EY ES NEWS

SWA Celebrates International Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is a special occasion that is celebrated in various parts of the world to express respect, honour, and love towards mothers. This year, SWA students made sure to demonstrate to their moms how much they appreciate their sacrifices and dedication to raise their children well. 

The EY ES students, with the help of their teachers, thoughtfully created cute crafts and greeting cards that screamed “I love you, mom!”. 

Mothers and grandmothers also spent their Saturday morning bonding with the little ones over a sandwich on May 13th, 2023. It was a simple yet an enjoyable cooking activity that both parents and children can do at home. 

Food is a love language that everyone understands. It does not only fill one’s stomach but is a generous expression of care and affection which draws mothers and children closer to one another.

Thank you to all who came to celebrate Mother’s Day in SWA!

Infant Mathematics
Written by Ms. Ruby

​​Over the course of this term, infants were introduced to the concept of colours through a variety of sensory activities and interactive experiences. These activities were designed to engage their senses, stimulate their cognitive development, and provide opportunities for hands-on learning. Through activities such as finger painting, exploring coloured objects, and looking at colourful pictures and books, the infants were able to see the different shades and hues. Additionally, various action songs and rhymes about colours were introduced, helping to reinforce their understanding of the concepts.

As infants mix and explore different colours, they may also begin to learn about cause and effect, as they observe how different colours combine to create new ones. They may also develop their fine motor skills as they manipulate paint or coloured objects, and their hand-eye coordination as they mix and match colours.

In addition to the benefits of learning and skill development, these activities can also be a source of joy and entertainment for infants. They can enjoy the sensory experiences of exploring and mixing colours, and the feeling of accomplishment when they create something new and beautiful. Overall, mixing and exploring different colours can be a valuable and enjoyable learning experience for infants, providing them with a foundation for continued learning and growth.

Nursery Understanding the World

Written by Ms. Ann

The sound of a shiny blue bike echoes through the air as it goes ring-ring-ring. Meanwhile, a small white plane zooms past with a high-pitched neeeeeeee-oww sound.

During class, the Nursery children were able to explore different types of land transportation vehicles through various activities that helped them grasp the concepts. They were engaged in listening to read-aloud stories, with "Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site" and “The Little Blue Truck” being the favourites. The children were fascinated by the digging and rumbling sounds made by the construction vehicles in the story.

One memorable learning experience was "Bike Wash Day" where the children worked together to scrub off the dust and rinse the bikes with water. This activity not only helped the children bond with their classmates but also provided them with a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, the children learnt about road signs and safety, which enabled them to understand the signs they see while travelling. The children also engaged in crafting activities related to transportation vehicles.

Pre-K Indonesian Language
Written by Ms. Mila

"Susan, Susan, Kalau gede mau jadi apa?" - Susan & Ria Enes.

This was a lyric from a popular children's song in the 90s that asked children what they wanted to be when they grew up. The song was fun and helped children think about their future aspirations. 

During this term, the Pre-K children are learning about different occupations. They are eager to share that they want to become a police officer, a firefighter, a teacher, a chef, and more. We discuss and practise using some words related to the topic in the Indonesian language. This week's topic is chef, so the Pre-K children are learning about what a chef does, where they work, and the tools they use. To make the learning more engaging, we decided to make pizza! The children helped to cut the ingredients, paint the paper plates, and paste the ingredients onto the plates to create their own unique pizza. This activity allows the children to develop their imagination and creativity as they explore the role of a chef.

Kindergarten 1 Mathematics
Written by Ms. Klara

Every child is a Mathematician. 

In Mathematics, the Kindergarten 1 students explored the two essential maths operations. They first learnt the vocabulary of addition as putting together and that of subtraction as taking away. This has laid a foundation for understanding the inverse relationship of these two operations. They represented addition and subtraction situations using drawings, objects, the part-part-whole diagram, and a ten frame. 

Fingers are also wonderful manipulative materials. They’re fun, and they’re always at hand! But the real point of any manipulative material is not to get the answers; it is to create ideas and images in the mind that allow the child to get those answers without the manipulative material.

It takes time to fully understand number operations and number sense, and students step up to this skill at different times. Continuous hands-on or addition and subtraction games can help them further improve this skill.

Kindergarten 2 Science
Written by Ms. Lorely

We have come to the final s t r e t c h of having fun learning Science in K2.  As these kindies delved into the physical world of motion, they discovered the dynamics of the two forces - push and pull.  The students were able to determine whether the object was  moving closer or away depending on the force exerted.  What better way to concretise their understanding than identifying common activities they do in school and at home with their families.  Integrating what they have learned in their Science class into their termly project is another way to make meaningful connections with other disciplines - and this right here is reinforcement learning! 

They truly have used a good amount of energy to unravel ideas in order to understand the world around them in a manner that was spelled, F-U-N!

