(2007/03) March 2007 MTBs

[autum]

Because of all these Primary school talk, these few days, i went to read the forum at kiasuparents.. just glance here and there.. and i found that Primary school teachers lives are so stressful now!

Some schools, primary 1 classes, the form teachers, have to update a class-blog page. And some update it like every day or every other day! Very scary leh. They are supposed to write about homework, ting-xie, show-n-tell, etc etc.. i feel that it's very stressful for those teachers!

And primary schools now are so advanced as compared to our time! They have ECAs like in-line skating, Wu-shu etc.. and they have 'enrichment' classes to learn Di Zi Gui etc. oh man!

 

[starfruit]

SQ; hahah cos i tot its nice to have 3 kids.. from the post i read from AAA the sigh is cos i dun think i can go through another pregnancy!! heheh

 

[shopping_queen]

Star
Can la
Cos tis preg is uneventful for u us u din put on weight
So can go for another one

 

[shopping_queen]

Autum
I suppose Tt's y teachers hv always complained tt tey spent alot o time doing admin n non teaching stuff, rather than the actual teaching itself

 

[autum]

SQ,
I suddenly feel very stressed out. And our kids are not even in Pri-school yet! No wonder people kept complaining that SG education system is stressful.

Star,
wow, thinking about #3 when your #2 still in your tummy!

 

[starfruit]

Autum, hahah just thinking out loud only cos i see AAA having so much fun with her 3 kids lah.. quite envy leh.

SQ: i am having a hard time for this pregancy leh.. still throwing upnow.. sian man. and the though of going through this again will make me cry

 

[babylovespink2]

Star: She's the most jovial and cheerful. I hope it stays this way.

I've also concluded she's going to be the most notti of the 3, cos all of us (incl Ayden!) gives in to her.

Autum: Oh Autum.. Anna is taught Di Zi Gui at school. Last Fri when I went to pick her from her arts enrichment class, I parked my car and went down as oppose to just driving through the carpark and pick her from her teachers at the pick-up area, I walked around the school. I saw the cirriculum written on her timetable outside her classroom.
So they start with the N1 children. What surprised me was, along the way home, I asked her about Di Zi Gui. She started reciting it to me - The first 8 triplets.. Her pronounciation is not clear, but I make it out to be Di Zi Gui.
I am shocked!

And oh.. I know (from friends with kids studying there) that Di Zi Gui is part of the cirriculum at NY primary school, so I guess the kindy is preparing the children for that.

 

[babylovespink2]

Star: Hey, don't envy me lah.. It's not always a walk in the garden. I have my helpers whom I'm truly grateful for. They may come and go, but they had helped me out at that point in time. And I'm thankful for my hubby and my ils.
And even with all the help, the childrens' cryings, tantrums, nonsense, nottiness, demands, screamings + my own guilt, frustrations, hormones etc etc do get to me at times..
It's a process.. And at this point, it's enjoyable - becos meimei is not really into T2 yet, Ayden is emerging from T2-T3, and Anna is borderlining between fight-it-out and fantastic 4. But I know, it's not always going to be like this..

If you want #3, go for it. For I truly believe children are gifts from God. They are here for us to enjoy and play with, and to add laughter and joy to our lives. We don't own them because they belong to God. But we get to spend lots of time with them, and to shower lots of love on them.

 

[autum]

AAA,
yea, it seems that Di Zi Gui is part of curriculum for many primary schools. Which I found puzzling. Not Di Zi Gui specifically.. but MOE in general.

Recent years, they kept emphasizing, Teach-Less-Learn-More.. and they kept saying things like no need memorization, no need for rote-learning.. everything can find online, everything can use technology to help. Then even now, MOE's stand is, NO hanyupinyin in Pre-school level. Yet, why are they making the supposedly-easier-chinese/maths/curriculum, much harder than in our time?

