October 2009 Newsletter

Greetings Parents / Guardians,

This year, our Annual Graduation and Concert will be held on 14th November 2009 at Promenade Hotel only for the Junior 2 and Junior 3 children. We urge all parents concerned to avail yourself for a great time of celebration together with your child. We have just finished our End-Of-Year Evaluation for all children. The progress report will be ready for collection in the upcoming Teacher and Parents Week in November 2009 before the school end its academic year 2009. We shall keep parents inform of the meeting date.

Success in school starts with reading. Our Pre-Junior children had progress well in learning the alphabets and numbers, colour and shapes. They have also improved in their motor skills development. By now, most of our Junior 1 children have started reading 3 letters word and simple sentences and also writing their own names. When children become good readers in the early years, they are more likely to become better learners throughout their school years and beyond. Learning to read and write is an exciting adventure for a young child.

Our Junior 2 children have also progressed well in their learning. Most of them are able to read and write independently. As children learn that books are for reading, and that pictures and words are different, they begin to lay the foundation for reading and writing. This year, we have also included teaching our Junior 3 children Mathematic in mandarin especially to prepare for those who are entering into the Chinese Primary School next year. It was a real joy to see the progress of your children.

We are aware of the importance of early childhood development. Nothing will ever again match this most exuberant time of learning. From birth to about the age of twelve, especially during the first three years of life, the brain is a super-sponge. This is the brain's most absorbent stage, where it actively learns from its environment. Information flows easily into the brain through 'windows' that are open for only a short duration. It is during this period, the foundations for thinking, language, vision, attitudes, aptitudes, and other characteristics are laid down. Then the 'windows' close, and much of the fundamental architecture of the brain is completed and probably not going to change very much more.

The brain never stops learning after the end of this period, but instead of being easy, learning becomes harder, more costly and time consuming. For example, for the first twelve years of life, children can learn languages very easily, as opposed to later in life. Any adult trying to learn a foreign language knows this very well.

Brain development is a non-stop process. If your children have not been optimized to learn in the early learning period of their first three years, the brain still gives its owner a big second chance that runs to about age twelve. Whenever these prime times are discussed, it is essential to keep in mind that it is never too late to help a child learn and develop. Parents still have many opportunities every day to give their children all the necessary tools and efforts to stimulate and shape the brain cells and their connections.

Parents must understand the role they play and how they can enhance their children's brain development in the crucial early years. “If you want to significantly influence a child’s ability to think and to acquire knowledge, the early childhood years are very critical”, said neurobiologist Peter Huttenlocher. We are not suggesting a program to develop genius; rather, we advocate activities you can initiate to help your child be ready for school and get an early head start. Here are few guidelines that you can start in helping young brains achieve their greatest potential.

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Happy reading!

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A Child's Developing Brain

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People talk a lot these days about infant brain development. There are good reasons to know about it. A child's experiences in the first three years of life are very important in the development of the brain. In fact, a baby grows and learns more rapidly in the first three years of life than any other time in life. This makes some parents worry whether they are doing the right things. The good news is that you can provide just what your child needs.

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Every child needs to be loved.

It is important that a baby feels safe and cared for. Of course there are times when every child will feel unhappy, but when caregivers are doing their best to care for a child, the message of love gets through. When a child is sad or lonely or afraid, we can comfort her or him.
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There will be times when a child does not calm down. A parent may become very frustrated with the child. Even when a parent cannot soothe a child, that parent can choose to never hurt the child. The parent may have to let the child cry for a few minutes while relaxing and preparing to try again to calm the child. Or the parent may need to get a neighbor to watch the baby while she or he takes a walk.

Every child needs to know that there is someone who cares about him or her.

The child needs to know that the caregiver will always try to love and help. Touching, holding, and stroking your baby are important parts of showing your love. Making time to be with and play with your child is also very important in helping the child's brain develop.

Every child needs interaction with an adult.

When we talk, sing, and play with a child, it stimulates her brain. Even when she is very young, this interaction prepares the child to learn language and to feel connected to you and others. That is why it is a good idea to read to children and tell him stories even before he understands the words.

