Our Music Journey - So long farewell, I hate to say goodbye

It's not even the crack of dawn yet. Time check shows that it is before 5am. It has been big day, a big 24 hours for us as I made a big decision earlier (at least it feels that way for me!). Dumpling took her ABRSM exams earlier and in under 3 hours after the exams, I took a leap of faith and withdrew her from the school.

It has been at the back of my mind for a while. More than a year to be exact. But I got sucked into the "everyday busy-ness" and within the same year I changed a job, and she spent 9 months prepping for her exam. It has been a hard decision mainly because I love the teachers at her music school. But I ended up making the decision to leave to take a break as well as to trust my gut feel. 

Over these years and having taken 2 exams, there are a few things that I learnt about myself and my views on her music journey. In short, I would like to:

1) groom a more well rounded musician

2) minimise taking exams as much as possible and certainly not for every grade 

3) spend more time focusing on her foundation and cementing the roots 

4) spend time working with her on some theory aspects where she can understand and interpret the pieces better

In short, I am looking more for an all-round approach to this journey. 

If you are new to this, in the ABRSM violin exam how the children are graded are based on:

- Music pieces (3 from a set of songs) @ 90 marks total

- Arpeggio and scales @ 21 marks

- Aural @ 18 marks

- Sight reading @ 21 marks

Total to marks to pass is 100 with 120 to achieve a merit and 130 to achieve a distinction. So while there is a focus on being able to play (a hefty 111 marks out of 150), aural and sight reading are important aspects too. 

Exams are not a bad thing and it is from the exams that I got a sense of what Dumpling's strengths and weaknesses are. She is a mostly visual learner so when it comes to sight reading and musical knowledge, she is good. She can read something new and is able to interpret the piece and play on her own. In the same breath, I have also learnt that she is not confident in the echoing back of songs. This is linked to the training of the ears. 

Violin, as it is, is a very hard instrument. I play the organ and have basically completed all the necessary grades during my younger days. Keyboard instruments are "easier" in a way that as long as you place your fingers on the right keys, there is no chance of bad intonation. Because I studied organ so my ears are trained where I can spot a bad note being played on the violin during Dumpling's practice. 

Now, for children who are not trained and not exposed to how that note is supposed to sound, they won't know better! It's like me being asked if I like to eat chicken rice and I won't know better if I have not tasted it before. 

Essentially I feel that the approach should be where the students are taught techniques, musical knowledge and exposed to things in their grade / for their level before they take the exams which showcase those knowledge. Certainly not the other way round where the focus is more on the exams and the foundation still needs work. I also feel that there should be time focused on training the ears as being able to play by ear as a musician, to me at least, is an important skill.

Akin to creative writing, I liken this to the approach where if we were to read to and read with our children from young, speak to them properly, discuss a wide variety of topics and build up broad vocabulary through books, there is no need to do tons of worksheets to drill on grammar and comprehension. The child would have naturally picked up language and the child will also be able to write in time to come without having to complete sheets and sheets of worksheets.

And so, I made the decision to trust my gut feel, to stop, and explore other options down the road. I have been blessed as Dumpling has been enjoying her Aural lessons over at Aureus Academy where she enjoys clapping back and learning to pitch her tone and enter at the right time to "sing" a tune. Over these past 2 months since she started her Aural lessons, I have seen subconsciously how she is much more alert to the dynamics of pieces, "pulse", etc. On a few occasions, I saw Dumpling tap / clap to some songs we heard while watching movies and she turned to me and told me the time signature. She was also able to hear some of the notes and told me accurately what they are.

It is a bittersweet and somewhat unsettling decision for me. But I trust my gut feel and I believe that I know my child better. We have both come a long way and I guess it is time to change the game rules a bit. This video clip was taken almost 3 years ago:

This clip was one of her exam prep videos, taken a few weeks ago:

So while her current school has been doing some good stuff, the educator in me wants a different kind of journey for my child. :) It will be a hard journey for us both but I know that it will be a better move for her.

Please wish us the very best of luck in our new journey! 

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All About Preschool - 3 common questions!

Some of you may know that I work in the Early Childhood Education industry and I have been in the field for more than 4 years. My interest in this field started after I became a mum. From learning about baby signing to phonics (where I became certified in both), my journey in Early Childhood Education progressed organically where we later became a homeschooling family during my child's earlier years.

