Work Talk #5 ♥︎

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13)

I think I've a lot of things to think about and reflect on. I think like although I'm happy on the surface, there are many things I'm actually worried about. But then again, it's normal to worry cos I'm the type that worries. Hahaha. Not the first time I'm mentioning that I'm sure.

Firstly, the concert. I think this is the 3rd or 4th concert I've taken part in. Honestly, I'm always excited for these events but then when the event is over, I'm totally drained and I feel like I've aged. But nonetheless every concert is a good experience. As I think back and reflect on the recent one, I feel like I had a lot to learn. It's a little like, 'expectations versus reality' and there's this thin line separating the two. Sometimes we forget that there's that thin line and expect too much.

Anyhow, I strongly believe in children and their work. So I'll be proud no matter the outcome. But of course, they didn't disappoint! The show was great and everyone enjoyed their performance. I'm really proud of them and am really going to miss them when they leave :(

So...

The teams for next year have been announced. I'm quite thankful for my team. I was worried and all before but God always provides and there's a reason behind everything he does. So I'm actually looking at next year positively and I'm sure I'm able to handle whatever comes my way!

Looking forward to meeting the new kids and improving at what I do. Hopefully, slowly but surely, I'll be able to get better and get more confident with the experience I'm gaining. Although it's not always smooth sailing, I'm sure it'll be fine ^^

Actually, there are a lot of things I'm starting to think about. Mostly about what I want to do in the next few years. There's career progression to think about and also future studies. Surely, I'm not stopping at my degree. So I'll have to begin doing research on a suitable masters course. I've been thinking about taking a course on child psychology but it definitely doesn't sound easy at all. I don't know why I'm entertaining this thought but it always makes me curious as to why children would say something or do something a certain way. Hmm. I guess these are all things I've to pray about and think about some more.

Looking forward to a new beginning and hoping for a great 2015! It may sound early but the year starts early in this line of work. In fact, I might even lose track of when the year ends and begins because every year is just like a cycle.

Things Children Say #6 ♥

Almost forgot I had this series of blog posts! I started writing this when I was working last year just to record and remember the funny things children say. There are many funny things! And they're always constantly making me laugh! That's a plus point about my job I guess.

Recently I've been with the younger age group so I haven't had many funny conversations and they've yet to learn how to talk. But there were some instances that left me speechless.

Me: I'm so upset.
Toddler: Why?

Me: Alright, you've had 2 cups, that's enough milk!
Toddler: Why enough?
Me: Because there's no more.
Toddler: Why no more?
Me: ...

Other than the crying and chasing the kids around, it was funny hearing how the young ones called me. As you may already know, my name isn't easy to pronounce. It's really cute how they say my name and just keep repeating it.

Children: Teacher Fur-deh-leah (most of the time)

Child: Teacher Fa-da-la

Child: Teacher Fur-da-la

It's really cute though! Cos they I respond to them and it's like they know they can call me know. But by the time they started calling me by name, which was around last week, my time with them has expired and I've to move on. I mean it's for the better and I'll definitely miss them though I will still probably see them around ><

There'll be more of such funny posts in the weeks to come, hopefully! Sometimes I wanna talk about work but I don't know where and how to start. It's still pretty overwhelming at times. Maybe I'll write about it when I've settled even more ^^

xoxo, Fid♥

Things Children Say #5

Girl: Can we hear that song that you let us hear that day again?

Me: What song? 

Girl: The one that goes sexy.

Me: Laughs. It's called Growl. 

Boy: Comes cuddle next to me while everyone is reading. 

Me: Why? Go read a book. 

Boy: Shakes head. 

Me: Thinks something is wrong and just lets him stay by my side. 

Boy: Takes a deep breath all of a sudden. You know what's the plant that you get after level 8? 

Me: Plants versus zombie again? 

Boy 1: Teacher, Boy 2 was playing and he held the ball with 2 hands and placed it in the goal. 

Me: Oh, tell him not to do that next time because it cheating. 

Boy 1: Okay. Runs back to friends happily. 

Boy 2: Heard his friend complaining to me and starts crying.

Me: Walks over calmly. Why are you crying? It's only a game and it wasn't right of you to hold the ball and place it in the goal right? It's okay. Stop crying and go back to play okay?

