Plan for her Tree

Ms. Burrito suggested that we should put a round seating area under her tree.  I must admit that even when it is very hot outside, you can   lay  down underneath the tree and it's  relaxing.

I told her that when the tree gets a little taller, we might do that.

Score High in School with the Most Excellent Maths Tuition

Math is a subject which can be very easy if one gets a good grasp of it, and extremely difficult if one does not understand how a certain calculation is supposed to be made. Hence, having your child take Math's tuition classes can be very beneficial for him and help him not only to score high marks in school, but also to enjoy solving different problems in the subject.

There is a reason that tuition in Singapore is gaining prominence all over the world. Children who take such classes show a marked improvement in school and their grasp of different subjects improves to a great extent. The most important aspect of such tuition classes is the fact that a child is taught Math in a manner that is enjoyable to him. Because a classroom atmosphere can get quite boring and monotonous, a child tends to lose interest in the subject. A private tutor for A Math's tuition and other level of math can help a child learn in the most interesting way, and it would be seen that he has had an actual understanding of the particular topic that is being taught.

Enrolling your child for Math tuition is a great idea because he gets to learn the subject at home, in a comfortable atmosphere, without any distractions from other individuals. Therefore, it gives him the opportunity to communicate any problem areas that he may have. Moreover, a tutor provides one on one interaction with a student. The entire focus is given to your child so that he can learn in a more effective way.

Because Math is an important subject that gets increasingly difficult as one gets older, it is important to inculcate interest in the subject from childhood. An early understanding of basic Math can help a child immensely even as he grows older and takes on more difficult and complex problems in the subject. 

Having your child take tuition classes helps him to improve his performance in school without him having to give up a lot of his free time. Putting in just a few hours each day on the subject would allow him to get the required practice to solve different kinds of sums. Tutors can come to your house at a time that is most convenient for you. 

One of the most essential aspects of learning a subject is being taught by the right teacher. In school, a child is taught a subject along with many other children and focus is not always given to one child’s problem areas. This is why tuition classes play such an important role in the education of our children. They are able to communicate with your child and provide the required practice that he needs. By looking into all his problem areas and individual understanding of different concepts, a tutor can get him to learn Math in the most successful manner.

While your child might be able to get by in Math without a tutor, enrolling him for tuition in Singapore can actually help him attain excellent marks in the subject. Thus, such classes are highly recommended for all kinds of students.

James Liao a.k.a The Educationist of Singapore, a MASTERS scholar from NTU, has been on the forefront of Singapore's education fabric for more than a decade. Through this period he has helped many students improve from F9 to A1 in Chemistry, Physics, A.Maths and E.Maths. As a result, these same students managed to qualify for Junior Colleges and most of them have already graduated from NTU, NUS and SMU.

Call The Educationist now at 81-888-009 to start your route from F9 to A1.

Chubby Little Model

I miss the time when my daughter was still chubby. She loves to pose in front of the camera even when she was very little.  This photo was taken in the house we lived in  in South Korea which my son fondly called, the Blue House (the  color of the paint of the house  outside is blue).

Revamping a School Over the Summer

The summer holidays are the prime opportunity for a school’s maintenance team to get to work and get it looking its best before the new intake in September, and time is running out if you want to do all the necessary work in time without having all the pupils around. It’s far easier for everyone to get all the work done in this time period, and it won’t inconvenience anyone, so if you’re going to be making any changes to your school, do it now while you still have time.

If your classroom furniture is looking a little old and tired, replace it with some brand new desks, chairs and storage units for a more modern feel in the classroom. It can have a strong psychological impact for children and teenagers to work in a place that looks like it takes education seriously, so you could find that behavior improves and focus is boosted when pupils walk into a learning environment that looks the part.

It’s best to keep your displays current, so replace backing paper on wall displays and get them ready for the new topics you will be covering. This keeps everything looking fresh and means you can show off the best work of the new students as well as giving everyone in other year groups the chance to see their own work on display at some point.

Presumably at the start of the summer holidays the school was thoroughly cleaned, but remember that teachers may be popping in over the summer to prepare resources and get their classrooms ready. This could mean that there is a little mess that is left over that needs to be sorted out before the children return, so make sure your cleaning team are able to check the school over once more the week before everyone returns or on an inset day.

It might also be a good idea to ask a health and safety expert to come along and check everything over. There are lots of things that can go wrong in a school, and if you’re not an expert yourself it can be reassuring to be given the all-clear from someone who knows what to look out for, even if you’re not due for a check yet. It is better to be safe than sorry, especially where children are concerned, and it’s best to know if your wiring needs sorting before everyone returns and children could be placed in danger.

