Motivating my students

How do I do it?  None other than the good old reward chart. I find that this works all the way from pre-schoolers to my P6.  BUT, there are certain type of student that doesn’t do well with reward chart, for those, I will have to use alternative method.

As I was thinking about creating a brand new reward chart for this year, I didn’t want to use or do something that merely focus on academics.  I want to include other areas like on-time submission of homework, character, accuracy in their work, etc.  So, I came up with this:

“You are On-time”

Self-understood.  Stamp is given when pupil submit their homework on-time.

“Bull’s eyes”

I do find my students are careless.  While I want my student to aim for accuracy, I’m also fully aware that it is not easy. Therefore, I planned it such that the number of stamps earned can be up to 4 when they get higher than 95%, and 1 when they get 80%.  So the more careful they are, the more stamps they get to collect.

“Wow!!! Impressive”

As mentioned, I do not want to merely focus on academics, I have also like to reward them for good efforts, positive attitudes towards tuition, helpfulness towards their tuition mates, humility, honesty, etc.  So every time I spot my student displaying positive character, I will reward them with a stamp.

“And the Academy Award goes to…”

With every 10 stamps collected in the above, they get to earn a star for this category.  Every odd number of stars earned equals a special treat of cake/ice cream/chocolates.  For every even number of stars earned, I will give them a small gift.

Looks hard to earn?  Not so.  My niece have already earned 5 stamps just this one week! All because she really tried her best to do the work given, with good attitude, and on-time work submission. 🙂  Plus the work give is topical.  So it is really not difficult to do it well as long as they focused during the tuition.

So you see…

I want to give positive encouragement.  And there are certainly lots of smile in my class 🙂  And last year, my P2 English student kept asking for more homework!!! hahaha… (so she can earn stamps mah 😉 )

Uh…

To give it a personal touch, I add picture of my student, and give different headings according to their character, interest, etc.  Eg, for one, I put it as “Caring RRRR” cause she is currently crazy over Carebears.  For another who is a boy, the heading is “Mighty DDDD” and gave the font an army look, and he is so happy 🙂

Restful Increase

Ok ok, I’m really finding hard to contain my excitement!!!

PV in Z’s potential school

Last week, I blogged that due to my very tight schedule, I had to decline doing the traffic warden job offered my Z’s potential primary school.

Today, I received a phone call telling me they need me to help up and the job will probably takes about 1 whole week, full day!

This certainly beats having to do 1 hour a day! I’m not trying to pick and choose job,  BUT, those who know me knows that I simply can’t do those job!  It is certainly easier to ask my dad and mum-in-law to help me for a week than to ask them to help me for a month if I can only clock 1 hour per trip.

When I had to decline the traffic warden assignment, I quietly told God that if it’s His plan, another more suitable assignment will come.  And I was totally at peace with that decision, and totally not worried or anxious about it.  Basically, I rested my decision upon His shoulder.

To me, this really looks like ‘drop from heaven’.

Thank God Thank God Thank God for your unmerited favor. 🙂

Tuition jobs come knocking on my door

Yes, literally.  2 mums come knocking on my door asking if I can teach their children.  Another also asked if I can teach her daughter.  Unfortunately, I have to decline these students due to schedule and subjects issue.  (I don’t teach P6 English and the other student can’t fit into my timing.  My priority is still my children first, I only take students who can fit into those windows of time when my kids will be busy).

Though I can’t take them up, but it’s a testimony of His favor.  I deserve none of such ‘treatment’, but He gave the preferential treatment. 🙂

Totally thankful.

Her New Journey

She is officially in kindergarten.  Been struggling with this decision for a long time and been waiting for Him to give us the right decision.

The thought of sending Z to kindergarten started because in 2009, with E being in Primary school, I find myself usually busy helping him with his studies in the afternoon, thus leaving Z quite on her own.  I feel bad, really bad.  She didn’t have a companion to play with while mummy and gor gor were busy.

Another reason is the lack of dynamic.  Homeschooling in 2008 is very different from homeschooling in 2009.  In 2008, E was still at home, and EZ had each other to keep each other company.  Although in 2009, Z and I enjoyed our 1-1 bonding time without any interruption from E, most of the time, Z was not really having a ‘child companion’.  She was with me in the AM, by PM, I was busy with E, and E also didn’t have much time to play with her on most weekdays.

Sigh.  I felt really bad.  Thus the idea to send her to a kindergarten in the afternoon when I’m busy with E surfaced.

I’m pretty sure God’s hands have been with us.  Why?

• the kindergarten is actually full.  But surprisingly, we got a space somehow.
• I really dislike the administrator, BUT, when term started, I was surprise to see that she has left!
• the timing is really perfect.
• I finally have the peace.

Having said these, I am still homeschooling Z in the morning.  I still want to use FIAR with her. I still want to read all the stories.  I still want to talk about the countries, culture, artworks, etc with her.  And we are still meeting our homeschool mate that we have been meeting for the last 4 years.

So, my attitude towards the kindergarten is really just for her to have fun and make friends 🙂

Rice Only?

Yes, that was what he had today.  Just a bowl of rice, plain white rice, no ingredients, no soup, nothing, just plain white rice!

