Recommended English Books

[Jennifer]

I would like to feedback on the hols creative writing prog my boy attended recently at the BTSC branch.


From what I gathered from my boy, I know he has enjoyed the lessons (which focused on how to write abt a scene on fire and another on drowning).

He was able to remember the model sentences and phrases almost to the T as he has good memory skills. He also enjoyed the memory skills the teacher taught.

I think the way to award points for class behaviour is good. However, I believe it might be better to use smaller numbers since some children get confused in adding up bigger numbers. My competitive boy got into an argument with another boy who miscalculated his pts. Luckily I was in time to hold back my boy from getting into more trouble.

I understand from my boy that the students with the high score were awarded with a toy while the others got a pkt of titbits. Can I suggest a healthier choice of titbits? While I was waiting for the P3/P4 class to be dismissed, the other P1/P2 class was released and I saw a maid forbiding her employer’s daughter to eat the titbit. I also do not allow such titbits at home.

As the BTSC branch is small, there is not much walking space or waiting area in the centre itself. I think your staff should hv asked the children to wait inside the classroom for their parents or cargivers to fetch them, instead of the children either standing or sitting on the floor in front of the reception counter.

I would also recommend that the timings for two classes not to be start/dismiss concurrently, at least hv a 15 mins difference in order to more properly handle traffic in the space constrainted area.

[Advisepls]

Ｈｉ　ａｌｌ．　I ｎｅｅｄ　ｔｏ　ａｓｋ．　ｄｏ　ｙｏｕ　ｔｈｉｎｋ　ｔｈａｔ　Ｈａｒｒｙ　Ｐｏｔｔｅｒ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｇｏｏｄ　ｓｅｒｉｅｓ　ｆｏｒ　ｕｐｐｅｒ　ｐｒｉｍａｒｙ　ｓｔｕｄｅｎｔｓ？　I ｐｅｒｓｏｎａｌｌｙ　ｔｈｉｎｋ　ｉｔ　ｉｓ　ｎｏｔ　ｓｕｉｔａｂｌｅ　ｆｏｒ　ｌｏｗｅｒ　ｐｒｉｍａｒｙ　ｏｎｅｓ　ａｓ　ｔｈｅｒｅ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｌｏｔ　ｏｆ　ｐｐｌ　ｄｙｉｎｇ　ａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｅｎｄ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｔｏｒｙ　ｂｕｔ　ｉ　ｔｈｉｎｋ　ｔｈａｔ　ｓｏｍｅ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ｖｏｃａｂ（　ｅｓｐｅｃｉａｌｌｙ　ｔｈｅ　ａｄｊｅｃｔｉｖｅｓ　ｄｅｓｃｒｉｂｉｎｇ　ｔｈｅ　ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒｓ　ｅｍｏｔｉｏｎｓ　ａｒｅ　ｑｕｉｔｅ　ｇｏｏｄ）

ｙｏｕｒ　ｏｐｉｎｉｏｎｓ　ｐｌｓ？ :idea: :?

[Jennifer]

Advisepls:

ｄｏ　ｙｏｕ　ｔｈｉｎｋ　ｔｈａｔ　Ｈａｒｒｙ　Ｐｏｔｔｅｒ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｇｏｏｄ　ｓｅｒｉｅｓ

Both my boys started reading Harry Potter when they were in P2. No issue with dealing with deaths. They know these are just made up.

[pixiedust]

@Jennifer, glad to see your feedback. Useful to me as a parent too.


@Advisepls, the first 2-3 books of the Harry Potter series are lighter theme. My boy also started reading them at P2. He enjoyed and kept re-reading them. From ‘Goblet of Fire’, the theme gets darker, with deaths and Lord Voldemot coming back to life. Maybe you can introduce the first few books and see how your child takes to them.

[The Alternative Story]

Jennifer:

I would like to feedback on the hols creative writing prog my boy attended recently at the BTSC branch.


From what I gathered from my boy, I know he has enjoyed the lessons (which focused on how to write abt a scene on fire and another on drowning).

He was able to remember the model sentences and phrases almost to the T as he has good memory skills. He also enjoyed the memory skills the teacher taught.

I think the way to award points for class behaviour is good. However, I believe it might be better to use smaller numbers since some children get confused in adding up bigger numbers. My competitive boy got into an argument with another boy who miscalculated his pts. Luckily I was in time to hold back my boy from getting into more trouble.

I understand from my boy that the students with the high score were awarded with a toy while the others got a pkt of titbits. Can I suggest a healthier choice of titbits? While I was waiting for the P3/P4 class to be dismissed, the other P1/P2 class was released and I saw a maid forbiding her employer's daughter to eat the titbit. I also do not allow such titbits at home.

As the BTSC branch is small, there is not much walking space or waiting area in the centre itself. I think your staff should hv asked the children to wait inside the classroom for their parents or cargivers to fetch them, instead of the children either standing or sitting on the floor in front of the reception counter.

I would also recommend that the timings for two classes not to be start/dismiss concurrently, at least hv a 15 mins difference in order to more properly handle traffic in the space constrainted area.

