Project Proposal

 He proposed!

In the Singapore Zoo!

It was such a big surprise and I was thrilled to see my friends witnessing the day I say "yes", or rather I whispered "okay" through my tears.

2 months ago he searched for the ring and was trying to plan a proposal. Then a month again he collaborated with the girls to plan how to execute this in the Zoo. 

We both had a really busy, stressful week, staying up late almost every night. I was looking forward to our date in the Zoo for some fun time together.

Of course, things do not go as planned. Initially I was supposed to feed the giraffe and he would poke me with the stuff toy giraffe and asked me to feed him with love, then pull out the ring.
 

When the Zoo keeper announce only four trays left, my boyfriend decided to let the tourists behind go first, explaining that they will only be in Singapore once, but we can come back anytime again. So I eagerly agreed as the lions were roaring and I wanted to see what they were up too.

I rushed to the lions, not noticing I passed people I know and a group of friends frantically shuffling behind the bushes, trying to stay out of my sight.

He came to me and took out (the sweater first, it was placed inside incase I decided to open his bag) the stuff toy giraffe, and said "I'm sorry you did not feed the giraffe. Do you want to feed this one?" Then he took out a ring box.

I thought he was joking or being sarcastic and laughed. Then I saw my friend jumped out with flowers and the photo board and I screamed "You serious arh?!!!!"

So to my friends and his sisters, thank you so, so, so much for this sweet surprise.

Plan A failed, but Mission still accomplished!

And thank you to my dearest boyfriend, now officially my fiance. You planned this despite your busy work schedule and gave up a lot of your birthday treats so you can spend time and money on this proposal.  And most importantly, I know you took great effort not to leak any information out with such great planning. Thank you, dearest!

They all came at once...

And so, the wedding preparation just pops out suddenly.

Our new home is to be ready by this year, as much as I do not want a rushed wedding, I do not want the ROM to be far from the customary wedding too.

So girls, we all have dream weddings. My initial plan was...
1. to have a beautiful but simple ROM. Then officially married!
2. ROM and then dinner. Then officially married!

(When I said "officially married" you know what I really mean.)

So if you have less than a year to prepare, just let go of everything that you dream of and just enjoy the last lap of singlehood.

Enjoy. Hah. You have no idea how this sweet girlfriend who never quarrels with her boyfriend before suddenly turns into a monster. This is what happened when you cannot bear to let go of your initial plans and when nobody believes you need at least one year to plan a wedding properly within your budget.

Last weekend, I learned to let go of my simple but beautiful wedding plan and just go with the flow. Since no plan C so just keep adding more and more things...

Within a month, we spent a total of $10,000+++. It is so difficult to find a place to hold a lunch or dinner reception on the date we want, so my boyfriend just throw in the deposit even before discussing with me first.  So we paid deposit for the lunch reception, a photography package in Taiwan (food + accommodation), and another deposit for bridal package in Singapore. Why Taiwan? Because as I said, the initial plan was supposed to be simple, so I thought why not spend more on a trip to Taiwan. We found a really really good deal on their last day of Roadshow which we can tie-in with the Japan trip.

But apparently, my mum said local is compulsory so can rent gown. I was thinking just buy cheap cheap one online, but in the end buy package cheaper and more worth it. Then just get someone take pictures using digital camera. Haha! Fat hope.

So, we had to choose a local bridal shop in the end. Generally, I think the total we paid for is really worth it. Nowadays bridal shops for 4 gowns, 46 pictures can go up to $5K. With two separated packages for $6500, we will have two photo albums with about up to 9 gowns to wear >< I fork out this part of the money because the bridal shops tend to focus more on the brides.

We are also going on a pre-wedding honeymoon trip to Japan and Taiwan soon. I do not look forward that much because I know I will be dead tired even before the trip, not to mention AFTER the trip. With  that, we spent another few thousands. No wonder boyfriend said his account numbers red already.

___________

While our fellow future neighbours are talking about looking for IDs, hacking down walls, the sizes of the rooms, and worrying about delays to get the keys, we are busy planning our "honeymoon" trip and wedding.

Now we have to worry financially if we can afford the house upon collection of the keys. Now just working hard, burning midnight oil to meet deadlines, make sure I don't screw up or take any leaves... Cannot lose my job now.