I was trying to put through a point, that everyone (except babies) has a responsibility, even little children like him.  My job as a mum is to make sure his welfare, including food, clothing, school, etc are all taken care of, the daddy’s job is to bring in the bacon and spend time bonding with him, and what about his responsibility as a child?

Get his homework done!

I have had enough of teachers complaining to me that his homework are not submitted on time.  And the homework load is very manageable.  So he really shouldn’t have problem completing them!

Extreme parenting? Well, I prefer doing this than to use the rod.  I don’t think the rod will be as effective as this.  Kids in Singapore are so well fed, they won’t die having only plain rice 😛

Well, I hope the point has been put forward.  I hope by the end of the year, I will not have this comment,”he needs to submit his work promptly”.  Haiz…

PS: It is really terrible to send off my dear boy to school just after a scolding.  😦

Gloom to Bloom

The Gloom

I ended 2009 with gloom.  I was so fearful to face 2010, that instead of staying up for the countdown, I slept.

You see, there is an area in my life that is going down down down.  Year after year, I only see it getting worse.  When I’m at the edge of 2010, I asked myself, how much worse will this get?!  I don’t dare to see, but only cry.  I’m scared, I’m scared of falling into the bottomless pit.

Turning Point

3 Jan, Sunday morning, was getting ready for church.  But I was so short fused that I blew up at the kids.  Stayed in the toilet and cried cried cried.  Told God, “I give up.  God, I give up.  I have no more strength.  I can’t do it.  It is so so so difficult.  And I don’t know how to move on.  I can’t do it anymore.” (Sob sob sob, even now, I’m sobbing sobbing sobbing.)

After about 10 mins of this, wiped my tears away, and went out, faced my kids, and apologised to them.

I told them honestly, that I’m having a hard time managing the household and parenting them cause I’m all alone.  We trio prayed.  All of us, even Z.

The Bloom

People reading will probably be think, ah…  the situation got better!  Sorry to disappoint, nope.  At least, not from my eyes.

HOWEVER, all the little things that happened this week, gave me so much strength, that I know, 2010 gonna be a blooming year for me.

When I raised my white flag to God, amazingly HE TOOK OVER!  As I look back at this week, my jaw dropped!  I C.A.N.N.O.T   B.E.L.I.E.V.E   I.T!!!  (My kids love to watch Little Einstein, and there is this character that always say this phrase. )

Basically, every little concern and worry I have in my mind, HE handed it!!!  Even the tiny ones!!!

Favor – Z’s kindergarten

Though I registered Z for school, but due to the really rude and irritating administrator who even hung up the phone on me, and the fact that I didn’t even receive letter to buy uniform and such, I was really reluctant to send Z to school.  BUT, first thing I found out when I went to her school, that administrator left!!! WAH WAH WAH! Hurray!  And I was greeted with super nice people who helped us so so so much! Ok, now I have the peace to put Z in that kindergarten :).

Favor – Parent Volunteering

I’m supposed to start my PV job at Z’s potential school.  BUT they assigned me as traffic warden and I can only clock 1 hour a time!  Arrrrrggggghhhh….40 days to the school and 1 hour each day?!?! NO WAY!!!

Called them on Mon morning, told them it’s really tough. And, guess what!  The in-charge who was previously really quite unhelpful suddenly was so cheerful and helpful!  She even said she will try to arrange something else for me! 🙂

Job Blessing – New student

My old student can’t continue cause she is only free on Sundays, which I’m not.  😦

BUT, HE gave me another student!!! And I boldly increase my fee.  Totally had peace and at rest.  My time is not worth to be paid peanuts.  If they take good.  If not, I have more time with kids.

Verdict, they took it up!!!! 😀  And same profile as my niece, my current student, which means, very little extra preparation work for me!!! Yay!!!

School Bus

I can actually send Z to my previous Primary school.  So I called up the bus company just to make sure they have school bus to come to my home.  To my ‘horror’, the lady on the line said NO BUS!!!! :O

I tried ways and means to get her to help, (which was really tough), and finally, she gave me the phone number to the bus driver who fetch pupils around Bedok area.

And… this Bedok bus driver referred me to another bus driver, and lo and behold! There IS a bus that comes to my place!!!  Yay!!!

Thank God for his guidance and for linking me up to the right person.

Time Blessing

This is a very little blessing (if we can measure blessing :P), BUT, it amazes me that HE takes care of even little thing.

Friday was really my mad day.  Plus in this particular Friday, it was a new tuition routine for my niece and nephew where they have to come my home instead I go over. (Cause I have to fetch Z from kindergarten.)  Plus with the new student, logistically was challenging.

BUT, new student couldn’t come on Friday!  Ah!!!! That was really good cause it gave me time to bring my sis maid to Z’s school so she can help me pick up Z on every Friday when I’m busy.

Labour to enter into Rest

All these are really very small testimony that can’t be compared to those super power healing, financial breakthrough, etc etc etc.

BUT, it gave me the encouragement that when I let go, HE will do it!  I can’t see many things ahead, but HE SAW.

Ps Joseph Prince said this on 8 Jan, Sun,“When you do nothing, GOD does EVERYTHING.”

