Mrs Agnes Lim(Lead Teacher, Mathematics)Commendation Medal

Contact us at townsvilleps@moe.edu.sg or +(65) 6457 4345http://www.townsvilleps.moe.edu.sg

Do Your Best CONNECTSIssue 3 2017

Acknowledgements:

Advisor: Mr Victor TanEditors: Miss Nur Shameem Abdul Gafoor & Mrs Belinda Christian

Contributors: Mdm Kanchana Suppiah & Ms Clarissa YapPhotographs: Mr Lim Boon Hai and Mr James Teo

Layout & Design: Achieve Print N Pack

Connecting Parents with School

From the Principal’s DeskReflecting on resilience.

I read in Channel News Asia1, 17 August 2017, the story of Jason Chee, Singapore’s very own medal-winning para-athlete. Jason lost his left arm and both his legs in a terrible ship accident in 2012. He overcame, what seems to be insurmountable, challenges and won one gold and a silver medal at the 2015 ASEAN Para Games. However, he was diagnosed with a cancer in his eye and lost his right eye. Jason has had a successful operation and he is back to training in table tennis. He will represent Singapore at the International Table Tennis Federation Para Table Tennis Asian Championships, held in Beijing from August 23 to August 31 this year. Jason’s indomitable spirit can be felt when he surmised that “I have to overcome this fear and tell myself that even though I lost my right eye, I have not lost the game”. He literally sees that his biggest enemy is himself.

Reading Jason’s inspirational story led me to reflect on the topic of resilience. The definition of resilience taken from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary2 states that resilience is: 1. The ability to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens2. The ability of something to return to its original shape after it has been pulled, stretched, pressed, bent, etc.

It is interesting to note that the definition states that resilience is an ability. It begs us to ask the question if resilience can be learned.

Reflecting on my own experience, I tried to map how I learned resilience and what the exposures I have had and the opportunities to learn to be resilient were. Vivid memories of what helped me become resilient were images of myself at play. I stacked blocks, built “air fix” and Lego toys. I learnt to ride my bicycle, played “space invaders”, cook, sew, bake, etc. Since this is also the year we celebrate NS50, I have also learnt to handle myself in unfamiliar situations during National Service.

My learning opportunities, comprising of opportunities to try, to learn, to fail, to pick myself back up, to try again, are what I think are ingredients necessary to learn resilience. Not discounting what we do in the academic arena, I think that most of what I learnt during my play, my free time, my interest, and my hobbies have helped shape me to learn resilience.

I watch my own children learn through their interactions with the world, for example, when they were very young and were learning to stack simple blocks. The task, at their age, can be equivalent to an adult running a marathon for the first time. What I think differentiates a young child from that of a mature person is that of deliberateness.

Where a mature person is, for example; able to manage their emotions, come up with a plan, keep things in perspective, seek assistance, think through issues and problems and come up with viable solutions etc., the child is less so. Children and babies, rely on feedback given to them by the care givers around them, the role models. If we reflect that it is ok for the blocks to fall when they try to stack them, and show them that all we have to do is to pick them up again and begin from scratch, they will learn the behaviour and begin to practise them as part of their being. A lot of it is initially learnt through play before they transfer this same learning into all other aspects of their lives. Even as adults, we continue to practise being resilient in the things that we enjoy doing like finishing a puzzle, learning to cook a new dish, picking up a new sport, etc.

I have mentioned that children rely on feedback from care givers, be they parents, guardians or teachers. The quality of feedback and the way that it is delivered is critical to the children learning resilience. Learning is by itself a messy endeavour. We need to give ourselves and the children time and space to experiment and find out if there is only one answer or multiple approaches or answers to an issue. We would be of more help if we are able to withhold “feeding” solutions or superimposing our judgements on them, be it in play or their academic work. Caregivers too, have to learn to be comfortable to let children struggle and find joy in discovering their abilities. As adults, we support them with a conducive and supportive learning environment.

