Inspiring Teachers

Went to attend a wedding dinner on Sunday and was chatting with one of my relatives who is in JC1 this year. She shared with me that she would like to be a teacher in future and asked me for advice.

I asked her,"Why do you want to be a teacher?"

"I am inspired by my teachers. I have learnt a lot from them and hope to impart my knowledge to others," the girl said.

I was in the same situation many years ago. During my learning journey in school, I was very fortunate to be taught by many dedicated and inspiring teachers. I will share with you how an English teacher had changed my life.

One day, my Primary Four English teacher, Mr Wong, lugged many books to school and set up the class library. He reiterated to us the importance of reading. He shared with us that reading is fun. He also asked my classmates if they had read certain books. I realised that some of my classmates had read many books.

That was the turning point.

I asked my friends why they read. Their answer: Reading is fun. The books are interesting. Hmm.... Fun? I was a little sceptical then. My parents had bought many story books for me but they were lying untouched in the store room. When I went home that day, I lugged all the story books from the store room and started reading them.

Wow!

That was the day that I started reading and found reading FUN.

Despite the complaints that we always read and hear from others about teachers, there are some teachers who will go the extra mile to touch their pupils' lives.

Mr Wong is just one of the many dedicated and inspiring teachers whom I met along my learning journey. I am grateful to him as he has opened my eyes to the joy of reading. I am inspired by many teachers who have touched my lives. I will share more about them in the next few blog posts.

As a teacher, I used to share this love for reading with my pupils. Now, as a tutor, I hope to inspire my pupils to cultivate an interest in reading. Some of my tutees have started reading more and I am really pleased when they shared with me how interesting the books were.

A quote to share with all of you:
“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”
- Richard Steele

Amazing Adaptation - Frozen Frog?

Wood frogs are found in the northern United States and Canada and must endure freezing cold temperatures for parts of the year. How do they survive the cold winter?

Watch this video to find out.

Explanation:

The wood frog has a special adaptation. It is able to freeze solid without damaging their cells. Sugar acts like a natural antifreeze in its body. allowing it to spend the winter frozen and then resume function in spring.

Food for thought : How much sugar is in a can of soda?

Watch this video on a Science experiment that allows us to find out how much sugar there is in a typical can of soda.

It is informative. If you love to drink soda, you may want to watch this and ask yourself these questions? Do I really want to add so much sugar in my body? What effect will drinking soda have on me in the long run? Do I really want my health to suffer?

Reflect. Take action to change.

Amazing Adaptation - Camouflaging Octopus

I was awed by a short video clip that I watched on the Internet the other day. It was a video of a camouflaging octopus.

Octopuses are cephalopods that have several adaptations for blending in with their undersea habitats. They can change colour, pattern and even the shape of their skin.

Why do octopuses need to camouflage themselves? Well, they are scrumptious feasts for sting rays and sharks. When the predators of the octopuses are around, the octopuses can shape-shift in moments to completely change heir appearance. Sacs of yellow, red, brown and black pigment called chromatophores cover their bodies and allow them to change colours and patterns by contracting their muscles. Tightening certain muscles can also transform the texture of their skin from smooth to rough.

Carpe Diem - Dead Poet's Society

I would like to share an inspiring speech in one of the scenes in a movie, "Dead Poet's Society". I have watched this movie three times. Each time I watched this movie, I would admire the courage of an English professor, John Keating, who inspired his students to love poetry and to seize the day.

It's a very inspiring movie as Professor Keating mentioned in the movie that we should constantly look at things in a different way. However, this movie may not be suitable for young kids as it deals with the suicide of one of the main character.

One of my favourite portions:

"They're not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they're destined for great things, just like many of you, their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable? Because, you see gentlemen, these boys are now fertilising daffodils. But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen, you hear it? - - Carpe - - hear it? - - Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary."

Yes! We should seize the day. Carpe diem.

Quality Time with Your Child

Sometimes, my friends who have kids will share with me how important it is to spend quality time with their kids. On the other hand, the kids' demands on the parents' time, energy and patience can be overwhelming at times. How can parents achieve a balance?