Stacey Arnold is the caretaker for an inner London primary school and offers her advice on essential maintenance and upkeep

First Day of School for 2013-1014 School Year

The start of the school year   went smoothly for us unlike the couple of years where I was a bit nervous and  uneasy leaving my kids in school on the first day.  I am glad that I am now more relaxed knowing that my kids knows the teachers and their classmates.  I't easier for all of us.  Anyway,  on the first day of school, the kids were allowed to wear non-uniform clothes.  We  set our alarms  at 6 but when hubby and I woke up, the two were already awake.  They were  anxious and excited to go to school and see their friends.  The teachers here give every student a welcome gift with  treats and other supplies in it.

Hubby and I  walked them  down the classrooms.  We brought their school supplies on the registration  day so  they don't have to deal with it on the first day.  They can just sit and  chitchat with their  classmates.  

MY son was a bit nervous on the first day but he got over  it which I am so glad.  Ms. Burrito on the other hand  was very calm, collected and just happy to see her friends.  

My little Filipina is very small compared to  her classmates.  I told her that being small is in her genes.

We were laughing when we looked at this photo because my little man is checking out his classmate.

Here they are in their uniforms.

Sometimes  people think that these two are twins because they are almost the same in size.  Ms. Burrito is just slightly taller than the little mister.  

Essential IT Lessons for Schoolchildren

IT is an important part of the curriculum, but still we find lots of children lagging behind on lots of the essential computer skills we would expect them to understand. The Millennials, as the most recent generation is known, are exposed to computers from  birth, but that doesn’t mean that they are able to perform some of the skills they need to according to the Government and school authorities.

One of the things most children don’t enjoy, but should understand on at least a basic level, is databases. Lots of jobs involve some degree of data entry tasks, so get acquainted with programs like Microsoft Access is a really good way to give them a basic level of understanding. You can get them doing fun activities to test the basic functions, like putting in information about their classmates and ‘searching’ for those with brown eyes or ‘sorting’ alphabetically by surname.

Another important program to get to grips with is a spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel. Again, lots of jobs use spreadsheets as a way to keep data organised and to automatically work out things like invoices, so you could combine IT lessons with a little bit of maths to see if you can get them figuring out the SUM function and how to build basic equations in the cells. You could use data from a science experiment in a spreadsheet and see if you can create some graphs.

Word processing is an obvious thing to get to grips with, as they will need to be able to use Microsoft Word and other similar programs throughout their lives. However, IT lessons should be about going beyond the basics and helping them set pages up the way they want, tracking changes on a page and formatting fonts to produce attractive documents for a range of purposes, from formal to fun, so that they can type up their best English work and put it on display.

IT lessons should be all about learning to use a computer in an efficient way, so it’s important that they’re set up for easy use. Some form of document management system will be a good way to get the children used to organizing their folders in a sensible way, and it will allow them to open a range of file types on each of the computers. Teaching good computer practices at this young age will set them up well for their computer future use, so be very clear about the correct way to do everything.

Chad Porter is an IT teacher always looking for new information to bring to the classroom

Back to School Preparation

The school requires every student to  cover and label the books every year.  I bought some book cover  to use for the hardbound books and I use the brown paper to use for the soft covered ones.  

The good thing about buying the  book covers is that they can reuse it every year as long as  it doesn't get tore up.  Ms. Burrito maintained her book covers in great condition so we used it again this year.

The label products that I reviewed from Avery helped me label their book's title and their names on it.

I watched the video on youtube on how to  cover a book without using a tape and I am glad I did as it saved me  from using the Scotch tape I bought.

Helpful Study Hints that Will Help You Score High in Chemistry

In school, there are some subjects that are easy to grasp and some, such as Chemistry, that just seem to befuddle us every time we open the book. Thankfully, taking chemistry tuition regularly can be extremely advantageous for a student and help him really learn different aspects of the subject without any difficulty.

A number of students have already benefited a great deal from following easy tips on how to study Chemistry. This is why tuition Singapore classes are so useful. A good tutor would help you to learn the subject in such a way that you are able to understand and grasp the concepts well. You can start by following good study habits and adhering to your study routine every day.

The first and foremost important tip to follow when you are studying chemistry is to put in practice every single day. Leaving all the studying for one or two nights before a test will simply not help. You need to start early and, as one does with everything else, take it slow and steady.

