Monday, April 29, 2013
Saturday, April 20, 2013
A side I've missed
Been a while since I had time for my mellow side to surface. Tonight was a sleepless one, a much needed mellow time with kings of Leon, Coldplay and their likes. I thought I had lost it but I didn't. I just need to realign. To find that person I've always been. The one who doesnt quite fit the adult world and the responsibilities she has.
Times like this I know that I've been holding it out far too long. I've been suppressing the true me far too long. Day to day living is just many roles that I have to play. Roles that aren't quite me. A working mother of 3, an educator. And none of them are truly who I am inside. Age is catching up on me but sometimes in mellow moments like these, i think of
a free spirit, a dark one, in her room having the luxury of time to
listen to blaring music, to think about nothing and yet feel everything...the girl I've known and surpressed just to fit in and live.
Half my life and only a few does know what lies beneath the surface.
So in the quiet of the night, when my responsibilities are asleep, I am me with the music as my company.
And I will be ok again.
Times like this I know that I've been holding it out far too long. I've been suppressing the true me far too long. Day to day living is just many roles that I have to play. Roles that aren't quite me. A working mother of 3, an educator. And none of them are truly who I am inside. Age is catching up on me but sometimes in mellow moments like these, i think of
a free spirit, a dark one, in her room having the luxury of time to
listen to blaring music, to think about nothing and yet feel everything...the girl I've known and surpressed just to fit in and live.
Half my life and only a few does know what lies beneath the surface.
So in the quiet of the night, when my responsibilities are asleep, I am me with the music as my company.
And I will be ok again.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Thinking aloud
Hi anyone reading this blog. Does anyone know what is the rationale for having a major exam after 6 years of education? Why does our country adopt that education system? Why 12 years old? Was there a study done or evidence to show relationship between the maturity of their cognitive abilities at 12 years old which relate to their readiness to sit for a major placement exam?
Why not 13, 14 or 15? I'm actually very curious to know. Sure, I do understand that the purpose of the major exam is for placement purposes but I'm not clear why it must be done when the child is 12.
I think it's too early. 6 years in primary school is too short to be able to fully develop a child holistically. Why can't we have 10 years of education and then give them a major exam?
If "all schools are good schools" tthen there should not be a need to group all the "smart" pupils in one secondary school. And if the idea of putting "smart" kids together is to pitch teaching, then there can always be class banding within a school to ensure differentiated teaching. If all schools are good schools, there should also be fairness in the distribution of resources.
If there is no need to group "smart kids" in secondary school then there is no pressure on parents to aim for their kids to get into these high ranking schools.
The major exam is important. That I know. Yes. I do agree we need exams. They are important. Is there a reason why we can't have it later... Maybe when they turn 15 or 16?
Seeking knowledge should be done meaningfully, at a pace where the child discovers facts rather than have these facts drilled into them. It takes time. It's easier for a teacher to stand there and tell them facts and then make them practice and then test them in the same way they have been practicing. But what's the point?
The most important skill any child needs to learn is how to seek knowledge. These skills take time to teach or rather takes a longer time to be discovered by the child. Learning is no longer just about content. How you learn helps you to pick up important skills that stays with you forever.
Imagine this. A teacher teaches a child about money. She uses worksheets and only worksheets to get pupils to be familiar with exam style questions. Sure they might be able to answer exam questions but beyond exams, this knowledge is meaningless.
Compare this to a project based lesson. A teacher plans a trip to the supermarket or gets her students to work in groups and plan a budget for a birthday party.
Not only do they learn content but also collaborative skills, reasoning skills, planning skills etc. These are skills they need to have in a real life setting. But the latter takes a longer time then drill and practice.
Thankfully, Education here is moving towards that. We are realizing that experiential learning, inquiry based learning helps knowledge building. I truly believe we are on the right track. We are doing it at lower primary but imagine the exciting projects that can be done at primary 6. For example, They can learn to set up a little company and learn to manage a certain capital given. These projects spark interest and we know once pupils are interested, they are capable of anything.
