Category Archives: Secondary 1

2016 Secondary 1 Week 23 Update

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Its the start of the school holidays and we’re in Yogyakarta as I write this. 
Both BB and GG had to go back to school earlier this week, GG for choir practice and BB for a space camp at the Singapore Science Centre. The highlight of the camp at the Science Centre was using their super powerful telescope to see the sky and stars. Unfortunately, the day they were to see this, the sky was cloudy and they didn’t see the stars. BB also had his Math Olympiad test this week and he said it was a very tough one. I am hoping he makes it to the school team (if they have one) as this will help in his DSA application if he plans do so next year (for Sec 3) as well as in junior college and/or polytechnic. 

They do have holiday homework and we need to start working on that as soon as we are back. I am also thinking of using the school holidays to tutor them in humanities, subjects which I am fairly strong in. This should help them in the next semester. This trip was also good in terms of both history and geography, both subjects which they are studying and will continue to study next year. 
I am also planning some holiday activities locally, so the idea is to spend more time with them – the whole idea of me taking a break from work!

2016 Sec 1 Week 22 Update

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This was the last week of school and ended with the Parent Teacher Meeting for both BB & GG.

GG first – she did quite well in her exams and at her parent teacher meeting, all her teachers were all praise for her, some even going so far to say they wished all their students were like her! As a parent, I was chuffed and so very proud of her. She was also very proud of herself and I could see her blushing when her teachers started praising her. I am really happy for her and this has given such a strong boost to her self esteem. She is now determined to do better than the mid year exams. She also won the ‘Model Student’ for her class award on the last day of school. This award is given twice a year to a student the form teachers decide on, one who not only are doing well in school academically, but also do well in their CCAs and other school activities and show qualities which embody the school spirit. Her photo where she is accepting the award will  also be put up in a wall in the school. Her form teacher also commented that he hopes she will get to become a school councillor and also lead her CCA in the future as he sees leadership skills in GG.

Now to BB  – his report was not too good, he only got good grades in Maths and Science and the other subjects were all Bs and below.  He also failed in three subjects, two of which are academic subjects! He really needs to work on his handwriting, which will otherwise, be a big hinderancw to him in 3 odd years time when he sits for he GCE O Level exams. Not all examiners will be willing to decipher what he is writing. This will also affect not only grades in English, but also humanities and also the science papers, which will in turn, affect the final grades. My big job this holiday is to source for some class which will help in his penmanship or find resources online. Good luck to me on that!

So that was our last week of school. On to the holidays now!

2016 Sec 1 Week 21 Update

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Results week! GG did very well this exam, getting multiple A1s (equal to an A+), including Maths, which is the one subject she always loses marks in. She’s super pumped up and motivated now to do better and in hindsight I feel putting her in this stream has been great for her. She also scored highest in some subjects, of which, which she is very proud!

BB on the other hand, didn’t do so well, only scoring A1s for his strongest subjects of Maths and Science and indifferent marks in others. He also failed some academic subjects. I hope with this failure he pulls up his socks and starts getting serious for the year-end exams. He needs to do well especially next year as they will choose subject combinations in secondary 3, all of which will affect his post-secondary course choices. 

GG also has proceeded to the next round for he councillor selection at her school (actually all students went to the next round). She has the interview session with the current student council later this week. I’m going to help her prepare for this this week.

We also have the parent teacher meetings later in the week, on the same day for both. So first I go to BB’s school, meet his form teacher, then off to GG’s school and meet both, form and subject Teachers. I am also going to talk about a lateral transfer for her. I want her to get the choice, the final decision will be hers!

2016 Sec 1 Week 20 Update

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We’re more than a third towards the end of the year and this year is going too fast for my liking!

Exams ended this week and hopefully both BB & GG have done fairly well. Friday was a holiday for both as both schools had the day off for students so that teachers can mark papers in peace!

On Thursday, after exams ended, both the kids met up with some Primary school friends. I am glad they are making this effort to reach out and meet old friends. These friends are the ones who’ve seen each other grow from tiny, shy and scared six year olds to confident teens!

On Friday, GG had a ‘Thank You’ lunch from her school. This lunch was to all cast and crew of their 30th anniversary celebrations last month and after that her choir had a party – to welcome the juniors and say farewell to the seniors. Most sec 4/sec 5 students will step down from their CCAs now as they start working towards their N and O level exams. Primary 6 students also do the same thing when they step down sometime in April to focus on the PSLE exams, unless there are major competitions which they are taking part in. GG enjoyed the day and they played with water balloons, sang and enjoyed themselves.

Last that day, they also met up with another set old friends. They’ve known these friends since they were around 8-9 months old. This is also a boy/girl fraternal twin pair who are roughly 3 months older than BB & GG. They used to live in the same estate we lived in and we met in the playground! They’ve been friends since then and have had innumerable play dates! Again, this is friendship I love and encourage, even though they’re in different schools and have different schedules. But most school holidays they meet up at least a couple of times.

This was BB & GG’s week this week. Happy Sunday people!

 

2016 Sec 1 Week 19 Update

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Exam week for both BB & GG so it was a very low-key week for both.They both have finished roughly half with the exams expected to end next week.

We also got the Hindi exam marks this week and as expected, BB failed. I really don’t know how to reach out to this boy. For someone so smart, who can with one reading understand the subject, he is very unconcerned and in fact, completely neglectful of this subject. I hope, I can spend the next month or so with him on it, hopefully it gets inside his head that he needs to at least pass!!

GG, on the other hand, did OK. I did think she will do better, but considering that she was busy with her school  performance with the big day with two  performances just a day before the exams, it was better than expected. She didn’t get much time to study, especially in the days leading up to the exam.

happy-mothers-day-massage-specialsToday is Mother’s Day and to all the mothers who read my blog, here’s wishing you all a very happy Mother’s Day. There’s an old saying that says that since God knew he could not be around each and every one of his children, he created mothers so every one of his children have someone  love them unconditionally, be with them always and fight for them forever! That’s a mom for you!!

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