Confident, Creative Children with Character!

Dad can cook, so can kids!

2011-06-08T06:35:00.000-07:00

Our very supportive parent, Frederick(Kayla's daddy) very kindly took time off his busy schedule to lead our Star Learners children in a cookery class.

Daddy Frederick patiently went through the ingredients list and demonstrated each step before our kids took over. They cut out star shapes from slices of watermelon and picked the grapes off the bunch before carefully poking through the fruits with the satay stick. Our kids made two varieties of kebab, a fruit and a finger food one.

Get ready to drool as you scroll!

Confidence through Aikido!!

2011-04-12T05:47:00.000-07:00

In line with our tagline of "Building confident, creative children with character" is the implementation of Aikido to our children at Star Learners across all our centres.

So what happens during an Aikido lesson? As in all physical activities, the children will follow the instructors to do a round of stretching before getting into action. As Aikido is a non-aggressive martial-art form, the children are taught some stance as well as self-defence skills and the underlying message of self-control.

Check out our children in action!!

Cookery Maths Anyone??

2011-04-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

One very effective way which we advocate when it comes to learning Mathematics has to be through cooking!

Why so you may ask. Well, what you did not know is that the action of measuring the ingredients and cutting, even how long to cook before serving is a skill set! Measuring teaches them importance of accuracy, cutting teaches them the concept of proportion; big and small and time is learnt when cooking the food itself.

Do get your children involved the next time you whip a meal as it not only encourages bonding but also helps in your child's academic pursuit!

Terrapins, turtles, tortoises - They are all our friends!

2011-04-06T07:42:00.000-07:00

A visit to the "Live Turtle and Tortoise Museum" at the Chinese Garden was an eye-opening experience for both the children and our teachers!

We came face-to-face with all the different species of the hard-shelled animal, from the terrapins to the turtles to the tortoises. The kind museum owner even went on to explain to our confident, creative children with character the respective species' behaviour, diet and also how to tell them apart.

Our team left the museum with a newly accquired title; "Experts"!

Numeracy Magic!!

2011-04-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

Are the kids beading? Or are they doing craft works?

Well, they are actually learning Mathematics; the hands-on way! We believe in making lessons come alive as that beat rote learning anytime and thus decided to use colourful cubes to impart mathematical concepts of addition and subtraction.

The result? Confident children who could work out answer almost quicker than the calculator! Wow!!

Feast with Friends

2011-01-30T02:16:00.000-08:00

"Tong Tong Tong Chang," Chinese New Year is coming!

Our children at Star Learners gathered for a pre-Chinese New Year celebration. In order to truly explain the real significance of celebrating Chinese New Year, we prepared a pomelo for the children to "conquer", for them to work hand-in-hand to peel off the skin and enjoy the sweet fruit!

The kids also had their hands at tossing Yu Sheng, the chinese salad. We went through the customs of reciting auspicious phrases before the kids tossed to a prosperous new year filled with health and loads of knowledge!

Moments of Imagination and Nostalgia...

2011-01-27T09:19:00.000-08:00

What does a child love most in life other than their doting parents? It has got to be toys and it is this love that prompted us to take our Star Learners children from Branksome out on our first field trip of the new year to the Mint museum of toys.

Upon reaching, the kids were greatly impressed by the five-storey high building; sparking off questions like "Are there life-sized dinosaurs in there?"

Well, life-sized dinosaurs there were none but the children were still amazed to see some three thousand collectibles including Astro Boy, Popeye and vintage Mickey Mouse toys. The children observed the toys and made comparisons between what they are playing now versus what we parents and teachers or even their grannies and grandads used to play. They noticed the difference in the materials used but also realised that the signature colours remain. Our Star Learners children also preferred the friendlier-looking Mickey Mouse to the then seventy years "younger" version.

It was such a joy seeing the children go goo-goo ga-ga over toys we used to play and we all suddenly felt rejuvenated all over again!

We are all "children" after all! :)

Teamwork = CNY Ready!

2011-01-25T04:55:00.000-08:00

What kind of decorations do you normally see during Chinese New Year? We bet it must be those mass-produced scrolls and dangles!

Now, remember who we have at Star Learners? Bingo! Confident, creative children with character and creative we shall go! Our K1 and K2 Star Learners children worked hand-in-hand and "head-in-head" together to create a one of a kind decor for the school. They made lanterns and an impressive "board" with auspicious greetings and fishes signifying abundance and prosperity which we have proudly displayed and which has now "stolen" all the limelight!

So parents, next time you need decorations of any sorts, remember you have a child who is capable of creating that exclusive piece you have been looking for and all it takes is just a little of your time and.... Viola - A priceless piece of art!

Star Learners Show Stopper!

2011-01-24T05:39:00.000-08:00

Everywhere we go...
People want to know...
Who we are...
Where we come from...
So we tell them...
We are from Star Learners
Confident, creative children with character!

With the Chinese New Year round the corner, we decided to take our Star Learners children to soak in the festivities at Chinatown!

So off our Star Learners children went. We visited Chinatown Heritage Centre where our children had a walk down memory lane, seeing and touching numerous items which are now antiques! They also "play pretend" using the old school furnitures to truly understand Singapore back in the olden times.

The best part was that our children actually outshone the iconic Chinatown and became the stars; with tourists stopping just to catch a glimpse of our "Stars"!

We would like to thank our parent volunteers who helped made this trip such a success!

Observation Day!

2011-01-24T05:02:00.001-08:00

Our kids recently engaged in a child-led lesson where they were given the choice to tell us what they would like to do for the day and before we knew it, all of us ended up at the woods near our Pasir Ris centre for an "Observation Day"!

The kids were allowed to roam around the woods to look for and take photographs of whatever interests them. After the adventure trail, we had the photographs developed and had a discussion on the things they saw including dried leaves and little creepy crawlies.

In order to reinforce what was taught, we also got our children to draw what they saw and learnt!

One word to describe the experience?

FUN!

A Great Confidence and Morale Booster!

2011-01-18T06:29:00.000-08:00

How often do you get a pat on your shoulders for a job well done?