But in reality what do our p6 pupils do? They do practice papers. Other than sharpening their ability to answer exam style questions, what other skills do they learn which inspires them, motivates them and challenges them? Yes they learn to persevere and press on even when things get challenging because preparing for a major exam is indeed stressful. But sometimes after all the effort and things don't go well, it might just mean they don't do well in exam setting but does not mean they have not learnt. And honestly I think 12 years old is a little too young to understand the rationale of a major exam. Most of them would probably want to do well to make their parents proud.
We might have just killed many budding creators, entrepreneurs and creative minds by giving them a premature major exam. This is the age where they should learn to be curious, to test out any ideas that comes to mind, to learn with their peers, not a time when they peg their self worth on how they score for a major exam.
Many school system overseas do not have any major exam until the pupils have at least 10 years of education in school. They use this 10 years to spark the love for learning without having to deal with exam stress.
I might be wrong. Of course there are many factors to consider when we talk about major exams. Changing one thing will affect a million and one things. It's not easy. There is no solution which is able to solve all problems. In fact, introducing something might cause more unwanted repercussions.
However I believe there are so many smart individuals, policy makers out there who are actually in a position to make a difference. I hope they do. Otherwise it just proves the fact that our education system has not been educating these "qualified" people with the right skills to look at things critically. They were probably busy preparing for exams when they were in school.
Why not 13, 14 or 15? I'm actually very curious to know. Sure, I do understand that the purpose of the major exam is for placement purposes but I'm not clear why it must be done when the child is 12.
I think it's too early. 6 years in primary school is too short to be able to fully develop a child holistically. Why can't we have 10 years of education and then give them a major exam?
If "all schools are good schools" tthen there should not be a need to group all the "smart" pupils in one secondary school. And if the idea of putting "smart" kids together is to pitch teaching, then there can always be class banding within a school to ensure differentiated teaching. If all schools are good schools, there should also be fairness in the distribution of resources.
If there is no need to group "smart kids" in secondary school then there is no pressure on parents to aim for their kids to get into these high ranking schools.
The major exam is important. That I know. Yes. I do agree we need exams. They are important. Is there a reason why we can't have it later... Maybe when they turn 15 or 16?
Seeking knowledge should be done meaningfully, at a pace where the child discovers facts rather than have these facts drilled into them. It takes time. It's easier for a teacher to stand there and tell them facts and then make them practice and then test them in the same way they have been practicing. But what's the point?
The most important skill any child needs to learn is how to seek knowledge. These skills take time to teach or rather takes a longer time to be discovered by the child. Learning is no longer just about content. How you learn helps you to pick up important skills that stays with you forever.
Imagine this. A teacher teaches a child about money. She uses worksheets and only worksheets to get pupils to be familiar with exam style questions. Sure they might be able to answer exam questions but beyond exams, this knowledge is meaningless.
Compare this to a project based lesson. A teacher plans a trip to the supermarket or gets her students to work in groups and plan a budget for a birthday party.
Not only do they learn content but also collaborative skills, reasoning skills, planning skills etc. These are skills they need to have in a real life setting. But the latter takes a longer time then drill and practice.
Thankfully, Education here is moving towards that. We are realizing that experiential learning, inquiry based learning helps knowledge building. I truly believe we are on the right track. We are doing it at lower primary but imagine the exciting projects that can be done at primary 6. For example, They can learn to set up a little company and learn to manage a certain capital given. These projects spark interest and we know once pupils are interested, they are capable of anything.
But in reality what do our p6 pupils do? They do practice papers. Other than sharpening their ability to answer exam style questions, what other skills do they learn which inspires them, motivates them and challenges them? Yes they learn to persevere and press on even when things get challenging because preparing for a major exam is indeed stressful. But sometimes after all the effort and things don't go well, it might just mean they don't do well in exam setting but does not mean they have not learnt. And honestly I think 12 years old is a little too young to understand the rationale of a major exam. Most of them would probably want to do well to make their parents proud.
We might have just killed many budding creators, entrepreneurs and creative minds by giving them a premature major exam. This is the age where they should learn to be curious, to test out any ideas that comes to mind, to learn with their peers, not a time when they peg their self worth on how they score for a major exam.
