The Little Ones in My Life

It takes a village to raise a child.

2012-02-19T19:22:00.000-08:00

This has been running through the back of my head with recent events.
Needed my family's help with childcare and ferrying of my elder son to classes.
Then came a challenging student at the centre.

While parents now have to slave hard at work to be able to afford life's necessities, children are often left with the grandparents, maid or student cares.

This new student, Boy1, has the priviledge of having hardworking parents who put in effort at work and still find time to monitor his academic and social development.

Before joining our centre, he was at another student care centre which focuses on basic care. Basic care meaning they just ensure the children are 'watched', no coaching of school work, no correcting of inappropriate behaviour/language, no feedback to parents on their child academic and social/moral development. It was puzzling to me as the word 'care' encompasses every aspect of the child's well-being. Apart from physical safety, we need to guard the child's heart and mind!

Boy1 was so used to the freedom at the previous centre that he found it hard to cope at our centre. He exagerrated facts when giving feedback to his parents and found himself 'trapped'. He didn't like the timetable, which helps to ensure that he not only completes his school homework but also ensures that he gets some additional practice daily to improve. He didn't like the teachers correcting his behaviour and language all the time.

While we were facing with the challenge of helping him adapt to the new schedule and expectations on behaviour and language, we realised that parents spend limited time with their kids due to work. And if a child knows that what he/she does will not be told to his/her parents, they tend to run wild.

In the process of providing honest feedback, the parents felt offended and felt upset. However, we must feedback to the parents to work hand in hand to guide the child well.

After a few weeks, I'm very happy that Boy1 has learnt some self-control. He is starting to enjoy environment where no one uses vulgarities. And most importantly, he has learnt to admit his mistakes and stop making them.

I was very happy to see how the other children helped to guide him to do what is right. They told him about his bad behaviour and show him what should be done. Leading by example.

His parents have also given feedback that he has improved in terms of behaviour and all the teachers were happy to know that their efforts paid off.

It really takes a village to raise a child.
I'm really happy that my teachers have the same views as I do and make it their responsibility to teach the students at our centre well.

Thank you teachers.
And thank you parents for trusting us.
And thank you students for allowing us to guide you.

2012-01-14T02:56:00.001-08:00

PSLE Maths Questions:

1)At first , Shop X has 156 kg of rice flour and Shop Y has 72 kg of rice flour. After each shop sold the same quantity of rice flour, the amount of rice flour that Shop X has was 4 times that of Shop Y. How many kilograms of rice flour did Shop X sell ?

Question 1:
Constant Difference (the difference between the amounts of flour at each shop did not change).

156 - 72 = 84
Shop X has 84kg of flour more than Shop Y.

Since the amount of flour shop X has is 4 times as much as Shop Y after they each sold an equal quantity of flour:
X [--][--][--][--]
Y [--]<-84kg-->

3 units --> 84kg
1 unit --> 84/3 = 28kg
Shop Y had 28kg of flour left.

Since Shop X and Shop Y sold the same amount of flour, we can find out how much flour shop Y sold to get the answer:
72 - 28 = 44kg
Shop X sold 44kg of flour.

[EDITED: Typing mistake leading to calculation mistake. It should be:

From the above model, we can see that 5 units is 960 minus 350:
5 units --> 960-350 = 610
1 unit --> 122
There were 122 males left.

122 + 960 = 1082
There were 1082 males at first.

Since there were equal numbers of males and females, we can simply multiply the number of males by 2 to get the answer:
1082 x 2 = 2164
There were 2164 participants at first.]
2)An equal number of male and female runners took part in the National Education Marathon last year. 960 male runners and 350 female runners quit running and did not complete the marathon. The number of male runners left was 1/6 the number of female runners. What was the total number of runners at the start of the marathon ?
Question 2:

Start off drawing 'equal number at first':

M [----------------------------------------]
F [----------------------------------------]

Then add in 960 males left (and males are left with 1 unit),
350 females left (and females are left with 6 units):
M [u][-----------960-------------------]
F [u][u][u][u][u][u][-------350------]

From the above model, we can see that 5 units is 960 minus 350:
5 units --> 960-350 = 410
1 unit --> 82
There were 82 males left.

82 + 960 = 1042
There were 1042 males at first.

Since there were equal numbers of males and females, we can simply multiply the number of males by 2 to get the answer:
1042 x 2 = 2084
There were 2084 participants at first.

http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=69&t=280&p=690963#p690963

iHerb.com is having FREE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING AGAIN!

2011-11-24T04:27:00.000-08:00

International Airmail: Free for orders over $40.00!

(Make sure your order total is $40.00 or more to see the extra savings. This shipping method is limited to orders with a value of up to $80.00 and 4 pounds of weight)

Don't forget to use YAF688 to get US$5 off your first purchase!

Fellow mummy friends

2011-11-24T04:21:00.000-08:00

Brought my 2nd son for a baby massage class at another mummy's place today.
It was a great experience!!!
8 mummies & 8 babies having fun chatting and learning!

The emotional support is great. We should have more platforms for mothers to gather and make friends!

Have a Maths question????

2011-11-21T22:39:00.000-08:00

I've been receiving quite a few SMS/emails from parents asking for help with Maths questions.
As such, I've decided to start a FB group to tackle such questions.
We can post up questions and anyone who can help can simply reply with the solutions!

Do join the group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/203788813032911/#!/groups/203788813032911/

The Start of the School Holidays

2011-11-21T21:44:00.000-08:00

School holidays are here!!!
My elder boy is also home with me, and thankfully, I'm still on leave and can spend some quality time with him and the younger one.

My teachers at the AMK centre just uploaded pictures of the school holiday activities and it seems like the kids are having loads of fun!

Beautiful drawing by one of our students, specially for our centre supervisor, Miss Janice!

Learning about astronomy!

The kids taking a photo with their work! Look how proud they are!

All working hard on adding their fingerprints!

The masterpiece! "The Human Anatomy - In Fingerpaint!"

Our hands may be dirty.... but we are loving it!

I'm sure their parents will be proud of them and happy that their kids get to enjoy and learn at the same time!

2011-11-21T06:42:00.000-08:00

Was reading this article and I felt that I really had to share my thoughts on this: http://www.handinhandparenting.org/news/11/64/Getting-Through-School-Struggles

(My comments in BLUE.)

Getting Through School Struggles

Children love to learn. YES THEY DO! Learning is as natural as breathing to them—they absorb every single thing that happens. They learn through play, they learn from the behavior of the children and adults around them, they learn from their own experiments. By all rights, going to school, with its new experiences, many children, and opportunities to master powerful skills like reading and math, should be exciting and fun for them.
In order to learn well, our children need to feel safe and wanted
Children can learn only when this bottom line condition of feeling welcome and appreciated is met. At school, they need to know that their teachers like them and think they're special. They need to know that they won't be bullied or made fun of on the playground or in the hallways. They need encouragement, high expectations, and a good deal of fun.
Play, which is the language and work of young children, is still deeply important to children of school age. The more they are allowed to play in their learning activities, the faster they absorb information and new skills. At home, children need kindness, affection, and some measure of one-on-one time with their parents, even if it’s as little as a five-minute snuggle before going to sleep every night.
For schools to foster learning, and for parents to support their children, we grown-ups need to see that the emotional needs of children are met both at home and in the schools.
Sadly, in Singapore, the reality is that we seldom have time for them to 'play to learn' with rushed syllabus and limited time. Also, with large class sizes and school teachers having to teach so many classes (plus the crazy amount of admin work), students seldom get sufficient attention and support from their teachers.
However, love from parents can really make up for the lack of 'learn through play'.
Here are some specific ways to help children feel loved at home, and understood and respected at school, so their minds are clear enough to learn.

Children need large amounts of physical affection and closeness. Closeness fuels their confidence and frees their minds of worries about whether or not they're OK. If they're unsure about whether they're OK, they can't concentrate on learning.
Children learn best through play and hands-on activities. The best teacher is experience, experience, experience! We need classrooms in which children are doing things together, experimenting, and teaching each other what they've learned. In particular, free play without competition or pre-set rules is a great builder of children's intellect, imagination, and confidence. Jumping on the beds at home, chasing around the house, and wrestling and pillow fights (the children win, of course) are the kinds of personal, physical play that lift children's spirits and create enough fun that they can manage to stay hopeful even when days at school aren't inspiring. If life feels like drudgery, learning won't take place. So free play is vital. It keeps your child's spark of hope and interest alive.
The SUPERMARKET is a great place to learn! Any outing can be made into a learning adventure! Teach your child to be observant by questioning and probing.
Why is the glass frosty? (Topic leads to water condensation)
Why do they stack goods in a pyramid at the supermarket? (Topic leads to discussion on balance)
Children need the freedom to make mistakes and ask questions without fear of shame or belittlement. Mistakes and "failures" teach as effectively as successes, as long as a child continues to be respected.
YES! Instead of focusing on their mistakes, focus on how they can get it right (step by step).
Children's keen sense of justice demands that they and others be treated thoughtfully and fairly. Fairness, to children, means limits but not anger, boundaries but not belittlement, facing problems but not attacking people for having problems.

When learning problems arise, listen
When a child isn't able to concentrate or to learn, there's usually an emotional issue that blocks his progress. It feels bad on the inside when you can't think. It feels scary on the inside when you can't do what's expected of you, and you don't know why or what to do about it. This is the position children are in when they can't write a story, can't memorize their times tables, or can't sit down to their homework. They feel upset, and often scared. They also feel alone.
When we parents see our child caught in upset around learning, it's usually infuriating. Our child's problems make us feel tired and worn. Our thoughts are something like, “By now, he should be able to do school work on his own! Why do I have to get into it?” We badly want our child's problems to go away so we can get a little peace.
What helps immensely is something we've always been taught to avoid at all costs. If you can sit close by while your child has a good cry about school, or a tantrum about not wanting to do homework, your child will do the work of draining some of the bad feelings that have paralyzed him.
Emotional release helps children focus their attention and regain their ability to be hopeful about learning. Your child won't sound reasonable while he cries or rages. He'll believe very strongly in the terrible feelings he's having. But surprisingly, the crying and the chance to make sure you know how bad it feels inside has a deeply healing effect. So try to keep from arguing and reasoning with him, and stay close while he "cleans the skeletons out of the closet" with his tears and his bleak or angry thoughts. He'll finish. The longer he has been able to cry, the more improvement you will see in his ability to concentrate and to believe in himself.
Just like how adults do 'breakdown' and cry it out to feel better, our kids also need an emotional outlet. Though it may seem 'cowardice' or 'stressful' for your child to cry, they are releasing their emotions. This is better than bottling up and ending up with a sudden outburst which may cause more damage. Of course, we won't encourage crying all the time. Just hug and kiss your child and assure him/her. Once the crying is done, wash up and start anew!
Children want their parents to be the ones to listen
Schools are not set up to help children with the tensions that keep them from learning and getting along. This is a job we parents need to do. It's a very hard job, one that was never done for us. It feels “all wrong” to allow a child to cry on and on without fixing anything, without sending him to his room or insisting that he pulls himself together.
But listen. Listening heals. Listen your way through a big cry or tantrum once, without trying to "fix" your child’s feelings or solve the problem, and you'll see how well it works to clear your child's mind and restore his sense of closeness to you.
Assisting our children, supporting their schools
The huge need children have for one-on-one attention while they learn is natural. It's the school environment, where so many children need to compete for the attention of just one adult, that's not natural. Children's needs feel bothersome to parents and to teachers, not because the children are out of line, but because our society is out of line.
Policymakers and citizens haven't yet decided to give young children enough adult attention in school, and parents enough support at home, to meet the natural human needs for support and attention. When schools are genuinely supportive to children, we'll look back at present class sizes, at the lack of support for teachers, and at the lack of services for children experiencing difficulties in learning, and think of conditions in the early twenty first century as primitive indeed.
Because of these conditions, almost every child will experience some difficult times in school. And almost every parent feels upset, helpless, and/or angry when these troubles surface. Our strong love for our children and our frustration with a society that doesn't offer much support to its young people makes it hard to think clearly when our children are having a hard time. There are a few guiding principles that many people find helpful when they hit a hard patch.

It doesn't help to blame your child, yourself, or the teacher for the difficulty. Blame wastes energy and makes others feel worse than they already do. Because blame spreads bad feelings, it gets in the way of the fresh thinking and cooperation you'll need in order to build solutions. You aren't to blame. You're working as hard as you know how that this difficult job of parenting. Your child isn't to blame. He's doing the best he can, and is carrying burdens he hasn't told you about yet, or doesn't know how to shed yet. The teacher is not to blame. No matter who has made mistakes, the heart of the matter is the lack of support and assistance for everyone involved.
You, your child, and your child's teacher are all stressed because learning conditions aren't optimal. In most schools, human caring and teaching expertise is spread far too thin. This is probably why the tuition industry is thriving. Small classes, individual attention, customised teaching will benefit the kids. Constructive action means to look for people's strengths, call on their good intentions, and perhaps to look for additional help.
First, listen to your child about the difficulty. He's feeling hurt and upset, and he can't solve the problem in that state. See if you can be warm and positive enough to help him have a big cry or a tantrum. Children can often work through their feelings of victimization and come up with their own solutions to troubles at school, if they have the chance to offload the feelings in big, hard cries at home.
Let your child be in charge of the solutions. After your child has shed big feelings of upset, and after you've spent some time just being close to him without trying to solve the problem, ask him what he wants to do. Listen carefully. There may be a role you can play in advocating for him with the teacher or helping him talk with his friends. But don't assume that because he brought his feelings to you, that he wants you to take charge of the situation. Many times, children can think of how they want to take charge after one or several good cries.
If he wants you to approach a teacher or other students, listen well before you attempt to find solutions. A teacher, principal, or student needs to have their side of the story heard before they will be able to change a viewpoint or cooperate toward a fresh solution. If things aren't working well, they feel badly about it, even if they're acting like they don't. Fresh, workable behavior comes only from a mind that's been freed a bit from its troubles by a good listener, a listener who cares about all the parties involved. Your thoughts are important, and working toward a solution is important. But listening well to the others involved is as vital as tilling hard-packed soil before you attempt to plant a new seed.
Problem solving goes better if parents find a listener, too. When our children meet with unfairness, we want to storm and rage until the threat to them is gone. Someone listening to how angry or disappointed or exhausted we feel freshens our communication with our children, their friends, and their teachers. It helps us take a positive tack if and when we intervene.
Parents are not superman/superwoman! We also need an outlet to release our frustrations! Forming an informal group with parents (through social media like FB or forums) helps. Parents facing similar situations pull together to share their experiences and comfort each other.

In short, when our children meet trouble, we feel troubled too. To be good allies and problem solvers, we need someone to listen to us, perhaps again and again, to how we feel and to the things we've tried. Our problem-solving effectiveness is one hundred percent improved if we decide to find a listener and let them hear our fears and our frustrations before we try to help.

Life as a Mother of TWO

2011-11-13T02:50:00.000-08:00

Juggling a newborn and an active 4yo seemed scary and intimidating when I first found out about the pregnancy. However, it's been 6 weeks and we are doing well!

My elder boy has adjusted to having a little brother without much fuss. In fact, he loves his little brother and will help out (like patting didi when he fusses and helping to take things for us during diaper change or feeding). Really thankful that all the chats about welcoming a little baby into the family has been really useful!

The younger one has been a blessing. Slowly learning to sleep through the night and starting to establish a routine. Reading 'horror stories' on forums made me nervous, especially since our last newborn experience was quite some time ago! But, the little one turn out to be an easy-going baby and we learnt his cues very quickly.

Just 3 weeks left before I'm back teaching all classes again and I'm thankful for a wonderful maid who can handle both boys to leave me to work from home in peace. :D
Looking forward to starting classes again. All materials ready and I'm excited!

TKD!

2011-09-21T00:58:00.000-07:00

My 4yo started TKD lessons a few weeks back. He was very resistant initially, but we told him to TRY and if he really doesn't like it, then we'll stop.

And I'm really proud of him because he really tried out the lesson and HAD FUN! He loved the physical warm ups (running around the basketball court).

However, I got a little worried based on the feedback from my maid. The instructor told them to run 'half-court', but my silly boy ran the whole full court (on his own, without following the rest). Then, the following lesson, the instructor told them to run and touch the nearest white line, then run back. My silly boy, went to touch ALL the white lines before running back.

Then it got me thinking... Was he HYPERACTIVE? Could it be that he DOESN'T LISTEN TO INSTRUCTIONS?
Then I panicked. I got Daddy to sit there to observe. And we found the problem: The instructor wasn't very clear on his instructions, and the lesson was pretty boring.
The instructor spoke in broken English which my boy had trouble comprehending (I don't blame him, we all speak to him in proper English). And the pace of the class was really slow, so if he has any opportunity to 'have fun', he would!

But at the end of the day, I have a happy 4yo who would proudly show me what he had learned in class. & his endless energy was spent (giving some peace). We spoke to him about following instructions and asking when he was unclear. He's finally 'tuned' to his instructor's spoken English and is enjoying the lessons tremendously.

