What You Need To Know About Science PSLE Tuition

Science is one subject that depicts our everyday lives and processes in today’s world. The subject itself is widespread in our environment and society. Therefore acquiring knowledge and education about the science curriculum is imperative.

Primary 6 is a crucial time for a child’s future as they must appear in their first-ever national examination, known as PSLE. Preparing oneself or your child to appear in the annual PSLE can be appalling for students and parents, as it requires many hours of mugging, stress, pre-exam anxiety, and much more.

Amongst three core subjects, mother language, science, and math, the PSLE science paper is known to have high regard as one of the complex papers of Singapore’s annual national examination. As per the latest curriculum, “Parrot-fashion” memorization is not the way to achieve high grades. Various innovative questions have been worked upon for PSLE science question papers. Now, the exam requires a demonstration of analytical skills and critical high-order processing from its candidates.

If a student finds it challenging to cope with the subject, joining PSLE science tuition would be optimal. This article will discuss what you need to know as a parent for your child’s PSLE tuition. 

Tuition Centres

If you’re a working parent and do not have enough time to help and oversee your child’s PSLE preparation, tuition centres are the ideal option to help your child prepare for examinations. Get your child enrolled in a reputable enrichment centre where they can attend after school. Most tuitions centres offer early preparation programs for students in Primary 4 and 5 to start building their basics. As the teachers are familiar with the PSLE and MOE syllabus, they can better prepare your child for PSLE using special tips and techniques.

Private Tutor

Home tutoring is a good option for parents who are not uncomfortable sending their kids to institutes at an early age or want to see their child progressing in front of their eyes. Although home tutoring might be slightly more expensive, several tutors offer home tuition at a lower cost. This benefits those children with special needs in learning and focusing.

Parent Tutoring

Parents know exactly what their child’s weaknesses and strengths are and know how to tackle them. Some parents are good at science and choose to teach their children themselves. Some parents might not have the budget to send their children to tuition and decide to tutor them themselves. Rest assured, many online platforms can help prepare your child for their science PSLE through the comfort of your home. Recorded lectures can also play a substantial role.

Following are some of the skills you need to teach your child if they are attempting the science PSLE:

• Clearing out all doubts and having a solid understanding of the concepts and topics tested

• Management of time while doing the paper

• Avoid making silly mistakes (Check your work!)

• Self-confidence and making sure your answers are correct by verification

Secure your child’s future by giving them an easy time during their PSLE by signing them with PSLE Science tuition

Ways To Prepare Yourself for Science PSLE

PSLE is a critical exam for primary six students as it decides their future and tests their capability in each subject area. Meanwhile, science, a theoretical subject, needs certain preparation. The fundamental concepts, scientific facts, and figures should be clear to students before attempting PSLE. This is known as conceptual preparation, and to do that, you need to adapt to effective study methods, which we have listed below in this article.

Understand the Syllabus

Preparing for Science PSLE requires tons of hard work and hours of studying and practising. First, write down the syllabus, highlight the important topics, and then categorise them based on your strengths and weaknesses. Try to cover weaker topics first, as they require more attention and work to understand. Complete the entire syllabus a month earlier so you can practice and revise it to the optimum level.

Get Extra Help

We know the preparation time can be dreadful for both parents and students. Relying on school only might not be enough for PSLE preparation, as some students may require special attention to do well and excel in the subject. Your child might spend a lot of time revising, but with the wrong approach, all the time spent revising might go to waste. Get your child enrolled in science tuition classes so they can learn and prepare themselves more effectively for the PSLE papers. Tutors have a unique style of teaching and can cater to each student, which helps students in getting a solid grip on a particular subject and also helps them to clear their concepts. If your child is not comfortable going to the tuition centre, you can arrange a private or online tutor.

Practice Online Papers

We all live in an era where everything is available online, which is a significant advantage for a student. There are past papers available online that will help you understand the format of the test and will also help familiarise the complexity of the questions. Many books are available online that help clear doubts and strengthen concepts. Furthermore, there are a variety of questions present in those books which have a high probability of being part of the exam. These books include: Getting Science concepts right, Countdown to PSLE Science, Apply and score, etc.

Take Online Quizzes

Plenty of games and quizzes are available online, which will also help you prepare for the test when revising is getting dull.

Divide the Syllabus into Portions

Overall, the entire syllabus can be divided into three parts:

  1. Clear your doubts and understand the basic concepts.
  2. Practice applying the concepts and topics you have learned.
  3. You are now aware of skills and answering techniques that can come in handy for unknown situations.

Science is a subject that includes many facts and concepts, and to achieve ideal results, you should be able to comprehend them well and therefore prepare in effective and efficient ways. We hope that this article helps you in your preparation. Good luck!

english enrichment classes

Everything You Need to Know About English Enrichment Classes

A report from the GHES (Government’s Household Expenditure Survey) shows that parents in Singapore spent over a billion dollars on tuition in the 2017/2018 academic session.

This clearly shows that many parents are willing to spend a small fortune to ensure that their kids get the best education and receive all the support they can get.

Speaking about support, enrichment classes which help to boost the academic performance of kids are also becoming increasingly popular.  

The number of enrichment centers in Singapore has also grown over the years. Presently, Singapore is home to 950 enrichment centers. That number is going to go up in the near future.  