Many school system overseas do not have any major exam until the pupils have at least 10 years of education in school. They use this 10 years to spark the love for learning without having to deal with exam stress.
I might be wrong. Of course there are many factors to consider when we talk about major exams. Changing one thing will affect a million and one things. It's not easy. There is no solution which is able to solve all problems. In fact, introducing something might cause more unwanted repercussions.
However I believe there are so many smart individuals, policy makers out there who are actually in a position to make a difference. I hope they do. Otherwise it just proves the fact that our education system has not been educating these "qualified" people with the right skills to look at things critically. They were probably busy preparing for exams when they were in school.
Saturday, April 06, 2013
Kampung
We had a wonderful time visiting our relatives in a kampong in Muar. It was extremely hot, the zinc roof made it a lot worst, the toilet was... Well I would not even describe it.. It was not comfortable but I enjoyed myself.
I like the simplicity, the authenticity, the humbleness of it all which people squeezing in a supposed urbanized rat hole flat has long forgotten. The vast greenery, the open space to run and the abundance of crops all around are far more "richer" than the sad sad tiny space we have right here in our little island we call home. The expensive half a million
dollar home we have here are just mere boxes that constraint and wrap our minds, into taking things for granted, forgetting to appreciate what we have and complaining when we don't.
The kids are super resilient. They did not complain. They take everything within their stride and sees everything as an adventure and an extended playground. That's what I love most about kids, they are simple and very adaptable. They never once complained it was hot while I was almost drowning in my sweat. Irfan enjoyed bathing using a pail and continued for a day or two at home when we got back.
For me, I relish any new experience, the peek into their lives were enriching for me, the greenery, the simplicity. The moment i love most was during the break of dawn, the cold morning, the morning dew on the fresh greenery, the cold air, the sound of the roosters, sitting on the steps of the kampung house just looking over yonder.
Here are the pictures!
I like the simplicity, the authenticity, the humbleness of it all which people squeezing in a supposed urbanized rat hole flat has long forgotten. The vast greenery, the open space to run and the abundance of crops all around are far more "richer" than the sad sad tiny space we have right here in our little island we call home. The expensive half a million
dollar home we have here are just mere boxes that constraint and wrap our minds, into taking things for granted, forgetting to appreciate what we have and complaining when we don't.
The kids are super resilient. They did not complain. They take everything within their stride and sees everything as an adventure and an extended playground. That's what I love most about kids, they are simple and very adaptable. They never once complained it was hot while I was almost drowning in my sweat. Irfan enjoyed bathing using a pail and continued for a day or two at home when we got back.
For me, I relish any new experience, the peek into their lives were enriching for me, the greenery, the simplicity. The moment i love most was during the break of dawn, the cold morning, the morning dew on the fresh greenery, the cold air, the sound of the roosters, sitting on the steps of the kampung house just looking over yonder.
Here are the pictures!
Thursday, March 21, 2013
March
We are having an awesome March break! Who cares if there's ton of work to do. When it's time to burn the midnight oil, I will. But for now, it's precious moments with my kids. And it's not over yet. We are looking forward to the weekend too:)
Pictures soon.
Pictures soon.
Shmelly boy 8 month update
8 months yesterday! Oh my, he's a big boy now. He's super active. Always on the go, crawling, pulling up to stand and cruising. He's putting everything in his
mouth. It's hard for him to keep still and I kept trying to remember if irfan was this way too. I believe so but honestly, I really can't remember.
He loves to smile. It's easy to make him smile. He loves to blabber too now.
He's kind of petite for his age I think. He
looks kind of compact.
In less than 5months, he will turn 1. Oh my!
I love you so much, shmelly boy!!!
mouth. It's hard for him to keep still and I kept trying to remember if irfan was this way too. I believe so but honestly, I really can't remember.
He loves to smile. It's easy to make him smile. He loves to blabber too now.
He's kind of petite for his age I think. He
looks kind of compact.
