Little Prayer Warriors

We pray a lot in school - among the teachers and with the children.

I went to relief at another K2 class as my co-partner wasn’t well.
Children: Where is Mrs ML?
Cher Lim: Oh… Mrs ML is sick.
Children: … …
Cher Lim: So how? What should we do?
Few children: Pray!
Cher Lim: Yes! Let’s pray! Who want to pray for Mrs ML?
* many children raised their hands *
* Child KM came forward and led the class in prayer *

(cant remembered the exact prayer she (and other children) made but roughly these are the words she/they used)
Little Prayer Warrior KM’s prayer for Mrs ML…
“Dear Jesus, we bless You for Your love. We bless You for Mrs ML.
We pray You take away, take away the germ and virus around the air.
We thank You. Amen!”

* Cher Lim touched *
* the next day, Cher Lim decided to try in her own class of children *

* three friends happened to be on mc *
Cher Lim: Friend I, Friend Y and Friend J are not here today. Let’s pray for them. But instead of Cher Lim pray, lets have some of you to pray for your friends.
Children: * whispering *
Child LK: I want to pray for Friend J.
Child ER: I want to pray for Friend Y.
* Cher Lim touched by their faith & boldness *

Cher Lim: Who want to pray for Friend J?
* many children raised their hands *
Cher Lim: Okie! Lets have Child LK cause he already said earlier he wants to pray.

Little Prayer Warrior LK’s prayer for Friend J…
“Jesus, we pray for Friend J. You give him healthy body. You give him healthy bone. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!”

Little Prayer Warrior GR’s prayer for Friend I…
“Dear Jesus, we pray for Friend I. You take away his fever. Give him strong body. Amen!”

Little Prayer Warrior JN’s prayer for Friend Y…
“Jesus, we pray for Friend Y. You make her well. She can come to school to join us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!”

One of the “weapons” the principal Mrs E Tan wants to give to the children (esp those moving on to primary school) is PRAYER - that when they face difficulties/fear, they will know who to turn to/seek help from. =)

mid term...

Today I left school @ close to 6pm…
Straight after the dismissal time, there was no “free time” for me - it was one task after another after another after another.

Is already the mid term… work loads are increasing.
Two of my cg prayer requests…
- greater capacity for school commitment
- greater ability for increasing work load in school

To - Do list:
1) check through library books (deadline: asap)
2) type visitation report (deadline: asap)
3) contents in the portfolio (deadline: this Fri)
4) self-check for phonics manipulative (deadline: next Tues)
5) observation (on going, asap)
5) mark worksheet/recording sheet (on going)
6) visitation (on going)

Beside the above… the “busy moment” now will be preparation for LSK's annual Sports Day which is happening in 3weeks time.
Theme on “Heaven”… LSK’s Sports Day really verrrrrrrrry different from any typical sports day of just motor skill activities only. Hmmm…

Beside preparing the props for two classes of children, I also need to come out with the structure of the “object” both my classes are assigned to build etc etc. Nevertheless thank God for good principal who don’t just throw the teachers (esp someone new like me) to “swim” alone but offer help, really much help.

"Dear Jesus, I just want to lift up the remainder weeks in Term2 into Your hands. I pray for greater capacity to juggle the many commitments and greater ability and good time management to handle the increasing work load. Thank You Jesus".

@@!

I know Friend U reads my blog, I know Friend O reads my blog, I know Friend E reads my blog, I know Friend L reads my blog, I know Friend D reads my blog, I know Friend A reads my blog, I know Friend H reads my blog, I know H reads my blog, I know Friend I reads my blog, I know Friend T reads my blog … … but I was shocked (real shocked) when I heard from Friend AL few weeks ago that Friend AL reads my blog too!

Wooohooo… Haha!

Friend AL, if you are reading my blog now … thank you for being so “updated” ar!

gifts

little gifts from lovely little ones brought big big =) to Cher Lim…

Hee! Love the way Child E spelled my name (above).. phonics in use?


I burst out in laughter when I read the above “dialogue”. Haha!

The above painting was done by Child A when she was on mc…



Surprise!!! Woo… impressed by the effort of Child J (above)


A huge =) was on my face when I opened and read Child S' msg (above)


“You’re God princess”? How cool and sweet is that…

little by little, slow and steady - 2

At the meeting, we the teachers were informed by the principal:
ps: all to be done before the term comes to an end

- “Peers Observation”
Each of us were given a paper with questions like [what did I learnt], [how can I apply], [what suggestion can I give] etc. Anytime during our free period, we got to find a class to sit in.
Not to help up but to observe the teacher conducting lesson - to catch each other doing right and to learn from each other.

Just today, one of my colleagues already booked a timing to “see” me next week - opps I was still thinking since I’m new then maybe no colleague will want choose me.
You see, we have no schedule to follow so we actually get to choose any teacher we want to “see” so I pray that I will only have one.

- “Recordings”
@@! I almost fall off from the chair when I heard this! Haha!
Each of the teacher got to find any two lessons to be recorded - one audio & one video.
Interestingly Mrs E Tan is very understanding principal who wants to minimize our stress, she actually said that no one (not even herself) will be hearing or watching the clips except ourselves.
What’s her purpose then?

“Self-development” said Mrs E Tan.
She wants us to listen and look at the way we teach, our gestures, our speech and then evaluate and improve. She mentioned many times when we are in it teaching, we often overlook the little things/gestures we said/do or things that we shouldn’t do etc.

This is just the beginning of an extra pair of eyes in the class. Haha!
Come term 3... Mrs E Tan will enter one by one into the class to observe the teachers.
Previously she was sharing that the last time she entered the classroom to observe the teachers, she knows that the teachers will be nervous if they see her sitting there so to minimize that, she will “dramarama” to wipe tables or walk around to look for something. Haha!
But this time in term 3, she said she will holding on to our lesson plan and a checklist as she do the observation.

