SG60 Experiences – For Parents Staying in Punggol/Sengkang
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S.M.A.R.T workshops at Changi Airport
Review by Mummy Jeanelle The twins had a fabulous start for their March school holiday! They happily attended the media preview to experience new events Changi Airport is rolling out this March holiday till 3 May. Thanks to Flying Cape for inviting my boys who roped in their bffs to attend a series of 4 hands-on activities. They started with bento craft where they create individual ingredients using felt then everyone step forward to put together a nice bento box.Next, they move on to the “Be a Young Pilot” coding workshop to gain insights into the future of robotics in air travel by programming their own robot in different motions and speed before “flying their planes around the “airport”. Didi’s clapping madness came in handy to pilot his plane, can you imagine his excitement? The boys had a whale of a time in this workshop before the Airport team brought us for the lollipop tour.Collaborating with kids’ all-time fav Chupa Chups, Changi Airport Terminal 3 has put up brightly-coloured photo spots e.g the ginormous strawberry flavoured lollipop that measures 11.1 m long by 4m high, it holds Singapore’s Book of Records for the largest Chupa Chups lollipop display. And there’s a whimsical Chupa Chups playground with carousel made of lollipops, an insta-worthy Ferris wheel and see-saw with a giant lollipop lying on it. Missy said it’s every kid’s wonderland! The boys had much fun running, hopping and fooling around at the playground. After a quick dinner at 4Fingers, they proceeded to make yummilicious plane & rainbow themed cupcake decorations with Genius R’Us, the kids were generously supplied with lots of Chupa Chups Lollies & candies. I’m surprised the boys enjoyed moulding the fondant while popping sweetness into their mouths every now and then, they concluded playing with fondant is more fun than playdoh. Last workshop was the Magic Discovery with award-winning magician Max Ling that they enjoyed the most. Besides performing magic show, the kids learned 4 different magic tricks, all ready to impress their friends with the props they brought home. We came home with fantastic goodies from Changi Airport/Chupa Chups - pretty flamingo cooler bag, collapsible lunchbox, foldable shopping bag, lanyard card holder, candies and LOTssssss of lollipops packed in cute animal backpacks. Thot the boys have outgrown the backpacks but they really love it, Korkor plans to keep his fidget gadgets in there and Didi plans to keep his precious MBS oxen & $ for going out. It was indeed a fun-filled day for the boys! Do check out the events @ Changi Airport FB & IG. The cute animal backpacks are available this weekend only.
Developing 21st Century Learning skills through Model United Nations
The “21st Century skills” has emerged as a buzzword in education as policymakers respond to advancements in technology and globalization to develop students for the workplace of the future. Improvements in communications technologies have connected people more than ever before, providing many opportunities to travel, study and work. While students have many more options that students have at their disposal, so too do employers seeking the best of the best to run their businesses and corporations. International organizations like the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have proposed Action Plans to build inclusive and quality education systems that develop innovative and competent individuals with more competitive prospects at seeking employment. The “21st Century skills” play a central role in policy proposals and have been reiterated time and again at meetings and forums. They have been classified into three categories: learning skills, literacy skills, and life skills. In the first of this three-part series, we analyse each learning skill, discuss how schools develop these competencies, and show how Model United Nations (MUN) improves these skills. This article explores the four 21st Century Learning Skills: critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication. Critical thinking is a thought process that requires students to scrutinize facts rationally and objectively to form a judgement. Students need to identify, collect and evaluate information and data from various sources to come to a decision. Besides collecting information and coming to a judgement, critical thinking requires students to be objective in their thought process and look into their assumptions and biases. In all, this is a methodical process that develops students to be better problem solvers, as they develop a logical train of thought to identify problems and propose appropriate and targeted solutions. Schools develop these skills through the curriculum as they provide students with information to analyse and evaluate before asking them to make their own conclusion. In Economics, students pour through data, parse through key economic indicators, to propose solutions on the pros and cons of government policies. Humanities subjects like history require students to assemble information from various sources, analyse them for bias, before arriving at a historical account about how something in the past had unfolded. Students participating at a MUN conference develop their critical thinking skills as they devise solutions to contemporary issues facing the world today. More importantly, they need to be rational in evaluating the issue from the viewpoint of the country that they are representing in the conference, instead of bringing their own viewpoints into the debate. For example, if the delegate does not believe in capital punishment but has been assigned to represent a country that implements the death sentence for drug smuggling, the student has to put his/her personal views aside and represent the interests of the member state he/she has been assigned to. In sum, they need to distil information from