I'm very glad we chose to add in some non-academic enrichment to give him a well-rounded experience. :)

My iHerb favourites :)

2011-09-21T00:49:00.000-07:00

For first timers, use YAF688 for $5 off your first purchase!
iHerb SHIPS DIRECT TO SG (purchase above US$120 to get very attractive rates for DHL shipping).
Rmb to limit your purchases to US$280 (include shipping) to avoid GST!

SUPPLEMENTS FOR ADULTS:

Colostrum Pills - Like colostrum to boost kids' immune systems, it works for adults too! The powder form may be a turn off for adults due to the milky taste but the pills are great!

SUPPLEMENTS FOR KIDS:

ChildLife Colostrum with Probiotics - My boy's all time fave! We've reverted back to this for convenience as I recently changed my maid and though that an 'all-in-one' product would be easier for her to manage than to order the colostrum powder and probiotics powder separately. This really helps to boost the immune system. I've recommended it to many friends and they love this! They save a lot of heartache as their kids don't fall ill often. Saves them a lot of on PD fees too! If you are skeptical about online products, do check this out at GNC. They sell the exact same product (but triple the price).
Sambucus For Kids - Great to keep in the fridge in case of emergencies. When my boy starts to have slight cough, sniffles or complains of a sore throat, we'll give this straightaway. Minimizes the severity of his illness. Most of the time, we don't even need to consult a doctor because his symptoms go away in a day or two!
Gummy DHA - We recently changed to this as the little boy was starting to reject his liquid DHA oils, claiming that it makes him feel nauseous. It's really yummy! (Yes! I tried it!) I wanted to get the Disney Gummy Fish initially but it was OOS when I placed my order.

FOR PREGNANT/BREASTFEEDING MUMMIES:

Erbaorganics Stretchmark Oil - I used this throughout my current pregnancy and I'm proud to declare myself STRETCHMARK FREE! It's an oil, so it's best to apply at night (after shower). For those who do not like oils, they have a cream version: Erbaorganics Stretchmark CREAM
TM Organic Mother's MIlk Tea - To boost milk supply. I used this for my first child and had an overflowing supply of milk (of course, I used other products too! KS mentality). I had frozen stock (2 chest freezers and 1 home freezer) enough to scare my mother into thinking that she gave birth to a cow, not a human.
Earth Mama Milkmaid Tea - Another brand of tea that other mummies have requested for me to purchase during sprees. I've not tried it but I heard that it tastes nice! Worth trying!
Earth Mama Booby Tube - This is a hot/cold pack made from natural flax-seed shells. Great to use as warm/cold compress on breasts to relieve engorgement. I used 'donuts' from Gerber when I had my first child. But this seems too tempting. As it is not a fixed 'donut' shape like other warm/cold packs meant for the breasts, it can also be rolled up and applied to the tummy to relieve cramps or applied to other parts of the body to relieve aches!
Earth Mama Bottom Spray - I've yet to deliver, but fellow mummies have given me fantastic feedback on this product. It helped their wound to heal faster and reduces the swelling of their 'girlfriend' (which means less discomfort). Some are even buying their 2nd bottle!
Earth Mama Ginger-Grapefruit Bodywash - Why torture yourself with smell herbal baths? To avoid depression and to keep fresh (especially if you are breastfeeding), do pamper yourself. Get a nice bodywash for confinement. I've yet to try this brand (it's on its way to SG now) but I've bought another brand (the next product) to try.
Desert Essence Apple-Ginger Bodywash, Desert Essence Apple-Ginger Shampoo and Desert Essence Apple-Ginger Conditioner - Smells so sweet and yummy! I've tried this, it has this slightly spicy after feel that makes you feel refreshed. Feels very good to shower in this (can't wait to shower during my confinement!). The shampoo is a little drying - good to get the conditioner. The conditioner is great. I have naturally wavy hair that's really unruly and I managed to tame my hair with this conditioner.

ORGANIC SKIN CARE/TOILETRIES (FOR ADULTS & KIDS):

Normally, we use GAIA. But it's a little pricey if none of my relatives bring back from Australia for us. So we alternate between GAIA and this: Rainbow Research Baby Body Wash
My 4yo has bad eczema, so we have to be very careful about skincare products. This is great! & really nice smelling too!
Jason Natural Kid's Shampoo - We use this when we run out of GAIA :) Smells really delicious. Typically, boys tend to get very smelly after an hour at the playground. My boy still smells nice and yummy :) (I must confess: It might be weird thinking about this, but I do smell my boy after his play time!)
Jason Natural Kid's Toothpaste - Fighting a losing battle to get your kids to brush their teeth? A nice toothpaste would usually help to entice them! My 4yo is happily using this toothpaste and loves it!

I'll post more great products when I have time. :)

What a busy year!

2011-09-16T20:22:00.000-07:00

Many parents have emailed me with messages of concern that I've not been updating my blog. Thank you for remembering me and thank you for your support. I've been busy with the administrative work (MOE registration) of our new centre at AMK.

After going through the tedious process of registering our centre with MOE, I have a new-found respect for centres which follow the procedures and ensure that they register their centres with MOE. It is not only expensive, it is mind-boogling and a very draining process with loads of paperwork & hurdles.

For parents who are clueless about this MOE registration thing for tuition centres, let me share with you. It is a very stringent process with a lot of documentations, physical checking of premises & long discussions.

Why should you feel assured that your child is in 'good hands' at a MOE registered school?
- The premises MUST have adequate fire safety measures in place. I spent a few thousands of dollars on this & it was another tedious process to get the Fire Safety Certificate. Adequate fire extinguishers, escape routes, etc etc are very important in case of an emergency!
- Physical inspection of premises includes checking our toilets (must have enough toilets for students), layout of classrooms (must have enough space for students to be comfortable), etc etc. They even check out our neighbours! Apparently, if our neighbours are engaged in businesses that generate a lot of noise (e.g. hair salon due to noise from the hair dryers), our application will not be approved!
- All courses must be submitted to MOE and must attain their approval. Submission to them is not just informing them of the title of the course. We have to give them detailed coverage of what we are doing in the program (syllabus), the aims & objectives, desired outcomes, etc etc. This means that every programme is carefully thought out and planned & vetted by MOE.
- All teachers/tutors conducting the programmes must be approved by MOE. MOE has their set of (rather stringent) criteria on the qualifications of the tutors. The centre must submit the teacher's/tutor's certificates & photocopy of NRIC. It is not some 'random' person teaching your child. The tutor credentials are properly vetted by MOE.
- Even the company accounts must be submitted to MOE after an audit by auditors. I've not figured out their purpose for this but I guess it is to ensure the 'health' of the centre, in case it suddenly closes down and leaves parents/students in the lurch.

However, of course, there are 'black sheeps' which have gotten the MOE registration but do not follow the 'rules'. I'm sure centres who do follow the rules will not hesitate to show the MOE certificates & letters to the parents when requested.

How to know if a centre is MOE registered?
You can check out the lists here: http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/private-education/school-list/
I think they may take a while to update the newly approved centres, but they do issue a certificate to the centres, so you can probably request to see it when you drop by the centres.

Amazingly, many 'popular' tuition centres are NOT registered with MOE! Though they may have good programmes, dedicated/qualified teachers/tutors and good track records, there might be quite a lot of aspects not looked into without MOE registration of their centre.

In any case, do drop by our centre at AMK if you are interested in our services. We have before and after school care, tuition classes for kindergarten, primary and secondary levels and enrichment classes such as 3G abacus, art and phonics. Details available here: www.mwtuition.com.sg

New Centre is opening soon!

2011-06-23T04:27:00.000-07:00

With great excitement, the AMK centre will be ready soon. Renovations are going smoothly and furniture have been purchased. Staff have started to report for work & are excited about the new centre!

What are we offering?
-          After school care for primary school students (August 2011 onwards)
-          Tuition classes for kindergarten, primary and secondary students
-          3G Abacus ™ & art enrichment classes
-          Intensive exam preparation courses (Registration starts now for P5/6 Maths & Science 2011 Exam Prep)

The contact information for the AMK Centre:
9003 8129 (SMS preferred) or email AMK@mwtuition.com.sg

25 Manners Every Kid Should Know By Age 9

2011-05-14T23:23:00.000-07:00

My friend shared this article on FB & I totally agree with it!
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/parenting/25-manners-every-kid-should-know-by-age-9-2480238

In fact, I believe that we should teach them all these manners FROM YOUNG, so that they know it as a habit & way of life rather than a chore.

The article reads...
"Helping your child master these simple rules of etiquette will get him noticed -- for all the right reasons.
By David Lowry, Ph.D.

Your child's rude attitude isn't always intentional. Sometimes kids just don't realize it's impolite to interrupt, pick their nose, or loudly observe that the lady walking in front of them has a large behind. And in the hustle and bustle of daily life, busy moms and dads don't always have the time to focus on etiquette. But if you reinforce these 25 must-do manners, you'll raise a polite, kind, well-liked child.-

Manner #1

When asking for something, say "Please."

Manner #2

When receiving something, say "Thank you."

Related: Kid-Made Thank You Notes

Manner #3
Do not interrupt grown-ups who are speaking with each other unless there is an emergency. They will notice you and respond when they are finished talking.

Manner #4
If you do need to get somebody's attention right away, the phrase "excuse me" is the most polite way for you to enter the conversation.

Manner #5
When you have any doubt about doing something, ask permission first. It can save you from many hours of grief later.

Manner #6 The world is not interested in what you dislike. Keep negative opinions to yourself, or between you and your friends, and out of earshot of adults.

Manner #7 Do not comment on other people's physical characteristics unless, of course, it's to compliment them, which is always welcome.
Related: Raise Polite Kids

Manner #8 When people ask you how you are, tell them and then ask them how they are.

Manner #9
When you have spent time at your friend's house, remember to thank his or her parents for having you over and for the good time you had.

Manner #10 Knock on closed doors -- and wait to see if there's a response -- before entering.
[Me: Closed door or not, I believe it is basic manners to ALWAYS knock before entering, especially if you are a guest in the house!]

Manner #11
When you make a phone call, introduce yourself first and then ask if you can speak with the person you are calling.
Manner #12 Be appreciative and say "thank you" for any gift you receive. In the age of e-mail, a handwritten thank-you note can have a powerful effect.
Related: Print and Color Cards for Birthdays, Thank-Yous and More!

Manner #13 Never use foul language in front of adults. Grown-ups already know all those words, and they find them boring and unpleasant.

Manner #14
Don't call people mean names.

Manner #15 Do not make fun of anyone for any reason. Teasing shows others you are weak, and ganging up on someone else is cruel.
Related: Raise a Compassionate Kid

Manner #16 Even if a play or an assembly is boring, sit through it quietly and pretend that you are interested. The performers and presenters are doing their best.

Manner #17 If you bump into somebody, immediately say "Excuse me."
Related: Quiz: What's Your Parenting Style?

Manner #18 Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, and don't pick your nose in public.
Related: How to Handle Inappropriate Behavior

Manner #19
As you walk through a door, look to see if you can hold it open for someone else.

Manner #20 If you come across a parent, a teacher, or a neighbor working on something, ask if you can help. If they say "yes," do so -- you may learn something new.

Manner #21 When an adult asks you for a favor, do it without grumbling and with a smile.
Related: Use this Table-Setting Map as a Guide

Manner #22 When someone helps you, say "thank you." That person will likely want to help you again. This is especially true with teachers!

Manner #23 Use eating utensils properly. If you are unsure how to do so, ask your parents to teach you or watch what adults do.
Related: Mrs. McVeigh Weighs in on Proper Utensil Use and More!

Manner #24
Keep a napkin on your lap; use it to wipe your mouth when necessary.

Manner #25
Don't reach for things at the table; ask to have them passed.

See more on teaching manners to your toddlers and preschoolers.
Originally published in the March 2011 issue of Parents magazine."

SA1 is over... Now... What???

2011-05-13T21:01:00.001-07:00

Now that SA1 is over, many students are starting to receive their results.

As parents/tutors, what's the next step?

1. Go through & analyse the mistakes made in the papers.(a) Careless mistakes - defined by marks lost due to calculation mistakes, poor handwriting, copying of wrong words/spelling/numbers
(b) Failure to pay attention to details - defined by marks lost due to child skipping important info given in the question (such that when the info is highlighted to them, they are able to get the answers without help).
(c) Failure to understand concept/apply - defined by marks lost due to total lack of understanding for the question/concept.

To tackle careless mistakes, you have to be patient and constantly remind them. Add up the marks lost due to careless mistakes and let them feel the impact (and see the difference between the score they could actually obtain vs the score they obtained).
Also, remind them that is it human to make mistakes (as in lost a few marks) but they can try to minimise it by checking, recalculating & reading carefully.

For children who fail to read the questions carefully, it would be good to encourage them to underline/highlight important key words in the questions. Make it a habit by ensuring that they do that all the time - for school homework and additional work done at home/tuition.

Failure to understand/apply concepts:
We will have to go back to basics for those topics. Go through the basic content knowledge. Then go progressively upwards to re-teach the entire topic.
Some children require constant reminders/revision. If your child need this, plan for the exam revision to start earlier. Then, a few days before the exam will be a quick run through of all the topics & key concepts to note.

2. Analyse what has been done during the studying/revision process & how to improve(a) Was there adequate time allocated?
(b) Did revision start too late?
(c) Was the wrong method used for revision?

If a particular method of studying has been identified as useful, build on it.
If your child hasn't found his/her preferred method, explore other methods together.

3. Encourage & assure your childNo matter the results, all children need encouragement.
For those who scored well, encourage them and motivate them to score better.
For those who did not score well, encourage them to take the first step to doing better. Don't expect an overnight change in your child - it's not realistic. Set small realistic targets with deadlines. For example, you can set the first target as: Revise P3 Diversity Topics and practice related questions by end of 1st week of June holidays. Then, guide your child in work division and daily work allocation to manage his/her time. Follow up by physically checking their work (not just verbal checking by asking them if they've done their work).

Always remind them that you love them. Though you may be disappointed with the results, they are your children and you will still love them. Love is unconditional.
Explain to them why you feel disappointed - you know they are smart kids who can achieve more!
Slowly build the confidence in them, encourage them to be self-motivated.
Children forget easily, you may have to repeat this 'talk' a few times for it to really sink in, especially for the younger ones.

4. Re-look their schedules
Could your child be too tired out from tuition/enrichment classes to focus on studies?
Would it be wise to drop 1 or 2 activities to focus on building up the academic studies, then having those activities again later on?

I personally re-looked my 4yo boy's schedule recently. Though we've always stuck to 'only 1 enrichment class a day', I noticed he had less time for play & socialising (at the playground). We took a bold step and cut down on the enrichment classes (though my KS-parent mind is saying: WHAT IF HE LOSES OUT!???).
I'm glad I did that as he has more time 'day dreaming' and coming up with new stories & games, more time to read storybooks and have been more receptive to spending time sitting down with my hubby for informal Chinese lessons (reading, simple writing, speaking in Chinese).

I hope that parents & students will not be discouraged by the results. This is only SA1, there's still time to catch up.

SA1

2011-04-16T18:42:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year again. SA1 is approaching in a few weeks. While students are still oblivious to it, parents and tutors (myself included) are starting to get nervous.

By now, most schools have yet to finish teaching the topics to be tested in the SA1. On my end, I'm worried that my students will not fully grasp the concepts of the coming topics which their teachers will rush through. I'm glad I've covered those topics during lessons with them but am nervous about them being able to handle the application questions (especially for Maths & Science).

Worries aside, now is the time to start revision.

For English:
- Ensure that they have a habit of underlining/highlighting clues & making annotations.
e.g. Every (singular) member in my family ___ to eat fish. We eat it everyday (present tense).
1. like
2. likes (singular, present tense)
3. liked
4. has liked
- Make it a habit to read through for hidden meanings (for vocab).
- Write down the words together with the alphabets so that you can read the passage as a whole (for grammar cloze).
- Read the passage carefully and determine if there are clues and draw arrows to link the clues back to the blanks (for compre cloze).
- Highlight where you got your answers from (graphic/compre MCQ/compre OE). Ensure that your answers are in full proper sentences with the correct tenses based on the question. Always check the question word to ensure that you are answering the question.
e.g. Why (reason) did (past tense) the boys run off when they saw the shadow?
Wrong: The boys saw the shadow and ran off to the nearest exit. (This is an ACTION, not a REASON).
Correct: The boys ran off when they saw the shadow as they were afraid that it might be a monster or a ghost.
- Synthesis & Transformation: Check the clauses carefully.
e.g. 'Unless' always has a positive & negative part.
Unless you complete your homework (POSITIVE), you will not (NEGATIVE) be allowed to watch television.
- Editing: Check the TENSES carefully. Also, to check your spelling, write it on a different page (in pencil) without looking at the wrong spelling given. Sometimes, the wrong spelling may confuse you and cloud your mind. Writing out the word again on another page might take away the false impression of the 'wrong' spelling.

