Last Day of School

I tried so hard not to cry last Thursday. It's like letting go of 30 (26 present) of your own children all at the same time. Attached but having to detach is a difficult thing to do.

Goodbye soon...my TWONEderful children!

I will miss everyone in 2.1 when they graduate from my class end of this year (2009). The kids have been with me for almost 2 years now and we have this rapport that is both warm and safe, so to speak. The kids know they are safe to say whatever they want, within limits, and joke and tease each other, including me (eg. When I am angry, the kids tease 'Look, mummy angry!') Just last week, I lamented that they will be leaving me and the girls (started by Fion, I think) said I AM the one abandoning them. The boys said 'Follow us to Primary 3'...but how can I be split into the various IMAS and 'normal' classes???

I have to focus on enjoying my time with them and not think about sad goodbyes. Today, Nellie said,"Can we call you Mummy instead of Mrs Mahimy?" Ah...why not? Haven't Tenki, Chao Khon, Aijia and the rest of the non-school bus kids been yelling "GOODBYE MUMMY!!!" for the longest time (since term 2?) after school?? Some teachers even thought they heard wrongly. I never corrected them or scolded them for being disrespectful cos I have told them before that I am like their mothers when in school. Anyway, 'Mahimy' and 'Mummy' sound quite the same if you say it quickly!

Remember Mummy Mahimy when you grow up! I will miss you all!

Learning Journey & Happy-face Cookies~!

Photos

Last term I took many pics of kids
1) blowing 'made-in-school' bubbles (using glycerin, water and dishwashing detergent)
2) having their computer lesson in the futuristic classroom
3) doing group work in class during English lessons
4) walking and having fun during their Learning Journey

(some of you kids may have seen them during Meet-the-parents session, presented as a slideshow in the class computer)

Watch this space... I will soon put the pics up! ..gulp.. hope I find the time!!!

Laptop 'adventure'

The kids love their computer lessons. So much so that Ramneet thought that the 'PC' period indicated in the time-table meant 'Personal Computer' period and not 'Pastoral Care' ;). This week the kids had fun working on their own laptops in the Futuristic Classroom. They were amazed with everything there--the furniture and especially the Interactive Board. They were going WOW WOW WOW every now and then.

Last week, the kids did a powerpoint slide on their favourite food. They've done a pretty decent job, I must say..

BIG improvement!

Chao Khon really impressed me today. I had left a Big Book 'Chicken Rice' on the easel and some of the children were happily flipping through the book and reading it aloud. The kids were supposed to be queuing up to see me individually so that I could check their written work. Then I heard Chao Khon read! He could read ALL the words in the book. Imagine my (pleasant) surprise! Chao Khon is in the Learning Support Programme and he could not read by Semester One last year. He hardly knew any words! He didn't do very well in Semester 2 either. But this month, he seemed to have changed totally! I praised him and asked him who helped him improve so much. He said he had been getting help from his elder sister. I was very touched 'cos I had told Chao Khon that he is a bright boy and he should try to do better in English by getting his sister's help during the December holidays and at home. I also reminded him during target-setting this year that he will do well if he works harder for English (Chao Khon is good at Math). I didn't really expect him to heed my advice 'cos it really requires self-discipline. I am so encouraged by his effort.

Generally, I feel that my class is moving faster this year. I really like my class and enjoy teaching them 'cos they are a responsive and helpful lot. Even though this is just the beginning of the year, I believe I will miss them when they graduate from my class.

Chinese New Year

HI kids!

How did you spend your Chinese New Year? For the Chinese kids, how much money (or how many hong baos) did you collect? For the non-Chinese, what did you do? Were the two public holidays fun for you? Why? Share with me! :)

(For kids who keep checking this blog for new photos...sorry! I've been busy. Will let you know when I upload the pics)

Do you have enough sleep?

Hey, kids!

How many hours of sleep do you usually get everyday ? Do you think you are getting enough sleep? Do you usually feel tired or full of energy when you awake? Do you dream when you are sleeping? Can you remember your dreams? Do share with me.

sssleeeeeep.....not enough

"Mrs Mahimy, you like to sleep right?" Duke came up to me after reading this blog on Monday. For the record, I LOVE to sleep, but I am sleep-deprived. For me, sleeping is a good way to de-stress and re-energise! I can sleep off my problems and sometimes, I dream of solutions to my problems!

But having a toddler means not being able to sleep through the night. Night feeds..fever... flu...cough... nightmares... All mothers looking after their own kids will know what I mean. Since my son was born, I've not had the chance to sleep through the night. If I'm lucky, I get a straight 5 hour sleep. And that's SELDOM.

Self-discipline

Hi, kids!
We talked about self-discipline in class yesterday. What have you yourself done to show that you have self-discipline, either in school or at home?

What the kids say about Compound Words

Did a lesson on compound words yesterday. The kids were VERY GOOD at listing compound words during and after their English lesson. Nellie came up to me and said 'Mrs Mahimy, 'handsome' is a compound word right?' Definitely! Hand + some = handsome! Clever! The kids came up with other words like: postman, playground, HOMEWORK! :) etc.. I was impressed. They certainly understood what was taught! :) :) Then came the ultimate--contributed by various kids...'Mrs Mahimy, what about Woodlands? Queenstown? BATMAN? SPIDERMAN? SUPERMAN?' ;)

FUN FUN FUN at the zoo

Hey, Kids!

Get mummy and daddy to take you to the Singapore Zoological Gardens during the weekends! The new children's world is ONE FUN PLACE to go to! My own little boy (just 2 years old) didn't want to leave because he had fun in the new pool (there are water slides, 'gigantic water guns' and MORE) and also at the animal corner where he got to get really close to animals such as goats and horses. I'm sure you'll love it too! But remember to bring your swim gear and a change of clothes!If you don't want to get wet, there is an animal carousel (merry-go-round) and a fitness corner where you can go 'gliding'. Experience it for yourself! I've been there TWICE in December last year (2008)!

siNg and boOgey!!

this week has been pretty fun... started the STELLAR approach to teach english (using Big books to teach) and i've been making the kids sing, dance and produce lots of 'legitimate' noises. haha.. 'legitimate' cos this week's big book is entitled 'THE UNDERGROUND DANCE' and it is about the various sounds made by all sorts of things, both living and non-living eg. subway trains, drilling sounds made by the miner, sounds made by moles tunnelling underground etc.

i think the kids enjoyed the book. But they were at first hesitant to sing and dance at the same time....it was only until i led them in the song and dance that they really opened up and danced! we all had a good laugh--at me and themselves! Was thinking of getting the kids to choreograph some sort of 'STOMP' -like music, you know, hitting the desks and chairs to produce MUSIC, not NOISE. But don't think it's a good idea 'cos the process might disturb the other classes....It would be ABSOLUTELY fun, but i'm not exactly confident to coordinate a class of 30 potential 'noise-makers' ;) think i'll just get the kids to produce maracas next week...