Building the Next Generation of Thinkers & Writers
Young Reader Club ISSUE 39/ SGD 10.00 ISSN: 2010 - 1376
Best Friends Forever!
Featured Authors Eliora Joseph and Athena Tan share a bond that goes beyond being fellow writers
4 Great Stories *Through the Stormy Winds *At Death’s Door *Angels and Demons *The Painting
and our special feature
Homeschooling? Hear from parents and kids who ditched tradition
Our Featured Author Eliora Joseph: I’m all in for local authors!
Scan here to know about YRC! 3
Young Reader Club / Issuemore 39
Publisher’s Note THE YRC TEAM Managing Editor / Publisher Catherine Khoo Editor Natalya Thangamany Circulation Manager
Nannette Marajas-Cruz Designer
Lim Soo Yong Illustrator
Vickie Yong
For advertising and sales enquiries
6336 8985 Education Subscription Agent
Emit Asia 6372 0330 Distributor ilovereading.sg Pte Ltd
9199 3758 Email: info@youngreaderclub.sg Website: www.youngreaderclub.sg All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher. Call 6336-8985 for back issues.
Printed in Singapore by Stamford Press Pte Ltd Additional photos by
Natalya Thangamany
Young Reader Club is published by Experiences & Experiments Books Pte Ltd 261 Waterloo Street #03-08 Waterloo Centre Singapore 180261
Dear readers, Welcome to the first issue of 2017! We kick off with a new look for YRC, and a bumper issue brimming with content – we are talking two Featured Authors, four stories, and a special feature spanning 14 pages. Eliora Joseph and Athena Tan are no strangers to YRC, having been regular contributors in the past. This issue, we turn the spotlight on them as they share not just about their writing experiences, but also on the friendship they had shared over the years. Isn’t wonderful to make friends over the same interests, and even much so when you remain close friends even after so many years? Flip to Featured Author to learn more about our dashing duo! We have four amazing stories for you to start off 2017, all written by finalists from the Young Author Awards last year. First, there is the first part to V Swaytha’s story of a celestial battle between good and evil, and the reluctant heroine caught up in it – Angels Versus Demons. Then, travel across the country and get into magical shenanigans with Raphael Renfei Jakob’s painting in his short story, The Painting. For something a little more thrilling, check out Tarita Dadwall’s story At Death’s Door, about a family and the tragic circumstances surrounding them. Then for a good dose of heartwarming friendship, read Kimberly Foo’s Through The Stormy Winds. To wrap up this issue, check out our special feature on homeschooling. The homeschooling community in Singapore has been growing over the years. What is homeschooling? What makes this alternative form of education appealing to families? Is it for everyone? We speak to three families on their homeschooling experiences and hear them share about homeschooling’s impact on them. Hope you all had a good start to 2017, and best of luck for the year ahead. Hope you enjoy this starter issue, and happy reading!
Young Reader Club / Issue 39
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’s inside?
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Featured Authors: Eliora Joseph and Athena Tan
We kick things off with two Featured Authors; Eliora Joseph and Athena Tan may come from different backgrounds, but they are like two peas in a pod. Filled with spunk and a zest for life, both girls share a bond that goes beyond being fellow writers. Check out their beginnings as writers, the crazy things they do together, and the friendship they have formed over the years.
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Angels Versus Demons (Part 1) by V Swaytha
Ally was just a normal girl trying to get through school life. However, constant dreams and a surprise revelation forced her from her home and into a world run by supernatural forces. Ally discovers a shocking secret about herself and has to accept her destiny…or watch the world she knew and loved be destroyed.
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The Painting by Raphael Renfei Jakob
A painting magically comes to life one night and decides to take a trip out on the town. Amidst talking to animals and dodging greedy humans, the painting also lands itself in trouble with a group of supernatural beings. Will it survive the beings or will it be ripped to shreds?
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At Death’s Door by Tarita Kaur Dadwall
Germany, World War II, Hitler’s regime. Lisa lives with her family under the dictator’s harsh reign. But Hilter’s iron fist is not the only thing that worries her. One by one, everyone she loves falls prey to strange and tragic circumstances. Is the war at fault here? Or is there something more sinister targeting Lisa’s family?
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Through the Stormy Winds by Kimberly Foo
Hailey Colbert is extremely rich, but also extremely lonely. Her parents are often away, and her school friends do not seem like real friends to her. One day, she meets street child Ava and slowly, a bond is formed. However, Hailey is struck with an ailment that threatens the first real friendship she ever had. Will both girls brave the storm and come out unscathed?