Juggling work and wedding is not simple, especially when PTC and school events are coming up. So gave up a bit of sleeping time, delegated the jobs... and I will do the fun part of choosing photoshoot locations and later int he year just go and choose some gowns. There are tons of other things to do but I will just hold it first. And since we are not an interior designers, we will just research for a trustworthy ID, engage one and let them do up the house.

___________

Not putting any names of the wedding locations and companies we engaged yet, because we have not experienced the services so far. Once we are more confident of our choices will share here.

My goal

Is it a silly goal for 2014?

Embracing Play

My Wheelock College juniors wrote an article about the importance of play in the educational process

Nice article that summarizes the importance and how children learn through play. Hoping it will create a positive shifts of the mindsets of parents who still believe in academic works to prepare for primary One.

 In this article, it seems like a lot of credit goes to the government, we still need to find the root problem of why some parents and principals are viewing play a separate activity from school's curriculum.

"If they keep playing in preschool, they will have a hard time adjusting to the work they get in Primary School"
During the new KCF training, many parent-teachers feedback about how difficult the primary school's curriculum is. hence, creating a big gap between preschool to primary level. See, everytime we talk about early childhood curriculum, we all tend to somehow link to primary school, because one of the "imaginary" (not stated but we all want to achieve) goals is to prepare them for Primary One.

And why do I have such a imaginary goal as a teacher? Is just the everyday conversations with parents, listening to what primary school teachers have to say and the culture of the schools set by the leaders. Day by day, it somehow instill to me I need to get my students ready in Primary One and they MUST SHINE.

Guilty, guilty...

I have a bit Kiasu parent syndrome even before having kids of my own.

A lot of parents I met understand the importance of play, they want their children to play, believe they need to have memorable childhood experience. Ironic thing is, they also ask me about phonics, readings, mathematics... AT TODDLER AGE!!!


"I will just set more time for Play"
There is a requirement of 45 minutes outdoor time for children daily. But fortunately, my principal has always encouraged us to go outdoor as frequent as possible. There's countless of things to do during outdoor, and I get grouchy if I don't go outdoors to play.

In one of the comments for the article. the reader urge the government to give preschools a minimum amount of time to play, after observing that some schools do not even bring the children outdoor. So if all preschools need to set aside 2 hours for play, wouldn't all of us start to view play as a "outside" curriculum.

No, no... play is the curriculum, and curriculum is playing.

In fact, as a teacher, I still struggle in providing quality play for my students while trying to fit all activities into the time table given. Many time is given to routine care, but can I make routine care enjoyable and educational  for children too?



While I am still learning about providing play for young children, I also hope one day parents, educators and the government will work closely together to set a healthy learning atmosphere for children studying in Singapore.

Learning about trees

Had a wonderful time with the four-year olds exploring trees today.

They had loads of fun attempting to climb the straight-trunk trees. Imagine if they are able to actually climb one, how exciting is that.

Rush Hour Wedding

17 March 2013, a celebration of my boss's wedding! 

And I am one of her bridesmaids! The crazy thing is this wedding was prepared in 3 weeks, thus came the title of the the wedding - Rush Hour Wedding

See my pretty principal and her really, really, really nice husband. We have been waiting a looooong time for her to get married. We are so afraid if they don't get married soon, Mr Nice will get snatched by other single ladies.

This groom has to fetch the bride at 5am (their calculated auspicious hour). The crazy bride woke us up at 3.45am. Barely had any sleep but we were so excited about the day!!!

So, our bridesmaids' duties is to make the groom and best men's lives a little difficult by being the gate keepers. The groom has to show how much he loves her by completing the tasks set by the bridesmaids.


Our morning Gate Crash has to be done in 30 minutes (due to the auspicious timings).
Since boss tells us not to do physical, humiliating and food tasks, we kept it simple by doing tongue twisters, ask them to get the room's key which was frozen in the ice, and put a mushy Chinese poem together word by word (their weakness is the Chinese language). Though simple and less humiliating, we had tons of fun and the photographers were also laughing at the best men's tongue twisters. Somehow someone opened the main gate and we had to run up four flights of stairs to lock them out of the house for another task. Phew!

And the four of the wonderful bridesmaids. We are all early childhood educators! That's why we can plan the morning gate crash within days, and stay hyper despite having no sleep.

Despite only 3 weeks to prepare, we managed to get everything done nicely within the auspicious hours, we even had some time to get MacDonald's breakfasts, and I even have a bit of time before the lunch reception to watch the Ellen Degeneres Show and text awhile in the bridal suite.