Well, Star Learners @ Sembawang just did! One of our student's mummy wrote in to us to compliment us for an enriching excursion to Chinatown where our confident, creative children with character of Star Learners became the centre of attraction. Tourists halted just to catch a glimpse of our children! Our Star Learners children were indeed "Stars" of Singapore!

We really appreciate the gesture and will continue to strive and put forth our utmost best to bring out the stars in each child entrusted in our care. Thank you parents for your overwhelming support! :)

A Beautiful End to an Exciting Journey!

2011-01-18T05:20:00.000-08:00

As we inch towards the end of January 2011, we simply cannot help but miss our K2 graduates of Star Learners @ Boscombe.

A glimpse through the year end concert photographs and DVD brought back such wonderful memorable moments spent with our lovely Star Learners children that we just had to flaunt them to the world!

The concerted efforts put in by everybody(parents included!) brought our concert to a high as our students performed dance items and skits such as Alladin. They were so well-prepared that they could easily pass off as professionals!

Check out the photographs and see how confident they were; practically beaming with pride!

Join us as we reminicse....

Big Family Celebration!

2011-01-10T05:44:00.000-08:00

Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry Christmas!

Any celebration at Star Learners Sembawang, our biggest centre is always a mega affair just going by the sheer number of excited children and spontaneous teachers.

Now, how would you then think Christmas is celebrated? Nothing short of burstling!

Our lovely Star Learners children came all prepared for the day's festivities. Some girls were clad as Santarinas while the boys, Santa Claus! The teachers invited aspiring singers to join them on stage to sing and dance to Christmas songs and even came up with their very own dance moves to complement the songs!

The highlight and favorite among children for Christmas has got to be the gift-exchange. Every child was given an opportunity to do a lucky dip for their present. So what did your child receive?

Fun Under the Sea!

2011-01-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

Star Learners @ Simei year-end concert cum K2 graduation is an important annual affair where everybody including teachers, children and even parents get all busy over. Well, the concert was, afterall, an opportunity for parents to witness the growth of their children; from shy little kids on their first day of school to the now confident Star Learners children!

The theme for this year is "Fun Under The Sea" and under the sea we went in search of talented dancers, singers and even gymnasts! Check out the pictures below. If you are already impressed, just be reminded that this is just the rehearsal. We are sure you will be touched by the spectacular display our Star Learners children spent months preparing for!

Egg Salad Bonanza!

2011-01-04T05:17:00.000-08:00

Eggs is one of the most versatile ingredient ever and the activities we can plan around eggs are simply countless!

In a bid to encourage hands-on learning among our Star Learners children, we decided to teach them how to make egg salad!

Now we really mean hands-on! From boiling the eggs to peeling the egg shells(by the way, that's another innovative way to improve fine-motor skills!), our Star Learners children were totally in charge. There was also opportunity to put our character programme into practice as the children worked hand-in-hand to mash the eggs and mix it all up. The end result? Golden Eggs so delectable, two was just not enough!

All Geared Up to Wow!

2010-12-29T06:01:00.000-08:00

Months of preparation for the year-end concert was finally coming to a conclusion. Just before the "big" day, our Star Learners children had a full dress rehearsal in the centre. The children from the respective levels danced to the beat of different song genres , from Chinese folk songs to pop songs including "Mambo Number 5" and the ever popular "Nobody". Seeing the children twisting and turning in their fanciful costume was definitely a treat to the eye. We are so sure our parents will be very impressed by the actual performance so till then! Enjoy!

Dough Masters!

2010-12-29T05:41:00.000-08:00

Fine-motor skill development is very important in children as this will determine their hand-writing ability and one of the best way to improve this essential skill is through dough-modelling.

Our Star Learners children at Boscombe recently had a dough-modelling session. It was a day where they were encouraged to let their imagination run wild they so did! Just a look at their creations and you will know what I mean. This is no doubt killing two birds with one stone; fine-motor skills development + creativity all-in-one!

Joy + Tears for our graduates!

2010-12-28T04:58:00.000-08:00

On the 17th of December, we held our year-end concert for our graduating K2 Star Learners. Apart from the singing and dancing, we included a surprise segment where we showcased a book which was conceptualised, illustrated and written entirely by our K2 cohort in the middle of the year. The book is a compilation of our Star Learners children's thoughts, ideas and creativity. They discussed and came up with the story line, the characters and worked together to complete the story. Thereafter, they did the illustrations which added life to the story.

Such is the kind of foundation we have built in our Star Learners children and we sincerely hope that the children will continue writing great stories. In addition, kudos to all children and parents who have made the concert a tremendous success! We will miss our lovely K2 graduates!

Star Learners - Confident Leap

2010-11-30T06:25:00.001-08:00

We are so proud of Keira who did a Tuck Swing and cleared the "obstacle" during her Gymnastics session at our Sembawang centre that we just have to feature her in our latest ad creative in Young Parents December issue!

Plant Detectives on the Prowl!

2010-11-30T05:43:00.000-08:00

Our children at Star Learners were "let loose" in a bid to learn more about plants, the experiential way!

As part of our theme for the month of October, we specially planned lessons outdoors all around the neighbourhood of Bukit Batok to look for interesting plants so our Star Learners children can see, smell, touch and even taste them!

We must say Bukit Batok is really quiite a "green" estate as we found many variety of plants, from chilli to aloe vera and even pomegranate! Now this is what we call learning at it best!

Halloween Horror

2010-11-28T05:11:00.000-08:00

The "gate of hell" creaked open at Star Learners Branksome on Halloween. The party started with a delicious buffet spread of food served to our parents and teachers by our very polite Star Learners children.

After the dinner, it was time to rock the house! All our children took part in the treasure hunt where we spotted pirates, fairies and even mummies hunting enthusiastically for the goodie-bags!

The next game was carefully planned to encourage family bonding. We invited daddies to volunteer themselves to be dressed up by our children. Three minutes was all it took our creative Star Learners children to transform the daddies into Eco warriors using recycled materials! Our daddies gamely paraded themselves with their children in tow down the "runway".

The party ended on a high note with a trick or treat for all our children. Two parent volunteers, dressed as a devil and a witch went around distributing yummy treats. Such was Star Learners' night of "horrifying" fun!

Cooperation the way to go!