Hi Jennifer,

Thanks for your feedback Glad to hear your son enjoyed his
lessons.

We have also taken what you have suggested into consideration
and will implement some of them.

Points:
For the younger kids (P1-P4), we would probably give them
points in smaller numbers so as not to confuse them
with the calculation of the bigger numbers.

Snacks:
We usually give away a variety of gifts, ranging from toys to books
to stationary to snacks. We understand your stance that snacks
are unhealthy for children and you do not want your child to
take them. What we will do is to give out a greater variety of
prizes next time so that the children have a chance to choose
other things besides snacks.

Children waiting inside classrooms:
As for children waiting inside the classrooms for parents, most
of the time, we have classes back to back and hence we cannot
do that. However, for holiday classes if we do not have back to
back classes, your suggestion of having them wait inside the
classrooms is a good one and we will implement that.

15 min difference in timing for classes:
For our regular classes, our timetable has already been fixed so
we are not changing the timings for the classes. However for
holiday classes, if we are able to, we would try to arrange the
timings with some time difference between them.

Thank you for taking the time to pen down your suggestions.
You have given us greater insight into how parents think and
feel.

TAS

[The Alternative Story]

Advisepls:

Ｈｉ　ａｌｌ．　I ｎｅｅｄ　ｔｏ　ａｓｋ．　ｄｏ　ｙｏｕ　ｔｈｉｎｋ　ｔｈａｔ　Ｈａｒｒｙ　Ｐｏｔｔｅｒ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｇｏｏｄ　ｓｅｒｉｅｓ　ｆｏｒ　ｕｐｐｅｒ　ｐｒｉｍａｒｙ　ｓｔｕｄｅｎｔｓ？　I ｐｅｒｓｏｎａｌｌｙ　ｔｈｉｎｋ　ｉｔ　ｉｓ　ｎｏｔ　ｓｕｉｔａｂｌｅ　ｆｏｒ　ｌｏｗｅｒ　ｐｒｉｍａｒｙ　ｏｎｅｓ　ａｓ　ｔｈｅｒｅ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｌｏｔ　ｏｆ　ｐｐｌ　ｄｙｉｎｇ　ａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｅｎｄ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｔｏｒｙ　ｂｕｔ　ｉ　ｔｈｉｎｋ　ｔｈａｔ　ｓｏｍｅ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ｖｏｃａｂ（　ｅｓｐｅｃｉａｌｌｙ　ｔｈｅ　ａｄｊｅｃｔｉｖｅｓ　ｄｅｓｃｒｉｂｉｎｇ　ｔｈｅ　ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒｓ　ｅｍｏｔｉｏｎｓ　ａｒｅ　ｑｕｉｔｅ　ｇｏｏｄ）

ｙｏｕｒ　ｏｐｉｎｉｏｎｓ　ｐｌｓ？ :idea: :?

Hi Advisepls,

Most kids do know that it is a fiction and hence they are all right with
the deaths. However, if your child is more sensitive, then it would be
good to explain to him or her that it is just fiction or to even
discourage him or her from reading them till they are a little older.

TAS

[numericrhapsodies]

pixiedust:

@Jennifer, glad to see your feedback. Useful to me as a parent too.


@Advisepls, the first 2-3 books of the Harry Potter series are lighter theme. My boy also started reading them at P2. He enjoyed and kept re-reading them. From 'Goblet of Fire', the theme gets darker, with deaths and Lord Voldemot coming back to life. Maybe you can introduce the first few books and see how your child takes to them.

The first few books are basically just \"light\", \"light\" romance, and well, \"light\". Its like a warm-up for the kids, when they're younger they read \"lighter things, then when they're older- the darkness starts.
It gets darker and darker, with dumbledore's death in the 6th book basically blaring a horn saying that its going to be hell from here on. Fred dies, dobby dies, professor charity dies, mad eye dies, hedwig dies, scrimgeour dies, gregorovitch dies, grindelwald dies, and a few 20 more people do too, and molly spouts a b-bomb on bellatrix near the end of the book.
And Ron finds out he likes Hermione, Harry nearly gets strangled by a satanic necklace, voldermort opens dumbledore's tomb, insults him, walks on top of him, and THEN steals his wand.
Bathilda Bagshot turns out to be a crazy snake, Fleur's wedding goes ballistic with people killing everyone and a hell lot of gore.
And thats just all I can remember in a matter of minutes.
Don't let your kids read deathly hallows at P1. seriously. I only read it when it came out in P3.

[linden2000]

Yes, from Order of the Phoenix onwards, the HP stories become a lot darker. Depending on the individual kid, some kids may be frightened if they read them at too young an age, eg lower pri.


Not sure whehter mentioned before. How about Spiderwick Chronicles or the Percy Jackson series for some lighter reading?

[jasmineong]

Hi TAS,


Any more good books to recommend for P4-P5 level? Tks much :lol:

[Brenda10]

Hi TAS


How do you find the series of The Last Apprentice? Do you recommend this for P6 level ?

Thank you