November 24, 2011
Simple gratitude was what got Mrs Susan Tan involved in the Parent Support Group at St Margaret's Secondary School. But this initial dip into a social network of parents and teachers proved so fruitful and fulfilling she has continued to play an active part in the school community even after her daughter had graduated.September 15, 2011
For nearly a decade, Temasek Primary School has benefited from an array of classroom programmes provided by its ParentConnection Committee (PCC), whose members teach, coach and cook up various initiatives aimed at supporting the school's progress and strengthening the ties between parents, pupils and teachers.April 7, 2011
High obstacles help to build deeper bonds between fathers and their children. Through outings where dads can do things together with their kids and meet fellow parents, Ngee Ann Primary School's Fathers Group is helping to cultivate stronger family ties and encourage more fathers to play a more active role at home and in school.Continue reading “Helping Fathers and Children Build Stronger Bonds”»
February 3, 2011
Balance is the key to bring up a child with emotional strength and resilience. This was the message shared by Dr Josephine Kim to the audience at the Parenting for Resilience seminar held on 15 January 2011. Part 2 of our report on the seminar focuses on how parents can recognise signs of emotional trouble and nurture a balanced growing-up environment for their children.February 1, 2011
How to raise emotionally healthy children with the ability take the knocks they must face in life and bounce back was the subject of a recent seminar for parents, teachers and principals. 'Parenting for Resilience' offered valuable advice on how to recognise children at emotional risk and help them build a resilient spirit at home and among their peers.January 5, 2011
In this article, Mr Ngoh Choon Ho, Principal of Hong Wen School, offers his thoughts on how parents can play an active role as partners to support their children's education and progress in school. This requires paying close attention to their child's needs and interests as well as healthy communication with the teachers and school.December 24, 2010
On 20 November, 600 parents attended MOE's second Parents Outreach Seminar to learn how to navigate the changing primary school landscape. Held at Holy Innocents' Primary School, the Seminar offered an insight into new initiatives aimed at improving the learning experience of primary pupils, as well as a chance for parents to pose their questions and concerns to a primary school principal and MOE Parent Ambassador.Continue reading “Navigating the New Primary School Landscape”»
November 2, 2010
During the second half of the COMPASS Convention, held on 16 October 2010, Dr Daniel Fung - child psychiatrist and Chief of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Institute of Medical Health - gave a talk on building resilience in children and preparing them for the challenges in this century. Local sports legend Mr C Kunalan brought home the importance of sports in character development.Continue reading “A COMPASS for Dealing with Stress, Self-esteem and Sports”»
October 21, 2010
The challenges of parenting in the 21st century were tackled at the COMPASS Convention 2010, where educators and parents gathered to share and learn what makes today's young people tick and how families can continue to grow together in an era of greater technology and less free time.Continue reading “COMPASS Tackles the Challenge of Technology and Engaging Today's youths”»
October 5, 2010
A child is in low spirits and refuses to go to school; or he comes home crying, and complains of being bullied by his classmates. There are also cases of parents going to school to lodge complaints of how their child was bullied in school. What are these incidents really about? How should parents help their child cope with such problems?September 27, 2010
Dr Elizabeth Pang - who oversees the Strategies for English Language Learning And Reading (STELLAR) programme that has been implemented in all primary schools - has 3 tips to share on how parents can make a difference in their children's English language learning:Continue reading “Developing your Child's English Language Skills”»
February 11, 2010
Principal Mrs Mary Ngiam (right) and MOE Parent Ambassador Ms Veron Sim (left) fielded questions from parents during the lively Q&A session.
February 9, 2010
Mrs Mary Ngiam, principal of Princess Elizabeth Primary School, explained the framework for primary education to over 500 parents.
January 15, 2010
Is your child starting Pri 1 this year? Don't be surprised, but even if your child's first few weeks were tear-free, it may take several more weeks before he or she settles into the swing of things. Mdm Evelyn Khong, who heads the Family Life Department at Fei Yue Community Services, shares her advice on how parents can make the transition to formal schooling easier for themselves and their children.Continue reading “Getting Ready for Pri 1 - A Counsellor's Advice”»
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”»
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).