government data, news reports and other sources, to arrive at a resolution that is agreeable to the majority. In the process of analyzing information from different sources, they can also develop their creativity as they absorb new points of view that look at these problems. Creativity requires students to offer fresh perspectives and solutions to existing problems. It is a thought process that expands and provides an original viewpoint at situations and problems. This is different from critical thinking, which requires an in-depth logical and rational analysis of a problem. Creativity requires students to innovate and develop original solutions to problems. Creativity can be developed in tandem with critical thinking to provide depth and breadth in problem solving. Singapore has identified critical and inventive thinking as one of the required skills to thrive in an increasingly globalized world as part of its 21st Century Competencies. This is taught through curriculum subjects like Project Work, where students analyse and apply information across different fields and disciplines to solve real-life problems that they have identified. In the process, they look at fresh perspectives to ongoing problems, and derive inspiration from these ideas to propose innovative solutions. Model United Nations also trains students in creative thinking, as they have to evaluate ideas from different sources to analyse the problem they face in the topic and propose innovative solutions. Participating in a MUN conference challenges delegates to absorb different points of views on these issues and their proposed solutions. They need to evaluate the feasibility of their solutions from the view of the country that they represent and propose them to the international community of nations. As they interact with the different ideas being proposed by other delegates, they would work together with their peers representing other member states in the committee. Students with a creative mind are better equipped to collaborate with other committee members, as they can look at other sources as potential partners for collaboration rather than competitors. Collaboration has been listed as a key learning trait in the 21st Century skills. As the world becomes more interconnected, students will receive new opportunities to work together across the physical and digital space with teammates near and far. As the internet becomes more available worldwide, students will be able to interact and work in increasingly digital spaces, opening a new domain that they have to work in. These growing connections have already been felt at the workplace, as teams work together across different locations and time zones. It is important for students to develop a strong sense of collaboration to navigate the dynamics of working with increasingly diverse teams. Schools have been developing collaboration in their assessments in examinable subjects, as well as activities outside the classroom. These include group essays in university modules and the Project Work subject in Junior Colleges in Singapore. In these subjects, students have to submit written reports which are graded assignments. Students need to work together to write these reports, merging individual contributions and writing styles into one document that is submitted by the team. Similarly, delegates need to collaborate in MUN conferences as they submit resolutions to address the problems facing the international community. Delegates representing different member states in the committee need to collaborate to submit these documents such as working papers and draft resolutions and trust one another to represent the collective interest of the respective blocs. They would develop their collaborative skills as they navigate the group dynamics and take initiative on submitting resolutions for the committee to debate. In addition, they would need to communicate with their peers from diverse backgrounds and manage the expectations of the committee to propose solutions to the problems they face. Communication requires students to craft and convey their ideas towards different target audience groups in different mediums. Besides verbal communications in the students’ daily lives, it includes communications conveyed over text like emails and correspondences over social media. In the process, students will engage the ideas that they have to communicate and ensure that their target audiences remain engaged. Schools have attempted to examine these communications skills as they provide assessments besides and inside their standardized tests. These include graded presentations, business pitches, and oral examinations which include a conversation section where students chat with the examiners. Meanwhile examination questions have included situational writing questions where students draft letters soliciting donations from corporate sponsors and even emails. MUN conferences develop a student’s communication skills as students are required to convey complex ideas on international issues to a crowd that consists of their peers. They would have to simplify arcane and complicated technical terms in their speeches into key words and phrases that their peers would be understand. Effective communication skills build support for delegates presenting their ideas to their contemporaries, and help students win allies to their side. Model United trains students to be cogent and collaborative communicators who can think creatively and critically. They are rational in dissecting the issues presented to them and devise fresh and innovative policies that advance the interests of their country and the committee. They collaborate with their peers who bring with them the interests of the member state that they represent and communicate convincingly to win the hearts and minds of their contemporaries. Through Model United Nations, students develop these 21st Century Learning Skills which would serve them well beyond the days at the conferences.
