News / Nunn Road / 2008 / February 2009 (E88)

Dear parents,

It’s the time of the year again when the sun bird returns to nest and lay eggs in our garden.The children are very excited over this and reported that while they were brushing their teeth after lunch, they saw the mother bird feeding the little bird. They can even tell that the colour of the little bird is different from its mother.Well, before long the birds will start to fly away.I’ll tell children to look forward to their return next year.

Chinese New Year is over. The children have settled into their daily routines. Deep into the second month of 2009, I feel the new dynamics in the class.The new children have grown their own best friends in the class.In the morning, I observed that the big children will set up the play scenarios which will be participated by the younger ones too. They play in the beautiful Zoo that they have make and ride on wonderful horses that they have built. They also set up stores to sell food and drinks to the younger ones. Sometimes I try to delay the clearing up time in order to give them a longer time to play.

Hence, we are seeking parents’ cooperation to send your children before 9 a.m. daily. This enables the children to finish their morning artistic work and still have enough time to play. I have also observed that children tend to be moody and difficult when they arrive late.

The weather is hot and the haze is back. Daily we try to encourage the children to drink plenty of water. I’m glad to say that they are very cooperative in this area.

Lastly, we enclose herewith the updated parent contact list for your reference.

Teacher Nora


Coming Events

Girl’s Day Celebration ( 3rd March 2008)
We will celebrate the Japanese Girl’s Day Festival (Hinamatsuri) with the children on 3rdMarch (Monday). The dolls in traditional kimono displayed at the festival corner are praying for the well being of girls.The dolls are called hina-ningyo and the custom is also known as momo-no sekku (Peach Festival) because it is also the peach blossom season on the old lunar calendar.In some areas, the old custom, nagashibina, of loading one’s troubles onto a paper doll and floating them off down the river is still practiced.
Most Japanese families with girls display hina-ningyo and dedicate peach blossoms to them.They are usually arranged on a five or seven-tiered stand covered with a red carpet.At the top are the Emperor and Empress. The next level sit three court ladies, followed by five musicians, two ministers, and three servants at the bottom row of a five-tiered display.Displays may include small pieces of furniture, meal dishes, and other things.The 3-tiered hina-ningyo at Nania was handmade by a child’s mother.
The children have started folding paper dolls and make them into wall decorations.They will bring home the wall decorations on the festival day.

Japanese Class Graduation (13th March 2009)
8 children in the Japanese Class are graduating this year. We wish them all the best in their future. Please take note that there will be no water play on that Friday.

Holidays
9th March 2009 (Monday) – Prophet Muhammad’s birthday
16th March till 20th March 2009 – School holidays