Why?
She is actually getting us ready for the "great things" ahead.

The reason why she is doing all these beside for "QRS", it is also to prepare the teachers as in July, MOE officers will be coming to our school to observe some teachers and so Mrs E Tan don’t want the teachers to be nervous and panic during then when pairs of eyes be watching, she is actually “training” us now.

“QRS” - Quality Rating Scale
Oh man… my first time hearing this!
Started by the MOE for kindergartens. Is still pretty “new” to most kindergartens actually but according to my colleagues, guess eventually it will be for all kindergartens.

Yes! LSK is going through accreditation.
This “QRS” is quite a pilot-program that I heard MOE is “trying out” on 3 kindergartens (LSK is one of them) and this explains why we will be having MOE staff in July. Few weeks back our school was featured in the newspaper and our principal was interviewed regarding this.

"accreditation": to certify (a school, college, or the like) as meeting all formal official requirements of academic excellence, curriculum, facilities etc
… checked from Dictionary.com


Many of you may not totally understand what I’m blogging but being an educator in this field, this is really something and a WOWOWOW.

In conclusion… Mrs E Tan has never fails to impress me with her leadership. She is really someone who thinks ahead.
Instead of panicking when MOE implement, she is taking it slow and steady.
And one thing I salute her is unlike other principal who would have put great pressure on the teachers “heavily” if MOE implement, Mrs E Tan is actually helping and guiding the teachers and definitely preparing us way in advance.

Recently I heard from one of the office staffs who been in LSK since the beginning that even before “QRS” was introduced, 3-4yrs back, Mrs E Tan was already doing many of the requirements stated (not knowing that there's this "QRS")

It came in handy when “QRS” was introduced this recent years.
And thankfully LSK wasn’t caught by surprise but instead can volunteer to be in the “trying batch”.

Mrs E Tan is taking this very seriously… all of us got to be on the ball.
In the coming July all the teachers will be attending a course regarding “QRS” as well. =)

Wooohooooo~~~ Miss Lim, are you ready?!?!?!

little by little, slow and steady - 1

The last meeting left me with some thoughts…
When I first joined LSK, a camera was attached to me. I was amazed by the generosity of the school - every form teacher actually has a camera. Is like “what a luxury!!” Of course school’s property. Haha!

We the teachers are encouraged to capture moments where children engaging at learning corners, where children having outdoor/indoor lesson, where children having outdoor snack, where children having water play, where children go for excursion, for portfolio etc etc etc.

Others that need to take photos will be:
- the physical arrangement when a new area are set up
e.g. previously our school’s atrium (common area for all levels) had “Our Neighbourhood” clinic, supermarket & café are set up for children’s role-play

- during mass celebration
e.g. previously during CNY, the committee members got to take photos for filing purpose

- etc etc etc etc

Later then I realized why, all for “SOP”. This is my third kindergarten but this is the first time I encountered this term in this field.

That’s why when I first joined LSK, I was “drowning in the water” cause beside the many things to learn, to catchup and to do, there’s a standard of doing things so that’s why the pressure came in.
But I thank God that from term 1’s drowning to now "kicking in the water" in term 2.

Recently encountered some shocking “tides”.
to be continued…

W5 to FiSh FaRm

Last week was “Visit to the Farms” for JAMs…
W5 went to the fish farm, Qian Hu. =)

Nice experience…

Enjoy the “song item”… think he prefers going to the Animal Resort? Hee!

driver TO friend

Years back he was W5’s bus driver… Years later he is our friend! =)
Eventhough he is not any of our driver already (cause he is the boss) but for the past few years, we did managed to meet up - at least once or twice a year.

Years back, we celebrated his birthday.


Last December, we attended the Christmas Party at his place.
Recently we attended his 2nd son’s birthday party.


And we are making arrangement to meet up for crab feast! =)

eeeeeeeeEaster

This Easter’10 - W5 hit 24 students + 1 caregivers … not W5’s best though but still I thank God for EVERYone who came. Especially for the return of 3 backsliders and one of them looooong-lost backslider.

There were much movements on that day - upon arrival to B4, time in B4, up L4, time during carnival and mass dismissal. I felt bad not able to be with W5 to watch over them or spend time with them at the different stations but I thank God for a great helper Peiwen who handled the busing and the students very much on her own … especially the younger ones who need more attention.


Was given the opportunity to take care of two stations at the carnival - “Hot Shots” & “Guess Guess Guess”… had fun and thank God for good help from SOT students.


Was also given the privilege to lead a special “video games” with Eena at main service. Though “simple” game but can be CHALLENGING actually cause got to get excited and stir the people up. Other than the tv crew who sudden failed us, the rest went off well.

The day ended with a great Easter service @ CHC.
I simply love Pst Kong, Sun & CHC! =)
No matter what, will always be behind them! No questions about their leadership! They rock~~~

simple?

Attended a wedding recently.
No hotel or restaurant … it was at chalet
No reception … bride’s sister walked around with a big signboard to get guests to sign
No proper sound system … couple’s friend shouted for the guests to gather for the ceremony
No “stage” or elevation of couple … many guests can’t really see what's happening
No proper photographer or camera … bride’s jie mei took photos with digicam
No “box” to contain the hongbaos … it was all squeezed into the bride’s mum’s mini bag

Though quite many guests but only 8 tables with 6 chairs each were laid … many guests were standing on the green green grass munching and fellowshipping.

The most “shocking” scene I ever witnessed at a wedding … … during his “free time”, the bridegroom was smoking! Hmmm… Haha!