ice

C l e m e n t i P ri m a r y S ch o o l

FOREWORD PSG Newsletter

There was a recent furore in the March 2011

newspapers over the supplementary lessons
conducted during after-school hours in Issue 5
certain schools for Primary Three and Four
pupils. There was even more hullabaloo
over the book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Inside this issue:
Some may not fit into our busy lives, but
Mother, in which the author recounted how other tips just require a few minutes, like
she made her daughter do 2,000 maths verbalizing our pride to our children when Lower Primary
problems a night after coming second in a 2
they do something kind, spending time Sports Day
mathematics competition. These have reflecting on the good deed, or getting
provided me much food for thought. In them to help their grandparents or read to Mid Autumn/Hari
2
our achievement-oriented society, many of Raya
younger siblings.
us are focused on getting ahead in life. Parent Helpers In
It takes a village to raise a child. Our 2
Given our national obsession with KPIs Action
parent volunteers provide an excellent role
(Key Performance Indicators), do we apply
model in kindness when they sacrifice time Children’s Day 3
KPIs on our children, albeit
to help out at school events and
subconsciously? What are our ―KPIs‖ for
programmes. Especially meaningful for Welcome, P1
them exactly? Do we give ourselves a pat on 3
some volunteers is the Learning Support Students!
our backs when they bring back a string of
Programme for Primary One, where
As, advance in their piano grades, or win Try A Little
parents teach English, Mother Tongue and 4
competitions and medals? Do we feel Kindness
Mathematics to pupils weak in the subjects.
comparable joy when our children make a
new friend, help out a sibling or I would like to end with a quote from Preserving Love 6
neighbour, or thank the cleaning lady? Do someone who was well-known for her work
we value kindness shown by our children? in the cause of women’s emancipation in Your Say 7
Singapore. Even in her eighties, she was
In the hustle and bustle of life, I often rue
running a vocational school in an
the missed opportunities to teach my
impoverished part of Thailand for girls
children kindness. For example, when my
living in poverty. Her work embodies a
child was called upon by the teacher to be a
spirit of equality and kindness that all of us
buddy to a classmate who was new to
could aspire towards.
school, or to help a friend in her work, I
felt a tinge of pride, yet neglected to prod “We must not run so fast in life and seek Special points of
her on to do more. Through my inaction, to always be the best and ahead of others; interest:
my child, who is not proactive enough to you will find yourself running alone, and
offer real help, missed the chance of feeling Try a Little Kindness
that can be lonely.” – Shirin Fozdar,
the joy of giving. Preserving Love
founding member of Singapore Council of
Children can learn to be kind and helpful, Women in 1952.
when we provide good models,
reinforcement and opportunities. The Mrs. Jennie Koh
parenting article on page 4 gives several PSG Vice Chairperson
good ideas on teaching kindness to kids.

READ THIS NEWSLETTER ONLINE AT HTTP://CLEMENTIPSG.BLOGSPOT.COM

Mid Autumn Festival & Hari Raya (17 September, 2010)
The festivities kicked off with a complimentary dinner for Children dressed in traditional
the children,, after which they excitedly gathered at the Malay outfits lit up the Talent
Parade Square with their lanterns alit. Lending to the festive Corner with their smiles and
atmosphere were a pair of lions, swirling and twirling amid charming dance moves. In the
the energetic sounds of beating drums. As the sun set and auditorium, parents
the light from the lanterns began to cast its glow, the demonstrated proper Chinese
children made their way around the school and back to the calligraphy techniques and lent
canteen, where sections of pomeloes, wedges of mooncakes a hand to interested students.
and various Hari Raya goodies awaited them. There were also challenging Mandarin language games to be
enjoyed. A fun and festive night was had by all.

Lower Primary Sports Day (19 November, 2010)

On the last day of Term 4, the school held a mini Sports
Day for the Primary One and Two pupils. Parents were
invited too. Bright and early in the morning, PSG
volunteers ushered the parents to the indoor sports hall
where the event was held.
The games began without
much delay, in various
forms of tele-matches
which involved crawling
through hula hoops,
passing batons, stacking
cups and rope-skipping,
among others. The children
were clearly excited – the
participants gave their best
effort while the supporters
cheered tirelessly. The sports
hall was pulsating with
youthful energy. And medals
galore! The pupils donned
their medals proudly as their
parents’ cameras snapped away.
It was truly an invigorating end
to the year.

