aitong psg 2012 newsletter issue 1

MESSAGE FROM THE

CHAIRMAN OF ATS PSG

Dear all PSG family members, Happy New Year! May 2012 be a meaningful and rewarding year for all of you. I hope all of you had a great time during the 2011 school holidays with your children and by now, they are settled down in school, especially those in P1 this year. This year, Ai Tong School will be celebrating its 100th anniversary! We are very fortunate to be able to witness this once‐in‐a‐century event with the School! In view of this significant milestone, there will be a series of events organised by the School, Singapore Hokkien Huey Kwan, Alumni and PSG. For your information, to mark this special occasion, there will be a Cultural Show by the students at the Kallang Theatre on 29 Jun 2012 and a Gala Dinner at the Fairmont Hotel on 17 Aug 2012. Tickets will be sold for the Cultural Show and Gala Dinner. More information will be made available at a later stage – stay tune to our website and facebook! PSG members are provided the opportunity to purchase VIP table at $1500 ‐ $2000 per table of ten people. Please email to [email protected] to book a table for your family. If you are unable to form a table, you may get other PSG members to join you or we can help you to match with other members to form a table (where possible). Hurry! Act now before the VIP tables are being snatched up! As some of you may be aware, this is the first edition of our eNewlestter, which serves as an additional means to communicate to existing and potential PSG members. I would like to thank our Publication Committee and the co‐editors, Chua Mooi Yen and Cindy Chew for the success of our first eNewsletter. As you would appreciate, it is indeed

a very challenging task to coordinate the publication, including designing the framework, gathering articles, sourcing for photos, editing, etc. Given the limited time spent on this publication and as this is our first edition, we know that there is always room for improvements. Your feedback is most welcomed ‐ please feel free to email your feedback to [email protected]. For a start, we plan to publish the eNewsletter twice a year. If the response is encouraging and we have more articles to publish, we may be able to publish on a more regular basis. Please let us know if you are able to contribute any articles for sharing purposes. Finally, I would like to thank Mr. Tan Yap Kin, the Principal of Ai Tong School and the school’s leadership team for your trust in partnering with us. I would also like to thank the previous PSG Chairman (Mr. Edwin Cheng), the EXCO members and all PSG members for your valuable contribution to the PSG. I look forward to working with you again this year. Thank you. Lim Chong Huat Chairman, Ai Tong PSG January 2012

What’s Inside This Inaugural Issue: • Message from the Chairman of ATS PSG • Message from the Principal of ATS • Interview with Ex-Chairman of PSG • Looking Back By Veronica Heng • Reflection on the LSP By Agnes Koh • Join the PSG Family • 2012 Calendar and 2011 Events Highlights • 2012 PSG Committee • Article Sharing By Chua Mooi Yen

ATS PSG - Mission To support the school's efforts in creating

a conducive learning environment through fostering close relationships with

teachers, parents and pupils.

Issue 1, Feb 2012

ATS PSG e-Newsletter

Co-Editors: Cindy Chew

Chua Mooi Yen

Ai Tong School PSG eNewsletter

MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Dear Parents Congratulations to the Ai Tong PSG’s growing strength and increasing vibrancy. Under the leadership of successive PSG Chairpersons, EXCO members and volunteers, we have witnessed an expansion not only in terms of PSG‐led activities but also the quality of parents’ involvement. One example which I keep repeating to everyone I meet was the P6 motivational days organised and led by the PSG in 2011. The turnout of parent volunteers was unseen and the mood that was whipped up by the parents who were present in motivating our graduating cohorts in 2011 was one of the key reasons for the breakthrough in our 2011 PSLE results. We have also refined our curriculum structure and introduced LIVEWell to better cater to the needs of equipping our pupils for the 21st century. If you do not already know, Ai Tong was named by MOE as one of the 6 schools with the most improved PSLE results in 2011. This achievement is not easy considering that we have achieved a high level in terms of the quality and quantity passes. The year 2012 marks an important milestone for Ai Tong. Not only are we celebrating our 100th anniversary with the theme of ‘Centennial Excellence, Inspiring our Future’ ("百年爱同结桃李，万世诚毅创新绩"), A series of activities have been lined up to celebrate our 100th anniversary and we look forward to our parents’ support.

I am confident that under the current leadership of Mr Lim Chong Huat, Chairperson of PSG, and his able and dedicated team of parent volunteers, the PSG in Ai Tong will grow into a formidable force that will play a greater supportive role in realising our school vision of “Vibrant Community, Dynamic Learners”. Warmest Regards Tan Yap Kin Principal Ai Tong School

Ai Tong Principal Mr Tan Yap Kin (first row 6th from the left) and Vice Principals Mr Sherman Tseng (first row 4th from the left) and Mr Lee Ko Yong (next to Mr. Tan) with PSG parents at the

2012 PSG Lunar New Year Celebration on 3 Feb 2012

Mr Tan (first from the right) receiving the contribution from the Ai Tong PSG, The funds were raised from the 2011 June

Entrepreneurship Event to help the needy pupils of the school.

