September 7, 2010
Through Fathers @ Greendale, pupils at Greendale Primary School enjoy camps, outings and other special events where they can bond with their fathers. Dads, too, get to spend quality time with their children, learn how to be more effective parents and share their experiences with each other.February 5, 2010
Find out more about what goes on at MOE's Pre-School Education Branch, through the eyes of Ms Carol Loi, Senior Head for Pre-School Administration and an active parent with young children.December 15, 2009
Marcus reads it right during the Pri 1 One-Minute Dash (Individual) category.
Imagine coming to Singapore to live, and the only English phrases you know are "good morning", "good afternoon", and "goodbye". And then imagine having to enter Pri 1 less than a year later.
This was how it was for Chen Heng Yu, who spent his early years in Jiang Su, China. Yet, at the recent South Zone Reading Competition held for Pri 1 and 2 pupils in the Learning Support Programme (LSP), Heng Yu, who studies at Radin Mas Primary, clinched the third prize in a one-minute dash, where finalists had to read as many high frequency words such as "then", "only", and "any" in one minute. Another pupil, Marcus Ong Wei Sheng, from Ang Mo Kio Primary took the top spot in the same category.
Continue reading “Pupils Read it Right at Reading Competition”»
November 27, 2009
Isaac (far left) and Gillian (far right) with their mother Mrs Pat Chong and their younger siblings.
One fine day, you wake up and realise that your child's six years of primary school are almost over. All of a sudden, you find yourself worrying about the next important step: choosing a secondary school that would support your child's learning needs and maximise his potential.
Granted, many parents start to think about their options in good time. But the questions are still the same: how do you decide which school is most suitable; how important are a school's non-academic strengths and CCAs; and how much say should you give your child in choosing a secondary school?
It's said that experience is the best teacher. If so, Mrs Pat Chong, a MOE Parent Ambassador and mother of five, should prove a reliable guide for parents who'd like to hear how one parent approached the task with the varying needs of her children very much in mind.
Continue reading “Choosing a Secondary School for your Child - A Mom Shares What Matters”»
November 17, 2009
Lanterns aglow, and away we go!
You can tell when an event is a big hit with pupils. While hundreds of brightly coloured paper lanterns were being lit, the pupils could be heard gleefully joking amongst themselves: "Hey, we're going to do the 'moon' walk!"
A dance performance? Not at all. It was all part of Ang Mo Kio Primary School's Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations, and the highlight of the night was a traditional lantern-carrying procession around the school that involved more than a thousand pupils. Led by a professional lion dance troupe, the walkabout was a sight to behold, judging from the many curious glances from passing onlookers.
And to top it off, a cloudless sky offered clear views of a silvery-white full moon that beamed over an evening packed with games, traditional mid-autumn snacks, and a host of other exciting outdoor performances.
"In the end, we had a 200 metre-long entourage," said Mr Jimmy Koh, Head of Department for Chinese Language. "This shows that people still enjoy the traditional lantern-carrying procession."
Continue reading “Mid-Autumn Traditions Shine Anew at Ang Mo Kio Primary”»
September 18, 2009
Mr Tan is a parent volunteer at Kong Hwa School, where his youngest son Keif is now in Pri 6.
Who says students are the only ones with CCAs in schools?
Mr Tan Lam Siong is the father of three children - aged 11, 15, and 17 - and the chairman of Kong Hwa School's parent support group, better known as the VSP for "Very Supportive Parents". Since last year, he has also been an MOE Parent Ambassador, giving talks at public forums to help parents prepare for their children's enrolment in primary school.
A lawyer with his own practice, Mr Tan says lightly, "Work can be boring so we need to find ourselves a CCA, like our children do in school. Volunteering in school is my CCA and it has been extremely fulfilling." This year, Kong Hwa's VSP has held a number of family outings, as well as hosted a Teachers' Day lunch for teachers and school staff. It will also be involved in the school's 10th anniversary celebrations later this year.
September 11, 2009
Form teacher Mr Mohammed Shahied gets a confetti welcome from his form class Pri 5 Honesty.