2010-11-28T03:31:00.001-08:00

As part of our Stanley Starfish Character Development Programme, our K1 and K2 Star Learners children were taught the importance of "Cooperation".

The definition "Cooperation is joining happily with others to work as a team" was explained to the children. We also explained to them that cooperating with other people also helps improve their communication skills as well as the acceptance of others.

Story-sharing, playing of "Cooperation" games and dancing the Waltz helped us get the message across more effectively. Through all the activities, our children understood that "no man is an island" and that the good of a group is more important than that of oneself. Equipped with this good character trait, our children will be able to succeed in school and in life!

Off we go to Universal Studios!

2010-11-28T02:04:00.000-08:00

Have you been to Universal Studios Singapore? If your answer is no, we suggest you start planning a trip there soon!

All thanks to the kind sponsorship from one of our student's parents, we had the opportunity to explore Universal Studios.

The bus journey there was an "explosive" one as the students bombarded the teachers with questions like "Will we see Shrek", "Is the roller coaster ride very scary"? Well, what better way than for the children to find out the answers themselves!

We had a go at the "Accelerator", watched Shrek in 4D, went on our first adventure merry-go-round ride, had a group photograph taken with the characters of the movie "Magadascar" and had lunch at the "Goldilocks". The experience, as described by our students? AWESOME!!

Celebration with a Difference!

2010-11-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

Children's Day is a day all of us at Star Learners look forward to; an additional opportunity for us to celebrate childhood with our Confident, Creative children with Character!

We added a twist to our celebration this year by bringing our children out to Sembawang Park for a day of outdoor fun! And when we say a twist, we really meant it with a clown on "ambush", waiting to surprise and entertain our children on the special day!

Imagine playing "catching" with the sporting clown around the park, bubble-play, getting their favourite balloon sculptures and also yummy finger-food like chicken nuggets, french fries and hotdogs!

I'm turning green, with envy no less!

Star Learners Kids Carnival!

2010-10-26T06:14:00.000-07:00

Celebration for our Star Learners children at Sembawang was an extensive array of activities, both indoors and outdoors!

The children had a bubbly time playing with, well bubbles! They also turned little doodle champs, working together to create a treasured artwork, underwent marksman training and sand-play and tried their hands at our self-made carnival booth.

We simply loved it when the children danced and swayed to the music; revealing their well-developed gross motor skills!

To further excite the children and really make the day one to remember, we specially arranged to have a bouncy castle in our premise! Not only did the children had a "bouncy" time, we teachers and staff did just as much, if not more!

The final finale was "water bombs war"! Even our principal, Nancy was not spared in the battle with everyone drenched from top to toe!

Check out the excitement!

Star Learners - Children of Character!

2010-10-25T06:50:00.000-07:00

We wanted to showcase our children displaying good character traits in the latest ad creative in November issue of Young Parents. Qin Yi of our Branksome centre was a model of self-control as she performed a "Nikkyo" during her Aikido lesson on her classmate.

A Lesson on Fruits

2010-10-23T08:15:00.000-07:00

In line with the theme on fruits, our teachers and staff at Star Learners Simei went all out to "collect" loads of variety of fruits to show our children. In order to enhance the experience further, a session to prepare a Mexican snack - Guacomole using avocado was also incorporated so the children could associate the fruit to its taste. With this, not only do the children know what an avocado is, they also know how it feels and taste!

Other more common fruits like watermelon and oranges were also introduced to the children along with the fruits' nutritional benefit as this was definitely the ultimate chance for us to instill healthy eating habits and make consuming fruits a part of our children's daily diet!

We are sure the lesson left a big impact on our children as we now often hear our Star Learners children requesting for a second, if not third serving of fruits! Now, this is healthy living!

My Lantern, My Mid-Autumn Festival

2010-10-23T08:08:00.000-07:00

Mid-Autumn festival is one of the most favored occasion among children as it means a chance for them to parade around with their lanterns in a design of their choice!

To us at Star Learners, we see Mid-Autumn festival as an opportunity for the children to get all creative and hand-make their very own lanterns. After the children had completed their proud creations, the teachers explained to them the origins of Mid-Autumn festival, the story of "Chang Er" and the K2 children even did a show and tell with their self-designed lanterns.

What better way to enhance the learning experience but to treat the children to a feast of mooncakes and pomelos?

Now, this is what we mean by a "delectable" experience!

Garden Adventure!

2010-10-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

"We're going on a trip. We're going on a trip! We're going to Jacob Ballas, we're going on a trip"!

Can you imagine the excitement as our Star Learners children sang the above while on their way to Jacob Ballas Children's Garden?

Well, they were so eager that upon reaching, were jumping in great anticipation, "forcing" the teachers to immediately guide the children around the garden to satisfy their hunger for knowledge. One of the biggest draw has to be the interactive photosynthesis machine that clearly demonstrated the process; much to the delight of the children and teachers alike! The children were so awed by the wonders of nature that one student exclaimed, "I want to grow up to be a Scientist"!

After a tiring yet fruitful tour of the garden which was home to many exotic plants, it was time to let the inspirations flow. Our Star Learners children then started drawing, as part of visual expression. We were so impressed with some of their creations and are sure the pieces easily deserve a spot in your home!

Mid Autumn Extravaganza

2010-10-23T06:46:00.000-07:00

Thanks heaps to Susanna Tan, our parent volunteer and mother to Leanna Pang of N2 for contributing this write-up.

Celebrating Mid-Autumn festival at Star Learners @ Branksome.

Following days of pouring rain, the skies finally cleared the way for a wonderfully cool evening; perfect for a gathering. Indeed, the grounds at the centre was transformed into a mini fairyland with colourful paper lanterns and candle light, as the staff, children and families gathered to celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival.

Following a scrumptious dinner, with food and drinks generously provided by the parents, the teachers led a procession of excited children with their delightful lanterns around the compound. The large array of lanterns was a visual treat. The event was a great opportunity for the parents to mingle and get to know each other. The first gathering at the new premise was certainly a great success.

Looking forward to more in the near future!

Fruits Paradise

2010-10-03T05:52:00.000-07:00

Star Learners @ Sembawang was transformed into a fruits haven, in line with the theme of the month.