One of my friends shared the link to this parenting article on his Facebook. A good read.

http://www.peaceful-parent.com/article_quality_time_child.php

Rube Goldberg Contraption

Joseph Herscher's Page Turner. Photo: Chang W. Lee/nytimes.com

I came across an interesting video on how a Rube Goldberg contraption is used to turn a page of a newspaper.

A Rube Goldberg machine or contraption is a deliberately over-engineered or overdone machine that performs a very simple task in a very complex fashion, usually including a chain reaction. The expression is named after Rube Goldberg, a famous American cartoonist and inventor.

I used to discuss with my high-ability classes about this amazing contraption when I was teaching the P5 Science unit on Simple Machines. This topic is no longer in the Primary School Upper Block Science syllabus. I challenged the pupils to draw a cartoon of a contraption that they would like to invent to perform a task.

A short summary of the contraption:

Joseph Herscher takes a sip of his coffee, pulling a string, thereby tipping paintings. Balls roll down the paintings, lighting a burner to boil water and causes some books to tip. A vase and a computer get knocked off the table, releasing tape to open front page of newspaper.

For an interactive full description of the machine:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/01/08/nyregion/turning-a-page-the-jos...

Go to this weblink to view the cartoons by Rube Goldberg:

http://www.rubegoldberg.com/?page=gallery#

Suggestions for parents:

During the holidays, you and your kids may want to start building a simple Rube Goldberg contraption. It is a GREAT way to bond as a family and at the same time, it can allow the child to apply the Science concepts learnt and to develop his problem solving skills.

Motivational and Inspirational Image

One of my tutees shared with me today that he is a little stressed. Everyone seems to be putting pressure on him this year as he is taking the PSLE.
It will be a challenging year ahead for the kiddos who are taking the PSLE. However, I am sure all of them have the resilience to persevere.

Hope that this motivational image will remind us that when we are stressed, we just have to step back and remind ourselves that we are strong and that we have the strength to move forward.

Source of image: http://www.motivational-multimedia.com/images

Roller Coaster Science

As the Continual Assessment is approaching, here's a video clip on the conversion of energy from gravitational potential energy to kinetic energy as a collar coaster car moves through two vertical loops. The effects of friction are ignored in this animation.

It is a common misconception that the gravitational potential energy at the top of the first loop is zero. Look at the animation clearly and you will realise that the gravitational potential energy there is not zero. Why? The first loop is lower than the height of drop of the roller coaster car.

Have fun recapping the concept!

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/mmedia/qt/energy/coastwin.cfm

Eight Secrets of Success

Was talking to two ex-colleagues recently on how we, parents and educators, can instill the champion mindset in our kids. When I mention "champion mindset, I do not mean that the kiddos have to top their class or school. What I mean is to be the best that they can. What I mean is to help them succeed in life. What type of qualities do the kiddos need to achieve this goal?

Came across a video on my friend's FB and thought that it is still very relevant although the speaker mentioned the eight secrets of success 6 years ago. He summed it very neatly using eight words within three minutes. Cool! Would like to share this video with all my kiddos and all parents.

I really see the close correlation between these eight principles and successful kids and people whom I know. I will share my thoughts on a few of the principles.
(1) Passion
I think it is important to have a passion for what we are doing, be it in school or at work. The greatest teachers who touched my lives were those who were passionate in their job. The greatest kids whom I had come across were passionate in learning or in their interests or CCAs.

As educators and parents, I think it is important that we instill a passion for learning and a passion for life in general when the kids are young. For example, how do we cultivate the love for reading? We can read aloud to the kiddos when they are young. We can inject fun into reading via role-play. We should not just associate reading with reading for examination success. Reading opens the kids' minds to things and phenomena around them. Encourage them to ask questions and be inquisitive.

(2) Work
In my opinion, it is important for kids to realise that nothing comes easily. All of us have to work HARD to achieve our goals and realise our dream.