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Special Feature: Homeschooling
Homeschooling is on the rise, with more parents turning to home education to academically groom their children. What is homeschooling? How is it done? Why do parents choose to homeschool their children? What happens during homeschooling? We speak to three families about their experiences and how homeschooling has impacted their lives. Is homeschooling for you?
Young Reader Club is the host of excellent stories by 10 to 14 year olds in Singapore and Beyond. Stories featured are selected from the Young Author Award, Asia’s premier Award for young writing talent. As well as building the next generation of thinkers and writers, the Young Reader Club creates diverse opportunities for readers to be inspired, challenged, educated and entertained. We are proud of our reputation of presenting excellent words of art, supporting emerging writers and connecting young authors with audiences of all nationalities, across lifestyles and cultures.
At YRC Magazine, we ensure that stories are kept at their most original form, yet there are times that content is abridged to suit the magazine’s readership. Stories featured in YRC Magazine are abridged as necessary, to fit page constraints. The YRC is a literary magazine that conforms to the reading palate of 10 – 16 year olds. Once a story is featured in the magazine, it is at the discretion of the editor to copyedit articles to a certain extent, to suit the target audience. Young Reader Club / Issue 39
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Featured Authors
It was 4 February 2017, the evening of the beautiful pink-purple sky that came after the rain.
Eliora Joseph
Athena Tan Sitting at Coffee Bean at Junction 8, we sat next to two teenage girls and gleefully observed them as they bantered over school debates they had participated in recently. After nearly half an hour of excited chatter, they paused. Turning to us, they asked, “Oh, are you going to start the interview now? Sorry, we got carried away!� 4
These two girls were none other than Eliora Joseph and Athena Tan, our Featured Authors (yes, two Featured Authors!) for this issue. They are also long-time friends of the Young Reader Club magazine, having contributed to our publication several times.
BIG BEGINNINGS
Not only that, they are two of the six Young Authors who pitched in for our book for the Singapore Memory Project, Heritage Journeys: No Place Like Serangoon Gardens. They were also emcees during the Young Author Awards 2014/2015, working alongside former Young Author Bryan Joel Lim.
What were their first writing experiences like? Athena, currently in Secondary 4 at Xinmin Secondary School, gamely answered first. “When I was six years old, my mother got us these library cards, where we could borrow up to a hundred books per week,� she referred to her childhood as a grade-schooler in America.
Not only are Eliora and Athena friends of YRC, but they are also best buds with each other. Both are feisty, dramatic, and enthusiastic, their similar personalities playing off each other well.
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Magic & Fantasy
Angels versus
Demons (Part One)
By V Swaytha Raman
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Angels versus Demons (Part 1)
ur hearts pounded hard against our rib cages and the hair on our neck stood on its end with the terror of it all. Our commander screamed in desperation, “Fire!” A tempest of wicked, barbed fire arrows soared into the sky, forming fountains of red-blood magma whizzing towards our enemy. Cries of agony were heard as crimson blood spurted from their wounds.
‘Boom!’ I heard a deafening sound behind me. The men in my squad were sent flying in different directions. The enemy retaliated with consecutive shots of fireballs. Fire started to spread itself uncontrollably, destroying everything in its path. I realized my enemies were now focusing their attacks on me! More fireballs were shot and aimed at me. Petrified, I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. I saw a rock about a hundred metres away from me. I jumped and ran towards the rock as more men from my squad fell to the ground. I hid behind the rock. My heart beat fast. Just then, I began to take notice of my attire. I was wearing a brigandine; a type of flexible body armour made of steel plates and covered with fabrics. It was engraved with designs and symbols of the solar system. I was also wearing protective metal plates that covered my arms and knees. There was something hanging around my neck—a shiny silver heart locket. It dangled on a delicate chain. Metal flowers and leaves outlined the sides of the locket. My initial, ‘V’, was engraved on the centre of the locket. I looked at the sides of my body. “Wings? Why do I have a pair of
wings?” I asked myself. A fire arrow whizzed past me. “Phew! That was close,” I said, feeling relief. I turned around. A phoenix had just lifted the rock that was protecting me. Three other birds circled around me. They breathed out spirals of fire. I dodged with speed akin to a professional boxer. In the distance, I saw soldiers, made of fire, charging towards me. I was surrounded by men and birds made out of fire! I tried to fight them off but it was futile. Within seconds, I was surrounded by a circle of fire. The fire grew bigger. Beads of perspiration trickled down my face. I stood rooted to the ground. I started to feel dizzy. I was stuck. My body turned into jelly as my vision began to fade. I blacked out.
