With the introduction of the new pet on the block ~ Momo the kitten, children have been crowding around its cage, chasing it around when it walks around the environment, “disturbing” it when she is sleeping in her basket and screaming and running when Momo gives chase. J To what we can recall, this was what happened three years ago when Max first arrived in school.

 

Well, Momo is given a clean bill of health and will be able to get her first vaccine in another month’s time. She is currently 3 weeks old.

 

Attendance hasn’t been good this week. Children have been coming down with flu, fever and stomachache. I do hope it is not the stomach flu that is going around. L Do take care of one’s health and should your child be feeling out of sorts, do keep them at home.

 

Oh yes, the toddlers’ now have their very own entrance to their classroom. A little pavement has been created by their class teachers at the backyard. Parents are now able to send and drop off their children in the toddler’s class using this entrance starting on Monday.

 

This week, the children were introduced to the cultural and customs of Diwali ~ Deepavali. One must admit it is only now, that I realized Diwali is celebrated for 5 days and each day, different things are done. Embarrassing! L

 

They were also shown the various decorations ~ lamps, candles and decorative artifacts. Henna is also the main focus of the children. Since the day they realized there are henna on the table and the henna drawings on their teacher’s hand, a queue was formed daily to have henna drawings done. From simple flower patterns to complicated animal drawings!!!

 

On Friday, the rain came down as we were about to leave school to Little India. With their raincoats on, up the bus we go and off to Little India where the sun shone!!

As it is the eve of Deepavali, a crowd has already been formed along the streets and at the bazaar. Children walked past each stalls selling flower garlands, bakery and sweet stalls, and various grocery stalls all selling items for the Festival of Lights. We even went into a shop selling all the festive clothing. At the bazaar, with more things in sight, their little eyes kept looking up and around and the teachers had to remind them to watch where they are going at the same time.

 

A stop was made at a shop selling bangles, anklets and various jewelries. Bangles were bought for all as a little gift to them and small henna patterns were drawn at another shop along the way for some. Lunch was taken at Tekka Mall before we head back to school.

 

It has been quite an eventful trip for all and here’s wishing all our friends ~ “Happy Diwali”!!!! J

 

This week went past pretty quickly. Everyone in the classroom from the young ones to the teachers seems to have buried their heads into every task which they are engaged in.

 

With the preschoolers getting more and more adapted to their individual routine, activities from all areas of the classroom can be observed. It seems that everything in the classroom and the materials on the shelves have brought them to take notice of them. Children who initially have little interest in the Practical Life activities have been initiating their wants. Some would observe what their friends are working on and realized that they had not seen that piece of work before.

 

Having the children up and about moving more readily and purposefully in the environment, the teachers have to keep up much faster than them.

 

Planned activities have also been carried out for the past two weeks in the afternoon for our full-day children. Activities ranged from stories and music, art and crafts activities to science experiments and caring for the environment. They really looked forward to these activities after their nap. J

 

A separate outdoor environment has been put in place for our toddlers. They now have their very own outdoor classroom as well as having their own miniature outdoor equipment fit for their age group. J

 

On Friday, we celebrated Gabriel’s 4^th birthday. Though there wasn’t any cake, the children got together to sing a birthday song for Gabriel. Packs of biscuits were also given out to his friends as gifts.

 

It was also on this day when we took in a stray kitten that has been wandering around the bushes at our backyard. Children of all ages even little Anna was very excited to see the little kitten. This little one will be introduced to the others officially on Monday. J

 

Next week, we will be celebrating the Festival of Lights ~ Deepavali. Children are encouraged to dress in colourful traditional clothing and if possible, to put on the Indian traditional clothing as we will be having a little celebration and cultural introduction on Thursday, before our outing to Little India on Friday.

It has been an eventful week with Children’s Day on Thursday, Mid-Autumn Festival on Friday and not forgetting our fun-filled trip to the Singapore Zoological Gardens to celebrate Children’s Day.

 

Before I go into the details of the two major events, which both teachers and children had tremendous fun, a few things to share in regards to the children adapting to their new groups and routine.