From 12.30 to 1.30 p.m. on the eve of Teachers Day, the scene at Ngee Ann Primary School was dominated by appreciative cheers and gleeful laughter. In one classroom, a teacher had to dance - his penalty for not guessing the Pictionary word within the given time. A few doors away, another teacher was swaying his hips vigorously in a vain attempt to keep a hula hoop from falling to the ground.
One floor up, principal Mrs Cheng Huey Teng was being entertained by a two-person recorder-and-erhu ensemble. Two doors down, a group of teachers was confounded by a pupil performing clever card tricks. In another classroom, a group of four pupils was grooving to loud hip hop music, entertaining their classmates as well as teachers.
Add to that group games, warm hugs for teachers, and song items - and it was a raucous and riveting Teachers Day celebrations for all. The decentralised celebrations not only unveiled the diversity of talents among the pupils, they were also organised entirely by the school's Parents Support Group (PSG).
August 11, 2009
Handling silkworms is no problem for pupils at West Grove Primary School.
"Quick! Where's the ruler?"
"Okay, hold him still, but don't squeeze."
"Oh no! He's getting away!"
Well, not 'he', exactly. These Pri 4 pupils at West Grove Primary School are studying a silkworm as part of Project Silk Road, a Science programme in which pupils collaborate to study the life cycle of silkmoths and present their findings to their classmates.
Studying the worms takes team effort among the pupils. While the Material Collector keeps a firm but gentle grip on the wriggling subject, the Recorder carefully jots down the data in a worksheet. The Team Leader ensures that each step of the exercise is carried out properly, and if neighbouring groups get too rowdy, it's the job of the Noise Controller to issue a stern "shh!"
With clearly defined roles for each pupil, no one is squeamish about handling the silkworms. "The silkworm is very soft and harmless," chirps Pri 3 pupil Salome Ong. Lim Yu Chen, also in Pri 3, was equally enamoured. "I was very excited, but a little bit scared as the worm is very soft. When you touch it, it feels like it's going to burst."
March 3, 2009
Mrs Ong demonstrates the right way to greet one's elders during Chinese New Year.
Pri 2 pupils of Canberra Primary School could have been forgiven for thinking Chinese New Year had come a week early. During curriculum time in January, their Chinese language teachers brought them to the school hall - and there, brightly decorated, were six booths featuring Chinese New Year ornaments and goodies.
The booths were manned by parent-volunteers such as Mrs Chris Ong, whose son Axell Ong is a Pri 2 pupil. She was in charge of a booth featuring tidbits associated with the New Year. "We introduced the food to one class at a time, and I enjoyed the opportunity to relate to my son's friends at a different level when I spoke to them about the New Year goodies and their significance," she says. "Those who knew me as Axell's mother saw me as a parent-educator and presenter that day. We could still connect, but on another level."
Continue reading “Parents Take Centrestage at Canberra Primary School”»
February 27, 2009
The star of the moment, Mr Loo, with his colleagues.
Teachers aren't the only ones who can make a difference in schools. Mr Loo Sin Yew isn't a teacher, but at Balestier Hill Secondary School he's earned the admiration of both colleagues and parents for his willingness to go beyond his regular duties.
This was topped by his receiving an Excellent Service Award from SPRING Singapore in 2008, one of just seven award-winners from schools who received the award at Star level. Yet the modest corporate service officer says, "I was wondering what I had done to earn a nomination. I feel that all I've done is just part of my duty." It took some cajoling on our photographer's part to convince the quiet, reserved man to have his pictures taken.
February 24, 2009
Balancing discipline with education is all part of a day's work for Mr Ganesan.
Mention 'student discipline' in school and you'll immediately get a reaction from students. In fact, they'll probably make every effort to avoid anything to do with the term.
So when Mr Ganesan Arumugan, Discipline Master at Northland Primary School, heard he had been awarded the 2008 Excellent Service Award from SPRING Singapore, he could hardly contain his incredulity. Moreover, he was one of seven award-winners from schools who received the award at Star level.