Tips on Public Speaking & Drama for Children
Whether your child is presenting in class, performing on stage or simply expressing their ideas in everyday conversations, being able to communicate clearly and confidently is an important life skill.Strong public speaking skills can help children organise their thoughts, speak with clarity, connect with others and express themselves with greater confidence. These skills can benefit them not only in school, but also later in interviews, presentations, group discussions and the workplace.Just as importantly, children need to feel comfortable being themselves when speaking in front of others.Public Speaking Does Not Have to Be FrighteningSpeaking or performing in front of an audience can feel intimidating at any age. Children may worry about forgetting what to say, making mistakes or being judged by others.The good news is that confidence can be developed with practice.Public speaking and drama activities can help children strengthen a wide range of useful skills, including logical thinking, creativity, persuasion, communication, self-expression and confidence.As children become more comfortable speaking in front of others, they may also become more willing to participate in class, share their opinions and take on new challenges.Drama and public speaking programmes can provide a supportive environment where children can practise these skills through role-play, storytelling, performances and structured speaking exercises.Tips to Help Your Child Become a More Confident SpeakerMany people feel nervous about public speaking simply because they do not feel prepared or have had limited opportunities to practise.As a parent, there are several simple ways you can help your child become more comfortable expressing themselves.1. Make Speaking FunIntroduce speaking and performing activities in a relaxed and playful way.Instead of presenting public speaking as something formal or stressful, turn it into a game. Activities such as charades, storytelling, role-playing or guessing games can encourage your child to speak and perform in front of others without feeling pressured.Start with a small audience made up of family members or close friends.Through these activities, children learn how to hold someone's attention, communicate an idea and become more comfortable with others watching and listening to them.Over time, speaking in front of people can begin to feel more natural.2. Give Encouraging and Constructive FeedbackWhen your child is practising a speech or performance, pay attention to what they are doing well.Positive reinforcement is important because it helps children recognise their strengths and builds their confidence.At the same time, constructive feedback can help them improve. Rather than focusing only on mistakes, explain what they could try differently.For example, you might encourage them to:speak a little more slowly, look up from their notes more often, project their voice, use gestures naturally, or pause between important points. Try to wait until they have finished before offering feedback. Constant interruptions can break their concentration and may make them feel more self-conscious.3. Record Their Practice SessionsRecording a practice speech or performance can be a very useful learning tool.When children watch themselves speaking, they can see and hear their performance from an audience's perspective.Watch the recording together and begin by highlighting what they did well. After that, identify one or two areas they could work on.Keeping the feedback simple and encouraging can make the exercise feel constructive rather than critical.You may even want to keep some recordings over time so your child can see how much they have improved.4. Build Confidence Through Everyday ConversationsConfidence does not only develop on stage.Everyday situations provide opportunities for children to practise speaking independently.Depending on their age, you can encourage your child to:order their own meal at a restaurant, ask a shop assistant a question, introduce themselves to someone new, tell the family about their day, explain something they have learned, or share their opinion during a family discussion. These small experiences can gradually help children feel more comfortable expressing themselves.5. Encourage Practice Without Expecting PerfectionChildren need to know that making mistakes is a normal part of learning.A forgotten line, a nervous pause or a mispronounced word does not mean that a performance has failed.Encourage your child to keep going and focus on improvement rather than perfection.The more opportunities they have to practise speaking in a positive environment, the more comfortable they are likely to become.6. Be a Positive Role ModelChildren learn a great deal by observing the adults around them.Show them what confident communication looks like by speaking clearly, listening attentively and expressing your own thoughts respectfully.At the same time, it can be helpful for children to know that adults also experience nervousness from time to time. Confidence does not mean never feeling nervous — it means learning how to manage those feelings and continue anyway.Confidence Takes TimeBecoming a confident speaker is a gradual process.Some children may enjoy performing immediately, while others may need more time and encouragement before they feel comfortable speaking in front of a group.What matters most is giving them regular opportunities to practise, supporting their progress and allowing them to develop at their own pace.With patience, encouragement and experience, your child can learn to communicate with greater confidence and express their ideas more effectively — skills that can benefit them throughout school and well into adulthood.This article was brought to you by The Global Citizen Education Group.