Mr Tan (center) with PSG members at the 2010 Ai Tong School Mid Autumn Celebration


INTERVIEW WITH THE IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN

Interviewee: Edwin Cheng Interviewers: Chua Mooi Yen and Cindy Chew Question: How long have you been a member of the PSG and what has inspired you to join the PSG?

Answer: I have been with PSG for more than six years now. I started off as a Parent Volunteer, helping out as a Traffic Warden. As I wanted to continue to be involved with the School and my children’s growth in the school, I joined the PSG when my older child was in Primary 1.

Question: We believe that your active involvement in PSG helps in being an involved parent in many ways. Do you agree? Could you elaborate what are the impacts on your children by being a PSG member?

Answer: Absolutely! As an involved parent, my children know that I am in constant contact with the school leaders, teachers, other PSG parents and therefore, I am aware of the activities of the school. They feel that I am a companion in their study journey and we always have common conversation topics in the family, which helps in family bonding. My children do take pride that daddy shows up in their school! Q4: You have been the Chairman of the PSG for almost four years before you stepped down in end 2011. What would say is the biggest challenge you faced and how you have overcome it?

Answer: When I took over, we knew we had to sustain a core PSG group in order to be able to contribute to the school’s activities effectively. To bring in more members, we had to correct the perception that PSG is for homemakers only. We created various channels like the PSG website and Facebook, to communicate to the parents that there are opportunities for all who wishes to volunteer, whether for long term committed activities or ad hoc events that can fit into the busy schedules of working parents who are keen to be involved in the PSG. We are seeing results as not only new P1 parents have responded, but also students, present or graduated requesting to join in so as to keep in touch with our PSG activities. I strongly believe ATS PSG belongs to everyone in the Ai Tong community and so long as one is interested in our activities, they are most welcome to take part. Question: Your eldest child graduated from ATS in end 2011 and your younger child is currently in Primary 5. Like many other experienced PSG members, I am sure you

would have a lot to share about your children’s growth in ATS. Do you have any advice for new parents?

Answer: Start early to cultivate the bonding with your child. Be involved in their school life as it takes up most of their time in their growing up time. Get to know his/her classmates and friends so as to know your child better, how he/she behaves in school and what they think of him/her so that you can understand your child better. PSG parents are respected not only by the school members but also by the students who are more open to share their thoughts with you. Parenting is tough and many a time the failure comes from communication and trust between both the parent and the child. Such foundation takes years to build and minutes to destroy, hence buidling a strong foundation from young is important. Developing your Childʹs Character is equally, if not more important than Academic achievement, for the latter can still be achieved over time, while character – once molded is very difficult to change. As the saying goes ʺ 3 岁看大，7 岁看老 ʺ, and recent scientific research had substantiated this saying. #

Edwin and his family

From left: Edwin (Immediate past Chairman of PSG), Chong Huat (Chairman of PSG) and Mr Tan Yap Kin

(Principal) at the 2012 PSG Lunar New Year Celebration


PSG Shar ing: “Looking Back” Article contributed by Veronica Heng

Veronica (2nd from left) with her daughters‐from left, Charissa, Leticia and Eirena, all former students of ATS

10 years just flew by. 10 years ago, I was an anxious mummy trying to glimpse between the grilled gates to have a peek. Was my daughter wandering around? There were so many students, would the teacher realize if she had wondered off? Did she manage to eat during recess? Had she made new friends? One thousand and one questions flashed through my worried mind. To all my queries and questions, my daughter calmly replied “Fine”. Fine – that was too ambiguous and all encompassing. What if she had been bullied but dared not say until maybe it was too late. I needed details, I needed information. How could I get into the school, how could I get all the information? Like the flash of the lightning, I was enlightened. Hence with vested interest, I joined the PSG. Through the PSG, I participated in lots of activities – buddy reading, LSP, lantern festival, motivation day, etc. Strangely, the reason why I joined the PSG was no longer important. I made new friends who shared with me on how to connect with my kids, how to let go and how to be friends with them. I realized I was not alone – I had experienced parents to advise me. Through the constant contact, I learned to entrust my 3 children in good hands of the school. Later, the duo partnership became tripartite with the alumni. Now, I am really part of a big family. I have learnt a lot from the children, especially the buddy reading and LSP students. Kids do not adhere to a standard mould, so I learnt to be more creative and patient so as to get my message across. I began to dramatize, I sought educators for guidance and I also became a ‘counselor’. I benefitted and became a better me, which benefitted my children. I must say that it had been a very enriching and educational 10 years, which I truly enjoyed!

