Family Bonding on School Fieldtrips
Friday, July 11, 2008
Mr Chua gets involved in his daughter's school activities whenever he can.
When I was a student, I used to look forward to any day when my parents attended school activities with me. So when I received an email from my daughter Hsien Hui’s school, Yew Tee Primary School, calling for parent volunteers to help with Pri 4 education tours, I signed up immediately.
I’ve helped out at many school events before - from orientation sessions for Pri 1 pupils, to open houses or Sports Days, to excursions to the zoo. This time, Hsien Hui’s class was scheduled to go on a learning journey to Oh Chin Huat Hydroponic Farms. I had to take leave from work in order to go with them, but it was well worth the while. Hsien Hui was as excited as I was that we would be going on this trip together.
To get ready for the trip, I packed a camera, a water bottle and an umbrella in my haversack. When I showed up in school, Hsien Hui was not only waiting for me, but had also brought a snack for me - just in case I got hungry! I was so touched that even though I was hungry, I could not bear to eat it. The snack is still sitting on my office desk today.
Mr Chua and his daughter had the opportunity to learn together on the education tour.
Hand in hand with my excited daughter, I waited with the other participating classes to get ready to leave the school. After having our attendance taken by the form teacher, we boarded the buses for Oh Chin Huat Hydroponic Farms. There, we were led by a trained tour guide from the farm. First we had a short briefing and then we were led to the garden where many herbs, spices and vegetables were grown.
Many students took photos and notes as the guide patiently introduced each of the plants to us. It was captivating to learn the different and varied names of special plants, as well as how certain herbs could be used for medicinal purposes: basil, dill and ginger. It was also the first time that I saw a pepper plant with my own eyes. Did you know that black pepper is actually white pepper roasted to perfection? At the vegetable farming section, we were given an explanation on how vegetables were grown at the farm using hydroponics.
When the tour was over, a quiz was conducted to test if the students remembered and understood what they had been taught. I was impressed to see that most of them could and were able to effortlessly rattle their answers off. Finally, just before we left the farm, every student was given a pot of dill. Hsien Hui and I used it as a garnish for our dinner of spaghetti when we got home.
Hsien Hui and I certainly learned much during the excursion - I even remember wishing we could have stayed there longer. I’m glad that the Yew Tee Primary School Parent Support Group gave me the opportunity to get involved in my daughter’s school activities. It was both enjoyable and educational - I wonder what they have planned next!
Contributed by:
Mr Chua Chuan Seng
Parent
Yew Tee Primary School