Every child needs to explore. Children learn through exploration and play. A baby learns through playing with a rattle. Within a few months the baby is ready to crawl, touch, and taste things. Sometime around the child's first birthday he will start to walk. As he touches, shakes, examines, and tastes his world, his brain will develop.

For that reason it is better to childproof our homes than to punish children for touching everything within their reach. Children need to explore as part of their development. We should be sure that their world is a safe place for that exploration.

It is popular to say that children do not come with instructions, but if we pay careful attention to our children, they provide most of the instructions we need. They let us know when they are bored; we can provide them something to do. They let us know when they are upset; we can soothe them. They let us know when they are uncomfortable; we can feed or change or comfort them. We can learn the most important things we need to know about what our children need if we pay attention to their signals.

Sometimes adults try to rush a child's development. They may try to get a child to do something before he or she is ready. While it is good to provide children many opportunities to learn and explore, it is not helpful to try to get them to do things before they are ready.A child requires a lot of time and energy. Yet there is nothing as enjoyable as watching a child grow, learn, and love. You can give to your child exactly what he or she needs in order to grow and be happy by providing a loving and interesting environment.

September 2009 Newsletter

Greetings Parents / Guardians,

We would like to wish all our Muslim parents and pupils a belated Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Thank you parents for all your valuable suggestions and comments provided to us through the Parents Satisfaction Survey Form. We will surely take into serious consideration on all of the feedbacks as this will enable us and the school to continue in providing a better learning environment for young children.

Time Flies. Unnoticeably we have come to our 2009 final school term and kindly take note that the End-of-Year Evaluation will be held from 12th October 2009 to 16th October 2009. Meantime, our Junior 2 and Junior 3 children had also gradually started their preparation for the coming Annual Graduation and Concert in November 2009. Finally, I believe that by now parents would have noticed the different changes and progress in your child. Our salutation to all parents and teachers for a job well done!

Although the times and family make-up have changed dramatically, the foundational principles of intelligent parenting survive. Research has provided clear fundamentals that direct children toward confidence, security, and achievement. Furthermore, there are a fair number of day-to-day options available in raising children from which parents can choose. The children of the next millennium will continue to be influenced by much more than their families; however, parents and grandparents continue to set the important foundations. A summary of the top ten principles are listed below.

Happy reading!

Foundational Principles of Parenting - Dr Sylvia Rimm

Take Charge; Don't Over empower Your Children

Your children require leadership and limits to feel secure. Envision the letter V in Love. When children are small, they're at the base of the V with few choices, little freedom, and small responsibilities that match their small size. As they mature, they should have more choices, more freedom, and more responsibilities. Freedom and responsibility should increase concurrently. Although limits remain, more freedom is provided. Children will feel trusted and healthfully empowered. If you reverse that V like this, L, and children are given too many early choices and freedoms, they will believe they should have all the choices. They will resent rules and responsibilities and feel as if you're stealing their freedom when you don't give them a choice or you try to set reasonable limits. They will seek instant gratification, total power, and expect to be treated as adults before they're ready to handle the responsibilities of their over empowerment. In adolescence, ordinary expectations of responsibility will cause them to become angry, depressed, and rebellious. In plain English, they will act like "spoiled brats."

Praise Moderately to Avoid Pressure; Postpone Super praise

Praise conveys your values to your children and sets expectations for them. A lack of praise conveys the message that you don't believe in them. Reasonable praise statements, like "good thinker," "hard worker," "smart," "creative," "strong," "kind," and "sensitive," set high expectations that are within children's reach. Words like "perfect," "the best," "most beautiful," and "brilliant" set impossible expectations. Children internalize those expectations, and the expectations become pressures when children find they can't achieve those high and impossible goals.

Don't Discuss Children's Problem Behaviors Within Their Hearing (Referential Speaking)

Discussion about children among adults also sets expectations for the children. If they hear talk between parents and grandparents or parents and adult friends about how jealous or mean they are, if they're referred to as "little devils" or "ADHD" kids, if they're constantly described as shy or fearful, they will assume adults are telling the truth and believe they can't control these problem behaviors. On the other hand, if they hear adult talk about their positive behaviors, their confidence will increase and so will their positive behaviors.