In less than 5months, he will turn 1. Oh my!
I love you so much, shmelly boy!!!
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Another sign
Come. Bring in the signs.
I'm closer to the edge.
With time, I might just be disgruntled enough to be brave.
It's probably nearer than I thought.
I'm closer to the edge.
With time, I might just be disgruntled enough to be brave.
It's probably nearer than I thought.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Breakfast for four
Sunday morning breakfast 2 weeks ago. Shahid looking intensively at Alisha, hoping against hope that he can sink his gums in that piece of bread!
But alas he just had to settle for his teether!
Ended with a nice drive. Lovely Sunday mornings it has been:)
But alas he just had to settle for his teether!
Ended with a nice drive. Lovely Sunday mornings it has been:)
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Things Alisha says
1) seeing the little girl twirling around, trying to stand on her toes and raising her hands up, I asked her if she wanted to be a ballerina. And she said this
"i don't want. later sexy sexy how?" while giving me a shy smile and one hand near her mouth gesturing a whisper. She was referring to the tutu, not covering much of the body. Huh huh.
2) frustrated that she didn't get her way she said this
"if I don't get to play that, I will not buy for you tudung. If you behave, I will buy you a pink tudung(shawl)!"
She knows I'm crazy about tudung and she attempted to use my weakest point. But of course, I didn't relent. I asked her where she's going to get money to buy a pink tudung for me. She said something about taking it out from some machine.
3) I was busy on my phone, messaging my friend. I was lying on my bed. Irfan and Alisha walked into my room and repeatedly asked me to go to their room. I repeatedly told them to wait.
And then after waiting for quite some time, the 3 year old makcik said this.
"WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT? YOUR FAMILY OR YOUR PHONE?!"
I didn't know how to react? Should I be impressed, shocked or scared?!
But automatically I put down my phone and like a robot walked into their room with them. This time she got her way.
'Which is more important? Your family or your phone?' That's a pretty powerful sentence! Got me moving all right! Now I hear it in my head everytime I'm surfing the net or whatsapping on my phone! And I feel guilty! Argghh!!
"i don't want. later sexy sexy how?" while giving me a shy smile and one hand near her mouth gesturing a whisper. She was referring to the tutu, not covering much of the body. Huh huh.
2) frustrated that she didn't get her way she said this
"if I don't get to play that, I will not buy for you tudung. If you behave, I will buy you a pink tudung(shawl)!"
She knows I'm crazy about tudung and she attempted to use my weakest point. But of course, I didn't relent. I asked her where she's going to get money to buy a pink tudung for me. She said something about taking it out from some machine.
3) I was busy on my phone, messaging my friend. I was lying on my bed. Irfan and Alisha walked into my room and repeatedly asked me to go to their room. I repeatedly told them to wait.
And then after waiting for quite some time, the 3 year old makcik said this.
"WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT? YOUR FAMILY OR YOUR PHONE?!"
I didn't know how to react? Should I be impressed, shocked or scared?!
But automatically I put down my phone and like a robot walked into their room with them. This time she got her way.
'Which is more important? Your family or your phone?' That's a pretty powerful sentence! Got me moving all right! Now I hear it in my head everytime I'm surfing the net or whatsapping on my phone! And I feel guilty! Argghh!!
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Sunday morning with you
I love Sunday mornings. After sending Irfan for madrasah, we will usually go for breakfast. The only downside is Irfan doesn't get to join us:(
Today we went to Arab St for breakfast and a stroll down Haji Lane. We like the quaint shophouses, the colourful walls and the charming trinkets sold along the shops.
And we took pictures. :)
Today we went to Arab St for breakfast and a stroll down Haji Lane. We like the quaint shophouses, the colourful walls and the charming trinkets sold along the shops.
And we took pictures. :)
Saturday, March 09, 2013
Mini me and you
Today Alisha threw a tantrum while we were about to leave the house and we almost left her at home. However the big brother wouldn't let that happen to his little sister. So he carried her all the way to the carpark. He isn't big or strong but he was quite determined to get her into the car. He had to pause a couple of times and put her down but in the end, he did manage to sit her in the car.