I thank God for Ps Prince’s message.  I saw His work when I rested.  And I know I will see MORE of HIS work when I continue to move behind the scene, and just rest and watch. 🙂

Blessed 2010 🙂

Not everything is gloom

I have a less than ideal life, and a less than ideal family.  BUT, how many on earth has a perfectly ideal situation right?

In the midst of glooms in my life, I’m thankful that God didn’t test me beyond what I can bear.  As mentioned in my previous entry, E has done us proud.

Today, another incident which really caused my chin to be raised up high.

Incident 1

Was at the paed for Z’s long overdue jab.  While I was discussing Z’s jabs schedule with the paed, E was playing with a toy on the paed’s table and making a lot of noise.  I looked at him and requested that he keep his noise volume down cause I had something to discuss with the doctor.

E replied, “Yes mummy.” And he kept his voice really low since than.

Doc stared at me and said, “So obedient ah!”

Incident 2

At the end of the consultation and jab, doc gave Z 2 small packs of gummies.  She told Z that she could share the gummies with her bro when she is ready.

Z immediately gave E one pack of the gummies without hesitation.

E promptly said, “Thank you Zoe.”

Z replied, “You are welcome Gor Gor.”

Doc was impressed by the mannerlism and generosity displayed by the siblings.

Praise::: IMPORTANT!!!

Parents reading my blog… this is IMPORTANT:::

To encourage good behaviour, remember to praise your children as soon as you can.

After seeing the doc, while we were lunching, I told the siblings how proud I was with their behaviour and told them to keep up with the good work.

And of course, they both beamed with joy and pride. 🙂

A Pleasant Email

This is what I received in my “Inbox” today which brought smile to all of us at home.

“Hi Mrs Sol,

As I have mentioned, E is an asset to the class.
It is indeed surprising that E, despite not having a formal school experience, is able to adjust well.  He interacts with his fellow peers quite well. As a leader, he takes initiatives to help his team mates. In addition, he gets the worksheets which are to be submitted organised so that there is minimal time wastage. I appreciate that very very much. He has potential to take leadership roles in future. He can articulate very well.

One area he needs to improve on he needs to submit work on time ( We have discussed about this ). I understand he is going through a transition phase. He needs to get himself in outdoor activities more to improve his locomotor skills.”

While most schools have their Parent-Teacher Meetings, E’s school doesn’t practise meeting each and every single parent.  For E, his teacher didn’t need to see me.  Well, I heard its a good thing if the teacher doesn’t need to see the parent. Phew!!!

However, the curious me sent an email to his form teacher instead to ask about E and the above was the reply I got.

The reply put my heart at ease.  Having homeschool E, I was worried about how well E would adapt to school, especially how well he would interact with his peers.

Academically, E has done us proud too.  As mentioned in my facebook, he got 8 full marks out of 9 tests.  What shocked me most is his Chinese.  Er… I have to admit, I drilled him very hard on his Chinese.  But for English and Math, not too much actually.

Friendship::: This is one area where I certainly didn’t regret sending him to school. One of the days when I went to fetch E, I saw he and another classmate coming to the gate together holding hands.  Could see that they both were chatting happily.

Had a birthday party for him this year with his classmates, and another parent also mentioned to me his son kept mentioning about E.  I just smile smile smile…

Struggle 1::: BUT but but… as can see from the teacher’s reply, he wasn’t that on time with his homework submission 😦  He was fine in Term 1, by Term 2, I totally hands-off.  Sigh… that resulted in this… Well, nobody is perfect.  This is an area we have to work on.

Struggle 2::: Managed to talk to his Chinese teacher.  She said by and large, E is ok. BUT BUT BUT, he needs to improve on his handwriting.  Totally agree….

Struggle 3::: Handling $$$  Well, they have their new found freedom.  I know this is an area many many parents struglle with.  By Term 2, I actually started a way to encourage E to use his $$$ wisely.  Will share more in another entry.

Well well well…

In the midst of the term, I didn’t want to write much about E’s school progress during the term.  Cause I don’t believe in being good just academically.  I wanted to know E’s overall ‘performance’ in school before posting anything here. So, now is the right time 🙂

I just hope that E will keep this up 🙂

“E, mummy is really really really proud of how you are progressing in school.  Keep up with your good work!!”

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Autism Speaks

Got this from a friend’s blog.  I have always had a heart for autistic children. Simply have to post this over in my blog.  I hope that through this sharing, at least, my readers will know and subsequently understand a little more about autistic children when they see one along the street.

Which Jjajangmyeon?

Was at Tampinese 1 and bought 4 different types of instant Korean Jjajangmyeon to try 😛 (remember I’m into K-stuffs?)

Hmmm… which shall I try first tonight???

The nice thing about this shop is that, it sells the different varieties at exactly the same cost as if you are to buy the 5-in-1 pack.  So for those who have never tried, we can just pick and match at no extra cost.

When paying, the cashier gasped: “All jajungmyeon!”

I just smiled shyly 😛

I love Bibimbap, so I bought a bottle of the sauce to DIY at home 🙂  Hope to give it a try soon 😉