Build Resiliency; Don't Rescue Your Child From Reality

Although children need protection, overprotection encourages dependency and oversensitivity. You can be kind without being over sympathetic. Your children will need to learn to recover from losses and failures, and independence and resiliency will permit them to triumph over obstacles.

Stay United, Be Willing to Compromise; Try to Say Good Things About Your Child's Other Parent

Leaders in a family that lead in two opposite directions confuse children. Children will not respect parents who show no respect for each other. Describing your child's other parent as an "ogre" or "dummy" may make you feel like a good parent temporarily, but your sabotage will backfire, and your child will no longer respect either of you. This is especially hard after divorce, but it is even more important in divided families. United guidance also holds true for grandparents. It's important for grandparents to be supportive of their children's parenting and equally important for parents to be respectful of their own parents, their children's grandparents. Disrespect among adults in the family will be interpreted by children as parent permission to be disrespectful.

Hold Teachers, Education, and Learning in High Regard

Set children's education as first priority. That will become most clear if they hear how much their parents and grandparents value learning. Tell them about the best teachers you've had and elevate their teachers as well. Set expectations for higher education early so they will assume education does not stop after high school.

Be positive About Your Own Work and That of Your Child's Other Parent

If adults walk in the door and complain about their work daily, children will develop an "anti-work" attitude. They'll complain similarly about their own schoolwork and household chores. If parents don't like their work, they should attempt to find better work and remind children that education provides more job choices. Also, they can at least explain to their children that they are honest and responsible in their jobs.

Be a Role Model of Ethics, Activity, and Hard Work

Locate other good role models for your children. Children watch their parents and grandparents. When adults "get away with" speeding, keep too much change, or are disrespectful to their mother (their grandmother), children will notice. When parents are interesting, ethical, and energetic, they'll be equally impressed. Parents and grandparents can be good role models without being perfect. Other adults can be good role models for your children as well. Introduce your children to friends and potential mentors who can also be positive influences.

Enjoy Learning Experiences With Your Child

Too many parents of twenty-year-olds have sobbed in my office because they couldn't find time for their children when they were growing up. Make time for learning and fun with your children, and they'll be happy learners forever. Instead of regrets, you'll have only wonderful memories.

Keep a Separate Fun Time and Adult Status

Without Giving Your Children Adult Status Too Soon, Enjoy some adult life without your children. Weekly dates and a few adult vacations a year will keep you excited about life together or with friends. Parents and grandparents should reserve time for adult conversations. Give your children something to look forward to. They can watch and wait and do child activities with the family. Permit yourself the enjoyment and adult relationships that you've earned by your hard work. Permit them the security of growing gradually toward adulthood.

Happy Bithday September 2009

Happy Birthday to Teacher Andrea and Teacher Sharon!


Group Photo

OFFICIAL LAUNCHING OF UC MAS MENTAL ARITHMETIC

Guest of Honour : YB Datuk Masidi Manjun, Minister of Tourism, Culture & Environment, Sabah

Venue : City Mall, Jalan Lintas

Date : 22-08-2009

Time : 2.00 p.m.

Speech By Dr. Dino Wong - Founder of UC Mas Mental Arithmetic

Speech by Guest of Honour YB Datuk Masidi

Official Launching of UC Mas Mental Arithmetic

Cutting of Ribbons

Live Demo by students (6 and 9 years old)

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A view of the function

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Please visit http://www.ucmas.com/ or call 088-724322 for more details.

August 2009 Newsletter

Greetings Parents / Guardians

Times fly, next week we will be having our 2nd mid-term school break. Thank you parents once again for your confidence in our school by registering your child in the coming academic year 2010. We would like to urge all parents to complete and return the Parents Satisfaction Survey Form to us soonest possible.

