Dear 4B

Dear 4B,

happy holidays!!

I must say that I'm extremely impressed with the amount of effort put in the gifts and cards made for me for Teachers' Day. You really remembered not to buy any expensive gifts and made interesting gifts & cards from recycled items - full marks for effort and creativity :)...Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I must also thank your parents for supporting this - thank you Parents of 4B!

"The greatest sign of success for a teacher... is to be able to say, 'The children are now working as if I did not exist."
- Maria Montessori-
In 4B, I'm glad to see more and more of you taking the initiative to find out more about things you are learning about, going beyond the textbook and more importantly learning to share your thoughts with others. I'm happy to see postings on KF, to see you all excited for your Natural Disasters presentation (which we will have in Term 4!). Please keep your love for learning alive!

For this week,

- Your assignments are on mconline (please log into complete your EL& Maths assignments)
- Revise the topics done this term
-BONUS: I've always started a "SEP 2013" social learning wall (mconline-> social learning wall) and have posted an interesting article very relevant to our current theme for English

I'm in the midst of compiling your writing pieces for our school's Every Child A Writer publication - so if you would like a particular piece of yours to be included or have a poem/any other piece of work you would like to share , please email it to me by this THURSDAY (priya.endeavours@gmail.com). Those of you without email accounts, please use your mconline account.

Happy holidays! Please inform your fellow 4B friends to check this blogpost in case some of them forget to.

Take care my dear 4B. Rest well & have fun!

Love,
Ms Priya :)

English Assignment

Dear 4B,

here are your assignments for this weekend! (Read the entire post slowly so that you know what exactly needs to be done;).

1. Log into KF and continue building on and posting notes on the 2 views for Natural Disasters.

2.  Unit 9 LS
   (a) Please do your corrections for LS 9.6. The correct answers are as follows:

        1. Neither Tom nor Kim is going to school.
        
        2. My mother can cook very well, however, she does not know how to sew.

        3. I like English but dislike Mathematics.

        4. We could go either shopping or for a swim.

    (b) Find out why the sentences were joined this way. Am I following a particular grammar or punctuation rule?

      For example, as discussed in class,
      
     1. Neither Tom nor Kim is going to school.

Explanation: For sentences with "neither-nor" or "either-or",  the verb normally agrees with the second noun, not the total number of people or animals in the sentence.
(When we say the verb agrees, we mean to say that if the noun is singular, the verb will also be singular and if the noun is plural, the verb will also be plural)

So, can you challenge yourself and find the rules that would best explain answers for Qns 2-5?
You can use the Grammar Guide or online (reliable) sources!

Have fun ;)

P.S.  I seem to hear more coughs and sniffles these days (myself included :)). Please take good care of your health. Drink lots of water and rest!

See you on Monday 4B!

Love,
Ms Priya :)

Note...

Dear All,
I have been having some issues with our Knowledge Forum database ,
Hence no new views have been created for the theme natural disasters- sorry abt that.. Thank you for being patient :)

Love,
Ms Priya :)

Hello:)

Dear 4B,
I hope you can log into KF on Friday to post your thoughts about our current KB topic on natural disasters... I will create a separate view for you tomorrow. So please log in from Friday onwards ok?:)
I would like to give a special mention to active KF contributors like Xander, Yen Shyuan and Muqsen who usually share loads of facts and ask interesting questions.
I hope all of us can have fun asking and building on theories for the theme of natural disasters...
Have a restful week and do revise the topics we have been covering :)

Love,
Ms Priya

Thank you 4B:)

Dear 4B,

Thank you and good job once again on your Rainbow Day performance!
You did great this week and I am proud of all of you :).
I will post the videos of the performances once I get the links :).

Yesterday , we started on our KB lesson on Games and I hope you enjoyed yourselves during the games segment as well as the lesson. I know I enjoyed playing "Blow, Wind, Blow" with you ;).

We will be going into KF next week to explore this theme further.
Meanwhile, please try logging in to KF to see if you have any problems accessing.
Do also think about any questions or areas you would like to find out more with regards to games.

Have a great weekend!

Love,
Ms Priya :)

Take care!

Dear 4B,
The haze condition is really bad... So while u are enjoying the holidays, do remember to stay indoors as much as possible and stay healthy! See u guys soon!

Love,
Ms Priya :)

Upper Primary Sports Day 2013 -23 May 2013

Weather was great...
Laidback and cheerful atmosphere at Woodlands Stadium..
Adrenaline pumped pupils ready to give their best for the races their in...
Chanting their friends' names and classes to spur pupils on...
But my favourite moment of all was this period of time where the medals had been given out and one of us was very upset about not receiving the medal.
The class tried their best to cheer their fellow friend up- it was the sweetest thing I've seen 4B done for their peer... So proud of u guys!!
Thank u parents for making the effort to come as well!