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 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 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!”»
November 25, 2008
The NJRC is an opportunity for pupils to learn teamwork, entrepreneurship and creativity through robotics.
Many kids would spend the mid-term break in September relaxing at home or hanging out in the malls. But not this bunch at Yew Tee Primary School.
Instead, their holiday was a week of teamwork and dedication to train and prepare for the National Junior Robotics Competition (NJRC). Their sacrifice paid off when two out of six participating teams from Yew Tee Primary School made it all the way through the qualifying rounds to compete in the grand finals of the NJRC at the Singapore Science Centre.
Continue reading “Pupils and Parents Share A Robotics Challenge”»
October 30, 2008
Vietnamese student Han Giang (centre) with her Singapore foster parents Mr and Mrs Samuel Tan.
Arriving in a new country means a new school and new friends. But a new family?
"When I first heard about the Foster Parents programme at Nanyang Girls' High School, I could not help but be sceptical," recalls Le Nguyet Han Giang. But soon after the Vietnamese national arrived in Singapore in January 2007, Han Giang was happy to cast aside her doubts and warm up to her new family of foster parents, "Uncle Samuel Tan and Aunty Soon Yin", and her foster siblings, Joshua, Beatrice and Hongjie.
Continue reading “Giving Foreign Students a Home Away From Home”»
October 23, 2008
Father-and-son bonding takes place through cybergames at Montfort Junior School’s gaming corner.
Sleek racing cars zoom down winding streets. The drivers strain as they go bumper to bumper and narrowly miss the curb. Their intense concentration is broken by random cries of excitement as one car succeeds in overtaking its rival.
Sounds like Formula 1? In fact, all this action took place at Montfort Junior School, where four Xbox consoles let pupils match their gaming skills against their dads. And no matter who finishes the race first, every player is a winner in this hour of paternal bonding that takes places at the MJ iTech :) Corner.
Continue reading “Family Life Takes Flight with Father’s Wing at Montfort Junior School”»
October 3, 2008
Tune in to the new two-part MOE TV series in Oct.
Want to find out more about how you can be an active partner in your child’s school life? Tune in to the next episode of Educating Junior, Hand in Hand to see how parents are playing their part to enrich the learning experience of both their children and their children’s schools.
While Episode 1 focused on primary schools, Episode 2 will put the spotlight on students in secondary schools. Catch the show in your preferred language on the following channels: • Channel NewsAsia - Wed, 8 Oct, 9.30 p.m. • Channel 8 - Sat, 11 Oct, 10.30 p.m. • Suria - Wed, 15 Oct, 7.30 p.m. • Vasantham Central - Thu, 16 Oct, 7 p.m.
Here’s a sneak preview of what you can expect to see in this installment:
October 1, 2008
Members of the PSG putting up decorations for the Teachers' Day Concert.
A typical Teachers' Day Concert? Hardly - for the performers were not students but the Dancing Mamas of Ngee Primary School's Parent Support Group (PSG). And this was just one of many numbers lined-up by PSG members to make the concert a memorable occasion for the teachers.
September 23, 2008
Tune in to the new two-part MOE TV series in Oct.
July 11, 2008
Mr Chua gets involved in his daughter's school activities whenever he can.
June 19, 2008
It's time to get next year's Primary 1 pupils registered for school.
June 5, 2008
With the help of parent volunteers, pupils at Fuchun Primary learn the basics of baking a pizza.
May 26, 2008
Some parenteers offer free haircuts for financially needy pupils.
May 14, 2008
The Managing Change for Sec 1s workshop is faciltated by parents.
May 12, 2008
Coming soon - MOE's annual Primary 1 Registration Exercise.
April 11, 2008
Mrs Jane Koe (4th from left) with members of Ngee Ann Primary's PSG.
Continue reading “Setting up a Successful Parent Support Group”»
April 3, 2008
Fun words games keep the LSP students at Yangzheng Primary School engaged in learning.
Continue reading “Words, Sounds and Books Give a Boost to Literacy”»
April 2, 2008
Miss Tan Lay Leng worked collaboratively with the parents and teachers of a child with ADHD to help him improve his behaviour.