So if we think that it is important for our children to grow up to become resilient adults in a VUCA3 environment, we need to make sure they have time to themselves for hobbies, games and things of interest where they get to practise the skills which contribute to resilience. If it is important, we must make time for it. If it is important, we have to support our children.

Together in Townsville Primary School, we can as a learning community, help our children to live up to our mission of nurturing our pupils to become people of character, healthy patriotic citizens and creative independent thinkers, equipped with 21st century skills.

International Chinese Language Competition

Townsville Gems

Lee Wei Xian (Primary 6)received a bronze award

Li Peilin (Primary 5) garnered 2Gold Awards

Mrs Lee Peck Har(HOD Mathematics)Long Service Medal

National Day Awards

Chinese Calligraphy Competition for Primary Schools

Tan Jia Chen (Primary 6) – Merit Award

Tay Choon Chi Richel (Primary 3)won a Silver medal in the Female

Individual C Division Blue Category

PM Lee mingling with the crowd Our Choir members reciting the pledge with gusto Singing the national

anthem together as a community

National Day Observance Ceremony

The school premises was bustling with activity on 9 August. That was the day our Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, together with Mrs Lee, graced the Teck Ghee CC National Day Observance Ceremony that was held in our school. People from all walks of life participated in this meaningful event on our nation’s 52nd birthday.

People’s Association - Singapore Taekwondo Federation Taekwondo Championship

Tay Choon Chi Richel (Primary 3) won Silver in the Young Junior Female Blue 3 Category

Tay Kai Yuan Regan (Primary 1) won Silver in the Young Junior Male Green 5 category

They also won bronze medals for siblings under 12 years old category 

1. Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/jason-chee-medal-winning-para-athlete-loses-right-eye-to-cancer-91296022. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resilience3. VUCA - Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous

National Taekwondo Poomsae Championship 2017

Mrs Lata Krishnan(HOD Science)Long Service Medal

PAssionArts Festival @ Bishan-Ang

Mo Kio ParkVisit by Suzhou Xie Tang Primary

School

Eye Care and Healthy Lifestyle Week

Primary 6 Learning Journey to

Sungei Buloh

Primary 4 Traffic Games

Primary 5 Tamil Language Camp

Primary 4 Adventure Camp

‘Go Outdoors and Play’ – that was the theme of the Eye Care and Healthy Lifestyle Week in Townsville. The aim is to create awareness of good eye care habits and how an active lifestyle is also part and parcel of good eye care. There was a talk on Eye Health, bringing awareness to the students about myopia and providing them with tips on how to take good care of their eyes. Interesting and fun activities were also carried out in the school hall daily during recess.

Primary 4 students had an educational yet fun time at the Road Safety Community Park on 22 May. Given roles such as pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, they learnt and applied good road safety habits in a simulated traffic environment.

Our English Drama Club members had the privilege to catch the musical at Far East Square Pavillion. It was an interesting performance that brought to light the environmental issues that the world in which we live in is facing. Also, the pupils learnt values of integrity, courage and how to appreciate their loved ones. Watching the musical in the ‘belly of a whale’ made entirely out of recycled plastic bottles was quite a pleasant experience.

Our friends from Suzhou Xie Tang Primary School called on us in the first week of July. Primary 5 students had the opportunity of interacting and mingling with their peers from China. It was an interesting cultural exchange for both schools.

During the June holidays, Townsville’s student councillors participated in a one-day student leadership training. Through this programme, students learnt and were given opportunities to apply the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership through experiential learning, case studies, group problem-solving tasks, interactive activities and outdoor action learning.

Some of our Primary 5 students had the opportunity of attending a Tamil language camp at Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School. Not only did they deepen their knowledge in the language, but they also made new friends from other schools. The experience was one that they would not forget in a long time.

Primary 4 students participated in a 2-day-1-night Teambuilding Camp which was held at SAFRA Yishun Country Club. This camp aimed to nurture the students to be confident and independent with a sense of adventure. Through games, rock wall-climbing and other rope activities, our students had a chance to apply teamwork and leadership skills too. For many, it was their first time away from the comforts of home. Kudos to those who roughed it out despite their initial fears!

