22 Sept 2011

Dear Parents,
Today, I'll be giving the children back the feedback forms for Reading and Picture discussion for your viewing and signature. Generally the children's reading have improved but what may be lacking is expression. As for the picture discussion, more would need practice in this area. Thus we would be reviewing this on Friday and in later  weeks.

The children would be having their Maths Quiz today on Problem Solving (Word problems), as well as Spelling. They would also be having a Maths activity (Market Day in 1 Flexibility) which will not only serve as an introductory practice to the topic of 'Money', but it will also serve as the platform for their writing practice (please refer to homework listed below). We will soon have an assessment of their writing skills ( we had a lot a practice in their journal and projects previously) after their Learning Journey. Thus it will be important for the children to review as to how they can write about an experience, based on guiding questions. I will go through with the children once again in class. The introductory practice on 'Money' is also a prelude to the coming practical assessment on Money and Time. (They had practical experience in showing time with given plastic clocks previously during class sessions, thus now they would be introduced to activities involving play money.)

Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
Ow Yeong

Below will be the handout given out to the children on Homework and Things to bring: -

22 September 2011

Homework (due 26 September 2011)

a)      For Maths – Lead.com.sg  : To review and complete the tutorials, activities and quizzes on Primary 1 Maths – on the topic of ‘Money (1)’. Please do not do the next topic on Money first.

b)      For English – to write / type on a piece of A4 size paper / foolscap paper on the topic – Market Day in the 1 Flexibility Classroom   (This is based on the Maths activity we did in class, as well as a platform for practice for writing on an experience – a skill that we would be assessing after our learning journey experience.)

-         To follow the following guiding questions and write in 3 paragraphs:

First paragraph :    What did your class do? When did you do this? Who was the one who started this activity?

Second paragraph :  What are the things you and your classmates did during the activity? Please describe some incidents in more detail. What is the most interesting part of the activity?>

Third paragraph : What happened in the end? How did the activity ended? How did you and your classmates feel about this activity? Do you wish to have more of such activity in future?

Things to bring on 23 September 2011

1.      Signed copies of the Reading and Picture discussion feedback forms

2.      Maths file (if not handed in as yet)

3.      Spelling book with parent’s signature (with corrections done as well)

4.      Maths Coursebook 1B

5.      Green Pen

6.      Colour pencils

Things to bring on 26 September 2011

1. Small whiteboard, duster and marker
2. A4 size blank paper – 3 sheets
3. Foolscap paper – 3 sheets
4. Colour pencils
5. Green pen    

21 Sept 2011

Dear Parents,
Today, I've returned the Maths File to the children for their revision (for the Maths Quiz). The children are to return their files for safekeeping in school tomorrow.

Tomorrow, they will also be having their Spelling for Week 2.

I've already completed the assessment of the children's reading and picture discussion. I have arranged on Friday for 5 pupils to demonstrate to the children as to how to have an effective picture discussion as some pupils have forgotten about what to do ( to use SPARO, not to use past tense, to describe in present tense, to give opinion etc).

21 Sept 2011

Homework – Prepare for Maths Quiz tomorrow – Please refer to the Maths file that you have brought back – Word problems and Problem solving. Please be prepared to draw pictures to illustrate your answer to questions which need problem solving (e.g. how many wheels? How many legs? How many objects? )

Things to bring tomorrow (22 September 2011)

-         Small empty wallet / purse – for activity

-         Toy fruits /  toy food / toys which you can afford to donate to the class if need be for activities ( Please do not bring things that you cannot bear to part with. Not compulsory. This is voluntary.)

-         Foolscap Paper – 2 sheets

-         Maths Coursebook 1B

Thank you. Have a wonderful day!

Ow Yeong  

20 Sept 2011

Dear Parents,
Today I've completed the assessment of Reading and Picture discussion till register number 22. I will continue with register number 23 tomorrow and intend to complete the assessment by tomorrow.

Homework for these 2 days will be preparation for the word problem Maths Quiz this coming Thursday. The children can use this time to practise word problems (addition and subtraction within 100). Model drawing is optional (but encouraged). Most importantly, the children must remember to write the mathematical statement e.g. 23+12 = 35 or 45-15 = 30 , the working must be shown in the working column, as well as the final statement to answer the question. 

No homework will be issued tomorrow as besides the quiz, there is also spelling on Thursday as usual.

Things to bring on 21 September will just be a green pen and colour pencils.

Thank you. Have a wonderful day!

