Bottoms Up! is a home based/peer learning tuition programme which is a shift away from drills. Bottoms Up! aims to provide children with enrichment work and exam preparations towards life skills such as teamwork, public speaking and creative thinking as that is a positive move in the direction of education for our children. Tutees of Bottoms Up! a.k.a Bottoms Uppers have gained motivation towards learning, greater confidence and a clearer sense of their personal goals.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Movie Treat





I firmly believe that children must enjoy themselves in order to learn.
Based on yesterday's session, I am pretty sure they enjoyed themselves.
Back when I was teaching, I screened movies (not the silly slapstick kinds ya!) to my pupils.
Usually on the eve of a public holiday, Friday or after the term tests. etc.

Movies that can make them reflect, feel inspired etc. Their all time favourite is Cool Runnings!

While I was planning for a 'Good Friday' lesson plan, I decided to try letting them watch a movie adaptation of a book.

Before I screened 'The Lovely Bones', I have impressed upon my Bottoms Uppers that there is no film that can ever do justice to a book, because language can never be totally transformed in to a visual.
That is the beauty of all the great writers.
I personally think that Peter Jackson (yes, yes I also told them that he also directed Lord Of the Rings!) has crafted wonderful, heart wrenching story that visually and emotionally beautiful

'The Lovely Bones' is the story of Susie Salmon, a 14-year-old girl who was murdered on Dec. 6, 1973. She is adjusting to her new home in heaven while watching life on Earth continue without her. Her family goes through a difficult time coping with her 'disappearance' while her killer, her neighbour from just across the street, tries hard to cover his tracks.

Why did I choose 'The Lovely Bones'?
Well, Susie's problems are real, in life and death. The family dynamics and an adult world with terrifying threats. And basically to be aware that what goes around, usually comes around.

Before the movie, I asked them to guess what the movie is about just based on the title.
Here are what some of them wrote. All I can say is that I am proud of their imagination! haha!

I THINK THE MOVIE IS ABOUT...

a family who loved to collect bones. (Freaky!)
someone looking for love. (Must be you! haha)
someone who has found a dinosaur bone at his backyard. (Z, this is your child! Heee! And I expected this from him, believe it or not!)
a poor family who found some lovely bones that make them wealthy. (Wah! I also want!)

a family who loved eating bones until one of them choked and died. (Brutal!)


Suspense part when the murderer was chasing after Susie' sister who managed to find evidence in his home.


After the movie, it was reflection time.
When the movie ended, many said, 'Cher, so touching.'
Believe it or not, a few of my tutees actually teared!

I tried to stretch them tutees and sort of turn it into a 'Literature' lesson asking them to compare any two characters in the story that dealt/coped differently with Susie's death.


Saw a little bit of their input and I was impressed!
We will discuss this aspect in further details the next lesson, ya tutees!

It wasn't just Good Friday yesterday! It was an Awesome Friday for us at Bottoms Up!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Heartsongs

Phew, it's been quite a while since I last updated this blog.
We have all been busy preparing for Term 1's CA1 and Common Tests the past few weeks.
Many did very well. Good Job Bottoms Uppers!
However there are a few who did not do so well. It's only term 1 darlings! Don't give up! We'll get there. Slowly but Surely. :)

2 weeks ago, I followed my parents to a mega book fair in Jakarta and got myself this inspiring book that I was so excited to share with my fellow Bottoms Uppers.

The book was written by a young boy affectionately known as Mattie.
Mattie was born with Dysautonomic Mitochondrial Myopathy. :(
Mattie may have passed on but he has left us his legacy, his Heartsongs which are all inspirational.
Let me share with you a piece of his writing.


Rolter's Wisdom
You may be tall,
I may be small,
But inside,
We are the same
Length of strength

June 1998
Extracted from 'Hope through Heartsongs' by Mattie J.T.Stepanek.


So my tutees, like Mattie, let's all celebrate life and perceive it as a blessing even during the most difficult moments alright?

