My students' conversation makes me laugh!

9yo Chloe asked the class, "Have you seen Teacher Esther's husband? I have seen him before!" 

I told her, "He's very handsome right!" 

"Hmm, he looks weird!" She replied.

The others asked, "how does he look like!"

14yo Theon interrupted, "I know how he looks like, they both look alike! He looks like Teacher Esther - The Man Teacher Esther!"
 
Gosh, I laughed out loud!

Crying Cayla wants Mummy!

4yo Cayla was not ready for art class today. She was crying almost half of the art session, crying for her Mummy. I can see all the unsatisfied baby faces, one of them even used his palms and covered his ears. But, I was really glad that they were so patience and even waiting for me to start the lesson. The only method to calm Cayla down was I gave her a kit kat chocolate. She didn't want to draw, I let her be. Until she finished the kit kat chocolate, she decided to draw. From there, she started to draw and follow instructions. The best part was when she painted the background with water colour, there was the time to express her calmness. 

Well done Cayla, I hope she doesn't cry again in the beginning of the class. Cayla! Learn to be BRAVE, you can do it! :)

I have to thank Christine Gan for the Kit Kat Chocolate that she gave us last Christmas! It helps! Chocolate indeed can make a person HAPPY! ;)

Dylan made my day! :)

Look what I had found when I was doing some spring cleaning at my desktop. 6yo Dylan issued me a certificate on last year 2012 Teacher's Day. It really made my day! Thank you Dylan, Teacher Esther will work hard this year! ^.^

Favourite Pets!

My advance level students were working on Manga character drawing recently and we were discussing about the next project that they are going to work on and this time I asked them to paint their favourite pet with acrylic on canvas and required them to bring a picture of their pet!

11yo Joel Gn exclaimed, "Teacher Esther, you mean I can bring my dog here to the art class!!!"

I have no idea this kid came out with this question, I thought I just told him to bring a picture of their pet??? 10yo Chloe agreed with Joel and she wanted to bring her pet to the classroom as well!

I told them, "No trouble, just bring the picture of your pet will do good."

But both insisted to bring their pet for the next lesson... guess what, they said it and they did it! But instead of dogs, both brought the same animal, terrapins!

I really admired by their say and their action!

Their pets are really their FAVOURITE! They must not be missed!

Sweet memories for their painting theme! :)

5yo Momo said...

Momo's Mummy told me that Momo is like a superstar, her schedule is so packed with classes and activities. When she mentioned about her most favourite classes and activities she has been attending. Momo exclaimed, "Art class!"

Then her Mummy continued, "Art class, cycling and roller blading....hmm... how about violin???"

"NO! I want to focus on Teacher Esther!!!" Momo replied in no time.

We were both laughing at her exclamation.

I lost my sketch book! :(

It was an old muji sketch book that I used it to sketch on the spot to inspire my art students at the zoo! They love it so much that they were bugging me to teach them how to draw more! Very meaningful sketch book but it was gone :'(

After the zoo event, I was tired and hungry. I told myself I needed a soupy dinner, I called my husband, I will eat dinner before home. Went to the Kopitiam and order a bowl of hot bee hoon kueh soup. I placed my sketch book on the chair and moved on to collect my dinner. Then I placed my bag on top the sketchbook. There, I was enjoying my simple dinner. After I finished the food, the dish collector Uncle came and collected my tray and wrapped the table, I thanked him and grabbed my bag and went off!

I moved on to the Four Leaves Bakery and bought a loaf of bread for our next day breakfast. Then moved on to the bus stop. Hopped onto 167 bus and alight on the stop before and bought two bowls of Tou Huey without syrup and walked to the next bus stop to catch another bus home. When I finally reached home, I realized my sketchbook was not with me!!!!!  What am I doing! I totally forgot about it! Quickily, I called my colleagues to go to the food court and checked, no sign of it, someone took it away... BIG SIGH! 

The next day, I went to ask the dish collection counter, there was only lost umbrellas but no sketch book of mine... 

Life goes on....

Why my students hug me and love calling me Mama!?

My little students have been hugging me and called me "MaMa!" almost every classes lesson!

I told this to my older students 10yo Melody, 11yo Zhen Hong, 12yo Reina and Shania (10yo Keer & 11yo Teng Meng were absent) who are in upper primary levels, they told me straight without even thinking about it, "It is because when you do demo on the artwork and you are very good in art! That's why they hugged you!" 

Hmm...That could be one of the reason why they hugged me and called me Mama...

BOO!

Halloween is coming and I got my students to make Halloween masks! Different classes came out with different masks, some classes likes to follow my idea from the white board and also others love to create their own! This interesting theme excited them! The best part was, when I announced to them that they are going out of the classroom and "scare" people around the plaza! They cheered and were jumping up and down like little bunnies! One of my students suddenly hugged me and said "Teacher Esther, you are the best teacher in the world!" And I remembered, that was 8yo Rachel!