Veronica (first row right) and Miss Lam (first row left) Learning Support Program (LSP) Teacher‐in‐charge,

with the PSG volunteers

Ai Tong School wishes to express sincere appreciation to Veronica Heng for her dedicated service to the school as the PSG parent‐coordinator and parent‐coach for the school’s Learning Support Program (LSP) Parent Coaching Program for the past 10 years (2001‐2011). Veronica has assisted in the LSP activities including mentored and coached the pupils in grammar, vocabulary, reading and spelling. She has excellent rapport with the students and has helped to boost the self confidence of the pupils in her charge. Pupils have benefited from her generosity in the tokens which she has given to them as rewards to motivate them. As a PSG parent‐coordinator, Veronica helped in the recruitment and deployment of parent‐helpers to the pupils in the LSP Reading Program. She has contributed ideas, suggestions and provided feedback to the Learning Support Coordinator (LSC). She has acted with lots of initiative in difficult situations. Veronica’s spirit in helping the pupils is truly admirable.

Veronica has worked with several LSCs throughout the duration of her service as a coordinator. Her contribution and assistance to the newly initiated LSCs like Mrs Lam Peng Cheong and Ms Janice Lam as a coach and as a parent‐coordinator has been invaluable.

Janice Lam, Ai Tong School LSP Coordinator


PSG Shar ing: Learn ing Suppor t

P rogram By Agnes Koh, Parent‐Coach

I joined the Learning Support Program (LSP) in 2006. Since then, the LSP journey has been enriching and rewarding. The LSP in Ai Tong School (ATS) is led by the school’s LSP Coordinator (LSC) and strongly supported by dedicated parent‐coaches (PCs), many of them from the ATS PSG. The LSP is an MOE‐initiative to help the lower primary students who are weak in English and Mathematics to strengthen their foundation in these subjects. Upon acquiring the fundamentals and demonstrating that they are able to cope with the main subject syllabus well, these students will be discharged from the program.

Many of the PCs have children studying in Ai Tong and only a handful are parent volunteers (PVs). The current LSC is Ms Lam, who works closely with members from the PSG to organise the PCs to be at school to help the P1 and P2 LSP students. The LSP sessions are held in the LSP room twice weekly and last for about 40 minutes from 12.20pm to 1pm. The LSP students are identified by the school through specially designed tests and teacher’s observation. These children need additional help in reading, spelling and writing due to various reasons, such as foreign students, non‐English‐speaking family and some with learning disabilities.

During the LSP sessions, PCs engage the students, preferably on a one to one basis, in reading English story books, spelling and writing exercises tailored for the program. The exercises and worksheets are provided by the LSP Coach. Very often, the CPs use stories, games and small rewards to motivate the children.

Some children improve quickly while others take a lot of perseverance and effort. Whichever the outcome, it is all worthwhile. Our main objective is to encourage the children to enjoy learning, so that they possess a positive outlook about themselves and their studies. Consequently, they will make an effort to improve as much as they can.

Personally I enjoy coaching the LSP children as it is a very meaningful and rewarding activity. By giving some support and affirmation to these children, they show remarkable progress. It is heartwarming to see the children enter the LSP room with big smiles and eager attitudes. I have learnt tremendously from the LSP children. #

Join the ATS PSG Family

.

Apart from LSP, we would also like to thank all PSG members who have been helping out at the library and all other ad‐hoc help. We thank you for your continuous support and generous contribution.

If you have a heart for children, have an interest in helping at the library or any getting involved in other ad‐hoc activities, we urge you to come forward to help. We look forward to working with

you, the school and the pupils. Please register your interest at the ATS PSG website at www.aitongpsg.org.

PSG parents at the P1 Parents Familiarisation Day (Nov 2011)

PSG parent‐volunteers of the school library

Quoted from The School Principal’s Message:

“The turnout of parent volunteers and the effort that they have invested in running these events so

successfully leaves a deep impression on me. Our parents are not only resourceful and talented, but

know how to have fun!” Mr Tan Yap Kin


Visit us on Facebook to view more https://www.facebook.com/groups/8545345906/photos/

