Spelling

Joyce is in K2 this year so the teacher started to give them 10 spelling words and 1 dictation to better prepare them for P1 next year. However, it was not very well received by some of the children including Joyce. Maybe it is because she is just not ready for that stage. She doesn’t like it and cried whenever I pushed her to complete the whole spelling list. She simply shut down. Like any other mum, I have her interest at heart. I wanted to help her to learn and do well and be interested so that she finds it fun. But most of the time, we become stressed, impatient and unknowingly, we raise our voice and she gets our negative emotions and breaks into tears.

I know that I must do something immediately before I kill her interest completely. I talked to her teacher and got the spelling list reduced to 5 words. My strategy is to build up her interest and confidence first. Then increase the no of spelling words incrementally. If she improves after a month, we will add 2 more words until she gets all her 10 spelling words and dictation back. I don’t mind to start slow and steadily build up her interest and good learning habit. I also changed my revision method with her and got her to help prepare the learning materials. We used the colourful cards given by her teacher and Joyce enjoyed writing the alphabets in different colours on these cards. Then we use them to play spelling game. We mix and match into different words and say them out aloud. I also let her use white board and colourful markers to write out the words. No more tears and she is happier during the revision time now since we use these new methods 10 days ago.

This morning, I’m seeing some results. Joyce started writing her new spelling words on the whiteboard all by herself after breakfast. When I asked her to leave for her childcare, she told me that she is learning her spelling and that it is not a game. I praised her for her good behaviour and learning attitude to encourage and motivate her. Bravo! Joyce. Keep up the good learning behaviour. I’m glad that she is more serious with her spelling now. My ultimate goal is for her to be a self-motivated learner.

Reading

It is heartening to see that Joyce is getting more interested to read her reader nowadays. Whenever, I say “reader time”, she will say “Yeh!” and starts reading on her own. She feels good about reading them as she knows most of the words in the reader and is proud of it. I will usually ask her to stop after 1 reader so as to keep her interest but she will plead me for 1 more reader. Hence, we stop after 2 readers nowadays.

However, she will still not pick up book to read on her own except for her bedtime story book. She will definitely want us to read at least 1 story every night. She will pick up a story book and want us to read to her. Usually, her daddy will read to her when he is in town. Otherwise, I will read with her and I will ask her to read with me ie I read two sentences and she reads 1. But sometimes, I read more when she’s reluctant to read together and just want to hear me read. I think it is important not to kill her interest and just let her enjoy the story.

I understand that reading is vital as it is an efficient way to acquire information, knowledge, skills and experiences and improve oneself. It is also the most fundamental skill to help children to be successful in school and in life. Moreover, Joyce will be in P1 next year and she must know how to read so that learning becomes a breeze. Hence, we’ll have to brush up this year despite it requires a lot of effort and patience to help her learn to read and to get her interested in reading. Hope that before long, she will grow to love stories and books. And eventually, she will want to read on her own.

A brand new year 2008

Today is the 1st day of school. For some children, it means going into a brand new school or class to meet and make new friends! Usually, in Joyce’s childcare centre, there will be some new child especially, those younger ones, joining them at the beginning of the year. To prepare her mentally and for P1 next year, I told her that she must learn how to take care of herself as she is now in K2. Moreover, the teachers maybe busy and giving their attention to the newer children this 1st week. I also told her to help the younger one when necessary as she is now ‘Jie Jie’ to build up her caring and social skills. Have fun and enjoy your day, Joyce!

Kusu Isand trip

We went Kusu Island for a picnic and swim at the lagoon with my sister-in-law’s family. There are altogether 9 of us. It was just a 20 mins ferry ride from Marina South Pier but it was quite bumpy on the ferry. It was quite cloudy and windy today. However, we got sunburn too.

