News / Nunn Road / 2004 / No.E31 4th May 2004

Dear parents,

It has been a time of learning and getting to know the children.  I now feel I know them well.  Last week, when one of the small boys was crying a girl came to him and settled him on a stool.  She then pat his back and served him a cup of water.  The boy, whilst still upset, soon stopped crying.  It was a touching and beautiful moment for me.

We have a few children coming and going. With the new children, we now have three small ones, two boys and a girl in the class. The big boys have more opportunities to play the role of Big Brother to the younger ones. They are becoming more calm and helpful.

I started afternoon literacy development lessons with Sara and Tatiana.  Sometimes Chloe (big) joins us when she does not have homework from her morning kindergarten.  It is fun to learn together. Often some of the other children will come sit beside us and observe quietly.  It is wonderful to see that the children are interested to learn new things.  I plan to start introductory literacy sessions in the afternoon with the five years old children after the June school break.

There were a number of staff changes at Nania over April and May.  The new team is working well.  We have been having lots of sharing and laughter during our after class tea break. The new members include Mrs Ong, assisting Junko in the Japanese Class; Joyce, assisting Aunty Janet in the kitchen and housekeeping; Chithra in the office, who comes to watch over the English Class as they change after outside play.  Ms Tan is the new Assistant Teacher in the English Class. She is a gentle and steady lady who also loves to sing.  The children are already taken by her calm presence and melodious voice.

Ms Chen, the housekeeper’s last work day was Friday 13th May. She knitted a small purse for every child as a going away present.  The children love the present.  Chen helped me a lot while we are looking for a new assistant teacher.  I wish her all the best with her work at Taska Lin.  Ms Fion, Assistant Teacher of the Japanese class will leave Nania at the end of May to be a stewardess.  She has been selected to join the Malaysian Airline. You may run into her when you travel in the near future. Nania will be looking for a new assistant teacher.

Presently the children just mix in their used clothes with all other things (clean clothes, towel, etc) in their bag after changing.  We discussed this at our faculty meeting and would like to use the opportunity for the children to learn to fold and pack their own clothes after changing themselves.  To do this it would greatly help us if parents pack a set of their child’s clean clothes in a plastic bag.  After the children change themselves, we will encourage them to fold their used clothes and pack them in the plastic bag which they took the clean clothes out off.

●●　School holiday is just around the corner. We wish all the children happy holidays. See you again on the 14th of June.

Teacher Thian

Birthdays
Marcella turns five on 26th June. We will celebrate her birthday on 25th June.

Father’s Day Celebration (18th June 2004)
Children will make a present and bring it home for their father on that day.