The recent rapid changes of weather had caused the outspread of influenza even hard to control and due to the wide spread of H1N1 virus (Swine Flu), temperature measurement will be taken for all children upon arrival at school with immediate effect. As a reminder, children that are sick will be requested to stay at home until full recovery. It was our school responsibility to endeavor in providing a safe learning place for all children and we would like to thank parents for all the cooperation rendered to us to ensure the safety and good health of your children.

A child’s social-emotional development is as important as her brain and physical development. It is her desire to connect with others that motivates her to learn. And her sense of who she is in the world deeply impacts how much and how well she learns, as well as the quality of the relationships she builds with others.

A child’s social-emotional skills drive her to learn to communicate, connect with others, resolve conflict, and cope with challenges. They give her the confidence she needs to reach goals, and the ability to persist in the face of difficulty. Like other important milestones babies and toddlers achieve in the first three years—such as walking and talking—developing social-emotional skills takes times, practice, and lots of patience from parents and caregivers. Unlike learning to walk and talk, however, social-emotional skills are not as easy to see. But when we learn to read our child’s cues in order to understand what she may be thinking and feeling, we are supporting her healthy development in all areas, including her social-emotional skills.

Recognition of early social and emotional problems in toddlers and preschool children is necessary in achieving the best developmental outcomes. Social and emotional difficulties persist over time and are very resistant to change. If left untreated, early-onset conduct problems (aggression, rebellion, oppositional behaviors and emotional disturbances) place children at high risk for frequent social and emotional difficulties, under achievement, school dropout, and finally delinquency. I believe the article below provides some ideas that can help.

Happy reading!

Helping Your Child – Social & Emotional Preparation
By Early On Michigan

Children start school with different degrees of social and emotional maturity. These skills take time and practice to learn. Give your child opportunities at home to begin to develop the following positive qualities:

• CONFIDENCE—Children must feel good about themselves and believe they can succeed. Confident children are more willing to attempt new tasks—and try again if they don’t succeed on the first try.
• INDEPENDENCE—Children must learn to do things for themselves.
• MOTIVATION—Children must want to learn.
• CURIOSITY—Children are naturally curious and must remain so to get the most of our learning opportunities.
• PERSISTENCE—Children must learn to finish what they start.
• COOPERATION—Children must be able to get along with others and learn to share and take turns.
• SELF-CONTROL—Children must learn that there are good and bad ways to express anger. They must understand that some behaviours, such as hitting, pinching, kicking, or biting, are not acceptable.
• EMPATHY—Children must have an interest in others and understand how others feel.

How can I help my child develop these qualities?

Show your child that you care about him and that you are dependable. Children who feel loved are more likely to be confident. Your child must believe that, no matter what, someone will look out for him. Give your baby or toddler plenty of attention, encouragement, hugs, and lap time.

Set a good example. Children imitate what they see others do and what they hear others say. When you exercise and eat nourishing food, your child is more likely to do so as well. When you treat others with respect, your child probably will, too. If you share things with others, your child will learn to be thoughtful of others’ feelings.

Provide opportunities for repetition. It takes practice for a child to crawl, pronounce new words or drink from a cup. Your child doesn’t get bored when she repeats things. Instead, by repeating things until she learns them, your child builds the confidence she needs to try new things.

Use appropriate discipline. All children need to have limits set for them. Children whose parents give them firm but loving discipline generally develop better social skills and do better in school than do children whose parents set too few or too many limits. Here are some ideas:

• Direct your child’s activities, but don’t be too bossy.
• Give reasons when you ask your child to do something. Say, for example, “Please move your doll from the floor so that no one trips over it” - not, “Move it because I said to.”
• Listen to your children to find out how they feel and whether they need special support.
• Show love and respect when you are angry with your child. Criticize your child’s behaviour but not the child. Say, for example, “I love you, but it’s not okay for you to draw on the walls. I get angry when you do that.”
• Help your child make choices and work out problems.
• Be positive and encouraging. Praise your child for a job well done. Smiles and encouragement for good behaviour go much further to shape good behaviour than harsh punishment.

Let your child do many things by herself. Young children need to be watched closely. However, they learn to be independent and to develop confidence by doing tasks such as dressing themselves and putting their toys away. It’s important to let your child make choices, rather than deciding everything for her.

