 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Nania News
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 At nania corner
May 2009 (E91)
Dear parents,
The Manila conference was an educative trip for me. I shared my experiences with the conference facilitators and learnt very much from them too. I feel positive and wish to pass my knowledge to the children under my care.
One vital point that the facilitators imparted to all of us was that when all these children are at Nania, we, the teachers and caretakers, should always engage every minute of our time with them. Likewise, we encourage you to do the same when it’s your turn to take care of them at home.Let us try to see the good in them because we adults tend to judge them too quickly.
For example, once a boy suddenly put his hand into the clothes of an expectant mother to touch her tummy when she came to pick up her child. To an adult, this is rude and we would have scolded him for his behavior. Instead, we should just quietly tell him that it would be nice to ask the aunty first if it is alright to touch her tummy to say hello to the baby in the tummy. Creative and consistent discipline will help the child to stay within the healthy boundaries of right and wrong.
The child’s 1st seven years is the foundation that shapes the later part of their lives. Hence, let us work together and love them unconditionally. For example when it is time to go home and a child refuses to clear up the toys that are all over the place, we could always gently remind him that since mummy is already on the way, it would be great to quickly clear up so that mummy does not have to wait instead of threatening him with words like ‘if you don’t clear up, then you don’t go home.’ Likewise, when they are at home, please resort to use more creative ways to discipline them too.
It was great to see everyone who came for our Sports/Family day. I was pleased to see all the fathers taking time to play with the children and also sportingly accompany them in the games. Since Father’s Day is just around the corner, the children are now learning a song to dedicate to them on that day.
I would also like to thank the event committee members who assisted us greatly by getting the place ready, by emceeing and singing during the games, and more importantly, for helping us clear up the hall after the games.
As the term break starts on the 8th of June, I want to wish happy holidays to all of you.
Teacher Nora
Coming Events
Bento Day falls on 25th June (Thursday). The children will make ‘money’ during the morning artistic activity time. They’ll then buy lunch boxes from ‘Aunty Janet’s Restaurant’ and enjoy a picnic in the shaded part of our garden.
Coming Holidays
We close for term break from 8th June till 12th June. We re-open on 15th June.
April 2009 (E90)
Dear parents,
We were blessed with a beautiful sunny day when we had our Easter celebration. The children ran around searching for Easter eggs as well as the groundnuts. One child from our class enthusiastically told her mum that they were many more eggs on the ciku tree to be taken down as she had mistakenly thought of the cikus’ as eggs! I guess she and the other children were looking forward to find more eggs that day.
After lunch, we wrapped eggs and groundnuts in glass paper to take home.
I appreciated parents who took time to come to our parents and teachers sharing night. We began that night with a sharing session by our principal, Teacher Junko.
Teacher Junko shared her thoughts regarding a child’s development. After that I took over. I talked about afternoon literacy development lessons with the older children and also about the children’s daily rhythm in the class. The Enrichment class teachers i.e. Teacher Swee Kian and Teacher Foong Lin related the work done by the after-school-care children.
We then proceeded to the last agenda of the night i.e. the Q and A session with the parents. I’m glad that many parents participated actively in this session and the night ended on a cheerful note.
I would also like to introduce the new assistant teacher in our class to you. She is Teacher Shiew Ling. Teacher Shiew Ling is very keen in Waldof education and has read many books about it. She has a son who is trying out in the Japanese class now.
I’m really looking forward to the forthcoming Manila conference and hope to share my experiences with you in my next newsletter.
Before I conclude, I hope to see all of you at our sports/family day on 17th May 2009 (Sunday). The children are now practicing hard for this day.
We’ll close on 18th May 2009 (Monday) as it is the replacement holiday.
Teacher Nora
Coming Events
Sports/Family day is fixed on 17th May 2009.The details on the event are appended for your information.
Coming Holidays
Nania will be closed from 1st May 2009 till 10th May 2009 as some teachers are attending the Waldof conference in Manila, Philippines. We’ll reopen on 11th May 2009.
March 2009 (E89)
Dear parents,
The English class children have fostered closer relationships with each other especially the ones that have joined us in January, 2009. These children often share with their parents news about their new friends in the class. One day a boy told his mum that he looked forward to Nania because he wanted to see a particular ’big sister’ in the class. On other days we see these ‘big sisters’ helping them change their clothes, persuading them to drink water or sitting beside them ready to assist them during lunch time. I’m touched by these small daily episodes taking place in the lives of these precious children.
I wonder if you have noticed that our garden vegetables are bearing plenty of fruit especially the egg plants. When we harvested the egg-plant to cook for lunch, some children liked it but some didn’t. However, every one enjoyed harvesting those vegetables and passing them to Auntie Janet for cooking.
Teacher Thian (our previous English class teacher) has shared a blog with me. In the blog (written in Mandarin), the lady shares some of her experiences in Waldof education. I found the blog informative and quite similar to that we are doing daily in Nania. Hence I encourage you to visit this blog http://woonsing.multiply.com/journal/item/98/98 for more details. For those who do not have internet access, you can ask me for a copy of the blog print-out.
