Volume 4, Issue 2 (Term 2) SYT 2012– 2013

Mentari Preschool Grand Surya 22nd October to 14 December 2012

THEME : HOMES

Dear Parents,

Welcome to Term 2 of this school year. We are excited to tackle this term’s theme—Houses and Homes . Each week, we will discuss different topics about a house or dwelling . We shall begin with a simple history and familiarize the children with their own houses, rooms, furniture as well as learn about different houses around the world including Indonesia’s very own traditional houses.

Our arts and craft as well as songs learned will revolve around this topic .

Our fieldtrip will take us to Taman Mini to see different houses

Please note that we started the term by celebrating United Nations International Friendship Day on October 25 We hope you can lend us souvenirs or artifacts and pictures from these countries so the children can learn more about other places.

We live in one big world: in different houses but wherever we are …. Cheers! We have one home .. Earth !!

“It didn't matter how big our house was; it mattered that there was love in it.” ― Peter Buffett, Life Is What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment

Teacher Melanie

Here’s a little basic info you can share with your child regarding houses :

In the earliest times, people lived without any kind of shelter, or in tents, or in caves.

Some people, like the nomadic Bedouin, still do live in tents.

There are caves in Greece where people lived in the earlyNeolithic period, before they

began building houses in Greece; about 7000-6000 BC.

By the New Stone Age, or theNeolithic, some people had started building houses for themselves (although a lot of other people continued to live in caves or tents). People began the Neolithic at different times in different places, so that people began to build houses in Egypt and West Asia probably about 10,000 BC, and in Greece about 6000 BC, while they didn't start to build houses in England until about 3000 BC.

The type of house they built also depended a lot on where you lived. In Northern Europe, and in Northern China, where it was cold in the winter, people mostly built what we call "hearth houses," which were huts with one square or round room, and a fire on a stone hearth in the middle, with the smoke going out through the thatched

.or shingled roof, which slanted so the rain and snow would run off. Often the animals were kept right in the room with the people, for warmth. Sometimes the huts were bigger, and had two rooms, one for the people and the other for the animals. (though even so some of the animals, like dogs and cats, probably slept with the people, and some of the people, like slaves, probably slept with the animals). Chimneys were not yet invented.

In Egypt and West Asia, and in southern China, on the other hand, it was pretty much hot all the time, and wood was very scarce. People there mostly built houses of mud-brick, and the houses were mostly a wall around an open courtyard, with some small rooms built around the edges of the courtyard to keep stuff in and to go into when it rained (which wasn't very often). These are called "courtyard houses." Here the animals would be kept in the courtyards, which often had a well or a cistern in the middle to collect wa-ter. The roofs were usually flat, so people could sleep on them and keep cool.

Nowadays , the houses have changed and most are made according to their immediate purpose. Shop houses or rukus serve as a home and business place. Apartments or con-dominium provides cheaper housing but we enjoy certain conveniences like elevators and security . Some families live is semi detached houses .

It is so fascinating to inform your child about these things so they will have a curious mind about other people and the world we all live in .

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Parenting and Raising children is a tremendous task that you can’t replay all over again . Here is a nice poem to read

If I Had My Child to Raise All Over Again - Diane Loomans

If I had my child to raise all over again,

I’d build self-esteem first, and the house later.

I’d finger-paint more, and point the finger less.

I would do less correcting and more connecting.

I’d take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.

I’d take more hikes and fly more kites.

I’d stop playing serious, and seriously play.

I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.

I’d do more hugging and less tugging.

Montessori Work For the children in Nursery to K2, the Montessori classroom is an interesting environ-

ment. There are lots of materials to manipulate with those tiny fingers. We have a bigger and wider Montessori room on the second floor and we all work there daily, except Fridays. According to Maria Montessori, “The first essential for the child's development is concentration. The child who concentrates is immensely happy” and that is what we do at the Montessori room. There are materials in the different areas of learning (Practical Life, Senso-rial Arts, Language , Math and Cultural Arts area) that will aid in developing their concentration skills. Little by little, the children will learn that working is fun!

SPECIAL EVENTS OF THE TERM

:

October 25, 2012 - United Nations International Friendship celebration

United Nations celebration- October is the month the whole world commemo-rates the founding of the United Nations. This term to celebrate it we have planned spe-cial activities. . To add spice to the event ,a costume dress up day is planned so the children will see costumes from different continents. On this day please let your child wear any costume ( rented / home made ) to represent any country from the following continent. Please refer to the note your head teacher sent to you for country assignment. If you have any artifact or oleh-oleh from any country you would like your child to share with his class please don’t hesitate to send it to us. We will take good care and return it promptly.

Release Of Report card and folio- (December 13, 2012 )

Your child’s progress as well as sample of his activities will be released on this date. It will explain to you how much your child has progressed in the different aspects of growth (social/ physical and mental skills) during the last six months.

BOOK WEEK– October 29 to November 2 This week will be a busy week at

Sekolah Mentari . Each class has prepared a performance to

show why books are important in our lives. For the whole week

each class has an assigned day and parents are invited to witness

your child’s first attempt at putting literature , stories and

Please volunteer ! (month of November )

Would you like to play hostess for your child’s class ? It is time to visit our friend’s home so we will walk or take a short bus trip to find out the similarities or differences of a ruko, apartment or a house. We thank the parents who will generously open their homes to each class. Your child will be excited to be part of this activity too .