Encourage your child to play with other children and to be with adults who are not family members. Preschoolers need social opportunities to learn to see the point of view of others. Young children are more likely to get along with teachers and classmates if they have had experiences with different adults and children.

Show a positive attitude toward learning and toward school. Children come into this world with a powerful need to discover and to explore. If your child is to keep her curiosity, you need to encourage it. Showing enthusiasm for what your child does helps to make her proud of her achievements.

Children also become excited about starting school when their parents show excitement about this big step. As your child gets ready to enter kindergarten, talk to him about school. Talk about the exciting things that he will do in school, such as making art projects, singing and playing games. Be enthusiastic as you describe all of the important things that he will learn from his teacher—how to read, how to count and how to write his own name.

School Open Day & Registration 2010

11th August 2009


To All Parents / Guardians

We are pleased to inform that the School Open Day will be held on 15th August 2009 (Saturday) from 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.

As the School has opened for new registration for the academic year 2010, we would appreciate your kind support in promoting our school to your friends, colleagues, relatives and acquaintances who have young children of ages 3 to 6. This will enable them to find out more about our New Zealand Early Childhood Education learning programme in teaching and building young children to be high achievers with good characters.

With your kind and good recommendation, we believe our school would continue to develop to greater heights, to serve the local community.

Once again, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continuous support towards our school. Please feel free to contact the undersigned should you require any additional information.

The Best Way to Teach Kids to Read

By Liza McFadden

I’m a mom of two young students and work faithfully to nurture their joy of reading. While I read to them every night, though, it seems I’ve missed a few tricks as to the best way to teach reading.

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The National Institute for Literacy recently released its Early Literacy Report. For parents like me, interested in helping their children to be super-ready for school, I’ve taken this report and created from it a short to-do list about how to play with words.

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Knowing letters

Researchers call it “alphabet knowledge.” I think of it as if my kids were wearing superhero costumes while becoming “masters of the alphabet.” Their job: to learn the name of every letter and the sound each letter makes. My job: to switch on the TV closed-caption option so words are part of their every TV experience; to point to the beginning letter of words and say the sound of the letter.

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Sensitive hearing

It’s critical that children truly hear the sounds in words and play with them. The findings say super-ready kids have “phonological awareness,” which means they have supersensitive hearing. So we read fun poetry like Dr. Seuss books, and sing songs such as “Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands,” where children clap to syllables.

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Instant recognition

By age 5, super-ready kids must be able to identify letters, numbers, colors, and objects in rapid and random order. So it’s not just knowing the numbers one to 10 in order; it’s important to recognize them quickly in any order.

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Writing it down

Super-ready kids must wield powerful pencils. While most of us spend lots of time reading bedtime stories, I’m not sure we’ve been as conscientious about writing skills. Specifically, at age 5 a child should be able to write his own name and write any letters that are called out. Try having your child write her name in all her books.

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Telling stories

Researchers call it developing a child’s “phonological memory.” It means super-ready kids have great recall; we know how they love to retell their favorite stories. Encourage your child to be a storyteller.

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Previous reading research suggested parents read to their kids 20 minutes a day. If you’ve been doing this, you’re ahead of the curve. But the takeaway here is that reading by itself is only one part of the equation. With a little more effort, we can enhance what and how our children learn and make the process more fun.

7 Surprising Benefits of Music Education

By Abigail Connors

Listen to the singing, the laughing, and the shouting; the jumping, stomping, and clapping; the exuberant thumping of drums, the rhythmic rattling of maracas, and the festive jingling of bells. Listen to children making music, and it’s easy to hear they’re having fun.

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What’s not so obvious is that while children are singing and clapping, jumping and wiggling, and shaking and tapping on instruments, there’s a whole lot of learning—and growing—going on.

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Children, unlike adults, learn primarily through sound. They naturally focus attention more easily on sound than on visual stimuli. The rhythmic sound of music, in particular, captures and holds children’s attention like nothing else, and makes it a valuable learning tool.