 

Since last week, children have been kept busy by our rambutan tree which has been shedding its leaves like “snow”. Every morning, from the youngest to the oldest age group, children would be sitting along the door-step to wait for their friends to arrive so that everyone will pitch in to sweep and pick up all the leaves in the garden. It’s amazing how efficient when all of them work cooperatively with each other. J

 

In the classroom, children have been busy working with the various Sensorial materials especially with the Thermic Bottles, Thermic Tablets, Geometric Shapes and many others which they already mastered. With a new baby doll added ~ Xin Xin, children have started to notice and initiate to bath her instead of AnAn. Whenever a child baths AnAn, they are always curious as to why she only has one arm. L

 

Rise and Shine!!! We’re going to the Zoo. The children were looking forward to this outing as they couldn’t wait to reach KidsWorld. Along the way, they were able to catch the Gibbons and Orang Utans doing acrobats on the tree near their habitat, “dine” with the lions!!!!! Not forgetting their interest of visiting the White Tigers.

 

At KidsWorld, they were welcome by many horses, big and miniature ones too. Goats, giant rabbits and guinea pigs……and their eyes widen when they saw the huge water area!!!! Check out the photos on our blog and witness the fun they had. J

 

Mid-Autumn Festival, it has always been a tradition of Greentree Montessori to have night-schooling. First up, I need to apologize for the mix-up in the timings. Let’s put the past behind us and follow the moonlight on this special night.

 

Children came in with their lanterns and to my surprise, many of them brought in the traditional paper-made lanterns. J J With the night slowly approaching, the legend of this festival was shared. Mooncakes, pomelo and tea was served as snack as we slowly prepared ourselves for fun and our finale ~ the Lantern Parade.

 

It was great to have all our families and friends to join us for the Lantern Parade. 月圆人团圆

 

I am sure by now, all of you are anxious to view the photos which were taken during Sport's Day. Apart from the many photos taken by Daphne & Daenah's dad & Yusheng 哥哥, there are a few shots which were taken during the days when the children were having their rehersals.

 

Enjoy......... :>

After one week of adapting to the change in the classroom, the children are now much more able to locate where most of the things are. Though once in a while, there are still a few who has difficulty and required the help of their friends.

 

This week, we welcome Jayden to the pre-primary classroom whom has “graduated” from the Toddler Classroom. Though we had introduce him to the class, there are still some children who continues to have the idea that he is from the Toddler’s class and would continuously bring him back. They really have a strong sense of belonging and order.

 

With newly bought fresh flowers, children with “sharp eyes” quickly initiated the flower arrangement activity. They would choose the vase carefully to match the stalk of flower they had chosen. After which, the child would take some time to walk around the classroom to find a spot to place the flowers which they had arranged. The children have very good memory that they are able to remember which are the ones they had arranged and the others which were arranged by their friends.

 

Hama is another activity which has attracted quite a number of boys to wait in queue for their turn instead of the girls. They would place each of the small beads carefully onto the stencil, set up the ironing board before calling a teacher to help in ironing their design. Every time when one child works on it, a crowd of friends can be seen standing around to give suggestions as to which colour would be best to complete the design.

 

During our outdoor time, children would choose from the variety of balls to play catch, football and sometimes basketball. While they are playing, Max would also join in the fun and they would be chasing Max of the ball which he has taken. J

 

Next week, children would start to practice some relay to get them ready for the Sport’s Day. J

 

With our nation’s birthday just passed, many seem to be still in a celebrative mood. Though our little charges may not be able to recite or fully understand our pledge, one is sure they can feel the unity of everyone during that special moment.

 

Did I mention that we changed the environment earlier? Well, if I hadn’t it has been changed once again. Changes……many changes……Change for the better?? Definitely!!!

 

A more defined area has been set for the Toddlers. Though the area might look small but believe me, it has everything they need and do. With the many little materials that has been planned and set up, the little ones are kept busy everyday. Once the construction opposite us is done, they will be able to walk in through the little gate just for them without having to walk one big round into their classroom. J

 

The preschoolers now have a much more spacious classroom, which allows them more movement and space to work with activities that require the space. J As shelves are moved and materials swapped places, it took them a few days to get their bearings once again. As there are items which many have yet to know the exact location, games were played daily to help them find it. I guess it might take another week before they are familiarized with the environment.