These days, it is now a common sight to see parent take their kids to multiple enrichment centers after class.

These enrichment centers offer classes in subjects that can help kids soar in different areas. One subject that many Singaporean parents opt for is English.

In this article, we will be taking a close look at what the English enrichment programme is all about.

English enrichment program – under the microscope

English enrichment classes are focused on helping kids enhance, improve, and reinforce their English speaking skills.

The tutors in these classes can effectively narrow down the weak spots of students and offer suggestions and strategies that will help them overcome their issues.

The goal of English enrichment classes is to help improve the English speaking skill of kids and help them develop a love for the language.

Why English enrichment programs are so important

As a parent, you have the freedom to choose any enrichment class for your kid, but if you want him to have the edge over his peers, you should sign him up for an English enrichment class.

Research has shown that English enrichment classes offer a range of benefits to kids of every age. Below are a few of them.

  • Better communication
  • Improve social skill
  • Better focus
  • Increased recall skill

What is interesting is that kids who know how to read and speak English tend to do well in other subjects.

How enrichment class helps kids learn English

Increases interest in the English language

Your kid may have multiple interests, but English may not be one of them.

Enrichment classes can help nurture love for the English language in no distant time. The fun and exciting teaching approach adopted by teachers can help kids develop a love for the language.

Improve their learning pace

If you can speak English fluently, you may be able to teach your kid how to speak and read English as well. But the pace at which your kid will learn may be slow-paced. This is because you lack the skill and know-how to teach the language.  

Enrichment centers offer customized sessions that can help kids learn at a fast pace. And if your kid happens to be a slow learner, these teachers will teach him at a pace that he is comfortable with.

Final note

See, you are never going to regret signing up your kid for an English enrichment class.

The lessons your kid will learn will not only help him speak English fluently but also improve his performance in other subjects.

enrichment classes for toddlers and kids

Surprising Ways That Enrichment Classes Can Help Your Toddler Grow

Are you considering sending your toddler to an enrichment center but aren’t sure if he will benefit much from it? If yes, you aren’t alone.

Many parents in Singapore want to give their children a good learning foundation, but they aren’t sure if enrichment classes can help them achieve their goals.

At the same time, a few other parents have the impression that enrichment classes are only forgrown kids, and toddlers won’t learn much from them.

Well, the truth is that enrichment classes can help kids of all ages, including toddlers, learn quicker and become better versions of themselves.

In this article, we will be exploring a few ways enrichment centers can help toddlers grow. Before we dive right into that, we will first look at what an enrichment class is all about.

Read here for more information on what enrichment classes are beneficial for toddlers and young children.

What is an enrichment class?

An enrichment class is a specialized tutoring program that can help children learn about different subjects in a fun, practical, and engaging way.

Unlike a regular classroom where kids learn about the theoretical parts of a subject, enrichment classes are usually practical.

For example, during an enrichment class on music, every student will have a musical instrument in his hand and will be taught how to play.

Benefits of enrichment classes

Prepare for primary school

Enrolling your toddler in an enrichment center is a great way to prepare him for primary school. During the class, he will learn how to get along with other kids and communicate with his teacher.

Improve study skill

The reason why many kids struggle is that they don’t have good study skills. Enrichment classes can help teach kids the right way to study, prepare for tests, and manage their time. As your toddler learns these core study skills, his chances of doing well academically will increase rapidly.

Spring up new interests

Your kid may have a hidden skill or talent that you know nothing about. Enrichment classes can help mine these talents and refine them.

Paced learning

Let’s face it, not all kids learn at the same pace. While some are fast learners and can grasp complicated concepts easily, others are slow learners and need special attention.

Enrichment classes offer customized sessions that can help students learn at their preferred pace.

Boost motivation

If your toddler is an outlier or a little genus, he is going to love enrichment classes. There he will find students that are as smart as him. Even more, his teachers will present to him concepts that will challenge and engage him. This, in turn, will make him more motivated to learn.

In Summary

The above factors are just a handful of the benefits offered by enrichment classes; trust me, there are more. For your child to enjoy them, you have to sign him to any of the best enrichment centers in Singapore.

The qualified teachers in these centers will help him reach his potential and overcome his limitations. What’s more, they will arm him with the skill he needs to thrive in his later years in school.

academic enrichment classes for kids

Why Singaporean Parents Sign Their Children Up for Academic Enrichment Classes

Is your child struggling academically? Do you want to turn things around and help him become one of the best students in his class? If you answered yes, to both questions, this article is for you.

As a busy parent, it may be difficult for you to help your kid reach his academic potential. The reason for this isn’t just because you have a lot on your plate, but also because you lack the skill and expertise to help your kid do well in subjects like math and science, just to mention a few.

It may interest you to know that there are academic enrichment centres that can help your little one become proficient in academic subjects within a short period. Read on to learn some benefits of these classes.

Improved study skills

The reason why your kid may be struggling with many academic subjects is this- he/she doesn’t know how to study.

The funny thing is that many schools don’t teach kids the right way to study.

Without help, many kids will try ineffective strategies that will yield little or no results. A simple way to help your kid study better is by signing him up for an enrichment class that centers on building academic study skills.