Grade 1 Music

Written by Ms. Nathania

According to new research written in Greater Good Magazine on June 28, 2018, it is believed that music helps synchronise our bodies and our brains. Still, according to the same article written by Jill Suttie, Music performance resulted in greater positive emotions, suggesting one pathway through which people feel closer to one another when playing music together.  Grade 1 students are exploring more singing and playing percussion instruments as a team. There is definitely more fun in singing and playing music together with friends. Playing percussion instruments together helps the students learn to be effective group members, cooperate with each other, and create artistic music together. Different musical instruments bring different sounds and variations that the students can explore and appreciate. This opportunity will help the students appreciate differences in the community, among the many other essential benefits of playing music together.

Grade 2 Mathematics
Written by Mr. Christian

Project-based learning (PBL) is a fun and exciting way to learn! 

It encourages creativity. Instead of just memorising facts and figures, students get to use their imaginations to create outputs based on the class topics. By working on projects that are open-ended and require creative thinking, they learn to think outside the box and come up with their own ideas.

It also teaches students how to work together as a team. When they work on a project, they get to collaborate with their friends, share ideas, and work towards a common goal. This not only helps them to work better together, but it also teaches them how to communicate effectively, solve problems, and appreciate their friends' different skills and talents.

In addition to being fun and exciting, research has shown that students who engage in PBL tend to do better in school and remember more of what they learn than students in traditional classrooms.

One great example of a PBL in action is our termly project. Students work together to research, apply topics learned in class, and design outputs. This project allows them to use their creativity and critical thinking skills while also learning important communication and teamwork skills. The grade 2 students did several projects in Maths class such as a comic strip applying the lesson to a 12 hour clock, their own clock made from plastic plates, and a short survey in class that they used to make picture graphs. Also, in collaboration with Science, they are currently working on their electric quiz board.

So let's get creative, work together, and have fun learning!

Grade 3 Chinese Language
Written by Chinese Team

Foundation:

       制作彩虹转盘是一项有趣且有益的活动，通过这样一个简单的彩虹转盘，学生们可以展示自己的成就，增强他们的自信心和自尊心，并激励他们继续努力学习。

       此外，制作彩虹转盘也可以帮助学生们发展他们的创造力和想象力，让他们体验到从构思到实现的全过程，这是一项非常有益的活动。

Making a rainbow spin wheel is a fun and beneficial activity. Through such a simple rainbow spin-wheel, students can showcase their achievements, enhance their confidence and self-esteem, and be motivated to continue learning. Additionally, making a rainbow spin wheel can also help students develop their creativity and imagination, allowing them to experience the entire process from conception to implementation. This is a very beneficial activity.

High:

印度尼西亚拥有丰富的民族和文化多样性。三年级的孩子们通过探究印尼的传统服饰，更好地了解和感受了蕴含其中的、历久以来的传统文化。

Indonesia has rich ethnic and cultural diversity. By exploring Indonesian traditional clothes and accessories, Grade 3 students have gained a better understanding and experience of the contents of the long-standing tradition of the culture.

Grade 4 Physical Education
Written by Mr. Dominic

Physical activity plays a crucial role in the healthy development of children, and exercises like push-ups and sit-ups offer a multitude of benefits. These two classic exercises are simple yet effective in building strength, endurance, and overall fitness. Here, we explore the numerous advantages that push-ups and sit-ups bring to kids' physical well-being.

Strength Building: Push-ups and sit-ups are fantastic exercises for building upper body and core strength. Push-ups primarily target the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core muscles, while sit-ups focus on the abdominal muscles. Regular practice of these exercises helps develop muscular strength and endurance, enabling kids to perform daily activities with ease and reducing the risk of muscle-related injuries.

Bone Health and Posture: Engaging in push-ups and sit-ups contributes to improved bone health in children. These exercises put stress on the bones, which stimulates bone growth and increases bone density. Strong bones are crucial for preventing conditions like osteoporosis later in life. Additionally, push-ups and sit-ups promote good posture by strengthening the muscles that support the spine, helping children maintain proper alignment and reducing the risk of back problems.

In conclusion, push-ups and sit-ups are excellent exercises for children as they offer a wide range of physical and mental benefits. From strength building to improved bone health, flexibility, core stability, and enhanced mental well-being, these exercises provide a holistic approach to physical fitness. Encouraging kids to engage in regular push-ups and sit-ups not only promotes a healthy lifestyle but also instills valuable habits of exercise and self-care from an early age.

Grade 5 Arts
Written by Mr. Ezard

As a part of the topic in term 4, basic sculpture, the Grade 5 students create a 3D art. They created a city using a variety of boxes and other recycled materials such as plastic bottles, potato chip cans, and popsicle sticks. They worked in a group and each member needed to create a building. They started with a discussion and continued by planning the layout and contents of the city. They learned about composition by arranging the building blocks, and they also needed to consider colour contrast to make sure that each building can be seen clearly among the others. The students really enjoyed the activities, even some of them brought their old toy cars to decorate the city.