(3) Focus
Can we create an environment what will not distract our kiddos? Can we reiterate to our kids the importance of staying focused?
Do we allow them to watch cartoons when they are doing their penmanship exercise or other assignments? We should also remind the kids not to be distracted by others, particularly the naysayers.

(4) Persist
Success is a marathon, not a sprint. Watch the video on Derek Redmond with your child. Engage your child in a conversation after watching the video. What is his reaction after watching the video? Did anything strike him? What has he learnt from the video?

Inspirational Video for Parents and Educators - Teaching Children Empathy

My brother-in-law shared a link to this award-winning documentary from Youtube, Children Full of Live, on Facebook. It is about a teacher from a primary school in Kanazawa, northwest of Tokyo, Japan, Toshiro Kanamori, draws out feelings and emotions from deep inside a class of 10-year-old students. "What's the most important thing this year?" asks Toshiro Kanamori to his students.

"To be happy!" comes the joyous response.

Kanamori Sensai believes that it is important to be happy. He reminds his pupils that they go to school to understand how to be happy and to learn to care for one another.

Every day, three children read letters to their classmates, talking honestly about their feelings for one another or events in their lives. These letters are called "notebook letters". For example, a pupil, Ren, expressed sadness over his grandmother's death. It led to many pupils sharing their feelings over the loss of their loved ones. I found these scenes really touching as it is difficult for kids to cope with the death of their loved ones. Sharing their feelings with others helps them to heal and cope with their loss better. Listening to their friends also help others empathise with one another. I think that Kanamori Sensai is really inspiring as he has taught the children to open their hearts to others, listen without judgement and show care and support for one another. In the course of the year, the children’s characters develop naturally as they share their experiences and grow to understand the value of life and of caring for one another’s feelings.

This video also serves as food for thought for educators and parents. What do we hope our kids and charges grow up to be like? Do we only want them to be straight As students and high fliers in the corporate world who lack the human touch or with no empathy for others? Or do we want them also to be compassionate and empathetic human beings who can see the deeper meaning of happiness in life? In a child's life, the family and school are their world. They look up to their teachers and parents. I think that it is important that teachers and parents can equip the kids with life skills that will nurture them to become compassionate and empathetic human beings.

Sometimes, we hear complaints that schools are not doing a good job to instill values and character in kids. Does this responsibility only fall on schools and teachers? I think character and values are shaped and formed when a child is very young. Hence, both parents and schools have a part to play in this journey. The children we are nurturing today will be the leaders of tomorrow. They will be the world of tomorrow. What type of world do we hope to see when we grow old? As parents or educators, what can we do to shape the world of tomorrow?

This is indeed an inspiring documentary. It reminds us of the importance of listening to one another and hearing one another's feelings. It also reminds us of how our words and actions can help others overcome their sadness. It serves as a reminder to us that as parents or educators, we can nurture our kids to have empathy and care for others.

Inspirational Clip - NEVER give up!

I watched this video during one of the motivational talks conducted for the kiddos by an external vendor when I was teaching at my ex-school. The video was on a former Olympic sprinter, Derek Redmond.

I was very touched when I watched how Derek Redmond persevered and completed the 400-metre semi-finals of the Barcelona Olympic Games 1992 despite pulling his hamstring.

There will be times when we face obstacles or even failure in life. Do we give up? Or do we grit our teeth and persevere? It takes a lot of mental strength to continue the tough journey. Redmond is a true inspiration for all of us although I would not encourage anyone to run with a torn hamstring. Even in the face of failure, Redmond did not quit. He might not have won the race but in my eyes, he was a champion. He really showed us what pure grit and determination means.

The love and support from his father also serves as a reminder to parents out there that it is important to be always there for your kids even if they may not be doing well academically or in other aspects. Help your kids to move forward.

I can't remember who finished in first. However, I can remember who finished last.

Never give up.

Cool Science in Seconds: Help! The Apples are Browning!

Have you ever wondered why a cut slice of apple will turn brown after some time? How do you slow down the browning of apples?