I find this a discomforting and conflicting thought. Are we actually teaching more or less to our kids?? Are they learning more or less than our time?? I can't seem to bridge the thought between these 2 ideas. Or maybe it's just me who is not getting IT ??

 

[babylovespink2]

Education system:

I read an article on Today today titled China's Winning Schools?

China (SH) tops the charts in Reading, Math and Science in an international study that looked at students in 65 countries.
And while the Americans look on with envy and want to take a cue to follow the Confucian legacy, teachers in China complained that the system killed creativity and said parents still sent their children to the states!

See, no one is satisfied with their own system.

 

[babylovespink2]

Autum: On Di Zi Gui.. I had a read through it.. The principle behind is purely confucianism. And it's not all bad (ok, it's good) to teach these values to the children. Merely reciting it has no meaning at all.
I'm thinking MOE's goal is for the children to learn (at least to expose them to) these values than just memorising the triplets..

 

[babylovespink2]

Autum: I think the govt knows how to play on parents' kaisu-ism. They may be teaching less in schools, but they know parents will make sure the children get more than enough enrichment help outside. Haha..

 

[giolyn]

sorry wat is Di Zi Gui? can type in chinese?

 

[babylovespink2]

弟子规
the art of living as a good student and child.

It's similar to 三字经

 

[giolyn]

wahooo... sorry really dunno wat is DI Zi Gui until i google it. http://tsoidug.org/dizigui_trans_simp.php
Frankly i have never studied this in my school days. something super new.

 

[giolyn]

Autumn, i thot updating classroom blog is a norm for RP teacher? That was wat i was told.

 

[astro_pro]

autum: becoz.. quality is often perceived as 'quanitity' by most when it comes to education.. breadth.. than depth..

i sorta convince myself that teng will go into k1 next week. but come 5pm i will go and speak tot he P.. i hope she is still there..

and this miser can tell me 'so now need to switch to k1?' when i forward him the reply..

now i am thinking of how to arrange amongst teng's packed schedule.. shd he need any supplementary programme to just do the initial catch up.. hopefully. i can withdraw those when he starts P1 proper..

whole day fidgety..:S

skali aft the talk with P.. end up writting deferment application to moe.. sian..

 

[babylovespink2]

Astro: Just stick by your decision. This is still a good time to switch as there're no exams, and no tests. Teng is able to catch up at his own pace.
O/w, how will Teng feel next time when he finds out you actually write in to MOE to defer him going into P1? Let him follow the cohort he's placed in.

 

[huingee]

Astro,
Also Teng is so tall, he might feel more at ease with the K1 and learn much faster. You never knows, talk to P and see how. Hope there is place for Teng to go K1.

 

[babylovespink2]

Germaine: I've never heard of di zi gui until sometime last year. One of my friends has a boy entering into NY pri this year, she learned from another friend of ours that di zi gui was being taught, so she went to buy chinese materials to teach the boy, to prepare him for school. And she gave our names to the salesperson selling the educational products. The person came to my house to do a demo, but I didn't buy cos I know it'll end up a white eleplant again. I have enough elephants at home. Haha.. Quite paiseh cos I think all my other friends bought..
Haha.. Now I'm quite pleased with myself I didn't buy.

 

[giolyn]

hahah... for a moment i thot it has become a known thing and all mummies here know. Heng huh. Weak heart revived.

 

[kidkiddy]

harlo...

so many threads to read... can't catch up... total loss hahaha

Juz a quick check do we have BP for activities books???

 

[starfruit]

This is an interesting read.

'Tiger' parenting not for Singaporeans
http://www.divaasia.com/article/12163

 

[autum]

I cut up one of EV's old shirt to make these 'dumplings'. The kids call them marshmellow.. dunno why. Strange!

 

[mist]

Aaa,

Yr mei mei hor, quite playful, jus like 小淘气.. Very cute though....

 

[mmqq]

Astro, so how now? Keep us updated bah.
and teng wil be 2013 le, most likely.
Autum, u very eng wo. So innovative.