Our children were introduced to a wide array of fruits, from the common oranges and apples to the not so common dragon fruits and pomelos! Loads of learning opportunities were created for the children; some turned fruits farmers, harvesting mangoes for a day while others became fruit salad chefs.

What's most rewarding has to be the opportunity to influence the children to ensure fruits form a part of their diet. They had a go at all types of fruits, from grapes to bananas to even durians.

A fruity experience at Star Learners Fruits Paradise!

Creative Star Learners!

2010-09-27T09:34:00.001-07:00

Our ad creative in the October issue of Young Parents showcased a child bursting with imagination, choosing to use his hands over paintbrushes to colour his queen ant. A perfect representation of creative juices at work!

Wow, Wild, Wet!

2010-09-27T07:17:00.000-07:00

National Day celebration is often deemed as a solemn ceremony. However, Star Learners @ Branksome gave it a twist!

Children dressed in red and white were "treated" to a sharing session on the history of Singapore. Next up was the singing of the national anthem and other national day songs before everyone got all serious taking the pledge.

Finally, it was time for celebration; wow, wild and wet style! Our Star Learners children delighted in games such as "Treasure hunt", "Passing on the rubber bands", "Three-legged relay and "Passing on the water-bag". How better to end off the excitement but with "Water-bomb battle"?

What a way to remember Singapore's birthday; the "drenched" way!

Practical lessons through child's play!

2010-09-23T05:59:00.000-07:00

Many things in life are better learnt through experiences. This is especially so when it comes to teaching young children.

Star Learners @ Pasir Ris decided to bring the children out to Pasir Ris beach for a day of "Sandcastle Fun"! It was a day where our children learnt loads of stuff. From sensorial; feeling the texture of sand smooth and coarse to gross-motor; scooping, pouring and building sandcastles!

The element of character building was also weaved in when it was time to return to the centre. Our Star Learners children worked hand in hand to pack up all their tools and ensured they left the beach without leaving anything behind. That's what we call responsible and cooperative play!

Playing it Right!

2010-09-22T05:55:00.000-07:00

Kids love the great outdoors and we cannot agree more that they learn best through play!

So out went our Star Learners children! They had a "funtastic" time on the slide, the swing and the playhouse. Not only did they develop motor-skills, it was also a precious chance for them to hone their social skills as turn-taking came into play. We also saw the children displaying distinct character traits of our Stanley Starfish programme; they were respectful towards their peers and excercised exceptional self-control.

After a vigorous "workout", the children went through a thorough hand-washing regime to keep all germs at bay!

The end result? Healthy and happy Star Learners children!

Towards a more forgiving world!

2010-09-21T07:46:00.000-07:00

Forgiveness was the focus of our Stanley Starfish Character Programme for the month of August.

We started off teaching our Star Learners children the definition: "Forgiveness is being willingly kind to others who have hurt us". With the aim to instill a greathearted character in our children, we taught them to adopt a different perspective towards viewing situations so that they can develop a generous spirit and be able to truly forgive from their hearts.

Stories were shared and a rap was taught. Next up was a rap contest to reinforce the teachings and the children had such an amusing time competing against each other!

We believe by learning to forgive, children will be better able to tell right from wrong and make correct decisions and be happier. Three cheers to our magnanimous Star Learners children!

Star Learners Olympics!

2010-09-21T06:29:00.000-07:00

Singapore had the honour of hosting the inaugural Youth Olympics Games. Inspired by the spirit of the games, Star Learners @ Bukit Batok also held their "maiden" Sports Day!

The children competed against each other in several friendly matches, many of which were initiated by the children themselves! Right after the "contention", our Star Learners children had the honour of witnessing the YOG torch bearer passing by the Bukit Batok precinct. In fact, our children were cheering and giving their utmost support to the torch bearer alongside the MP, Mr Ang Mong Seng who gamely posed for a group photograph with our Star Learners children and teachers; the perfect keepsake to mark the eventful day!

Confident Star Learners!

2010-08-25T08:24:00.000-07:00

Star Learners is ever focussed on the children entrusted in our care. This is exemplified through an ad featured in Young Parents September issue. Our ad is centred on the child in full concentration dribbling with a soccer ball. It is action oriented and encapsulates what being confident in oneself is all about.

More ad creatives to be revealed so keep your eyes peeled!

All for One, One for All

2010-08-24T05:35:00.000-07:00

At Star Learners, we cherish every child and is constantly looking for ways to make everyday a more enjoyable and enriching one. That said, we never miss any chance to party with our Star Learners!

August saw Singapore celebrating its 45th National Day and it saw us at Star Learners celebrating yet another meaningful day spent in school. We had really sweet parents who catered food for our children and what was most touching was how a parent went the extra mile to bake cupcakes decorated with the words "Happy Birthday Singapore" to mark the occasion.

We would like to take the opportunity to thank all parents for entrusting your little bundles of joy wth us and we look forward to a fulfilling partnership with you in building "Confident, Creative Children with Character!"

Stand Up for Singapore!

2010-08-23T05:33:00.000-07:00

The month of August is a joyous one for Singapore as we celebrate 45 years of independence! And what is a celebration without our confident, creative and charismatic Star Learners?

Many of our children at Boscombe came clad in the most patriotic of colours; red and white, all ready to party their way past Singapore's birthday. Stories on how Singapore gained independence as well as the meaning of the Singapore flag were shared.

Next up and the favourite among the children was the sing-along sessions. Imagine how overwhelming the atmosphere was when the children starting singing to the tune of "Stand Up for Singapore", "We are Singapore" and "Home" all beaming with great pride!

We all indeed a family of proud Singaporeans!

Holistic Development - We mean business!

2010-07-28T06:12:00.000-07:00

Star Learners takes on a holistic approach towards the development of each child as we believe that every child is born with a gift; one which you need to take time to discover and nurture.

With the above in mind, we always plan loads of hands-on activities like cookery and painting to help in the development of our talented Star Learners! The best part is, learning opportunities are aplenty during such structured play times.

Cookery gives us the chance to teach measurements, time and also a chance to practise rote counting the fun way. Painting on the other hand gives children the freedom to really express their ideas, strengthen their hand-eye coordination and build their confidence level because as far as Art is concerned, there is no right or wrong and every piece of work is unique and priceless!