We reached there at about 10.20am. We passed by the temple which was near the jetty and made our wish at the wishing well. Hope that all our wish comes through next year (with action on our part) because a wish is just a vision. And I’ll like to quote what Joel Barker said “Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is simply passing the time. Action with Vision is making a positive difference.” Further down the path, there was a tortoise wishing well with many tortoises in it. As it was a weekday, we had the lagoon all by ourselves. We had a good splash in the water although the water is quite dirty and something underneath it kept poking us and we felt a sharp pain on our body, thigh, leg or hand. It was so painful that Joyce refused to go back into the water again. But the rest of us were in the water for a few hours. We enjoyed the wave pushing us from behind our back to the shore. They also played with the sand, buried themselves under the sand with others’ help and took turn to fly kite as I only have one. We had hard boiled eggs, chicken nuggets, breads, fruit (apple & cucumber) and juice for our lunch. Joyce and Ivan liked munching the potatoes chips very much.

We left Kusu Island at 2.45pm so that we could get a glimpse of St John Island before heading back home. However, we were quite disappointed as we only had 10 mins stop at St John Island. Then we were ferried back to Kusu Island to pick up other passengers because 3.45pm was the timing of the last ferry back from Kusu on weekdays.

Nevertheless, we had a great time having fun together especially for the children and they wanted to go again next year.

X’mas log cake and cookies making workshop on 22 Dec 07

We attended X’mas log cake and cookies making workshop at Cheng San CC on Saturday morning instead of our usual Saturday morning activity at the park with my parents and youngest sister. It was organised by a church group and the response was overwhelming. There were 30 over children at the workshop so each child got to make about 6 cookies. They helped to cut the cookies using the different cookies cutters and also decorate them. It was fun for the children. They also learned to be patient as they took turn to make theirs and wait for the cookies to be baked. Joyce also enjoyed watching and making the cookies.

Adults watched the X’mas log cake making demo while the children made their cookies. We were also given the recipes and had a taste of the baked log cake and cookies too. Yummy! Joyce finds it easy and requested that we make the cookies back home so that she can share with her friends at the childcare. Excellent! Joyce. And for your kind thought and sharing, we will make them one of these days. Yes! Maybe we can make them for Chinese New Year.

We sang Christmas carols towards the end of the workshop and also learned about the meaning of Christmas and the Christmas candy stick. As for us, Christmas is about family gathering. Usually, we will get together at one of my brother-in-law’s place for a dinner-cum-party on Christmas’ eve.

Shopping trip

Yesterday, we went OG for shopping. It was very crowded and we came back empty handed. It was the 1st time that we did not go over to the toys' department and Joyce also did not request that we buy her the Disney princess dress or something.

All this while, I have been telling her that it is not necessary that we must buy something whenever we go shopping. But she would be quite unhappy if we buy nothing although she would not make a scene at the departmental store unlike some kids. Maybe those kids were not prepared mentally by their parents before their shopping spree.

However, it was totally different yesterday. I was really surprised that she was alright when we came back empty handed. I believe that my message has finally sunk into her head. I notice that she is also more sensible nowadays. Keep it up, Joyce! You are such a wonderful girl now. Mummy will reward you 3 more red beans tonight as a form of encouragement.

Tree Top walk

We went for tree top walk this morning with my brother-in-law’s family. The weather was excellent this morning, cooling and not raining. It was a good opportunity for Joyce to interact with her cousins. Despite being the only child, I’m pleased that she is able to share, socialize and take care of kids younger than her.

After about 45 mins walk from the carpark at Venus Drive, we reached the entrance of the TreeTop Walk and started our walk on a free-standing suspension bridge of 25m above the ground. Apparently, the bridge was very stable and the kids were not afraid of the height. Very soon we were down on the ground and took the safer trail route back to the carpark instead of by the road side. Along the trail, we saw moths, grasshoppers, beetles and giant ants. Joyce finds it fun as it was the first time that she was so close to nature. A wonderful family outing that you can do with your children in Singapore without incurring any cost.