Chapter 2 I woke up with a startle. Cold sweat was dripping down my forehead like rivulets. I was not in my brigandine. There were neither metal plates covering my arms, nor a silver locket hanging around my neck. “What happened?” I wondered. “It was just a nightmare, silly!” a voice Young Reader Club / Issue 39
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Profile
V Swaytha Raman 11 yrs old Xingnan Primary School
Written in Xingnan Primary School at age 10
Writing is something I personally love. I have a large imagination, and ideas flow into my head time and time again. With a little planning (and a lot of hard work), a story can be made out of them. They’re fun to work on and sometimes the longer it takes, the better. I love getting to see how my characters progress. When I complete a difficult part of my story, it gives me a sense of achievement. (This story was shortlisted in the recent Young Author Awards 2015/2016)
shouted in my head. I wiped my sweat with a towel and went to the kitchen. Then I drank some cold water as I looked at the sky. There was an uncomfortable silence. The moon hung high in the sky. It looked like a perfect silver disk. I started having these weird nightmares since a few weeks ago. “Is there something with me? Am I suffering from a weird syndrome or disease?” I asked myself repeatedly and yet I didn’t have any answers to any of these questions. That silver locket and the wings were the only constants in every single nightmare. I went back to my room and laid down on my bed. Soon fatigue got better of me and I went into a dreamless slumber.
* * * * * * I was roused from my deep slumber by mother’s persistent ruckus in the kitchen. The stinging chill of daybreak was like a slap to my face. I fumbled clumsily to the bathroom. As I passed 16
the balcony, I saw dewdrops glistening on blades of grass, reflecting the light from the morning sun, turning each dew crimson red and orange and. The picturesque scene woke me up immediately along with the aroma of my favorite hot chocolate. I stepped into the washroom and took a nice warm shower. I grabbed my school uniform and brushed my hair, tying it into a ponytail. I skipped down to the kitchen where I found my mom sipping her coffee. There was something about the glow that would usually, almost naturally, radiate from my mother’s face. It could instantly chase any forms of melancholy away. “Good morning, mother!” I chirped happily. “Good morning, honey. Someone is in good mood today,” my mom remarked, chuckling. “Yeah... I guess I woke up on the right side of the bed today,” I said while munching on my food. I was never a morning person, but somehow, today felt
Story Trivia
I DIDN’T ASK FOR THIS! If you were suddenly told one day that you have to go save the world and leave your loved ones behind, how will you feel? Sad? Angry? Confused? Ally felt all of these things but followed her destiny, making her a reluctant hero.
V Swaytha’s Angels Versus Demons is not the only story to feature a reluctant hero; whether it is through the Young Author Scheme or in the books we read, we have encountered numerous stories where the protagonist is forced to leave their mundane life behind to fulfill their quest. Why is it difficult for the protagonist to accept their fate as the hero? One reason is that he or she would have to leave the safety of their comfort zone and venture into something unknown. Friends and families are left behind as the main character begrudgingly accepts his or her fate. It does not help that the ‘something unknown’ could lead to death. Another reason is that the supposed hero does not feel qualified for the huge task ahead. In this case, Ally had to leave for a bloody war in which she could be killed. Save for a simple note, she did not give her mother a proper goodbye before being whisked away for her mission and a new life. 26
Another variation of the reluctant hero is the antihero – a person who does not possess heroic traits but has to fill the role for the greater good. Some of these antiheroes may even be slightly villainous. Stories with reluctant heroes and antiheroes include Star Wars (Han Solo), Spiderman (Peter Parker/Spiderman), Megamind (Megamind), Despicable Me (Gru), The Lego Movie (Emmett), Disney’s Descendents (Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlo), and The Matrix (Neo). No matter how they started out, these characters have found a way to be our personal heroes. In fact, history has its own share of reluctant heroes and antiheroes. Know any of them? No matter the circumstances, change and sacrifice would always be challenging to deal with. Which is why such stories are well-loved; readers get to experience the reluctant hero’s character development and witness the choices they make throughout their journey.
Magic & Fantasy
The Painting By Raphael Renfei Jakob
I l l u s t r a t i o n s b y V i c k i e Yo n g Young Reader Club / Issue 39
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The Painting
wriggled. Again and again. I felt it in my canvas. The time had come to show and move my limbs once again. Under the old paint and the cracked varnish, my little heart was still beating. Its beating quickened as I took my first step onto the floor of the museum.