Have a good weekend!!
Love,
Ms Priya:)

Parents of 4B - this one's for you :)

Dear Parents,

Firstly, thank you for taking the time to visit the class blog. It's been some time since we corresponded and I thought the online route would be a more environmentally friendly option!

I just wanted to update you on Term 2 matters.

NAPFA
Most of our pupils have completed the 5 stations test (hurray!)
The 1.6km run has been postponed indefinitely due to bad weather and upcoming exams.

Oral
This was the 1st time our P4 pupils sat for the oral examinations in the mass oral format in the hall. Though they seemed slightly nervous, I'm sure they did the best they could. :)

SA1
The upcoming exams would of course be a major event in the school calendar for all of us.
Just a gentle reminder that the SA1 exams will be starting on this coming Wednesday (8 May 2013).

Files & Filing...

English
The English Worksheet file & English Composition file has been returned to the pupils last Friday(3 May 2013). 
Please sign on the contents page as acknowledgment that you have taken a look at their files.

There are some items that have been indicated on the contents page but are not included in the file as we will be doing them in class next week. I will return them when I have gone through them each day and I seek your cooperation to ensure that the pupils diligently file the completed work in.

On Monday, we will be doing the revised LC paper sample in class so that pupils can familiarise them with the format.
Do take note that the sample is NOT the entire paper as the pupils will still be doing the old "Picture Matching" style questions and the questions that come in the sample will be the modified sections of the REST OF THE PAPER.


Maths
As I still have some worksheets to go through, I will be returning the updated Maths files & Heuristics Books back to the pupils mid next week. I seek your kind understanding in this matter. Meanwhile, you can go through the other chapters in the file first.


Filing for EL and Maths is normally done IN CLASS at the end of every one to two units. I do this to ensure that all pupils
- take responsibility of their work and
- learn to file their things in a more organised manner &
- have the same contents in their files

Some pupils have been  refusing to file in their worksheets and tend to come to "filing sessions" with empty files each time, claiming it is kept at home. So, when they get the worksheets, they are lost as they do not have their contents page and are unable to do any productive organisation of their work. So, please help to speak to them about it. Thank you:)


How Can We Help?

As parents, I believe you have been hard at work, helping your children prepare them for their SA1 exams and I thank you for providing a conducive environment for your child.

Below are just some observations that I would like to share with you as it may help you to prepare your child.

• Handwriting. (Make it neat, dark (blue/black pen or dark pencil) and readable.)
• We all know how difficult decoding a messy piece of work is. When it comes to exams, something as basic as handwriting can affect the child's performance as it affects legibility. At times, even the child himself/herself cannot understand what they write and it causes them marks because they transfer the names of characters, numbers wrongly to the next line/step.

 

• Compositions
• Appropriate Use of Words & Phrases

Most of the pupils tend to memorise good words and phrases and use them in their compositions. Sometimes, the phrases are used incorrectly or too many phrases describing the same emotion is used

                 E.g. I was scared, frightened out of my wits and stood rooted to the ground. Fear engulfed me and my heart came out of my mouth. My heart was pounding. I was frozen in fear.

                        In actual fact, they all refer to the same emotion : fear. When they used sparingly, they have an impact. Using too many and stringing them together is just overkill!
So, sometimes less is more.
Use good phrases but sprinkle them lightly at different parts of the composition, not lump everything together!

• Commonly Misspelt Words

Sometimes, pupils are so focused on using flowery language in their work that basic words are misspelt which affects their language component. Here are some words that are consistently spelt wrongly by pupils, do get your children to learn the right spelling of common words!

- immediately
- accidentally
- restaurant
- out of the blue (there is no "out of a sudden!" it's either "out of the blue" or "all of a sudden")
- swiftly
- terribly
- then (always mixed up with "than")
- except/accept
- injuries
- live/leave/life
- congratulated
- a lot ( It's TWO words, not one!!)
-carefully
-carelessly

• Use of  colloquial language

Using Singlish does not always mean the use of words like "lah!" or "meh!"
Using phrases such as

"I play computer."/ "I playing iPhone."
"I got do."/ "I do ready."
"You can anot?"
"I on the fan/lights/tv."/ "The manager on the lights."

are also considered incorrect.

The correct versions are:

"I play games on the computer"/ I am playing games on my iPhone"
" I have completed it./"I have done it."
"Can you do it?"
"I switched on the fan/lights/television./ "The manager turned on the lights."

