Many parents allow their kids to play online games as a bonus of their good behaviour. Others even allow them to play everyday on condition that they completed their daily homeworks. I do not think these are good ideas. I have seen many kids lost in their online world of games and virtual reality to the extent that the successful performance of the school kids depends on their ability to control their time in online games and chatting. Afterall, this is basic time management. If they spend more than a few hours online everyday, how much time is left for academic study and services?
However, it is a headache to teach the kids to control the time as they never seems to follow your instruction. Some parents will turn to other methods to cut off the online connections, as the example below.
I met a parent yesterday in a banquet and was chatting about computer softwares. When we touched on online games, he said he has to use a programme to control the online game time of his son. It seems to work for a while until he found from the log that his son can still access the Internet everyday beyond the normal allowable time period. He then found that his son has cracked the password of the Cyber Patrol software and can freely bypass it. So he has to find another software to control the Internet connectivity.
Other parents use even more drastic methods, such as pulling off the cable to the Internet and hide it away. Are you one of the worried parents? How many methods have you used to control the online connection?
My recommendation is to help the kid to develop a habbit to control online game time, the earlier the age the better. This includes strict rule not to run overtime, and restrict the game time in weekends only. The latter is necessary as the kids should not think of the online game during weekdays, therefore, have a better concentration in their book work. This is far better approach then do it later with all the controlling method.
Blessings.
星期一, 7月 18, 2005
Text Book Sales - Apology and Ways Forwards
Yesterday, the PTA organized an time slot for parents to bring back the text books to sell to other parents of students in lower form. This idea originated last summer to help parents to save money and at the same time reuse the books.
After the opening ceremony of the PTA office, we started the refreshment and chatting among parents and teachers. At the same time, we announced the book selling activity to start.
However, to the disappointment of many parents who came back to take a look what is available to buy, there seems to be no seller and hence books to review. A F2 parent complained that she came all the way from Kowloon back to see if she can purchase some books for his son but only found some refreshment available. At the end, I was lucky enough to find one F3 parent ready to sell the text books and I bridged the two ladies together and glad to see some happy faces at the end.
From this experience, where we can find more than 10 potential buyers but only one seller, we can conclude there is interest in Book Sales but more preparatory work is necessary. Many students or parents are not keen to bring back the books because there is no such habbit and no incentive to sell the books as money is not important to them. Therefore, parents and students have to be educated the value of Book Sale is its environmental protection element and not just the financial aspect. If they want to sell, they should not do the exercise on the books. Instead they can do it in a separate exercise book.
As such, I would like to express my sincere apology to those parents came back for the Book Sale. We will pass the experience so that the PTA can organize a better Text Book Sale next summer.
Blessings.
After the opening ceremony of the PTA office, we started the refreshment and chatting among parents and teachers. At the same time, we announced the book selling activity to start.
However, to the disappointment of many parents who came back to take a look what is available to buy, there seems to be no seller and hence books to review. A F2 parent complained that she came all the way from Kowloon back to see if she can purchase some books for his son but only found some refreshment available. At the end, I was lucky enough to find one F3 parent ready to sell the text books and I bridged the two ladies together and glad to see some happy faces at the end.
From this experience, where we can find more than 10 potential buyers but only one seller, we can conclude there is interest in Book Sales but more preparatory work is necessary. Many students or parents are not keen to bring back the books because there is no such habbit and no incentive to sell the books as money is not important to them. Therefore, parents and students have to be educated the value of Book Sale is its environmental protection element and not just the financial aspect. If they want to sell, they should not do the exercise on the books. Instead they can do it in a separate exercise book.
As such, I would like to express my sincere apology to those parents came back for the Book Sale. We will pass the experience so that the PTA can organize a better Text Book Sale next summer.
Blessings.
星期四, 7月 14, 2005
Mrs. Anson Chan on Learning English
Summary of Mrs. Anson Chan talk on Learning English to F2 students at the F2 English camp on 13.7.2005 at Wu Kai Sha
Need for English
- Increase competitiveness
- English is foundation for communications in workplace and future study in HK as an international city
- Chinese, English and Spanish are the most important languages
Attitude
- Determination to learn is key
- Have to learn it in top-notch manner, no point to do it half-hearted
Ways to improve English:
- Anything you like
- Read several books in summer vacation
- Paper to drop down new words and study afterwards
- Discuss the book with friends
- Magazines like Times, Economist
- Build up the vocabulary and increase your confidence
Listening
- BBC or other English radio
- When asked what to do if the news commentators are speaking too fast, she advised WYOFF or even herself will find out and recommend some commentators or programmes
- Listen to English songs to learn English. Oldies are recommended because of their better English.
Speaking
- Assign one day (or sometime) to speak with each other in English
- Practice makes perfect
- Go to an oversea English study tour if you can afford, as it will also widen your exposure and understand other countries and cultures. WYOFF could sponsor some of these tours.
- Participate in English-Speaking Union (http://www.esuhk.org/) activities
How to become a better person
- Learn to have a sense of duty and service
- Can participate in Federation of Youth, UNICEF youth programme, Police Cadet programme, Scout, Red Cross, etc.
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