Cher Lim's precious moments...

~ my current desktop background ~

Who says only children will have =( moments when they experience changes/transition? Adults too… or at least for Cher Lim.

I must say this farewell @ HT schoolhouse is very different and more emotional from my farewell years ago @ p_p kindergarten. I guess is the bond/closeness I have with the children and parents.

Totally overwhelmed/touched by the love of the children and parents.
I gave the K2 children my hp number. But of course before that did some “nagging” first. Haha!
And just less than a hour after dismissal, I received callssss.

One from Child D’s mum - she was telling me that Child D was crying when she get home. And mum was shocked that I am leaving.
Soon after Child S’s mum called - likewise saying Child S was crying @ home and wants me to visit her when she go to primary school.

And from like 2pm plus to 10pm plus, my hp was flooded with calls from children and smses from parents. Esp this particular child Chloe’s mum (look below with **) as my leave seem to have a big impart on her.

Some smses from parents:
“a BIG thank you to you and all the best to you for whatever you are going to do!”

** “Thanks! Chloe wants to call you but is scared, she cried on the way to and from school just thinking about you.”

** “She is ok as she don’t think too much about it. You are the first teacher she misses so much to cry. She is usually not so emotional. She must really love you a lot.”

** “No prob! Thanks again for making Chloe so happy!”
… this sms was made after Chloe get me on the phone.

“Hi Teacher Lim, is it true? So where will you be teaching next, still in preschool? The boys are very sad when they told me.”

“Thank you very much for your guidance and patience with my boys. I wish you all the best and the boys will miss you!”

“So sad to hear that but I am sure it must be a better move thus you’ve decided to move on. Thanks for everything! Are you on Facebook or any email address that we can keep in touch with you?”

~in facebook’s pet society~ “This flower is for you… on behalf of Ethel!”

“Heard that you resigned?? Oh dear, Jermaine is looking forward to go to you for K1. All the best to you!! If possible, do let me know where will you be next. Take care!”

“No wonder Brendan told me Cher Lim have a secret to tell on Thurs… Hee! Ok, do keep in touch!”

I tell you, all this smses really made me … you know you know. =/
I do believe is just a transition for the children and of course myself.


Probably you may be thinking why is Cher Lim so emotional?
Haha! I also don’t know… is just different, very different this time!
Think I may need some time to get over this.
I have never get so emotional over any of my “departure”.

Though my angels in HT schoolhouse may be sad over my “departure” but I’m sure they will get over soon.
BUT BUT no matter what happens in the future… what I really treasure is the time now!

This will be the most precious moments of my life! =)

bYe ByE bYe ByE~~

After the successful end of the concert, the past weeks in school been busy, with Parent-Teacher Meeting, clearing of works etc.
Putting aside the busyness, there is a part in me that is feeling =(
My last day with HT schoolhouse is near.

Having to spend a good 3 years… it can be a challenge to leave the comfortable environment, the familiar culture/system, the friendly colleagues and of course the adorable little angels.

26 Nov 2009 - my official last day with HT schoolhouse. =(
I prepared my angels few days ago that I will be telling them a “secret”. Just as I thought they may forget about it, they didn’t. The moment I entered K2 classroom, the children immediately asked me to tell them.

Actually been thinking should inform my children or just leave quietly - one colleague said “better not” but other colleagues said I should.
After experiencing the “shock & constant questioning” when two of my colleagues left previously, I decided that I should at least let my children know and probably the parents who I am closer with. Don’t want to leave them with ???.

Due to the changeover, the children who turned up during the "holiday period" was not that many. K1 with 3-4 absentees daily and K2 only half the class came so bit disappointing can't get to bid my last farewell to everyone.

When I informed the K1, they looked calm but you could see the changes on their face as I continued further. But it ended off nicely after my photo-shoots with them and giving them a little gift. =)




But it was a total different feeling @ K2- somehow I struggled to start. Afterall they are my babies who I have taught for 2years but most of them I know them for 3years. Seriously, the children from K2 has a special place in Cher Lim’s heart.