 

On Friday, we celebrated Tze Ray’s 6^th birthday. At one glance, one might think that it was an ice-cream cake but wrong guess, it was a cheese cake! Little animal stationary were given out and many could not stop shaking the pencils so as to “move” the animal which is wobbling on the top. J

 

Next week, we will be moving into Air Transportation and getting ready for our Sport’s Day. J

Two weeks went by without any news. I had taken a break as well as attended a few days of training. One seems to realize that the children have “grown”, in terms of their way of thinking, speech and also in their emotional growth.

 

During the few days of training, one feels recharged or should I say refreshed, that changes were made to the learning environment on Saturday. One feels that this change is vital as it seems that many things or ideas have been left behind during the journey of teaching.

 

The 3 to 6 environment has been “enlarged” and no longer have feels too crammed for movement and floor activity. Activities which have been forsaken for a long time were revived and many more interesting activities were added.

 

Little activities such as ramps, doll house and a magnet construction set have left many children fascinated. Many started to experiment different ways in letting the marble roll off the ramp at a faster speed, boys will crowd around the doll house and feeling a sense of accomplishment when one is able to build a structure and holding it firmly together with magnet strips and metal pin-balls.

 

Flower arrangement, leaf polishing, mirror and brass polishing are a few activities which kept many children busy. With the little flower vases arranged at every table and corner of the classroom, it does bring live and of course beauty to the environment.

 

Newly added food preparation activities ~ cornflakes in a cup, making ribena ice popsicles and sliced oranges has made many children “drooling”. JJ

 

As we will be having our next Fire Drill soon, the children were briefed on fire safety and how to escape as fast as they can should they hear the fire alarm being set off.

 

On Friday, we celebrated Esther 5^th birthday. A very interesting cake she brought ~ Jelly on the top and cheese and cinnamon biscuit at the bottom. Yum!!

 

Next Friday, it will be our annual walk at the Singapore River to mark our Nation’s 44^th birthday! J

 

With one week gone, we have also come to the end of the second week of the new term. All the children are back in school and therefore, lots of activities can be seen going around the classroom.

 

One of the newest additions in terms of activities is the “Bridging Program” which caters to our 6 years old. Oh yes!!! Though it has only been one week, the teachers have already observed some traits in them. Some are well-prepared while some are showing little signs of anxiety. But as it is not a big group this year, it is easier to pay more attention to the different needs of the children. It is still too early to tell.

 

Outdoor activities like watering plants, scrubbing and picking up of flowers are carried daily whenever the weather permits. With the heavy downpour or occasional drizzle that happens, it does not seem to dampen the spirit of the young charges. One can imagine that they would love to play in the rain if possible with or without raincoats.

 

The three rabbits finally have some ground to run around in the garden. With a fenced up area, there are plenty of room for them to stretch their legs and hop around. J The children were extremely excited and have been picking up leaves to feed them during their outdoor play time. Not only were the children overjoyed to see the rabbits hopping around, Max (our dog) has also been running in circles trying his best to catch them.

 

On Friday, we celebrated Brendan’s 2^nd birthday with the Toddlers class. It was a large “Barney” cake and children received a set of colour pencils as a gift from the birthday boy. J

 

Next week, personal hygiene and care of self continues to be the priority but adding to this, children will be looking at the various sea transports more in depth.

School reopened as scheduled but, with a little fear lingering in the air. As we are still on H1N1 Influenza Alert, not only are the parents concerned, we are also taking precautions to minimize any outbreak.

 

To ensure the well-being of all during this critical period, we seek parents’ cooperation in this matter. Should you have visited any countries listed in the MOH website with an outbreak of H1N1, do self-quarantine for 7 days before allowing your child to return to school. Please also ensure that your child is physically fit to attend school. Should he/she shows signs of running nose, cough, high fever and sore throat, please keep him/her at home until a certified letter is issued from the doctor.

 

Group discussions are held to talk about care of self as well as personal hygiene. Charts are shown to enable them to have a better understanding on the importance of hand washing as well as how to use the toilet.  

 

During the June Holiday, some children had taken a month break and many were very excited to meet their friends again on the 1^st day of school. With this level of excitement, one can expect the noise level going up. Children are also observed to group themselves together to work and play which were minimum due to the low attendance during the break.

 

Activities in the Care of Environment and Care of Plants such as scrubbing of outdoor equipment, picking of leaves, watering of indoor and outdoor plants, pounding of eggshells are one of the many activities which the children carried out daily. Plants are watered with so much water that I guess they will never be thirsty for the rest of the week. J

 

Animal puzzles, weaving of spider web and working on the various Sensorial materials can also be observed. Children would pair up to build a tower using the Pink Cubes and Brown Prisms, build a maze with the Red Rods and inviting their friends to walk in them.

