start something new unless he is confident he can do it. He used to watch others playing at the playground before he finally went up the slide. Mei was exactly the opposite. She will go up the steps and slide down immediately.
But once he's into something, it's guaranteed that he will not give up easily. He will motivate himself to perfection and attempts more difficult tasks at his own pace. Mei, on the other hand, tries everything that comes in the way and gives up as when she thinks she's lost interest. For eg. She requested to drop out from art class to attend ballet class.
While the 2 children approach challenges different, the key is practice makes perfect. We always encourage them to put on efforts to practice be it writing, drawing, dancing or public speaking. We may not be good at the 1st attempt, but we will be better.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Peer Learning
Being the first born, my boy was surrounded with adults. In fact, I am the next youngest in the family. There are no children in the family until his arrival. He had no playmate at home and he found it difficult to communicate with children his age.
When mei was born, she has a big brother to look up to. She follows whatever he does. She learned to walk and talk faster. She can play with other children easily.
Children learn by observing others. We often joke about our boy is actually an old man wrapped in a boy's body. He sits like a coolie and eats peanuts with tea as he spent much of his younger days with his grandparents.
In school, children learn from peers. They pick up good and bad habits from schoolmates. They talk about what their friends have done and make their own judgements and imitate if they find it "cool". They compare themselves with their friends. They start to have their own social circle as they know more people.
Given the correct environment, peer learning should be encouraged. In class, they form project groups to discuss their research work. They share information and learn from one another. In disagreement, they learn to resolve disputes. In agreement, they reinforce their beliefs among friends. They build confidence through the process.
Among the group, there are natural leaders and followers. Each child is different. In class, the teacher tried to rotate the leadership role so that everyone has a chance to lead and take on responsibility.
At home, we are generous with praises. When a child has done well, we praise him/her so that the other child learn to do better. We recognize the strength of each child and hope the other is encouraged to work harder. With 2 children, we want to simulate the positive environment that encourages peer learning at home.
When mei was born, she has a big brother to look up to. She follows whatever he does. She learned to walk and talk faster. She can play with other children easily.
Children learn by observing others. We often joke about our boy is actually an old man wrapped in a boy's body. He sits like a coolie and eats peanuts with tea as he spent much of his younger days with his grandparents.
In school, children learn from peers. They pick up good and bad habits from schoolmates. They talk about what their friends have done and make their own judgements and imitate if they find it "cool". They compare themselves with their friends. They start to have their own social circle as they know more people.
Given the correct environment, peer learning should be encouraged. In class, they form project groups to discuss their research work. They share information and learn from one another. In disagreement, they learn to resolve disputes. In agreement, they reinforce their beliefs among friends. They build confidence through the process.
Among the group, there are natural leaders and followers. Each child is different. In class, the teacher tried to rotate the leadership role so that everyone has a chance to lead and take on responsibility.
At home, we are generous with praises. When a child has done well, we praise him/her so that the other child learn to do better. We recognize the strength of each child and hope the other is encouraged to work harder. With 2 children, we want to simulate the positive environment that encourages peer learning at home.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
The Road Sweeper
When I was a child, my mum told me if I don't study hard, I will become a road sweeper. Coincidently, at that age, I enjoy sweeping the floor and thought I could become a good road sweeper one day. It was one of those myths that I grow up with. I grew up believing police catch naughty children & I was picked up from the rubbish dump.
Few weeks ago, we passed by a green field where some foreign worker were dismantling the tentage after a community event. My boy asked me why all the workers were foreigners. I could have adopted the road sweeper analogy and tell him to study hard. But I didn't.
The foreign workers left their homelands in search of livelihood. They take up low-waged jobs which Singaporeans are reluctant to do. They use their blood and sweat in exchange for bread and butter just to be remitted home miles away. Whether they are construction worker or domestics helper, they are contributing to our economy. When the rubbish truck came by our estates and the children find it smelly, we reminded them the cleaners have the endure the odour the whole day at work.