Recently this class been very expressive. Probably they know they are graduating from preschool.
Particularly this two girls, whenever they see me coming near, they will run over and hug me (tight) and refuse to let go until I shake them off. Haha!
And this girl kept going around to tell her friends “Teacher Lim is my best friend”. Haha! There was once I was somehow angry with the class and this girl came over, put her hand around me and said “Best friend Teacher Lim!”. And that of course cool me down.

Believe me a not, it was an emotional time with K2.
The moment I announced my "secret", all of them were shocked and there was this Boy A who cried. You must see his expression - how he starred at me and tears flooded his eyes. Actually I’m very shocked with his reaction cause he is actually one of the boys who I discipline verrrrrry often. With a sobbing voice, he asked “then who is going to teach us?”

I explained… answered their questions… calmed them down…
Qns like "what's the name of your new school?" "why you want to go?" "why you don't to go in Dec?"




It didn’t end after the photo-shoots & gifts-giving.
The huggggggggging, “intense” hugggggggggggging then started.

I gave ALL my K2 children a hug before I did the last dismissal.
* the moment was the hardest ... got to try hard to control my tears *

At the door, most of the K1 took the effort to turn back and wave/shout goodbye to me.
On their way to the school bus, two of the K2s kept turning back to wave goodbye.
One of the K2 girls just don’t seem to want to leave till I shoo her off.
The rest of the children who are still around just stood near me.
I waved goodbye, the last goodbye to all my angels...

Goodbye my angels in HT schoolhouse~~~

3 cheeeeeeeeeeers!!!

Recently managed to get hold of our school’s Concert cum Gradation Ceremony DVD so watched it couple of times.

After that, I cant help but just to blog about my angels again.
They simply rock~~~~~

K2, the graduating class
They were like the “main stars” that night - as that’s their graduation day as well.
They were involved in sooooo many segments, much expectations were required of them.

All of them were required to memorize their individual Chinese & English speech, their Chinese poem, their English poem/song, the procedures for their graduation ceremony, their Chinese dance steps, their English dance steps, the finale song, their different position/formation for the different segments and for few of them even got to memorize lines/steps for their Speech & Drama item.

K1
Compared to K2, they were given much lesser time to learn/practice their dance but yet their performance were excellent! They really blew my mind off!
Never underestimate children! =)
And for K1 English dance, I really want to thank God - time was running out and I was still struggling to find the right song for the theme, World Around Us. And when I finally found one, I totally have no ideas how to come out with the steps but amazingly within a few days of brain-squeezing, I came out with the steps. At the end of the day, the song fitted perfectly to the theme. And then with the props/costumes-getting etc, everything turned out well.

Despite of the little time given to them…
Despite of the little full-rehearsals at the exact venue…
Despite of the little confidence/experience they had…
ALL OF THEM DID IT! Just totally amazed by them! =)

expected...

Though was prepared but didn’t expect AAA and BBB to be that so realistic.
When CCC needed help, despite how “difficult” it may be, I will be available and agreed to it…
When DDD asked for something, I will be quick to accomplish…
When EEE requested something, despite how “discomforted” I may feel, I still agreed…
Throughout I have never demand anything about FFF from GGG…

All was fine until I passed HHH to III and immediately everything changed - this was taken away and that was not given as promised.
Haiz… just don’t understand why can one be so realistic??
And then when for the first time I requested for something, AAA and BBB rejected!!!
*disappointed*

But one thing, I thank God for the grace to "handle" this - that I didn't choose to be angry and bear grudges. This time round I guess the disappointment level is higher which I know I will be able to forget totally about it and move on from here! =)

hmmm...

Few weeks back I went to “shop” for one of my friends’ birthday present.
Actually already know what my friend wanted so when I reached the shopping mall and saw “it“, I was so happy cause I found it without much trouble. Just nice - they left with the final piece as is a popular item so selling fast.

Though beforehand was rather mentally-prepared but still I got a little shock when I saw the price tag … haha … as not sharing with anyone so will be covering the total cost so thought that price may cost a hole in my pocket.