K2 students attending a lesson in a P1 class

Townsville’s EAS staff

The national flag being brought in by representatives of the uniformed

groups and student councillors

Everyone in high spirits, singing the National Day

songs

Adrenaline-pumping workout

Kindergarten Pupils’ Visit & Guided Tours for Parents

Executive and Administrative Staff (EAS) Day

National Day Celebrations Townsville celebrated National Day on 8 August. After the special flag-raising ceremony and the National Day message read out by our principal, Mr Tan, staff and students broke out into sweat as we worked out to this year’s National Day song and familiar K-pop tunes led by energetic instructors from Active SG.

Students getting active during recess

Our P4 students gearing up for the traffic games

Cyclists in action

Our students preparing to conquer the high elements

Look at how brave the P4 students were!

Scaling the Rock Wall

Teachers taking part in the camp activities

K2 students enjoying an interactive story-telling session

Mr Samad, our chapteh champion

Parents admiring our students’ work in the Arte

The Townsville version of ‘A Minute to Win It’

A token of appreciation presented to the EAS staff for their hard work!

Term 2 ended on a high note for our Primary 6 students. They went on a learning journey to Sungei Buloh. It was fascinating for them to observe the different habitats which they have only read about in textbooks. Indeed, it was an enriching experience for them.

Our students engaged in a guided activity at Sungei Buloh

Our Indian dancers performing a vibrant

and lively dance

Our students interacting with the visitors

Our Chinese dancers getting ready for the

performance

Our Choir charming the audience with their

melodious singing

National Education (NE) Show Racial Harmony Day & Arts Fest

WeekPrimary 5 students attended the annual NE Show on 8 July. Our students were thrilled and amazed as they witnessed the Red Lions performing feats in the sky. For many of them, it was their first time watching the parade live. The fireworks proved to be the climax for that evening.

Our Music, Art and Student Development committees organized a joint event to commemorate Racial Harmony Day and ARTS Fest Week. The event serves to create in our students a sense of interest in arts, to expose them to the different forms of arts, as well as to experience and appreciate arts of different ethnicities.

Students were treated to an interactive percussion performance using household items and hands during Assembly. There was also a session on sand art. There was a flurry of activities during the different recesses at the atrium. These activities included ethnic percussion, wall as well as mask painting.

Pinnochio: A Whale of a TaleStudent Councillors’ Leadership

TrainingOur students entering the ‘belly of a whale’

Our student councillors engaging in problem-solving tasks

Live-sized puppets enthralled the students

Our student councillors participating in interactive activities

Primary 5 pupils enjoying their snacks

Ex-Townsvillites attached as liaison officers to our school

Students trying out musical instruments

Wall painting on ‘Harmony’

Using sand art to demonstrate Racial Harmony

Townsville welcomed little K2 visitors from various kindergartens in their learning journey to our school in July. While the little ones toured the school, their parents also joined a guided tour of their own. Many were impressed with the programmes Townsville offers.

Townsville honoured our administrative and support personnel on 1 July. To show our appreciation to the EAS team, tokens of appreciation were presented. There were also recess activities during which the staff had fun playing games with the students. Our sincere thanks to all of you!

Staff RetreatAs term 2 drew to a close, it was good time for the staff to unwind. The fun yet educational ice-cream making activity for the staff retreat brought out the child in everyone. Through the activity, everyone also learnt co-operative learning strategies that are helpful for use in the classroom. Townsville teachers – creative ice-cream makers

Our pupils learning with their peers from other school

One Nation Together

Fireworks lighting up the night sky

Mask Painting

On 1 July 2017, Townsville’s Choir, Chinese Dance and Indian Dance students performed at the PAssionARTS Festival at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. The theme ‘Arts of Wonder, One Nation’ was to inspire the use of Arts to epitomize the creativity and innovative spirit of Singaporeans.