Mattie was a bestselling author and as last week was the March holidays, we decided to do 'free writing' for our English lesson.
No comprehension. No sentence synthesis. No cloze passage. etc.
Instead I prepared a lesson plan which required my tutees to express their feelings through writing.
Some of them wrote poignant ones, some cheery and some funny.
Let me share with you one of my tutees' work.

Because I also shared with them, that as authors, they can use their own real name or come up with a character name (think Dr Seuss!), this tutee of mine chose the latter and wants to be known as King King. :)


My Mom

When I'm in a good mood, I call her Mama.
When I'm in a not so good mood, I call her Mother.

Mama is a funny lady.
Mama and I always plays games together.
Mother logs on to Facebook when she feels bored with me, sometimes.
Sometimes, she watches television with my father.
Sometimes when I want to chat with her, she would say
I don't want to talk to you. Go and talk to the cat.
Mother said she had loads to do on the computer.
Man, Facebook is such a demanding boss!
If Mother is angry at me, I will
enter my room
switch on the computer
log on to Facebook
and type
I'm sorry, Mama
and post this on her wall.


March 2010
King King


Dearest 'King King',
Man, I love your play with words! :))))
How you regard her as 'Mama' when she's nice to you and 'Mother' when you feel neglected.
I bet you will enjoy Literature when you enter Secondary School!
I love it! Hi 5!
Mdm Nura

Monday, February 1, 2010

The Giving Tree

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is one of my favourite books of all time.
I came across this uplifting, yet deeply profound book written by Shel Silverstein while I was training to be a teacher at NIE.

While the book is pretty simple, I personally feel that the message is universal and appeal to anyone, young and old alike. It is also a timeless kind of book.

The past week, I read aloud 'The Giving Tree' to my tutees who are between the ages of 10-13 and they loved it very much.

Of course, I had to tweak my post reading English Language activities catered to their abilities.
The kids did a reflection and most of them feel that the morale of this touching story is self sacrifice.
Whatever the boy wanted from the tree, he received.
Most of my tutees also criticised the boy for only 'taking' because they argue that in life, one should give and take.
I was very pleased to hear this because kids nowadays can be pretty selfish and for them to realise that 'give and take' is important, you kinda feel proud.
They also mentioned how the tree is an epitome of a parent. Kids nowadays just do not understand how much their parents have sacrificed to provide for them and I sincerely hope that my tutees will treasure their parents for all the sacrifices.


Anyway,

if you haven't read this book, do borrow it.

If you haven't watched this video, please do.

I apologise in advance if I made you tear though......

Sunday, January 24, 2010

The Student Athlete


This charming guy in the picture above was an ex pupil of the school I formerly taught at.
He is truly destined to be great in sports.
During the Sports Day, he would sweep the trophies.
On top of that, I still remember him as an outstanding soccer player at the field.
A very tenacious player, giving his very best in every game.
That, plus the fact that he is a very good looking lad...hmmm..no wonder the girls went goo goo gaa gaa over him back then.
His ex form teacher, also my former colleague, Mrs Tan Kok Fen, would always sing praises of this amazing boy because he not only has a handsome exterior, he is a kind- hearted, helpful and a very humble boy.

Khairul is now a student athlete at the Singapore Sports School which provides a conducive academic and training environment for teenagers aspiring to be sports athletes.
See! I told you this boy is gifted in sports, especially soccer.

My fellow tutees, especially my boys who spend hours playing soccer after school, maybe you should take down all your 'Cristiano Ronaldo',' David Beckham' posters and paste that of Khairul's.
K, all the best for your 'O' levels dear and I thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.
Love,
Mdm Nura

An interview with Khairul Karim


Hi Khairul! How are you? It's been years. How old are you now?
Hi. I'm doing great, Mdm Nura. I will be turning 16 this year.

Are you enjoying yourself at Singapore Sports School?
Of course! I am enjoying my time here. It is really fun!