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Music education increases children’s intelligence, academic success, social skills, and even physical fitness, in ways that may surprise you.

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BRAIN CELLS SING

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Music activities boost brainpower. Numerous studies have shown that participating in musical activities can increase children’s success in school, I.Q. scores, and cognitive skills such as reasoning and memory.

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In fact, playing and listening to music promote healthy brain development. “Nothing activates as many areas of the brain as music,” says researcher Donald Hodges, Covington Distinguished Professor of Music Education and director of the Music Research Institute at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

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Music leads to literacy skills. Since music training supports the brain’s ability to process sights and sounds, it may help support emergent literacy skills. Earlier this year, researchers at Long Island University found that music instruction over a three-year period increased children’s vocabulary and verbal sequencing ability—key components in the acquisition of reading and language skills. Since children are naturally drawn to musical activities, music education may be a uniquely effective way to help develop their reading ability.

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Another plus: Music adds to children’s understanding of math. Music is based on mathematical principles and proportions. When young children sing even the simplest songs, they absorb elements of math—repeated, measured patterns of tones, rhythms, and words—without realizing it.Several studies have confirmed this link. “When children learn rhythm, they are learning ratios, fractions, and proportions,” says Professor Gordon Shaw at the University of California, Irvine, after his study of 7-year-olds in Los Angeles. Increased mathematical reasoning was particularly pronounced in children who received piano instruction.

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Music helps children live in harmony with others. Making music together builds bonds of trust and communication, and strengthens the feeling of belonging in a group. And music activities are so much fun that children are motivated to behave appropriately to join in. As children sing, move, and play instruments together, they practice social skills like taking turns, respecting others’ boundaries, and listening to others’ ideas in a relaxed, playful setting. All are vital for emotional well-being and academic success.

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Music is active. Kids love to move to music—to march, tiptoe, stretch, stomp, wave their arms, jump, clap, or just dance to the beat. Research suggests that children who are physically active in school are more likely to be physically active at home. Moving to music (a great rainy day pastime) keeps children fit and thus helps prevent childhood obesity.

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RAISE YOUR VOICE

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Singing helps children stay strong. Professor Graham Welch of the University of London, who has studied developmental and medical aspects of singing for 30 years, says, “Singing has physical benefits because it is an aerobic activity that increases oxygenation in the bloodstream and exercises major muscle groups in the upper body, even when sitting.” And, he adds, “Singing reduces stress levels through the action of the endocrine system, which is linked to our sense of emotional well-being.” When children sing in music class, they’re not only having fun, they’re getting a physical workout and reducing stress too!

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Music supports self-expression. There’s no right or wrong way to shake maracas or tap a tambourine. There are no rules to follow or complex directions to understand. This is why music education is especially important for English-learning students and special-needs students, who can fully participate in the universal language of music. Music gives children the freedom to think, imagine, and create. The joy of expressing one’s individuality supports every aspect of learning and makes every day more meaningful and fun.

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Every child needs and deserves the joy of music and the intellectual and physical advantages of a full music-education program. With new research continually adding to the list of its learning and health benefits, music education sounds better and better.

Choosing a Preschool

by National Association for the Education of Young Children Source

Even before kindergarten, parents should be aware of ways to make the most of learning opportunities for their young children. One important choice for many families in their child's early years involves preschool or child care.

The first years of a child's life are a crucial development period, and children who are nurtured and stimulated during these years are much more prepared for formal reading and math and are more likely to have the social skills they will need when it's time for kindergarten. Parents are a child's first teachers, but early childhood education programs are also important, especially with the growing number of families with one parent, and families where both parents work full-time.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has approved new Early Childhood Program Standards that outline what NAEYC believes every child care, preschool and other early childhood education programs should provide to nurture the learning and development of young children. These standards can be used as a guideline by parents to determine the quality of a preschool or child care program.

As the leading organization of early childhood educators, NAEYC established an accreditation system in 1985 to raise the quality of early childhood education and help families identify good preschool and child care programs. To earn NAEYC accreditation, programs must meet national performance standards of quality that go beyond most state health and safety licensing requirements. Teachers and staff in these programs receive ongoing training, and the programs are observed by independent, professional experts, and reviewed by a national accreditation panel.