For Maths:
- Calculation mistakes should always be avoided. Using logical thinking, if you are adding up numbers, the final answer should be larger than the original numbers.
- Break long questions into smaller parts. Read and understand what information is given in each sentence before reading the next sentence. Underline/circle key numbers and draw arrows to the names/objects if it helps. Else, you can rewrite the info on the side to help you.
e.g. Tony had 15% more 50c coins than 20c coins. If there were 6 more 50c coins than 20c coins, how much money did Tony have?
Rewriting the info given:
Tony
15% more 50c coins than 20c coins (100%)
50c coins -> 115%
20c coins -> 100%
6 more 50c coins than 20c coins
- Identify the technique needed to solve the problem (constant difference, etc). If in doubt, draw a simple model to compare the information given for a clearer picture.
- Always check to ensure:
(a) All questions have been attempted.
(b) Double check all calculations. *this is when mental calculation will come into good use
(c) Double check that all working has been shown clearly.

For Science:
- Read questions carefully.
- Underline/circle key words in the questions.
- Identify the topic it is related to so that you know what type of answers are expected.
- For MCQ: Always eliminate other answers even if you are sure that your answer is the best answer. Sometimes the meaning of the option could change with ONE word.
e.g.
(1) Most of the mammals give birth to young alive.
(2) All mammals give birth to young alive.
Option 2 is wrong as not ALL mammals give birth to young alive, there are exceptions like the platypus. So in this case, Option 1 is a better answer.
- For open-ended questions, ALWAYS WRITE IN COMPLETE SENTENCES even if the answer seems direct and simple.
e.g.
What energy is needed?
Answer: Heat
You should write your answer as: Heat energy is needed. Or: The energy that is needed is heat energy.

Hope that these tips and reminders will be helpful!!

Are Special Kids.... A Burden?

2011-03-28T04:18:00.000-07:00

Browsing through some forums recently, I chanced upon a debate about whether pregnant mothers should do Down Syndrome's testing or not.

Few factors that were discussed:
1. The test is costly.
2. The test is not 100% accurate and may give false results which lead to undue stress during the pregnancy.
3. The results won't matter, so no point doing the test.
4. Decision to keep or abort lies in the results of the test.

After having worked with special kids and getting to know their families, yes, it is a struggle to bring them up and teach them to be independent. But the amount of joy they bring, it's priceless.

Some of them worry about 'what if I die and I leave the burden of my special child to my existing child'? Then it got me thinking... Burden? What burden? Would you consider your siblings a burden? No matter what happens to my siblings, I will never consider them a burden.

Yes, the child did not choose to have a sibling who is special. But along the way, I'm sure the special child will touch his/her siblings and family love will grow.

One of my friend's brother had a very bad viral attack that damaged his brain. From a bright young man in NS, to a vegetable, then slowly recovering to perform daily tasks but he's no longer the same as before. Did my friend give up on his brother at any point of time? No. In fact, he gave up a relationship with his then-gf to focus on earning money and caring for his brother. And now that his brother is getting better and more independent, he's re-starting his social life. He got his priorities right and now, many girls admire him and he has finally found someone who share the same passion to help his brother. Was he 'burdened' in any way? He told me that he learnt most from his brother than any other experience in the world.

When I was pregnancy with my boy, it never crossed my mind to do the DS testing because DS is not something that is contagious. It is something that we can learn to manage and help the child to learn to be independent over time. So, terminating a pregnancy just because the child may not come out normal has never been my or my hubby's thoughts.

God gives you a child. Treasure the child, even if it's only for a second. Treasure it. No life should be taken away just for convenience or fear of being burdened.

The little terror is now turning into a little angel

2011-02-19T17:17:00.000-08:00

The 'terrible twos' seem to be over now for my son. & I'm very thankful!
Recently, he is better behaved and now, it seems like having another one isn't a bad idea.

In the past, we had to punish him with 'naughty corner'. I remember having to scold him for misbehaving (jumping on sofa, climbing window grilles, etc).
Thinking back, we've not punished him since the start of the year.
I've been pondering and wondering... What did we do right? How could we improve?
Then my husband reminded me about how consistent we were in terms of discipline.
We metted out the same punishment without arguements or hesitation.
We correct improper behaviour once we see it. We allow our maid to tell him off straightaway if he misbehaves.
And this has helped my boy to know his limits because everyone takes the same stand.

Even during CNY visitation, we expected him to misbehave a little, especially if he saw the toys at my cousin's place. However, he was on his best behaviuor, asking for permission before playing and helping to keep the toys before we left. And kids being kids, my nephews were possessive of their toys and refused to share certain toys with him. My boy simply chose another toy without any fuss (I was expecting him to make a fuss and probably cry and sulk).
And we were worried that he may open red packets given to him straightaway since he knew that there's money inside (and he knows that he can buy things with money). Talking to him nicely before we left home really helped. Letting him know the expected behaviour really worked!
He thanked everyone who gave him red packets and quickly passed them to me for safekeeping. He also greeted everyone without much fuss (he used to refuse to greet some of my uncles who seemed 'fierce').

I'm thankful my little monster has grown up into a little man. :D And he's so sweet now with his surprises: Kisses and hugs when I'm busy with work, offering me lollipops, sneaking under my blanket early in the morning to snuggle up to me, etc.

With tuition and the upcoming centre, I've been pretty busy lately and I'm glad that he has learnt to manage himself without us having to discipline him all the time.
And recently, his time is occupied with activities and he recently fell in love with Nat Geo Wild on cable TV.
He loves the animals in the wild, the snake-catching shows and even documentaries on different types of insects!

I'm glad that he is taking interest in something I would like him to be interested in and very thankful that he's growing into a curious little man.

Some recipes I shared in KSP

2011-01-27T23:30:00.003-08:00

I couldn't find my beloved bread book!!!

But thankfully, I do have copies of some of the recipes I often use:

Good Old Plain White Bread
500g sifted bread flour
5g dry yeast
50g castor sugar
10g fine salt
260ml cold water
65g butter

Sweet Dough for Buns!

260m cold water
1 egg
50g butter
500g sifted bread flour
15g fresh yeast (cubed form)
100g castor sugar
5g salt

Do not use the bake function. Take the dough out and shape it into buns!
Can add cheese, sausage, etc etc! Your creativity is the limit

Super MultiGrainy Bread

20g castor sugar
20g salt
350g sifted bread flour
150g sifted whole grain flour
20g fresh yeast
260ml water

To add on the surface before baking: 120g rolled oats & nuts

Doe Doe Donuts!

140g sifted bread flour
60g sifted cake flour
30g butter
8g fresh yeast
70ml cold water
1 egg
15g castor sugar
5g salt

Use the quick function for this (only need to let it rise for 30 minutes).
Cut the dough into shape and leave for another 20 minutes before frying. YUM YUM!!

Chinese Buns
200g sifted plain flour
5g instant yeast (dry yeast)
50g castor sugar
2 tbsp corn oil
150ml warm water

Us the quick knead function.
Shape and put fillings as desired.
Steam for 10 minutes.

Wondering & Pondering

2011-01-26T22:10:00.000-08:00

Recently I had some time to go back into forums and share...

But as I read, I realised that, it seems like the forum is starting to be an 'exclusive club' where there are personal attacks and a lot of informal groups that have formed.

This is seen in many forums, but I least expected it in this forum. Quite sad to see how people only 'take' but never contribute. And when someone contributes something they don't like, they start a personal attack instead of provide their side of the story.

And now I start to understand why some of my friends refuse to go into such forums. Maybe this is a signal, to cut back on the forum.

Another Maths Question...

2011-01-26T03:44:00.001-08:00

$260 is to be divided among a certain number of people. If half of the people receive $3 each, one-eighth of the people receive $2 each and the rest $4 each, how many people are there altogether?

Divide the people into 8 units (based on 1/8 of the people):
1/2 => 4 units (recieved $3 each) x $3 = $12u
1/8 => 1 unit (recieved $2 each) x $2 = $2u
Remaining => 8 - 4 - 1 = 3u (received $4 each) x $4 = $12u

Total amount of money = $260 => $12u + $2u + $12u = $26u

$26 u -> 260
$1 u -> 260/6 = 10

Altogether there were 8 units of people

8 u -> 80 people

A P6 Maths Question from Workbook

2011-01-26T03:30:00.000-08:00

Adam and Rahmad shared some beads. If Adam gave 1/3 of his share to Rahmad, Rahmad would have 70 more than Adam. If Adam gave 1/5 of his share to Rahmad, Rahmad would have 10 more than Adam. How many beads does Adam have at first?

If Adam gave 1/3 of his share to Rahmad...

A [----][----]
R [----][----][ 70 ]

Which means that Adam will have 2 units left while Rahmad will have 2 units plus 70 more.
Adam would have a total of 3 units at first.

If Adam gave 1/5 of his share to Rahmad....

A [--][--][--][--]
R [--][--][--][--][ 10]

Which means that Adam will have 4 units (different from the first model) left while Rahmad will have 4 units plus 10 more.
Adam would have a total of 5 units at first.

BASED ON SAME TOTAL for Adam (3 x 5 = total 15 units),
We can change the units into....

If Adam gave 1/3 of his share to Rahmad...
All units multiply by 5 to get a total of 15 units at first:

A [-][-][-][-][-][-][-][-][-][-]
R [-][-][-][-][-][-][-][-][-][-][ 70 ]

If Adam gave 1/5 of his share to Rahmad....
All units multiply by 3 to get a total of 15 units at first:

A [-][-][-][-][-][-][-][-][-][-][-][-]
R [-][-][-][-][-][-][-][-][-][-][-][-][ 10]

Comparing the above 2 models, we can see that 4 units = 70 - 10 = 60

1 unit = 60/4 = 15
15 units = 15 x 15 = 225

From: http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=280&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=2320

The school teacher's answer is 450 which many parents have debated to be wrong.

Pushing Your P6 to PSLE

2011-01-26T03:29:00.000-08:00

In response to this thread: http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?p=346466&highlight=#346466

I've posted the following:

or T1 in P6, it's good to focus on the new topics: algebra, speed, circles.

What I'm doing with my students now: Going through the above topics and revisiting percentage, ratio and fraction.

They are starting off with CA1 papers from top schools (1 paper a week).

By end term 1, I would have completed teaching all the topics and we will start more intensive work by starting on challenging problem sums for P6 topics.

By June holidays, it will be intensive Q&A. They try, they ask, I clarify.
Usually by end July, my students will finish their stash of past year exam papers and I'll dig out different challenging questions or revisit certain 'techniques' or 'topics' which they have problems with.

After that, it will just be enough work to keep momentum going.

***
I encourage students to PLAN THEIR TIME WELL.

For my students, I normally encourage this:
Weekdays: Focus on school homework. Once complete, try to do exam papers (if can't finish the whole paper, at least 1 section of the paper).

Weekends: Set aside 2-3 hours a day to finish up the exam papers.

Tuition should comprise of practice papers -> Your kid's tutors don't give them papers to practise? Or they give them in other forms (compiled worksheets)?

My students normally finish the other work (trying new questions/techniques) during lesson, so most of their homework is exam paper (1 per week) and probably around 5 pages of homework per subject.

On top of that, they have to write a compo a week and finish compre OE, compre cloze, S&T, etc.

So far my students all managed to manage their time well with guidance.

You have to teach them to manage their time. And also teach them to plan/spread out their work.

When I assign homework, I normally will show them how to split up the
work so it becomse manageable.

If your child's time is totally occupied by enrichments/tuition, then it's time to rethink your strategy. I personally believe in only have 1 enrichment/tuition class PER DAY. Nothing more (they can't absorb).

With 1 enrichment/tuition class per day, it is definitely manageable. Even my lazy students managed to finish their schoolwork on top of tuition work. And sometimes, they give me a nice surprise by finishing more work than I expected. & she still have piano classes and Chinese tuition. She comes to me 4 times a week!

***

The jump from P4 to P5

2011-01-26T03:19:00.001-08:00

Key things to note in helping P5 kids cope with increased volume in questions in P5 English Exam Format:

1. Read Read Read. Instill the habit of reading at least 1 news article a day. If you don't subscribe, read online news and print out 1 or 2 interesting articles a day to get your child interested. Choose an article which is in hot discussion or may interest your child. Draw a word mindmap (using the main topic, branch out related words) to increase vocab and also to understand that certain words will be used in certain scenarios.

2. Have a dictionary ready within easy reach. If budget permits, get an electronic one which can store a word list which you can upload onto the computer and print out. If using the hardcopy, make sure your child knows how to use it.

3. When reading, highlight phrases that always go together (phrasal verbs). E.g. He was taking down the poster when he fell off the ladder.
They will need phrasal verbs for Compre Cloze.

4. Make it a habit to underline/circle/highlight KEY WORDS/CLUE WORDS.
This is what I teach in class for Compre OE/MCQ: Take note of the QUESTION WORD, the clue word (tenses) and the key word (what are they referring to in the question). And if need, make simply annotations. E.g. *circle* "WHY" *write8 " --> REASON" Which means that the question is look for a REASON (not anything else).

5. For S&T, there's a few good books which give good examples and also re-explain the grammar rules. I think it's called "Synthesis & Transformation P6" by Marshall Cavendish. However, for practise purposes, I still prefer Teachers @ Work, Conquer S&T. Use the one from MC to 'teach', then use the exercises in Conquer for more practise.

Hope this helps!!

A Busy Start to the New Year

2011-01-25T17:07:00.000-08:00

This year will be a rather busy year.

1. Recruiting more tutors to join the Home-Based network. Spending time to interview the tutors, have to set aside time to train them.

2. Training of tutors at a partner studentcare centre in Pasir Ris. Fulfilling sessions - going through the syllabus, key techniques the students must know, etc.

3. Preparation for opening of our studentcare/tuition centre in AMK. This is really a blessing in disguise as the shop unit we were eyeing was only suppose to be available next April. However, the current tenant found a new place faster than we anticipated and now, we have a shop space! This will be our first centre and we hope that we will be met with overwhelming response!

4. Working hard with my existing students to ensure that they understand the concepts/topics taught and that they do well in examinations!

Looking forward to a busy but fulfilling year ahead. :D

While we teach our children to be kind...

2011-01-07T03:26:00.000-08:00

... does it really pay to be kind?

Reading through KSP forum, I realised that there are many parents who instead of act by example to teach their children to be kind, they go around questioning people's intentions when they are kind.

Because of such people, it makes me think again: Why am I being kind?

1. It's better to give than to receive.
2. I genuinely want to share.
3. I have been taught since young, through observing my parents, to be kind.
4. I am also setting an example for my son.

Seems like very little reasons but it makes me wonder... Why are there people who put down others' kindness?

I don't have the answer to that. I can only tell myself that what I'm doing is right, and many parents have shown their support by emailing kind words to me.

Hopefully, their children will be able to learn the right values from their classmates and school teachers.
If they learn from their parents, I will really start to worry for Singapore's future.

Training at Student Care

2011-01-07T01:36:00.000-08:00

I've been invited by a student care principal to train her teachers in the pedagogy/academic aspects to allow them to be able to help the children with the schoolwork.

I'm very impressed with the student care:
1. Principal bothers to spend money to train the teachers.
2. The teachers are all qualified (at least dip holders with teaching/tutoring experience).
3. The place is cosy and secure (students not allowed to run out of the premises).
4. The focus is a lot on academics. After their school work, they have guided 'tuition time'.
5. Reasonably priced.
6. In-house school bus which services Punggol, Seng Kang and Hougang area.

During the training, I love how the teachers are so keen to know more and learn more.
They are really dedicated and hearing the way they talk about their students, they really bother to get to know each of them and hope to guide them well.

I also shared with them classroom management tips and study strategies they can teach the students.

Well done Ms Dawn from MRC Student Care at Pasir Ris! http://rightbrainteaching.com

Starting up a network of homebased tutors...

2010-12-17T05:56:00.000-08:00

Officially left MOE and now, I finally understand how full time private tutors feel.
No 'job security' due to irregular payments (if students go on holidays, etc), no CPF contribution, etc etc.

So, I've decided to recruit dedicated teachers/tutors to join my network. Keen? Check this out: http://mwtuition-joinastutor.blogspot.com.

Moving forward, I hope to find a suitable space to set up a centre.
For now, network of homebased tutors will be good.

New website will be up in around 3 weeks' time if there's no delay. Now, we just need photos to put on the new website. I've decided to get my current students for the photoshoot so that it's authentic (no stock photos of models).

Hopefully all will go well and students will get to choose from a wider variety of tutors who subscribe to my believes: Teaching our next generation to THINK!

Our Experiences in Life Mould Us into What We Are...

2010-11-25T16:45:00.000-08:00

After blogging about my experience on a mission trip last night, I was chatting with hubs and I did some thinking...

And it dawned on me that IT IS these experiences I had in MY LIFE that moulded me into what I am today.
The love for children and teaching started then.

Thinking forward, I'm reminded that our youths today may not have this opportunity to experience life in poverty.
They take everything for granted, assume that everything must be provided.

I hope that I can restart my engine into mission work again. And hopefully, in time to come, bring my son along to experience what I had experienced so many years back.

I think I'll take some time off in June 2011 and join my mum in Balai, Indonesia where they are doing mission work now, with weekly trips up to conduct lessons and interact with the children. Or Christmas 2011. :D

Touched

2010-11-25T05:50:00.000-08:00

Just last week, a very pretty lady added me on FB.
I had no clue who she was as the name was not familiar.
Then, I checked if we have any common friends and she's my brother's friend.
Weird.... because I know most of my brother's friends and I seriously do not remember this pretty lady!

