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.

Bouncy! bouncy! bouncy! BOUNCY!

When I was demonstrating how to paint the wavy water on the paper by using water colour, I told my little students to imagine there's a rabbit bouncing on the paper. When I was painting, I was saying bouncy! bouncy! bouncy! They eventually started to jump up and down! I was laughing at their naive reaction! The funnest part was when they were back to their seats and started their own painting on their paper, they went bouncy! bouncy! bouncy! Aren't they adorable or what!

Beautiful Wild Animals | Siao Siang Looi | 2011

A wonderfully done video & edit by Iyvone Khoo. I remembered how we did this for a sleepless night like we did before during the school days when we were rushing for art project! I was in charge of looking for music for this video. Music by Nigel Kennedy. We love it and adore it! Thank you very much!

Sophia wrote about Siao Siang, a good read and a better understanding about the artist. The Everyday Revolution is moving forward to help the austistic artists! A way to go!

6yo Zephine said

I have been calling Megan as Michelle and Michelle as Megan on every lesson! XD 

This 6yo Zephine can't stand me anymore! She handed me a serviette!

"Teacher Esther! Nah!!!!"

"I don't need this!" I told her.

"You must take and keep it and don't lose it! OK!" 

Wow, this young lady is so fierce you know.

Then I realized it is a note! She wrote "Megan is not Michelle!" 

I laughed loudly, I find her so CUTE! But she gave me a stern look! And reminded me again, "Don't lose this note! OK!" And she went back to her work!

A little reminder from Zephine!

 

My new hair style

"No more Rock Star Esther! Teacher Esther, now you look more like a boy!" 10yo Anna commented.
"Why, not nice?" I asked.
"What did your husband say about your hairstyle??" 10yo Carissa asked.
"He said I look very CUTE!" I smiled.
"HUH! Your husband must be blind!!!!!" they exclaimed.
"Yes, he is blind by my love!" I laughed.
The whole class went, "AIYOOO!" XD

Happy Mother's Day!

This video is specially for all the great Mommies in the world! I managed to take some video of them during the rush hours! HAPPY MOTHER's DAY! to my Mum and all the Mommies out there!

Nanananananana...

 

Sing along session! Joy time together!

When Sonia starts humming, nanananana... Aimee adds in and they sing along!

It belongs to ME!

21yo Looi Siao Siang finally received the WWF recycle bag from me on the Thursday evening art class! He grabbed the bag in no time, I snatched it back from him as he was still holding on the bag (with strength). I was looking at him and expecting him to say the magic words, until he said, "Say Thank You!", eventually the bag was back to him.

My students were so curious about the bag, they asked, "Teacher Esther, what is WWF?" I told them to ask Siao Siang, and he said, "World Wildlife Fund!"

11yo Ashely reqested to take a look at the bag, Siao Siang allowed her. "Oh, the bag is made of bamboo! What if this bag was given to the panda, will they eat it??" Good question Ashely! But, I was not interested to answer her question, either Siao Siang!
I was more interested to "make fun" of Siao Siang, I hinted to Ashely not to return the bag to him! 13yo Michelle agreed with my mischief idea, we told Ashely to tell Siao Siang to give her this bag! Ashely thought it was a bad idea, kept blaming on us! Then Siao Siang exclaimed, "It belongs to ME!"

Michelle and I were laughing away! And poor Ashely kept blaming on us and still don't understand our purpose ~ We were making Siao Siang to interact with us! And he did!

I supposed giving him this bag wasn't an bad idea at all, he learns to talk to his classmates even more! Yes, my students indeed treated Siao Siang as their friends! and I am glad they are his art classmates and most importantly ~ FRIENDS!

WWF bags for WWF fans!

12yo Sonia, fan of WWF!

I saw a WWF logo recycle bag at a facebook link from the Tangs page!

Bought 3 of them on last Friday when I was shopping for Sonia and Aimee's canvases.
How come 3 of them? Well, they are: for myself, Sonia Hanke and of course Looi Siao Siang!

