NOTIFICATION TO PARENTS | 5/2014 to... · Games Carnival Fri 30 May Meet-the-Parents Session for P1-P6 Sat 31 May NVPS Family Day Sat 31 May- Sun 29 Jun Term 2 School Holidays Mon

NOTIFICATION TO PARENTS | 5/2014

Nobility & Valour

NORTH VIEWPrimary School

210 Yishun Avenue 6Singapore 768960Tel: 6759 3235Fax: 6759 3237email: [email protected]

7 May 2014

Dates to Note:

Thur 1 MayLabour Day Public Holiday

Tue 13 MayVesak Day Public Holiday

Mon 19 MayK2 visit

Fri 23 MayNVPS Open House

Mon 26 MayGames Carnival

Fri 30 MayMeet-the-Parents

Session for P1-P6

Sat 31 MayNVPS Family Day

Sat 31 May- Sun 29 JunTerm 2 School Holidays

Mon 23 Jun- Wed 25 JunP6 Extra Classes

Mon 30 JunStart of Term 3

Dear Parents,

With globalization, the advent of knowledge economy and the significance of lifelong learning, the nature and function of knowledge have and are gradually changing. Knowledge ownership and creation is shifting from teachers to the learners. This has created a necessary demand for skillsets such as the ability for critical and creative thinking, the ability for self-directed and collaborative learning, the ability to learn formally and informally, and the ability for both competition and cooperation.

In this month’s notification, I would like to share with you the programmes that the school has organized this year to develop the metacognition of our pupils, in particular, their critical thinking capacity. The various programmes as described below are overseen by the Mathematics Department. Through a broad based approach, we seek to create opportunities for our pupils to develop the disposition of a well-cultivated critical thinker who would:

SPATIAL VISUALISATION PROGRAMMEThis programme is organized for the primary 1 pupils which has commenced a few weeks ago. The pupils will undergo 6 sessions of investigations and spatial problem solving training, involving the use of manipulatives; pattern blocks, tangrams, geoshapes and Cuisenaire rods. The pupils will explore the characteristics of each of the manipulatives and apply them during the problem solving activities. Pupils’ visual spatial skills will be developed through this visually stimulating and challenging environment. INTERNATIONAL CHESSThis is a basic chess programme that is organized for the primary 3 pupils. The 6 sessions of basic chess play programme will begin in semester 2. Chess play involves eye, hand and brain coordination. Pupils will learn to communicate, interact and reflect when they play chess. They will also acquire basic chess strategies which will develop them in their critical thinking and visual spatial skills. Through sparring with others, our pupils will practise turn-taking and come to appreciate patience as a virtue. Through this programme, we aspire to impart problem-solving abilities and lifelong skills to our pupils.

raise vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely;gather and assess relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively so as to arrive at well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, and then testing them against relevant criteria and standards;think open-mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as need be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences; andcommunicate effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems

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NVPS NOTIFICATION | MAY2014

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FUTURE PROBLEM SOLVING (FPS) PROGRAMMEThis is a school pilot programme organized for a selected primary 4 class. FPS was developed in 1974 by creative pioneer, Dr. E. Paul Torrance and it has been an elective module for the Gifted Education Programme pupils in Singapore. Presently, the programme has been adopted by several mainstream schools and it involves over 100,000 students around the world. During the programme, our pupils will be challenged to do the following - Move beyond memorization of facts, apply information learned to complex issues and make decisions and implement solutions.

They will be taken through a 6-steps problem solving process and to apply the FPS protocol to a real community problem. Since the start of the programme, our pupils have secured a collaboration opportunity with Nee Soon Central Community Centre to resolve an authentic Yishun community problem.

MATH OLYMPIAThis is a weekly programme for selected primary 4, 5 and 6 classes. The training allows pupils to solve novel and non-routine problems and stretch their thinking for challenging problem sums. It develops critical and creative thinking and problem solving skills in our pupils.

MATH TRAILSThis outdoor programme provides pupils at different levels with the opportunity to see Mathematics in real-life contexts as well as allow them to explore numerical concepts and patterns around them in the school compound or surrounds. This activity also injects an element of fun in learning Mathematics in a social setting as pupils work in groups to solve the given tasks.

DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKING – 5 SUGGESTIONS FOR PARENTS BY JESSIE PERGIS

1. Ask and observe - Sometimes we get into the habit of telling our children what to do or explaining things to them. Neither strategy promotes as much thinking as asking open-ended questions e.g. “Why do you think it did that?” or making observations e.g. "Wow, that tree is really budding." When the conversation stays open, your child gets to think more. You throw the ball; he tosses it back.2. Ask: "How do you know that?" - This simple question helps children become aware of their own reasoning ability. When your child explains how or why he knows something, accept his information and keep asking questions that reveal his assumptions. Even if your child has misunderstood something, asking questions will help him clarify his thinking. Telling children they're "wrong" merely shuts the thinking down.3. Talk about good and bad reasons - As children mature, people will make arguments and pitches to them all the time - on television, in magazines, on the playground, even at home. Help your child to evaluate and articulate why some reasons are good and others are poor.4. Information does not = truth - Information is just information. As your child progresses in his learning and tackles more complex assignments, encourage him to see that no one website, television show, or article can provide him with a complete and truthful account of an issue. When your child is doing research, be on hand to provide some context for the sources he chooses. Encourage him to form his own position based on evidence, not just emotion.5. Show respect for the other side - When you disagree with a position or opinion, explain why you disagree but try not to put down the other side. By showing respect for people whose ideas differ from your own, you role-model and send a message that it's possible to think critically and engage civilly.

“The quality of our life and that of what we produce, make, or build depends precisely on the quality of our thought.” (Richard Paul and Linda Elder, 2008) I hope the above information is useful in helping you engage your child to start thinking critically. Enjoy the experience!

Best Regards,

Tan U-Tong Evelyn (Mdm)Principal


Character, Leadership and Citizenship Development Assessment, Semester 1 2014

As part of the school’s effort to reinforce character, leadership and citizenship education both in school and at home and to provide a fuller picture of your child’s social-emotional and moral development, the school would like to enlist parents’ help to look out for the display of desired personal qualities that we have listed out in the teacher/parent observation checklists. The checklists will be given to parents by Friday, 9 May.Your child has already done a self-assessment in term 1 after our teachers’ explanation on what the actionable behaviour for these domains look like. We also encourage parents to create the opportunities for your children to act out these values and provide them with feedback for affirmation and improvement. This would motivate our pupils to cultivate healthy social-emotional competencies and desired values. For enquiries, please contact Ms Danielle Neo or Mr Edwin Lim, the teachers-in-charge.

Games Carnival, Monday, 26 May 2014

A games carnival will be held on 26 May, in week 10 of this term during school curriculum hours. Pupils will be engaged in fun-filled games at various levels. The skill-set for these games is taught during Physical Education lessons. Pupils will be pitting their skills against one another in the same level in a non-competitive environment, where values of good sportsmanship, friendship and integrity will be reinforced. The details of the carnival will be disseminated in a separate circular nearer the date. For enquiries, please contact Mr Azlan, HOD, PE and CCA.

Mother Tongue Language and Cultural Camp – Tuesday, 27 May 2014

In line with MOE’s initiative to provide an immersive environment for pupils to learn and use respective Mother Tongue Languages (MTL) to promote daily oral literacy, the primary 3 pupils will be attending a non-residential Mother Tongue Language and Cultural Camp which will be held in the school on Tuesday, 27 May from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The details of the camp will be disseminated in a separate circular nearer the date. For enquiries, please contact the respective MTL teachers in charge; Mdm Lei Xuemei (CL), Ms Fitri (ML) and Mr Sarkunan (TL).

Primary 2 Conversational Chinese and Malay Enrichment Programme – 21 to 29 May 2014

In line with MOE’s objective of equipping pupils with the spoken language of another ethnic group, the primary 2 pupils will be taking part in a Conversational Chinese and Malay (CCM) enrichment programme. Lessons will be conducted during curriculum hours. Pupils will learn to engage in simple daily conversations, such as greetings using the mother tongue of another racial group. Details of the CCM enrichment programme will be disseminated in a separate circular. For enquiries, please contact Mdm See Bee Pang, the teacher-in-charge.