Anyway, I added her to see who she was.
Browsing through her photos, I still could not figure out who she is.
Then, I came to her album labelled "Friendship Village".
The name was extremely familiar. I took a peek.
The background was awfully familiar.
The people in the photo were somewhat familiar.
Then, I saw a photo of a HOT SPRING. TADAH~!
I knew where it was. And I knew why it looked so familiar.

It's Thailand, Yala, Betong. A small village on the mountains near the borders of Thailand and Malaysia.
My first trip there was when I was 14. I went with my mum and some of her friends & my friends to do mission work. We played with the children, visited families, taught the children English, etc. The first time I was there, I felt like a little girl, tagging along with Mummy.

I remember clearly. The friendly smiles from the villagers, the warm welcomes and the wonderful homecooked food!!!

I was very shy on my first trip, and did not really interact much with the children there.

Then, my mum wanted my brother to go and take a trip there. And we organised another trip the following year. This time, my mum put all YOUTHS in the group and we only had 1 adult (she's actually considered youth cos she was only in her mid-20s). The rest of the group consisted of 15 - 18yos. I was the youngest in the group, but my mum said that they all had to listen to me. Why? I was the only one who went up there before. [Finally! A chance to control all the big boys who always bullied me!]

The journey up to Southern Thailand, Hatyai was not easy. I recall taking a coach from Singapore's Beach Road. Then, we travelled through Msia, stopping at ~~Alor Setar~~ (sorry, there's a mistake!) BUTTERWORTH (near Penang) to change into TAXIs to bring up to Hatyai. But we did stop at Alor Setar for breakfast & fuel. Scary experience with rains and the windy roads.

Once in Hatyai, we had to find our way to the travel agency to wait for our contact person from the village. I was the only person in the entire group that recognised him! Tired and sleepy, I had no choice but to shoo the big boys into the travel agency while I stood outside keeping a lookout for our contact guy. Due to miscommunication, he only found us after 3 hours. He went to the wrong travel agency. -___"-

The journey up in a beat up pickup truck took 6 hours. Along the way, I must have wasted at least a dozen plastic bags from all the puking. The big brothers in the trip were nice and ensured I was hydrated (but I hated them for treating me like a baby).

Once we've reached, the big boys (my brother and his friends) were 'lost'. They did not know what to do and where to go. This little sister had to bring them to the 'house' and show them to their room, teach them how to use the toilet (no flush) and show them how to boil their bath water if they wanted a warm shower.
I remember teasing them about being the big boys but needing their little sister to look after them.

When I brought them out to meet the kids for the first time, they could not communicate with them. After my first trip up, I picked up some basic Thai while staying in the village and took up Thai lessons while in SG. It helped alot. The kids started to warm up and some of the older kids could speak Chinese.

We got very close and attached to the kids in a week, and we cried like mad when we had to leave.

I remember the nights we spent, sitting under the moon with the kids, telling them stories about Singapore.
I remember the yummy local treats the kids bought for us after school, on their way home (can't find them in Thai eateries in SG).
I remember the songs we taught them, and they songs they taught us.
I remember boiling eggs with the kids at the hot spring.
I remember eating half boiled eggs right off the shell.
I remember how the infants and toddlers were simply left in cardboard boxes with a blankie to entertain themselves while their parents were working.
I remember how the kids had motorbikes and brought us out on joyrides.I remember sitting at the only 'restaurant' in the village which was built on a stream and watching waste material go down the stream.
I remember how the kids caught a giant spider in the guy's toilet without bating an eyelid.

Anyway, the funny story about the SPIDER....
One of the guys was taking a shower in the toilet.
Then, suddenly, a HUGE spider (the size of an adult palm with fingers included) appeared on the wall of the toilet.
The poor guy RAN OUT of the toilet (I think he remembered to grab the towel to cover the vital parts) SCREAMING!!!!
And the kids came to 'save us' by catching the spider with their bare hands and simply letting it go outside the house.
What an experience!!

It was really a great experience being there, changing the kids' lives.
And they really changed my life too.
That trip taught the big boys to show me some respect as a leader.
And it showed me that when given the right opportunities, anyone can rise up to be a leader.

Then, when I was 16, I met my hubs and 'went steady' with him.
After my O levels, I decided that I wanted to meet the kids again.
This time, it was more of a family trip.
My mum and dad, my sis and I and my hubs (at tt time - BF).
My hubs loved the kids and cried when we had to leave - THIS MAN IS A KEEPER.

And now, seeing this pretty lady on FB, I went to dig out my old photos.
That small little girl we had so much fun with,
blossoming into a pretty young lady with a bright future.

The kids are mostly in uni now...
And I feel so proud of them!
Breaking the cycle of poverty by studying hard like we told them to...

If only our local kids can understand the hardships other face to even get a chance to study...
They may appreciate what they have even more...

I am really grateful that my mum invited me there...
To experience what it's like to be blessed in a different way...
To understand that what we have in SG is really alot more than we can ask for...

And I'm thankful to the kids who touched our lives...
I wouldn't have known the soft side of my hubs if not for them... :D

Will blog about another trip to an orphanage in another part of Thailand when I was 17yo :D

iHerb.com is having FREE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING this month!!!

2010-11-24T01:05:00.000-08:00

For those who have read my posts on supplements, you will know that I'm an ardent fan of http://www.iherb.com/.
Simply because their products are cheaper than in SG or other online stores and they ship direct to SG!

And the best part for November, they have a FREE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING promo!
There's T&C though...

International Airmail: Free for orders over $40.00!

(Make sure your order total is $40.00 or more to see the extra savings. This shipping method is limited to orders with a value of up to $80.00 and 3 pounds (1360 grams) of weight)

Don't forget to get US$5 off your order if it's your first time ordering!
Use discount code YAF688.
All you need is your credit card (they accept local credit & debit cards)
More goodies to recommend!

FOR KIDS/STUDENTS:
- American Ginseng pills to increase concentration and mental calmness. Good for students preparing for exams.
http://www.iherb.com/Nature-s-Answer-American-Ginseng-Root-90-Veggie-Caps/8358?at=0

- Black Elderberry (Sambucol). To boost immune system. Prevents children from falling ill easily. Aids in quick recovery for flu. (Adult version available too)
http://www.iherb.com/Sambucol-Black-Elderberry-Immune-System-Support-Liquid-For-Kids-Berry-Flavored-4-fl-oz-120-ml/16697?at=0

- For kids who hate veges/fruits! Power packed nutrients (better than artificial multi vits).
http://www.iherb.com/Amazing-Grass-Kidz-SuperFood-Wild-Berry-Flavor-6-5-oz/18227?at=0

- Chewable BRAIN FOOD (fish oil)
http://www.iherb.com/Carlson-Labs-For-Kids-Chewable-DHA-Bursting-Orange-Flavor-120-Soft-Gels/13109?at=0
*** This product is regularly tested (using AOAC international protocols) for freshness, potency and purity by an independent, FDA-registered laboratory and has been determined to be fresh, fully-potent and free of detectable levels of mercury, cadmium, lead, PCBs and 28 other contaminants.

- ORGANIC LOLLIPOPS/SWEETS! What can be better than rewarding your children with something they like, made from organic fruit juices?
http://www.iherb.com/Yummy-Earth-Organic-Lollipops-50-Pops/10888?at=0

Links back to the other products I've recommended:
http://thelittleonesinmylife.blogspot.com/2010/11/links-back-to-nutrition-health.html

Using Word Games to Create Compos

2010-11-20T20:52:00.000-08:00

We did a word association game and got the following words:
banana -> boat -> fishing -> seafood -> eat -> stomach -> pain -> toilet -> waste -> disgusting -> vomit -> doctor -> clinic -> hospital -> sick -> medicine -> recover -> discharge -> home -> rest -> wake up -> sleepy -> wash face -> eat medicine -> water -> television -> boring -> computer -> nothing to play -> read -> shopping -> buy healthy food -> change diet

And we created a compo based on the above key words (P4 class):

Plates of all sizes were on our table. The mouth-watering dishes in front of us excited all at our table, except me. What was supposed to be wafts of hungry-inducing foods created an aching feeling in my stomach. It all happened just a month ago…

“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to Michelle! Happy birthday to you!” sang my family as we gathered at a seafood restaurant at East Coast Park to celebrate my birthday. My parents brought my cousins and me to East Coast Park earlier in the day to enjoy some water sports. We canoed and took turns to ride on a jet ski. We also played on a ride called the ‘Banana Boat’ which was actually a float that resembled a banana.

With a grin on my face, I blew out the ten candles on my cake and we proceeded to have dinner. My aunts and uncles went fishing while we were enjoying ourselves and the spread of tantalizing food on the table was the product of their trip. The piping hot dishes were too tempting to resist. I tucked into them with gusto and ate till my heart’s content.

After the meal, we took a stroll in the park in the cool evening breeze and pale moonlight. Suddenly, pain gripped me. A sharp pain in my lower abdomen caught me by surprise. I doubled over in pain, and my parents ran to my aid. I started vomiting and felt like I needed the toilet badly. Soon, all I wished for was to stay in the toilet indefinitely.

My parents got worried and rushed me to the nearest clinic. The doctor examined me and advised my parents to bring me to the nearest hospital instead. Within minutes, I found myself on a hospital bed, being wheeled into a consultation room with a kind doctor. I was immediately given an injection and some oral medication. The medicine tasted horribly bitter, I gulped a lot of water to swallow them quickly. I wanted to spit them out but I knew that they were for me to recover. I took the bitter pills and drifted off to sleep.

When I awoke, I felt much better. My parents had spent the night with me at my bedside and looked tired. I gently nudged them to wake them and asked them to freshen up. The doctor came to review my case and declared that it was food poisoning. My cousins also had the runs but they only needed some medication. I was discharged and went home.

Back home, my mum fussed over me like a baby and cooked some healthy food for me. My dad went to the supermarket to shop for healthy food so that my stomach can recover. I was very bored as there was nothing much to do at home except to watch television programs, play computer games and read. I felt bad to fall ill, and it felt worse to be stuck at home while recovering.

Once bitten, twice shy. I got wary of scrumptious meals from then on.

Links back to Nutrition & Health

2010-11-19T22:58:00.000-08:00

Recently received many emails and phone calls/SMSes regarding the above topics. Seems like my old posts got 'lost'.

Reposting the links here:
http://thelittleonesinmylife.blogspot.com/2010/07/supplements-health-food-healthy-diet.html
http://thelittleonesinmylife.blogspot.com/2010/07/nature-vs-nurture.html
http://thelittleonesinmylife.blogspot.com/2010/07/skin-problems-organic-skincare-to.html
http://thelittleonesinmylife.blogspot.com/2010/07/toothpaste-for-infants-and-toddlers.html

For the first time in many many many years...

2010-11-19T17:27:00.000-08:00

I was the parent, not the teacher, at a Meet The Parents session.

My son's preschool had a MTP session yesterday. I sort of expected what the teachers might say, but what was told to me was pleasantly surprising.

1. I expected him to be a monkey in class, like he is at home.
The English/Maths teacher said that he behaves very well, sitting quietly and listening attentively to lessons. Likes to join in group activities and has learnt to wait for his turn without fussing.

2. I expected him to not speak or read Chinese.
The Chinese teacher said that he can read many words given the right environment. And when playing games, she deliberately gives him tougher games and he was still able to get the right answers.

Really surprised that he has been a good boy at school. :)
Brought him out for a reward yesterday.

However, the teachers did mention certain things to be improved:
1. He does not like to play/socialise with the other kids his age. He prefers older kids.
2. He can get quite rough with the smaller size kids.

I guess the first point is due to communication. After watching him with some friends yesterday, I realised that he is very advanced in his speech and articulation of his thoughts for his age (never occurred to us before as we seldom have the opportunity to see him with peers his age). As such, he expects his peers to start conversations with him but they don't. However, with his school bus friends who are older, they chat and play like they had known each other since birth. Similarly with my friend's kid who is older than him, they are like best friends when we bring them out together to the zoo or Universal Studios.
Is this the pitfall of being too advanced? Even the English/Maths teacher commented that he speaks better than all the kids his age but he does not like to interact with them. Hopefully this problem will be solved by the time his peers catch up and can start meaningful conversations with him.

Really enjoyed speaking to his teachers because they really know him and understand him. And of course, the Chinese teacher made me rather happy by telling me that she can see that we have put in alot of effort into disciplining him and teaching him at home because he's different from the other preschoolers she has taught all these years. Happy to have a fellow teacher recognise my efforts as a mother. :)

My encounter with another tutor at Popular Bookstore

2010-11-06T21:29:00.000-07:00

I was at Popular yesterday to purchase some books for the new classes which are going to start.

Armed with my shopping list, I darted around Popular with ease, taking the books I needed and placing them in a basket on the floor near the cashier (with my maid tending to it).

Then, an old gentleman saw my pile of books and asked my maid,"Wow! So many books? You have many children?"

My maid simply smiled and looked at me for help. I quickly went over and started a polite conversation with this curious old man. He was browsing some P2 Maths assessment books.

Me: I'm a tutor, these are for my students.
Him: Why don't you wait till end of the month when they will have 20% discount?
Me: My classes are starting soon, I can't afford to wait.
Him: Oh, you have many students?
Me: I teach a few group classes, so it adds up to quite a number of them.
Him: Recently the syllabus is very tough, ya? [Proceeds to show me a heuristic question from a P2 Maths books. It is actually a simple number bond question.]
Me: Actually, these are very common questions. Most of my P2 students are able to handle such questions.
Him: So can you tell me how to solve this question? Explain to me. [In a rather demanding tone.]
Me: [Pointing with my finger at the question.] This and this makes this. You need to add these two numbers to get this answer.
Him: Wow! That is how to solve it? And your students can do it? Means they must be very smart. You only teach students from top schools?
Me: No, I have students coming from all sorts of schools.
Him: You mean you don't screen and choose students? You take whoever that comes to you?
Me: Yes, am I suppose to reject students? I thought the purpose of tutoring is to help students?
Him: I thought that since you students are so smart to solve this type of questions, they should be very smart and you accepted the students selectively.
Me: Oh, I don't do that. Anyway, nice chatting with you. I need to go off as my husband is waiting at the carpark.
Him: [Seems to ignore what I just said.] Since you are a tutor too, you should consider these books. Very good. I've been using them for 10 over years. [Points to Problem Solving Processes - which was only released late last year and some of Andrew Er's books - which were only published in 2004.]
Me: Oh, I've tried some of these [referring to Andrew Er's books], it's not very suitable as it does not go topic by topic and students can't finish the books just before exams.
Him: Is it? I've been using these to teach for 10 over years! No problems!
Me: Maybe it's suitable for individual tuition, but not for me.
Him: [Continues to babble on...]
Me: So sorry, sir. I really need to go. Nice chatting with you.

BTW, many parents overheard our conversation and came to ask for namecard from me. Sad to say, I don't carry namecards with me but I gave them my contact number.

Several question came to my mind:
1. This man is really old. He looks like he is in his 70s. I'm not saying that old people can't be tutors, but based on what he said, it seems like he does not know the current syllabus well. And, he could not even solve the number bond question (he was staring at it for very long before he noticed my pile of books). I'm just appalled at how these people can call themselves tutors! No wonder parents are so antsy about hiring tutors because they won't know if they are getting someone who is unable to even solve P2 number bond questions!

2. Reminds me of another tutor who was canvassing for students at an online forum. He actually questioned me on my mathematical workings and explanation (which I helped another mummy with). And he could not understand the model method (it was a P3 question). Then, in another thread which another parent was asking for help on a maths question, he posted that if anyone needed help with maths questions, can email to him. However, in the third related thread, he actually asked me to email him because he got some maths questions for me to solve. So, what is he trying to do? He ask parents to email him questions, then he email them to me for answers, and reply the parents with my answers which he will claim is his? This is highly unprofessional! To make use of others to gain the trust of parents so that they will hire him as their kid's tutor! And when I exposed him, he simply disappeared from the forum.

No wonder parents now are so anxious about tutors. In the past, I've never encountered parents who wanted to meet me before deciding if they wanted trial lessons. When I first encountered it this year, I was quite taken aback. Now, I start to understand how these parents feel (especially after a few unprofessional tutors who came to teach my boy Chinese too).

Now, I welcome parents to come down for a chat. However, due to my busy schedule, time seems like it's never enough. I would love to speak to parents in detail about their child's weaknesses and what parents can do at home to help boost their child's learning. Hopefully, when 2011 starts, I will have more time with the new schedule. :D

Invitation by a Publishing House

2010-10-28T18:29:00.000-07:00

I've been invited by an established publishing house to write assessment books, and maybe even textbooks. Excited at the chance of having something in produced in print.

However, my main focus will still be my students. Hopefully, the textbook/assessment book writing will give me more insight into the syllabus and make me take a step back to think through about how I can improve the delivery of lessons.