I took out one of the bag and placed it on the table together with the new canvas before the girls arrived for the class.

Sonia was the first one who arrived. She looked delighted when she spotted the bag! I told her it was for her, it was her advance birthday present! She was so happy!

When the lesson was about half of the time with Aimee, Sonia questioned, "Wait a minute, Miss Esther, my birthday is next week!"

"It is an advance birthday present!" I repeated.

"Oh yea! I forgot!" Sonia was smiling sillily.

Happy 12th Birthday Sonia Hanke!

Painting mosaic

Getting the little artist to paint the squares wasn't an easy task at all. 7yo Benjamin couldn't sit still and got distracted easily on every little things, like he would get thirsty every times and drink a whole bottle of water! Or being too helpful whenever there're children asking for help! He is one "Super Hero" that cannot help himself, yet. :s This boy has kind soul. But he has lesson to follow. I have to "pull" him back to his seat most of the times!

6yo Shayna is a perfectionist. She could not paint a perfect square and alarmed me every minute that she did a horrible job! She stood up with her paint brush, insisted to paint on a new piece of paper. I encouraged her to continue painting until she get it right. This time, she stomped her feet, ran to me and demand for a new piece of paper. Benjamin stood up from his seat and looked on. I said no to her and asked her to continue her work. She got mad and used the back of the paint brush and "drew" on my arms and I went "Ouchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Shayna was terrified, she apologized immediately and went back to her seat and continued her work. She kept saying, "Sorry Teacher Esther..."

The class asked her, "Why you always say sorry to Teacher Esther on every lesson?"

I told her firmly, "No more sorry and focus on your work."

Shayna said ok and continued her painting.

It wasn't easy to keep a child discipline in their art work.

I totally forgot about the scratch when I was busy with one class after another.

But the last class suddenly gave me a little "reward"! 8yo Rachel and 5yo Momo ran to me and slapped a sticker on my arms! Aren't they sweet!

Lost work, founded memory, strong reminder!

Strong Reminder: Property of Theon Aw. Do not put on the Dustbin!

Founded Memory: 13yo Theon's sketch Cubism in Action Tsunami

Theow Aw was noticed that his charcoal artwork was lost after the "tragic" story that I told him! He was so devastated, kept asking why I put their artwork on the dustbin! I felt so bad about it, again. No choice, we need to move on, I requested him to redraft everything straight onto the canvas and focus on the painting.

He did well, he can remember what he'd drawn previously from the charcoal artwork. This young man even demanded me to take a picture of his draft before it get lost again! :s

One more thing, I have to thank Siao Siang's Mummy, Mrs. Looi. She is the one who provides all the canvases for the children without even asking for single cent! Thank you and hugs!

Happy Birthday Melody!

10yo Melody jiejie with her favourite little people!

It was Melody Lin's 10th birthday on 21st April Saturday! She didn't request to celebrate her birthday during her art class like Zhen Hong. A quiet and kindhearted girl chose to give out little goodies for the little people from her 7yo sister Marissa's art class!

Around 7.15pm, Melody's Mum hang her a bag of goodies at the doorstep and informed me about her birthday.

7yo Melody Tan overheard and interrupted, "Oh, you mean Melody Tan???"

We were laughing, Melody's Mum told her, "No dear, it's Melody Lin's birthday!"

Then she went, "Hahaha, oh i see!"

All the children were asked to go back to their seats and Melody gave away the goodies to her favourite little people!

There, I requested everybody to take a picture with the birthday girl!
The answer was "Nooooooooo!!" in no time!

"Ok everybody, give back the goodies to Melody Jie Jie if you said No!" I exclaimed.

Guess what, they said "Yesssssss!!" and hurried up group together and snapped a picture together!!!

Sometimes, I really don't know what to say about their reaction!

But I have taken beautiful pictures of my art students who are growing up TOGETHER! :)