Programs like this will teach your kids how to do everything from taking notes and setting goals to develop a growth mindset and manage their time. Even more, they will learn how to study effectively and brace the rigors of exams and tests.  

Persistence and Perseverance

Nothing good comes easy.

To achieve success in any academic subject, kids need to be persistent and need a never-say-die attitude. Kids that aren’t persistent often give up after their first or second attempt at solving a problem.

No matter the type of academic enrichment class you signed up for your kid, he will learn how to become persistent.

This skill will help him do better throughout his days in school and other stages of his life.

Time management skills

For your little one to soar academically, he has to learn how to manage his time properly. Mastering this skill will help your little one enjoy academic success without overwhelming himself.

Academic enrichment classes can help your kids improve their time management skills and learn how to set deadlines for projects and assignments, define their priorities, and create schedules.

Reading skills

As your child progresses academically, the vocabulary and the technicality of the materials he will be reading will become more and more difficult. If he doesn’t have a solid academic background, he is going to struggle.

Academic enrichment programs can help prevent this, as they offer unique strategies that can help strengthen the reading and comprehension skills of your kids. During these classes, your little one will learn the right way to read academic text.

Final note

The benefits of academic enrichment classes cannot be over-emphasized.

Signing your kids up for any of these classes will help them do better academically and overcome the challenges they may be facing. What’s more, these programs will prepare him for what he will face in later years.

Singapore enrichment centres for children

Enrichment Classes and After Care Programmes – Which is Better?

In the past, most busy parents in Singapore make arrangements for someone to supervise their kids after school until they arrive. The same cannot be said right now.

With the prevalence of enrichment centers in Singapore, many parents now send their kids to enrichment centers when they are done with school.

These centers offer classes that will help kids develop new interests, improve their current skills, make new friends, and most importantly, have fun.

As a curious parent, a part of you may wonder if enrichment classes are the same as after care programs.

In this article, we will take a close look at enrichment classes and after care programs, with a view to helping you learn what they are all about. Read here for more information on enrichment classes available in Singapore.

What are enrichment classes?

Many people mistake enrichment classes with after care programs and tutoring services because they all focus on helping kids learn.

Well, the truth is that enrichment classes offer a lot more than after care programs. They teach subjects outside the curriculum of subjects that are taught in schools. Below are some of them.

  • Music
  • Coding
  • Art
  • Sports
  • Dancing
  • Foreign language

Enrichment classes can help kids learn quicker because their curriculum is flexible and their teachingapproach is engaging and exciting. What’s more, they help kids learn about complex subjects while having fun.

So if for example, you enroll your child in a cooking enrichment class, he will learn about chemistry and measurement when he is measuring and mixing ingredients. He may also learn how to get along with other kids and solve problems.

As mentioned above, there are different types of enrichment classes in Singapore. While all of them are great, not all of them will be suitable for your little one.

So, before making a final decision, you must learn about your kid’s interest and their existing skill. You should pick a class that your kid enjoys and can build his confidence and talents.

What are after care programs?

The difference between after care programs and enrichment classes is the activities that are doneand their time duration.

After care programs usually last for two to three hours. During this period, kids are taught a variety of subjects and engage in different activities. Some after care programs offer kids an option to learn about school-related tasks that will help them kids soar academically.  

Enrichment classes, on the other hand, only last for an hour and focus on a single subject.  

Enrichment class vs. after care programs

Enrichment classes and after care programs are great, but they have their fair share of downsides. To choose between them, you have to consider the needs of your child and what you want to help him achieve.

Final note

As a parent who wants the best for his kid, you are always ready to go the extra mile to help your kid learn new things and improve his existing skill.

Enrichment classes and after care programs are excellent avenues that can arm your kids with skills that will help them do better academically and have fun.

enrichment classes for kids

Choose the Best Enrichment Centre for Your Kids by Following These Steps

Are you looking for an enrichment centre that offers classes that can address the needs of your child? If yes, you are not alone. You see, there are a lot of Singaporean parents who are facing the exact same challenge.

Finding a good centre is so hard in Singapore because there are so many centres out there. Choosing between them is somewhat challenging for most parents as they do not know what makes a good centre.

The sad truth is that many centres that promise to help kids reach their potential lack the infrastructure, skill, and experience to actually deliver on their promise.

This article is going to make your search for a good Singapore enrichment centre for your little one easier. Read on to learn some tips that will help you narrow down the best enrichment centre in Singapore.

Have a clear picture of your child’s interest and needs

Even if you sign your kid to a reputable centre with lots of positive reviews, there is a slim chance that he will do well academically and socially if they don’t teach topics that he finds interesting or engages in activities that he loves.

So before choosing a centre, it is critical that you first find out your child’s interests. A simple way to do this is by asking him what he will like to learn about. Alternatively, you can observe him with a view to finding out what he enjoys doing and the things he is curious about.

The unique needs of your kid

Let’s face it, not all kids learn at the same pace.

If your kid isn’t a fast learner or requires one–on–one attention, you should sign him up for an enrichment centre that can effectively address his needs.

Even if your kid is sharp, vibrant, and can get a firm grasp of difficult concepts with ease, it is still wise to send him to a centre with a teaching style similar to what he is used to. This will go a long way in helping him learn quicker and ultimately reach his potential.