In today's context, there is an increased influx of foreigners compared to my time. I hope my children can grow up respecting others, regardless of their background and occupation. Meanwhile, I will find other ways to motivate them to study hard.
Few weeks ago, we passed by a green field where some foreign worker were dismantling the tentage after a community event. My boy asked me why all the workers were foreigners. I could have adopted the road sweeper analogy and tell him to study hard. But I didn't.
The foreign workers left their homelands in search of livelihood. They take up low-waged jobs which Singaporeans are reluctant to do. They use their blood and sweat in exchange for bread and butter just to be remitted home miles away. Whether they are construction worker or domestics helper, they are contributing to our economy. When the rubbish truck came by our estates and the children find it smelly, we reminded them the cleaners have the endure the odour the whole day at work.
In today's context, there is an increased influx of foreigners compared to my time. I hope my children can grow up respecting others, regardless of their background and occupation. Meanwhile, I will find other ways to motivate them to study hard.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Child-led Activities
The learning environment must be equipped with accessible materials for the child to explore at all times. When they were younger, activities need to be closely supervised, especially those involving cutting. Now that they can use the scissors safely, we have designated areas for art supplies and stationary within reach.
We don't start with a specific theme but discuss what is to be done and what materials are required. Parental intervention is left to the minimum unless the child needs help in a specific area.
Yes, we keep a constant supplies of toilet rolls, tissue boxes and bottle caps. They are about the most versatile materials which can be used to make about anything the child can imagine.
When they were younger, I had to research on themes and simple instructions will be given. If the task is technically too challenging, they can follow standard "templates" and add colours and decorations to their creations.
The artwork are usually displayed for a period of time until a new piece takes over. Before they are thrown away due to limited storage space, we take photos to document the art pieces. The children enjoy looking through their archives of artwork. It is surprising how much they can remember about the process and the thoughts behind even if it was done sometime back.
Our children have started formal school with structured curriculum. Home activities are meant to supplement and enrich their learning experience. They can decide what they want to explore and learn in a relaxed environment, instilling independence as well as collaboration depending on the activities chosen. They learn to communicate their needs and ideas. They take ownership of what they have done and learned.
We don't start with a specific theme but discuss what is to be done and what materials are required. Parental intervention is left to the minimum unless the child needs help in a specific area.
Yes, we keep a constant supplies of toilet rolls, tissue boxes and bottle caps. They are about the most versatile materials which can be used to make about anything the child can imagine.
When they were younger, I had to research on themes and simple instructions will be given. If the task is technically too challenging, they can follow standard "templates" and add colours and decorations to their creations.
The artwork are usually displayed for a period of time until a new piece takes over. Before they are thrown away due to limited storage space, we take photos to document the art pieces. The children enjoy looking through their archives of artwork. It is surprising how much they can remember about the process and the thoughts behind even if it was done sometime back.
Our children have started formal school with structured curriculum. Home activities are meant to supplement and enrich their learning experience. They can decide what they want to explore and learn in a relaxed environment, instilling independence as well as collaboration depending on the activities chosen. They learn to communicate their needs and ideas. They take ownership of what they have done and learned.
Our Community Library
Our weekend routine is peppered with occasional trips to the library. The community libraries are conveniently located in shopping malls which allow us to drop or pick up library books after our meals. We fill both our stomaches and minds.
The library has evolved much since I was a child in the 80s. The library was a solemn and no-nonsense place where the librarian will shoo you out if you make a little too much noise. Children are not allowed to wonder to the adults' section as well (at least that was the impression I've got). My memory of the library are Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio libraries which are 3 stories standalone buildings of book storage.
With technology advancement, physical books have been slowly replaced by e-books which are a click away. In the days to come, the need for the physical library may diminish but the desire for knowledge will increase exponentially. Knowledge should be at your fingertips even if it is not stored in your brain.
Our children are accustomed to both the physical and virtual way of acquiring knowledge. They are used to navigating both worlds simultaneously. They just need a library of EQ and soft skills to apply what they know.