February 20, 2008
Mr Khoo is actively involved in his daughter’s education and believes that parents play a critical role in imparting life skills.
Continue reading “Making a Successful Transition to Primary 1 (Part 2)”»
February 18, 2008
Humorous anecdotes and useful tips from the various speakers helped to alleviate parents’ concerns.
Continue reading “Making a Successful Transition to Primary 1 (Part 1)”»
February 1, 2008
Mdm Kannagi Ibrahim has been a parent volunteer at Evergreen Primary School since 2004.
Continue reading “What Being a Parent Volunteer Has Done for Me”»
January 23, 2008
Parent volunteer Mr Simon Teo directs traffic at the school entrance.
Continue reading “Primary Assurance for New Pupils from Parent Volunteers”»
December 26, 2007
Mr Abdul Rahim B with his wife and children.
December 5, 2007
A distinguished panel of experts offered advice at the COMPASS Convention 2007 on topics ranging from teenage sexuality to the risks of cybergaming.
Could a girl who has not yet had her first period get pregnant? Are two condoms better than one? Is it safe to play with a schoolmate who has HIV? These questions and more were posed to the audience at the COMPASS (COMmunity and PArents in Support of Schools) Convention 2007 on 3 November.
Raised during a presentation on “Love Them, Talk About Sex”, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) tackled the topic of teenage sexuality and parents who worry that telling the truth could open the way to youthful temptation.
November 21, 2007
Mr Faezal Ibrahim spends time discussing with his children about their CCA.
“I like CCA because we study very hard and after school, it helps me get away from my studies,” says Mohamad Farezal Fadli Bin Faezal Ibrahim, who took up silat, a form of Malay martial arts, as his co-curricular activity (CCA).
His father concurs. “It’s an outlet for him to relieve stress,” says Mr Faezal Ibrahim.
As the 12 year-old boy is entering secondary school next year, both father and son have been discussing what CCAs Mohamad Farezal should take up. Some of the options they’ve explored: Silat, Air Rifle Club and uniformed groups. How did they narrow down their selection to these CCAs?
October 15, 2007
Secondary schools offer diverse programmes for students with different talents.
October 12, 2007
Primary school can be a fun learning experience.
Continue reading “Preparing and Supporting Your Child in Primary School”»
October 10, 2007
The right primary school environment can help a child take his interests and talents even further.
October 8, 2007
Colourful graphics welcome students to the Namnaadi website.
September 25, 2007
Blog, forum, e-magazine or educational tool - whatever way you call it, the revamped MOE Chinese language portal Happy Town is pulling in the visitors, with its cute and bubbly community town look.
Re-launched in 2007 after a revamp, the six-and-a-half-year-old site is now more interactive and has drawn an overwhelming response from its target audience of primary and lower secondary school students. In fact, in May 2007, a Lianhe Zaobao report listed the portal’s average monthly hit rate as 4.05 million, up 17 per cent from the 3.46 million it used to receive before its makeover.
But Happy Town’s new look is much more than skin-deep.
September 7, 2007
Mrs Soh made it to the summit, with the help of her sons.
August 28, 2007
Finger puppets bring Malay words to life.
August 22, 2007
Parents, are you thinking about taking leave from work to submit the secondary school choices for your child? Here’s some good news: Come year end, you can submit those options on your own time, in the comfort of your own home.
This year, MOE is introducing the Sec 1 Internet System website, which will allow parents to submit online the secondary school choices for their child. What’s more, parents can also find out the posting results through this new system.
Continue reading “Sec 1 Posting Exercise - The Electronic Way”»
August 15, 2007
Parents played timekeepers at the finishing line during the school's Sports Day.
From individual tutoring and counselling, to fun school events and even family-oriented Co-Curricular Activities, there’s a little bit of something for everyone; we’re not referring to teachers or school counsellors, but parents, and the many avenues they have to get to know our school better!
July 26, 2007
The panel was on hand to answer to all queries.
Continue reading “Helping Children to Navigate Cyberspace Safely”»