Amazingly, the wedding went well; everything went smoothly and we all had fun.

And to my principal and her super nice husband: Congratulations! Baby soon please!!!!!

What would be helpful

Once again. I had to return the library books before the Literature focus ends.

Only 4 weeks, borrowed 8 books with Passion Card (12 books on June and December holidays). We need to pay if we want to extend more days. I really wish National Library can do something about this for preschool teachers, maybe to let us borrow more books for 5 weeks?

Hoping one day Art Friends and Popular can give preschool teachers more discounts too...And Daiso shops are definitely frequent shopping spots for teachers too.

photo credit: Biblioteca Salaborsa via photopin cc

GO! No... WAIT!!!

We decided to let them practice turn-taking in sports relay. So this is our first try after a demostration and an explanation.

"Okay, so the first friend runs to the end, tap the chair, runs back and high-five the next friend. Okay? Understand"

"YESSSS~!"

"Okay, on the count of three. One... Two.. Three... Go! ...
NOOOOOO WAIT!!!"

Everybody ran together at the same time.

I rolled on the floor and laughed while the other two teachers frantically trying to gather the children back to the starting line.

Water Wall

Instead of adding new materials to add to the water pool, why not change the structure of water play?

An amazing activity by With Love by Rach

Some educators let the children to take the lead in constructing their own Water Wall Maze. Can't wait to try this out!

Boston Children Museum

This was a post from my previous blog... Posted on August 2009:


I was looking forward to see the BCM for many years since two lecturers told us about it. I thought (and still think) that it would be great if Singapore has a Children's Museum, a big playground for children to have fun and learn at the same time.

The big structure that greeted us was the "New Balance Climb". It is a three-storey climbing structure with curved platforms. I tried, I was panting after that. Tough for kids.. really tough for adults. But it shows how agile and flexible I still am.

The Japanese House is called Kyo no machiya. Believe it or not, it is a real Japanese House set up in the museum. Some parts are already over a century old. It was made out of mainly paper and wood. The city of Kyoto gave this house to Boston city to celebrate their relationship.

Since the tour was catered to young children, the tour guide was amazing in capturing children's attention and relating this history back to our modern world. The children were like going "Woah~ How did they do that! It is so different!"

A boy making music with street drums

Childrne buying and selling things at this mini grocery shop or mini mart in Singapore context.(There are shelves of food and other items, very realistic)

Block play! I love this section of the Children's museum. Adults used to think I would be an architecture when I grow up since I love construction toys. And now I am in the teaching field.

There are "Parent Tips" and "Try this at home" signs all over the museum. I regretted not taking pictures of all these signs but they are helpful to bring what children are learning in the museum back home.

Family Resource Room in the Playspace

(just for ages 0 - 3, we were stopped when we wanted to go in. Check out the sign at the back)

Some magazines and books for parents

and of course books for kids

The cosy and essential nursing room.

There is a pantry-like space to prepare milk and food.

So this is the water bed Lynn Heng and Rebecca talked about. The two kids were taking turns to jumped into the "water" And they looked as if they just learned how to walk and they are making friends with one another already.

Mirrors and platforms. Great place for infants and toddlers to crawl and roll around.

How much gas for your car?

An art &amp; craft corner with weekly or daily changing themes

Kid Power has the various exercise and sports stuff that encourage young children and families to live a healthier lifestyle.

Even we adults are having fun with shadow play.

This is amazing. I wonder how it works. The blue torch light can cause temporarily green neon "markings" on the wall, like "light imprints". haha.

My favourite sand play. It is amazing that no overly curious kids took water and mixed with the sand or else it will be difficult to clear the mess. One of my favourite spots.
With a paint brush and a bucket of water, you can produce a masterpiece.

The therupeutic water play. I love water play and stayed here for about10minutes before I was willing to move on to the next room.

Who says city kids can't climb trees?

Using translucent coloured shapes to form designs on a light box can be beautiful

The classic Tic Tac Toe

Like a real scientist lab eh?

Arthur and Friends!!!

Arthur's kitchen

Weighing scale

Some recipes and other problems for little minds to solve

Preparing for take off... and introducing our young 3 year old pilot...

There is a space where you can experience what it is like being blind or handicap.

Bought a book here. We have 10 percent off because we are Wheelock Students! Heez... A shop that I never seen before.

There are many other things in the BCM but I did not take many photos. I saw many crying kids who refused to go home. This is how fun learning can be.