Maris Stella High

[tiredmama]

Miracle Child:

Dear VVJJ, Honey and tired mama,


Couldn't make it for the parents meeting on 29 Jan 2010? How was it? Got to meet the teacher?

Thanks.

Hi, session was ok.. it was primarily to meet the fellow parents and start a networking group of parents within the class.. so we can help relay messages / pass info rapidly and efficiently... I think almost all opted in to be in the relay channel... there is a form to fill up (which I think u can get frm teacher ?) that if u wish to opt in.. we have abt 5-6 parent reps who volunteered to be the source of contact... for instance, help send chain SMS / email for any matters / feedback etc.. the VP quoted an instance during the SARS period, they needed to shut the school urgently and they relied on this channel to disseminate info rapidly & it proved to be effective & efficient. We met the teachers but their role that evening was to facilitate the process of setting up this parents network.. not to discuss kids' performance / class matters.. this was made v clear @ onset.

I did not subscribe to the mag too :))

[valsboys]

Hi,


Its great to meet parents of 1F boys here! My boy is also in 1F He talks about a few of his friends like Kiern, Nicholas, Dominic Pang, Mathew Ho, etc, all the time. The boys have begun exploring the school grounds together. They are now crazy over animal kaiser cards and trading them in school. My boy lost the Kid the Tiger that he traded for with Matthew...so sad.

Pri1B's blog is really impressive with lots of photos and write-up. Just checked the 1F blog and its still the same old stuff. Hope Mdm Kala is more on-the-ball with this.

I think they changed groups again last week as my boy mentioned that he is seated with different kids now. This is the 4th time he is changing seats...wonder why??

VVJJ,

Saw a pair of twins at Matthew Ho's birthday party at SAFRA Jurong. Should be your twins, right? They really had a great time there!!

[VVJJ]

Hi Valsboys,


YEs that's my ever energetic pair of twins!! Forever playing non stop

I also noticed Mdm Kala never updates her blog as promised. I usually based it on my other boy class blog - 1G. Teacher constantly updates everyday, especially topics to be covered on the chinese paper held today.

I also feel that 1F is a bit slow in terms of lessons. I maybe wrong but an example would be the art lesson. My son in 1G has already completed his last week using used magazines. But I saw fm my 1F son's Marist planner to bring the materials next week.. In addition, I remembered my boy completing so many pages of his maths homework within 1 day. I wondered if the teacher is rushing to finish the topics.. This is my personal opinion. I could be wrong...

[valsboys]

VVJJ,


My boy also had many pages of math and english homework on a particular weekend, but it was because Mdm Kala was absent on that Thurs so the boys passed time doing drawing and reading, no math and english lessons.

The delay in the art lesson could be due to art lesson missed on the previous Fri because of CNY celebration.

Surprised to see Jerome yesterday at the car pick-up point. Thought he takes the school bus??

[Honey]

I really wish there is more communications forthcoming from the teachers (FT & MT Teachers) so that we understand how & why they take certain approach.


I remember specifically that the many pages of Math homework - from page 30 - 57 (in total 27 pages of Math home work!!) was given on a Wednesday where the 1F boys had to stay back for their 1 hour enrichment lesson. By the time my son reached home, bathed & settled down to do the home work, it was 4pm. He said he had to do homework but I didn't expect to see 27 pages of Math home work. My P4 daughter & I thought he made a mistake when he said from page 30 - 57. We double checked & were shocked! I wonder how much would the Primary One boys benefit & how effective it is in doing so many pages of homework in one shot?

I waited to see if he was very stressed up in rushing through the homework & make many mistakes as a result of that, I would consider highlighting this point. Fortunately my son was ok with it & I decided to watch & see how frequent this is going to occur. While I fully support the idea of homework reinforcing what they learn in school, I am not sure if doing so many pages of home work in one shot on one particular topic of one particular subject would back fire? It is like it is better for the digestive system to eat a few small meals in a day then to starve & eat one BIG meal, agree?

[VVJJ]

HI Valsboys,


Yes, both my boys were waiting for me on Fri. I took half day leave to fetch them back in order to finish off their own enrichment homework.. We have been super stressed last Wed and Thurs over their Chinese spelling as well as the Chinese test. My boys always mixed up phonics against HYPY.

I just hope i may be wrong over Mdm Kala.. and hopefully things will turn to be better after the festive seasons..

Hi Honey,

I also tot my son listened wrongly when he's back with the many pages of maths homework. Goodness, I tot at that moment how the teacher can do this to P1 boys. They have just been into formal schoool for less than 7 weeks. And test during the week of CNY.... my other daughters are enjoying themselves... no homework nor spelling last week.

[Honey]

VVJJ:

HI Valsboys,


Yes, both my boys were waiting for me on Fri. I took half day leave to fetch them back in order to finish off their own enrichment homework.. We have been super stressed last Wed and Thurs over their Chinese spelling as well as the Chinese test. My boys always mixed up phonics against HYPY.