In the midst of all these, I was blessed enough to start off in this industry running my own phonics / reading classes with a friend who runs Happy Cottage. We later moved on to different areas; she became a mummy to her third child and I went on to work for a private preschool operator.

My role in this industry involves meeting and liaising with many parents. Personal friends have reached out to ask me about opinions of certain approaches and schools and so, I thought to share some of my thoughts in this new series - All About Preschool.

For this first post, I would like to share my thoughts / answers on some common questions that I get:

1) When is a good time to start preschool?

Frankly there is no one size that fits all and no one age that works for all too. In my work, I have seen a few (though rare) 18/19 month old children who did not shed a single tear. And at the same time, I have seen children who are 3+ who have really bad separation anxiety.

So it all boils down to a few factors:

• Your child’s personality

Some children are naturally more curious and independent than others and these typically settle down faster

• Your parenting style

This affects how we have guided, encouraged, aided him/her since young in venturing on his/her own in new environment

• Your needs / situation

Is there a caregiver at home who can attend to your child or are you a FTWM where there is not much of a choice and you need to send the child to a preschool / childcare centre. 

(Image Credit)

2) Is half day or full day better? What about flexi-options such as 3 times a week?

This is also largely dependent on your preference and it also depends on the curriculum / activities in school. Some schools have after school activities run by third party vendors or some have specialists running programmes in the afternoon. Parents may want their children to attend these classes. 

At the same time some preschools may have periods in the afternoon (usually after naps) where they will reinforce the concepts / lessons taught earlier in the day. On the other hand, I have met parents who prefer for the child to only stay in school for half a day and some may also bring the child on their own for enrichment classes.

Flexi-care options are usually asked for my parents with younger kids as they wish for the child to settle in slowly. Some may also have other parent-accompanied classes outside and are trying to finish up the term before starting the child on full 5 days.

Based on my experience, some children actually take a longer time to settle down when in flexi-care. This is primarily because “time” is an abstract concept for children until they are in K level and so, they are unable to differentiate / understand what Monday, Wednesday and Fridays are and why they need to go to school on those days as opposed to attending parent-accompanied classes on Tuesday and Thursday.

3) I have been searching and reading online and there are so many choices in Singapore. How do I choose which is the best for my child?

The key words here are “for my child”. Different parents have different purchase considerations as each individual child and situation are different. 

But to share, these are the some factors you should consider:

• Location
• Teacher : child ratio
• Philosophy and Pedagogy
• Teachers' Qualifications
• Facilities
• Budget

Location

From a practicality standpoint, "Location" tops my list. The preschool may be really good or really matches what you like in terms of curriculum but if it is really far from your place, then it will be a concern. Are you able to drop the child off in the morning? What about 'pick-up'? Childcare centres in Singapore operates from 7am to 7pm so your child needs to be picked up by 7pm. Taking into consideration that this will be a mid term commitment of up to about 5+ years, this needs to be weighed carefully. 

Some schools provide bus transport. With a school bus, there are stops made along the way for other students before your child's stop. What is a comfortable "time span" for you and your child? Most bus journeys do not exceed 45 mins (one way). While it is ok for some, it is not ok for others. Also, Singapore's traffic can be quite congested during peak hours and this may affect the duration of the journey too so you will need to be flexible about this as there will be instances where the bus operator gets caught up in a traffic jam. 

Teacher : child ratio
Needless to say, the lower the ratio the better. In Singapore, there is a required ratio by ECDA (Early Childhood Development Authority). Private operators which charge higher fees tend to have a lower ratio to promote small group learning and better dedicated care. With the lower ratio, it also equates to a premium charged.

Philosophy and Pedagogy

Another area to look into is the philosophy and the pedagogy of the school. These typically shape the school's environment and the curriculum. There are many approaches in Singapore and these approaches may be marketed as Montessori, Reggio Emilio, Play-Based, Thematic, etc. It pays to read up on these philosophies so that you can decide which best suits your needs and importantly, your child's personality. I will also touch briefly on these approaches in my next post. :) 

Teachers' Qualifications

I get asked about this from time to time. While some parents look more at experience and ask to observe how the teachers interact with children, there are others who prefer teachers with a Degree in Early Childhood Education. 

Facilities

Some parents may prefer the basic while others may look for gym facilities, libraries, etc. Some parents that I have met also prefer a large outdoor area while some are concerned about the heat and mosquitoes. So it will be worthwhile to look into the daily schedules to understand how often the children are participating say in gym activities and how often they get to go outdoors. Of course, the fees vary according to the expanse of space and the facilities offered. 