When did you find out that you were accepted to Singapore Sports School?
An interview was actually conducted between the principal and directors of sports before the release of my PSLE results then. The motive of the interview was for them to find out how confident I am and also to see whether I have what it takes to be a promising athlete.

Must you attain a certain aggregate or achieve a particular grade to enter Singapore Sports School?
If your aggregate is good, there is a high chance for you to be accepted. Plus, you must go through the selection trials held in our school during its annual open house.
When you found out you were going to be a student athlete at the Singapore Sports School, how did you feel?
I felt like I was on top of the world! It was really a proud moment for me and my family.

Share with us your schedule in school, Khairul!
My daily schedule is very tight.
0630 - 0730 hrs - Morning training

0800 - 0830 hrs - Breakfast

0900 - 1400 hrs - Lessons (Lunch will be at 1200 - 1230 hrs)

There will be a rest time after school.

1600 - 1830 hrs - Afternoon training.

1900 - 1925 hrs - Dinner

1925 - 2100 hrs - Supervised Study Time (SST)

2105 - 2200 hrs - Recreation Time.


Wow! What a structured and disciplined routine! No wonder, you are thriving!
Anyway, do you get to go home after a long day at school or are you staying at the hostel?
I stay at the hostel from Mondays to Fridays. After my training session on Friday evenings, I will check out to go home and then report back to my campus on Sunday evenings.

Are you only close to the soccer guys?
I am not only close with the soccer boys. Staying in a boarding school gives you the chance to interact with the other student athletes from the other core sports such as badminton, bowling, swimming. You will get to know everyone in the school well in this way and this has made my stay in the school very enjoyable.

What advice would you share with your juniors who love sports?
To those who really love sports, work hard and try and get yourself to the Sports School where they will bring you to the next level with the fantastic coaches they hire. You must be committed and keep persevering to achieve your premium goal. If you do not get accepted, don't be disappointed. Just keep working harder and prove to the rest that you are worth an athlete to be respected and who knows you might be the next sporting hero of Singapore in the future. All the best!

Sunday, January 10, 2010

The Dream Pupil

Me, Nurul and our kiddos at Jalan Bahar for the P5 3 Days 2 Nights Camp 2 years ago


Mdm Nurul Asyikin Norman, a mother of one (and another on the way!) used to be my colleague.
She was there (still is!) every step of my way, providing emotional support, enthusiastic encouragement and an authentic friendship.
She is also an amazing teacher who is suited to teach children who are struggling and has no problems at all 'stretching' high ability pupils.
An all rounder, this wonderful friend of mine.
Hey you superwoman, I know you are really busy in school and at home so here's a BIG thank you for your valuable contribution to this blog.
I truly admire your sincere desire to make a difference in the lives that you touch.



Nurul and her P6 class who aced the PSLE! Congrats!

The Dream Pupil

What’s the definition of a dream pupil? Here’s a list that most teachers would agree.

A dream pupil is one who:
- Sits quietly in class.
- Participates actively in all lessons.
- Is attentive while the teacher is teaching.
- Studious and eager to seek new knowledge.
- Does all school and homework assigned by the teacher promptly.

When I first taught in an all-girls’ school, I found many pupils with the above qualities and left the school with sweet memories of the pupils to further my studies. Thereafter, I was posted to my current school.

Imagine my horror when I was assigned to teach the EM3 class. During my second year teaching there, I was teaching the 6 EM3, a graduating class. One of the pupils, let’s call him K, was infamously naughty. However, after building a rapport with him, he started to show a drastic change in behaviour. Albeit not possessing all the qualities in the above list, I was touched to see how these low performing pupils tried their best.

K obviously does not transform to be an angel but he tried to please me. When my lessons were being observed by foreign visitors from Qatar and a professor from Australia and the principal, K tried to be engaged in the lesson like the rest though he hated group work. Later, he admitted to me that he almost misbehaved because he was ticked off a particular person earlier – which he often was. Fortunately he thought of me. I cannot imagine the horror!