Play and fun activities

Numerous studies have shown that play is essential in the brain development of kids. Sending your kid to a centre that incorporates play into their programs will help boost his creativity and develop his emotional strength, cognitive ability, and social well-being.

The location and environment

Your goal should be to find a centre close to your home or office with a good learning environment. Considering factors like hygiene, safety, and a few other things will help you tell if a centre will be conducive for your little one.

The qualifications of their teachers

Do some research to learn if the teachers in the centre you plan to enroll your kids have the proper qualification and experience to teach kids. It is also crucial that you learn about the kind of training they have undergone.

Final note

Narrowing down a good enrichment centre in Singapore is by no means an easy task. With so many options out there, it will be hard to make an informed decision.

Applying the tips discussed in this article will help you put things into perspective and find a good centre that can address the unique needs of your little one.

How Behavior Autism Therapies Work Best for Autistic Children?

cartoon of 3 children playing

Though no specific treatment applies to ‘Autism Spectrum Disorder’ (ASD), some recent approaches and medication are successful in lessening the autism symptomsAccording to the research, the different type behavior autism therapies work best to reduce the percentage of autism disorder over the world. Here, we will discuss ‘how behavior autism therapies’ perform foremost for the autistic children in Singapore and other Asian countries.

Let’s learn the key benefits of the behavior of autism therapies:

In most cases, parents are unsure of which autism behavior therapies to choose for their children. In such a situation, you take any behavioral therapy programs, as each treatment session is helpful to improve your child’s condition. Also, behavior therapies are best for the following reasons:

  • Any behavioral therapy is well-matchable to autistic children. All types of behavior therapies are cost-effective and safe for children.
  • The parents and therapists can monitor the active progression report of the children in the behavior therapy program.
  • Behavior therapies apply different techniques both inside and outside of the classroom. Also, behavior therapies are reliable methods to improve the communication skills of autistic children.

Let’s see how different behavior autism therapies are best for the children?

  • Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy

The scholars highly recommend ABA therapy for autistic children, as it deals with scientific approaches. It teaches the children to play, communicate and improves living skills through structured ways. Yes, the ABA can reduce the aggressive and problematic behavior of the children.

Repetition, reinforcement, and encouragement are the essential three parts applied in the ABA therapy session. From ABA treatment, the therapists can understand the specific requirements and abilities of autistic children. From this therapy session, the autistic children get verbal and toilet training skills, as well. It ensures a long-term value to them. It is the perfect training program from which autistic children can interact with others socially.

  • Verbal Behavior Therapy (VBT)

From the VBT therapy session, the therapists teach the non-verbal skills to the children so that they can communicate with others adequately. Here, the children learn to use the words practically to make a positive response to others. The trainers teach the vocabulary with gestures. For example, they use multiple prompts to learn a new word. They prefer pictures, toys, and other activities to fulfill the requirements of individual interests. The therapists prefer the repetition process for teaching communication skills.

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is preferable for children who have slight autistic symptoms. It aims to trigger the specific behavior that an individual child opts to desire. Here, therapists initiate useful responses through different practice sessions. It can increase the cognitive ability of the children and reduces autism symptoms.

Hopefully, you have understood the critical benefits of behavior therapies. Also, you have learned ‘how behavior autism therapies work best for autistic children.

Motor Skills Linked to Children’s Academic Performance

2 young children swimming to improve gross motor skills

During their early days, infants get to experience many changes. These changes are due to transitions from infancy to childhood. A key feature of that phase of life, childhood, is starting school. To make this transition a success, infants need several skills that involve their motor skills (fine and gross motor skills).

This article you are reading will focus on the link between a child’s motor skills development and their academic performances. It will also consider some verifiable evidence that shows how their motor skills are also responsible for how they respond to extracurricular activities.

What is a Motor Skill?

Pathways, a medically oriented online material site defines motor skills as the ability to affect certain movements in an infant, usually through a gradual learning process.

Motor skills can be divided into two types:

  • Fine motor skills
  • Gross motor skills

Fine motor skills are the way small muscles of the hands and wrists are coordinated to produce certain movements with the use of the hands, fingers, and eyes. They are also known to contribute to intelligence and another form of cognitive development in the early stage of life. Read more here.

Gross motor skills, on the other hand, involves the way the big muscles of the body are coordinated to help children develop other movements of their body parts as they make their transition from childhood to adulthood.

How do Motor Skills Affect a Child’s Academics?

According to a recent study, the rate of growth of a child’s intelligence quotient is directly proportional to their performance in school. In other words, the higher the level of a child’s motor skills, the higher the level of their performance in preschool.

Since motor skills are responsible for some common movements involving the muscles of the body, the faster they can develop this, the faster they start little movements like crawling, wriggling the fingers, blinking/opening and closing of the eyes, swimming, and so on. These are some of the skills needed to succeed in child enhancement programs as well as in preschool. Read more here.

The faster they develop these skills, the faster they will learn how to pronounce simple words, interact with their colleagues and teachers; respond to various actions, and so on.

Since most preschools utilize a lot of diagrams in their curriculum, a child’s motor skill development will be put to the test in class when they are asked to draw several diagrams. As expected, children with good motor skills will excel while those with poorly developed motor skills are expected to lag in class.

