On the roll

Beth has had an astonishing week of achievement and recognition.

On Thu, it was Presentation Night for the Preps to Year 2s, where students get to perform musical items they have been rehearsing, and receive recognition for achievements throughout the school year.

There are two kinds of awards - the Timothy Award and Achievement Awards.

The Timothy Award is for students who have consistently displayed Christ-like qualities.

Achievement Awards are for students who excel in individual subjects (Literacy, Math, Art), overall academic excellence, and there's even an award for excellent progress in all areas of the curriculum. Students who receive Achievement Awards do not know that they are going to receive the awards until their names are actually called, so it is an exciting time for students and parents.

The best thing about having few or no expectations is that when something great does fall into your lap, the joy of it is undiluted by any thoughts of "I always knew she'd get it" or "What a pity, I thought she deserved to win".

So it was a genuine surprise to us and Beth when her name was called.

"From 2L, the award for Overall Academic Excellence goes to Bethany Tan."

Wow. What a moment. I wish I'd focussed more on Beth's expression. All I managed to glimpse after she returned to her seat was the boys next to her ribbing her and her elbowing the nearest one playfully.

On Friday, I received a call from Beth's piano teacher.

"The results for the exam are in, and I'm very excited to tell you that Beth got an A."

After months of angst, nagging and feeling like a parental failure over daily battles with my strong-willed 8 yo over scales and dynamics, she managed to impress the examiner sufficiently to receive a Pass with Honours (AMEB grading is different from ABRSM; they don't score by marks).

Coming after her eyebrow-raising blue ribbon in sprints last week, I'd say our firstborn has had a good year at school.

Tension relief

Exams are over!

We can all take a collective sigh of relief and relax a little bit.

Not for long though, cos Beth's teacher has just given her her Grade 2 books today.

When asked how I thought Beth had gone, I had to resist the urge to tell the teacher that I didn't think it had gone that well. I finally said I hadn't heard most of what went on in the room (which was true) and we would wait and see.

Results are out this week.

2nd Solo Festival (Yamaha)

Beth's second Solo Festival went much better than her first three months ago.

The Swing could have been faster, and that disappearing last note was definitely avoidable after the number of times she has made the same mistake, but there you go.

J's voice making encouraging noises in the background ("Beautiful!") as jiejie played is definitely one of the highlights of this recording. :)

There were lots of really good pianists on the day, like our friend Emily, the inaugural Melissa Perrin Scholarship winner.

She's only a year older than Beth, but has the self-discipline, level-headedness and maturity of someone much older. She definitely deserves the award, and if she continues with her music studies, I can imagine she'll go really far in the years to come.

What's for afternoon tea?

The impromptu fruit cake I made last Fri didn't turn out so well, so today I'm testing a different recipe.

One-Cup Choc Chip Banana Cake

One cup SR flour
One cup raw sugar
One ripe banana, sliced
One cup lac-free milk
One cup choc chips
One tbsp cocoa powder

The start of a Kumon relationship

Went for the Kumon parent info session last night.

I love Daylight Savings. By the time we left at 7.45 pm, it was still light enough for me to drive home without qualms. So different from what happens in May till Aug.

The minute we entered the Werribee Baptist Church, we spotted a few familiar faces. Beth waved at a fellow Grade 2 who was her classmate last year. I saw a fellow reading mum marking a student's work. And I met a mum from our brief association with the school basketball team last year whose 5-year-old son sat quietly doing his worksheets: a 5 year-old boy who can sit still is a rare sight anywhere. She said she enrolled him (but not her daughter, who is in Grade 1) because he is a boy and he needs the discipline. Obviously her decision is producing the results sought.

The session gave me an insight into what it's like for the students who attend, and just as importantly, what the coordinator has to do to keep things flowing along.

At the same time that she was briefing the four families who were there, she was also fielding questions from helpers and other parents, attending to students, giving out worksheets and stickers, telling people to pipe down, confirming which helper was coming the next session, and making encouraging remarks to students who had completed their work. There were people coming and going all the time. The only part of the room that was relatively peaceful was the study area, where students sat at benches doing their worksheets.

The frequent interruptions caused the lady to lose her train of thought several times, and I definitely gained an appreciation of the challenges of being a Kumon supervisor.

At the start of the session, the lady handed out to each new child a diagnostic test booklet for Math (it happened that the families that came were interested primarily in Kumon Math) pitched at an easy level. Then she set her timer.