Teacher Nora
COMING EVENTS
Nania Parents Evening
Nania parents are invited to a sharing session on 10th April, 2009 (Friday), time 7.30pm till 9pm. The topic discussed will be the development of literacy in pre-school children.
Easter Day Celebration
We’ll celebrate Easter Day on 10th April, 2009 (Friday). The children will colour the Easter eggs in the morning and then watch a puppet show performed by the teachers. After that they will go out into the garden to hunt for the eggs. They’ll bring home the egg that they coloured that morning.
February 2009 (E88)
Dear parents,
It’s the time of the year again when the sun bird returns to nest and lay eggs in our garden.The children are very excited over this and reported that while they were brushing their teeth after lunch, they saw the mother bird feeding the little bird. They can even tell that the colour of the little bird is different from its mother.Well, before long the birds will start to fly away.I’ll tell children to look forward to their return next year.
Chinese New Year is over. The children have settled into their daily routines. Deep into the second month of 2009, I feel the new dynamics in the class.The new children have grown their own best friends in the class.In the morning, I observed that the big children will set up the play scenarios which will be participated by the younger ones too. They play in the beautiful Zoo that they have make and ride on wonderful horses that they have built. They also set up stores to sell food and drinks to the younger ones. Sometimes I try to delay the clearing up time in order to give them a longer time to play.
Hence, we are seeking parents’ cooperation to send your children before 9 a.m. daily. This enables the children to finish their morning artistic work and still have enough time to play. I have also observed that children tend to be moody and difficult when they arrive late.
The weather is hot and the haze is back. Daily we try to encourage the children to drink plenty of water. I’m glad to say that they are very cooperative in this area.
Lastly, we enclose herewith the updated parent contact list for your reference.
Teacher Nora
Coming Events
Girl’s Day Celebration ( 3rd March 2008)
We will celebrate the Japanese Girl’s Day Festival (Hinamatsuri) with the children on 3rd March (Monday). The dolls in traditional kimono displayed at the festival corner are praying for the well being of girls.The dolls are called hina-ningyo and the custom is also known as momo-no sekku (Peach Festival) because it is also the peach blossom season on the old lunar calendar.In some areas, the old custom, nagashibina, of loading one’s troubles onto a paper doll and floating them off down the river is still practiced.
Most Japanese families with girls display hina-ningyo and dedicate peach blossoms to them.They are usually arranged on a five or seven-tiered stand covered with a red carpet.At the top are the Emperor and Empress. The next level sit three court ladies, followed by five musicians, two ministers, and three servants at the bottom row of a five-tiered display.Displays may include small pieces of furniture, meal dishes, and other things.The 3-tiered hina-ningyo at Nania was handmade by a child’s mother.
The children have started folding paper dolls and make them into wall decorations.They will bring home the wall decorations on the festival day.
Japanese Class Graduation (13th March 2009)
8 children in the Japanese Class are graduating this year. We wish them all the best in their future. Please take note that there will be no water play on that Friday.
Holidays
9th March 2009 (Monday) – Prophet Muhammad’s birthday
16th March till 20th March 2009 – School holidays
January 2009 (E87)
Dear parents,
How was your Christmas or New Year holiday? Did you make any new year resolutions? As I welcome back all the English class children, many of them shared news about what they did during the school holidays. I’m very pleased to know that they have spent wonderful times at home or on vacation.Everyone seems eager to come back to Nania. Even the younger ones did not cry or miss their mummies on the 1st day back.
For a few days during the school holidays, we came back to clean the whole house as we prepared to welcome back the children.We have made some minor renovations in the kitchen and re-dyed the wall cloths. It is a pleasure to know that the children noticed these little changes and they commented that the kitchen looked different and the room looks nice.
The children are now into the Chinese New Year mood as we have already started practicing and learning poems, songs and dances for the coming event. Chinese New Year is the most important festival for the Chinese.It is a time of family reunions.In Nania, it is also a time when everyone comes together as a family to prepare for and celebrate the new year by wishing for health, happiness and good luck.The display corner is now decorated with fire crackers and beautiful plum blossoms to usher in the festival atmosphere. ‘Gong Xi Fatt Chai’ to everyone from all the staff in Taska Nania.
Teacher Nora
News from Craft Circle
We are recruiting for Nania’s Craft Circle activities in the month of April, 2009. Children 5 years and above are welcome to join us. Classes will be on every Friday (except public holidays and school holidays) from 4.15 pm till 6 pm. Please make your reservation with the class main teacher or our administrator Teacher Chithra.
COMING EVENTS
Setsubun/Japanese Bean Throwing Festival (3-Feb-2009)
This festival takes place on the day before Risshun, the first day of spring on the Chinese calendar.Soybeans are scattered in and around the house to drive out sickness and misfortune which are represented by a demon.(This custom is called mamemaki.)
For the celebration, children will make origami boxes for storing soybeans and also a mask of the demon or the god of happiness.On that day the children will wear the masks as they scatter the soybeans.We will celebrate the festival in the garden.