According to research done by The Educators Room, at some point, children are taught how to write the alphabets and numbers as part of their learning process. In this area as well, a well-developed motor skill is an advantage to kids. You can find out more here.

What Parents Can Do

Well, since there is little they can do to help a child develop these skills, parents must monitor their kids well. At certain times in their lives when they are expected to have mastered particular movements, medical attention should be sought if the movements are not forthcoming.

Motor Skills Development in Children

child playing with lego blocks to improve motor skills

Early childhood is a time that is marked by great changes. A short and chubby infant suddenly becomes leaner and taller, a shy kid gradually becomes more outgoing, or a child known to eat less starts having a large appetite.

Apart from the obvious changes that are noticed, the more integrated development is what we will be looking at in this article: the biological, psychological, and social changes that are occurring as a result of motor skills development.

Motor Skills Changes and Growth

PARENTS.COM describes Motor Skills (Gross or Fine motor skills) as responsible for all the physical changes observed in a child. From running to jumping, hopping to turning, dancing to body balancing, all these body movements are a result of Gross motor skills.

Fine motor skills, on the other hand, are responsible for smaller body movements like drawing a diagram, writing letters of the alphabets and performing simple tasks like buttoning a shirt or tying of shoelaces. One truth is that both the Gross motor skill and Fine motor skills are refined during these formative years. Read more here.

Try to compare how a 4-year old will button up his shirt and how a 7-year old will button that same shirt for example. You will believe that the rate at which they complete the same task will be different. And it will even get better if a 15-year old is doing the same task. So, with age comes a perfection of these motor skills.

Understanding this fact will not make parents too anxious when their kids take a while to learn some skills. The advice is: be patient, it takes time. It is to be noted that some skills can only be learned as a child. For instance, it may take an adult a long time to learn a new language, while it will take a child a lesser duration of time to learn the same language.

Health Changes

Kids are known to be healthy but are prone to illnesses. In one publication, it is mentioned that kids are prone to coughs, colds, and other stomach related discomforts. This is because their internal organs and systems are not yet fully developed. Since most illnesses a child may have does not necessarily require seeing a physician, this will teach these kids’ skills that will help them cope with other physical discomforts in the future. It will also help them understand what others may be feeling when they are ill as it will be called to mind by the motor skills. Read more here.

Brain Development

Since the nervous system controls the brain, any perceived change in how the brain behaves is a function of motor skills. Now here’s something you will be particularly interested in: the more complex the changes experienced by the nervous systems and brain, the more complex cognitive and behavioral abilities such children will be capable of.

One other function of the brain formation handedness, which determines whether a child prefers using the right hand or left hand. This too is the functions of the motor neurons. Read more here.

How to Handle Kids These 3 Effective Teachers’ Suggestions Might Help

How to Handle Kids: These 3 Effective Teachers’ Suggestions Might Help

Handling an active kid who is growing day by day is not an easy thing. Their demands often grow faster than you can handle them and their energy levels may tire you out first. If you are also struggling to keep up with your kids and make them disciplined while trying to ensure that they meet your expectations of an ideal kid, then you need to keep reading.

Here are top 3 effective strategies shared by experienced teachers who have been there and done that a million times. We are sure these strategies will help you to be a better parent and handle your kids more effectively.

Looking for a preschool in Singapore can be a daunting affair with the many preschools providing different aspects of quality education. However, Chiltern House has shown to be one of the best in providing a headstart for your child. Do check out a Chiltern House Review here today.

Praise Them

The first thing you can learn is that kids, no matter what their age is, love praise. So, whenever your kids do something right be it as simple as eating food by themselves or wearing the shoes right, you should heap praise on them. It is essential to sound genuine and do it with a smile as kids can easily see through the emotions of their parents. An experienced teacher shared this by Stephanie Byrne-Biancardi.

I’ve noticed that effective praise is selective, specific, encouraging and positive. It avoids comparisons and competition. It compares a child’s progress with his/her past performance rather than with other children and it’s delivered in a caring, natural tone of voice. Believe me, children know when you’re just blowing smoke…Read More

When you compliment your kid on how well he or she has done, you will be giving him or her motivation to do better the next time. Kids, like adults, want everyone to like them so when you shower them with compliments, it makes them feel good and capable. When you are complimenting your kid, you can also try gifting him or her something special like buying a new toy if they overcome a difficult task like eating a medicine on their own or getting good grades at school. A combination of gifts and compliments will surely keep the kid motivated for long.

At this point, you might be unsure of what preschool to send your child to. Chiltern House might be one of them. If that is the case, do check out this Chiltern House Review and read about other preschools as well to know which you should send your precious one to.

Don’t Shout

Another experienced teacher, Mary Satchwell from Chicago has suggested that you should never shout at your kids and we couldn’t agree more. Shouting at kids makes them more stubborn and less likely to listen to what you are trying to tell them. Whenever you have the urge to shout at them, you must follow the simple trick shared in an article by Sarah Karnasiewicz.

If you want kids to listen, lower your voice instead of raising it. This forces kids to focus. Whisper, ‘If you can hear me, touch your nose.’ After a little while, everyone does it… Read More

Well, we must say that it’s a technique that really works better than shouting or embarrassing your kid. When your little one is angry, you should work hard on keeping your temper in check or you might end up hurting each other’s feelings. You can also use a distraction like where is the favorite toy of the kid or show the kid how to sketch a star with a pencil. Kids rarely hold onto their anger for long. So, make sure you help the kid forget his or her anger.