When Beth came back with her completed booklet in record time, she was sent off with another that was more challenging.

The booklets were marked by a helper (a high school student I think) and given to the supervisor, who then showed us the result and what that meant.

The Kumon centre is open on Mon and Thu. On centre days, students come through at their pre-appointed time slot and work on a given worksheet. This is then marked and they correct any mistakes made and are assigned worksheets for the next two days. Parents are expected to mark this homework. Then the students come in the following session and the cycle repeats.

Fees are $100 per subject per month.

The idea behind Kumon is to create an individual learning plan for every child with the ultimate aim of helping them to learn at a higher level than what they are doing at school, through a system that fosters self-discipline, self-correction and consistent hard work. The child begins at the level where he can easily attain 100%, so that he enjoys the feeling of success and is motivated to keep up the good work.

The Kumon system uses speed (hence the timer) and accuracy to determine how a child is progressing. It can even tell when a child needs to repeat a certain unit. So if a child is weak in a particular topic, he may have to do worksheets on the same topic two or three times before he can move on.

In Beth's case, her result identified her entry point to Kumon Math at Level 2A. Two children can be the same age but start at different entry points. Likewise, a Year 9 student could be on the same entry point as a Year 2 student. So the benefit of doing the diagnostic test is you get to see where your child is in her journey.

As I understand it, staying long-term with Kumon will strengthen the foundations of Beth's Math understanding, help her keep on moving to higher levels of achievement so that she is learning beyond her grade, and encourage her to be self-disciplined by doing the worksheets daily (the idea of ten minutes each day as opposed to an hour a week).

Beth and I are both very excited and most likely she will start next Monday in the 6 pm slot.

'Tis the season to be hospitable

Nov and Dec are shaping up to be our busiest months.

In two days' time, my aunt and uncle from SG arrive to stay for three weeks.

On 30 Nov, our CG friends the Choos arrive for their Great Ocean Road trip. We're planning a bbq in the backyard (subject to weather) so everyone can take their time over dinner and the kids can enjoy getting reacquainted.

On 3 Dec, the Ongs arrive with their three kids, Janasis, Joy and Grace. Janasis is horse-mad and I'm thinking of booking a horse-riding session at Taleeho on Ballan Rd. Trouble is, Beth has music lessons in the morning and she's just been invited to a birthday party immediately after music!

What timing...

Just now, I received a FB message from a dear friend I used to do lunch with in my corporate days. He and his wife and son touch down in Melbourne this Sat and he asked for our home address in case they're close enough to drop in for a cuppa!

How full and rich are overflowing with good things our lives are.

好的开始是成功的一半

As the old Chinese proverb goes: 'A good beginning contributes to half the success.'

The morning didn't start so well.

The 8 yo wouldn't get out of bed without some extra maternal TLC ("attention" she called it).

She was so tardy getting ready for school that she ended up scoffing a couple of crackers for breakfast, which made me really cross.

By the time we reached the lights outside the Plaza, it was 8.25 am and I couldn't resist lecturing.

I only regained a sense of perspective when I met my reading partner on her way to sign in at the front office.

"I'll see you in class!" she called. Yay, at least I wasn't the only late one.

Today's the last day of reading with my daughter's class. Was expecting to have to read with them till end Nov but who's complaining? :)

When I signed out and handed over my 20-hour sheet, the receptionist looked at it and went, "You've finished!"

I have indeed. All 30 hours of it from the start of the school year. What a feeling.

Now I can take $300 off our account balance and make payment for the remainder of the school fees.

And we're clear...No more school fees to think about until Jan.

When the whole cycle starts again.

Playgroup went well today, except there was no milk in the fridge! Must remember to buy milk and bikkies for next week and maybe make up a fruit plate as well, cos one of the kids turns 2 this week and we're having a mini-celebration next week.

One of the moms asked if we could have the shaving foam out for next session. Apparently the kids love donning their art smocks and messing around with shaving foam. All we need to do is provide lots of foam and leave them to it!

Today we brought out the wooden puzzles and wooden doll house. I reckon the kids are easy to please. The boys are happy as long as they have their toy cars and cubbyhouse, and the girls are happy to play at cooking.

Pity no one's interested in story time. I was imagining myself reading and acting out some kids' classics to a bunch of eager preschoolers, but the kids seem more keen on play activities. Maybe I'll ask their mums if it's a good idea.

Tonight's the Kumon parents' info session. My friend ST is coming along to find out more as she may want to enrol her son.