Let's all work together to bring out the best in our Star Learners by giving them loads of opportunities to impress us!

Its a Whale? Its a Shark? No, its a Whaleshark!

2010-07-27T06:13:00.000-07:00

We planned a special lesson for our star Learners at Branksome on 22nd July. It was a presentation by a marine biologist Nobina, who specialises in whale sharks.

Before the start of the presentation, the children were led to imagine they were in the ocean and to share what they saw. Big names like sea cucumbers, clown fish, sea horses and octopuses came to mind naturally as they were already exposed to sea creatures and the amazing ocean as part of our character development program, Stanley Starfish.

All the children were wondering what exactly a whaleshark was (to be honest, adults too were also wondering just as much)! To our amazement, it was actually a shark which got its name by its sheer size which can span 20 meters long; meaning it is the largest fish in the ocean!

What was also really interesting to know was that it was actually possible to tell whalesharks apart because they have spots on their body which are unique to the individual, just like our thumbprints.

A mummy whaleshark gives birth to many babies but only one or two baby survives because the mother does not look after its young(this was when we saw many children sulking because they felt sorry for the baby whalesharks and this also means they do appreciate our care!). It feeds on plankton and all it has to do was to open its mouth and suck in the water together with the plankton just like a vacuum cleaner.

We were also taught to protect whaleshark as they are fast disappearing from earth because they take very long to grow and most does not even have the opportunity to grow! And oh yes, did we mention they are centenarians who can live to a hundred years old.

To increase interactivity between the children and Nobina, we played a spot matching game. We also got the children to pass along an envelope containing the names of different places where whalesharks live around the world.

What a amazing addition to our Star Learners knowledge bank!

Fabulous Friday!

2010-07-16T05:50:00.000-07:00

Art, in the eyes of adults often means carefully drawn and painted concrete figures or pictures.

However, to all the folks at Star Learners, we are not at all bothered about well-defined silhouettes. We see the freedom to express and creativity as key!

With this in mind came the idea of a Fabulous Friday! We gave our Star Learners a wide array of "paints", ranging from melted chocolate, cocoa powder and all you can imagine! The children were free to paint using anything and they really did! Besides hands and feet, they also made great use of their other body parts like their little tummy bulges. The school was turned upside down but we say it is all worthwhile cause we "earned" a priceless masterpiece, with compliments from our Star Learners. Or should we say Star Artists!

A peek into our Star Learners' world!

2010-07-16T05:00:00.001-07:00

Kids often have their own opinions and are usually bursting with ideas.

In line with our tagline of "Building confident, creative children with character", we went on to give our children an opportunity to voice out! See how they surprised us with their answer and
we sure know we are doing a good job but at the same time, how to improve our centre and its services to our Star Learners!

What do you think of coming to school?

Qi Yun: We come to school to learn.

Raeann: Yah, not to day dream. We come to school to learn and be smart.

Steffi: Teachers are kind to us in school.

Danelle: School is fun. We can be smart if we come to school!

Sher Tynn: I can be clever if I come to school.

Steffi: Meet a lot of friends.

Alden: We can play with friends.

Niccole: School is okay.

Steffi: Then we can have gym lessons and go for Speech and Drama classes.

Yulin: We will learn more about everything!

Steffi: Teachers teach a lot of things.

How about friends?

Niccole: Friends are okay too.

Raeann: They are kind and clever!

Melissa: My friends are happy.

Yixin: They are nice.

Sher tynn: They are good.

Steffi: We should have more parties, like Janelle’s party. That was fun!

Fieldtrips? Which were the best?

Danelle: Zoo. Kids world is good. We like the water, swimming and all that.

Kimi: I like Pizza Hut.

Damian: Me too!

Alden: Me too! It’s nice!

Qi Yun: Fish farm! Can catch fish.

Rane: I like Pizza Hut. Can eat pizza!

Raeann: Yah can eat pizza.

What else would you like or want in Branksome?

Steffi: I wish Branksome has bigger toilets!

Danelle: I want a swimming pool!

Sher Tynn: Jacuzzi for shower!

Steffi: A barbeque party?

Wan Ni: More toys.

Kimi: I want a basketball court.

Raeann: No, a football field!

Rane: I want an indoor playground. We cannot go outdoors when its too hot. So during sunny days, we can play indoor!

Danelle: We can have a soccer match if we have a football field.

Yulin: Make Branksome more beautiful. Can paint all the walls blue; like blue sea with fish?

Damian: I want a pond.

Sher Tynn: I want playground for climbing!

Danelle: Can you paint a garden on the wall?

Wan ni: I want to celebrate Christmas with a Christmas tree in Branksome.

Steffi: A puppet corner. Then we can have a puppet show!

Edison: I want a swimming pool!

Qi yun: Outdoor playground will be fun!

Steffi: I also think Branksome should have an art teacher.

Do you like Branksome or Eunos more? Why?

Rane: Branksome because it’s beautiful!

Kimi: Branksome. It is nice.

Rane: But Branksome needs to be cleaner.

Steffi and Danelle: Our classroom is messy.

Steffi and Danelle: Everyone's classroom is messy.

Qi yun: School is fine. I like Branksome.

Damian: Branksome school is so busy. We have got things to do all the time.

Raeann: Branksome is messy but it is fun!

Alden: Old school is better. More fun.

Danelle: Branksome better, bigger outdoors!

Qi yun: Yah. Branksome better. It is new!

Raeann: Got hopscotch!

Rane: Don’t have already. Now got tiles.

Learning through experience!

2010-07-04T06:31:00.000-07:00

It is often a great challenge explaining "disasters" to children especially since they are well looked-after at Star Learners and well-protected at home.

We came upon such an opportunity though, on a recent field trip to Go Go Bambini! Imagine a mini "Katong Flood" which our Star Learners had to overcome in order to board the bus to our destination. We started telling our children what and how different natural disasters affect people around the world and of course, teach our children to appreciate living in Singapore and the importance of resilience and how it can help us achieve what we want in life!

Upon reaching Go Go Bambini, the children faced yet again, a challenging rock wall. Our Star Learners were raring to have a go at it, not at all intimidated!

In recognition of their efforts, they were "rewarded" with a rolling good time at the ball pit and lunch at a private function room!