This is their first time "Booing" the public with their mask on!

4yo Asher and Javier were having fun making the masks, they spent more time decorate the mask because Cayla and Byton was absent.

This class has the most different and creative halloween character masks!

The children had a "Booing" good times that I had to tell the audiences to pretend to be scared! Haha!

This class has the most Ninjago masks! 

我们这一班！

Gor Gor Theon & Isaac wanted to express their drawings on the white board to the little ones! 

I'm glad that they are enjoying their artwork as well!

This is my favourite photograph! The Gor Gors make this class very special!

Imaginative drawing on the white board by Gor Gor Theon and Isaac! They really boosted up the little ones' imagination as well!

After their artwork, MoMo's mummy came to the art class with a yummy pandan cake for the little ones! Thank You Auntie Kim! :)

Everyone had packed and went home but Momo took out a new piece of paper and started to draw again! And she gave me this drawing! Isn't she a sweetie pie! :)

Art Talk!

When the lesson starts, my students will "report" to me about their family, school, games, movies and everything happening around them! The most amusing thing is they love to do it altogether and make the classroom very noisy! I stayed calm and would ask them to keep quiet first, raise their hands and do it one at the time! I would point at them one by one, as they'd reported, then times up for "reporting"! Eventually, I started my lesson!

Phew, it is always not easy to calm down the active brunch of children. The only thing that keep them quiet is to work on art! Art calms them down and work on their visual on a simple piece of paper and with colouring materials. Isn't that amazing! Of course, there are students who will get distracted or carried away easily. I have to pull them back to their work. What I could do is to let them express their speech right after their work, this will work as an communication between themselves and teacher and also understand their created visual by telling us. It is always a way to encourage the shy ones to stand front and talk about their work too, that will take times, the time will come when they are ready. I'm sure this will build up their bravery and personality.

My target for my little artists is not only their artwork talks by itself but also be able to present themselves to the audiences. Grow strong my little artists!

6yo Shayna shows and tells about her artwork.

Teacher Esther! Come to my Birthday Party!

8yo Rachel asked, "Teacher Esther, can you come to my birthday party!?"

I was like, "Huh??? Why me??" I asked.

"Because I want you to come to my birthday party and celebrate my birthday!"

"But, I'm an adult! Are you inviting your artmates as well!?" I asked.

 She said no. Then I told her I can't make it, and I have to work.

She was like Oh... and her expression was a little disappointed and wordering...

Do I hurt her feeling? I should have told her a little sweet lie and given her more cheerful answers! Gosh! Where has my creativity gone to!? O.o

Finding Kenny Tan (He was found!)

I was still teaching during the marathon classes on the previous Saturday (15th Sep) and all the sudden I received an urgent call from Mrs. Wong (Tein Foong's Mum) about 4:48PM. She panicky told me that Kenny Tan was lost! She asked me to look out for him if he happened to visit me at the classroom or spotted in Thomson Plaza. She told me that he was lost since morning at the Pathlight School and his parents and sisters were dead worried!

I instructed my students to do their work independently. Hurriedly, I sent the information to the Facebook and get friends to help! I'd spread to LCSG group and friends, many responded and helped to spread the words! Also, to follow up any news from Kenny, I checked on Kenny's sister fb states as well.

After my work, my husband and I energized ourselves with dinner then searched around Thomson Plaza where he could be found at his favourite place like NTUC, Popular and even the barber shop...Still, there was no sight of him around... 

I called Siao Siang's Mummy and reported to her, there's no sight of Kenny in Thomson Plaza. She gave me the latest info that Kenny was spotted at Somerset MRT station, and believed that he could be in town area. I updated the fb and informed the groups and friends again, in case anyone could spotted him in town area!

I had this urge to borrow bicycles from a cycling friend who stay around Thomson to search for Kenny at Bishan Park or AMK area. But, my body told me I was tired... Hubby told me to go home and rest, no sufficient clue, can't help much... So, I followed him home.

My mind was still unease, I was still thinking about Kenny Tan... But, my strong feeling told me that he will be alright. The clock hit 12am midnight, but I couldn't sleep.

Kenny ah Kenny, where are you!!!???

1:07AM, my mobile phone ringed, Mrs. Looi informed me that Kenny was FOUND!

There, my mind was relieved, signed in the fb in no time and informed LCSG group and friends that Kenny was found! Then, I was able to sleep well.

Today, Kenny was on MyPaper! This news is about how he was found and Singapore does have kind souls.

The news is about Kenny Tan's adventure on the day he was lost and also show that Singapore does have kind souls to help this boy.