Hmmm… did I get it in the end?
… … … … … Yes! Of course I did! =)

Though I may seldom get to meet up with this birthday friend of mine but this friend of mine definitely has a place in my heart. =) This friend made a difference in my life! That’s is why this friend deserved my best… even it cost a hole in my pocket. Heehee!

I then was reminded about Friend Y… I have learnt “giving gift with excellence” firstly from Friend Y.
Every year @ my birthday, Friend Y will blessed me with not just any gift but gift with quality (in term of $$$ too). I was always be in state-of-shock whenever I opened up present from Friend Y. This friend of mine may not be rich but Friend Y is always willing to spend that $$$ just for me.

birthDAY...

Whenever is the birthday of some W5 students (mainly the higher ones), I will arrange a birthday lunch for them by getting few other students together.

This month, W5 has two students’ birthday. Few weeks back, Cher PW and myself bought them to celebrate @ West Mall. The highest record … 13 students! Haha!
We had it @ the food court … just when I thought tables for 15 people will be hard to get, especially during lunch hour BUT thank God we immediately found two long tables and it was actually one of my students who found it. Woohoo~~

Hmm… cant remember when I started this in W5 but birthday is actually a time the students really look forward to. Some of them can even make "reservation" or send in their "proposal" one year in advance. =)
I’m sure is more than the present as they don’t request/demand for it but more to the presence aka the fellowship, the time of being together.

As I was happily taking my lunch… I passed $$ to Std J to help with the drinks.
Out of a sudden, Std K came over and passed me a can of coke he got on his own.
I was shocked… is not just me blessing the students, I’m blessed by them too!

I must repent, that day - for a moment I was thinking “Hmm… it been many years already. Enough already right? Can stop this birthday lunch thingy already?”
But the thought immediately went away when I see the joy on the face of the students, not just the birthday star/s but all of the students who were at the celebration.

gRaDuAtEd...

=) only managed to take photos with three of the graduands.

ooooooooooOver!!!

FINALLY… … … ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Schoolhouse’s Concert cum Graduation Ceremony over!!!!!!!

For us, the staff… the day started way in the morning, we had our final briefing and items-check before we set off to the club after a not-so-full lunch. Haha!
Immediately upon arrival, there was’t any free time for us. Even going to the toilet also got to speed up. Haha!


We laid chairs and set boundaries in the waiting room, we laid out the costumes and accessories accordingly, get ready the tool and the makeup and the stationary boxes, we arranged and labeled the bottled drinks, we did the markings on the stage floor, we set up the backdrop, we set up the recept etc etc etc.

@ 215pm, we welcomed the arrival of the first child and her family.
@ 230pm onwards, we were overwhelmed by the children + family that came one after another after another after another. From sitting-receptionists to standing.
@ 315pm onwards, we were all back in the waiting room. Then still rather chaotic cause of the arrival of some late children and parents saying goodbye to their precious.
@ 345pm onwards, all parents ushered into the hall. Waiting room closed.
@ 4pm, the Graduation Ceremony started.
@ 5pm, the Concert started … woooooo~~~

* in the waiting room *
As usual, the teachers & helpers were busy, very busy with dressing up the children, putting up makeup, adjusting their hair, ensuring EVERYTHING on the children right and proper before sending them out accordingly.

Thank God for peace in the midst of “storm” … haha … Guess Cher Lim’s nagging for the many days was effective. The K1 & K2 were definitely much well-behaved compared to the last time we were there for full-dress rehearsal. Even at times there were few who get overly-excited and about to leave their place, a @@ from Cher Lim, they will be back. =p




* up on the stage *
With “quick hands quick legs”, teacher in-charge sent up their children.
My Chinese colleague was telling me she almost faint when she told her K2 to stand in their graduation poem-formation and a child came to ask her “stand what formation” and another asked "where I stand?”. Haha! This children really know how to give teachers heart-attack ar?
And she almost faint the second time when during the poem-reciting, a girl stood at the wrong place - instead of together with the girls, she stood with the boys. Hmm…

@ almost 6pm, we had our finale song - It’s a Small World

* back in the waiting room with K1 and K2 for dismissal *
Another challenging time for Cher Lim - stood alone at the door, opened up a little hole to peep for parents before signaling to my partner-colleague to release after giving them their snack/belongings.
Just imagine having to recognize the parents of 34 children. =/ Haha!