We say "Way to go"!

We are obedient Star Learners!

2010-06-24T07:35:00.000-07:00

In line with our Stanley Starfish Character Development Programme, we touched on the topic of "Obedience". We explained to our Star Learners what it meant by being obedient; following the instructions given by the one in charge and how bad behaviour can affect people around us. In addition, the children were taught that disobedience can easily become a bad habit even without them realising, thus the importance of putting on their best behaviour at all times.

In order to reinforce the message, we played the game "Who stole the cookies from the cookies pot" to explain that finding excuses to justify bad behaviour can have a disastrous effect as the children will then be unable to tell right from wrong!

The five points of obedience were also shared:

1) Do it now

2) No fuss

3) Happy heart

4) Complete it

5) Say OK and smile

We aim to cultivate children who are obedient not out of fear but because of trust and respect. Our Star Learners are aware that they are responsible for their behaviour, whether good or bad and that it affects their future and are ready to admit and learn from their mistakes!

Cultivating Reading Habits!

2010-06-24T07:06:00.000-07:00

All of us must agree that reading has to be the most valuable habit we can instill in our children. With this mission in mind, we decided to bring our K1 and K2 Star Learners on a trip to the library!

For most of the children, the library was a familiar place where they visit regularly. For others, it was their first time there and they finally knew what a library is.

We started off sharing with the children the rules of no running and no loud talking. Next, we showed them what kind of books were available and how they were sorted. The much-awaited "Free and Easy" time came and the children went all around, in search of their favourite book. One after another, they started looking for seats to sit down and get down to reading.

We are so proud of our Star Learners' literacy skills! Most of them could read independently or with a little help from the teachers.

We would like to request all parents to continue to help cultivate this good habit of reading in our children by exposing them to books and making them easily available. It will be even better if you could set aside ten minutes of your precious time daily for your precious child to read and bond at the same time.

We salute our "Bookworms in the making!"

The beauty of nature

2010-06-16T06:10:00.000-07:00

Our Star Learners at Branksome went on a discovery trip to a biodynamic organic vegetable farm. It was indeed an eye-opening experience as they discovered the hows and whys of nature which got them all interested in life Sciences!

Every child was given opportunities to see, smell and feel the plants for themselves as we believe in the wonders of hands-on learning. They observed and learnt how to appreciate nature as we shared the effects of human activities on our environment as well as conservation tips.

After a rejuvenating walk around the farm, all the children pledged to become "Eco Warriors" and planted their own plant to get themselves started.

We say "Way to go"!

We are self-sufficient!

2010-06-08T03:15:00.000-07:00

Fancy cream butter? Well, look nowhere because our Star Learners have learnt how to make their very own cream butter from whipped cream.

All they had to do was to pour the whipped cream into a plastic bottle(by the way, that's gross-motor skills in practice), cap it up and just shake their way to delicious cream butter.

All of us had a taste of their creation and we must say, we are really impressed!

So remember to give your precious child a chance to showcase the culinary skills he or she has accquired from school the next time you need cream butter. All that is needed is a pack of whipped cream!

I know a fish, inside out!

2010-06-01T03:48:00.000-07:00

Real Experience!

Learning about fishes? Our K2 Star Learners did it the hands-on way. The children were handed a fish and imagine their excitement as the touched and smelt the fish while noting down their observations through illustrations. They also made an amazing discovery; that a fish actually has a tongue! All the children now know how scaly a fish feels and also experience natural fish perfume!

We are so glad the children added extra depth to their knowledge bank!

Star Learners @ Sembawang May Updates

2010-05-25T07:17:00.000-07:00

An unexpected encounter!

Fancy meeting Dr Tony Tan? Well, our Star Learners are a real lucky lot! ?

Who would expect meeting a VIP while at the Jurong Bird Park? Not only did our children learn a lot about birds, they also had an amazing conversation with Dr Tony Tan.

What a purposeful trip!

Star Learners @ Simei May Updates

2010-05-25T05:59:00.000-07:00

All about butterflies!

What better way to teach our Star Learners about butterflies than transforming them into one.

Our children's creativity were put to the test as they each created their very own butterfly wings. When done, they then don it and began fluttering around, all so proud of their creations!

A wonderful day of Arts & Craft + Music & Movement rolled into one!

Try it too, our dear parents!

Star Learners @ Katong(Branksome) May Updates

2010-05-25T05:37:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our new home!

The day has arrived, time to move on to our new home at 29 Branksome Road. The massive shift meant two days of sleepless nights for our committed teachers who worked tirelessly to get our new centre ready for the big day.

Our Star Learners began streaming into our new spacious premise on 26th April 2010 and were all impressed! Soon, it was fun, fun and more fun as they began to explore around the huge compound.

Bet you'll love our new home too!

Star Learners @ Sembawang April Update

2010-04-26T02:13:00.000-07:00

Learning about Animals!

We had an exciting & wonderful time last month, with our Animal Kingdom theme at our centre @ Sembawang!

We had a "Pets" day, where live pets were brought to the Centre, and most of the little playgroup children had their very first exciting close up experience with real live pets such as rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, fishes (angel fish, swordtail fish, goldfish, neon tetras, mollies) and terrapins.

They were had a really enjoyable time & we could tell that they were really enjoying themselves, and learning so much at the same time! Here are some pictures & a video to show you what happened! :)

Star Learners @ Simei- April Update!

2010-04-20T02:04:00.000-07:00

Stanley Starfish Character Development Programme- Truthfulness
In the month of March 2010, as part of our Stanley Starfishtm Character Development Programme, the K1 & K2 children were taught about truthfulness.

We helped the children’s learning by encouraging them to hold steadfastly to the truth and releasing their imagination to freely weave a story.

They learnt the definition of truthfullness as: “telling it as it really is.”

The little ones were taught that telling the truth does not involve decorating the facts or twisting it or reducing it.

They must know when to use their creativity to weave a story but they must not let it interfere with the truth or actual fact. There is a difference between fantasy & reality.
The teachers also shared the story of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” to illustrate the need to be truthful

We later played a game called “Steps to Truthfulness” as part of the lesson for the children to enjoy learning through play.

What a meaningful lesson it was. :)

Star Learners @ Eunos- April Update!