The news is about Kenny's adventure when he was lost. The writer expressed that she was touch by hundred of ppl who had initiated the action of finding Kenny.  He was lost for 14 hrs, starved and drank tap water from the public toilets. He was found on the MRT train at AMK station after searching in and out of many places! Some ppl cheered, some ppl cried. Writer also expressed that after Kenny was found, money can't solved the problem, it is the heart and soul to do something together. We do not wait for something to happen, we have to do it to make it happen. There's a socialist who also expressed that by the story of Finding Kenny, learned that the spirit of helping someone is a great contribution rather than expect too much and do too little. We should have this spirit at all time and make a better place to live in!

11yo Aimee said...

11yo Aimee all the sudden popped out with words while she was working on her autumn painting, she said, "Teacher Esther, now I know why you don't have a child! My Dad told me, maybe you treat us like your own children!"

I was thinking to myself, am I really doing that? Maybe I do?

Art Competition at Esplanade!

Read this for more details! Go to this link http://www.esplanade.com/octoburst/2012/drawing_competition_colouring_fun.html

My "Oversize" Student!

My "Oversize" Student!

13yo Isaac stained his t-shirt when he was doing printing! He washed away the paint stains and almost half of his T was wet! I gave him an apron (child size apron) and insisted him to put it on! He doesn't want to get his T dirty again, but no choice, so he put it on!

All the little ones laughed out loud.

Gosh, sometimes I have been thinking, is our Isaac boy still a little boy!? It could be, in our eyes, like his parents, he is still a little boy!

Art MaMa!

8yo Rachel told me, " I don't know why my Mummy bought me pretty dress and shoes today! She even bought a toy cost about $90plus!"

"What! That's not fair! My toys don't even cost more than that!" 13yo Theon think it was hilarious.

"That's because Rachel is the only child! Theon, you have 2 more siblings right! I explained.

She was a little puzzled but very sure about her Mummy loves her like a darling, she continued, "Teacher Esther, I have the best Mummy in the world!"

"But, Mummy always do disgusting thing! She kisses me too much! Yucks!" Rachel complaint. We all laughed at her comment.

All the listeners - Momo, Jamie, Eileen(Jamie's good friend who came for trail class) and even Jotham had finished their work! In a while, Rachel asked for help. I went to her table and gave her a hand, out of the blues, she called me "MUMMY!"

6yo Keanne Yu who sat next to her and followed, "Mummy!"

Eventually, all of them called me, "Mummy!"

I was freaked out! I reminded them I'm their Art Teacher, not their Mummy!

Rachel exclaimed, "You are our Art MaMa!"

I was even more freaked out!

There, I requested the fast workers to help the slow ones.

All were busy and steady!

Phew....

I feel like a little child again!

Every Friday's art class at the Maplewoods, I would collect the keys and the air conditional remote control from the security office.

A grandpa looking angmo security guard uncle said, "Oh you look so cute in this outfit today!"

I blushed away and said "Thank You!"

Haha, I feel like a little child again! ^.^

Goodbye Katelyn!

6 years old Katelyn gave me a green four leaves plastic bag with the little white box inside and wished me a happy teacher's day. She brought me a sliced of cake. She also brought 5 sauages and 5 ham buns for her art mates. Her grandma who brought her to the art class all the time informed me it was her last day in this art class. I was listening to her but in my heart I was very sad, because Katelyn had been learning art from me since she was 4. When we were discussing about coming Lantern making lesson, she was so excited about it and said next week she will be coming! I reminded her that today is her last lesson. She kept quiet and continued her work.

After all her sharing of food and last interaction with her little artmates.
She came to me and said, "Teacher Esther, Thanks You for teaching me!"

There, I gave her a big hug! Goodbye Katelyn!

Room 101

I was quite pleased to see Ballet studios nice new signages on every doors namely Studio 1, Studio 2 on and on when I was walking to my art classroom. I was thinking where are the beautiful names like Blyton on and on which they used to name their ballet studios. My high spirit changed when I saw the door's signage named as Room 101 at our Picasso Studio!!! I was sooooooooooooooooooooooooo disappointed! They already took our Davinci Studio away for their ballet and now they renamed our Picasso Studio as Room 101! Gosh, are they DM fans or what! My students claimed that there are not even 100 of rooms here! Do they provide room services!? My mind told me, gosh, they better have better things to do!

Theon in army uniform!

We were alarmed to see 13yo Theon in army uniform when he walked into the art classroom!   He looked smart in that green camouflage uniform! He came to art class right after his school CCA! His art mates asked questions about his CCA and talked about their different CCA they chose. Theon shared how they killed a lived frog from a survival skill in the wild and they got freaked out. This kid is growing up in our eyes, definitely a man who is serving the country with loyalty!

I am sure when Theon came and visited me in real army uniform in few years time, I will be very old by that time.