YMCA Student Care Centre @ Canberra Newsletter July 2017 – December 2017 t
Warmest greetings to one and all!!!
Let us begin this journey by congratulating
We hope you have enjoyed the January-June issue of our Newsletter.
This yearly event sees children from both the lower and upper categories, calming their nerves and going on stage to tell a story based on the theme “Kindness”.
It has been a pleasure working alongside with you in the past 6 months.
Wu Yan Jun and Devadarshini, who made it to the finals and semifinals of YMCA 5thStorytelling Competition 2017 respectively.
Storytelling is one of the best ways to learn!!! Learning to craft stories by interacting with words, sounds and images can spark our children’s imagination, stimulate curiosity and greatly helps the development of their brains.
June 2016 Volume 1, Issue 1
We value this partnership we share in caring and educating your child. Communication is the key to building quality relationship. As part of our hope to have a closer relationship with you, we are delighted to bring you on a journey to the world of your child @ YMCA in this issue.
Above: Devadarshini taking a deep breath before telling her story.
WELCOME ABOARD!!! Above: Wu Yan Jun giving his best shot at telling his story.
Hop on board and join us on this amazing and wonderful journey of storytelling!!! -1-
Welcome to my YMCA World By Mentor Priya
Reading Time!
The core value of YMCA is caring, honesty, responsibility and respect. These values are taught and incorporated into our programmes and activities.
Character Curriculum Education (CCE) “When you know better you do better” - Maya Angelou
“There is no friend as loyal as a book” - Ernest Hemingway Reading is one of the ways to cultivate children to “turn on ” their thinking and reflective skills. A good book can satisfy the reader and input knowledge and stimulate curiosity within a child.
Above: Children onboard Molly The Mobile Library.
Enrichment Time!
Character Building is our key focus. We plant the “value seed” and watch our children grow into caring, honest, responsible and respectful individuals. Each month we will introduce a different value and plan games or activities that inculcate that value. Children will be able to learn better through play. Above: Ernest Aw (standing)… “This book looks interesting.”
Above: Children’s creativity shown in finger painting
Playtime! In our Centre, playtime may be child directed or together with mentors. We allow a child to set the pace and the route of exploration will lead to new ideas and experiences.
Above: Children giving one respectful hugs to show “I care”.
another
Left to right: Vera Lim, Ethan Lim and Aden Tay reading with friends.
Above: Children directed playtime.
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HAPPPPY Children’s Day!!!
Station 2
By Mentor Joshua This is the most special day for our children; a day that calls for a celebration. There was food, play stations and prizes for everyone. The children even decorated their own ice cream.
Above: Jeriel Thong choosing a little bit of this and a little bit of that.
Above: Jethro Lim tossing to win the top prize.
Station 3
Above: Our primary One children.
Left to right: Denise Soh and Valencia Loh decorating their ice cream. NICE!!!
Above: Children queueing up for a game of egg toss.
Station 4
Besides the yummy treats, various play stations were set up for a fun pack day.
Above: Our primary five children.
Pizza, KFC, fries‌.
Station 1
Above: Ooi Qi Heng: slow and steady wins the game.
FINGER LICKING GOOD!!!
Above: Li Yong Shan aiming for the highest points. Above: Children going for more food. Delicious!!! -3-
Journey through my December Holidays By Mentor Christopher
School is out and so are WE!!!
Museum allow the children to learn about the history of Singapore and our Armed Forces
During the end of year school holidays, the children visited places where learning was fun and interactive at the same time. This is another platform where the children learn beyond their books.
Above: The boys brainstorming beyond their texts at ArtScience Museum.
Above: Licia Toh asks “Is that my hand?” Oops!!!
Children were also brought to Zoompark, Singapore’s largest indoor trampoline park, where under careful supervision, they could bounce to their hearts content and have as much fun as they desired. They also went for a screening of the Disney movie, Coco, at the Singapore Discovery Centre. Left to right: Vera Lim, Summer Sam and Chew Yu Hsien taking a break to catch their breath from their first December holidays outing at Zoompark.
Above: Children in green learning about the man in green at Singapore Army Museum.
So many places in such a short period, one can only wonder where the holidays will bring them to in 2018.
Left to right: Sharmine and Shaline How artists at work.
Front to back: Revata Ho, Aloysius Sia and Aaron Ning enjoying a sumptous lunch at TenderBest Restautrant after a bouncy good time at Zoompark.
Places such as the Singapore Discovery Centre, Singapore Army Museum and the ArtScience
We sincerely hope that you enjoyed your journey with your child at YMCA in 2017. Merry Christmas from our children above. Let us look forward to a great journey ahead. See you in 2018!!! -2-