One step at a time. :D

More Tips on Helping Your Child Prepare for PSLE

2010-10-19T18:34:00.001-07:00

More tips:

1. Healthy diet and healthy bodies. Encourage them to eat healthily (more fruits) and exercise regularly (daddies and mummies, set good examples by spending time playing some sports with them).

2. Positive mindset. Encourage your child to do their best. Understand their limits (well, let's be honest, some children are really A* material and some are not - Aim for the moon so that even if you fail, you land among the stars). Teach them to aim high, but learn to accept disappointment too (most impt!!).

3. Thinking skills. I personally feel that kids these days are really lazy thinkers. One student told me,"Mrs Wong, why must learn to think? Computer will think for us what." -____"-

Question them, even over 'mundane' things like why there's a need for traffic lights. Why don't they just have red and green? Why must there be amber? How effective are the pedestrian crossings? Why have zebra crossings? Why not cow crossings? etc etc

GET THEIR BRAINS THINKING!

4. Sleep well. Most parents I know will enforce strict bedtime, regardless of homework completed or not.

5. SHOW YOUR LOVE & SUPPORT! Love comes in many forms. Make a nice drink while they are studying. Cooking their fave food (as long as it won't cause them to fall ill - like deep fried food). Spending time with them doing leisure activities. Assuring them that you'll be proud of them as long as they put in EFFORT - result is secondary.

I remember my dad showed his 'silent support' by staying up late with me into the nights. He pretended to watch TV - but it was on MUTE cos he did not want to disturb me. Made my fave iced Milo while I studied. Brought me out for nice supper after I'm done with studying (my dad can't cook).

End of the day, remind your kiddos that you love them for who they are.

As long as they did their best, you'll be proud of them no matter what results they get (though we all know that good results at PSLE may mean a better future).

Quoted to be Misquoted

2010-10-19T18:32:00.001-07:00

For most parents who are following threads in KSP, you would know about the recent article in The Newpaper.

Well, the quoted the first sentence and last sentence of my post, which makes me sound.... like I was advertising my services. And to quote the article, I was "plugging her (my) services".

I like what one parent posted about "ignoring the ignorant". :)

From this, we learnt:
Take tabloid news with a pinch of salt. They only pick out certain words/phrases/sentences and present a misleading idea. Now I know how the poor celebrities feel (though I'm definitely not one).

PSLE is over, and I received an email today....

2010-10-13T05:56:00.000-07:00

Mrs Wong,
You are such a terrible teacher. We can never forget what you did to us for the rest of our lives.

Firstly, you made us cry every lesson.
Then, you made us whine every lesson.
Also, you cause us to have sleepless nights before your lessons.
Lastly, you cause us emotional distress!

See how much damage you’ve caused us?

Well, it’s because…

You tell us such funny jokes, we laugh till tears roll down our cheeks, sometimes even roll on the floor in laughter.
You give us homework, which makes us whine every lesson. And you enjoy our whining! The more we whined, the wider your grin! But we know the homework was for us to improve.
You set high standards for us and every night, we lay in bed thinking about how to meet your standards. But you always assured us that we are all of high caliber and should be meeting your high standards.
Now, we miss you so much that we are emotionally distressed after PSLE. No more lessons with you!

Could you please open a S1 prep class for us?
Like teach us some new topics for S1 to prepare us?
Pretty please?
We know you miss us alot too!

<3
The JK gang

Dear JK gang,
You have no idea how much I'm missing all of you too!
Love,
Your PAPAYA-loving teacher :D

Compo by Sharleyne (P5)

2010-10-09T20:07:00.000-07:00

It was the last day of school. Friday the thirteenth.

There were numerous horror movies on television that day. I decided to catch a show as my parents went out together, leaving my younger brother and me along at home.

Feeling hungry, I cooked instant noodles for both of us and settled in front of the television to enjoy our noodles and the scary movie. We were tucking into our delicious noodles when we heard a knock. Our chopsticks were frozen in mid-air with noodles dangling down.

Fear and excitement was creeping into us. The horror movie we were watching was a show on ghosts and we started to suspect that there could be one just at our door! We plucked up courage and held hands to check out the ghost. We gingerly stepped over to the door, afraid that any sudden noise might cause the ghost to attack us.

Then, it was pitch black. We shivered at the thought of the ghost coming at us and started to grope around to our bedroom. Having learnt from the movies we watched, we started grabbing some equipments which made previously. The rice bag was to be used as a ghost catcher, trapping ghosts inside as when confined in a small area, they were unable to escape.

We took what we needed and headed towards the main door clumsily. This time, we were sure that we could catch the ghost. Taking in a deep breathe as if air gave me courage, I turned the knob and flung the door open.

It was there. Alone. A large box. Nicely wrapped with ribbons.

Puzzled, we dropped our equipments and stepped out of the house. As soon as we did so, two men emerged from the darkness and snatched my brother away! I ran as quickly as I could and pushed the man holding my brother but he was too strong. The other man pulled me back and pushed me into the house.

Back inside the house, they tied us up to the dining chairs and taped our mouths. Then, they started to raid the house for valuables. Afraid that my parents would blame us for opening the door to burglars, I started to brainstorm about how I could alert my neighbours for help.

Then it struck me. I started fidgetting. Rocking the chair to and fro. It slowly moved nearer to the wall. Then, in a desperate move, I throw myself with the chair against the wall to cause a loud crash. My shoulders ached as they hit the wall, then the floor. However, it was worth it.

Within a few minutes, my neighbour, Mr Lee, came over to check. He saw the door wide open and suspected that something was amiss. He came into the house and saw us tied up in the corner with the pale light streaming in from the corridor. Without hestitation, he walked stealthily over to us and hide in the darkness. He took out his mobile phone and sent a short message to his wife to inform the police while he kept watch on us.

The burglars were too engrossed in my parents' bedroom as they found the safe. They were making a such a ruckus that they did not hear the commotion in the living room.

Our brave saviours in blue arrived. Armed with batons and handcuffs, they were ready to arrest the burglars. We signalled which room they were in and the policemen hide outside out the door. Once the men appeared, the policemen pounced on them and pinned them to the ground.

Teeth clattering from the cold of the night and the fright we got, Mr Lee's wife wrapped us up in a thick blanket and took us to her house. She called our parents and they rushed home to comfort us.

Ever since then, our parents did not dare to leave us alone at home. We often head over to Mr and Mrs Lee's place for dinner and they would babysit us. A burglary helped us to discover such caring and helpful neighbours.

Assessment Books for SALE!

2010-10-02T21:38:00.001-07:00

More than 100 assessment books for sale!
From K1 till PSLE:
http://mw-booksale.blogspot.com/

Our actions & stress can rub off our kids

2010-10-02T21:15:00.000-07:00

As PSLE is approaching, I noticed that many students are starting to stress up.
However, it is not because they are really stressed but it's the stress that their parents are giving them - directly or indirectly.

Stress has its pros and cons.
A small amount of stress can enable a person to be more focused and finish any tasks at hand.
However, too much stress can cause panic attacks or mental blocks.

How much stress is too much?
Everyone has different stress-appetites and parents should be able to tell how much stress their children can take.
However, we often fail to realise that our actions and behaviour also affects our children.

Recently, I've been getting many requests for extra lessons due to the upcoming PSLE.
For most of them, they do not need that extra lessons as they've already acquired what they need to know and now should be a time for them to rest and mentally prepare themselves for the battle ahead, not stressing out their bodies physically and mentally with tuition after tuition.

One of my students cried during my class. She told me that she had 5 different tuitions that day and by the 3rd lesson (my lesson), she was already struggling to pay attention and her mind was already 'zoned out'.
Another student complained that his hand was very painful after doing 5 questions of S&T during my lesson. Upon further questioning, I found out that his mother had forced him to finish alot of work just before the lesson and he was heading home after my lesson for another tutor's lesson that his place!

Parents must understand:
零时抱佛脚 (hugging Budhha's leg at the last minute) does not help at all.
Consistent learning with adequate rest and play is more important for the mental and physical health of children. Also, time management is important.

Instead of cramping more tuition lessons at the last minute, parents should consider some leisure activities like a simple board game to relax or simply bringing your children out for a nice dinner without any talk about schoolwork or exams.

A refreshed mind can do better than a worn out mind.

I encourage all students to rest the day before their papers. If they had a paper earlier that day, take a hearty lunch to replenish energy, a nice shower to relax and forget the worries about the previous paper and TAKE A GOOD NAP!
If one really wants to revise, it should be reading up on past mistakes or reading up on notes that teacher has provided. Not madly trying to complete all the practice papers or assessment books.

Parents, remember to give your kids a break.
We want the best for them but we will still love them no matter what results they get, right?
Assure your kids that you'll still love them and be proud of them because they've put in the effort.
Being confident and assured is half the battle won.

Kids in P4 & 5 this year, you better start your engines running so that it'll be smooth by P6.

BEST WISHES TO ALL STUDENTS TAKING PSLE THIS YEAR!

Well Done Jo!!!

2010-09-18T17:38:00.000-07:00

Another sample compo written by my student. She started creative writing lessons with me in Nov 09. This compo was written by her in Mar 10.
She's from a popular school in Tampines and is in P6 this year. She scored 36/40 for this composition.

I was sentenced to five years in jail when I was twenty. Now, at the age of twenty-five, I am being released. I decided to turn over a new leaf and be a successful lawyer. I have a pair of twin brothers, aged ten. Every night, they would request for a story told my me. Once, they asked me to tell them about my experience being a burglar. I paused, as memories flashed before me. [Flashback Technique]

It was a still and silent night. I looked around to see if anyone was watching us while my partner tried to force open the lock of the gate. Being an inexperienced burglar, I did not wear a cap, nor dark sunglasses to conceal my identity. My partner was well-versed in the art of concealment. He was covered from head to toe and not even a hint of skin was visible. The owner of the house was on a vacation to America, and we knew that he was loaded.

Unknown to us, a lady had spotted us and called the police. However, we were much quicker. As soon as the gate was pried open, we ran into separate rooms and my partner started to open drawer after drawer, pulling out everything that he saw and tossing the items carelessly on the floor. In the other room, I was gasping as my eyes widened at the sight of glittering jewellery and wades of notes. After we gathered a large sack of loot, I slung it over my shoulders and poured kerosene all over. We quickly ran out and climbed over the fence. By then, police sirens were blaring louder and louder. I quickly lit a match and threw it over the fence. The flames from the backyard had spread quickly, until the whole house was engulfed in flames. My partner and I ran as fast as our legs could carry us, as if our predators were catching up with us.

We hid in a friend's house, following our plan. From his house, we could see the team of police officers surrounding the house. And also, the residents from neighbouring houses have formed a swelling crowd in front of the house. The sirens wailed as the fire engines sailed down the street. Residents in the neighbouring houses were evacuated as the fire raged on. The firemen quickly grabbed their hoses and battled furiously to save the burning house.

My heart was thumping fast. I felt a deep sense of guilt. At that moment, I decided to turn myself in. [Twist] I looked out of the window once again. A woman was giving details to the policeman. Without hesitation, I dropped the sack of loot and walked towards the crowd. The crowd gave way and like a robot, I walked towards the policeman. The lady, who was giving details, pointed at me and said in Chinese, "It's him! It's him!"

"Yes, officer. I'm the one," as soon as I finished my sentence, the policeman handcuffed me and brought me to the police station for interrogation.

I was then sentenced to give years in jail while my partner got away with his crime. I have not heard from him, even up till today. I am now studying in a university, starting my life anew.

By the time I had finished my story, my two brothers had dozed off. I stood up, switched off the lights and went back to my room. I sat at my study table and began writing. I wrote a story about myself, my life story.

Comments by her school teacher:
Well-written. You used a alot of 'Look, Say, Do' technique.
Story was simple yet vivid enough to form a picture in the reader's mind.
Keep it up!

Composition Writing

2010-09-18T17:22:00.000-07:00

Just realised that I've written an article on KSP quite some time ago.
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/more-composition-writing-tips

My suggestions to parents (things that I usually do with my tutees):

Make them start a journal

If they are the type that do not know what to write, give them a topic a day. I usually start off with giving them pictures (can be anything under the sun!) with some questions as prompts. Then there'll be a list of helping words/phrases related to the topic.

Depending on your child's age, you can get them to start with 10 sentences per day (P1/2) and slowly get them to increase the number of sentences. It's ok if their sentences seem very random & do not link at the beginning.

Start off with correcting basic grammar & spelling. Then if you spot a sentence that can be improved with better vocab or phrase, teach them & get them to jot it down in their journal.

You can also let your child take pictures whenever you go out & use those pictures as the topics. It'll be easier for them this way as they have personally experienced what they saw in the picture. You can also use photos from family trips, childhood photos, etc.

Read out loud

Children who do not like to read usually have problems with the words, which makes them hate reading in the first place. Ask your child to read out loud to you. If they are shy, start off with you reading 1 sentence, then they will read the next and alternate.

They feel less self-conscious if you are also reading with them & once you note pauses (meaning they do not know the word), quickly help them before they start to feel frustrated. Praise them & assure them that they are doing a good job. Not only are you encouraging reading, you are also encouraging them to practice their oral skills! Where to find so many passages to read?

You can buy model composition books or buy comprehension books & read the passages (the latter is better as the topics are usually general knowledge topics & it will help them in cloze passages & comprehension). Discuss about the topic of the passage you read. Prompt them with questions like:

"Do you think ___ did the right thing?"

"Was he brave/courageous by doing that?", etc.

If you spot difficult words, search the dictionary with them. It's a good skill to learn - searching the dictionary for meaning of words. It makes them curious & they are always amazed at how some words can have so many meanings!

Play a game

Play word games with your child. Start off with a word & the next person must give another word that has the same meaning or is related (e.g. butterfly -> wings -> colourful -> rainbow -> green -> leaves). Keep going till someone is stuck. It's very fun & their competitive spirit will spur them to learn more words. It also trains their minds to link objects/descriptions.

You can also write down the words (encourage them to spell) & make use of the words to form a sentence or story! Although the sentences/stories may seem 'crazy', it's really fun & gives them something to think about.

Self questioning technique

Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

Usually we will teach children to write 3 paragraphs - Introduction, Body & Conclusion. But do the kids understand what is expected in each paragraph?

This is what a typical story would be like:

Introduction -> Who is in the story? When/Where did it happen?

Body (can be more than 1 paragraph) -> What happened? Why did it happen?

Conclusion -> How was the matter resolved? Closing sentence.

Sample written by my P5 student [Topic - Describe what happened when you were late for a very important event.]:

Perspiration was trickling down the sides of my [WHO] face, every step causes a drop that was dangling at my chin to splatter on the tar road. It was the day of my PSLE examination [WHEN] & I was on my way to school [WHERE]. I was pushing myself to run as fast as my legs could take me as it was 10 minutes before my first paper was about to start. As I was running, I started to reflect. I knew it was entirely my fault that I'm late, but I could not help but hold resentment towards them. The two immature & spoilt children whom I have to call my siblings [WHO].

I woke up this morning thinking it was six in the morning. The room was dark, the air was fresh and most importantly, my trusty clock had it's shorter hand pointing at six and its longer hand in the opposite direction. A quick check with the living room clock and my heart skipped a beat. It was actually 8am! I scurried back into my room, fantically changing my clothes, suddenly noticing my two younger brothers giggling at the bedroom door.

"What are you laughing it? I'm late for a major exam that determines the rest of my life and the two of you are giggling! You must have something to do with this!" I yelled in frustration. I guess my tone was nasty as my youngest brother started crying.

"We played with your clock last night after you feel asleep and we thought it would be fun to make you late for school since you slept so early," my youngest brother mumbled feebly with his knees shaking. [WHAT/WHY]

So it was them. I should have gotten my parents to wake me up. I should have gotten my friends to ring me in the morning. I cannot help but smack myself in the head, ignoring the fact that I'll be killing some much-needed brain cells. It was my fault for not making back-up plans in case the clock fails, but why must they play with my clock of all days?

I made up my mind to grill my siblings on the barbeque or tie them up on a tree after my examinations. For now, I'll have to run harder. The school gate was in sight! I dashed past security, past the school office & up into the school hall. 300 pairs of eyes suddenly suddenly looked up at me, all sweaty & disheveled. I had arrived in the nick of time, the teachers were just about to start the examination. I quickly took my seat and focused on the paper in front of me.

After the paper, I went straight home & called my parents. I was too tired with deal with my brothers physically. I told them everything over the phone and took a nap. When I woke up, I could hear screaming and crying. "Piak!" came the sound of the cane. I ran out of my room to take a look. My parents were caning my brothers for their mischief. My heart ached as I saw the cane land on their bottoms.

I quickly ran over to shield my brothers. My brothers clung to me like koala bears on a tree. Their faces were smeared with tears & mucus, their hands riddled with cane marks. Although they did cause me to be late for my examination, I still loved them. I begged my parents to stop as I've already forgiven them. After drying their tears & comforting them, I told them about the dire consequences if I had been a little later. They apologised and promised never to be mischevious again. [HOW] I also made a silent resolution to ensure that I have back up plans whenever I have something important [CLOSING SENTENCE].