Make Them Independent

Handling kids becomes more difficult when they want to do stuff themselves. Everything from setting their bed to cooking food attracts kids when they are growing so fast. But how can you as a parent deal with the change when the kids’ safety is all you care about. Well, there is a way. You need to let the kids try to be self-dependent by helping them from the sidelines. If you try to do things for them, it might irritate the kid or even make the kid angry. So, be smart and follow this advice by Barbara Rowley.

Most young kids really want the feelings of independence, self-confidence, and achievement that dressing themselves brings. It’s just that their clothes get in the way. To make it easier, “take into account where your child is developmentally when you buy his clothes,” says Hill. For instance, a 3-year-old won’t do as well in a pair of jeans with a zipper and a button as he will in elastic-waist pants… Read More

We also suggest that you make sure that the kid learns to see the result and fix any mistakes in the dressing before going out to ensure that the kid doesn’t end up making a fool of himself or herself among his or her peers. You can also help the kid by putting the kids’ dress near the bed at nighttime so that he or she doesn’t have to decide which top would go best with which pair of jeans. You can also divide the duties with the kid like you do the kids’ hair while he or she dresses up so that the kid doesn’t feel overwhelmed.

Conclusion

In essence, it can be said that all three tips shared by the teachers are simply brilliant as they will help you to communicate with kids in a language they can easily understand. You, as a parent, should always look for such tips online or offline to ensure that your kid becomes obedient, independent and confident. After all, your child is your first responsibility and should always come first in your list of priorities.

 

Should Schools Interfere in the Lunchboxes of Kids


Should Schools Interfere in the Lunchboxes of Kids?

From the vast amounts of information being broadcast on a daily basis, one basic that remains quite a constant are the eating habits of people. Discussions galore do the rounds where the subject of school interference in the lunchboxes of children has been openly debated. Let us look at whether it is necessary or not.

If you are looking for a Singapore Nursery School, do consider Chiltern House Nursery School. They not only provide a holistic curriculum comprising linguistics, Mathematics and Science topics but also prepare your child for primary school. Do visit their website above to find out more.

For a good review of Chiltern House, you can read about Chiltern House Review here.

1. Parents are the first authority on what they want to feed their kids. The lunchbox of every child differs based on various factors. Many children bring lunch laden with transfat food, which is quite detrimental to their overall health. From the point of view of the school, if the child displays a lack of concentration because of a diet rich in cholesterol or fats, they can bring it to the notice of the parents. It may be well received or not, but the school cannot dictate what a parent packs for the child.

2. The other sides of the coin are kids who bring healthy food to school and feel the need to indulge occasionally in something that is fun rather than boring veggies. Due to this, they may find themselves taking back their lunch because their classmates carry tasty food which smells nice causing the child without to rebel and lose focus in the classroom. From the point of view of the educator, it can cause a problem because the child who is hungry may throw tantrums resulting in the rest joining the chorus.

3. At the nursery school Singapore options are provided in the canteen that enables children of all ages to choose their meal for the day. Given the fact that nursery kids may opt for something unhealthy, the staff in the lunchroom may insist on a coupon system so that children eat what is provided for the day, based on parental preferences.

4. When the school interferes in the lunchboxes of children, it signals that they have taken over to adopt a Big Brother approach, which is not a requisite. Parents are the guardians and should be allowed to pack whatever they deem fit for the child. During parent-teacher meets, bringing up the issue may be a good idea. The objective is not to keep kids trim but to encourage their minds to work well.

Summary
Making the school police kids is not the agenda. By being too strict with food, children will tune out and pretty much lose attention. Parents, who notice too much of interference may remove their kids from schools that interfere. In sum, schools should not dictate terms, when it comes to the lunchboxes of kids.

How Passive Toys Help In Active Learning

How Passive Toys Help In Active Learning

All children are blessed with a curious mind and a willingness to explore and learn. Constant structured learning conditions the young learners mind to think in particular fashion making them lose the skill of innovation. An active toy is a toy acts on its own, that has an �on�, or �off� switch which makes play activities very specific. If a child engages with such a toy then the child�s mind develops within the structured play in-built in the toy. If a child is faced with a passive toy that has no specific play activity (even may not be a toy), the child�s inquisitive mind will explore the myriads of possibility through that object.

If you are looking for a good Preschool Education in Singapore, do consider Chiltern House Preschool. They not only provide a holistic curriculum comprising linguistics, Mathematics and Science topics but also prepare your child for primary school. Do visit their website above to find out more.

For a good review of Chiltern House, you can read about Chiltern House Review here.

Why do you need more passive toys for your child?

Passive toys not only work great for kids receiving preschool education but also for younger babies. Magda Gerber, early childhood expert is a strong advocate for passive toys. These type of toys only respond to the manipulation of children.
Whereas an active toy renders the child passive and they stop engaging in any type of exploratory activity as they get used to the way an active toy performs. With a passive toy, the child gets to make his own rules. Engaging in such pro-active play helps children with their problem solving skills. Passive toys can become a tool or get highly instrumental in the experimentation that a toddler or young child may seek to perform. Engagement with such passive toys till the age of eighteen months is crucial as by then the children develop amazing coordination and problem-solving skill.