Budget

With a lower teacher : child ratio and better facilities (e.g. interactive white boards / a gym with state of the art equipment) the fee varies from preschool to preschool. Even with the same preschool operator, there can be different preschools owned. With different brands / preschools, the focus and the offerings will differ. Some may target at the higher income earners offering larger campuses and teachers with high qualifications while others may target at the middle income households. So your family will have to discuss and work out what is a comfortable amount that you can set aside for the school fee. 

This is the first post of my "All about Preschool" series. Do share this post if you find it useful. 

 

Disclaimer: Though I work in the Early Childhood industry, this post is based on my personal opinions and do not reflect that of my employers / the organization that I work for. The opinions expressed here are 100% my own. 

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Review + Giveaway! Scholastic Borrowed Words in Action 1&2!

One of the things which I am very thankful for is that the kiddo loves to write. It did not start out that way actually. While she loves writing, she was a bit of a reluctant writer and I think this has to do more with the fine motor skills than interest.

So I started her on journaling where the focus was more on doodling and the spelling of short words here and there. Additionally, it was about that time that we got hooked on Audio books where I would put the CD on “pause” and discuss the words we heard or discuss the plots. That worked really well with the kiddo as she started being exposed to new words. I came to realise that she may have read some of the words in books but was not sure of how to pronounce them. Some of these words are “borrowed words” which originated from for e.g. France, Germany, etc. 

We are fans of Scholastic’s In Action series which is a series of learning English through pictures in comic strips format. We started with the Idioms series (and you can view the “inside pages” on some of the titles here) which the kiddo enjoyed tremendously.

With the Borrowed Words series, it provides a compilation of age appropriate “borrowed words” which helps to expand her range of vocabulary further. 

:: Layout

Each borrowed word is pretty much explained in the same format as a dictionary. The list of words are arranged in alphabetical order (which you can view from the contents page - pic below) where the origin of the word and phonics are written below the word.  

Thereafter the meaning of the word and which part of the speech the word belongs to (noun, verb, etc), are included. 

:: What I like about it

I really like the selection of the words in this 2-book set. Many of these words are words that have appeared in the books the kiddo reads and I feel that they are definitely useful and applicable for compositions too. 

What I also appreciate is that there are 2 - 4 sample sentences given as examples to show how to use the borrowed word and these were certainly helpful in cementing the understanding. 

:: What the kiddo likes about it
On the main page, there is always a box at the bottom of the page which gives further explanation or alternative use of the word and Dumpling finds this useful too. 

And of course, what she enjoys a lot is the illustrations, many of which are often really funny! :)

 

 These certainly make learning new (borrowed) words a breeze for the kiddo! :)

I have 1 set of Scholastic Borrowed Words in Action to give away! 

Enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win this! Remember to leave a comment below in this post on what is/are your favorite borrowed word(s) and why! J

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions:
1) This giveaway is only for SG residents. 

2) The winner will have to collect the books at 81 Ubi Ave 4, #02-28, UB. ONE, Singapore 408830. A valid email address is needed for prize notification. The email notification will serve as a validation for prize collection.  

3) A comment needs to be made on this post to be eligible for the draw.

4) By agreeing to take part in this giveaway, you agree to share your information with the author of this blog (me!) and the sponsor your details. 

Scholastic In Action:
Scholastic In Action is Scholastic's top-selling title and it now has 16 mini-series with 2 – 3 books per series. The collection ranges from more academic focused to more fun learning topics. Fun comic-strips illustrate the use of each language item. In Action series can be found at all POPULAR bookstores and selected TIMES bookstores. Each book is selling at $6.90 (before GST).

Disclaimer: The Borrowed Words in Action Set giveaway and review is kindly sponsored by Scholastic. We are given a complimentary set in order to share our opinions on it. We are not compensated for the post. All opinions expressed are entirely ours.

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

2015 September Holiday Activities! :)

Just like that, Term 3 is coming to a close. It is quite scary when I “took stock” with Dumpling and we spoke about her first day in school. It is a cliché but it really felt that it was just yesterday when the man and I took leave to be in school for her Day 1 Orientation.

I recall that my hands were clammy and I had that sick feeling in my tummy. After all, I have homeschooled for 6 years and it was hard to let go. I do not like the education system here and I still have gripes on many areas but well, it is what it is.