Feb Apr Jun

11 Feb: PSG Chinese New Year

Gathering

8 Apr: International Friendship Day

20&27 Apr: P6 Motivational Day

24‐25 Jun: Entrepreneurship Event at Thomson

Plaza

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov21 Jul: Aesthetic Day

26‐27 Jul: Chinese Games Day

8 Aug: National Day/Mini‐Sports

Day

18 Aug: PSG AGM

1 Sep: Teachers’ Day & Mid‐Autumn Festival

21 Sep: P6 Motivational Day

6 Oct: Sports‐cum‐Children’s

Day

12 Nov: P1 Parents Familiarization

Program

13 Nov: SHHK Family Day

222000111111 EEEVVVEEENNNTTTSSS HHHIIIGGGHHHLLLIIIGGGHHHTTTSSS

CJ, 小五同学的家长

当我和太太参加了爱同的家长支援会后, 我们

对学校有了更深的了解。这也让孩子感到自豪和

骄傲。这些年, 我们与老师一起为学校举办了很

多活动，这让我们有更多机会去了解学校的未来

发展。

也许我们不能够给孩子丰富的物质享受，不过我

们能够给他们良好的成长和学习环境还有无限的

支持。我们不知为自己的孩子付出，也可以帮助

其他同学。这让我们感到无比的开心和满足。

希望每一位家长也和我们一样参与家长会的活动

与我们共享这份满足感。孩子看到我们为他们所

做的一切，也慢慢变成了更有责任感和爱心，学

业也渐渐进步了。


2012 Activities

L o o k o u t f o r AT S P S G a c t i v i t i e s o n o u r A i

T o n g P S G F a c e b o o k o r r e g i s t e r w i t h u s t o r e c e i v e ema i l / SM S

n o t i f i c a t i o n s

T e rm 1 [ 3 F e b ] P S G C N Y G a t h e r i n g [ 1 3 A p r ] I n t e r n a t i o n a l F r i e n d s h i p D a y T e rm 2 [ 1 J u n ] P 6 Mo t i v a t i o n a l D a y [ 2 1 ‐ 2 3 J u n ] E n t r e p r e n e u r s h i p E v e n t [ 2 0 J u l ] R a c i a l H a rm o n y D a y T e rm 3 [ 1 7 A u g ] A i T o n g 1 0 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y G a l a D i n n e r [ 7 S e p ] T e a c h e r ’ s D a y [ T B C ] M i d A u t um n F e s t i v a l

T e rm 4 [ 5 O c t ] C h i l d r e n ’ s D a y [ T B C ] C h a r i t y S a l e [ T B C ] P 1 P a r e n t s F am i l i a r i s a t i o n P r o g r am

ATS PSG COMMITTEE MEMBERSChairman: Lim Chong Huat Immediate Past Chairman: Edwin Cheng 1st Vice Chairman cum Secretary: Ng Bee Bee 2nd Vice Chairman: Jessline Treasurer cum Public Relations: Chua Mooi Yen Head of Event Coordinator: Karen Tay Head of IT cum Web Maintenance: Puah KH/ Lim Chang Jing Head of P6 Magazine: Veronica Heng/ Ng Bee Bee Head of LSP: Chew Soon Head of Library: Widiana Committee Members: Janice Chuah, Esther Chok, Shi Xiaoping, Teo Teck Huat, Maggie Ong

Article Sharing by Chua Mooi Yen

The below is an extract from a book by Zhou Hong. I bought this book recently and it has taught me the basics, which I wish to share with our PSG members. It is about the learning journey of an ordinary father with his congenitally deaf daughter. Despite being deaf, her child eventually became a Master degree holder from the United States and was even named one of China’s top ten women! This was possible because of this amazing father. In other words, the roles parents play in our child’s lives greatly determine the future of our child.

“I remember when Tingting was younger, I once took her to a friend’s house to play. My friend’s daughter was the same age as Tingting. Back then, she could also memorise many Tang poems and my friend was exceedingly proud of her. Whenever my friend met anyone on the streets, she would boast “Who knows, perhaps my daughter is a child prodigy?” While these parents had dreams of their children becoming prodigy, for me, I could only hope and wish for my daughter to call me “Papa’ one day.

Several years later, my daughter advanced from being a mute girl to becoming a ‘child prodigy’! My friend’s daughter, on the other hand, grew up in an environment of complaints and grouses, so, with each passing day, her performance seemed increasingly ordinary, nothing to exclaim about. Was it because my daughter was extraordinary or that my friend’s daughter had not attained her full capabilities?

How did my friend treat her child? For a child starting school, is it really so critical whether his pen strokes are too long or too short? By making a mountain out of a molehill, parents are only magnifying the child’s weaknesses and shortcoming. A child’s life may be likened to a soccer match. Parents should not be overly fastidious and nit‐picking referees. Instead, they should play the roles of passionate cheerleaders, encouraging the child with shouts of “Go! Go! Keep up the good work!” Parents ought to cheer their children on and give them confidence and strength.

Returning to basics, is readopting the attitude, mentality and technique you used when teaching a child to walk and talk. Returning to basics is to transform learning into play, to make learning even more appealing. This was the technique I employed to accompany my daughter happily through her primary school days. Parents, in teaching and educating their children, place too much emphasis on right and wrong, good and bad. Is right and wrong important or does interest take precedence?”

aitong psg 2012 newsletter issue 1

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