The little girl let herself be carried, weeping like a lost puppy. Haiyo.
In the car, she was still weeping ever so sadly. Irfan told her," Alisha stop crying. Calm down ok. Just breathe in and out a few times. Dah dah don't cry. If you are tired just close your eyes and sleep."
She eventually stopped.
Ok ok so I have to admit, he's a lot like his daddy. And she, well.. Hmmm.. I wonder who she takes after, with the tantrum and weeping all.. tsk tsk..!
The little girl let herself be carried, weeping like a lost puppy. Haiyo.
In the car, she was still weeping ever so sadly. Irfan told her," Alisha stop crying. Calm down ok. Just breathe in and out a few times. Dah dah don't cry. If you are tired just close your eyes and sleep."
She eventually stopped.
Ok ok so I have to admit, he's a lot like his daddy. And she, well.. Hmmm.. I wonder who she takes after, with the tantrum and weeping all.. tsk tsk..!
Friday, March 08, 2013
Growing up
My kids are growing up so fast. It's scary. We tried on a bag for irfan the other day at manhattan and he looks so adult in it that I decided not to get it for him. I would like to keep him kiddish for a lot longer, if that is possible.
My little girl is also looking more 'kakak kakak' now and she herself claims to be one. I must say for her age, she is rather independent. Partly because she has a younger sibling and an older brother. The younger one gets my attention and the older brother sets an example. She gets ready on her own for school. She gets up, bathes on her own( though I feel the need to supervise her once in a while to ensure she's cleaning herself properly), wipes herself dry, puts powder, puts on her clothes, with buttons and all and packs her bag for school which includes ensuring her water bottle and snack box is in her bag. She puts on her own tudung and shoes and off she goes.
Although I must say, she has her lazy days when her true age surfaces and she just drags her feet everywhere and does nothing.
But on normal days, she's independent and I take her to be older than she is sometimes. I'm reminded that she's only 3 turning 4, when she asks for milk in a bottle or when she insists on sleeping with us in our beds. Sometimes she will purposely speak in a babyish language or wants to be carried. We try to give her what she needs when she needs it, depending on her cue.
I guess being in the middle is not easy.
Here's some pics. Good nite!
My little girl is also looking more 'kakak kakak' now and she herself claims to be one. I must say for her age, she is rather independent. Partly because she has a younger sibling and an older brother. The younger one gets my attention and the older brother sets an example. She gets ready on her own for school. She gets up, bathes on her own( though I feel the need to supervise her once in a while to ensure she's cleaning herself properly), wipes herself dry, puts powder, puts on her clothes, with buttons and all and packs her bag for school which includes ensuring her water bottle and snack box is in her bag. She puts on her own tudung and shoes and off she goes.
Although I must say, she has her lazy days when her true age surfaces and she just drags her feet everywhere and does nothing.
But on normal days, she's independent and I take her to be older than she is sometimes. I'm reminded that she's only 3 turning 4, when she asks for milk in a bottle or when she insists on sleeping with us in our beds. Sometimes she will purposely speak in a babyish language or wants to be carried. We try to give her what she needs when she needs it, depending on her cue.
I guess being in the middle is not easy.
Here's some pics. Good nite!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Hey you little people, you make me happy!!
Been a tough few days at work. But compared to some tougher days I had, this is nothing. I find solace and peace when I enter my classroom and actually teach. Seeing my cute kids in class always make me happier. I have no idea why. They irritate me sometimes but their innocence, enthusiasm and cheery nature brighten my days. That is the amazing thing about teaching a Primary 1 class.
All of them are adorable in their own ways. You should see how hard they try to please me, how hard they try to do their best and get a word of praise from me. How hard they work to get a sticker and above all, how appreciative they are of a single praise, a simple sticker or stamp or just by my smile.
They are always enthusiastic about any of my lame activities. They raise their hands eagerly to share their ideas. They struggle to find the right words to express their ideas but they always speak up. They are sad when I scold them.
Today one my students said, "I love you Mdm Noraini." I told her I love her back. And it's true.