I see u all talking about the San zi jing and di zi gui, I wanna faint. Seriously e syllabus are that terrible?
Today discuss with jay, he said probably we dun need to go pv le because less birth rate. I told him our golden pig year is no joke. Anyway none of us wanna go don volunteer work woh , we are not ready.

 

[autum]

QQ,
I am not eng wor. haha.. my hb asked me to make these de! Then i feel very stress. cos many things to do now. All bo-liao things la. But i feel i must do. zi zhao ma fan.

Anyway, the five-stones, i got my maid to help do sewing. I cut cloth, fold, put the filling etc.

Aye, I want to ask u something. Maybe next time I see u on msn then ask u. Not very urgent things.

 

[starfruit]

morning,

QQ, one suggestion for u. why dun u put in the application for PV first. even though u say u dun want to do PV. Cos not all application will be accepted as PV, and if u do get accepted, u can decided whether to do. Cos PV only starts one yr before the registration. some schools only accept PV for our kids next yr. u can still consider.

 

[starfruit]

autum: wha 5 stones, nice. are u teaching EJ and EV how to play them?

 

[mmqq]

Star, so we register PV this year or next year?
siling pri dun need PV de la.
then innova we within 1km, high chance getting in de.
if not then anything. we anything also can woh.
so still go register PV? which school (alamak), cannot be PV for two schools right (so kiasu). haha!
and worst case if accepted liao, then we dun wnt to do PV, will we get blacklisted?

Autum.. oh this pm if u see me online u can beep me.

i hate this jay. i asked him to bring my bags this am and i sent tian to school. met yvonne at civic c. when we about the reach my off, then maid called said we forgot to bring bags.
this jay is really hopeless, so angry with him.

 

[shopping_queen]

QQ
I wil Nvr task Hb to bring my bags too
Even if I hang 5 bags at e door, he can bring 4 n leave 1
If I hang only 1, he can forget to bring tt one
Even if I hang it at e door n he wil hv to carry tem to open the Door!!

Autum
Y Hb ask u make 5 stones?

 

[paxeng]

QQ, SQ
I v stopped getting angry w mr pax over such things. Gave up. If i tell him off, he will get angry n say its my fault even if its nt, so pointless. If its really fault, he will get angry.

 

[shopping_queen]

haha pax
that's y it's fruitless arguing over such things
luckily my hb doesnt argue
but i've figured out that it's no use spoiling a relationship over such things
so i learn to either keep quiet or i wil jus do things myself
or if i am really annoyed, i will go out and buy new ones to make my point

i am a wicked wife

 

[babylovespink2]

Haha! This is another difference between men and women..

Men don't understand why women need to have so many bags, and carry so many bags at each time.

For them, everything is in one bag/wallet.

Women are more complicated than men. They have straight forward and simple minds.

 

[starfruit]

QQ: actually u also need to see past yr record for enrollment for innova, even though u r within 1 km, u r still considered phase 3. So they will see what is the remaining vacancy after phase 1, 2 etc, Dun forget our year was the golden pig so was told birth rate was higher. If siling dun have PV, then u do for innova lah. Cos with PV u are phase 2 lah. Is innova a popular school?
QQ, it think, next time u ask maid to remind sir lah.. hahah or hang the bags at the main door so he will no forget!

 

[mmqq]

Pax, SQ, jay admitted it was his fault, cause i reminded him more than twice, until i find myself such a lor sor person.
he still yaya face and said, ok ok, no problem la..
see, kana big time from me.
star, even if i hang at the door he can also forget de. i wanted to take by myself but he offered this am!!!!!!!!!!! his fault right?

Star, before i start, what is phase 2, 3?? etc?
why am I in phase 3? not phase 2 leh?
me citizen liao lor.

 

[mmqq]

and i have no $$ for lunch today, so i just take most of his $$$ from his wallet.
i am also wicked. sigh! haha!
he will deliver my stuff to me after lunch later, otherwise i wont get to pump today. i will go kisiao.