What type of passive toys?

The passive toy you expose the child to must be something the stimulates curiosity and holds their attention. They should ideally have endless exploratory opportunity. It can be something as simple as a common water bottle to a tag on a cloth. it can virtually be anything.

Safety first

Passive toys doesn�t mean objects that are only clearly designated as toys. Since it can be anything. Do keep the general safety concerns in mind before you introduce or allow your child to be involved in play activity with any object. Keep the following in mind
� Choking hazard
� Sharp edges
� Chemical content
A bit of supervision on the part of parents and teachers over the passive toys will provide a safe, exploratory environment for the young, curious learners. An observing adult will be amazed to find how the child gets adept in association and problem solving.

How to Use Number Puzzles to Build Number Sense

Learning number sense is an important part of a kindergarten school. This is the first place where the foundations of the child’s education are formed. A child needs to have a good foundation for math right from the beginning or it would be very difficult for the child to understand the more difficult concepts of math.

Number puzzles are a great way of building number sense in the child. These puzzles boost the activity of the child’s brain and help them recognize number patterns while also learning the relationship that numbers have with each other. These are so much fun and so easy to do that the kids will keep coming back to them.

If you are looking for a holistic kindergarten education for your child, do consider Chiltern House. They have engaging activities to grow your child, and have good facilities to support your child. With respect to Kindergartens Singapore, they are one of the best. Do visit their website above.

How to make number puzzles

These are really quick and easy to make and you can rest assured that your children will enjoy learning while playing. All you need to do is to make a couple of charts up to the number that you want. It is best to have some made on colored paper and the others can be made on blank white paper.

Cut the charts that were made on the colored paper along the lines of the table so that they make different shapes. Try and cut out some into unusual shapes and don’t have too many pieces of squares and rectangles. These pieces should remind you of Tetris tiles. Ensure that you don’t have two sheets of numbers that are the same color as the kids might mix up the sheets and this will make it difficult for you to know which piece goes where. It is also easier for the kids who are solving it as they will know exactly where their pieces were.

The plant sheets can be used in the beginning as guides for the kids but as they become more familiar with these charts you can let them try to do it themselves without any guides. Most children put the pieces directly onto the guide when they first begin to do the puzzles but they gain more confidence as they go on doing it.

Lastly, the children in the kindergarten are usually still developing their motor skills and hence it is difficult for them to keep the number puzzle pieces from sliding around. This makes it necessary for you to find a way of keeping these pieces in place. The easiest way to do this is to put a piece of double-sided tape at the base of the pieces.

Having read until this point, we hope that you have realised that kindergarten is not a trivial period for your child, and you should pay utmost attention to the quality of kindergarten you intend to send him/her to. Check out Chiltern House Review today to find out more about Chiltern House’s activities.

In conclusion, number puzzles are a good way to build number sense for your kindergarten child. The activities discussed here can be done at home while he/she is not at the kindergarten. This will help him/her learn even outside of school, so as not to waste the free time he/she spends at home.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

As your child grows up, he/she may take enter an inquisitive phase where they ask you questions about anything and everything. Yоur сhild’ѕ mоrе аbѕtrасt “whу” ԛuеѕtiоnѕ may bе mоrе diffiсult, раrtlу bесаuѕе thеrе mау bе hundrеdѕ оf thеm еасh dау and also bесаuѕе ѕоmе оf them have no answers—or none thаt уоu knоw. If the ԛuеѕtiоn is “Why dоеѕ thе ѕun ѕhinе?” оr “Why саn’t thе dog talk to me?” уоu can аnѕwеr thаt уоu dоn’t knоw, оr invite hеr tо lооk intо the question furthеr bу finding a book аbоut the sun оr about dоgѕ. Bе sure tо tаkе these ԛuеѕtiоnѕ ѕеriоuѕlу. Aѕ уоu dо, you help brоаdеn уоur сhild’ѕ knоwlеdgе, fееd him/her сuriоѕitу, and teach hеr tо think more clearly.

One such school that prepares your child well is Chiltern House preschool. Their curriculum will prepare your child adequately for primary school with its primary-school focused programme. Your child will learn linguistics, Mathematics, Science, language skills and social awareness skills needed to excel in his/her coming years ahead. If you are serious about giving your child a good start, you should check them out at the link here: http://www.chilternhouse.com.sg/

When your three-year-old iѕ faced with specific learning сhаllеngеѕ, уоu’ll find her rеаѕоning ѕtill rаthеr оnе-ѕidеd. Shе can’t уеt ѕее an issue frоm twо аnglеѕ, nоr саn ѕhе ѕоlvе problems thаt rеԛuirе hеr tо look аt more thаn one fасtоr аt the same time. Fоr example, if уоu tаkе twо еԛuаl cups оf wаtеr аnd роur one into a ѕhоrt, fаt container and thе other intо a tall, skinny оnе, ѕhе’ll рrоbаblу ѕау thе tall соntаinеr holds more wаtеr thаn thе short. Evеn if ѕhе ѕееѕ thе two еԛuаl сuрѕ tо start with аnd wаtсhеѕ уоu роur, ѕhе’ll come up with the same answer. By her lоgiс, the tаllеr соntаinеr iѕ “biggеr” аnd therefore must hоld mоrе. At around аgе seven, children finally understand thаt they hаvе tо look аt multiрlе aspects оf a problem before аrriving at an answer.