2010-04-06T00:39:00.000-07:00

Cooking Fun!

Children enjoy cooking & eating together. It provides opportunities for learning in an exciting, fun and satisfying way.

In the month of March, the children at Star Learners @ Eunos enjoyed preparing a number of dishes such as sushi, strawberry breadrolls & fruit salad!

The children had the opportunities to plan, prepare, talk & share amongst themselves during the learning process of each cooking activity.

Watch them in action! :)

Star Learners @ Sembawang March Update

2010-04-05T07:01:00.000-07:00

Star Learners @ Sembawang had a fun & important event- our fire drill! :)

And we're done! :) Back to school for play time!

And a headcount- just to be sure!

Lets do a roll call now!

The really little ones are carried along- no one is left behind!

Heading towards our assembly point!

Choochoo! Our evacuation train is taking off to safer grounds!

Lining up our little ones

Fire Drill Starts- Evacuation Begins!

Star Learners @ Simei- March Update!

2010-03-19T17:41:00.000-07:00

Stanley Starfish Character Development Programme (SSCDP)

In the month of February 2010, as part of our Stanley Starfishtm Character Development Programme (SSCDP), the K1 & K2 children were taught about determination. We helped to develop and support the children’s learning by encouraging them to carry out simple doable tasks at home. They were encouraged to set goals and work through their tasks to show their determination of never giving up. They learnt phrases like ‘Don’t give up’, ‘Don’t quit until you succeed’ and ‘Try and try again’. The teacher shared stories like ‘The Little Engine That Could’, ‘The Tortoise and the Hare’ and the story of ‘Helen Keller’.

Helen became blind and deaf after a high fever at the age of 2 years old. Through her courage and determination, she was able to overcome her disability and helped others. She is remembered as a brave and determined woman who did not give up even when the odds were against her.

The children thoroughly enjoyed the story. They we were then asked to pair up & facing their partner, they were to touch their friend's face with eyes closed & using only their fingers. They then shared how they felt after the game.

Through these activities, we wanted the children to know that they too can learn new skills & attitudes to develop their own determination in their life!

Star Learners @ Pasir Ris- March Update!

2010-03-17T22:25:00.000-07:00

It's raining, so lets have fun out!

The weather was so hot and humid for the past month that when it finally started raining, our teachers took the opportunity to have a fun learning lesson cum outing with the kids by bringing them out in the rain with their umbrellas and raincoats!

By relating to what our children learnt in their phonics lesson and using sounds and actions, the kids had fun opening their umbrellas whilst saying the "U" sound simultaneously.

The children then had a follow up activity related to letter 'u' to cement what they learnt during the outing, and judging from their responses, we could tell that they really enjoyed it!

Star Learners @ Eunos: March Update!

2010-03-09T07:54:00.000-08:00

3 cheers for Teamwork! Go! Go! Go!

A good team has players who share common goals, a common vision and have a high level of communication. Teams come into existence through shared attitudes about a particular objective and they work towards the same goal to achieve peak performance and to experience success.

At Star Learners, we've formed a team to work towards improving ourselves and our work, in line with our philosophy of ‘Building, Confident, Creative Children with Character.’

There is no “I” in “Teamwork”. As such, our team always focuses on the “We” to make our each and every working day fruitful.

Teamwork makes us more Creative, boosts our Confidence level and builds positive Character amongst us.

It also gives us job satisfaction, enabling us to attain more skills and broaden our knowledge.

Teamwork also allows us to achieve our goals faster and ensures that there is always support for each other.

3 cheers for children’s teamwork. Go! Go! Go!

Having benefitted ourselves from fantastic teamwork, we thought: 'Why not encourage our children to work in a team as well?'

As a result of our own growth through team work, we've been encouraging our children to engage in a lot of team work through play(games) and 'work' (helping each other with clearing areas they've used) as well. We're happy to say that they've enjoyed, and learnt from it!

Three cheers for our children's teamwork!

Teamwork: Simply stated, it is less me and more we"
-Äuthor Unknown-

Star Learners @ Sembawang: Feb Update!

2010-02-28T18:23:00.000-08:00

Chinese New Year Celebration

Star Learners @ Sembawang had a fun, activity-filled Chinese New Year Celebration in February!

Our celebration highlights included first a story telling session for our children. We shared the story of á very fierce beast named 'Nian' which would appear in and prey on people. The terrorised people ultimately found out that the beast was afraid of the colour red, bright lights and noise, and managed to drive the beast away with red fire crackers. Since then, people would traditionally set fire crackers off on the eve of the Lunar New Year to drive away the beast. Our little children listened to us transfixed & really enjoyed the story!

After that, we showed the children items that were regularly displayed & used during Chinese New Year, and told them about their significance.

We then had a very enjoyable sing-a-long of Chinese New Year songs for our little children, and we finished off with a wonderful Çhinese New Year meal which included steam boat, ice kachang making, sandwich making, design-your-own-cookies. We ended the day with a peeling-mandarin-oranges competition which the children really enjoyed!

We hope that everyone had a wonderful Chinese New Year, and that it will usher in lots of good fortune and happiness to everyone!!

Star Learners @ Simei- Feb Update!

2010-02-24T19:53:00.000-08:00

Visit to Chinatown! (Gong xi gong xi to all!!)

The children of Star Learners @ Simei went to Chinatown on the 4th of February. Before we left the school, the teachers told the children about Chinese New Year, and how and why it is celebrated to better enable the children to prepare themselves for the trip.

We arrived Chinatown at around 10 am in the morning. There were plenty of fruits on show like mandarin oranges, pumpkins, 'buddha fingers', pamelos, etc. We also saw plenty of decorative items on display. The whole area was bursting with the colour red!

As it was a really hot day, the children and teachers were exhausted by the end of the outing, but we all had fun!!

Chinese New Year Celebration!

We had a colourful and "loud" celebration on the 19 February 2010. Everyone was even dressed in their Chinese New Year's traditional clothes!

We started the celebration with listening to why the Lunar New Year was celebrated. We then ate Chinese New Year goodies as well as other food and snacks which some of our parents kindly contributed for the celebration. To end it all off, we watched a Lion Dance Performance to usher in the year of the Tiger.