@ 6pm plus … all children dismissed and and and and WE ARE FREEEEEE~~~~~~
The staff did a quick pack up to the waiting room before finally can sit down and enjoy our proper meal.

=) Just when I thought actual concert is not as tiring as rehearsal … I was wrong.
Back home @ 8pm plus, I could already feel the tiredness and went to bed before 10pm. Opps! But thank God for the holiday the following day.

Last but not least …
THANK GOD for the great success of the concert!
THANK GOD for the protection that was upon every child and staff!
THANK GOD for the great performances by the angels!
THANK GOD for good helpers!
THANK GOD for good feedbacks from parents!

And how I can end this entry without making this remark... ... ... ... ... MY ANGELS ROCK~~~~

FINAL countdown...

Woooohoooo~~~
Tomorrow is the day~~~

The day all of us, the staff & the children in HT Schoolhouse been looking forward to. =)
HT's Concert cum Graduation Ceremony 2009!

prayED for success of concert…
prayED for protection upon every single children & staff…
prayED for peace & joy in the midst of waiting etc…

Note! Dear readers, please pardon me for past entries, current entry and next few entries… it will be ALL about my ANGELS!!! =p My blog will be back to "normal" soon.

the POWER of 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Two days ago was our schoolhouse’s first and only full-dress rehearsal.

As expected, while the stage was cool and calm … the backstage was “hot and messy”.
Haha! Moreover it was the first time that the children and some of my colleagues visited the place and get the feel of the intense of children’s concert.

There we, the teachers were busy changing many different sets of costumes for the children, putting makeup for them, ensuring all accessories up, confirming the dance items in order, rushing for time etc etc… There they, the children were busy, very busy as well.

With? Haha! With shouting (opps… I mean talking), with self-entertaining, with playing, with walking around etc. Thank God no fighting and running around.

For a moment, my partner colleague was not with me thus I was left alone with K1 and K2.
During then, there were just a few of them seated on the floor and majority of them were all around the place.

Cher Lim decided to do something…
* Got a chair and sat down, pointed at the space infront of me *
Immediately I called out, “K1 and K2 … 10, 9, 8”
Before I can even reach 5, ALL of them were seated right where I pointed…
Haha! I should have video it down…
I myself was shocked by their fast reaction. =p

Trust me, in that kind of environment, one can be pretty stress up and lose cool easily.
During the waiting time, one of my colleagues actually lost her cool and disciplined her younger children for misbehaving.

=) Want to thank God for the peace in the midst of “storm”… Haha!
I was actually enjoying myself in the midst of the “hot and messy“ environment…

The day we all been rehearsing hard for is approaching in just a few more days time…
Really looking forward for it…
Wooohooo~~~~

5 4 3 2 1...

Counting down~~~~
To HT Schoolhouse's Concert cum Graduation Ceremony~~~

first and only full-dress rehearsal up tomorrow~~~

Another Cher Lim?

One of the days, Cher Lim was just too tired after hours of teaching and teaching and teaching so during the last 10mins … Cher Lim passed the time to another Cher Lim, Little Teacher who just returned from Beijing with his family.

He “took over” the class with great confidence.
Full attention was given to him, all eyes were on him.



He started to share (with actions) about his trip to Beijing - the “bird nest”, the Kungfu show, the fried creepy crawlies, the palace etc etc.
Just when I thought he will only share and the end already.
He then invited his friends (one by one) to ask/answer questions. Haha!



