Eunice's Reading Award

Eunice didn't know how to read when she first started school early this year. The ignorant mum (ME!) didn't know that the school will assess the children in the first week. I only found out this after talking to some parents (asians, of course) that they will prepare the children for the "assessment". But it's good in a way as that means, Eunice was at her most honest ability during the assessment - which is also the expectation of the school.

Many said that the schools here are very relax. I too had the same impression. Eunice's recess is 30 minutes, and lunch break is 1 hour (15 mins of eating, and 45 minutes of play). It's quite a long playtime. But starting from 2nd term, we started to have reading homework. Eunice brings back different book every night as a reading homework. Teacher requested parents to spend 15-20 minutes each night to read with the child. There are some tactics to teach the child to read.

Those books that Eunice first brought back were really simple. In the beginning, Eunice would read it after hearing me reading it once, and then reading it from memory, or guessing the words by the pictures. I went into school as parents helper 3 times in last term, and noticed that they spent a lot of time learning to read and writing words every morning.

I took it easily. I have to say I am not as hardworking as my mum in teaching us when we were young. But surprisingly, Eunice is progressing pretty well. Her reading level has gone up, and she started to bring back books with longer sentences and more words. She can read most of the words on her own now. Starting end of term 2, she has another reading home work - to read and identify the frequently used words. So she'll come home with a ziplock bags of 8 different words every night. And the school also let the children to bring back a library book every week for reading. So it has been reading, reading, reading AND READING.

Last week, I saw this slip in Eunice's communication folder.

Receiving an award?!

I asked Eunice, what happened in the school? Did you sing? Did you dance? Did you do any coloring? Or did you win any prize? All she could tell me was,"I don't know! I didn't do anything.." And her teacher was away for the week, nobody knows what award it is.

I talked to a mummy friend, who has an older kid in school, she told me that the school will select a child in each month / each term for some hard work or effort that they did. Her daughter received an award in the beginning of the year for having very good manners. And it's supposed to be a surprise for the child so the child won't know that he/she is getting an award. That made me even more curious, so what did my daughter do? :P

Anyway, since this is the first award that she's getting in an assembly, I decided to take a few hours off from work to attend the assembly. And I am glad that I did!

So, she got a reading award - to recognize her hard work and effort in reading with fluency. Not bad! I am pretty proud of her (HAHA!). EG came to the assembly as well. When her name was called, she stood up and went up immediately, as if she's expecting it. While we were walking home, I asked if she's surprise? She told me,"Yes. I thought I heard my name and I thought it wasn't me, but actually it was ME!". And she said she's a little shy standing on the stage that's why she wasn't smiling. :D

Serious face on stage in assembly

Posing with her cert - didn't look happy as she's hungry :P

Her first reading award

She had an ice cream treat, and got to choose a packet of chips for herself in the shop on that day.

While writing this, I recalled she got another coloring prize from school, which I decided to put it in as memory as well.

In conjunction to the "walking safely to school" event, the school had a coloring contest. Eunice brought back a piece of paper saying she needed to color it on her own without help, and hand it into the office by end of the week. And the school will decide a winner for each class. When I first saw it, my kiasuness kicks in and my first thought was, "OK I am going to photocopy a few pieces so she can color a few of them, and I'll choose the best to submit." *SHY*.

I didn't do that. Just the night before, I sat beside her while she colored it. She colored it for an hour. I praised her for her good effort and I just passed it in to the office the next day when I sent her to school. And within 1.5 hours, we received a call saying she's won the prize in her class. :D.. Not bad! Haha!

Happy girl with her prize

Forgot if I kept this piece of paper... Aihhh....

Her art work on the "hall of fame" on the school corridor

Eunice is having her 100th day in school celebration on this Friday - how time flies. And the school newsletter told us that they have started the Year1 transition for the foundation students. How time flies! She's going to be in Year 1 next year!

Anyway, I am glad that Eunice is learning well in her school. I am glad that she loves school - she loves her friends and she loves her teacher - she said her teacher is the BEST teacher in the world, and been saying that every week since school has started. And most importantly, I am glad that she enjoys the process. :)