What a wonderful celebration it was!

Stanley Starfish Character Programme- Respect

2010-02-20T16:51:00.000-08:00

In the month of January 2010, the K1 & K2 children were introduced to "Stanley the Starfish" at the launch of our Character Development Programme at Star Learners @ Simei.

We went through a very exciting journey to support the children in learning about the various facets of respect through a series of activities and games.

One example of a learning game was when we played “Musical Chairs” together. The game is played with the same rules except that the winner for each round was the child who first gives up his/ her seat graciously to the last child standing.

They learnt how to be thoughtful to the feelings of others, show careful consideration to each other and learnt the magic words of respect (Please, Thank you, You are welcome, Excuse me, Sorry, No worries). What a fun and great way for the children to learn about respect at Star Learners!

Star Learners @ Pasir Ris- February Update!

2010-02-18T04:56:00.000-08:00

Steamboat 'Reunion Dinner' & other fun things learnt at Star Learners!

We did a mini project related to Chinese New Year with our K2 children this month around our chinese custom of having a reunion dinner during Chinese New Year!

The reunion dinner is a custom that Chinese people practice every year- where they gather (reunite) as a family to have dinner. The reunion dinner is thus a symbol of family unity and harmony.

The usage of chopsticks is also a traditional chinese eating utensil.

Since we at Star Learners @ Pasir Ris had already decided to organise a steamboat 'reunion lunch' to celebrate Chinese New Year, we also decided that we should pass down the important skill of using the chopsticks to all our K2 children!!

The kids first helped with the food preparation with Teacher Regina - they helped with a whole plethora of things, from arranging the chairs and tables, getting the cutlery ready for each of their friends, ensuring the cutlery and utensils are sufficient for everyone..... to washing the food prior to cooking!

Problem solving skills as well as learning about food hygeine were learnt during this process.

For example, through trial and error, the kids learnt how best to hold the bowl and fishballs when washing them to prevent them from dropping. Cooperation was also learnt and practiced as well.

The children then had lots of fun learning how to use their chopsticks!

After the whole process, the kids got to do a follow up activity: Writing!

We asked them write about their reunion lunch experience and encouraged them to write about their thoughts and feelings and things that they enjoyed about the lunch.

All in all, it was a wonderful experience for the children! :)

All of us here @ Star Learners would like to take the opportunity to wish everyone a properous and blessed Lunar New Year.

Star Learners @ Eunos Feb Update!

2010-02-18T00:44:00.000-08:00

Star Learners Character Education Program

The year 2010 has begun and everyone at Star Learners @ Eunos is looking forward to an adventurous and fruitful year. One very exciting thing that we at Star Learners @ Eunos have started rolling out this year is our very own Star Learners Stanleytm Starfish Character Program!

The children have truly enjoyed themselves during every lesson, discussion session, games time as well as role-playing session. They loved talking about the main character- ‘Stanley’, the starfish and how they wanted to be as respectful as ‘Stanley’.

Tangible results from our Character Programme has already been noticed! For instance, one of the children from the K2 class refused to sit in the empty seat in the MRT train and even told his mum that empty seat should be reserved for the elderly as well as pregnant woman. His mum got a shock and was so proud to hear that remark coming from her little boy! Well done, Edison! We are so proud of you!

In fact, throughout the whole month, we saw our children showing respect whenever they could- from simple tasks like greeting every teacher and the cook, to respecting their environment by putting the things they've used back to where they took them from, as well as accepting a new classmate into their ‘big family’ readily with warmth and love.

Indeed, everyone has done a great job!!! We look forward to seeing more positive responses from our children.

Children's Role-Play in a MRT train as part of our Stanleytm Starfish Character Programme

Star Learners @ Eunos Update!

2010-02-10T02:47:00.000-08:00

Welcoming our New Children to Star Learners @ Eunos on the First Month of the Year 2010

First week of January 2010 : Settling Time

Second and third week of January 2010: Exploring…. the fun way

Fourth week of January 2010: smooth and relaxing interactive environment

Bouquet from a happy parent :)

2010-02-03T01:02:00.000-08:00

Dear Anna,

I wish to inform you that we truly enjoyed the Year-End Concert last month. I believe the teachers have put in tremendous amount of work to ensure the success of this event. I can see that the children enjoyed themselves too.

My special thanks to Ms. Selina, who is my daughter's teacher in K1. She has shown dedication in her work throughout the year. She puts her personal touch in nurturing each of her student's needs. My daughter told me that she likes the school very much because of the teachers! I believe it is the combination of holistic curriculum and dedicated teacher.

Please keep up with the good work and good traditions, I believe more parents and children will appreciate your effort and that you will realise that your dedication have contributed to the positive growth of the children.

Thanks again.

Regards
Jenny Muljono

Star Learners @ Sembawang: January Update

2010-02-02T16:48:00.000-08:00

New Children Settling in!

The new children at Sembawang have settled in within the first week of joining the Centre. All these will not be possible without our parents’ valued support, patience and co-operation and the care and love showered by our team of dedicated teachers.

Chinese New Year is Coming!

The Festive Mood is in the air!! There's excitement and much preparation for the coming Chinese New Year – with everyone from the children to the supervisor, teachers, aunties & staff busily helping with decorating and bringing the festive mood alive at Sembawang !!

Star Learners @ Simei: Jan Update!

2010-01-23T01:05:00.000-08:00

Musings of A Playgroup Teacher

Working with the playgroup is definitely not BORING! Each child comes with their own personality and character. As a playgroup teacher, I always try to anticipate each child’s behaviour. This helps in making the child feel more at ease, especially during the first few days. Communication with the parents is also vital. They will let us know the habits and little details about the child. For example, a particular child likes to be cuddled or a child does not like it when there are too much noise.

Some playgroups are shy, whereas some are very confident and are extroverts. Every child settles differently. Some settles after a few days, there are some who takes longer.

As a caregiver, I try to assure and give the child time to adapt. Assurance and security are keys to settling a child. Changes can be seen after a while.

When the child starts to slowly move away from a place that he or she is comfortable with, the child will start to smile and talk and join in activities too!

It gives me a great sense of satisfaction and pride when I see a child feeling more at home in school.

Written by Fazleen