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.