I have bought several books on Maths and Science in English for primary schools. Some of them are excellent bilingual English/Chinese books. I have been teaching my kids Maths and Science in English from the time they were in Std 1. They are going to be Std 2 and Std 4 next year. I also help them with their Maths and Science in Chinese by using an electronic dictionary and bilingual Maths and Science books.

My preference would be for them to be taught Maths and Science in English in school but since it is not happening and I don’t forsee it changing anytime soon, I have no choice but to do teach them myself. As a parent, I feel that I need to be in the background always ready to provide them with the balance they need in life. I send them to a strict Chinese school, so I try to provide them with entertainment, play and relaxation at home. If I send them to a school which is more relaxed than, I will be there to guide and push them harder in their studies.

It is the same with Maths and Science in English. Since I think it is important for the kids to learn Maths and Science in English, I will teach them myself if it is not being taught in school. It is not difficult to teach. Maths and Science, unlike languages is all about concepts. The concept is the same. Once the children grasp the concept and understand the lesson, it is only a matter of teaching them the terms.

My girl just brought back her Std 4 books for next year. I am relieved to see that she still has the Maths and Science Books in English textbooks for the year 2012. Or should I feel sad that she will be burdened with yet another year of carrying extra books for subjects that teachers are teaching only half heartedly because they have no choice.

Unlike my Std 1 boy who is learning Maths and Science in Chinese, my girl had the chance to learn Maths and Science in Chinese as well as in English. However, the school takes a rather laid back or relaxed attitude in the teaching of Maths and Science in English. I can’t say that I blame them since it will be discontinued. Why should school time and resources be spent on something that will be phased out soon. There are only a few periods for Maths and Science in English. The test papers are very easy and given almost like an afterthought. There is hardly any homework for Maths and Science in English and most of the time, it is taught in a hurried manner to finish off the syllabus at the end of a term or school year as if to get it out of the way.

With such an attitude, it is better that the kids learn Maths and Science in Chinese alone. They won’t have to go through the burden of learning the same subjects in two languages in school and carrying extra loads of books to school, especially when the teaching of Maths and Science in English is half hearted. Even if given the choice, they will never choose to do any Maths and Science tests in English because they will be better at it in Chinese since the emphasis has always been on teaching Maths and Science in Chinese even though they were given a ‘choice’. I don’t see it as a choice really, it appears more like a burden, an extra thing that teachers are forced to get out of the way. It is not a bonus to be able to learn it in two languages under this sort of circumstances or learning/teaching environment.

So, that means it is up to me to teach my kids Maths and Science in English.  I am not good in Chinese so I find it useful to teach them in English and then later go through the Maths and Science terms in Chinese with them. I am thankful for the bilingual books. It helps the kids improve both languages as they grasp the concept.  My only wish is to see the Maths and Science books in English or the bilingual Maths and Science books being continued to be published by publishers and sold at bookshops. It will be a sad day, when even that stops soon after the Maths and Science in English is phased out.

Updated:

I just found out from my girl that she had to return the Maths and Science Books in English for Std 4 next year. I guess she won’t be learning them in English anymore. She is in Std 4 next year. My son who is in Std 2 will not be learning them in English since he is the ‘pioneer’ year for the switch back to teaching Maths and Science in mother tongues. Looks like this mother will have to work harder.

There still appears to be some confusion as many are unsure on whether the subjects will still be taught in English and until which year. So here is the schedule for the phasing out of teaching Maths and Science in English.

Updated again

Well, looks like that schedule for phasing out is outdated now…

Recently I won some skincare products in a contest. Previously I had not bothered with skincare before because it was expensive, I didn’t have the time and I’m lazy. Since, I have this set of expensive skincare, I might as well use it and so I did.

Naturally the kids became curious to see me applying stuff on my face. I explained that the products were supposed to make my skin look better.

The little one came closer to have a better look at my face and said “Mummy, actually your face is quite ugly” in all seriousness. I was trying hard not to laugh as I explained to him that my face is ugly because of all the pores whereas his skin is young and smooth.

A week later….

The little one came and peered at my face again and said “Mummy, how come you are not yet beautiful?” This time I couldn’t stand it anymore and I burst out laughing. Kids really can be painfully honest at times.