The pupils always laugh when I highlight these errors in class but they still continue to use such expressions and the joke falls on them during exam marking!

• Maths

      Maths always follows just one rule : Practice and check.
      The more one practises, the more confident the person is and the concepts are also better remembered. Always get your children to verbalise their thinking when they explain to you how they get the answer. It helps them with their thought process and helps you to check for any misconceptions.

• Checking & Strategies

       In class, when we go through questions, be it in English or Maths, I always ask pupils to highlight/underline keywords and to tackle a line at a time for problem sums.
They are able to do it very well. However, once they start doing a test, all strategies taught fly out of the window and I get very clean scripts back or worse, pupils who start highlighting AFTER they have completed the paper just because they are bored, which defeats the purpose.

      I understand that some pupils are able to answer without thinking too much but with haste comes waste. Marks are always carelessly thrown away.
After each test, they always say "I was just careless." and they move on to another test, committing the same mistakes.
         Highlighting is meant to help them identify key clues/concepts/variables and also to keep them focused on task as it engages the right brain(colours) as well.
      So, if you think your child will benefit, do encourage them to use the strategies taught, not just in the work assigned but their home practices as well, so that it becomes habit and not a hassle.

• Last but not least,

It's about giving their best!
Ask them to take pride in all their work, not just exams.

Encourage them to be confident (not complacent, which is sadly a common ailment in the class;))  &

Let them take breaks to play and destress as well!


If you have actually managed to complete reading all the way to here, thank you so much!
I appreciate your efforts!
Sorry for the information overload but I thought it would be good to share with you some of the things I share with the pupils in class, so that you are aware and can help to reinforce good behaviours at home as well.

Let's continue working for the best of our children!
If you have any doubts or questions, kindly email me at
priya.endeavours@gmail.com
:)

Warmest Regards,

Ms Priya :)

Feeling Blessed...

Dear 4B,

I've been under the weather for the past few days with fever, flu and throat infection and I cannot really express how surprised I was today and how much you guys made my day today!

It does not matter to me how many of you really missed me. It matters to me that you, be it a few or many could do such a thoughtful gesture for me.
I can only say "Nandri"...
I'm blessed to have all 36 of you as my students...
There are days where we may not exactly be in each other's best books, but today, was a day where I'm just amazed beyond words...
Be it the handmade drawings, pop-up hearts, post it notes, writings on the whiteboard, letters and even the popping up from your seats after recess, you really welcomed me back!

Thank you my dear 4B :)

Love,
Ms Priya :)

Journal #6: The Sports I Like Best is...

The sports I like best is...well, I'm sure in the past year, you have heard me utter it many times - SOCCER!

While I do not play soccer, I thoroughly enjoy watching the game. Of course there are some naysayers who pass comments such as,

"What's the fun in watching 20 (excluding the goal keeper on either side) grown up men chase after a single ball?"

But I think there's more to it. For me, soccer was part of my childhood. I remember watching S-League matches & Malaysia Cup games with my uncles, sisters and other family members in a small television. It was something we did together, making it a unique bonding activity. Players like V Sundramoorthy, Fandi Ahmad, Kadir Yahya, Malek Awab, Lionel Lewis were widely discussed and idolised.

As I grew up, local soccer scene seemed to dull.  As globalisation occurred, I became more aware of tournaments such as Euro and World Cup. The Argentina's fluid style, Brazil's natural playfulness, Portugal's beautiful footwork, Spain's impeccable passing, Germany's efficient and now increasingly stylised play...the list can go on and on!
 My second sister, cousins and I always got excited if a particular year had either of the tournaments.
There were some things that never changed...Such as...


-Match Day(s)
Staying up in wee hours of the morning,
For that 90 minutes, we were glued to the screens, getting excited (or tense, depending on who you were supporting), yelling at missed shots and wrong passes , screaming and jumping for joy when the team we support scores, finding fault with the linesman and referee...

- The Day(s) after...
Buying The New Paper and cutting out articles.
Replaying the key highlights over and over again in our heads and verbally, leading to hours of discussion.

We even feel a sense of loss each time the tournament comes to an end.
Soccer has indeed become a topic that brings excitement to me and will always be a passion. :)

In fact, I'm looking forward to the 2014 World Cup already!

Love,
Ms Priya :)

Ms Eng says...