May not be the best compo, but she managed to use some techniques I practised with her in which I'm pleased as this is a student who used to fail composition.

Teacher's Day

2010-09-01T07:24:00.000-07:00

Today is Teacher's Day. I'm wishing all TEACHERS and MUMMIES/DADDIES a super happy Teacher's Day. :D

I spent the past two weeks compiling notes for my PSLE students.
The verbal instructions I've been telling them simply 'vanished'. They decided that they need physical notes to read and remind themselves about what has been taught.

I love their enthusiasm. When I showed them the set of notes for Synthesis & Transformation (it's 46 pages of notes!), they were squealing and treated it like gold. At that moment, I realised that my efforts were not in vain. I smiled proudly to myself and motivated myself to create more notes for them.

The countless presents were heartening. The best was the appreciative 'thanks' that came from their hearts. I love those kids to bits! What will I do without them?

The messages on their cards make me tear. I'm glad I made the right choice.
I simply can't imagine my life without the little precious ones blessing me, enriching me and teaching me.
I've learnt alot from them and will continue to do so. Thank you little darlings :) Study hard for your exams! The best present you can give yourself, your family and me will be results reflective of your abilities :)

Exams Exams Exams

2010-08-30T03:21:00.000-07:00

Life is full of exams - in different forms.

PSLE is one of the earlier academic exams that many are afraid of.
Good grades equate a good future whereas poor grades results in demoralised children who may give up on their studies totally.

One way parents can help their children to face PSLE: Help them realise that it's not 'THE END'.
If one gets good grades, it's the start of a challenging academic career. Filled with competition with others of the same calibre. Striving to stay on top.
If one does not get good grades, it's the start of a challenging climb. The climb to beat those who have succeeded earlier. The climb to the top.

By 'top', I do not mean getting first in class or getting some award. It simply means to do the best one can achieve.

We need to learn to accept our children for who they are. They may not score As, but they may be great comedians. Learning to love themselves and work hard for themselves, for their own families, for their own future is something that parents need to instill in them from young.

Sadly, I see many students who lack focus. Parents are too busy to understand their kids. Parents are too busy being 'perfect parents' to step back and see what might be a better option for their children.

I'm still learning as my boy grows. Hopefully, I will be that parent that is proud of every achievement my son has - even if it may mean nothing to others.

[SOLD] Books for sale (2 copies)

2010-08-19T02:29:00.000-07:00

SOLD

I accidentally bought 2 extra copies of the same book. They are brand new (I just recieved them yesterday).

Selling them off at loss. $6 per copy (includes normal mail).

This book is suitable for K1 - P2 (depending on their reading abilities).
Children classics are a great way to teach them about values and also spur their imagination.
Some of the stories in this books are popular and well-known stories.

Do email me (mrswong.tuition@gmail.com) if you are keen.

Tuition = Spoonfeeding?

2010-08-12T06:14:00.000-07:00

Recently read a comment that parents who give their children tuition are spoonfeeding them and causing them to be 'weak' and unable to apply what they learnt in the workplace.

This got me thinking about the effects of tuition. Would it be positive or negative?
It really boils down to individual teacher/tutor.

I do not advocate spoon-feeding. Students who come to me know that I will never spoon feed them with answers. I will probe and prod to get them to think of the answer. If there is really a need to show the entire working/solution, I will print similar questions and ask them to attempt on their own, to make sure that they can apply the concept on their own.

I have a variety of students who come to me for tuition. Some really need the extra help (no one speaks English at home and he has been failing English). Some come for something 'extra' (already scoring 90++ for all subjects).

Regardless of their 'purpose' of tuition, I try to stretch them. For those scoring well, we sometimes do 'out of the box' stuff together (making ice cream and explaning the science behind it, challenging each other with IQ maths questions, etc).

At the end of the day, parents must ensure that their child is not spoonfed by the tutor or the parents themselves if they do not advocate spoonfeeding them with answers.
Certain enrichment classes really push the kids to think and discover on their own (with scaffolding).

Don't be too quick to put down tuition or enrichment classes. Take some time to discover their methods and based on the feedback you manage to get from the teacher/tutor, you would also know if the child is benefitting (by benefitting, I do not mean academic results alone - rapport with teacher/tutor is also important).

Bach Flower Remedies - Natural Stress Remedies

2010-07-31T22:20:00.000-07:00

Ever wondered about TCM but worried that your child may not drink it due to the smell/taste?

Many have not heard of Bach Flower Essences but it's proven effective for my family and students (& even my dog).
It's mostly odourless and colourless, just a few drops into your daily drinking water is enough.
The kids won't even realise that it's there!

There is a large range of different flowers with different properties. You can read more here: http://www.bachflower.com/.

"The Bach® Flower Remediesare 100% safe and natural and work in conjunction with herbs, homeopathy and medications. They are safe for everyone, including children, pregnant women, pets, elderly and even plants." ~ Quoted from http://www.bachflower.com/

Tried & Tested Remedies:
Rescue Remedy http://www.bachflower.com/Rescue_Remedy.htm
"This combination of Bach Flower Remedies is especially beneficial when you find yourself in traumatic situations, such as, stress, emergencies, after getting bad news, before an exam or job interview and all other kind of situations where we suddenly lose balance mentally. The Remedies quickly get us back in our normal balance so that we calmly can deal with any situation."
I normally give this to students before examinations. It helps to calm their nerves and allow them to be able to compose themselves for the big battle.

Cerato
"Those who have not sufficient confidence in themselves to make their own decisions. They constantly seek advice from others, and are often misguided" - Dr. Edward Bach

Clematis
"Those who are dreamy, drowsy, not fully awake, no great interest in life. Quiet people, not really happy in their present circumstances, living more in the future than in the present; living in hopes of happier times when their ideals may come true. In illness some make little or no effort to get well, and in certain cases may even look forward to death, in the hope of better times; or maybe, meeting again some beloved one whom they have lost." - Dr. Edward Bach

Hornbeam
"For those who feel that they have not sufficient strength, mentally or physically, to carry the burden of life placed upon them; the affairs of every day seem too much for them to accomplish, though they generally succeed in fulfilling their task. For those who believe that some part, of mind or body, needs to be strengthened before they can easily fulfill their work." - Dr. Edward Bach

The complete list of the usages of different flower essences: http://www.bachflower.com/38_Essences.htm

I normally purchase them online from here: http://www.iherb.com/Bach-Original-Flower-Essences
(USE YAF688 for US$5 off your first purchase!)

It's cheaper than purchasing from shops in SG. For those who are skeptical about online shopping or want to check out the real product before purchasing, you can get them from BROWN RICE PARADISE at TANGLIN MALL.

Teaching your child to read open his/her eyes to the world

2010-07-30T17:01:00.000-07:00

Reading is a precious gift.
A child who can read can explore the wonders of books and magazines.
Reading can transport a child into an imaginary world.
Reading can allow a child to learn from the character's experiences and mistakes.

As a kiasu parent, I placed reading as a priority for my son.
Watching him pick up a book, reading every word accurately without help, is extremely rewarding.
No words can describe that feeling - when you realise your little baby is an independant reader and will go on to explore books on his own, diving into fantasy worlds and learning about past events.

How to get a 3yo to read?
Honestly, I never taught it would be possible.
When I bought books, I always harboured the thought that he'll only start reading them when he's 5yo or older. However, that did not stop me. I went on mad book sprees, buying whole sets of phonics readers, sight word readers, etc etc. Anything that I could get my hands on, I bought. My husband thought that I was mad. I convinced him that being surrounded by books (though he still couldn't read) will have a positive effect. And it did.

When he was younger, he would simply flip through the books to look at the pictures. We sorted out the books:
- Picture books (or books with interesting pictures)
- Simple phonics books
- Simple sight word books
- Tougher story books (sorted by difficulty level)

Picture books and simple phonics books were placed on the lower shelves, within easy reach.
As he flipped through the books, we pointed to the words and read clearly and slowly to him.

There are generally 2 methods to teach reading: Phonics & Sight Words.
I'm kiasu. We used both methods.

Phonics was picked up watching a very entertaining DVD: Leapfrog Letter Factory.
Followed with Word Factory and Code Word Caper.
He attended phonics lessons but what they were teaching was so basic, he went there to play, not to learn.

Sight words were learnt through DVDs and flashcards (DIY).
Simply go to Popular, get a book called 'High Frequency Words' and they have flashcards that come with the book too. 128 common words, sorted out into 4 terms and activities to match.
Then, get a pack of cards (around 250 - 300 gsm, A4 size will do) from Popular (near the shelves where they place the construction papers). Get a thick marker (preferably red or black). Write down common sight words on the cards and let your child play with them.

My son did not like use to 'flash' the cards like GD method. He loved touching the cards, flipping them himself. So be it. As he looked at each card, point and read to him. Yes, he did try eating the cards. We stopped him. He did try bending the cards, we stopped him too. After a while, he realised that the cards have to be handled with care. No bending, no eating, no drawing on it.

When outside, point and read whatever words/signboards you can. Get them interested in the words around them. It's FREE and FUN!

Make up silly songs to spell out words so that they can recognise the words too.
"One, One - O. N. E!
Two, Two - T. W. O!
...."
(Sung to 'Lu Lu Skip to my Lu')

Reading is really fun! You don't need alot of money or knowledge to empower your child with reading. Simply read with your child and encourage your child to read the simple words to you first.
Encouragement helps them to build up their confidence to read!

Also, set an example. Get a few books for yourself and start reading.
Children learn my example and you will be amazed when your child wants to read, just like you!

Empire Food Tingkat Lunch Review

2010-07-22T07:08:00.000-07:00

Tingkat Lunch which was delivered on 21/7/2010 by Empire Food (http://www.empirefood.com.sg/) Ordered for 1 pax, $130 + $10 (rice) + $10 (microwavable containers, 20 days
(very flexi about which days, you can even choose once a week! I chose thrice a week, Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
The guy I spoke to over the phone was also very patient in answering my questions and extremely polite.

3 dishes and 1 soup (before opening):

After opening:

The soup:

Delicious and tasty soup.
Loved the way they sealed it (like bubble tea).
Have ordered order tingkat before and they've always spilt the soup but this packaging is great.
Confirm no spillage!

2 large pieces of pork ribs. Loads of wolfberries floating around.
Definitely no MSG as I did not get more thirsty after drinking the whole bowl.

Upclose on the dishes:

Scallop (imitation) with vegetables
Nice gravy!
And for 1 pax share, I consider this rather generous as there were 4 pieces of scallops :)

Pork Chop
Soft and well marinated.
Abit salty when eaten alone but with rice, it was perfect!

Long Beans!
I love love love long beans.
The long beans were just nice, cooked but not too soft.
Still have some crunch and it's not yellow or smelling funky.
And it's not oily or salty. Very simple dish and it went well with the other dishes.

Overall, the dishes were nice.
The rice was a little dry but that was quickly fixed by dousing it with the soup.
The portions were huge. I only managed to finish slightly less than 1/2 and kept the rest for hubs to try when he came back for dinner. He liked it too! He's considering ordering it for lunch at his office since the canteen there is exp and the food isn't nice.

I would definitely order them again after these 20 days cycle is over (last day for this cycle is 3 Sep!)
Worth the price :) And definitely can be given to kids (my boy is 3.5yo).

Discovering Reading

2010-07-16T18:08:00.000-07:00

Just yesterday morning, my son was reading aloud. I thought that I was hearing things. He was reading clearly and it was a proper story.

Stunned, I walked out of my bedroom, half-awake.
There he was, holding a book, seated on the sofa. It was the weekly storybook his school puts in his school bag to encourage the kids to read.

I was AMAZED. He could actually read the words without help!
There's some repetition but he could point out the words and read them clearly.

Upon finishing the book, he got a round of applause from my maid and me. He looked so proud.
Immediately, he dashed off to his room and picked another book.
HE WAS HUNGRY FOR MORE!

Well, he did not learn to read overnight. It was consistent hard work from us at home and the teachers at school.

What did we do with him?
We do not have a fixed 'structure' or 'syllabus' to teach him. It was more of experiental learning :)

I created my own set of flashcards on PPT. One set had pictures on one slide with the corresponding words on the next slide. The other set had purely words only. It was more for expansion of vocabulary rather than reading (especially the pictures ones), but he picked up and recognised certain words from there. However, being a FTWM, I only have weekends to show this to him. And not all weekends as some weekends are spent at my mum's place. So, I printed out the softcopies into proper flashcards. Expensive but worth the effort as he likes handling the cards too.
We bought some books that came with flashcards (sight words) from Popular Bookstore. He loved the colourful cards and used to play with them by just flipping through them and building 'houses' with the cards. Well, we did not flash the cards to him like recommended methods of Glenn Doman/Shichida. We simply read the word on the card which he was holding and looking at.
I ordered some DVDs/VCDs on sight words and phonics. He simply loves them. His fave: LEAPFROG SERIES. He learnt all his phonics from there. He's able to do simple blending now and we do emphasize on that with him.
Spell out any word he is interested in. He recently started to love pizza. Everytime he sees a pizza, he'll get so excited. Then we will spell 'pizza' (usually in a self-created, silly tune) and he will remember it very well! We tried this at the supermarket with fruits and numbers and it worked very well. He can spell from 1-12 and can also spell many other fruits. Not a consciencious effort to force him to learn to spell, just a fun tune while he's exposed to the particular item!

Exposure is key and even if they do not seem interested at first, link reading to their fave topics/cartoons and they will start to love it!

Learning the Abacus

2010-07-15T03:05:00.000-07:00

My parents gave me weird looks when I told them that I'm taking up abacus.

My colleagues asked me if I'm mad.

My husband told me to do it if I like it.

My students thought I'm so cool to learn abacus at my age.

***

My purpose for learning the abacus is actually to coach my own son.
Why coach him personally when there are so many abacus classes out there?
Main reason: I could not find any suitable classes near us (in terms of location and timing). It's either that they do not take in kids so young or they do not have enough students to start the class.

So, I'm taking up the challenge.
Learning from scratch and obtaining Mental Grade 4 and Abacus Grade 5 within 1.5 months is not easy.

It took me 3 lessons (usual is 5 lessons) to obtain Mental Grade 7 and Abacus Grade 8. Quite good for a beginner (according to the principal teaching me).

***

Has abacus been useful to me?

YES! I noticed that I'm able to concentrate and focus better. Now, I can do mental calculations in a very noisy environment. I've learnt to shut off any distractions and focus on what I'm doing!

Even better, my mental calculation is so fast that I'm faster than my P5/6 students who are using the calculator. They just can't figure out how I did it! So I'm gaining a different form of respect from them too.

Don't worry about them not being able to use the school's method and such. I'm learning 3G Abacus (a patented system in SG - http://www.3gabacus.com/). It's incorporating number bonds like what they are teaching in Primary school.

After learning it for myself, I do see the relevance towards Singapore's Maths syllabus. I encourage students who have learnt it to make use of it to check their answers (I still make them write down every single step). And it's very similar to the method we teach in P3 to do mental calculations.

After I've mastered it, I hope to further enhance this unique abacus system to allow students to incorporate it into story/problem sums. And I really do hope that this would come true very soon!

Toothpaste for infants and toddlers?

2010-07-13T01:54:00.000-07:00

I used to use Biotene's Baby First Teeth Toothpaste (Apple-Banana Flavour). However, their stock was unstable and prices in Singapore is crazy!

When he was around 1.5yo, we changed to: http://www.iherb.com/Jason-Natural-Earth-s-Best-Toddler-Toothpaste-Free-Gum-Brush-Strawberry-and-Banana-1-6-oz-50-g/17265?at=0
This is suitable for 6mths onwards :)

One of the deciding factors was because this product is ORGANIC, no flouride, no preservatives. It is from natural FOOD GRADE ingredients.

Now that he's older, we've switched to this:
http://www.iherb.com/Jason-Natural-Kids-Only-Toothpaste-Strawberry-4-2-oz-119-g/16292?at=0
This is suitable for 2yo onwards :)

He loves it and will not resist brushing his teeth.
We've taught him to gargle and spit but he does swallow occasionally, so we feel that it's still better to get an organic/food grade toothpaste for him at the moment. Might change when he's older (like around 6yo).

***
Don't forget to use discount code YAF688 to get US$5 off your first purchase!
***

Skin Problems? ORGANIC SKINCARE TO THE RESCUE!

2010-07-13T01:48:00.000-07:00

Organic skin care

His shampoo: http://www.iherb.com/Jason-Natural-Kids-Only-Extra-Gentle-Shampoo-17-5-fl-oz-517-ml/6204?at=0
This smells so great. My sweaty boy can still smell so sweet & yummy that I wanna eat him!
Grape smell

His bodywash: http://www.iherb.com/Nature-s-Baby-Organics-Shampoo-Body-Wash-Lavender-Chamomile-16-fl-oz-473-ml/21540?at=0
-> This is for the night bath cos the lavender and chamomile helps him to 'wind down' & relax to get ready for bed

http://www.iherb.com/Rainbow-Research-Baby-Oh-Baby-Organic-Herbal-Body-Wash-8-fl-oz/9067?at=0
-> this is for his morning/afternoon shower.
Contains lemongrass (which my mum's friend says is good for the skin, esp skin probs).