To find a NAEYC-accredited child care or preschool program in your area, click on "Accredited Program Search" on the NAEYC Website at http://naeyc.org/accreditation/search/. Local child care resource and referral agencies are also good sources. To find one in your area, check http://www.childcareaware.org/.

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Preschool and child care programs should focus on children. When visiting:
1. Watch to see that children interact with other children and adults, so they can build healthy relationships.

2. Ask about the curriculum, which should include a variety of activities appropriate for the children's ages and needs.

Preschool and child care programs should have qualified staff:
1. The staff should have the educational background to promote your child's learning and development. Ask what degrees and training teachers have.

2. Ask how long teachers and staff have been with the program. Teachers that stay in the program longer are more able to focus their attention on the children and establish bonds with them.

Preschool and child care programs should build relationships with families:
1. Program staff should work with families to meet their child's needs. Ask how information and concerns are communicated between staff and families.
2. Check that the program's policies allow families to visit their child during the program day.

Preschool and child care programs should be well-run:
1. Check that the program is licensed by the state. The facilities need to be age-appropriate and well maintained, both indoors and outdoors.
2. Check whether the program has policies and practices to help keep children safe from preventable illness and injury.
3. Ask about the child-to-teacher ratio, which helps determine how much individual attention your child will get. For example, there should be at least one adult for every ten 4-year-olds.

Evaluating a program based on these standards will help you choose a high-quality program for your child that will allow them to get a great start on learning.

Children’s Health And Safety

Date : 26th July 2009

To : All Parents

We are concern over the recent spread of H1N1 (Swine Flu) in Sabah and the current health condition of children in school.

Children that are sick will need more rest otherwise it will delay his/her recovery especially if he/she remains in school. As much as the school is taking full precautionary measures to prevent the spread of contagious diseases from one child to another, parents are reminded to keep your child at home whenever he/she has a running nose, chest cold, fever or other contagious diseases until full recovery.

Please be informed that with immediate effect, children that are having fever, chest cold, running nose or other contagious diseases will be sent home as advised by the Ministry of Health, Sabah. We trust that parents will work together with us to ensure the safety and good health of all children.

For further information on H1N1 virus, please visit Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm.

Thank you for your kind cooperation.

July 2009 Newsletter

Greetings Parents / Guardians,

We are pleased to inform that the school has opened up its 2010 new and existing student enrolment. We would appreciate if parents could kindly let us have your confirmation soonest possible as registration will be opened up to the public after 31st July 2009 on a first come first serve basis.

For better communication, the school has set up its blog at http://serirhema.blogspot.com. Parents are encouraged to visit the blog regularly as the Seri Rhema Early Childhood Newsletter and other school activities will be updated and published there from time to time.

The recent rapid changes of weather had caused the outspread of influenza even hard to control. Therefore as a precautionary measure and for the safety of all children, we would like to remind parents to keep your child at home whenever he/she has a running nose, fever, chest cold or other contagious diseases until full recovery.

Life is not a popularity contest, but your children will require reasonable social skills to get along in families, schools and in the workplace. Although parents should be taking the major responsibility for teaching those skills to their kids, teachers will automatically be involved in guiding social skills in classrooms and school hallways. Other adults, peers and the media also dramatically affect children in their social interactions. Here are some foundational suggestions for teaching your children social skills.

Happy Reading!

Teaching Social Skills

Dr. Sylvia Rimm

Early Social Skills – What Are the Basics for Young Children?

Beginning basic social skills teach children to interact with other children and adults. Sharing is probably one of the most difficult ones to learn since young children are so egocentric. By age two the word “mine” becomes important in their thinking, actions and vocabulary. Children have to learn to share attention, time, talk and toys. Because young children can’t put themselves in other’s places yet, they learn this sharing by simple rules like “take turns,” “raise your hand before you talk,” “form a line,” “don’t hit, kick or bite,” “use your words,” “use good manners,” “follow the teacher’s instructions,” “be kind,” “choose an activity or toy to play with,” “put your toys away,” etc. These only name a few behavioral instructions that children will hear in their daycare, preschools and primary grades, but in preparing children for social environments, parents need to teach these skills at home to help young children feel more comfortable in social environments.