Parent Helpers In Action

Page 2
Children’s Day (30 September, 2010)
The school celebrated
Children’s Day on 30 Sep
with a concert extravaganza.
There was all-round
participation, with
performances by students,
teachers, parents, even a
magician! The children assembled in the
school hall decked out in their favourite
outfits, and their cheers led by the
teacher MC added to the festive
atmosphere.
The concert kicked off with a blast. The
children were awed by the ―hidden‖
talents of their teachers, who performed
with aplomb. One male teacher played the piano
beautifully, while another two crooned a Chinese ballad to
a perfect pitch. But if it were the battle of the sexes, the
femme fatale would have won hands down. The ―Wonder
Girls‖, comprising six gorgeous and stylish ladies in black
(whose day job was
teaching), sang and
danced in sync to
―Nobody But You‖.
Judging from the
shrieks of delight
and surprise by the
students, these
ladies had definitely won over their new-found fans! The
effort taken by all the teachers was certainly appreciated by
the children.
Of course, parents also took the opportunity to celebrate
this occasion with the children. In an initiative by the Dads
-for-Life group, busy fathers took pains to pen down their
heartwarming wishes and dedications to their kids via
PowerPoint, which were broadcast to all in the hall. In
addition, the PSG, with story-telling skills honed over years
of bedtime stories, presented Roald Dahl’s version of ―Jack
and the Beanstalk‖. With Quentin Blake’s illustration
projected on screen, two mothers provided the narration
and voice-over, with help from a cute little voice by Jason
from P1/6. The injection of some toilet humour, animated
voices and the twist in the end had the children in stitches
in one moment, and in enraptured silence the next.
The stars of the day were certainly the children. To raise
funds for the needy, the teachers organised a fashion
parade with the theme ―My Ambition‖. Students were
encouraged to think of their dream job, dress the part and
make a short presentation on stage. Proceeds from the
participation fees went to charity. What a great way to kill
two birds with one stone! And my, did the children
respond, especially the P1s! Some strutted their stuff on
stage in authentic-looking police or air stewardess
uniforms, while others were armed with ingenious props.
The stage came alive with people from all walks of life,
including supermodels, a businessman, football players, a
photographer and a surgeon.
To top it all off, the children were treated to a magic show.
It was the end of the concert, and the smiles on the
children’s faces proved they had a fantastic time. Kudos to
the organisers for an enjoyable event!

Welcome, P1 Students! (November, 2010 and January, 2011)

Last November, the school conducted an orientation In addition, during the first week of school this year, our
briefing for the parents of the P1 children admitted for parent helpers were deployed to receive the new students.
2011. During the They were stationed around the school entrance to attend to
session, the PSG the little ones who might not be familiar with the school as
chairperson, Mrs. yet. Assuring anxious parents was part of the day’s job too.
Jessica Voo, During recess,
introduced the our parent
parents to our helpers were
PSG activities stationed in the
and welcomed canteen near the
their barricade to
participation. provide assistance
Some PSG to parents and
members also led the parents on a tour around the school pupils.
to familiarise them with the school facilities.

