Home Stay Day 3 Reflection

Please complete page 45 "Homestay Programme" in your CIP booklet. Ensure that you complete all reflection by tomorrow and we will be collecting it. Again, it is called a reflection so do not just cruise along the superficial. Process everything that has happened during the homestay and pen it down so you will never forget this experience. 

See you all in school tomorrow. Remember to wear your royal blue CIP t-shirt.

Farewell Ceremony

This morning, our pupils went to school on their own, with their Vietnamese homestay buddies. Everyone arrived in school on time and seemed well rested. We are really pleased that all of them exercised responsibility to a great degree and some even displayed independence away from home! Yippee!

After the lesson, pupils from both schools prepared for their farewell presentation. Here are the videos from today's performances. I must say, given the short notice, everyone from both NVSS and NGTHS did a fantastic job!

Our pupils wrote and performed a song for their Vietnamese friends. They prepared and rehearsed within an hour? Good job, everyone.

You need to watch this! Highly entertaining and North View has got real gems :)

NGTHS pupils prepared an item for our NVSS pupils as well and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it because there was so much enthusiasm spilling from the stage to the floor.

Last but not least, everyone's favourite beatboxers come together again!

Remember to change the resolution for better viewing pleasure! :)

Home Stay Day 2 - Reflection Questions.

1) Describe the interaction between you and your host family. What do you like about it? Give examples if possible.

2) How is the interaction between you and your host family different from spending time with your own family or your friends' families?

For your information, the questions for Home Stay Day 1 are

1) What are some similarities and differences between housing in Singapore and Vietnam? Why do you think this is so?

2) How did you feel while waiting for your host to take you home? Did that change when you got to their place? How has the experience been so far?

Video updates coming right up! (Again, when the Wi-Fi stops crawling)

Music Lesson with Mr Hy.

If the embedded videos are not loading properly, you can check out the videos via these links.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3OTvNL9mn8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOoBRBPf2-4

Day 5

Dear readers, thank you for your faithful support. My heart does a little dance whenever I see the page view increase, heehee!

Earlier today, pupils were taught by teachers from Nguyen Gia Thieu High School today. They had Math and Music lesson together with their Vietnamese buddies. We think that it is really great that they learn, play and now, even live together! This is what a cultural immersion should be about :)

*will update with a video of the music lesson when the Wi-Fi stops crawling*

Then, the pupils left for home stay. The home stay is one great opportunity for them to embrace the objectives of the entire programme, and more than that, a real test of values such as responsibility, integrity and discipline. We are proud to say that, so far, so good! Keep it up!! :D

Dear pupils, here are the reflection questions for tonight that you have been eagerly anticipating. See you all in school tomorrow morning :)

1) What are some similarities and differences between housing in Singapore and Vietnam? Why do you think this is so?

2) How did you feel while waiting for your host to take you home? Did that change when you got to their place? How has the experience been so far?

You do not have to copy the questions into your booklet. Also, remember that you have to give us a morning call when you are on your way to school in the morning!

Day 4

Before I begin, am truly apologetic for the late update. The pupils did many fun stuff yesterday and of course, learnt a lot while having fun.

It always makes the teachers feel warm and fuzzy when we see the pupils from Vietnam and Singapore eating together and bonding as though they have been friends ever since ever. There is so much they can learn from each other and like mentioned, they are truly learning and developing themselves in a fun and authentic learning environment.

This ostrich got real busy yesterday, entertaining our pupils and taking them for a joyride.

Our pupils got to experience and venture around the zoo in Vietnam and this allowed them to see for themselves the many similarities and differences between the two countries in just about every aspect from social, economical to political. Pupils then visited the Dai Nam Theme Park. 

For us, Dai Nam Theme Park was the highlight not because it was fun but it is the perfect occasion for our pupils to exercise responsibility and discipline. It functions both as a lesson and assessment for them to see for themselves what they can do, and how much they have grown and will continue to grow as they challenge themselves.

Later that night, we also visited a night market where pupils did their favourite... SHOPPING. We are seeing some bargain kings and queens in our midst as it is :p

Day 3

This morning, we headed to Nguyen Gia Thieu for some Physical Exercise. The pupils had so much fun playing games with their Vietnamese friends. Parents, if you are reading this, you'd have probably played these games when you were younger. This is certainly a trip down memory lane for most of the teachers.

A whole chain of rubber bands will easily beat PS3 hands down :p

After a morning of fun and games, the school decided to take things slow and planned a language and culture lesson for the pupils. Afterall, this is a Cultural Immersion Programme!

Of course, everyone's favourite time of the day... LUNCH TIME! What made today's lunch really special was the fact that another school from Singapore happened to pop by the same restaurant for lunch as well. Hello Unity Secondary School!

After lunch, we visited a sports garment factory that produces apparel for Adidas and many other brands. It was truly an eye-opening tour not only for the pupils but for teachers as well.

Then, we headed to the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP). Again, another eye-opening experience as pupils learnt more about their country, and also Singapore's relationship with the rest of the world, and in this instance, Vietnam.

Before dinner, we stopped by Minh Long to get creative! Pupils were given a chance to design and paint their very own ceramic bowl. Definitely something useful to bring home and also something for pupils to remember the trip.

In a couple of hours, the pupils will be heading to the zoo and theme park with their Vietnamese friends! This will not only be a great time to have fun and bond with their new friends, but also for them to exercise the values that they have picked up along the way, since the start of the trip. We hope that by the end of the trip, pupils will grow to become better individuals and influence their schoolmates with those good values. They should seek to be exemplary in their actions and speech, and a role model for others in school.