今天在上课时，外头下了一场大雨。我就想藉此让学生发挥一下想象力，写一段短文。

短文的题目就是《雨》。

在短短的时间内，4B学生都写了非常有趣的短文。在这里，想跟大家分享一些学生的作品！

邢老师J

下雨了，去到哪里都听到雨声。

滴答……滴答……

听到了雨声就可以睡。

一开窗就看到雨点，

看到有很多五颜六色的雨伞。

小朋友们都躲在屋里，

不敢出去玩乐。

一听到雷声，

就害怕得跑进妈妈的怀里。

一开门，

就感觉到凉风，

也感到很凉爽。

如果

要跑出去，

就要记得带雨伞。

雨帮我们清洗大地，

真的要谢谢它。

我们也可以收雨水，

用它洗衣服。

如果

太阳公公要来，

我们会想念它。

下了雨，

空气很清新，

我们应该感谢它。

谢汶轩

一天，   乌云密布。

一阵狂风过后，大雨倾盆而下。

如果你听清楚，你会听到很多人在喊：

“下雨了！收衣服吧！”

如果你从天上看下，你会看到马路上变成花花绿绿的世界。

这就是“雨”。

陈建安

我认为

雨，是老天爷的泪。

它的泪

是一个很特别的泪。

因为

它的泪

可以帮助很多东西。

它可以帮助花草树木，动物和我们

人。

它给我们和动物们喝水。

雨

对我们非常重要。

因为它可以帮助世界

陈宗炜

 

 

 

Enjoying Reading & CNY

Journal #5: It was rainy outside so...

It was rainy outside so...

I was so thankful it was the weekend, because it meant I could sleep in!

There are several things I like to do when it rains..
When I was younger, I loved to go outside,play in the rain and jump in puddles.
But since, I cannot afford to get sick these days, hanging out in the rain is out of the question.

Instead, these days...
I usually continue to sleep (if it's the weekend and it's raining early morning)...

However, if I'm already up and about, I love to snuggle up and READ...
Not just any storybook, but ghost stories!
This may sound weird, but I feel that ghost stories are best read at certain settings and a rainy afternoon is perfect for creating the mood for supernatural stories.

The other thing I would do would be to make hot chocolate with loads of marshmallows and drink it with either a good book or a movie :).

So, that's my rainy day -what about yours ;) ?\

Love,
Ms Priya :)

Journal #3: What Kind Of Music Do You Like? Why?

Dear 4B,

I was thinking about our weekly journalling...
Since you share your thoughts, why not I do the same too? :)
So, from this week, I will also pen down my thoughts on the journal topic.

This week is about our favourite music and I love music!
I usually listen to my MP3 on my bus and train journeys and though the iPhone has resulted in me watching more Youtube videos, music is still a favourite.

When I was young, I did not have much opportunities to listen to English music as we normally tuned in to the Tamil radio station. So, when it comes to Tamil songs, I am like a walking encyclopedia!
As I grew up, I started learning about English songs from my friends.
Even now, my knowledge of English songs is quite limited but much better compared to the best (watching the series Glee helped).

These days,
my MP3 player has the following folders:

English
Tamil
Hindi
Telugu
Chinese
Korean

For the last two languages, the songs I listen to are normally the OST (Original Sound Track) of my favourite dramas.
I believe that music does not need one to understand the language - emotions can be conveyed just by music alone.
Language enhances the appreciation for the music.

Another favourite of mine is instrumentals!
I like to listen to music pieces that don't have words - especially instrumentals on Guitar, Piano & Veenai (a traditional Indian instrument).

Music can also comfort you when you are sad and make you feel happy when you need a boost in the morning (especially when you are coming to school on a rainy morning ;)).

I love to look out of the window and listen to songs on long bus rides.

As you can see, my music interests are rather varied :)

Hope you enjoyed reading this post!

Love,
Ms Priya :)

PS here's one of my favourite piano instrumentals for you to enjoy :)

Class Deco - 11 Jan 2013

Thank you to parents (Mrs Tan & Mrs Lim) and pupils who came to help :):)

Loving the new look!!

Temperature Check on Mon - 7 Jan 2013

Dear 4B,

Please remember to bring your thermometers on Monday as we will be having a temperature check!

Remember iPrepare?
So..
I trust you will check your thermometers BEFORE coming to school...
If...
Batt low? Get it replaced.
Thermometer seems to be spoilt? Please buy a new one.

See you on Monday with your "madeover" journals ;)

Love,
Ms Priya :)

It's the first day of school!

Dear 3B,
oops! I mean 4B ;).
Welcome back to a new school year ahead!
I'm glad to see all of you back and I look forward to the days ahead.

Remember our new iPHONE 4B :

i
Prepare.
Honour.
Only give my best.
Negotiate.
Encourage.

Let's have a rocking year ahead:)

Love,
Ms Priya