Page 3
Try a Little Kindness… A Parent’s Perspective
Top 10 Tips to Share With Your Children
by Diane Peters
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to live in a kind world? A place
where everyone said sweet words, doors were always held
open, there was no bullying, and peace reigned supreme.
Sure, that’s a dream world, but it’s one you can at least aim
for creating with your kids. Children who learn respect and
empathy and turn those principles into words and acts of
kindness can have a huge impact. They make their home
and schools better places. And studies show that kind kids
are less likely to bully or be violent.
It’s not difficult to teach your children to be kind and that
kindness has value. "When you do something for others, it
makes you feel good. It benefits both the giver and the
receiver," says Julie Kaufman of the Random Acts of
Kindness Foundation in Denver. Those great feelings can
snowball into your kids wanting to do more kind things.
So how do you start? Here are 10 suggestions for bringing
more kindness into your family:
1. Model it. The best way to teach your children kindness
is not by explaining: it’s by doing. Whether you do
volunteer work, mow an elderly neighbour’s lawn or just
treat others with dignity and respect, kids pick up on this
and want to emulate it. But there’s a caveat: your actions
should match your words (that means no being nice to
someone in person and then talking about them behind
their back!) and you should show respect for others no
matter what their financial situation, religion or even
personality. And even if someone is not a great person and
you dislike them for good reason, you can still be civil.
2. Be kind to your kids. If you run a kind, respectful
household, kids learn what it feels like to be treated kindly.
That doesn’t mean you never punish a child! But it does
help to keep punishments verbal, not physical, and to make
sure all discipline comes with an explanation.
3. Reward kind acts. You know how kids love
attention: so shower them with it, when they’ve done kind
things. Instead of just scolding them for not sharing or
being rough with another child, make a fuss when they do
share or give. Better still, if your child is ages 6-10, you
Children who learn respect and empathy and turn
those principles into words and acts of kindness
can have a huge impact. They make their home
and schools better places.
might want to adapt the "Caught Being Kind" program that
Maury Nation, assistant professor at Vanderbilt University
and an expert in bullying, has been testing in schools. If you
catch your child doing something kind, give them a star on
the fridge, and have those build towards a treat such as a
special dinner or an outing.
Page 4
4. Consider the teaching medium. Just for fun, Ted
Dreier built a robotic cow in his
garage. When he took it to a local
school and had it tell kids about
kindness — things such as saying
thank you, giving out hugs and
helping to wash the dishes — they
listened in enraptured silence for 30
minutes. "Kids love Moozie, it’s a medium that works," says
Dreier, who now runs the Children’s Kindness Network
and www.moozie.com. Turn your kids on to Moozie or
another character that they’ll listen to.
5. Read about it. Slip some kind books into your
household reading list.
Ages 3-5
Koi and the Kola Nuts: A Tale from Liberia by Verna
Aardema. A retelling of an African folk tale, Koi has
nothing but kola nuts, but gives them away and receives love
and generosity in return.
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. This simple story
about a boy and a tree can spark discussions about giving,
taking and loving.
The Gift of the Crocodile: A Cinderella Story by Judy
Sierra. Set in the Spice Islands, this version of the
Cinderella tale sees Damura finding acceptance by being
kind to animals.
The Giant Hug by Sandra Horning. Owen the pig
wants to give his granny a hug, but she lives so far away that
he has to send it through the mail. Follow Owen’s hug as it
travels across the country in a series of hilarious, sometimes
awkward, always heartfelt embraces between animals of
different shapes and sizes.
Teachers are Terrific by Golden Books The wonderful
Precious Moments characters teach toddlers to be nice! This
sturdy board book reinforces the joy of learning while
encouraging young children to respect and listen to their
nursery school teachers.
Ages 6-9
The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau. A quilt
maker agrees to give a greedy king one of her coveted quilts
— but only if he gives away his material possessions. When
he does, he gets happiness as well as his prize.
The Paper Crane by Molly Bang. A restaurant owner
and son give a poor man a fine meal and get a simple gift in
return. The gift becomes so much more in time.
Smoky Night by Eve Bunting. It’s the night of the Los