When we were just half way through her Term 3 tests, the kiddo was already asking what she can do during the holidays. In June this year, one of the activities which she enjoyed most was the Zoo Explorer Camp. Unfortunately, that would not happen again till end of the year so it was another round of mad research to look for activities for her to enjoy during this one week break! So here's sharing a list of activities that caught my eye :) hope that it's useful for you! 

:: Performing and Visual Arts

It must be a Roald Dahl season as there are 2 performances (based on his works) for this period:

1) Concerts for Children: Jack and the Bean Stalk (SSO)

SSO regularly puts out such productions targeted at children and the kiddo has enjoyed it previously.

Based on Roald Dahl’s “Revolting Rhymes" (which is hilarious by the way), and best suited for children between the ages of 4 and 14, this production features actors, puppets and a 60 foot bean stalk that rises out of the stage.

Date:	12 to 13 September 2015

To book from Sistic

2) Roald Dahl’s George Marvellous Medicine by The Player’s Theatre

Dumpling and I watched an earlier production (Roald Dahl’s Little Red Riding Hood) together with our buddies and we enjoyed it tremendously; the humor was dark and the comic timing of the actors, brilliant. Needless to say, we are quite excited about this upcoming production.

George’s and his parents’ lives are thrown into a disarray with the arrival of Grandma, a grizzly, grumpy and ghastly old woman. George’s “adventure” starts when he helps Grandma with her medicine four times a day and noticed that the medicine does not seem to help in any way. And so, he concocted his own medicine and incredible things start to happen…

Dates: 5 September 11am & 6 September 1pm

To book from Sistic

3) Heart Studio September Workshop

This is a must-do camp / workshop for Dumpling. It amazes me when I realized that she has been attending lessons at Heart Studio for 3 years and still loves it. This September, Heart Studio in its usual fashion, rolls out a workshop that offers different medium (canvas painting + clay, pot painting, pebble painting, etc.) and different art techniques! From age 3. 

Click here for more information

:: Outdoor Fun

For those who prefer the sun (and no AC!), here’s a list of what I thought sounds really interesting:

Sunggei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Sunggei Buloh Wetland Reserve is one area which I have always wanted to sign up for tours but somehow, the dates always clash with our plans! L But here’s sharing more on some tours:

1) Wow Wild West! – Feathers & Beaks (Bird Week)

Excerpt from the website:

Why is Singapore such an important place for birds? How do you tell different bird species apart? Why do some birds have metal rings and flags on their legs? This themed guided walk for families will showcase the wildlife of Sungei Buloh, and is part of the Wow Wild West event that runs from 29th August 2015 to 19th September 2015.

Families are encouraged to register early to avoid disappointment as there are only limited spaces each tour!

Registration for this walk opens on 28 August 2015.

Click here to explore other activities happening at “Wow Wild West! this week.

2) Storytime with Sara at Jacob Ballas Children's Garden (A Storytelling cum Guided Tour)

Excerpt from the website:

Join us for a fun-filled storytelling session, specially designed for little ones.  Children will explore Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden with Sara the Botanicosaurus and her squirrel friends, Fluff-tail and Twitchy. To conclude the programme, children will have the opportunity to get up-close and personal with plants that are featured in the story, and even have the chance to rock the Suspension Bridge and play hide-and-seek in the Maze.

Click here for more information

3) Fun with Math & Plants! (A Guided Tour)

Learn more on Math on the go! Dumpling and I have gone for a few of such guided tours and we have not seen this before. 

Excerpt from the website:

Have fun being a little Mathematician and discover plants at the same time! Learn basic Math concepts through colours, shapes, sizes and numbers. Practice your skills using leaves, flowers and other plant parts. You will discover that Mathematics is fun and interesting!

4) Young Mathematician of the Gardens (A Guided Tour)

Do you have an older child? Then this Young Mathematician workshop may be for him/her! 

Excerpt from the website:

How many petals are there on a flower? Count the number of leaflets on a leaf. Get introduced to addition, subtraction and many more mathematical skills that you can apply to plants. Be a young Mathematician of the Garden in this guided tour and have fun learning about Math and Plants.

Click here for more information

5) Celebrating Wildlife Series: Our Fabulous Furry Flying Friends! (A Biodiversity Investigative Workshop)

Excerpt from the website:

Did you know bats are awesome flying mammals? Bats are important to the ecosystem as they help pollinate plants which in turn produce fruits for us. They also help to disperse seeds when they feed on fruits while insectivorous bats help control pest numbers! Get a chance to make a bat craft and go on a guided tour looking for bat roosts and bat food hunt.