The library has evolved much since I was a child in the 80s. The library was a solemn and no-nonsense place where the librarian will shoo you out if you make a little too much noise. Children are not allowed to wonder to the adults' section as well (at least that was the impression I've got). My memory of the library are Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio libraries which are 3 stories standalone buildings of book storage.
With technology advancement, physical books have been slowly replaced by e-books which are a click away. In the days to come, the need for the physical library may diminish but the desire for knowledge will increase exponentially. Knowledge should be at your fingertips even if it is not stored in your brain.
Our children are accustomed to both the physical and virtual way of acquiring knowledge. They are used to navigating both worlds simultaneously. They just need a library of EQ and soft skills to apply what they know.
Our Climate
We stay in tropical Singapore. We can't say our climate is extreme but it can be unbearably hot & humid. When it rains, flash floods are expected at low lying areas. We count ourselves lucky we don't have to brave through tornados & (real) floods.
In this climate, we have to reschedule or replan our outdoor activities & excursions when it rains. We need contingency plans to avoid disappointment. Our children need to know the plan to go to the playground or excursion to the zoo is pending weather forecast.
The weather teaches us to be adaptable as we need to adjust our expectations much like other things in life. As much as we can plan, our plans may not work as well as we anticipated. We need to learn to manage our temper and disappointment. Our children will be facing more climatic challenges in the days to come when the full effects of global warming may happen within their lifetime. They have to be equipped with the skills to succumb such adverse climate (in terms of weather or other aspects). At this point of time, we can only guide them along and hope for the sunshine!
In this climate, we have to reschedule or replan our outdoor activities & excursions when it rains. We need contingency plans to avoid disappointment. Our children need to know the plan to go to the playground or excursion to the zoo is pending weather forecast.
The weather teaches us to be adaptable as we need to adjust our expectations much like other things in life. As much as we can plan, our plans may not work as well as we anticipated. We need to learn to manage our temper and disappointment. Our children will be facing more climatic challenges in the days to come when the full effects of global warming may happen within their lifetime. They have to be equipped with the skills to succumb such adverse climate (in terms of weather or other aspects). At this point of time, we can only guide them along and hope for the sunshine!
Saturday, May 5, 2012
What did you learn from Animal Kaiser?
My boy has a good collection of Animal Kaiser cards since he started playing the arcade game 2 years ago. On the game machine, there are violent animations of animal characters fighting each other using nonsensical stunts (with hilarious ramen & hamburgers squashing the animals at times). The player can scan his choice animal card and start pressing the button to get the higher score.
I always ask him what he learnt from Animal Kaiser and why it is not a waste of time and money:
Characteristics of animals
Behind the shiny picture of the animal character, there is a writeup of the story, how the character fights and their habitat. Quite informative at times, as there are new animals we rarely see
Drawing
He spent the bulk of his free time drawing animals and monsters. He flips through his card collection for inspirations to draw. He designs his own animals and cards
Organization
He spent sometime arranging and rearranging his cards into different powerful combination of animal, strong and miracle cards. I'm not sure how he analyses the strength and power, but he can explain his reasons why a certain card should go with another. This trains his organization skills, I suppose.
Value of money
He knows each game is $2 and he gets a card back after the game. He also knows a bowl of noodles at the school bistro only costs $0.80. So a game is almost his pocket money for a day. Although he pouts when it's not "games day", but he knows the opportunity cost involved.
He will be doing his show & tell based on Animal Kaiser. Let's see what he says.
I always ask him what he learnt from Animal Kaiser and why it is not a waste of time and money:
Characteristics of animals
Behind the shiny picture of the animal character, there is a writeup of the story, how the character fights and their habitat. Quite informative at times, as there are new animals we rarely see
Drawing
He spent the bulk of his free time drawing animals and monsters. He flips through his card collection for inspirations to draw. He designs his own animals and cards
Organization
He spent sometime arranging and rearranging his cards into different powerful combination of animal, strong and miracle cards. I'm not sure how he analyses the strength and power, but he can explain his reasons why a certain card should go with another. This trains his organization skills, I suppose.