Meet-the-Parents Session, Friday, 30 May

Parent-teacher conferencing is one effective strategy for understanding a child’s holistic development on various areas of learning. It provides an avenue for the school and parents to explore possibilities to foster such positive relationships and for improving pupils' behaviour and performance. With this in mind, we will be having our mid-year Meet-the-Parents session for all levels on Fri, 30 May, from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. so that your child's form teacher and subject teachers can provide you with timely feedback on your child's holistic development in the first semester. Details of the session will be disseminated in a separate circular. For enquiries, please contact Mr. De Silva, the teacher-in-charge.

NVPS Family Day, Saturday, 31 May

Do be reminded to make your Saturday on 31 May 2014 (8.45 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.) free to join us in our inaugural “NVPS Family Day”. There will be lots of games and fun activities such as “Ring the Bottle”, “Smash the Cans”, “Henna Painting” and “Balloon Sculpturing”. You will also be able to savour and enjoy delicious food such as “satay”, “fried noodles” and “popcorn” that we have specially prepared for you as you soak in the fun and spend quality time with your love ones.

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Administrative Updates

In Twelfth Night, Duke Orsino muses, “If music be the food of love, play on.” This famous line by Shakespeare is not far from the truth, it would seem here at North View Primary School. More than just an afternoon of convivial gathering, our inaugural Guzheng Symposium held on 27 March with Qifa Primary School, Coral Primary School and Kong Hwa School as participating schools, witnessed a meaningful exchange of ideas, learning and interaction among the pupils and teachers.

Our school’s Guzheng Ensemble has clinched a total of five consecutive Gold Awards in the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) since 2004. As a form of recognition of our achievements over the years, the school was granted the Programme for School-Based Excellence (PSE) in Guzheng by the Ministry of Education in 2008. In addition, Guzheng Ensemble has also been actively organizing outreach programmes to further broaden and deepen Guzheng excellence in the school arena and beyond, such as immersion trips to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, conducting Guzheng Talents Programme and also co-organizing the inaugural National Guzheng Forum in 2009. We are also proud to be featured in an OKTO production in 2012.

Hosting this year’s Guzheng symposium is part of the school’s continued outreach efforts. The objectives of the symposium are to create opportunities for our pupils to:

GUZHENG SYMPOSIUM 2014

Feature Stories


• Gain an insight on the different ways of playing the Guzheng instrument• Enhance their Guzheng skills through a musical showcase• Interact with pupils from various schools

Feature Stories

The symposium started with a showcase of popular western hits such as Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and Maroon 5’s “Moves like Jagger” which were played on the Guzheng. Our Guzheng instructors then awed the audience with a Japanese piece adapted from the 25-stringed Japanese Koto. One pupil, Mei Chen from 5 Joy, recounted, “It has never occurred to me that we can play different genres of music on the Guzheng. I am excited and I am ready to explore different ways of playing the instrument with my friends!”

On top of that, the Guzheng Ensembles of all participating schools got a chance to showcase their SYF pieces, giving them a timely confidence boost just before the actual event which took place in the second half of April.

We believe that providing experiences and exposure beyond the school is pertinent in developing the pupils holistically. The smiles and feedback given by the participating schools indeed affirmed that this effort is worth undertaking. We are also proud to announce that North View Primary has bagged the Distinction Award in the Singapore Youth Festival Arts Presentation for Guzheng Ensemble 2014.


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The Student Leaders’ Investiture Ceremony 2014 was held on 31 March during school assembly to inaugurate all prefects on their official appointment as student leaders for the year and to recognise them for their leadership efforts in serving the school and upholding its core values.

In this year investiture’s opening address, our Principal, Mrs Evelyn Tan, shed a different perspective of what leadership really is. She highlighted that besides intelligence, analytical and verbal ability, assertiveness, self-confidence, integrity and many more such key traits found in a leader, the school exalts even more the characteristics of Servant Leadership in our student leaders at North View Primary School. Servant leadership begins with a true motivation to serve others. She congratulated the elected student leaders of 2014 and their families for the appointments. Amongst those who are appointed, 98 are prefects with 16 from P2, 13 from P3, 25 from P4, 21 from P5 and 23 from P6. 7 of them will form the 2014 School Prefectorial Executive Committee.