December Concert – December is always a fun time to cele-brate the holidays. It is always festive and for Christians it is a time to recall the birth of Jesus .Watch out for the Preschool performance on this special about Christmas .

CHRISTMAS PARTY- (December 13, 2012) the last day of our second term will end with happy smiles as Santa will come and visit our classrooms. The day will be filled with games, songs and a party. Children can come to school wearing the holiday colors of Christmas. ( red and green and even gold !!

Coming this month of November: Field trip to see different houses at Taman MINI

FLASHBACK OF THE FIRST TERM

Merah Putih Day- We celebrated Indonesia’s independence day in a proud way . The colors of-red and white were visible everywhere and tradi-tional games and a delman ride completed that celebration

Lebaran Party the preschool celebrated a post Lebaran celebration . Muslim attire as well as simple Lebaran cooking was shared on this day

Open House

Open house- the parents came to learn more about the Preschool curriculum.

SPIRIT DAY- Nutrition Parade

Nutrition Parade-Our body needs good food to grow healthy and strong. The preschool chil-dren celebrated this fact by coming to school dressed as meat, grains, vegetable, fruits and milk. See our photos

PTC (Parent Teacher Conference )

Thanks for being our partner in educating your child. Your attendance and concerns is well appreciated .

Easy Phonics seminar for parents- A well attended seminar on Easy Phonics led by Teacher Melanie was held month of October Now our parents can help their kids do phonics at home.

ASSESSMENT TESTS FOR K2 We carry out assessment test for all those children who are inter-ested in enrolling in SD Mentari .

The assessment is taken to see whether your child is emotionally ready for primary school or not and how best we can help to pre-pare him for the transition. Parents don’t have to worry about teaching anything to their child before the test-Just keep your child healthy and happy and come to school as usual.

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES After school Activities are offered every month for English Conversation (ESL) , Reading and Math for Nursery , K1 and K2 levels. These classes run for 8 sessions ( 30 Minutes each). Please talk to your Head teacher or Teacher Melanie for further in-quires. Next session begins by NOVEMBER.

Homework Cards: Homework read-ing and Phonics cards as well as math sheets are sent every week. The nursery will be provided reading cards. Kindly help your child work on these so they can develop good study habits as early as now.

Recycling is our game !!!

Your junk can be our treasure .

Please donate old colorful magazines , art materi-

als like gift wrapper, yarn , containers (platic or

nice jars) if you don’t need them anymore . We

might find a use for it .

___ magazines

___bottles and plastic comtainers

___ art stuff you don't need (yarn, buttons) etc

Do you know our website: www: mentari.sch.id

I have a mailing list for preschool parents ( thanks to Ms Ika’s help )so those who shared their email are sent regu-lar news from me. If you are not on my email do send me a note to include you

You can email me at : melanie@mentari.sch.id

I enjoy sharing anything and everything about parenting, education as well as anything worth a good read.

Ongoing : Seminar for Parents

Polish your English Conversation Fluency by attending 4 sessions of f beginning Oct 17. till the month of November .

It’s time to practice English and the best time to do it is through real chatting practice with Eng-lish speaking teachers and your co –parents of Mentari Grand Surya . See you there !! Next ses-

World Vision Project: How many stickers are in the calendar now ?

Thank you to those parents who joined the World Vison project for the Dani children of Papua. Your donations will be used to buy educational toys for the,.

This project helps you to teach your child the virtues of caring , generosity and sacrifice for one’s fel-lowman .

If you have not signed up to claim a saving box, and calendar / free stickers to mark the savings..please

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 22 Oct 23 Oct 24 Oct 25 Oct 26 Oct 27 Oct

1st day of

2nd term

UN Day Idul Adha

29 Oct 30 Oct 31 Oct 1 Nov 2 Nov 3 Nov Reading Week Reading Week

Reading Week

Reading Week

Reading Week

5 Nov 6 Nov 7 Nov 8 Nov 9 Nov 10 Nov

12 Nov 13 Nov 14 Nov 15 Nov 16 Nov 17 Nov Islamic New Year

19 Nov 20 Nov 21 Nov 22 Nov 23 Nov 24 Nov

26 Nov 27 Nov 28 Nov 29 Nov 30 Nov 1 Dec

3 Dec 4 Dec 5 Dec 6 Dec 7 Dec 8 Dec Christmas Around

The World

10 Dec 11 Dec 12 Dec 13 Dec 14 Dec 15 Dec Last Day

Preschool

17 Dec 18 Dec 19 Dec 20 Dec 21 Dec 22 Dec Christmas and New

Year Holiday

24 Dec 25 Dec 26 Dec 27 Dec 28 Dec 29 Dec Christmas Day

31 Dec 1 Jan 2 Jan 3 Jan 4 Jan 5 Jan

Happy New Year 7 Jan 8 Jan

1st Day of

3rd Term

9 Jan 10 Jan 11 Jan 12 Jan

Holiday Break: December 14 – January 7,2013 Classes will resume on January 8,2013

MENTARI PRESCHOOL TERMLY CALENDAR

2nd Term (22 October to 15 December 2012)