 

[mmqq]

star, i know wat.

this siling school hor, take up rate is < 100%, meaning got extra vacancies leh.
then this innova, take up rate is 100%. so meaning if go PV, should be innova bah.

but there is another school, woodlands pri school... hm...

and if we all are lazy, then just go ballot innova, if cannot get, then go siling, cause it is much easier to enter that.
haha!!!
is my logic clear? got problem?

 

[mmqq]

Star, i think i fall in phase 2 C group, if i dun do PV. also sound ok woh.

http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/admissions/primary-one-registration/phases/

 

[paxeng]

for us, it shld be phase 2C. non-citizens/ foreigners = Phase 3.

 

[wiky]

QQ,
the risk is if you ballot for Innova under phase 2C and don't get it, you won't be in time for Siling phase 2C too. You'll probably have to wait for them to allocate a primary school for you?

I'm not sure if it works this way, need someone to verify.

 

[huingee]

RR, QQ
Ya, what RR said is true. But Siling used to be the least popular sch, sure have place. However not sure 3 years later how is it.

 

[shopping_queen]

Aaa
If i dun hv to pack the kids water bottles and diapers and clothes and good, i can also jus make do with one small bag

 

[starfruit]

opps.. hahah sorry then u r not phase 3.

ok ok, so its phase 2C. See what i found.

Phase 1 for siblin

Phase 2A1 - Former student + alumni or parent who is member of a school committee

Phase 2A2 - parent or sibling who have studied in the school of choice; or whose parent is a staff member of the school

Phase 2B - PV, Church or Grassroots

Phase 2C - For a child who is ineligible for or unsuccessful in earlier phases.

Phase 2C Supplementary - Unsuccessful in gaining a place in a school of choice at Phase 2C.

Phase 3 - Child who is a PR or non citizen

Hey is Tian a citizen already? or still PR? i think mummy status not counted leh. (see above)

and Phase 2 has so many levels and limited vacancy each category.

 

[mmqq]

huingee,
so if innova tian cannot get a successful vacancy, then go siling sure no problem right? assuming siling has extra spaces like now. so even if it is phase 3, can still go in.
of course not sure about future.

oh by the way, where do we belong to? 2B or 2C if we are within 1km?

star, tian is a citizen. she is holding dual, will have to give up one when she is 18 yo.
so by doing PC work, then can be in 2B right? still have to ballot at phase 2B mah.

 

[cwee]

hello mummies...

my mum went for the ops. waiting for final report on 31 jan, then will know stage 2 or 3.

i am feeling very sinful now, cos i blame myself for not seeking medical help fast enough.

me &amp; CO will move back to sgp, hopefully, CO will cheer her up.

 

[mmqq]

CK,
hope everything is fine with u and ur mum.
CO will surely cheer her up.
so youwill be back here permanently?

 

[mmqq]

can I check??
side topics.

To everyone with maids or used to have maid:
(1) what do u do on her birthday?
today is my maid's bd. we intend to buy a cake and celebrate at home.

(2)for CNY? how much is the angpow in general?
arigato.

 

[autum]

QQ, RR,
Can go for Phase 2c Supp if unsuccessful at 2c.

If Siling has less than 100% take-up rate, then even after 2c will still have space. So can reg for that at 2c Supp. But it's a risk.

QQ
U can buy cake n sing bday song for her. Ang Pow is up to u. I don't give much. I give in the bonus.

 

[autum]

CK
Be positive n look forward.

SQ
Hb says make n let the kids use as 'materials'. For counting, add-minus etc. Actually no meaning de la. He just say do then have something for the kids to visualise n touch n play. Can also use all those store-bought stuff like blocks, bricks, sticks etc. Not say must make the stones la. It's more for fun n something for the maid to do also. She help me to sew while I cut materials n prepare the filings.