Hubby thinks it's too much, with the swimming and the music and the Chinese.

But we're Singaporeans living in AUS - how pressurizing can it really get for kids?

Manor Lakes Land Release

Just received email from Manor Lakes with its latest land price list.

Stage 97B is now being released and the price ranges from $183,000 for the tiny 320 sqm block to $203,000 for a corner 572 sqm block.

Titles are expected in May 2011.

Today was Sports Carnival for the Prep - Year Twos.

Because the weather forecast was 32 deg, the school made the wise decision to move back the timing from 12.30 pm to 10 am.

J and I got there one and a half hours late, and had trouble finding a parking spot. We ended up parking between the main carpark and Werribee Baptist Church and making the long trek to the oval.

Thanks be to God for His providential timing. We actually arrived just in time for the running races, and got to cheer on not only Beth but many boys and girls that we know.

Heathdale has a policy of grouping children according to ability, so a less athletic child would never find herself competing against a future Olympic winner, for instance.

This enlightened policy led to a most delightful outcome for our book-loving child...

...Beth's first ever blue ribbon for running.

To celebrate, Mummy made a 3/4-cup cake (ingredients: 3/4 cup each of SR flour, milk, sugar, dried fruit) with a special congratulatory message piped (very amateurishly) in icing for the champion athlete.

Look at that smile!

My intended walk around the block this morning turned into a 45-minute affair.

Johnson Ave => Barber Drive => Dowling Ave => Carruthers Drive =>Westmill Drive => Heaths Rd

I said hello to my neighbour down the road, the elderly lady of Macedonian? Polish? Italian? origin who's usually out tending her garden. She made some encouraging remark about me exercising, which was a great way to start my walk.

Today I thought I'd explore the Cambridge Primary School, which funnily enough I've never checked out even though it's so close by.

I was impressed by the school's contemporary and well-maintained buildings. The campus is securely fenced, has a security surveillance system in place, and the staff carpark has an intercom at the gate. For some reason, I had been under the impression that state schools were rundown and badly in need of government funding for infrastructure (re: recent hoo-ha in the media about Werribee SC).

The houses opposite the school are something else.

They're GORGEOUS.

These are the houses you never see at OFIs. Maybe the owners are in for the long haul, and with beautiful homes like these, why would you live anywhere else? I saw magnificent double-storey homes and, unlike the new estates springing up further north, no two homes looked the same.

I was particularly drawn to a Victorian terrace that immediately made me feel like I had been transported to England in ages past. It was ivy-clad, mysterious and at odds with its neighbours - but in a charming way.

At the end of my walk, I met my neighbour again. She was coming from the opposite direction and we chatted about how my walk had gone.

"45 minutes today!" I proudly announced. "I'm happy."

Her reply?

"Po po po po!" she declared.

With a grin, she mimicked someone power walking, and applauded me.

Clip go the shears

This week, I have been encouraging my girls - esp bookworm Beth - to go out to the backyard after school to make the most of the warmer weather and greenery.

The girls enjoy a bit of gardening and are quite good at weeding, even the little one.

I suggested to Beth that she try and see if she could spot which grapevines had started to curl around each other to form a "secure partnership" under the pergola. I had only just discovered the cleverness of the grapevines myself, and I want to encourage her to notice the little things that make our world so special.

Yesterday, Beth went on a walkabout, noting the way each plant was growing, and decided to take to the citronella plant with the secateurs. It was her first time handling the secateurs, those curved scissor-shear gadgets that let you quickly trim branches and leaves.

I told her to put on her gardening gloves, handle the secateurs with care...and left her to it.

She spent a good half hour trimming as she went. J was the helper, cheerfully making trips to and from the black trash bag to deposit the clippings.

So proud of them both. Good teamwork girls!

Land prices in Williams Landing

Dropped by Williams Landing's land sales office to pick up the latest price list.

The sales consultant quoted me

• $276k for a 392 sqm block (the smallest available) - $704 per sqm
  
• $296k for the 448 sqm blocks - $660 per sqm
  
• $332k for the 558 sqm block - $594 per sqm
  

The town centre and stage one of the proposed rail station are scheduled for Dec 2012. Subject of course to all the usual approvals from various stakeholders.

In the more established estate of Wyndham Waters next door, which also falls under the same postcode, there are still a couple of blocks available on the Domain website.