At about thrее уеаrѕ оf аgе, your сhild’ѕ ѕеnѕе of timе will bесоmе muсh сlеаrеr. Nоw ѕhе’ll know hеr оwn daily routine and will trу hard tо figurе out the routines оf others. Fоr еxаmрlе, ѕhе may еаgеrlу wаtсh for thе mail саrriеr whо аrrivеѕ every dау, but be реrрlеxеd thаt trаѕh iѕ рiсkеd uр only one dау out оf ѕеvеn. Shе’ll undеrѕtаnd thаt сеrtаin special events, ѕuсh as hоlidауѕ and birthdауѕ, occur еvеrу once in a whilе, but even if ѕhе саn tеll you how old ѕhе iѕ, ѕhе’ll hаvе nо real ѕеnѕе оf thе length of a уеаr.

Bу age four, your child is beginning tо еxрlоrе mаnу basic concepts thаt will bе tаught in grеаtеr detail in ѕсhооl. Fоr еxаmрlе, hе nоw understands thаt thе dау is divided into morning, afternoon, аnd night, аnd that there are diffеrеnt seasons. Bу thе timе he’s five and еntеring kindеrgаrtеn, he mау knоw ѕоmе days оf the week аnd thаt еасh dау is measured in hours and minutes. Hе also may comprehend thе еѕѕеntiаl idеаѕ of counting, thе аlрhаbеt, size rеlаtiоnѕhiрѕ (big versus ѕmаll), and the names оf gеоmеtriс ѕhареѕ.

Thе bеѕt аррrоасh iѕ to оffеr your сhild a widе rаngе of lеаrning opportunities. Fоr instance, this is thе реrfесt аgе to intrоduсе him to zооѕ and muѕеumѕ, if you haven’t done ѕо аlrеаdу. Mаnу museums hаvе ѕресiаl ѕесtiоnѕ dеѕignеd fоr сhildrеn, where hе саn асtivеlу еxреriеnсе the learning рrосеѕѕ. At thе same timе, уоu ѕhоuld respect hiѕ special intеrеѕtѕ and tаlеntѕ. If your сhild ѕееmѕ vеrу аrtiѕtiс, tаkе him tо art museums аnd gаllеriеѕ, or lеt him trу a рrеѕсhооl art сlаѕѕ. Alѕо, if you knоw аn аrtiѕt, tаkе him for a viѕit ѕо he can ѕее whаt a ѕtudiо iѕ likе. If hе’ѕ most interested in mасhinеѕ and dinosaurs, tаkе him to thе natural hiѕtоrу muѕеum, hеlр him lеаrn tо build mоdеlѕ, аnd рrоvidе him with соnѕtruсtiоn kitѕ that аllоw him tо сrеаtе hiѕ own machines. Whatever hiѕ intеrеѕtѕ, уоu саn uѕе bооkѕ to help аnѕwеr hiѕ ԛuеѕtiоnѕ аnd ореn his horizons еvеn further which he will further hone in preschools in Singapore. At thiѕ аgе, then, уоur child ѕhоuld bе diѕсоvеring the joy оf lеаrning ѕо thаt hе will be self- motivated whеn hiѕ fоrmаl еduсаtiоn begins.

According to Little Day Out, here are some museums you should bring your child to in order to pique their curiosity around them.

Here are the best museums in Singapore for kids.

Civil Defence Heritage Gallery

Housed inside the red-and-white Central Fire Station at Hill Street, the Civil Defence Heritage Gallery pays tribute to Singapore’s brave firefighters. The highlight of the small gallery is the display of bright red, vintage fire engines on the ground floor. Kids can climb onboard an engine and imagine rushing to the scene of a fire. The gallery’s second floor houses several exhibits showcasing modern fire fighting techniques and the role of today’s Singapore Civil Defence Force.

Plan your Civil Defence Heritage Gallery visit on a Saturday morning and you have the double-bonus of the Fire Station Open House. At the Open House, firefighters put up demonstrations of their skills and the public also can try using fire-fighting equipment too.”

For more, you can read here.

In conclusion, encouraging your child’s curiosity in the world around helps his/her brain development and shapes them to be better learners, taking in knowledge from the surroundings around them. You can start from baby steps such as being curious in your child’s responses, and also being encouraging as they elaborate and relate such questions to you.

SHORT FILMS WANTED for TV SHOW

We’re producing a cable TV show airing short films from independent filmmakers around the world. We’re looking for action, horror, thriller, animation, SciFi, fantasy and suspense short films to air on public access television in Atlanta, GA. MovieScreams is a half-hour cable TV show that broadcasts short films. We give filmmakers the opportunity to show their films to over 140,000 households through out the Atlanta metropolitan area. This is a non-commercial screening on public access television.

No promo videos or home movies. Submission is free. There is no entry fee. Films are accepted on an ongoing basis. Submissions must be under 25 minutes. All entries must be submitted either on DVD or mini-DV tape (NTSC format). Foreign language work must be dubbed or subtitled in English. We cannot accept PAL. Please ensure that all films are complete and working before submitting.