 

Drawing continues to be the children’s favourite activity and one can always see many of them drawing together at the table and exchanging ideas on how to make the drawings better.

 

This week is the last week of the 2nd school term and awaiting ahead of us is the June Hoilday! :) One would expect a smaller classroom size, as many would either be away for their holidays or staying at home with their older siblings.

 

It has been a pretty short week as there is only 3 days of school. Though the children were all looking forward to their outing to the Singapore Botanic Gardens on Wednesday, they have also been busy with activities during the first two days of school. Drawing and weaving of spider web continues to catch the attention of most children. The older children has been working with the different sensorial materials in which they are challenged to create different variations with the materials which they have already mastered. For the younger children, apart from working with the various preliminary activities that has been changed, they were also interested in observing the "creation" which the older children are working on with the Sensorial appratus.

 

Wednesday came and children arrive in school especially early so as not to be late to catch the school bus leaving for the Botanic Gardens. Two different routes and activities have been planned for the two different age groups ~ different activities will be carried out along the way for the older children before they break for lunch whereas for the toddlers, their main goal is to explore the garden and at the same time learn the names of the various trees which they see along the way.

 

First stop~ Kapok Tree where children were amazed by the fluffy white cotton that are "floating" down the tree as the wind blows through. Excitment can be felt and many were shouting "snow, snow, it's snowing!!" While watching the little cotton balls float down to the ground, they were asked to collect as many cotton as they can and stick it onto the paper given to them. The end result.........the cotton were no longer fluffy but wet with glue as it got pasted. :(

 

Upon reaching the Band Stand, children were invited to think back the route they had taken so far and paste the relevant pictures which marks their route. Without much difficulty, they were all able to remember and paste the pictures with ease. Within the group, children can be seen helping one another when one faces the difficulty of peeling of the sticker and pasting it.

 

Lots of walking was done and more activities were carried out. Next stop.......lunch!! :) Yum, Yum, with sausages, chicken nuggets and sotong balls. Children were all ready to eat them all up and trying their best to leave the cucumber sticks behind. :( :(

 

The last stop ~ Swan Lake. Children were brief on the safety precaution they have to take note before walking along the pavement of the pond. One swan swam so close to the edge that should one reach their hands out, you could pat its head. :)

 

Though it has been a pretty long walk, the children were not tired. Instead, one could feel the enjoyment and fun they had during this trip. :) :)

With most of our children back in school, one can imagine the energy and noise level in the classroom has more or less increased. Children who came back from the holidays are welcome warmly by the friends and details will be exchanged among them to find out where they have been and what they did during the holiday.

 

Monday is a day we celebrated Cordelia’s 5^th birthday. She had a cake with all the Disney Princess on it and the girls love it. Not forgetting the little goodie bags which they received at the end. J

 

Our wall décor has finally been completed with all the children’s drawings of vehicles. Many would stand in front of the wall and point out to their friends which are the ones they had done. Currently, only the land vehicles are put up and we are left with the air and sea transport which needs to be hung.

 

One has realized a phenomenon in the classroom. Materials which have been shifted to a more prominent place will attract the attention of all. With an additional shelf filled with puzzles and activities which they had seen but left untouched, were the most “wanted” activities this week. Animals and sequencing puzzles, bolts and nuts and domino were taken off the shelf one after another and sometimes, with children waiting for their turn.

 

Though our outing to Sentosa is over, children are still busy completing their Sentosa Booklet. With a few pages which they had to draw and paste, many had to wait for quite some time before they had their chance to complete their booklet. Hopefully, they will be able to complete this booklet before our next outing.

 

This week, various sea transports were introduced to the children. Children, who had taken a cruise before, couldn’t wait to share their experience with their friends. Some even mentioned that they had taken a “submarine” to view the fishes in the deep sea!

 

Next week, children will be creating their own boats with various materials before it set sail in our little make-shift pool.

 

One last note, we will be organizing a “Picnic in the Park” as our last outing before the school term closes for the June holiday, at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Attached with this journal is the consent form.