Tips and Tricks to Develop Excellence in Creative Writing
Creative writing gives children the freedom to express their thoughts, ideas and imagination through words. Beyond improving language skills, writing stories, poems and other creative pieces can help children develop creativity, communication, critical thinking and confidence.While some children naturally enjoy writing, others may struggle to turn their ideas into words or feel unsure about where to begin. The good news is that creative writing is a skill that can be developed with practice, encouragement and the right environment.Parents can play an important role by making writing enjoyable, providing inspiration and giving children plenty of opportunities to experiment with words and ideas.SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD'S INTEREST IN WRITINGGood writing begins with curiosity and imagination.One of the easiest ways to encourage your child to write is to make writing materials readily available at home. Colourful notebooks, journals, pens, pencils and even digital writing tools can make the experience more inviting.Encourage your child to keep a personal journal where they can record interesting things they see, hear or experience. They might write about a memorable day, describe someone they met, record an interesting conversation or even invent a story inspired by something they noticed.The aim does not always have to be producing a polished piece of writing. Simply developing the habit of putting ideas into words is valuable.Use Pictures to Spark Their ImaginationSometimes the hardest part of writing is knowing where to start.Images can be excellent writing prompts because they encourage children to imagine what might be happening beyond what they can see.Try showing your child an interesting photograph or illustration and asking questions such as:What do you think is happening in this picture? Who are the people or characters? What happened just before this moment? What might happen next? How do you think the character is feeling? If you could enter this picture, what would you see, hear or smell? You could create a collection of interesting images together using a scrapbook or digital inspiration board. Your child can then choose an image whenever they need inspiration for a new story, poem or journal entry.DEVELOPING STRONGER WRITING SKILLS1. Encourage Your Child to Read WidelyOne of the best foundations for becoming a stronger writer is reading.Reading exposes children to new vocabulary, sentence structures, characters, ideas and different ways of telling a story.Encourage your child to explore a variety of genres rather than limiting them to one type of book. Mystery, fantasy, adventure, humour, science fiction, poetry, comics and graphic novels can all provide inspiration.The more styles of writing children encounter, the more possibilities they discover for their own writing.2. Let Them Experiment With Different Forms of WritingCreative writing does not have to mean writing a long composition.Children can experiment with:short stories, poems, comics, song lyrics, diary entries, riddles, jokes, scripts, letters, or imaginary news reports. Trying different formats helps children discover what they enjoy and allows them to develop their own writing style and voice.3. Help Them Bring Their Writing to LifeGood creative writing helps readers imagine what is happening.Encourage your child to move beyond simply describing events and think about how they can make a scene more vivid.For example, instead of writing:“The storm was scary.”they might describe what the character experiences:“Thunder shook the windows as flashes of lightning lit up the dark room.”As children become more confident, introduce literary techniques such as similes, metaphors, imagery, personification and descriptive language.These tools can help young writers create stronger images, interesting characters and more engaging stories.4. Ask Questions to Develop Their IdeasWhen your child tells you an idea for a story, resist the temptation to immediately correct or rewrite it.Instead, help them expand the idea by asking questions.If they say, “I want to write about a boy who finds a mysterious box,” you could ask:Where did he find it? What does the box look like? Why is he afraid to open it? What is inside? Who else knows about it? What happens when he finally opens it? Questions encourage children to think more deeply and develop their own ideas rather than relying on an adult to create the story for them.5. Separate Creativity From CorrectionGrammar and spelling are important, but correcting every mistake while a child is developing a story can interrupt the creative process.When your child is writing a first draft, encourage them to focus on getting their ideas onto the page.Editing can come later.Once the story is complete, you can help them review it for spelling, grammar, sentence structure and clarity. This helps children understand that writing is a process: imagine, write, review and improve.6. Make Writing Part of Everyday LifeWriting does not always need to feel like homework.Look for simple opportunities to include it in everyday activities. Your child could write a birthday card, create a shopping list, invent a menu for an imaginary restaurant, write instructions for a game or describe a family outing.When children see writing as something useful and enjoyable rather than simply another school assignment, they may become more willing to practise.ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY, NOT PERFECTIONThere is no single "correct" way to be creative.Give your child room to experiment, make mistakes and develop ideas that may sometimes be unusual or unexpected. Avoid comparing their writing with that of other children and instead acknowledge their progress.You might praise an interesting character they created, a descriptive sentence they used or an imaginative idea that surprised you.Confidence grows when children feel that their ideas are worth sharing.EVERY CHILD HAS A STORY TO TELLCreative writing takes time and practice to develop. By providing children with books, inspiration, opportunities to write and plenty of encouragement, parents can help make creativity a natural part of everyday life.Most importantly, allow your child to enjoy the process.Creative writing is not only about producing better compositions. It gives children a powerful way to explore their imagination, organise their thoughts and express how they see the world.Sometimes, the stories children create can even give parents a fascinating glimpse into what is happening inside their minds.This article was brought to you by The Global Citizen Education Group.