Value of money
He knows each game is $2 and he gets a card back after the game. He also knows a bowl of noodles at the school bistro only costs $0.80. So a game is almost his pocket money for a day. Although he pouts when it's not "games day", but he knows the opportunity cost involved.
He will be doing his show & tell based on Animal Kaiser. Let's see what he says.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Music & Maths
There are many similarities between music and maths. There are many researches that show how music helps children grasp maths concept.
Patterning vs Phrases
In maths, the child is taught patterns like ABAB or AABAAB. In music, the piece usually comprises 3 or 4 phrases, in a similar ABBA manner. The child can appreciate the music piece, hence decipher otherwise abstract maths concept easily.
Notes vs Fractions
In music, a 4/4 bar is made of different notes of different time (quavers, crotchets, minim, dotted minim & semi breve), making up to 4 counts in total. This is equivalent to dividing 4 into different numbers in maths. Fractions can be explained in this way- crochets can be made of 2 quavers (1/2) or 4 semi quavers (1/4).
A toddler who can barely count to 10 can easily clap or sway with the rhythm of music. Hence, before we kickstart a child in maths, let them sing & dance!
Patterning vs Phrases
In maths, the child is taught patterns like ABAB or AABAAB. In music, the piece usually comprises 3 or 4 phrases, in a similar ABBA manner. The child can appreciate the music piece, hence decipher otherwise abstract maths concept easily.
Notes vs Fractions
In music, a 4/4 bar is made of different notes of different time (quavers, crotchets, minim, dotted minim & semi breve), making up to 4 counts in total. This is equivalent to dividing 4 into different numbers in maths. Fractions can be explained in this way- crochets can be made of 2 quavers (1/2) or 4 semi quavers (1/4).
A toddler who can barely count to 10 can easily clap or sway with the rhythm of music. Hence, before we kickstart a child in maths, let them sing & dance!
Our Restaurant
Unlike electronic toys which usually come with instruction manual, open ended toys allow the child to interpret his play and defines his parameters and rules of the game.
Our toy kitchen is the most well-used toy we have bought to date. With the basic set, we can add on new utensil and food. We can even use other toys as ingredients eg. using alphabet magnets to boil alphabet soup.
We use the kitchen set to play restaurant. I'm usually the customer while the children run the restaurant. They have to discuss and prepare the menu including the price list. Thereafter, they will set up the table and usher me to the seat. I will pretend not to understand the menu and request the "waiter" to explain the dishes in details. I will also make special requests like "please add more vegetables" to "complicate" the game. The waiter will have to pass my order to the chef, who is usually the sister. She will prepare the dishes and serve it to my table. (I know, it should be served by the waiter, but it's ok)
After eating, I'll need to pay at the cashier. I'll ask for the bill and purposely give big notes for the cashier to calculate the change. Sometimes, I give them tips for good service.
As an extension from the restaurant game, the children develop "package deals" like hotel stay, air tickets or foot reflexology. They draw vouchers for me to redeem ancillary services which are irresistible!
Our toy kitchen is the most well-used toy we have bought to date. With the basic set, we can add on new utensil and food. We can even use other toys as ingredients eg. using alphabet magnets to boil alphabet soup.
We use the kitchen set to play restaurant. I'm usually the customer while the children run the restaurant. They have to discuss and prepare the menu including the price list. Thereafter, they will set up the table and usher me to the seat. I will pretend not to understand the menu and request the "waiter" to explain the dishes in details. I will also make special requests like "please add more vegetables" to "complicate" the game. The waiter will have to pass my order to the chef, who is usually the sister. She will prepare the dishes and serve it to my table. (I know, it should be served by the waiter, but it's ok)
After eating, I'll need to pay at the cashier. I'll ask for the bill and purposely give big notes for the cashier to calculate the change. Sometimes, I give them tips for good service.
As an extension from the restaurant game, the children develop "package deals" like hotel stay, air tickets or foot reflexology. They draw vouchers for me to redeem ancillary services which are irresistible!