- Moisturise 3 times a day
He's using a lotion recommended by the doctor at NSC. Physiogel lotion.
Usually stock up when they have the twin pack promo.

He's no longer on follow up with the NSC doctor because there has not been any flare ups for the past 1yr plus

Diaper rash

Due to his ezcema, he had very bad diaper rash

We used Drapolene (no help at all), Desitin Creamy (hard to wash) and Pureen diaper cream (not too bad). But then we found CANUS GOAT'S MILK DIAPER RASH CREAM (bought from Amazon.com). It's superb!

Cleared up his diaper rash, then subsequently, no more diaper rash! And it's cheap. 1 tub is S$25 (include shipping). That 1st tub, is still in use today Last us for 3yr+.

***
Don't forget to use discount code YAF688 to get US$5 off your first purchase!
***

Nature VS Nurture

2010-07-13T01:45:00.000-07:00

Common question that many parents ask me: "How did you teach your boy? Is it inherited? Or nurtured?"

I really don't know. All I know is that I do my best as a parent.

When I was pregnant/breastfeeding, I took alot of fish and fish oils. Research has shown that increased DHA does help to increase mental capabilities.

So, I'm a kiasu mother, loaded up on those.

My recommendation: http://www.iherb.com/New-Chapter-Wholemega-Prenatal-500-mg-90-Softgels/22651?at=0

It is from 100% WILD Alaskan Salmon.

WILD fishes have lower toxins like mercury or other heavy metals. So you need not worry about indirectly taking in toxins which might harm your baby.
This is good for preggie & BF mummies.

Well, I'm not breastfeeding anymore, but I still keep up this kiasu regime.

This is what I started for my boy: http://www.iherb.com/Childlife-Cod-Liver-Oil-Strawberry-Flavor-8-fl-oz-237-ml/8521?at=0
But he did not like strawberry flavour, so we changed to: http://www.iherb.com/Nordic-Naturals-Arctic-Cod-Liver-Oil-Orange-Flavor-16-fl-oz-473-ml/4192?at=0
Now I've changed to this: http://www.iherb.com/Twinlab-Norwegian-Cod-Liver-Oil-Unflavored-Flavor-12-fl-oz-355-ml/2417?at=0
Main reason for change is because this brand is certified free from heavy metals :)

Again, being extremely kiasu, I did not leave it up to 'nature'. We sent him for numerous classes, taught him at home and carefully selected his kindy. Teaching him at home is really fun. Exposure to wide range of vocab, encouraging him to speak up, creating games to play with him, etc etc.

Even if you have a tight budget, the key is EXPOSURE. Bring them to the park to learn about insects, plants and small animals that live there. It's free (probably pay for transport if the park is not near your place). Bring them to the supermarket to learn about fruits, vegetables, objects, etc etc. Supermarkets are the best place to learn the names of different items. It's FREE plus the kids get to TOUCH the items

Plus, I bought alot of educational CDs (VCDs, CD Rom) for him. When my maid is busy and has to cook/do housework, she will turn on for him to watch. Now, he has learnt to turn on the TV & DVD player himself. He will choose his own disks and play them to watch.

***
Don't forget to use discount code YAF688 to get US$5 off your first purchase!
***

Supplements? Health Food? Healthy Diet?

2010-07-13T01:34:00.000-07:00

My son is currently 3.5yo. Breastfed baby until 18mths old and entered CCC once he turned 18mths.

2 months before he started CCC, my hubby and I decided to give him supplements to boost his immune system as I was running out of breastmilk at that time too (I stopped expressing/latching when he was 1yo. From 1yo till 18mths old, he was drinking frozen EBM which I managed to stock up in our chest freezer).

I actually chanced across iHerb while searching for Organic Mother's Milk (to help boost my breastmilk supply). Cheap and reliable :)

My usual shopping hunts for ORGANIC or NATURAL products:

- Supplements/Toothpaste/Shampoo/Bodywash/Snacks:
http://www.iherb.com/
(Use YAF688 for US$5 discount)
This website is reliable. I've been purchasing from them since JAN 2007. Loyal customer due to their reliability and efficiency. They direct ship to SG through normal mail (for light items) or DHL. DHL has been very flexi with delivery timings, even had a special delivery to me at midnight before cause I requested for them to send it to me immediately.
EXPIRY DATES for products all clearly listed on the website. Great for those who like to stock up (like me).

- Organic food: NTUC (AMK Hub), Brown Rice Paradise (Tanglin Mall)

- Occasionally: Vitakids (Paragon) -> They have the same things as iHerb. Sometimes too urgent and iHerb needs at least 3-5 workings days, so I will buy from Vitakids first. Price is 30-50% higher than buying from iHerb (include shipping charges).

In 2007, I started buying from iHerb.com. However, at that time, they did not have international shipping and we had to go through 3rd party shipping forwarders (www.vpost.com.sg or www.borderlinx.com). It added to the cost. Then in 2008, they started to offer international shipping, which meant that they shipped DIRECT TO US! I was hooked and have been purchasing from them ever since. I personally have recommended many mummies to purchase from them too and they have given me very positive feedback!

Let me share more information about the products I purchase regularly:

At first, we started off with this supplement: http://www.iherb.com/Childlife-Colostrum-with-Probiotics-Orange-Pineapple-Flavor-50-g-Powder-1-7-oz/10630?at=0
(FYI: GNC is selling this exact same product for $70+, even with their massive member discounts, you can't match the price you get from iHerb!)
Now, we've changed to this brand (cheaper due to large pack): http://www.iherb.com/Symbiotics-Colostrum-Plus-Powder-1-lb-5-oz/4091?at=0
They also have pill form for adults: http://www.iherb.com/Symbiotics-Colostrum-Plus-Capsules-240-Capsules/4090?at=0

It's COLOSTRUM and it's known to boost immune systems, just like how breastmilk helps to boost immune systems.
After my boy started, his CCC teachers commented to us on many occasions that my boy did not fall sick at all though many others kids are ill (cough and runny noses). They said that on an average, young kids who attend CCC will fall ill at least once a month. However, during his 1.5 years at that CCC, he only fell ill 3 times. Once was HFMD (very mild) and the other two times were bouts of flu where he was still active but we decided not to send him to school so that he won't spread it to other kids.
A few other mummies from a motherhood forum have also given positive feedback ever since they started their kids on it. In fact, they were so impressed they bought the pills for themselves and loved it. Feedback from them is that they do not fall ill as often (she mentioned she used to have constant sore/itchy throat) and do not feel as tired all the time.

Another product I love:
http://www.iherb.com/Nature-s-Way-Sambucus-for-Kids-Berry-Flavored-8-fl-oz-240-ml/9342?at=0
It contains POLLEN, which is not recommended for young children as some might be allergic.

Another brand which is also sambucol but no pollen added:
http://www.iherb.com/Sambucol-Black-Elderberry-Immune-System-Support-Liquid-For-Kids-Berry-Flavored-4-fl-oz-120-ml/16697?at=0

Both brands are available at VitaKids if you are keen to take a look at the actual products. Due to the urgency at that time, we purchased our first bottle from VitaKids (so exp). Subsequently, we actually ordered from iHerb :)

In 2008, my son had a mild bout of HFMD. Someone in another forum recommended SAMBUCOL (Black Elderberry). This was very effective when my boy had HFMD. His symptoms were super mild and he ate, played and misbehaved as usual. Usually kids will suffer alot during HFMD with ulcers in the mouth/throat, unable to eat, unable to rest well, etc. My boy was a perfect monkey, other than the red spots and 2 small ulcers in his mouth. Many of my friends who tried it on their kids when they had HFMD also reported good improvement and lesser 'suffering' on their kids.

Now, when he shows sign of runny nose, itchy throat, cough, etc. I immediately give him SAMBUCOL. It is a herbal remedy that's good for viral infections. I do not give daily because it's rather strong.

Another product I love is PROBIOTICS!
Although this is easily available at supermarkets (Vitagen & Yakult), I do not like the sugar content in those products (I'm very strict about sugar content in my son's food).

So I give this:
http://www.iherb.com/Source-Naturals-Acidophilus-Powder-Freeze-Stabilized-2-oz-56-7-g/1012?at=0

It is heat stable which means it can tolerate shipping better. :)
This is taken by the whole family (my maid included) :)

Now, I know many parents think I'm mad by being so strict and fussy with my boy's diet.

Why are you so strict about his food?
- Healthy habits start from young.
My boy was not exposed to any form of seasoning until he tasted adult food at 2.5yo. And adult food for him is a rare treat (when we dine out).
He does not like sweet or salty foods now. Mac fries, without salt pls. Give him a sweet, he'll give it back to me. Jelly, only unsweetened ones. Potato chips, he'll use a tissue to wipe off the seasoning.
We dont't have to delibrately control his 'junk food' intake now that he's old enough to express what he likes & wants.

- I was not given vege regularly when I was young, so end up growing up to dislike vege. I don't want the same thing to happen to my boy. So we encourage him to take vege. He loves crunchy vege, so we give him long beans, french beans, cucumber, etc.

- Healthy diet = healthy child
Less oil, no sugar, no salt.
Before he was 2.5yo, all his 'junk food' like chips and fries are HOME MADE. Slice up the potatoes, pat them dry, bake in oven
Snacks = raisins, dried cranberries (also from iHerb: http://www.iherb.com/Eden-Foods-Organic-Dried-Cranberries-4-oz-113-g/13843?at=0), dried apricots, etc. I have a food dehydrator at home to dry fruits on our own too When he was younger, we puree fruits to make fruit rolls which I cut into small squares to give him as 'sweets'. It's like rewards for him when he finishes his meals

- Healthy snacks?
My boy eats organic cereals or those adult cereals (low sugar/salt).
Or plain cornflakes with fruits. Yum Yum!

For parents who do not mind giving their kids sweets, here's something to make you feel better: ORGANIC LOLLIPOPS! Made from natural fruit juices! http://www.iherb.com/Search?kw=organic+lollipop

I buy these for my students & they love them. Some flavours have a natural sourness to them and my students keep wanting more!
Guardian/Watsons do sell them, but the price is much higher!
They also have candy drops (sweets with the stick).

Selecting the Right Preschool for Your Child

2010-07-09T21:49:00.000-07:00

Recently, I recieved alot of emails from fellow parents asking about which preschool my son is currently in. I am really sorry that I am unable to share more information about this school as it concerns our privacy and our son's safety (we never know how is lurking around in the cyber world!).

However, I can share with parents on the criterions my hubby and I looked at when selecting a preschool for my boy.

1. Location
Depending on your childcare and work arrangements, this will be an important factor.
If you have elderly parents or maids looking after the kids when they are not at school, it is best to choose a school near home or a school with a reliable school bus service.
If your work is flexible or you are a SAHM with your own transportation and you don't mind travelling, then you can expand your scope of search to a wider area.

I personally chose the school bus option after searching the multiple preschools in Punggol area.
I did find 2 which I liked but they failed on certain criterions which I personally feel are very important.
Since the school bus picks up and drops off my boy at our void deck, it's easier for my maid and myself too.

2. Price/Budget
Not everyone earns a million a month, so you need to consider your family expenses/income before setting an amount that would be comfortable. I personally have a fixed budget for my boy's education (including enrichment classes) every month. Therefore, if I chose a preschool which had higher fees, I have to cut down on other enrichments.

There are preschools charging simply $80 per month or lesser and there are those charging $1500 per month or more. Again, you have to weigh the price you are paying versus the quality of teaching/materials and exposure to experential learning.

I personally feel that it's alright to pay alittle more for quality materials/teaching if you have the budget.

3. Materials/Quality of Teaching
As mentioned in the previous point, the quality of teaching and materials used during lessons is a very important factor. Some schools have their own trademarked systems while some will adopt/adapt other systems to use.

I personally prefer trademarked systems as there is a certain level or quality control when it comes to implementation of the program and the materials used. It might be more expensive but it's worth it.

As a very KS parent, I chose a preschool with a strong academic syllabus. My boy is in preschool for 2.5 hours a day. My wish is for that 2.5 hours to be filled with SOLID LEARNING. Not 'learn through play'. He can learn through play AT HOME, with me. I do plan activities for him like baking cookies, playing with fondant to decorate cupcakes, playing pretend, etc etc. Outings are also planned to let him experience hands-on learning with us. My main goal is for him to understand that SCHOOL IS FOR LEARNING, not play! Enrichment classes can incorporate play, but not in his formal preschool.

So, I chose a school with their own trademarked system and they are also very academic-conscious, they give the children extra work to ensure that they are ready for Singapore's Primary School system.

4. Caring Principal, Teachers and Staff
I love feedback from the schools so that we can reinforce values/rules at home too.

I chose a school where the Principal knows all the kids and parents personally. She makes the effort to talk to us about our values and the values they teach the children. I love it that they are very strict in terms of behaviour and manners.

I went down personally to observe how teachers punish the students when they misbehaved and found their techniques very successful. They will pull the child aside and explain why it's wrong to do it. Then they warn them that if they did it again, they will be asked to sit at the side of the classroom to observe the activities instead of being able to join in. IT WORKED! My mischevious monkey was tamed!

The school bus uncle is also fantastic. Sometimes they would arrive early when sending him back and we have not gone down yet, he will actually bring him up personally while the teacher accompanies the other children on the bus! This is EXCELLENT service!

And at times when I need to change the drop off location at the last minute (sometimes we would go to my mum's place instead), all I needed to do was to SMS him before they leave school and he's always so accomodating! He's so friendly with the students and my boy simply loves him. On days when my boy refuses to go to school (cos he would prefer to stay home to play with me or watch TV), we would just remind him that Uncle _____ is downstairs waiting for him in the nice school bus and he would spring up and run to the lift! I remember his reaction very vividly!
"Oh! Uncle ____ is here? He is driving the big school bus? I love it! Let's go, Mummy!"

5. Student-Teacher Ratio
In many popular preschools, each class has 15-18 kids and only 1 teacher plus 1 teacher assistant. I personally find it crazy because the room is very cramped and the kids do not get much personal attention from the teacher. At their tender age, personal attention is extremely important to weed out any potential problems like dyslexia and poor handwriting.

My boy's class only has 8 students with 2 teachers. He loves it and so do I! The teacher will write feedback in the communication book and very often, they will call or SMS me to keep me updated.

With such a small student population, it feels more like a small family. We are updated very quickly on any upcoming events/news.

6. Homework
While many parents criticise the need for homework at N1, I personally find it good. It's just simple worksheets on writing numbers/alphabets which they learnt in school. Plus, they have storybooks to bring home to read.

It's a good habit to start them reading and understanding the need for homework since young. My boy will do his work WILLINGLY (read the post on how we motivated him to love homework: http://mwtuition.blogspot.com/). They also get rewards when they are able to read new words taught them (of cos we have to practise with him at home using flashcards).

7. Layout and Facilities
My boy's current school is split into 2 nearby locations within the same compound. I like this idea because they seperate the N1/N2 and K1/K2 students. This reduces the risk of outbreak of diseases such as HFMD. They also have their own toilets (some preschools do not have them, especially those located in shopping centres).

They also have a large outdoor play area (but it is currently under renovation, so they will go over nearer to the K1/K2 area for outdoor play).

8. In-house Enrichments
For busy parents, it would be good if the school has enrichment programs.

The preschool my boy attends has extra enrichments (of cos you will need to pay for the additional classes). These enrichment classes include piano, swimming, chinese, abacus, art, mental maths, etc etc. They also have school bus service to send the kids home after enrichment!

Due to budget constraints, I did not send my boy for their enrichment programs. However, they do have holiday classes for these enrichment programs and school bus service is still available even during holidays! To prevent 'after-holidays-return-to-school-sickness', I enrol him in the holiday classes. He loves them! He will come home chatting non-stop about his 'adventures'.

As parents, just remember...
At the end of the day, we want our kids to be HAPPY. No point forcing them into a school they do not like (even if we think it is the best).
I did put my boy for trial classes at his current preschool before we made up our minds.

Are You Hiring A Competent Tutor?

2010-07-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

Articles Contributed at KiasuParents.com [This article was written in 2009.]
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/are-you-hiring-competent-tutor

Just to share my experience so that parents can take note also.

I currently have a few P6 students whom I'm giving private tuition to and this incident is about another tutor whom the parents of one student hired as additional help to the child.

From what the parents and student tell me, this tutor is a young tutor who is doing her diploma currently. She claims that she is very good in Maths and can teach the student 'shortcuts' to answering questions. She goes to their place on weekends to help the child with work that he does not understand.

I was very happy for this student as I know they have limited budget and the parents managed to get more help as I personally feel that the student really need alot of help. I did offer free lessons at my home for him (my place is a few bus stops away from theirs) but the parents refused as they do not want him to travel just for tuition (I can understand because travelling can cause the child to be quite tired).

I really thought that this tutor is a blessing to the student until I marked this student's assignments (worksheets that were given by me), and I got a shock! The questions were all answered using simultaneous equations (not suitable for this primary school boy and definitely a longer way to answer the questions I gave). And when I asked my student if he understood the method she taught him, he said that the tutor told him the questions I gave are for secondary school, not primary school!