I was amazed~~~

ChEr LiM's MoMeNtS #7

mOmEnT 36
* Cher Lim asking the K2 children which primary school they will be going *
Cher Lim: Child Ch, which primary school are you going?
Child Ch: XXX Primray School
Cher Lim: Oh… is a Girls’ school
Child Ch: Yes!
Child C: I going YYY Primary School
* Child so and so and so eagerly shouting out the name of their primary school too *

* out of the sudden *
Child Ch: Teacher Lim, you have daughter?
Cher Lim: Haha! I am not married so no daughter yet
Child Ch: Oh…

mOmEnT 37
* work time *
Child J: June! June is my birthday!
Child C: December is my birthday, same with God!
Friend I: God? Really same with God?

mOmEnT 38
* play time … Cher Lim overheard a “quarrel” between three boys *
Boy J: #*#$&#^# You don’t know is it?
Boy F: I really don’t know. You cannot see mehz, I am still so short. I am young.
Boy J: …

mOmEnT 39
Child J: Cher Lim, today has homework a not?
Cher Lim: Hmm…
Child G: Today we have Chinese homework…
Child J: So we have English homework?
Cher Lim: * considering *
Child J: Please Teacher Lim, don’t give us homework
Cher Lim: * didn’t has the intention right from the beginning to give them actually * Yup… no English homework

Child J & Child G: Yeah!!!
Child J: Later I finish my homework, I can play already! Yeah~~
Friend S: I… Later I have tuition. I have tuition from Mon to Fri

* just a simple conversation but when I heard that from Friend S, I was pretty upset actually … somehow feel like I’m teaching older children (like in primary or even sec school?) cause of the work load and expectation they are receiving now, even at such young age *

"officially" ... GRADUATED!!!!!

Other than few of my blog readers and my parents, I didn’t inform anyone about my graduation ceremony … cause I don’t want to “disturb” my friends and I also wanted it to be “low key”. Haha!
But just that night before, I was with three of my cg members and somehow somewhere I mentioned about my graduation. =)

That’s the end?
Of course not…

Despite the last minute notice and the long distance from far east, Mr Teng & Mr Cher turned up at the ceremony!!! Despite asking them to leave after “evidence” aka photos taken, they actually “gate-crashed” illegally, stayed through the entire 3hrs ceremony and waited patiently while I spent time with my coursemates.


Though they joked that they stayed for the tea-recept but … … …
Really appreciate their presence! =) Thanks Mr Cher & Mr Teng!

That’s the end?
Not yet…

After service, we were asked to go over to look for Da Jie.
I prepared my camera as I thought we are going to celebrate a member’s bdae.

BUT that’s not the case…
I almost “fainted” when Da Jie presented me the giftsss.
Seriously, I really really really didn't expect any celebration or anything from anyone.



One word to describe my feeling?
OVERWHELMED… with their thoughts, with their effort, with their presence, with their love, with their gifts and of course with their friendship! =)

31st October 2009

Wooooo~~~ The day I been waiting for … FINALLY … Graduation Day!


My lesson officially ended around March so actually waited ~6mths.
During the wait, eventhough there was letter to indicate that I have “passed all examinations and completed the course” but still without a hard-copy certificate or transcript, is pretty hard to accept the fact that I AM A DIPLOMA-HOLDER!!! Haha!


Thank God for the favor - upon the official end of my course, even without the official certificate, my school management was still willingly to raise my pay based on a diploma-holder. Before the ceremony, one of my coursemates was still "complaining" to me how her principal is putting her pay raise on hold UNTIL she get her transcript or official certificate.

IT IS really FINISHED~~~
It been a solid one and a half year ... it would have been fun-less, laughter-less, joke-less, makan-less and pretty tough if not for great coursemates like those I found in DPETE-18!
More than just learning from the lecturers, I also did from my coursemates!

you LADIES rock~~~

cLeVeR bOy!!

He may be shaky~~ He may not be stable~~ But he is a smart boy~~
Check out how he go down the stairs~~


ps: Don’t worry! We are not so heartless… actually he was the one who wanted to go down on his own. Of course we were just behind and in front of him to standby, cheer and clap for him. =)