So my day can be crappy. Adults can spoil my whole morning. Meetings can sap me off my energy but the moment I enter my classroom, my adorable pupils never fail to cheer me up and make me forget for a little while. They are like a breath of fresh air, free spirited and cheerful.
I'm so thankful for little people. I am thankful to be teaching these tiny people who brighten up my days. I am thankful to go home to 3 other little people whose company just make everything so much better.
Crappy days will pass. And today is one crappy day. Hoping tomorrow will be better. And if things don't ever get better, it's a sign that a new course is needed. Sometimes very very crappy days are necessary to give me the courage to steer my ship elsewhere. To chase that dream I am too chicken to even try. So there is always a silver lining to everything. So a crappy day like today is meant to happen for a reason.
We will see how the days will take me from now on. Good or bad, there's always a reason.
For now, I look forward to meet my kids again tomorrow, to share a story, a conversation and a laugh or two.:)
All of them are adorable in their own ways. You should see how hard they try to please me, how hard they try to do their best and get a word of praise from me. How hard they work to get a sticker and above all, how appreciative they are of a single praise, a simple sticker or stamp or just by my smile.
They are always enthusiastic about any of my lame activities. They raise their hands eagerly to share their ideas. They struggle to find the right words to express their ideas but they always speak up. They are sad when I scold them.
Today one my students said, "I love you Mdm Noraini." I told her I love her back. And it's true.
So my day can be crappy. Adults can spoil my whole morning. Meetings can sap me off my energy but the moment I enter my classroom, my adorable pupils never fail to cheer me up and make me forget for a little while. They are like a breath of fresh air, free spirited and cheerful.
I'm so thankful for little people. I am thankful to be teaching these tiny people who brighten up my days. I am thankful to go home to 3 other little people whose company just make everything so much better.
Crappy days will pass. And today is one crappy day. Hoping tomorrow will be better. And if things don't ever get better, it's a sign that a new course is needed. Sometimes very very crappy days are necessary to give me the courage to steer my ship elsewhere. To chase that dream I am too chicken to even try. So there is always a silver lining to everything. So a crappy day like today is meant to happen for a reason.
We will see how the days will take me from now on. Good or bad, there's always a reason.
For now, I look forward to meet my kids again tomorrow, to share a story, a conversation and a laugh or two.:)
Monday, February 18, 2013
Module for this month: Pulling up to stand!
Other than crawling, this is what Shahid has been busy with this month.
He's trying to perfect this skill so badly. There were many hard knocks; falling backwards and hitting the back of his head on the cot rail, falling forward from sitting position, tumbling sideways, all sorts of acrobatic mishaps.
And moments when he gets it right and standing tall, he'll grin his widest grin!:)
He's trying to perfect this skill so badly. There were many hard knocks; falling backwards and hitting the back of his head on the cot rail, falling forward from sitting position, tumbling sideways, all sorts of acrobatic mishaps.
And moments when he gets it right and standing tall, he'll grin his widest grin!:)
Saturday, February 16, 2013
The sweetest brother
I hope Alisha and Shahid will come to appreciate how lucky they are to have such a loving and caring brother. He teases Alisha to no end all the time but we know he cares about her like no other.
We love you, Irfan!:)
We love you, Irfan!:)
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Lovely company
There's nothing else in the world that can make me happier than spending time with my 3 kids. The past few days were well spent. We went to ArtScience Museum and saw a pretty cool Lego exhibition titled The Art of The Bricks. We marveled over Nathan Sawaya's Lego creations and were inspired by his ideas and determination to complete huge pieces.
We also had time to visit Gardens by the Bay. I wished I knew more about flowers and their names so that I could tell my kids more but I just couldn't.:( but the flowers were a pretty sight and the architecture of the domes and bridges were interesting.
Here's some pictures!
We also had time to visit Gardens by the Bay. I wished I knew more about flowers and their names so that I could tell my kids more but I just couldn't.:( but the flowers were a pretty sight and the architecture of the domes and bridges were interesting.
Here's some pictures!
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