STUDENT LEADERS’ INVESTITURE CEREMONY 2014

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The Primary 2 Little Marshals, Primary 3 Junior Prefects, Primary 4 Prefects, Primary 5 Prefect Leaders and Primary 6 Senior Prefects were each presented with a tie and certificate by our Guest-of-Honour, Mr Philip Quek, and Vice-Chairman of the North View Primary School Advisory Committee.

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The highlight of the event was the inauguration of the Prefectorial Board Executive Committee (EXCO) which comprises the following student leaders:

• John Kenneth Layba Agpaoa (5 Joy) – Head Prefect• Shayna Walia (5 Joy) – Vice-head Prefect• M Sumitha Isabel (5 Joy) – Vice-head Prefect• Bethany Grace John (5 Joy) – EXCO Member• Charlize Chung Ning (4 Joy) – EXCO Member• Fibbra Adilla Bte Ibrahim (6 Hope) – Prefect Mentor• Sufiah Wahyumanty (6 Hope) – Prefect Mentor

For the first time, the EXCO members had to engage their fellow schoolmates and teachers in a week-long election campaign before they were elected by a voting process involving the student body as well as the teachers. The objective of this new initiative is create the opportunities for potential candidates to share their thoughts about leadership and their plans for leading the student body if they are elected. This would also make them view their appointments seriously and take ownership to lead and grow others.

The ceremony this year also featured a special guest, Miss Jasmine How, an alumnus of the school. Miss How inspired pupils with a speech that reflected the theme of this year’s investiture. She shared her experiences as a student leader during her schooling days and how her character was moulded during the leadership journey.

The Student Leaders’ Investiture culminated in the recitation of the Prefects’ Pledge which was led by the newly elected Head Prefect, John Kenneth Layba Agpaoa from P5 Joy. As the prefects recited the words of the pledge in unison and pride, they renewed their commitment to serve the school to their best of their abilities. We wish the student leaders of North View Primary School all the best in their leadership endeavours.

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The MTL Fortnight is a nationwide initiative introduced by the Ministry of Education with the aim of encouraging pupils to use their MTL outside the confines of their classrooms, making MTL a living language.

Right after the March holidays, the MTL department ushered in a series of exciting activities for the pupils over a span of a week. Coined as the MTL Fortnight, a variety of activities were designed for our pupils so that they can learn more about the different cultures and also experience the use of traditional Chinese Language art forms in a myriad of interesting and engaging ways.

The primary 5 and 6 pupils taking the Chinese Language were given the opportunity to learn the basics of Crosstalk (相声) and Kuai Ban (快板), the Chinese version of Rap respectively. Although these traditional Chinese Language art forms proved to be challenging to them at first, the experiences they received left an indelible and memorable impact for these young minds.

To complete the whole immersive experience, the pupils were given a taste of an array of traditional games. Pupils taking the Malay Language were invited to play various Malay games which included Capteh, Congkak, Batu Seremban, Ting-ting, Sepak Takraw and create Bunga Manggar in class and during recesses. Through their participation, pupils learnt about the origins of the different traditional games and culture. Term 2 Week 1 has definitely spawned great excitement for Mother Tongue Language Learning.

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MOTHER TONGUE LANGUAGES (MTL) FORTNIGHT 2014 (PART I)

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International Friendship Day began its commemoration as early as Term 2 Week 2. The theme for this year is ‘Stories We Share’, an extension of the stories from the 2013 National Day Parade theme, ‘Many Stories, One Singapore’.

This year’s focus is for pupils to deepen their understanding of the relations we share with other countries.

The commemoration started with an assembly item on Monday, 7 April. Pupils from various nationalities such as Korea, Indonesia and Myanmar shared about their countries’ unique traditions, customs and cultures. An element of surprise was injected into the assembly programme when the international students presented tokens of appreciation to the local pupils who have been taking good care of them since they first set foot in the school. This heart-warming moment tugged many hearts. It was evident that the pupils had fostered close friendships.