 

Up and down went the level of the Influenza Alert ~ from yellow to orange and now back to yellow. We should sign a breath of relief but, we continue to be vigilant just to be on the safe side to safeguard the health of all the children and staff at Greentree. We would like to remind parents once again, should your child be having a fever the previous day, running nose or cough, please keep him/her at home until they have fully recovered and a letter from the doctor will be needed before he/she is able to return to school.

 

Attendance has been pretty low this week as some children were still on a holiday over the long weekend whereas some were kept at home as they are not feeling well.

 

Though we should be moving on ahead with our Transportation Theme, we decided to side-track for a while to discuss on personal hygiene. Children were reminded to flush the toilet after use and for the boys; they are reminded to “aim” accurately into the toilet bowl. I guess for this area, we will have to seek daddy’s help. J They are also reminded to wash their hands with soap after using the toilet, before and after meal, after playing outdoor and after coughing or sneezing into their hands. We do hope parents can help in this area.

 

With fewer children, it didn’t lessen the activities being carried out. Children will group themselves in smaller groups to read story books together, sit around a mat to weave their spider web and most of all, they enjoy sitting together to draw.

 

Newly added library books bring joy to the children. They will go through each book that has been read to on their own or share it with their friends. It is always an enjoyment to watch them. J

 

Building of a tall tower using the Pink Cubes and Brown Prisms can be seen once again being built in the classroom. Younger children, who had difficulty building their own tower, envy the older ones who are able to build theirs tall and steady.

 

This week, the children have also been busy creating a photo frame for Mummy! J Choosing the little flowers carefully and pasting it all around the border of the frame with great care and patience. Children would crowd around the table to watch as they wait patiently for their turn.

 

Next week, we will be moving on to Sea Transportation.

 

To start a journal entry with a piece of bad news is not good but it still has to be informed. We have one new case of HMFD. We have taken the necessary measures to minimize the spread of the disease.

 

Apart from tackling the issue of HMFD, the MCYS has also issued the Influenza Pandemic Alert. Attached with this journal, the letter as well as a Health Declaration Form will be given to you. Please fill up the form and return it to school by 5^th May 2009. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

 

The weather has been ever-changing and we have experienced occasional rain which fails to bring the heat down. But we are all hoping for a great weather for the upcoming outing which falls on Thursday. J

 

The children have been busy working on various apparatus especially, working on the Practical Life materials which have been changed. They enjoyed the new challenges that has been added in these activities and one can always find them waiting or observing how the activity is being done.

 

On Wednesday, we celebrated Ian’s 3^rd birthday. Happiness and joy can always be felt during this special occasion. Not forgetting the delicious cake which the children enjoyed at the end of the celebration.

 

Outing on Thursday….dark clouds; thunder and down came a slight drizzle welcome us…..but in the end, upon reaching our destination, the sky was cloudy but no rain!! J J

 

Two different routes have been drawn for the different age group. For the younger children, they went straight to the beach to enjoy the sea breeze, the sand and water. Whereas for the older children, a lot more tracking was done before we reach the beach.

 

The older children alighted at Vivo City to board the Sentosa Express to Sentosa. Then we had to conquered slope, stairs and escalator before reaching our first destination ~ Dragon’s Trail. Some were excited to find the dragon whereas there are some who shows fear upon hearing “dragon”. Once the dragon is located, we all took a break and had our morning snack on the dragon’s head!! J

 

Next stop…..Siloso Beach. Upon hearing the word “beach”, the children hasten their foot-steps to enjoy as much time as possible to play on the sandy beach. Many little miniatures sand castles can be seen being built by their little hands. J At this time, the little ones have already busies themselves in the sand and water. Building sand castles with the help of their teachers.

 

After an outdoor shower and lunch, we head off to the Underwater World where children take a “dive” with the fishes. They were thrilled and excited to see the stingrays, sharks and the other many fishes which they see swimming everywhere.

 

It was a long and tiring day and many dozed off on the ride home. But once we reach school, many have been energized and off they go running and playing in the garden before it was time to go home. J

 

Check out the photos on our blog!

 

Hot…..very hot…..steaming hot……!!! There hasn’t been a day where the sun doesn’t hide itself or feel any droplet of rain coming down from the sky. L

 

With the sun scorching hot, children would still want to enjoy some time running in the garden. But in a very short while, children can be seen “hiding” themselves under the trees or whenever they can find shade. We are thinking of games which they can play indoors so as to keep them from playing under the hot sun.