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Our Living Environment
Like more than 75% of Singapore population, we live in highrise apartments of floor area less than 100sqm. Our children do not have large play areas at home but is spoilt for choices for community facilities in the neighbourhood. Every inch of our Environment is our teacher. Let's explore!
Counting up & down
If you are taking the stairs, count the steps 1,2,3... For younger kids, restart from 0 at each flight. For older kids, add the total number of steps.
If you are taking the lift, count down from the floor you are staying 10,9,8...Blast off!
Social Etiquette
We will meet our neighbors along the way. Greet each other with a smile. In a lift, show your child how to hold the lift for a neighbor to come in. Say Thank You if someone holds the lift for you. Children learn by example. When they are older, they will do the same. Move into the lift as much as possible if the lift is crowded. Say Excuse Me if you need to move out from a crowded lift.
Reading signage
Our residential address are identified by block, floor and unit numbers. Show the child the 3 signage. While picking up the letter from the letterbox, show your child how the address is written on the envelop with reference to the signage.
If the child can read more words, read all the signage along the way and explain what the signage is saying. It may be a no smoking sign or a directional sign. Verbalise your journey and point to the word if it appears on the signage. Eg. Why is there a cigarette butt here when it is a non-smoking zone? (pointing at the signage)
Science
Why is it more strenuous to walk up the stairs than walking down? Why are there fallen leaves? Ask questions along the way and let the child ponder and explain in his own way. You are cultivating an inquisitive mind and imparting analytical skills. It doesn't matter if the answer is wrong! Put in some encouraging words before you reveal the answer. When the child ask a question, do not brush it aside. If it can't be answered off hand, suggest a session to research into the topic on Internet.
Playing along the way
The playground may be where we are heading but the play doesn't start there. A game a scissors paper stone at the doorway while waiting for daddy. Jumping from one colored tile to another in a "follow the leader" manner. With some imagination, the tile pattern at the lift lobby can become a pond (blue tiles) with petals (accent tiles). Make sure you step on the correct colour or you'll be eaten up by the crocodiles!
Counting up & down
If you are taking the stairs, count the steps 1,2,3... For younger kids, restart from 0 at each flight. For older kids, add the total number of steps.
If you are taking the lift, count down from the floor you are staying 10,9,8...Blast off!
Social Etiquette
We will meet our neighbors along the way. Greet each other with a smile. In a lift, show your child how to hold the lift for a neighbor to come in. Say Thank You if someone holds the lift for you. Children learn by example. When they are older, they will do the same. Move into the lift as much as possible if the lift is crowded. Say Excuse Me if you need to move out from a crowded lift.
Reading signage
Our residential address are identified by block, floor and unit numbers. Show the child the 3 signage. While picking up the letter from the letterbox, show your child how the address is written on the envelop with reference to the signage.
If the child can read more words, read all the signage along the way and explain what the signage is saying. It may be a no smoking sign or a directional sign. Verbalise your journey and point to the word if it appears on the signage. Eg. Why is there a cigarette butt here when it is a non-smoking zone? (pointing at the signage)
Science
Why is it more strenuous to walk up the stairs than walking down? Why are there fallen leaves? Ask questions along the way and let the child ponder and explain in his own way. You are cultivating an inquisitive mind and imparting analytical skills. It doesn't matter if the answer is wrong! Put in some encouraging words before you reveal the answer. When the child ask a question, do not brush it aside. If it can't be answered off hand, suggest a session to research into the topic on Internet.
Playing along the way
The playground may be where we are heading but the play doesn't start there. A game a scissors paper stone at the doorway while waiting for daddy. Jumping from one colored tile to another in a "follow the leader" manner. With some imagination, the tile pattern at the lift lobby can become a pond (blue tiles) with petals (accent tiles). Make sure you step on the correct colour or you'll be eaten up by the crocodiles!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Screen Time Dilemma
Our kids are born Gen Z with Gen X parents. They are born in the smart phone era. They are conditioned to multitask & expect instant gratification.