Click here for more information

6) Cold-blooded (Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish)

Excerpt from the website:

Why do reptiles love to bask in the sun? What are the differences between frogs and toads? How do fishes survive in the mangroves? This themed guided walk for families will showcase the wildlife of Sungei Buloh, and is part of the Wow Wild West event that runs from 29th August 2015 to 19th September 2015.

Click here for more information

:: Others

1) Sentosa FunFest 2015

Sentosa is organising its first mega inflatable beach festival at the Siloso Beach! Made up of giant inflatable slides, foam and water-oriented fun; children will have fun gliding down a 12-metre tall triple sliding inflatable plunging into the Bungee Run.

Click here for more information

2) The Deep Exhibition

The hubs and the kid love ocean life and this is one exhibition which I am keen to go for this holiday break. 

Excerpt from the website:

The deep sea is Earth’s largest reservoir of life but has remained largely uncharted by Man, with only 10 percent of the seafloor mapped so far. The Deep reveals the mysteries lurking in the deep through the display of perfectly preserved and extremely rare animals in crystalline details, accompanied by mesmeric images of captivating sea fauna and ethereal bioluminescent creatures, some photographed for the very first time. The Deep brings together the largest collection of deep-sea creatures ever displayed in South East Asia. Providing a unique opportunity to encounter the reality of the deep first-hand and to raise public awareness about the fragility of the deep sea ecosystem.

Click here for more information

3) The Singapore Journey: 50 Years Through Stamps

The kiddo has been showing an interest in stamps because she finds it rare. Upon reflecting I realise that it is not surprising considering how much we rely on emails these days! Stamps for her such a rare sight and with the nation celebrating her 50^th golden jubilee this year, this is one exhibition that we are both keen on!

 

Excerpt from website:

Singapore stamps document the growth of the nation, archiving trials, tribulations, achievements and aspirations.

Journey through 50 years of our nation's progress with specially selected stamps, philatelic materials and rarely seen original stamp artworks. Let these remarkable treasures tell you the story of Singapore in a way only they can.

Click here for more information. 

This list is updated as of 28 August 2015. I will be adding on to the list if there are more activities which catch my eye! :)

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Review + Giveaway! My Quiet Book!

When the kiddo was young, one of my favourite books was a busy book that my girlfriend gave to us as a “hand-me-down” as her two children were all grown up. I recall my fascination (and later, Dumpling’s) with the book as it was interactive and had an educational spin to it with different pages featuring different concepts which are age appropriate for toddlers.

My Royal Rae is a Singapore based online retail shop which specializes in selling high quality handcrafted toys, and nothing of the ipad / iphone / battery operated kind. J The toys are chosen by Cecilia who has a PhD in Communications and her husband who has a PhD in Development Psychology.

My Quiet Book is a 14-page book which is designed with the toddlers in mind.

In addition, it cleverly engages young children with fun activities which focus on fine motor skills which are important for writing when they are older. Age appropriate Math activities are also included too!

From Zipping...

To tying a ribbon...

And to color matching and buttoning!

Though the girl is almost 7, she had quite a good time with the activities in the book and mastered tying a really nice ribbon too. :)

Best of all, as these quiet books are made of cloth! So you need not fret over any spillage “accidents”. Simply hand wash and rinse! These books are also great for travelling as they are light to pack and when you are on the road!!! Know Golden Jubilee babies? These quiet books would be the perfect gift. J

I have 1 Quiet cloth book (worth $35!) &

6 sets of Snakes and Ladders with Dolch Sight Words to give away!

Enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win this! (Make sure you have entered for both items!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Remember to leave a comment on who you wish to gift this book to and why! J

Can't wait for the giveaway? No worries! My Royal Rae has also kindly offered a 20% STOREWIDE DISCOUNT CODE! 

Just add item(s) to the shopping cart and enter "Beanie N Us Discount"! 

Note: 
1) The discount code cannot be used in conjunction with other vouchers / discounts. 
2) Discount code is only valid till end of September 2015. 
3) This giveaway is for SG residents only.
4) This book has detachable components which were added to aid motor skills development. Toddlers who are still teething should not play with the book unsupervised by an adult.

Disclaimer: The giveaway is kindly sponsored by My Royal Rae. We are not compensated for the post. All opinions expressed are entirely ours.

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!