Angeles riots, and a group of neighbors are brought
together to learn important lessons from the upheaval.
Ages 9-14
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. A classic full of
generosity, including the March girls giving away Christmas
breakfast to a poor family.
Try a Little Kindness (continued)
Pay it Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde. The movie
was based on this book about a 12-year-old boy who takes an
extra credit social studies assignment to think of a way to
make the world a better place and turns it into a nation-
wide movement.
Kindness: A Treasury of Buddhist Wisdom for
Children and Parents by Sarah Conover. Thirty-one
Buddhist tales teaching respect, kindness and generosity
that will also expose your child to a different religious
tradition.
The Acorn People by Ron Jones. A camp counselor is
overwhelmed at the prospect of working with disabled
children, until he meets his campers — The Acorn People. A
group of kids who teach him that, inside, they are are the
same as any average kid, and with encouragement,
determination, and friendship, nothing is impossible.
6. Give them tasks to do. One study out of the
University of Minnesota showed that children who did
housework had better feelings of responsibility and self-
worth years later. And children who feel good about
themselves are more respectful to others.
Kids ages 3-5 can help put away their toys, set the table for
dinner or help Grandma up from her chair.
Kids ages 6-9 can sweep and dust, do tasks such as washing
vegetables and tearing up lettuce leaves for salad, or
read to a younger sibling.
Kids ages 10-14 can help mow the law and cut the grass,
take out the garbage and even prepare dinner one night
a week (provided you do the main chopping).
7. Help others. Organizations such as the Random Acts of
Kindness Foundation and the Pay it Forward Foundation all
suggest teaching children kindness by having them do kind
acts, such as:
Participate in a walk or run that raises money for a
good cause.
Donate regularly to the local food bank.
Let your child think of ways to help out victims of
hurricanes, earthquakes and other disasters.
If you have money to give to charity, ask your children
to help you decide who to give to.
Initiate a fundraiser through school to help people in
need.
8. Make friends. Friendship is the most long lasting way
we can show kindness to another person.
Have your children make friendship bracelets, cards or
other gifts and give to friends.
Encourage your child to befriend someone at school
who is lonely or left out.
9. Watch the language. Words have enormous power.
Work on purging your vocabulary of words such as stupid,
shut up, idiot and any racist or biased terms. When your
child says such words, right away tell them that those words
Page 5
hurt others and ask them to rephrase what they want to say.
No need for a big lecture (your child might start feeling
guilty), just a quick correction.
10. Enjoy kindness. Finally, the whole point of being
kind is to make the world a more fun, safe and happy place.
So when your child does a kind act, when you witness
something kind or even when you’re the recipient of
kindness, show your joy. Keep an open discussion about
your feelings around kind acts and let your child feel how
wonderful it is to give — and receive — from others.
Other suggestions include:-
Find opportunities to talk to your child about what's
happening in the world. Discuss how you could help
change things for the better, and explain that even a little
bit of time or effort can make a big difference.
Determine your child's interests or talents and help him
or her find a volunteer organization or activity to
participate in. For instance, if your child likes to cook, he
or she can volunteer at a soup kitchen, while a child who
likes animals can volunteer at SPCA.
Look for children's groups that promote giving so your
child can be around peers who have similar goals and
interests, for instance, Brownies or Boys’ Scouts.
Choose one thing to do with your child that can be
repeated weekly, monthly or yearly that will develop into a
pattern of learned giving. Choose something that will put
your child in direct contact with the recipient of his or
her giving, like helping an elderly neighbour take out the
garbage, making cards and sending them monthly to show
someone that you care (such as thank you notes to school
janitors or school cafeteria staff), or purchasing a new pair
of sneakers annually at holiday time for a needy child.
Help your child become aware of what other people in
your community are doing to help others. Let this be an
example of what caring people do.
Emphasize holiday opportunities to help others.
Baking cookies for a disabled person during Christmas,
inviting a new foreign neighbour over during Chinese
New Year, or making a home-made gift for a person