I just hope i may be wrong over Mdm Kala.. and hopefully things will turn to be better after the festive seasons..

Hi Honey,

I also tot my son listened wrongly when he's back with the many pages of maths homework. Goodness, I tot at that moment how the teacher can do this to P1 boys. They have just been into formal schoool for less than 7 weeks. And test during the week of CNY.... my other daughters are enjoying themselves... no homework nor spelling last week.

VVJJ

Week of CNY was ok for daughter too but this weekend is madness! She has alot of math homework to do, eng compo, chinese compo corrections (their corrections means to rewrite the whole compo again!!) & was told on Fri that they have Ting Xie & Mo Xie on Monday. I almost had nightmare that she was going to get zero for tomorrow's Ting Xie & Mo Xie cos I couldn't figure out any slot for her to learn that. Thankfully, we managed to achieve a lot this morning. I felt as if I was running a 400 meter race with her, very chuan! I needed to relieve the stress so I went to bake cakes for them to eat. Now awaiting for them to wake up from their nap & a treat to mummy's cakes & off to 2 hour swimming lesson.

I have no complains against my daughter's teachers. At P4, I can understand the need to prepare & train the girls. I would rather it starts now then the sudden surge in homework when she reaches P5. In fact, her FT is very dedicated & committed. Even as she issues alot of homework, she marks them promptly (which means she doesn't sleep till way past midnite). She personally called each set of parents on the 1st few days of school & followed up 2 weeks later with calls to parents whose daughters haven't been doing their homework. She told the parents & the girls that we could call her anytime. She has set a very open communication channel with the parents & the girls. I have only words of praise & appreciation to this teacher. She tries to spot the potential in each girl & develop them !

[valsboys]

Now i am confused.....My boy definitely didn't come home with that many pages of homework. If he had to do 27 pages I would be outraged too!! :shock: There is nothing in his maris buddy on Wed and I also didn't hear from Mdm Kala that he didn't complete his homework. Maybe I'll drop her a note to see if my boy has completed all required work.


Have your boys done their show and tell already? My boy brought his teddy to school and came home saying there was no time to do it. The next day some kids did the show n tell but not all and there was no need to do anymore. :?

I also feel that it is abit too much to have tingxie and test right after CNY, and 2 spelling test this week!! Luckily my boy is still taking it in his stride. My friend whose boy is in St. Hilda's was just sharing on how strict his lao shi is. The parents have been briefed at orientation on details like HYPY t must be curved up below and the q cannot have the hook like the alphabets, all points of the w must be in a straight line, etc. He boy actually has marks deducted for these at tingxie and have to do corrections. Its a struggle for a Pri 1 boy still mastering his writing.


Honey,

I think I will have to gear up like you in 4 year's time when I have to juggle my my boy who will be Pri 4 and my younger boy in Pri 1. Now I still quite relaxed, setting aside both saturdays and sundays for family time (enrichment class on weekdays), strictly no work on sundays. :lol: But going by their schedule, this will slowly have to change. What is moxie by the way?

Your daughter's teacher is like every parents' dream for their child. It is dedicated teachers like these that can bring out a child's full potential and encourage the children to excel. Hopefully our boy's class teachers can take a more proactive interest with them and maintain good communication with us by end of term when the boys are settled.

[VVJJ]

Hi Valsboys,


Your boy brought a teddy? my boy said his teacher mentioned to bring any super heros character… goodness, i just hope if the teacher can put in effort to update the blog… my other son also sometimes not sure on his teacher request… but her daily blog is really useful. She even mentioned on certain times that half of 1G class didn’t complete hand in work as required etc etc… I guess it’s all boiled down to the boys listening skills …


Hi Honey,

Ur daughter’s FT is impressive… my girl’s doesn’t seem to have that many homework. If you dun mind, which class your DD is in? My style is to get my DD to learn her spelling/ moxie 2-3 days in advance… However, this doesn’t work on my boys. Though they learn few days in advance, they are still not making effort to remember HYPY. This usually gets on my nerves and I will get even stressful as their FT will do a mock spelling before the actual spelling on Fri. Ever since my twins started formal schooling, I don’t seem to have enough time to coach all of them. Can you imagine 4 kids talking to me at the same time abt their project/spelling/homework… faintz

[Honey]

Valsboys


Actually, you just need to check your son’s Math Workbook pages 30 -57 & you’ll know if he has done the homework. The homework has been marked already as I had to sign last week.

Mo Xie is unseen dictation in Chinese

Valsboys/VVJJ

My son told me Super Hero Toy or Super Hero Picture or Soft Toy.

VVJJ

My daughter is in Violet. Her FT is also her Math & Science Teacher. I understand from my friend whose daughter is in the same class as your daughter that their class do not have as much homework.

I asked my daughter over the weekend why so learn the Ting Xie so last minute? She said MT teacher told them last Friday about today’s Ting Xie/Mo Xie so no choice but to comply.