WW is a relatively small estate bordered by Sayers Rd, Forsyth Rd and Palmers Rd, and is one of the few in the area with recreational amenities: 25m pool, gym and tennis courts. Which (most likely) means body corp fees as well.

• A 525 sqm block is seeking $300-320k ($571-$609 per sqm)
• A 528 sqm block is seeking $315k ($596 per sqm)
• A 608 sqm block is seeking $290-320k ($476-$526k)
• Super-small blocks in the $150-170k bracket designed for townhouses, with a frontage smaller than 7m!
  

Proposed ASX-SGX merger

Some interesting comments on the deal.

http://www.theage.com.au/business/court-of-the-lion-kings-20101029-177fu.html

http://www.theage.com.au/business/singapores-asx-bid-just-the-start-20101029-177g9.html

Why I love hanging out with the Little Disciples

The energy.

The joy.

The cooperation.

The creativity.

Doesn't always happen.

Some Sundays, you wonder if you're getting through to anyone at all (like, is anyone listening?).

But mostly Sunday School is good.

Keeps me on my toes.

Forces me to play outside my comfort zone.

Reminds me of the inner child that I need to recapture.

Thank you God for the privilege and responsibility of working with our SS kids.

Girl power

Thanks to C for organizing a farewell coffee session at BB's Cafe this morning for A, and for buying a card and gift.

It's one of those things I cannot see myself doing (coordinating/organizing) but am always happy to support.

A and her family leave next week for California where her husband will take up a new position as kids/youth pastor at a local church. Her son J and Beth are classmates.

There were six of us mums altogether and it was easygoing initially, cos I know C, M and of course A. I even commented to C that we should do this more often i.e. get a few mums together for a coffee.

Then two other mums showed up who obviously are also good friends of Alex. Their kids are in a different class from Beth, so I haven't had the opportunity to meet them before this. And I didn't have the courage to introduce myself properly, so it got a little awkward (for me). They were very nice about it and included me in the conversations (of which as usual I was a listener rather than participant) through their body language and fantastic eye contact.

As always, I am fascinated by how Caucasians and Asians are so different in the way we express ourselves. Caucasian women seem so much more animated, articulate and confident. Sure there are the quieter ones (like L) but in general, women here aren't afraid to speak out and express their views. And the girl power factor is just awesome, the way women naturally reach out support each other with sympathetic comments when one shares about a bad day or a stubborn spouse.

For me, hanging out with individuals who are so different culturally is important because it's my barometer of what's acceptable behaviour. By watching, I learn that I have permission (for instance) to say something deprecating or funny, admit that I'm lousy at housework or can't read a map, or that my child is giving me a hard time.

Aussie women can take anything. Nothing is too shocking or rude or improper to share when it's an all-girl gathering. More power to them!

Sunday Drive

Thought we'd mark the start of the long Melbourne Cup weekend with a drive to Warralily, the up-and-coming masterplanned estate in Armstrong Creek.

Lesson learned: follow your instincts and the Melway, not the GPS.

It's not the first time our beloved Garmin has led us astray.

The sales copy on the website was enticing -

Warralily is located right where the vibrant city of Geelong meets all the relaxed pleasures of the Surf Coast. Here, where Armstrong Creek meanders its way toward Lake Connewarre, this new community offers you a range of delights.

You’ll be just ten minutes from employment opportunities, shopping, restaurants, cafés, cinemas, schools and universities, as well as surfing, fishing, swimming, boating and more!

+ Click to view Location Map

You’ll have convenient access to:

• Geelong, Torquay and Barwon Heads
• Beaches, rivers and coastal bushlands
• Hospitals, business centres, universities
• Major retail and entertainment centres
• 45 minutes to Melbourne on the new bypass
• 20 minutes to the Bellarine wineries and Queenscliff
• 15 minutes to The Great Ocean Road

The reality takes considerable imagination, because the estate is in a rather ulu location with nothing but paddocks around it - and the highway. The sales consultant also pointed out that the lake is actually not that easy to get to because it's in a biodiversity area and is not designed to cater to large crowds.

Plus points: a new train station is going up in the estate, along with an activity hub, shops and schools. Geelong Lutheran College and Deakin Uni are nearby.

The thing with buying in most new estates is the risk. If you're willing to invest in the longer term vision portrayed in the master plan at pre-build stage, your chances of capital growth are almost guaranteed. From observation, we've noticed that every year, the land prices go up at least $10k for the same block size, and if you buy in a later release (when the roads and infrastructure have been put in), it's going to cost more than if you get in at the early stages.