Equipment:
- An apple
- Half of a lemon
- 2 shallow bowls
- A knife


Steps:
1. Peel and slice an apple.
2. Leave a slice of apple in a shallow bowl, exposing it to the air.
3. Sprinkle the juice of half a lemon on the second slice of apple and place it in a shallow bowl, exposing it to the air.
4. Wait for about an hour and then compare the appearances of the two slices of apple.


Observation:
The slice of apple that is immersed in water turns brown while the other slice does not.

Image taken from http://www.nsapples.com/teacher/t5schem.htm

Teacher Serena's Explanation:
When an apple is cut open, the enzymes and other chemicals inside the apple combine with oxygen from the surrounding air to form a brown coating. This process is known as oxidation.


When we add lemon juice or another acid to the surface of the sliced apple, we are reducing the amount of oxygen reaching the apple, thus slowing down the oxidation process. Moreover, lemon juice is acidic and lower the pH of the apple, causing the enzymes to become less active.

Watch this video and observe the results.

Good Read: What Do People Do All Day?

My sister shared with me this book that she is currently reading with my niece. In this book, Richard Scarry introduces individual citizens of Busytown and then tells short stories about the specific projects they are involved in, for example, building a house, mailing a letter and putting out a fire.

It is a wonderful book that can be used to expose kids to the different jobs in society. It also shows that everything we do is connected to another person or project. Parents can emphasise to the kids that with the help of each other and hard work, the society is what it is now.

This book is great for vocabulary building for young kids. It also gives the kids an insight into what their parents and others around do every day.  Moreover, the illustrations are detailed.

Suggestion for parents: You can even use this book for I Spy activity.

A peek into the book:

~ Serena's Greenhouse

Good Read - National Geographic Readers

Source: Amazon

The National Geographic Readers series is a high-interest inquiry series. There are many books in the series and the five different levels cater to children of different age groups and reading levels. The books are easy to read. They have National Geographic photography and kid-friendly diagrams to capture the kids' interest and get them reading about animals, mummies, volcanoes and others. 

For example, the book on Mummies explains how ancient civilisations made mummies and show how mummification occurred naturally. There are also step-by-step drawings that show us how to make a mummy. 

~ Serena's Greenhouse

Motivational and Inspirational Cartoon

                                           Source: http://www.facebook.com/Dailyinspirationandmotivation

Which step have you reached? Very often, we just need to change our mindset and work gradually towards our goals. Then we will reach the FINAL step! We just have to be positive and keep reminding ourselves that we can do it! Subsequently, we have a plan and schedule tasks and activities to help us achieve our goals.

~ Serena's Greenhouse

An article and a video to share on fast food

A note for parents:

Do your kids pester you to buy fast food for them? Do you have a hard time convincing them that it is not a healthy option?

Here's an interesting article and a video on burgers.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2092127/Jamie-Oliver-Victory-McDonalds-stops-using-pink-slime-burger-recipe.html

Video on Pollination

An informative video on pollination of flowers. It covers how:
- pollination by insects
- pollination by wind
- perfect flowers (flowers with male and female parts)]
- imperfect flowers (flowers with male or female parts only)

Good Read - Robbie Forester and the Outlaws of Sherwood St

Edgar Award winner, Peter Abrahams,  is the author of this modern Robin Hood story. The story is set in Brooklyn, New York. Robbie Forester, a seventh-grader, witnesses a dying homeless woman drop a charm bracelet as she is taken into an ambulance. The powerful charm bracelet causes Robbie to manifest strange powers in times of stress. She has plenty of stress coming her way when she learns that the homeless shelter where she and her mother volunteer is being closed, thanks to rent gouging by mysterious millionaire Sheldon Gunn. Sheldon Gunn is also behind attempts to close other local institutions. When Robbie shares the secret of the charm bracelet with her friends, they are all drawn into a fight for justice. 


Robbie and her friends find themselves in an ominous world of thievery, arson, big yachts, and big bank accounts. Readers will be kept on the edge of their seats by this wonderful tale of action, adventure, danger, and magic.  


~ Serena's Greenhouse