Highlight the important sections and make the required notes whenever possible: this is a step that will be encouraged by your tutor. While it is good to read everything, there are many topics that have greater importance and learning them thoroughly would help you out at exam time.

Make use of mnemonic devices and short forms of words to make studying easier: as you know, in chemistry, there are a lot of things to memorize and it can all get very confusing. Taking the first letter of elements together and creating a list of words that are familiar to you and easier to remember would help you out a great deal.

Make a time-table: If you try to cram in too much study material all at once, it will not help you in any way. In fact, you are more likely to end up tired and stressed out. Thus, dividing your time well is very important. Assign a certain time slot for different topics so that you can have a thorough learning of each topic.

Read and re-read: When you are reading about a new topic in chemistry, you need to put in some amount of effort in understanding new concepts. Hence, reading the material many times over can be helpful. You can also make notes and list down questions that you might not know the answers to. It is only with a thorough reading of a certain chapter that you would be able to locate areas where you need help.

Solve as many problems as you can: Chemistry is, after all, a subject that deals with a number of chemical formulate. Hence, practicing how to solve these problems can help you score immensely in tests.

Chemistry tutors in Singapore help students by making use of such helpful tips and encouraging them to read and study this subject every day. As long as one follows the right study methods, he will find that learning chemistry is not so difficult to do and he can score high marks in his examinations.

James Liao a.k.a The Educationist of Singapore, a MASTERS scholar from NTU, has been on the forefront of Singapore's education fabric for more than a decade. Through this period he has helped many students improve from F9 to A1 in Chemistry, Physics, A.Maths and E.Maths. As a result, these same students managed to qualify for Junior Colleges and most of them have already graduated from NTU, NUS and SMU.

Butterfly Windchime

Another  thoughtful neighbor of ours is the Fancher's whom my children called Lola and Lolo (Grandma and Grandpa).  They are always there for us, they attend to  all of the kids special  occasion and events.  They gave Ms. Burrito a set of  Friends Bracelet and Butterfly Wind chime

She  painted the  wind chime and  hanged it in our kitchen window.  She  themed it up with our  curtains with butterfly design in it.

My crafty little lady.

Thank you so much Lola Ruth and Lolo Don!

5 Tips to Keeping Kids Safe Online

In today's modern world, technology is all around us and social media has become the hottest mode of communication. Kids are using the Internet for school work, entertainment, and to catch up with their friends. They are at risk of attacks by child pornographers and pedophiles, not to mention cyberbullying from their enemies. Parents need to know important tips about keeping their children safe online. Here are five tips to keep them as secure as possible.

Restrict their time online and monitor them closely

A good starting point is to limit the time children spend on the Internet. They can be given a block of time in the evening when a parent is home to provide close supervision, ensuring children are only going to suitable sites and are not getting in trouble. 

Limit texting

Parents can easily put a limit on their children's texting plans. As the account holder, parents also have full access to texts and can request transcripts in order to see everything that goes out and comes in on the phone. It's possible to block certain numbers. Charges can be pressed if there is any form of harassment or inappropriate content, such as photographs that display nudity. It’s probably a good idea to monitor most of your child’s cell phone usage. It also helps to give them a used or older model cell phone that may not have the most up-to-date Internet browsing capabilities. By limiting your child’s access you’ll have a better chance at keeping them safe when they go online.

Don't allow underage children to have social media accounts

Social media can open up a world of trouble for children and should not be used by children that are not in their teen years. Even teens can be limited. One of the best things a parent can do is have an open door policy in which they inspect their children's social media accounts on a regular basis. There should be no secrets.

Put filters on home computers

There are a variety of companies and software available to put filters on home computers. This will ensure that children cannot go to inappropriate sites. Windows 8, 7, and Windows Vista have parental controls where parents can block inappropriate sites. Parents can purchase great software as well, including WebWatcher, SpyAgent, and IamBigBrother as well. There are also kid-friendly search engines such as yahooligans and Ask Jeeves for Kids that will keep children away from dangerous sites. 

Set clear ground rules

Parents need to be very clear with their children about what is acceptable online. They should also make sure lines of communication stay open. Children should always feel free to tell their parents when there is a problem.

Having open lines of communication will be important throughout your child’s life as they grow into being an adult. Communication is vitally important if your child feels like they are being watched or followed when they interact with folks online. The internet isn’t going to go away and the ease of access for pedophiles is only growing. Help keep our kids safe!

Article provided by the Law Offices of David Michael Cantor of Phoenix, AZ. David and his team focus on Criminal Defense in Arizona.