Boy 2: Tears spilling from his eyes.

Me: Do you still want to play? 

Boy 2: Shakes head.

Me: Okay, then do you want to sit down? 

Boy 2: Doesn't reply but lets me take him to the bench. 

Me: It's okay. It's just a game! 

Boy 2: Sobs. Mumbles I want to play with my brother. 

Me: Oh, you miss your brother? Shall we go peep into his classroom? 

Boy 2: Nods. 

Me: Okay, let's go. Then you'll stop crying okay? 

Boy 2: Peeps into his brother class, sees his brother and immediately stops crying. 

Had to help out in another class today instead of being with the class I was normally helping. 

Girl: Where were you? 

Me: I was in another class the whole day. 

Girl: Are you going home now? 

Me: Yes, it's 1 o' clock. 

Girl: Gives me a big hug. Then stretches out her arms and legs to block my way. I'm not letting you go. 

Hahaha. After spending about 6 weeks with this class of children. I'm feeling a little sad to leave. They've grown on me and I think we've gotten quite close during this period of time. 

Things Children Say #4

Eating my lunch quietly.

3 year old boy: (quietly comes beside me and looks into my bowl) *Whispers* Is it spicy?

Me: Nope

Boy: (looks into bowl again) Is there chilli? Is it spicy? 

Me: Nope there's no chilli and it's not spicy *smiles* 

Spent the whole morning in another class away from my usual class.

Me: Hi boys! I'm back! 

Boy: Where did you go? 

Another boy: You're back only now? 

Me: Did you miss me? 

Silence from all the boys.

Me: Aww so nobody missed me. Then tomorrow I won't come back. 

Boy: I got! I got miss you! 

Another boy: Me too! 

Me: HAHAHA! 

Told my mum and she was like so desperate I was like NO but I'm telling you these boys are really cheeky and they know how to play hard to get. 

Had a music and movement session with the children.
Me: What are some other songs you know?
Boy: Can we not sing English songs?
Another boy: OPPA GANGNAM STYLE!
Me: Please, no Oppa Gangnam Style. English children songs please.

Ends up playing guess the song from the actions. Just finished singing twinkle twinkle little star and itsy bitsy spider. 
Me: (quietly thinking)
Boy: Teacher Fidelia can I try doing the actions?
Me: Sure! Okay everyone __ has a song for you to guess.
Boy: Starts doing gangnam style actions.
Me: No no, children songs please. 

Things Children Say #3

In the bus on a field trip.
Me: (points out window at some cranes and tells the children around me) Look over there, do you see that? Those are transformers.
Boy: (looks carefully) Where?
Me: (points at the cranes again) Over there! Do you see it?
Boy: Oh! Yes!

After the performance ended.
Two girls stood up, clapped their hands above their heads and kept cheering continuously. Definitely child version of a standing ovation.

Had a discussion with the children about the play they watched. 
Me: Did you find it scary when the wolf came out?
Girl: Um... A little bit (shows a little bit with her fingers)
Boy: I wasn't scared at all!
Me: That's right! Nothing to be afraid of right? They are just people dressed up in costumes.
Children: *noisily agrees*

Me: So what happened to the mother and the wolf in the end? (the mother actually ate the berries turning her into a wolf, which meant that the original wolf is actually the father. He too turned into the wolf after eating the berries)
Boy: She ate the berries and turned into the wolf then later she became the mother again.
Girl: No~ It wasn't the berries, it was the singing angels.

During lunch.
Boy: Teacher Fidelia, this is my second helping.
Me: Wow. Are you that hungry today?
Boy: No. I've soccer later. Where am I going to get the energy unless I eat two servings.
Me: HAHAHA okay!

Eavesdropping on the conversation of two boys. 
Boy A: You know the game plants versus zombies?
Boy B: (stammering in excitement) Yes of course! Do you have the plants or the zombies?
Boy A: (keeps quiet and looks confused)
Boy B: Oh oh I mean do you have plants versus zombie 1 or 2?