Ow Yeong

Just to share an email (with permission granted) regarding the website introduced (ezschool.com)

Dear Ms Ow Yeong

I’d like to thank you for introducing the ezschool website to us. I understand the concerns of the parentas I have accessed the website. However, I’d like to share with you something I find positive about it.

Besides the Adjectives homework, I asked Tristanto try out the Maths segment, in particular, Tell Time and Set & Show.It’s very creative and impressive! Its Time exercises are even better than those from lead.com.

My personal opinion is that our kids can still access the website for its educational objective, but under adult supervision. I’m just sharing my two cents’ worth with you.

Have a nice weekend.

Regards
Mrs Chong

Apologies for the pop up Ads on the English site

Dear Parents,

I was informed that there were pop up ads with unsuitable advertisements on the English site given for homework. As such, I have asked Mrs Singh to send out an urgent email to notify you to check first before asking the children to go in, and I will excuse the child from the assignment. Thank you Mrs Singh for the prompt action!  For those whose computers have filters, like the ones in school (the place where I have accessed and checked the site), there was no such issues, and thus I was not aware of this problem. Mrs Singh's computer did not present any such problems as well. Thanks to two parents who brought this issue up to me via hp, we have tried to rectify this issue with the urgent email. Hope things are alright at your side. Thanks for being alert and being a great team mate in guiding the children!

With such interference from such pop up ads even for educational sites, I will not be using such educational sites, and will reserve the IT usage to only lead.com.sg and problemsums.com in future - which are totally safe. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Take care and have a wonderful weekend!
Ow Yeong

Updates on Assessment on Reading and Picture Discussion/ Class Party matters

Dear Parents,

I've finished assessing Register Numbers 1 to 16. This has taken me two days. Thus a rough estimate would be about 7 to 8 students assessed per day. As I will not be in school on Monday, I will continue the assessment of Register Numbers 17 onwards on Tuesday. I am aiming to complete all assessments by Wednesday.

You will then receive the feedback forms on the results of the Reading and Picture Discussion, by either Thursday or Friday.

Fyi please. Thank you.

Have a wonderful weekend!
P.S. Reward day for the children will be this coming Friday (week 2). As there will be a no. of days missed due to PSLE marking and other matters, next reward day - the mega end of year reward - will be in Week 9.

There will be a class party for the children in Week 10
(Mrs Singh, can you please coordinate with the parents to organise this? - On last day of school. Can we have a pot luck - but to bear in mind that food must all be Halal - and for hygiene purposes to ensure that the food is delivered only in the afternoon (to avoid chances of food spoilage) , and to have food for the vegetarians as well. Games can be planned for the children. Is it ok if for this event, I take a back seat and with Mrs Ho, just be a participant? Thanks:) Hope it is not too much to ask for this. )

Parents who are interested to work on this for the children, can you pl approach Mrs Singh?

Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
Ow Yeong

Further updates (16 Sept )

Dear Parents,
I've given out the learning journey consent forms to the pupils. They will be going for their learning journey on 27 Sept. They will have an early recess that day, and leave at around 2.30 pm and return to school 5 plus pm. They will have normal lessons from 1 pm to 2.30 pm, and from 5 plus pm to 6.30 pm. Money for the learning journey will be collected by Mrs Nair from Monday onwards.

I've also given out the plastic folder with 4 items inside, for your perusal and signature. The items include my cover letter indicating the class marks for the 2 quizzes, as well as the Term 3 bite sized assessment scores (For English, we added scores from the Show-and-Tell, Listening Comprehension as well as the English Quiz. For Maths, we added scores from the Practical quiz and the two written quizzes.) The English Quiz and Maths Quiz Question papers, as well as the Topical Progress report for Unit 3 (Addition and Subtraction within 100) are the other 3 items in the plastic folder.  I've written down the percentage scores as well as the Band ( 1 - 85 and more marks, 2 - 70 to 84, 3 - 50 to 69, 4 - 49 and less). This is NOT meant to judge the children's performance, but to serve as an indication of their readiness for formal assessments. I feel that we should focus on the positive aspects and guide the children towards success. This indication is for parents to have a rough idea of the readiness, so that efforts can be made to encourage the children further. I've NOT explained this Band and scores to the children - cover letter NOT explained, as this is meant for parents only.
This folder with all 3 items - you may wish to keep the cover letter, must be returned on Monday. Mrs Nair would be collecting them.

Thank you. Have a wonderful weekend!

Ow Yeong