 

Monday was a day of celebration as we celebrate Aaron’s 5^th birthday. Children were thrilled to receive a pretty packed goodie bag filled with lots of treats. J

 

Stencil drawing continues to be the hot favourite among the children. Children would group themselves together to share the few stencils among themselves to create their drawings. For some, colours will be added whereas others prefer to have their drawing stay the way it is.

 

A new art and crafts activity has been added ~ painting with sponge. Initially, children would use the different coloured sponge to create a line of coloured “spots”. But after a while, they were able to use it to create various pictures using a “drop” or “drag” technique.

 

On Friday, children and teachers came together to create various transportation on land, air and in the sea to decorate our wall. With the different coloured papers and chalks provided, children busy themselves to draw a vehicle which they like. Some drew speed boats while others drew a flower car. There are also others whom even drew a small neighbourhood! J

 

Instead of drawing, some children folded airplanes and boats. One child even created a mini helicopter by cutting and pasting the paper.

 

Once all the vehicles have been collected, they will be used to decorate our classroom. J

 

Next Thursday is our outing to Sentosa. Please prepare the items listed on the list early, so as to ensure that your child is equipped with all of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The weather hasn’t been friendly for the whole of this week. One has the feeling of being in a steaming room with no place to cool down. L With the hot sun scorching every part of the school, children have been finding as much shade as possible whenever they are playing in the garden, from hiding under the trees to hiding in the dog kennel.

 

Usually, the children would have to be reminded to drink plenty of water. But this week, bottles after bottles are being refilled as they quickly gulped down the water to cool themselves down. Even during bath time, children would want to use the cool water from the tap instead of using the heated shower to bath.

 

This week, many children are down with running nose. Please do keep your child at home till he/she has recovered. We seek parent’s cooperation in this matter. Thank you.

 

The energy level has been pretty high. Children prefer to engage in small group activities rather than working on their own. Children would gather their own group of friends to enjoy a book or will also hold their little story telling session.

 

Story-telling session is a time which is enjoyed by all. Each time whenever they see the teacher carrying a book in hand, they will start to cheer. This makes the teacher feel like going on “stage” for a performance. When the story ends, every one will clap as if a job well-done. J J

 

Weaving of spider web continues to the “in” thing this week. Huge group of children can be seen crowding over a small basket of wool, each one waiting patiently for their turn as well as the coloured wool they want.

 

The aroma of cupcakes has started to fill the air of the classroom once again. As usual, children will crowd around the table watching the whole procedure when one child is baking.

 

Next week, we will invite children to help in doing up a wall décor. Once it is completed, a photo will be taken and posted onto our blog.

 

News Update ~ we have no new HMFD cases for this whole week. J J. Health check and disinfecting of our classroom will continue.

 

As the weather hasn’t been great, some children can be seen having running nose and a bad cough. We urge parents’ cooperation to keep your child at home should he/she is not feeling well. This is to ensure the well-being of everyone during this period.

 

Despite the ever-changing weather, we are glad to give a warm welcome to our new friend ~ Shayhaan.

 

This week, we continue to place our focus on public transport ~ bus. As the quiz was given out last week, I am surprise that quite a number of children were able to give the correct answer. The buses that are running around have 6 wheels!! We also had another “fast quiz” session to revise all the transportation which has been introduced using body movement. Both the children and teachers have great fun as we watch them trying to figure out which is the correct movement for the particular transport. J

 

Making a spider-web is the craze among the children. Everyday without fail, chopsticks, wool, scissors and a big group of children can be seen working vigorously “weaving” their web. From making a simple one with just 2 chopsticks to creating one with 3 or even 4 chopsticks at the same time. Children, who are new to this activity, can be seen waiting patiently for their turn as they watch with intense concentration the “experts” at work.

 

Easter Sunday is just around the corner and the children have been creating little craft work for Easter Day. From creating lily flowers by drawing their own hand to making an Easter egg. Check out our blog to view these pictures @ http://gmkclassroom.spaces.live.com

 

Here’s wishing everyone “Happy Easter!”

 

 

 

For this week, we have a piece of good news as well as a bad news. The bad news is; we have a total of 3 HMFD cases. The good news is; there are no new cases as of today. J Cross our fingers and toes!!!

