sPeCiAl dEdIcaTiOn

This blog entry is especially dedicated to all my blog readers!
I know you guys out there … some of you are ‘faithful’ readers to my blog but it seem you guys only read.
So I urge you, my friends … START tagging, START commenting! =)

yIpEe! yIpEe! yIpEe!

PCF K2s Graduation Concert- the moment all K2s’ parents & teachers have been waiting for! =)

* 6hrs before the concert starts – Final preparation to the concert hall, ensure stage’s props in place, puts up the children’s work along the corridor, rolls up the certificate etc etc.

* 3hrs before – Children in their individual costume came reporting. Excited parents with them ... they were adjusting their child’s costume, combing their child’s hairs, makeup for their child. Of course their aim is to let their child look stunning on stage! =)

* 1hr before – Parents started flooding into the hall, trying to get the best seats as is first come first serve. Children having their snack at holding area. Basically at that time, the room is SUUUPPPPPEEEER noisy … just imagine not 1 not 2 but 3 center’s children in the same room! Believe me! Is noisy! But I guess all teachers are “well-trained” already, all like numbed by the noise, so numb-ED that no one try to get the children to quiet down. Maybe we know that afterall, it will make no difference.

* 15mins before – Nervous teachers & happy-go-lucky children all ready!

** during the concert … everything ok, the transition from item to item was okay too. Children afterall are children - throughout the entire concert … they never show sign of nervous-ness or stage-fright! To them is like another get-together moment with their friends, just that they may be wondering how come the teachers today so nervous and kept bringing them round and round the hall, in and out of stage. Hahahaha!

** end of the concert, all children are “returned” to their parents. Not all left immediately, some actually stayed back- to take picture with us the teachers and of course to say the last ‘byebye’.

~ The touching moment for me will be when the parents came to me with their child, the child actually gave me a hug and said, “thank you!” Wowowow… that very second a thought flashed, “All my year of teaching, of scoldingsSsS, of naggingsSsS is all worth it!” I will missed this batch of K2s the most as they are the ones whom when I first came to this school, they were still in nursery and now – wowow they have graduated! And many of them are actually like friends to me!

~ more than just the items performed by the children in this concert … I’m also touched by the effort of the children & their parents. Is like before the actual day of the concert when we had our final rehearsal and on the actual concert day, many children (believe me! many!) are actually sick. But yet during the final rehearsal, the parents brought their child to the rehearsal … even having to sit through with them or just run through the child’s item once, they are willing. Double thumb up to the sick child as well … seeing a usual active child quietly sitting on the chair waiting for his turn really touches my heart.

3 cheers for my K2s children .. Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray!

cHiLdReN

Children should be …
seen and heard
and loved and cherished
and nurtured and hugged
and enjoyed and admired
and protected and encouraged
and supported and praised
and respected and appreciated
and valued and helped
and complimented … and NOT HURT!

LEARNING corners

When you see me up in my elbow in paint,
Or standing on an easel,
Or moulding and shaping clay,
Please don’t let me hear you say,
“He is Just Playing.”
For, you see, I’m learning as I play.
I just might be a teacher someday!

When you see me cooking or tasting food,
Please don’t think that because I enjoy it,
It is “Just Play.”
I’m learning to follow directions and see the differences.
I may be a cook someday!

When I’m building in the block room.
Please don’t say I’m “Just Playing.”
For, you see, I’m learning as I play.
About balance,
I may be an architect someday!

When you see me learning to skip, hop, run and move my body,
Please don’t say I’m “Just Playing.”
For, you see, I’m learning as I play.
I may be doctor, nurse or an athlete someday!

When I’m getting all dressed-up,
Setting the table,
Caring for the babies,
Don’t get the idea I’m “Just Playing.”
I may be a father or mother someday!

When you see me engrossed in a puzzle,
Or some “playing” at my school,
Please don’t feel that time is wasted in “play”.
For, you see, I’m learning as I play.
I’m learning to solve problems and concentrate.

I may be in business someday!
When you ask me what I’ve done at school today, and I say, “JUST PLAYED”
Please don’t misunderstand me,
For, you see, I’m learning as I PLAY.
I’m learning to enjoy and be successful in my work.
I’m preparing for TOMORROW!
TODAY, I am a child and my work is PLAY!

mAtThEw 25:40

WARNING! Is going to be a longgggggggg blog!

Yest JAMs were like a mini “warfare” … and guess who’s my “opponents”?! Believe it or not … they are my own bus’ people! Miss Chiam Wennie (as usual) & Miss Wong (a super rare case).

Battlefield was peaceful- Mdm Yanni happily enjoying every moment UNTIL Opponent Wennie took the 1st strike – squat immediately when the lift door opened!

*Mdm Yanni succeeded in acting blind and let Mdm XY and other teacher handle* =p

Shortly after, they managed to get her into the hall and tone her down … using SWEETS! But it was a only for a short while before she took her next strikesSsS – she attempted to beat the people around her, she sneeze and sneeze and SNEEZE & she was shouting real loudly! Seeing that she is out of control and disturbing the service preaching time … we got her out of the hall, to this little corner.

*Mdm Yanni can’t act blind so was there with her together with Mdm JJ*

When she there, she didn’t realize her mistake and stopped – but she continues: she refused to sit down, and like making a big fuss. The more we ask her to sit down = the more she refused = the louder she scream (been hearing her scream all this while but this time realllllllly scream … somemore plus the eyes contact she gave me is simply equals to SCARY! … so bad that at that moment I thought: “God, I really don’t know how to "control" her … help me!”)

She can be quite ‘strength-ful’ if she want to, had a hard time controlling her physically. So basically throughout we were like ‘making’ her sit … firm and soft approach but she just refused! Somehow after much struggles … she took her final and most powerful strike – pulled my hairs!

*see! ‘full of strength’ right … she can attack me even when I am holding onto both her hands*

She got hold of my hairs for quite a while … she didn’t really use force when she pulled but the pain come when both of us struggle. Opponent Wennie believe in ‘making every strike effective” … besides just pulling my hairs with both her hands, she also decided to kick! (that is when the struggles were bigger = the force of her pulling my hairs is larger)

After a while then she let go (with strands of my hairs on her hands)! Though I was asked to leave by a teacher … I REFUSED! As I won’t/don’t feel good just to leave her like that after those strikes! Though felt my eyes “watery” and speechless … but still bite my teeth and stay on!

*** the battle with Opponent Wennie is really very bad already … making me drained emotionally BUT that’s not the end as Opponent Wong decided to begin her strikes! From church all the way onto the bus! There was only total peace and silence when she alighted! *haiz*

At the end of the day, though messiness was all over my hairs (so bad that 3 persons asked me to go Yunnan Hairs Salon for treatment) … there was also “PAIN” was on my forehead!
Not so much physically pain … though few strands were gone!
But I guess my heart hurt more … to see my own bus’ people ‘behave’ this way and some more the ones who I dote and love the most! At a moment had this thought- spent so much on them – time/effort/love … but at the end of the day, that’s all I get back. =(

But was reminded what I’ve told my helpers before … though sometimes JAMs students may be ‘difficult’ to handle, ‘violent’ at times but isn’t this what that makes JAMs unique? JAMs … a ministry with special and CHALLENGING people! And what is the key elements that keep me going and going and going in JAMs and loving them the way they are, despite of all … is LOVE & PASSION! =) Though I may not get to see immediate "results" in my students' lives & behaviour, but believe one day I will! And I will never never NEVER grow weary in serving and loving them!

Matthew 25:40
“Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”