It's concert preparation time again and my dear boys kept fussing over their hairstyles during the rehearsal. 
Boy: Teacher Fidelia I think you need to put more gel. (fixes his hair) I made it stand up like that.
Me: So you want it to stand up? I'll do that for you tomorrow.
Boy: Yes you'll need to use more gel.
Me: Okay. I'll use the whole tub.
Boy: (seems to believe me) Huh then you'll have to buy more tubs of gel. (turns to fix his friends hair) See I made his hair stand up too.
Me: (to other boy) You want your hair like that too tomorrow?
Other boy: Yes!
Me: Looks like I'll have to put the whole tub of gel too.
Boys: HUH (burst out laughing) Okay.

Me: (styling the boys hair) I'm going to make you look like a Korean superstar!
Boy: Like Oppa Gangnam style!
Me: Please no Oppa Gangnam style, I don't like it.
Sometime later.
Another boy: What's your favourite Korean? (i think he meant singer)
Me: Super Junior. I'm going to make you all look like them. *Grins*

Things Children Say #2

Overheard a boy telling his friends rather seriously: By the age of 35 I'll be married with kids.

Toddler misbehaves and another toddler caught him.
(Holding up a pretend phone and calling another teacher): Hello teacher, ___ is doing *mumbles mumbles* okay bye bye.

The children would have to pay me money for drying their hair.
They would just tap my hand or swipe my hand if they decide to use credit card.
The first boy paid 100 dollars.
Me: (drying the second boy's hair) Everyone has to pay me 100 dollars. Wow your hair is long.
First boy: What about me? (This boy has really short army cut hair)
Me: Okay you can pay me 50 dollars.

A girl was looking at my water bottle covered in Super junior, EXO, SHINee and ZEA pictures.
Girl: Who are they?
Me: Handsome? Which is handsome?
Girl: (points at Hyungsik)
Me: (points at another photo of Hyungsik) This one handsome?
Girl: (looks closely) No. (Points to photo of Sungmin below) This one is also handsome. (Looks at pictures again) Are there any girls?
Me: Nope, they are all boys. Why? Do you see a girl?
Girl: (points to a photo of Baekhyun)
Me: (laughs) That's a boy! And he has the same birthday as me! (Looks at the girl on my other side) You know it's like you and your twin. Both of you have the sqme birthday right? Yes, this guy and I we are not twins.

Haha. Everyday with these children, I'm going to have tons of such posts with the funny things they say. It's so ridiculous sometimes I don't know whether I should laugh or be angry with them. Haha. I'll be working until the end of November. Time passes pretty quickly here. Hehe.

Me: (To a boy) We recorded the song yesterday after you went home.
Boy: Huh how?
Me: We recorded whoever who was there but we need to record again later because they were too slow.
Boy: (looks down and shakes his head)

Boy: (holds up his bottle) Why does my bottle keep leaking? 

Me: Let me check if it's closed tight. (turns bottle upside down and water leaks out) Oh, I think you should tell your mum. 

Boy: Yeah and buy a new bottle. (looks down) *SIGH* Have to spend money again. 

The Things Children Say #1

Me to a toddler: (points to my water bottle covered with pictures of SJ, SHINee and EXO) Do you know who this is? 

Toddler: (smiles happily) Uncle. 

Me: Okay, I'm going to read this story. 

Boy: Teacher Fidelia, the pirate will find the crew in the end and Santa Claus will come. 

Me: Um... Okay I haven't read this story before so let's read it together. 

Me: We're playing the quiet game so I don't want to hear any talking. 

Children: (total silence)

10 minutes later.

Me: We are going to the music room and the quiet game will end there. 

On the way there.

Children: (whispers) Are we still playing the quiet game? 

Things I say during nap time to children who are not sleeping or playing:

• If you don't need your mattress, I'm going to take it away.
• Close your eyes, I don't want to see your eyeballs. 

Child and I carrying a bunch of things and the classroom door is closed. 

Child: Oh no! How?

Me: Wait...

Child: (Shouts super loudly) HELLO GUYS HELP US!

Me: Opens door calmly. 

Child: (skips into classroom) Hello girls~ I'm back~ 

A collection of funny things children say at work. There are many stories that I have but unfortunately I can't remember everything so therefore I decided to write it down every time children say something funny. Hehehe.