 

We have been doing our health check daily and disinfecting the classroom at least twice a day. The children have also started their round of herbal tea. Not to their liking but as the Chinese saying goes “苦口良药”(Bitter medicine is good for health).

 

Parents, who have yet to return the consent form, please do so as soon as possible. We would also like to remind you that should your child be having a fever the previous day, running nose, flu or cough, please keep your child at home till he/she is fit for school.

 

Not only is the attendance for this week bad, the weather has not been great either. It is so hot that even if one should stand still for a minute, sweat will slowly flow….

 

Despite the hot weather and the “fight” against HMFD, it is always a great way to end the week with fun. On Friday, we celebrated Yun Fang’s 6^th birthday. Apart from the lovely heart-shaped cake, the children also received a gift from her. The gift is wrapped protectively with layers of newspaper as it is breakable. For that, one is not able to disclose the gift within. But one is sure it will be a surprise for all. J

Our focus this week is on public transport ~ bus. Before we start our discussion, several questions were asked from have they taken a bus before, to knowing the special things which they can find on a bus and not on a car, motorcycle or bicycle.

 

When it comes to telling the number of wheels a bus has, not many were able to give an accurate answer. Therefore, the “assignment” given to them is to find this out. J Some were also able to point out the different way the wiper moves and how the door opens and closes.

 

Next week, apart from finding out the answer for their little quiz, we might plan to have a “road trip” to a bus interchange. J

First thing first, we regret to inform you that we have one case of hand, foot and mouth disease (HMFD) which occur on Friday. We have taken the necessary precaution in disinfecting the whole classroom and conducting health check on all the children. We seek parent’s cooperation in this matter. Should you child be having a fever the previous day, having flu, running nose and coughing or has ulcers, please keep him/her at home until he/she is certified fit to attend school.

 

This precaution is needed not only to prevent the spread of the disease, but also to safeguard the sick child as he/she is likely to be more susceptible to acquiring another infection.

 

Attendance hasn’t been great this week as some children have fallen ill while some have planned to go for a long holiday break. Though there are fewer children it does not seem that way as the energy and noise level has maintained the same.

 

This week, children busy themselves in the art and craft corner. Almost every morning, most the children would ask to do drawing either with the paint or using the various stencils. Many have used the stencils to extend their own drawings and created beautiful pictures. Sometimes, they would even create one as a gift for their parents and friends.

 

As new puzzles have been bought, children with a shaper eye will look through each puzzle before choosing the one they want to work with.

 

Revision was done on the different parts of a car, motorcycle and bicycle using questions and actions. Children have to have good listening skills and understanding before they are able to shout out their answers. We had a great session that day. J

 

During our group session, we have also been giving children long instructions to follow. Through this activity, it not only aids in their listening skills, it also allows them to understand and carry out the actions in the correct sequence. It is always a challenge to them and a race as they would always want to be the first one to complete the task given.

 

Next week, we will be focusing on the public transport in Singapore.

 

This week went past pretty quickly that before one’s knows it; it is already the end of the week. It is also a week which marks the end of the 1^st school term for the year 2009. Wow!!!

 

Our focus this week was placed on introducing and learning the different parts of a bicycle. Before the introduction begins, a discussion was held and questions were asked such as “how many children own a bicycle?” “How many can ride a bicycle”. The children were very enthusiastic when they gave their answers. Some pointed out that they own a tricycle instead of a bicycle while others were proud to share that they are able to ride a two-wheeled bicycle. J

 

With the help of a real-size bicycle, children were able to see, touch and listen as the various parts are being shown and introduced. Comparisons were made with the other two vehicles which had already been introduced ~ the car and motorcycle. Children were also able to spot the differences and the similarities between the 3 different vehicles.

 

I feel that while introducing these 3 vehicles, the part which interests them most is the sounding of the horn and bell. Squeals of excitement will always fill the air when they hear the horn or bell being sounded.

 

Simple arithmetic was also done when the number of wheels on each vehicle is being asked. As we move further into our exploration on transportation, the children will soon be able to tell the number of wheels on each different vehicle and leading to that, differentiating different wheel tracks. J

 

Next week will be the start of the one week school break. Some children have voiced out that they will be going for a short trip whereas some shared that they will be going to places in interest in Singapore. Happy Holidays!! J J