During the recesses, the primary 3 to 6 pupils penned down short write-up of the friendship that they have established with a friend from another nationality over the years. Tinged with notes of appreciation of how their local friends have helped them adjust to school life in Singapore, these works were displayed in the canteen. Pupils also participated in solving crossword puzzles and word search games designed for them, based on the IFD theme.

The spirit of friendship and collaboration among various nationalities in cosmopolitan Singapore was enlivened and fostered through these memorable and authentic experiences.

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP DAY 2014

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In commemoration of Earth Day 2014, teachers and members of the Science Club organised a Nature Exploration Learning Journey at Yishun Park for the various primary 5 classes on 8 and 15 April. The Science Club members played an important role as nature guides to the pupils during the trail, sharing their knowledge of many plants and animals that can be found at the park.

During the learning journey, the pupils were given the opportunity to have an up, close and personal encounter with the flora and fauna in Yishun Park. This authentic learning journey leveraged on the current Science themes such as diversity, reproduction, ecology and interactions where learning was enriched and extended beyond the confines of the classrooms.

The pupils also learnt how to appreciate and show care and concern towards the environment by being respectful and responsible towards the organisms living in it. It was indeed an enjoyable and memorable learning experience not to be forgotten.

NATURE EXPLORATION AT YISHUN PARK

Pupils’ Achievements


The month-long SYF Arts Presentation in April featured close to 800 presentations staged by the various Performing Arts Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs). Students from primary and secondary schools, as well as junior colleges/Millennia Institute, showcase their artistic expression, teamwork and love for the Performing Arts.

We are pleased to announce that all the participating Performing Arts groups of North View Primary School at this year’s SYF Presentation 2014, namely, the Guzheng Ensemble, Chinese Dance, Indian Dance and International Dance have all clinched Distinction Awards! Our heartfelt congratulations to all the winners.

Our Chinese dancers with their captivating and lively dance entitled 《草原女儿》, Daughters of the Grasslands . The dance depicted a group of joyful Mongolian maidens galloping and merry-making on the boundless greenery of the Mongolian grasslands, an alluring sight that made up the enchanting landscape of Mongolia.

A dance that depicted a group of joyful Indian girls dancing with baskets in the rice field in anticipation of harvests. The title of the dance is Murathin Sirappu.

SINGAPORE YOUTH FESTIVAL (SYF) 2014

CHINESE DANCE SYF ARTS PRESENTATION 2014 (DISTINCTION AWARD)

INDIAN DANCE SYF ARTS PRESENTATION 2014(DISTINCTION AWARD)

The International Dance members displayed camaraderie and great team spirit with their dance item, ‘We’re A Team’. Their winning edge lies in the innovative and futuristic choreography that consisted of fast moving sequences.

Beyond an artistic showcase of talents, the SYF has always lent itself as a natural platform for students of different ethnic communities to come together in celebration. It has been a fiesta for building friendship, strengthening bonds and honing skills. All dance groups have indeed had a well-deserved win as members have been practising really hard since the start of the year, pushing their limits in perfecting the dances and performances.

It has been a fete in which toils of sweat have been shed and one in which hours of practices and dedication have been put in by all. The school would like to record our thanks to all instructors and teachers-in-charge for their tenacious hard work. The month of April is indeed a month of festivity and celebration.

INTERNATIONAL DANCE SYF ARTS PRESENTATION 2014 (DISTINCTION AWARD)

Pupils’ Achievements


Gong Ben Yue from P6 Hope has bagged another award within a span of two months. She participated in the 2014 International Chinese Language Competition for Primary Schools jointly organized by Holy Innocents' Primary School, Shen Jia Men Primary School (China) and the Taipei City Government, Bureau of Education on 4 March 2014. She was awarded a Bronze award in this prestigious international competition, and will be receiving her award at Holy Innocents' Primary School on 30 May 2014. Let us congratulate Ben Yue once again!

2014 INTERNATIONAL CHINESE LANGUAGE COMPETITION FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS

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NOTIFICATION TO PARENTS | 5/2014 to... · Games Carnival Fri 30 May Meet-the-Parents Session for P1-P6 Sat 31 May NVPS Family Day Sat 31 May- Sun 29 Jun Term 2 School Holidays Mon