who lives alone shows a thoughtful and caring attitude.
Look for special opportunities. If a child enrolls at
school from another country, or a neighbour has just
lost a loved one, or a disabled person moves in next
door, remind your children of the special needs these
people might have, and give some thought to a family
project geared toward assisting them in a special way,
like helping to make a hot meal to take over or chipping
in to buy a new vacuum sweeper.
Helping others is more than an action, it's an attitude of
caring and willingness to serve others. Don't neglect the
opportunity of cultivating this important trait in your
children's lives.
PRESERVING LOVE
Secrets To a Life-Long Marriage
We would like to thank Marriage Central for contributing this
article. For more information, please visit the Marriage Central
website: www.marriagecentral.sg
Marriage is for life. It's a promise to love each other through
good times and bad, through the ups and downs of life.
Marriage requires effort from both parties to make it work
and make it last a lifetime.
Here are the secrets to a life-long marriage:
1. KNOWING AND MANAGING EXPECTATIONS
Why did you want to get married? And why did you marry
me? What do you expect to get out of this relationship?
These are questions couples should ask each other. Is it for
love? Companionship? Intimacy? Share your expectations
with your partner if you want a successful marriage.
One of the reasons for a breakdown in a relationship is the
unspoken expectations a couple have of each other.
Evaluate your expectations of yourself, your partner and
your marriage. Be sure to share it with each other. These
expectations have to be realistic too. Before going on any
trip or event, spend some time to discuss your expectations
of the event. When you are clear on what is expected of you,
you will be sensitive to your partner's needs and it will be
easier to fulfil them.
2. MEETING YOUR EMOTIONAL NEEDS
There are basic emotional needs to be fulfilled to be happy.
Not fulfilling these needs is a source of frustration for many.
* The need to love and be loved in return.
* The need to have a sense of purpose in life.
* The need to develop a positive self-image.
* The need for autonomy - personal, private space and
control.
You are responsible for fulfilling your own emotional needs.
These are needs to be met whether you are married or
single. So do not place your happiness in other's hands even
though you're married to that person. Expecting your
partner to fulfill your emotional needs is
unreasonable and unfair. To put
those demands on someone else is to set
yourself and the relationship for failure.
What your partner can do is to HELP
you meet those needs. You have to take
charge of your own life.
Page 6
3. TALK. CHAT. AGREE. DISAGREE. SHARE YOUR
THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS WITH EACH OTHER.
To have a successful marriage, you must learn how to
communicate with each other effectively. There is no way
anyone can know what you want if you do not voice them.
Do not expect your partner to read your mind. So share
your thoughts and feelings with your partner often. Do it
everyday.
Conversations can fill many needs like connecting and
relating to each other, have your feelings heard, respected
and understood, to learn new things and gain another level
of understanding towards your partner and to sort through
problems and relationship issues.
A communication breakdown will eventually lead to a
relationship breakdown.
So keep talking to each other. Talk about your likes and
dislikes. Share your memories of your childhoods and
school days. Tell your partner where you've been to and
places you will like to visit. Share something new you have
learnt that day. Discuss your thoughts and feelings about
your day. Ask questions that begin with "if you could", "have
you ever" and "do you believe". Just keep talking and take
turns to listen.
4. LISTEN WITH BOTH YOUR HEAD AND HEART
Other than learning to communicate, learn to listen too.
When partners do not listen to one another, they usually
end up in frustration, anger, misunderstandings, hurt and
divorce.
In a conservative Asian society like Singapore, many
children are taught to be quiet and obedient so they may
struggle with expressing themselves when they grow up. This
inability to communicate will in turn affect the quality of
their relationship with others.
MARRIAGE CENTRAL RESOURCE POINT
JURONG REGIONAL LIBRARY
WOODLANDS REGIONAL LIBRARY
Soon-to-wed and married couples can pick up
marriage-related resources and information. Marriage
Central staff will answer queries, help them sign up
for marriage education programmes, and make
referrals to marriage counsellors.
OPERATING HOURS
Monday-Sunday: 10am-9pm
(Holiday hours vary)
Email: woodlands@marriagecentral.sg
Contact number: 6767 3924
 YOUR SAY