He did very well in his PSLE and went to the school of his choice though he continued to cause problems. Last I heard from him, he told me he was suspended from school. :(

He visited me last year with a few ruffian-looking friends and they told me that K told them a lot about me. He told me later that I was his favourite teacher.

A dream pupil may not come from the best schools. He may not necessarily possess all the above-mentioned qualities. However, the fact that they do try and show an eagerness to be better is good enough for you to remember them throughout your life.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

A Thoughtful Boy

I was doing some spring cleaning when I came across a rather familiar old book which I think belonged to my elder brother. The pages of the book have already turned yellowish. As I was browsing through the book, I realised that I have left a dog ear on one particular page. (I am not a bookmark person, as you can see.) Instantly, the short funny story from Japan brought back memories. I remembered sharing this story with my tutees and they laughed. Some of them cheekily suggested to their other friends that they should do what the boy did to their parents! Haha!
It's 2010 people and I am already looking forward to sharing more funny stories with my tutees come next week! :)
Happy New Year!
Cheers.

Nura

A Thoughtful Boy

Little Taro came home from school and said to his father,
"Dad, what would you do if I said I got one hundred percent in arithmetic today?"
"What? A perfect score? Oh, I would faint away,"said the father.
"You see, I don't want you to faint. That's why I restrained myself from getting more than fifty," answered the boy.

Extracted from 'Jokes, Riddles & Proverbs from Asia & the Pacific'

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Secondary One Orientation

I have always loved reading Thevagaran's compositions. He is a 12 year old avid reader with a flair for writing.Theva was my former pupil and will continue to be my tutee for next year, along with some other Secondary 1 kiddos (yes, all former tutees!)
Anyway the school posting results were released and he is extremely pleased that he will be going to a secondary school of his choice. We chatted over the phone yesterday and he was sharing with me how happy he was to step foot into that huge school. I then asked him,'Would you like to write a composition about the orientation, Theva?'
He confidently replied,' Why not, Mdm Nura! Sure.'
So people, I present to you, Theva's 'Orientation.'
Cheers!
Nura

That's my charming Theva in red!
Align Center




ORIENTATION by Thevagaran Alagan

The earth was bathed in a warm rosy glow. The rays of the sun filtered through the window panes and I could hear the faint whispering of the breeze. I woke up and stretched out my limbs.

I took a quick shower. Shortly after, I worshipped my God and thanked him for granting my wish. I have always wished to enter this school and my wish is granted. I will continue to work hard to pursue my dreams. After my parents and sister got ready, we started our journey from my home in Jurong East to my new school at Clementi.

While I was in the car, I was dreaming about how handsome I will look in my new uniform, my new classmates and the fun that I will be having for the next few years in this wonderful school I am posted to. My mind was whirling with excitement.

When the car entered the school, my eyes widened and my jaw dropped because the school was so huge compared to my previous primary school! A school prefect politely asked me for my ez-link card for identification purposes. He then showed me the way to my new class. When I entered my classroom, I met my teacher. Her chubby cheeks gave off a rosy glow and her skin was extremely soft and fine. With a pretty and sweet teacher like her, I will definitely look forward to coming to school. She asked me some questions during the registration. Luckily, I managed to answer all the of them correctly in a confident manner. She seemed impressed.

After confirming our attendance, we played ice breaker games to 'warm-up' the class by helping us get to know one another since we came from different primary schools.

Some of the student leaders also taught our class some really cool cheers as we will be having a camp next month. I am so excited for the camp. I know I will make more friends and together, we will pick up communication and cooperation skills.

I wished the fun orientation would never have to end but it did.
I took some time to explore the school. My parents have already bought my new uniform and textbooks.

I cannot wait to begin my new adventure in my new school. 2010 and the coming years in my dream school will surely be memorable.