The maths syllabus has changed and now they use calculators at P5 and P6 and they also learn more topics in depth (area of circle, algebra). I was shocked that the teacher said that to him as the questions I gave are definitely P6 maths questions which my ex-colleagues (current P6 teachers in top schools) told me that such questions may come out at PSLE.

And due to her comments, this student now thinks that all questions are too difficult for him and he is not able to understand. Those are basic speed and distance questions which I have taught him before. He managed to solve the question correctly the first time with the method I taught him but the tutor told him it's wrong and taught him simultaneous equations (but the final answer is the same). Using simultaneous equation can be accepted but based on this student's level of understanding, he cannot comprehend how simultaneous equations work!

And this tutor also taught him a few other questions on area of hexagons in which she even got the method wrong. The worst part was her teaching him percentage and she simply deducted the percentages although they were percentages of different items!

I was quite upset that the tutor taught the student the wrong methods as it now means that he is very confused. I did feedback to the parents and they were not aware that the other tutor taught him differently and even told him that those were secondary school questions and he should not be doing them.

As a tutor, I will advise all parents to screen your tutors carefully. Check on your child's progress and work done during tuition. Do not leave it 100% to the tutor. If there are questions that the tutor claims cannot be done using techniques which are taught to P6 students, get your child to bring the question to school to ask the school teachers.

Do check carefully and hire a competent tutor for your child. Else, it'll be a waste of money, time and effort for your child to learn the wrong techniques.

Building Composition Skills

2010-07-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

Articles Contributed at KiasuParents.com
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/more-composition-writing-tips

My suggestions to parents (things that I usually do with my tutees):
Make them start a journal
If they are the type that do not know what to write, give them a topic a day. I usually start off with giving them pictures (can be anything under the sun!) with some questions as prompts. Then there'll be a list of helping words/phrases related to the topic.
Depending on your child's age, you can get them to start with 10 sentences per day (P1/2) and slowly get them to increase the number of sentences. It's ok if their sentences seem very random & do not link at the beginning.

Start off with correcting basic grammar & spelling. Then if you spot a sentence that can be improved with better vocab or phrase, teach them & get them to jot it down in their journal.

You can also let your child take pictures whenever you go out & use those pictures as the topics. It'll be easier for them this way as they have personally experienced what they saw in the picture. You can also use photos from family trips, childhood photos, etc.

Read out loud
Children who do not like to read usually have problems with the words, which makes them hate reading in the first place. Ask your child to read out loud to you. If they are shy, start off with you reading 1 sentence, then they will read the next and alternate.

They feel less self-conscious if you are also reading with them & once you note pauses (meaning they do not know the word), quickly help them before they start to feel frustrated. Praise them & assure them that they are doing a good job. Not only are you encouraging reading, you are also encouraging them to practice their oral skills! Where to find so many passages to read?

You can buy model composition books or buy comprehension books & read the passages (the latter is better as the topics are usually general knowledge topics & it will help them in cloze passages & comprehension). Discuss about the topic of the passage you read. Prompt them with questions like:

"Do you think ___ did the right thing?"

"Was he brave/courageous by doing that?", etc.

If you spot difficult words, search the dictionary with them. It's a good skill to learn - searching the dictionary for meaning of words. It makes them curious & they are always amazed at how some words can have so many meanings!

Play a game
Play word games with your child. Start off with a word & the next person must give another word that has the same meaning or is related (e.g. butterfly -> wings -> colourful -> rainbow -> green -> leaves). Keep going till someone is stuck. It's very fun & their competitive spirit will spur them to learn more words. It also trains their minds to link objects/descriptions.

You can also write down the words (encourage them to spell) & make use of the words to form a sentence or story! Although the sentences/stories may seem 'crazy', it's really fun & gives them something to think about.

Self questioning technique
Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

Usually we will teach children to write 3 paragraphs - Introduction, Body & Conclusion. But do the kids understand what is expected in each paragraph?

This is what a typical story would be like:
Introduction -> Who is in the story? When/Where did it happen?
Body (can be more than 1 paragraph) -> What happened? Why did it happen?
Conclusion -> How was the matter resolved? Closing sentence.

Sample written by my P5 student [Topic - Describe what happened when you were late for a very important event.]:

Perspiration was trickling down the sides of my [WHO] face, every step causes a drop that was dangling at my chin to splatter on the tar road. It was the day of my PSLE examination [WHEN] & I was on my way to school [WHERE]. I was pushing myself to run as fast as my legs could take me as it was 10 minutes before my first paper was about to start. As I was running, I started to reflect. I knew it was entirely my fault that I'm late, but I could not help but hold resentment towards them. The two immature & spoilt children whom I have to call my siblings [WHO].

I woke up this morning thinking it was six in the morning. The room was dark, the air was fresh and most importantly, my trusty clock had it's shorter hand pointing at six and its longer hand in the opposite direction. A quick check with the living room clock and my heart skipped a beat. It was actually 8am! I scurried back into my room, fantically changing my clothes, suddenly noticing my two younger brothers giggling at the bedroom door.

"What are you laughing it? I'm late for a major exam that determines the rest of my life and the two of you are giggling! You must have something to do with this!" I yelled in frustration. I guess my tone was nasty as my youngest brother started crying.

"We played with your clock last night after you feel asleep and we thought it would be fun to make you late for school since you slept so early," my youngest brother mumbled feebly with his knees shaking. [WHAT/WHY]

So it was them. I should have gotten my parents to wake me up. I should have gotten my friends to ring me in the morning. I cannot help but smack myself in the head, ignoring the fact that I'll be killing some much-needed brain cells. It was my fault for not making back-up plans in case the clock fails, but why must they play with my clock of all days?

I made up my mind to grill my siblings on the barbeque or tie them up on a tree after my examinations. For now, I'll have to run harder. The school gate was in sight! I dashed past security, past the school office & up into the school hall. 300 pairs of eyes suddenly suddenly looked up at me, all sweaty & disheveled. I had arrived in the nick of time, the teachers were just about to start the examination. I quickly took my seat and focused on the paper in front of me.

After the paper, I went straight home & called my parents. I was too tired with deal with my brothers physically. I told them everything over the phone and took a nap. When I woke up, I could hear screaming and crying. "Piak!" came the sound of the cane. I ran out of my room to take a look. My parents were caning my brothers for their mischief. My heart ached as I saw the cane land on their bottoms.

I quickly ran over to shield my brothers. My brothers clung to me like koala bears on a tree. Their faces were smeared with tears & mucus, their hands riddled with cane marks. Although they did cause me to be late for my examination, I still loved them. I begged my parents to stop as I've already forgiven them. After drying their tears & comforting them, I told them about the dire consequences if I had been a little later. They apologised and promised never to be mischevious again. [HOW] I also made a silent resolution to ensure that I have back up plans whenever I have something important [CLOSING SENTENCE].

May not be the best compo, but she managed to use some techniques I practised with her in which I'm pleased as this is a student who used to fail composition.

Right Brain or Left Brain?

2010-07-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

Articles Contributed at KiasuParents.com
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/right-brain-or-left-brain

Being a teacher, tutor and mum, I've encountered this 'right brain or left brain' discussion many times.

My personal view:
Teachers in school do try to use a variety of teaching methods to ensure students with different learning styles will benefit from the lesson. Gone are the old days of chalkboard & textbooks. Welcome to the new generation of PowerPoints & videos. However, there are also limitations with 40 different students in each class.
'Brain training' may be good to stimulate your child's mind, but I personally feel that there's no need to make a big hoohaa over it by spending hundreds of dollars on it when there's no scientific proof that it does increase a child's academic or mental capabilities. I've attended many trial lessons with my boy and was rather 'disappointed' at the activities. The activities done can actually be carried out during normal play at home if parents are willing to make the resources (cards) or buy them. If you are not sure of what activities or resources to prepare, there are many books in the library with simple instructions and lessons planned out for parents. If you can't read English, there are many Taiwanese books on this topic at Popular.
Don't mistaken that I'm not encouraging parents to send your kids to classes, my boy attends many different enrichment classes but I personally feel that 'brain training' is something that can be done easily at home through incidental learning instead of during a structured lesson.

The activities in are exactly what I've been doing with my boy since he was born. It's also a form of parent-child bonding & some activities can even be done in the car travelling from 1 place to another! My parents used to do it with my siblings & me to pass time (so that we do not fight in the car). It's fun & they don't realise that it's a 'lesson'!
Anyway, I feel that discovering the individual child's learning style is more important than brain training.
If your child is a visual learning (like me), bright pictures/colours will help alot. Use of flashcards & posters around the house will definitely help.

I only 'discovered' my learning style in S3 when one of my teachers told me to try to close my eyes & visualise the textbook I've been studying from for over a year. I realise that I can actually picture the book in my mind & flip the book & search for info in my 'virtual textbook'. From there, I actually decided to use different colours to write/highlight different types of information & organised everything using colours & colourful Post-It notes. It helped alot. Even at higher education, I was still using this method. People think that I'm mad when I close my eyes to focus during exams but only I know what I'm doing: I'm digging for answers in my brain. My parents did not send me for any brain training classes, it just came naturally & I learnt to tap on it.

I have a friend who is a audio learner. She remembers better when she listens to someone read information. How did she study? Pay attention in class & ask her mum to read her textbook to her. While others were busy writing notes during revision, she created audio notes. She read out important information/concepts and recorded them. Played them back to listen while she's doing her homework and whenever she's free. I find that her relationship with her mum is really very strong although she's working in Aussie. She told me how she'll still hear her mum reading to her when she misses her mum while working alone in Aussie

My sis is someone who has no 'logical thinking'. She has poor sequencing & this resulted in her poor calculations. She learnt to add & subtract through 'rote learning'. Repetition & constant practices. She requires all workings to be worked out neatly, we can't skip any steps when teaching her Maths. And at each step, there can only be 1 change.

Example:
Normally I would just do this:
140 - 5 x 8 + 50 - 40 x 2
= 140 - 40 + 50 - 80
= 70

With my sister:
140 - 5 x 8 + 50 - 40 x 2
= 140 - (5 x 8) + 50 - (40 x 2)
= 140 - 40 + 50 - (40 x 2)
= 140 - 40 + 50 - 80
= 100 + 50 - 80
= 150 - 80
= 70
At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself as parents: What do you want for your child?

Do you want a brainy child who will be a Phd holder in future but does not have 'heartware' or family bonding? Or do you want an all rounded child, even if he/she may not be the top in our society?
Every parent's expectations are different. As long as you know that you've given your best to your child by loving your child, that's all that matters.
My expectation of myself as a parent is to give my boy the opportunity to explore & discover himself, thus the exposure to different learning opportunities in forms of enrichment classes (swimming, music, art, etc).

Help Your Child to LOVE Homework!

2010-07-09T19:56:00.000-07:00

Articles Contributed at KiasuParents.com
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/help-your-child-love-homework

My boy has started at a new kindergarten for N1 and he has weekly homework plus reading tests. Just share what we have done to show some positive results.

I was so worried when the school told us that there's homework cos I was worried that he'll resist doing homework that we had a 'plan'. It was tough cos we wanted him to love homework and did not want him to feel forced.
First homework came on Wednesday. It was a writing practice on the number '1'. Then came the 2nd piece of homework, a writing practice on small letter 'a'. And there were flashcards for him to practice reading (both English & Chinese).
My hb, maid and I figured out a 'plan':
Get a nice comfortable table for him (new one). Told him it's his table for doing written work (allowed him to take rough paper to scribble and colour using the table before school started)

When he gets home, get him to empty his bag & when he takes out the homework, make the homework sound exciting ('Wow! You've got some writing to do! It's going to be fun! Mummy/Daddy/Auntie will do it with you after lunch ok?' or 'Clever boy is going to show Mummy/Daddy/Auntie how clever he is when he writes nicely!')

When it's time, get him to help set up the table (take his pencil case with his pencils and colour materials)

Allow him to do some coloring (either on the worksheet if there are pictures to be coloured or on another colouring sheet), then once he's enjoying it, ask him to write '1' to show us.

Allow him to do as many as he like (there were around 15 boxes of '1' he had to trace), he stopped after around 8 of them. I just let him take a break and told him to drink some water, have a biscuit (of cos wash his hands first) and continue after nap. Wake up from nap, he watched some TV, had his milk and snack and continued with his writing. Finished his homework on the same day.

As he did his work, my maid & I were praising him on his nice handwriting. Sometimes he did not trace properly, I'll just ask him if that looks nice and he replied 'it's not perfect!'. He took the eraser and attempted to erase (I say attempted because he did the action of rubbing the paper but the pencil mark was still there cos he does not know how to erase properly). Then he made sure all were perfect and we got him to put it back neatly into the folder and keep it into his bag immediately.
The next day we actually got him started on the next piece of homework: writing 'a'. The start of the worksheet has some colouring activity (colour all the apples). So he started colouring (he chose the colour and colours out of line but we just let him be).

Got him to start tracing and he finished everything at one go. He was so pleased with himself! He got stickers as reward from me. After that, he actually went to his bookshelf, pulled out the book which I bought for him (tracing lines and small letters) and requested to do it too!
He's hooked!

We started allowing him to have the freedom to draw, colour and scribble in his book (I bought many exercise books for him) or on rough paper (I have a stack of recycled paper for him). Inspired by TAMARIND's girl He liked drawing/writing exercises and this made the transition to 'HOMEWORK' much easier. Plus he sees students at my place doing their work quietly at the study table, and it helps me to explain to him that everyone has to do homework so they'll be clever. You can create this by 'doing work' yourself! It could be just simple a word search or word puzzle or Sudoku! It's good to exercise our minds too.
If your kids are still young, do try to make it fun for them. Make them LOVE HOMEWORK. I keep telling my boy that he's so smart and clever because he managed to finish his homework. I think all kids want to hear that, whether their homework was well done or not. It's a good start cos they'll learn to take pride in their work.

If your kids are already school going children, do make the effort to praise them and reward them for doing their homework. It may not be very well done but you can still praise them for completing their work on time and tell them to try harder the next time so that they will feel proud of their work and themselves.
If we, parents, give a positive vibe about homework, I'm sure the kids will start to love it too! Let's start creating a love for homework in our kids!
P/S: I hated homework when I was in Primary school. But when I was in Sec school & my mum allowed me to redecorate my room & allowed me to choose my own study table, I started to love doing homework. It gave me a sense of pride to be sitting at MY TABLE - the table I CHOSE and LOVE - doing homework.

Why I sent my boy to ChildCare at 18 months old :)

2010-07-09T19:52:00.000-07:00

Articles Contributed at KiasuParents.com
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/why-i-choose-sent-my-boy-childcare-18-months-old

I sent my boy to childcare at 18 months old.
Although I have a maid and my dad can help to look after during the day, I still sent him to childcare. Why?
At home, there's hardly any 'meaningful activity' during the day. He just plays on his own while my maid is busy with housework and preparing his food/clothes/etc.
My dad is not trained in education and does not know how to teach or what to teach. All he will do is play with my boy, bring him down for walks and let him watch TV. Nothing much learnt at home during the day when we are at work.
At childcare, my boy learnt to interact with other children. He learnt to share (something which is quite hard to teach at home since he's the only child at the moment). He learnt to be more vocal and verbalise his needs. He learnt to feed himself (something which may not happen with my maid and dad spoiling him at home). He learnt to pack up after himself (must put all the toys back at original place; though we enforce this at home, it's hard for him to carry it out. At school, all the kids do it together, so there's some peer pressure). He also learn to stand up for himself and defend himself when bullied. They also taught him to be very hygienic (must wipe up or wash up immediately after getting dirty).

Alot of 'softskills' which is hard for us to teach at home due to doting grandparents is taught in childcare.
Then there's academic knowledge too. They have storytelling everyday, song & dance, flashcards, art & crafts, etc etc. Their day is so fun filled. My boy enjoyed it very much.
Of cos the usual concerns of falling sick easily, getting HFMD, etc was there too.

We chose a SMALL childcare, not crowded, well seperated classes, good hygiene practices. In my boy's 1.5 years there, he got HFMD once but it was from church, not from childcare.
Before we started him in the CCC, we started him on some supplements to help boost his immune system. Probiotics, colostrum and multivits (due to his poor appetite at that time) were given 2-3 months before he started CCC.
He did not fall sick often like what others would mention. He only fell sick twice, once with HFMD, once with flu (got it from me & my hb).
Since we have extra help at home, my parents will take turns to pick my boy up at 5pm everyday instead of waiting till closing time, 7pm. My hb starts work rather late, so he sends my boy in at around 9+am everyday.
Now that my boy is older and easier to manage (more independant, will spend his time doodling, writing, playing on his own), we send him to a kindergarten (few hours a day). It's more academic focused, which is what hb & I want.
It's really up to individual needs and wants, plus how much your family can chip in to help

I think since it's SAHM or WAHM, for 3yo kid, can find a preschool for few hours a day instead of CC (Pre-nursery like my boy).

I know of SAHMs who send their kids to half day CC to have some 'alone time' and some time to catch up on housework. Some of them have A FEW kids at home (young babies), so they send the older ones to CC so that they can manage the baby in the day.