Bullying Canteen Meal Choices

If my child is bullied in school and I have
reported the matter to the form teacher, how
would I know whether any actions are taken by
the school? Who will be the best person to
report the matter to in such cases and how will
the feedback be given to me?
The school has a system in place to address the issue of
hurtful behaviours amongst the pupils. The onus is on
everyone in the school to address bullying behaviours,
regardless if the incidences are being witnessed by teachers,
allied educators, or the administrative and support staff.
When bullying incidences are made known to you by your
children, you can contact the form teacher so that we can
speak with the affected pupils.
Usually the form teacher will keep the level discipline
teachers and the discipline master informed. Depending on
the intensity and frequency of the hurtful behaviours,
subsequent disciplinary measures will then be meted out
according to the recommended actions stated in the pupils'
handbook. The responsibility
is on the form teacher to
contact the parents on the
relevant follow-up actions.
Mrs Rosalind Wee
Vice Principal
I observed that the meal choices in the school
canteen seem rather limited. I wonder of the
canteen vendors have tried to provide a bigger
variety of dishes to serve with rice. Will there be
a possibility that the canteen not sell potato
chips, and limit the drinks to healthier ones like
Ribena and Milo?
We monitor our canteen vendors’ sale of food and drinks
regularly and ensure that their varieties are acceptable in
view of our primary school pupils’ population. Our sale of
drinks and snack carry the Healthier Choice Symbol
(HCS)/ Healthier Snack
Symbol logo endorsed by
the Health Promotion
Board. Products carrying
the HCS are generally
lower in total fat,
saturated fat, sodium and
sugar. Some are also
higher in dietary fiber
and calcium compared to
similar products within
the same food category. Each food category has a separate
set of nutritional criteria to adhere to. A variant of the
HCS for snack foods, the Healthier Snack Symbol (HSS)
items, includes plain biscuits and cookies, crisps, ice-cream
and plain cakes. Products which are eligible for the HSS are
individually packed in small portions according to serving
sizes reflected on the Nutrition Information Panel, and
they are generally lower in fat, saturated fat, sodium or
sugar compared to regular products.
Mr Chris Yeo
Operations Manager

Editorial Team Special Thanks

Mdm. Tan Bee Hoon (Photography)

Mrs. Jennie Koh Ms. Nancy Tan Yoke Wah
Mr. Sean Ng Mrs. Jessica Voo
Mrs. Rosalind Wee
Mrs. Joanne Lu
Mr. Chris Yeo

Page 7
 Clementi Primary
Parents Support Group
8 Clementi Avenue 3
Phone: 67797449
Fax: 67732898
E-mail: clementipsg@gmail.com
http://clementipsg.blogspot.com
If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.
If a child learns to feel shame, he learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement he learns confidence
If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.
If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love
in the world ~ Dorothy Law Neite

Openings for Parent Volunteer Service

DUTY (1): LEARNING SUPPORT PROGRAMME (P1 ENGLISH)

Date: 3 times a week
Time: 12pm to 12:30pm
Duration: 30 minutes per session
Duty: Read simple stories with LSP students. This programme aims at providing learning support to
pupils who enter Primary 1 with weak English Language and literacy skills.

DUTY (2): LEARNING SUPPORT PROGRAMME (P1 MATHS)

Date: Once a week
Time: 12pm to 12:30pm
Duration: 30 minutes per session
Duty: Aims at providing learning support to pupils who enter Primary 1 with weak Math skills.

DUTY (3): RECESS DUTY (P1)/ RECESS DUTY (P2-P6)

Date: Monday to Friday / Monday to Friday
Time: 3pm to 3:30pm / 9.30am to 11:00am
Duration: 30 minutes per session / 90 minutes per session
Duty: Ensure safe play during recess. Maintain order while buying food. Attend to any accident.

DUTY (4): ENRICHMENT CLASSES (P1)

Date: Wednesday
Time: 12.30pm to 2:00pm
Duration: 1.5 hour per session
Duty: Ensure safety and maintain order during IT, Art, Rope Skipping or Chess Enrichment lessons
when teachers are attending staff meeting.

DUTY (5): CONVERSATIONAL CHINESE (P1)

Date: Once a week
Time: 12pm to 12:30pm
Duration: 30 minutes per session
Duty: Conduct Mandarin dialogue. This programme aims at providing learning support to pupils who
enter Primary 1 with weak Chinese Language and literacy skills.

DUTY (6): LIBRARY DUTY

Date: Monday to Friday
Time: 10:00am to 1:00pm
Duration: Two to three hours/ Twice a week
Duty: Repair damaged books, shelf books, maintain order and noise level

Although some events are conducted daily, we welcome parent helpers who wish to volunteer on weekly basis.