Hello Kitty Girl

A good family friend of ours sent these Hello Kitty gifts for Ms. Burrito for her birthday.  Hello Kitty is such a  great brand for  little girls doesn't it?  I remember when we were traveling and my daughter  was wearing her HK outfit,  somebody told my daughter "Every  Girl's Best Friend is Hello Kitty."  

The Dias Family really knows how to tickle the soft spot to my daughter's heart.  She love the jewelry box and the  cupcake stand.

 

Thank you so much Tita Demcy, Tito Greg and Akesha for the   wonderful presents.

Rainbow Loom

Our  kind and thoughtful neighbor gave this  Rainbow Loom set to Ms. Burrito for her birthday.  Our neighbors never ceased to amaze  us with their   thoughtfulness, they are always  there for us , just like real family.  Thank you Howells family!

The kit includes 600+latex free rubber bands and C-clips.  There are  different patterns and designs to make  bracelet or ring.  The instruction sheet  is very easy to understand so I  if your child is into world of fun and creativity, this one is perfect to get.

Ms. Burrito love this kind of stuff so she was very thrilled.  She  still makes  bracelet out of this and giving it to her friends.  

She made  herself 7 different designs to wear each day.

Disclaimer:  This is NOT a Sponsored Post..

Ideas for a Mother's Birthday

Of all the people we have to buy birthday presents for, mums are often cited as some of the trickiest. ‘It’s fine, I have everything I want!’, ‘Ooh, I’ll have a think and get back to you’ and ‘Honestly, I’m happy with a card!’ are phrases that haunt us every year while we trawl through rails of cardigans, buckets of bouquets and divinely scented chocolate shops for the perfect gift. If you’ve exhausted all other options, fear not, because we have some inspiration for you.

What do you get the woman who has everything? We think that ‘experience gifts’ are some of the best, and what mother doesn’t appreciate a bit of time to herself to unwind? A spa break can be the perfect way to give her the rest she deserves, and she can get herself pampered and preened with massages, manicures, body treatments and a little dip in the pool, all with a chilled glass of champagne to hand.

In a similar vein, taking your mum for afternoon tea is perfect if she’s a sophisticated lady who is into her food. Treat her to a tower of tempting nibbles, including sandwiches, cakes, pastries and scones for a truly opulent afternoon, all washed down with lots of interesting tea blends and even more champagne. Lots of voucher websites offer deals on afternoon tea at luxury hotels, so you can really spoil her even on a budget.

If neither of you can find a suitable day to do something, a cheap but much appreciated gift is a photo book. You can create these on a range of simple programs online and see your digital images transformed into a sleek book which can be treasured forever. Include holiday snaps, photos of the children and pets and pictures from family gatherings to give her a lasting record of all of these happy memories.

If it’s going to be a milestone birthday, you could always discuss the idea of a weekend away with the rest of the family. It’s a great excuse for a little break, and it will make your mum feel really spoilt and special having the whole family around to celebrate her big day. This could be an overnight trip to a city she loves or even a surprise jaunt abroad for a couple of days in the sun.

Whatever you choose to do, don’t listen when she tells you not to worry. She’s your mum, and she will be delighted with whatever you choose! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a birthday cake to bake...

Claire Temple is a mother who enjoys being spoiled and offers her advice tot hose who may need gift buying inspiration!

Transform your Flip Flops, T-Shirts, and More with shiZZles

I received these  cute accessories from Shizzles.  Shizzles has different kinds of pretty designs of  accessories such as the one below that you can use to  transform your ordinary shirt or dress into  a fabulous ones.  Most of their items only cost $4.99, a very low and affordable price for those fashionistas who love to   make simple outfits into extra ordinary.

Warning:  Photo overload ahead.

 Little Crochet - $4.99

 Bright Blue Frayed Flower

Huge Pink Flower for $4.99 

My daughter had so much fun accessorizing her dresses with these.  Here we go.

Let me just say that I am the photographer only.  She decided which dress she   would wear and what poses  she likes me to snap.  I tried  suggesting that she should use some shirt to  accessorize  with these cutesie but she said, she  likes to use them on  dresses.

As you can see, there are so many different  things that you can use these pretty little things.  You can  use them for shirts,  flipflops, for your head bands or simply use them in your wrist.  My little model  is into these kind of stuff so it's fun to get them!

 You can find  Shizzles in Facebook and please like them so you can  access  at their deals and other promos.  Thanks again Shizzles!

Disclaimer:  The author of this blog  was NOT financially compensated in writing the review.  The products mentioned above were given for FREE for evaluation purposes.