That’s why I don’t buy skincare products. However, I shall continue using this one since I won it and it is very expensive. Thankfully I didn’t pay any money for it, otherwise I would be heartbroken to hear that remark from my son.

Its the End Of The Year. For some, there are 2 months to go. For me, its the End of The Year now. Why? What does the End Of The Year mean to me?

1. It means the school winding down school activities and there are School Trips, Children’s Day parties and school concerts to look forward to
2. It means the wrapping up of school tests and at last we have a breather and the kids don’t have to rush all the time and they can learn at a more normal pace! Phew!
3. It means, it is time to look forward to Christmas and Chinese New Year which falls in the early part of the year in 2012 on 23 Jan 2012
4. It means working hard on Squidoo as there are plenty of end of the year stuff to write about. Here’s my first – 2012 Calendar with Quotes.

One of the things he was unhappy about….

If anyone told you how wonderful it is to make money online and earn passive money in your pajamas and they made it sound very easy then they are not telling you the other side of the story.Making Money Online is Not Easy. It takes time. It takes patience. It takes hard work and It requires Know How. There is no shortcut to making money online. 

There are many ways you can make money online.

1. You can sell stuff on eBay.
2. You can write a blog and put up ads.
3. You can become and affiliate marketer and sell other people’s products through some of those Online Affiliate Programs.
4. You can do paid surveys.
5. You can write sponsored posts.
6. You can write freelance articles.

I am not going to elaborate further on the ways to make money online. You can get plenty of ideas. Just google “How to Make Money Online” and you will be greeted with plenty of links to inspire you.

Making Money Online Requires Know How

However, don’t think you can do it overnight. Like everything else, if you want to make money online, you have to work hard for it. You also have to keep on learning. The cyber world and the internet is changing all the time. You have to learn about keywords and SEO and how to market yourself or your product or service online. You must have the drive and interest to learn for without it, you will be lost. Some of the work you have to do to market your online sites are really boring and administrative too.

So, if you think you want to just start a blog, place ads and start earning money in your sleep then think again. Start a blog only for the love of it and not for the money and slowly over time and with a little knowledge you may perhaps start to earn some passive income. However, it isn’t really passive because you have to put in effort.

Making Money Online Takes Time and Patience

It took me over a year before I had my first adsense cheque. Then there is my Squidoo venture. On my second Squidoo payday, I earned USD8.86 for 23 lenses then. This was after putting in 2-3 months of effort.

Making Money Online Takes Hardwork

If you look at my Squidoo lenses , you will realize how hard I worked to earn it. The kind of effort and time is not for everyone. Do it only if it really interests you and not for the money. If you do it for the money and you want to earn money online FAST, then you will be frustrated.

I do it because I love it and because I feel a  sense of achievement when my effort pays off, even if it is for just a very small amount. For example, two nights ago someone bought this off one of my Squidoo lenses and I earned a commission from my Amazon Affiliates account. I felt a sense of achievement and pride because I learned to make money online all on my own by learning all the time, testing and doing. That process is ongoing – learn all the time, trial and error then just do it but be very careful to avoid scams.

I guess you could say I earned money in my pajamas while I slept because the sales came in when I was sleeping but don’t forget, I actually put in a lot of effort and hard work into it. So if someone tells you making money online is easy, think again.

Making Money Online is possible but it is not easy and don’t expect it to be fast.

The other day I passed by a man trying to take a photo of a restaurant. Intent on getting the best shot, he was oblivious to me or any other passer by.

Some time ago, I had to walk up an escalator which had come to a halt because of a crocs shoe that had somehow got stuck at the top of the escalator. Everyone was staring at the shoe and several cameras were zipped out from pockets and handbags.

At a car park, it is quite common these days to see someone take out his camera phone to take a photo of his parking lot to help him or her remember where he or she had parked.

With digital cameras and now cameras within mobile phones, everyone seems to be taking photos of anything and everything and sending them round.

Whenever, I see someone taking a photo of his food, I would automatically think to myself that this person must be a blogger but it is no longer true. That may be the case previously, but now everyone wants to send photos of what he ate to his friend or to the world and update it on his social media page.

So far, I have not gotten into the habit of taking pictures of things around me. That is because I don’t have a phone with a camera. Perhaps if I had one, I too would be taking pictures of my food, my surroundings, the restaurant and that shoe stuck on the elevator.