Young children also need to learn appropriate assertiveness skills. These are more difficult to teach and harder to learn. Asking a teacher if they can use the bathroom, do a different activity, play with another child or requesting that a child share a toy, play with them, or not touch, hit or take a toy away from them are social skills that children must learn to initiate. In order for children to learn to be assertive, parents will have to resist doing too much for them, or they won’t learn to speak up for themselves.

Children who feel comfortable with these rules and confident with assertive skills feel more self-assured in their school world and with their friends. You’ll need to be patient. These skills are not automatic, and children only learn them gradually. If they learn them well, they’ll be better prepared for the later social skills that involve much more in depth understanding of others in their world.

The Four R’s for Teaching Early Social Skills

During the preschool and primary grades, because children are very concrete in their thinking, you’ll need to guide them with four R’s – Repetition, Rewards, Role-plays and Reading. Parents may wonder how many times they’ll have to repeat their reminders to their little ones to say please and thank you before those words become automatically attached to their requests and their appreciations. Perhaps it will take several thousand repetitions before your children proceed in the world with good manners.

The second R stands for rewards, which encourage learning. While you won’t want to provide your child with money or gift rewards for appropriate words or sharing, you can reward with words like “good sharing” or “nice asking.” These will encourage those polite words and actions. If you’re having difficulty explaining to your child about sharing when she has a play date, that’s a time you can try the third R and do some role-playing. You can say, “Pretend I’m you and you can pretend you’re your friend, Julia.” In the role play, you can say, “Julia, you’re company, so you can pick what we’re going to play with first, and later I can pick.” That can begin teaching your child how to be the host, to consider others and to begin to understand empathy.

The fourth R stands for reading. There are many books for young children that teach social skills. Books abound that explain fears, kindness, sibling rivalry, making friends, not hitting, sharing, understanding differences and many other social-skills topics. They’re colorful and interesting to children and as you read to them, your children absorb important social guidelines.

The Basics for Tweens and Teens

The social skills for tweens and teens become increasingly complex. Communication, collaboration and competition are crucial. Kids also need to learn sensitivity and resilience, kindness and assertiveness, empathy and humor, independence and appropriate conformity, and how to become interested and interesting. Same-gender friendships continue, but relationships with the opposite sex become increasingly important. Peer pressures extensively affect children's social skills during these years, and parental controls decrease as children have more freedom and choices.

Teaching Later Social Skills

Parents and teachers are no longer the only teachers. Kids look toward peers and the media for social lessons. They imitate television and music role models as well as their peers, but caring parents and teachers continue to play a crucial role in guiding their kids, so don't give up on your important leadership. There are still the 4 R's. Kids may now call your repetition, nagging or lecturing. Your praise continues to reward your kids, but they seem more ambiguous in their response. Role-playing can continue to be very effective with tweens and teens, and there are many excellent self-help books that kids can select and read to themselves. Magazines provide plenty of social-skill information as well, but you may not approve of all their messages. Listening to your kids and their friends, sharing life experiences and being supportive become your most important tools. This is an important time for parents to play their leadership roles as coaches instead of judges. Guiding without continuous criticism is tricky, but more effective. Plenty of conversation while doing things together helps prevent the lecture format. Game playing, including board, card, outdoor games and even walking or hiking, increases opportunities for personal communication and fun. With it all, you have to state your values clearly and know that children hear what you say, even when they roll back their eyes.

Field Trip - 3 July 2009

Journey start off with 2 Coach Buses

Visiting the UMS -Musuem



Visiting the UMS - Marine Aquarium






Home sweet home

Group photo

Family Day - 1st May 2009

Reciting of Mother's Day poem (English, Chinese & Bahasa Malaysia)

Group Photos

Marching in and singing of National Anthem

School Song and Aerobic Dance

Games for Parents & Children

Games for Parents & Teachers

Foods fellowship