"I never thought I'd get something like this because I'm the Discipline Master," says a bemused Mr Ganesan, who is also the Head of Department for Pupil Development. "I thought parents wouldn't like me because I'm firm when I'm dealing with them, or that students will hate me because I'm always telling them off."
February 3, 2009
A little gift for dads who brought their children to school on the first day.
On the first day of school, it's common to see many parents holding their children's hands as they accompany them to school. This year, Ngee Ann Primary School had a little something special for those fathers who showed up: a badge that says "You Are My Hero", which their children could pin on them.
Call it a small way of thanking dads for spending a little quality time with their children before the day's activities whisk their attention away. It was part of the Back to School with Dad project, an initiative of the school's Centre for Fathering. While most people think that mothers take the more visible role in their children's school matters, the Parent Support Group (PSG) at Ngee Ann Primary School has seen fathers stepping up as well - and would like to see more of it.
January 9, 2009
Maha Bodhi teacher Preston Tan with his framed New Paper article.
Why dive into journalism? Mr Tan explains, "I've been using Little Red Dot, a newspaper catering to primary school pupils, in my English classes and was keen to find out what goes into the production of a newspaper." He applied to join Singapore Press Holdings under MOE's Teacher Work Attachment programme and headed for seven weeks at TNP.
January 6, 2009
Mdm Fathima (pictured here with her family) is the chairperson for the St Andrew's Junior School Rugby Parents Group.
Do you stand by and watch when you see groups of boys pushing, shoving, grabbing one another's thighs and pulling at each other's shorts?
Of course! And it would be even better if you cheer them on with gusto too, especially if it's happening during a scrum in a rugby game.
That's what the St Andrew's Junior School Rugby Parents Group (RPG) did this year with an annual RPG Cup tournament, held to coincide with the Primary One registration exercise. Having an RPG Cup taps into the St Andrew's family of schools' long and proud tradition in rugby. Just as the hookers for each side win the ball during the put-in, the rugby tournament has won the hearts of the young boys as they watch their big brothers duke it out.
But it's not all about punts and passes on the pitch.
December 30, 2008
Mrs Chong and her five children on one of their overseas holidays.
Continue reading “Parents, "Don't Stress" the First Day of School!”»
October 14, 2008
Panelists Mrs Patricia Chong (L) and Mrs Mary Koh were kept busy answering the non-stop stream of questions from parents.
From cut-off points to choosing between IP and normal schools, a cascade of questions greeted the speakers at a recent MOE-NLB Seminar for Parents. Held in September at the Woodlands Regional Library, the event provided about 100 participants with information and advice on selecting a secondary school to suit their child's needs and interests.
After her presentation, MOE Parent Ambassador Mrs Patricia Chong, together with Mrs Mary Koh, Principal of Greendale Secondary School, patiently tackled questions from parents about the options available for secondary school education. Here's a selection of questions and the answers given by Mrs Chong and Mrs Koh.
Continue reading “Q&A on Choosing a Secondary School (Part 1)”»
September 23, 2008
Tune in to the new two-part MOE TV series in Oct.
August 7, 2008
Mdm Rain Chen and her Pri 4 daughter, Angel Ong, attended the anti-drug camp together.
“Let’s go! Left, right, left, right.” “Quick, grab that log for our space shuttle.” “How about a pile of leaves - will it cushion the impact of a falling egg?” “Oh no! Too heavy - move back, move back!”
With a flurry of movement, rapid commands and irrepressible laughter, teams dashed from point to point, seeking to outrun, outsmart and outdo each other to complete their tasks. This may sound like a fun-filled holiday camp for kids - but there were parents in the mix too. For two days during the recent June holidays, they got to spend a little quality time together at Sarimbun Camp in the rustic northwest of Singapore.
July 11, 2008
Mr Chua gets involved in his daughter's school activities whenever he can.
June 5, 2008
With the help of parent volunteers, pupils at Fuchun Primary learn the basics of baking a pizza.