When I was born, the only screen we had was the TV. Apple II computer came into picture when I was in pri school. There was no mobile phone to deal with. We can only watch TV when adults switch it on for us.
iPhone is both a friend & an enemy bringing up kids. It has many useful apps which the child can learn languages, maths & songs. There are even flashcard apps for babies. I must admit iPhone is one of most effective distractor to a whiny child. But I try not to use it too often as a babysitter. Most of the apps I downloaded are educational apps anyway. Starfall is one of their favorite apps.
With iPhone, they can search for songs & videos on the move. Mei learned many Disney songs on YouTube before we bought the CD which she listens in the car everyday. She can watch her favorite princess MTVs remixed with songs like Celine Dion's Because you love me. She can sing & dance to the tune like a pro.
I always feel that I should reduce their screen time and replace with more engaging activities. But the reality is, as a FTWM, I have little time to "prepare" materials. The alternative is stacks of paper and writing materials for them to write and draw. In fact, my 7yo has been asking for his own facebook account so that he can play games. I told him he has to lie about his age to register an account, which is of course not recommended. I "issue" them the iPhone with a "curfew" which they willingly promise and return at the designated time.
Now when they say "mummy, can I draw something?" I need to clarify if they meant the iPhone game or drawing on paper. Meanwhile, I will continue to monitor their screen time to ensure it doesn't affect their social skills in the days to come.
When I was born, the only screen we had was the TV. Apple II computer came into picture when I was in pri school. There was no mobile phone to deal with. We can only watch TV when adults switch it on for us.
iPhone is both a friend & an enemy bringing up kids. It has many useful apps which the child can learn languages, maths & songs. There are even flashcard apps for babies. I must admit iPhone is one of most effective distractor to a whiny child. But I try not to use it too often as a babysitter. Most of the apps I downloaded are educational apps anyway. Starfall is one of their favorite apps.
With iPhone, they can search for songs & videos on the move. Mei learned many Disney songs on YouTube before we bought the CD which she listens in the car everyday. She can watch her favorite princess MTVs remixed with songs like Celine Dion's Because you love me. She can sing & dance to the tune like a pro.
I always feel that I should reduce their screen time and replace with more engaging activities. But the reality is, as a FTWM, I have little time to "prepare" materials. The alternative is stacks of paper and writing materials for them to write and draw. In fact, my 7yo has been asking for his own facebook account so that he can play games. I told him he has to lie about his age to register an account, which is of course not recommended. I "issue" them the iPhone with a "curfew" which they willingly promise and return at the designated time.
Now when they say "mummy, can I draw something?" I need to clarify if they meant the iPhone game or drawing on paper. Meanwhile, I will continue to monitor their screen time to ensure it doesn't affect their social skills in the days to come.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The Environment as the Third Teacher
In Reggio-Emilia approach to education, the Environment is the third teacher, providing space and opportunities for the child to explore and think. As a partner of Reggio, I was keen to research more into my parental role to complement what my child is learning in school.
The Environment is not limited to the physical space. In fact, it is defined by the people and events happening around us. With technology advancement, the Environment has indeed extended into the virtual world which has untapped endless potentials.
I've decided to start this blog to share my intepretation of this Environment. I'm not an educator by training. My perception is from a parent's perspective, a partner who provides support to the Teacher or Researcher. Being a trained Architect, I hope to extend my design knowledge on to this realm and share how the Environment can help mould the child, the Protagonist.
I hope to document the learning moments that inspire...
The Environment is not limited to the physical space. In fact, it is defined by the people and events happening around us. With technology advancement, the Environment has indeed extended into the virtual world which has untapped endless potentials.
I've decided to start this blog to share my intepretation of this Environment. I'm not an educator by training. My perception is from a parent's perspective, a partner who provides support to the Teacher or Researcher. Being a trained Architect, I hope to extend my design knowledge on to this realm and share how the Environment can help mould the child, the Protagonist.
I hope to document the learning moments that inspire...
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