My silhouette tip-toed across the moon-lit marble floor. The whole world seemed to go into a sort of trance. I gazed out of a crack in the wall and out onto the streets of Paris. Dim streetlights by the river. There it was again. The yearning to go out there and explore Paris by myself. Suppressed by my knowing it was impossible. But now it wasn’t anymore. Silently, I climbed onto the windowsill. Perfect. Just as I had seen from my place on the wall, there was a big leaf and a little piece of cloth. The leaf would serve well as a parachute and the cloth would help me hide myself. There was a slight breeze as I jumped off the windowsill. The breeze cushioned my fall as I glided through the air. Landing gracefully, I glanced around. Luckily, no one was about at this time. Humans called it the witching hour, but for no good reason as far as I could see. Well, I thought, walking about like this won’t damage my paint. But I was wrong, for my own adventures were about to begin. I crossed a bridge and walked into a narrow alley. Filled with dirt and grime, it was where I had my first encounter during this adventure, with a rat. It was white and brown and was surprisingly clean. Its fur looked wet and it appeared 28
to be a gentlemanly rat, if that is even possible. It said, “May I enquire what such a remarkable piece of artwork is doing out here on the streets of Paris? Shouldn’t you be in a museum or an exhibition or something?” “I’m going for a bit of exploring,” I said, “I’ve always wanted to tour Paris. Since there’s no one about, I figured I could go for a night at least. I am going for an adventure.” The rat excused himself and scattered away, his paws disappearing into the damp darkness of midnight. Tendrils of darkness crept towards me but they were kept at bay by street lamps that eradicated the darkness. I said thank you to each street lamp, ever reminiscent of their glowing personality as I advanced onward into the darkness. I had to be wary of greedy humans. As soon as I heard footsteps, I would retreat into the darkness, carefully preventing my canvas from getting wet. Carefully, I slipped past a human and hid behind a tree. Just as I was breathing a sigh of relief, I stumbled backwards into the hull of the tree. The last thing I saw was the darkness I took refuge in. Death. Danger. My whole life flashed in front of my eyes as I fell. Then I blacked out.
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Story Trivia
Most of us would have dreamt of our toys coming to life and having adventures à la Toy Story when we were young. We find it thrilling when we read of incidents of objects mysteriously teleporting from place to place, like the painting in Raphael’s story here. What sort of adventures do these objects have? In January this year, local student Ashley Soo (who went by the Twitter username ‘Ash’) spotted a doll sitting on a tunnel ledge at Dhoby Ghaut MRT station. While train staff was quick to remove the doll, many people wondered how and why it ended up there. For the creative mind, one reason could be the doll simply wanted to take a trip around our local transit system. Perhaps the doll was separated from its owner and was trying to find its way back. Who knows? Sometimes, objects do not have to rely on supernatural means to travel. People have brought their favourite toys with them on their travels and snapped photos of them at the places they visit. One such person is Instagram user Jorge Saenz, who takes photos of his son’s toy dinosaurs during his travels and posts them online. The ‘travelling gnome’ is a trend when it comes to travelling objects, having started in the 1980s. In the movie Amélie, the titular character sends her father’s garden gnome around the world and sends him photographs of its journey. In the real world, there have been cases of people stealing garden gnomes, bringing them overseas, and sending photos of the trip back to their befuddled owners. There are even travelling teddies! A few keywords in a search engine will reveal scores of travellers who have taken their cuddly bears with them and snapped shots of them. There are even websites dedicated to documenting teddy bears’ travels; the Traveling Teddy Bears Project brings teddies bears into international classrooms to connect children from around the world. Instagram has a user called ‘packiethebear’, showing photos of said bear crossing the globe. So, ever thought of sending your favourite toy around the world?
Heartwarmers
At Death’s Door By Tarita Kaur Dadwall
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At Death’s Door
t was a dark and stormy night. The wind howled like ghouls, threatening to rip the house apart. Rain poured down in torrents, beating down on the sills. The curtains fluttered around making ghostly shapes on the wall. The sky was dark, an inky blackness blocking any light. Lisa lay under the blankets – which provided no warmth – trembling, shivering and quivering. She was asleep, and unbeknownst to her, she was being watched. Oh yes, and who might be watching her? Me, of course. Who else?
Alas, she awoke, welcomed by an eerie silence and soaked clothes. Ah you see, Lisa was having a nightmare. Glancing at the table clock, she slipped on her slippers and threw on a pair of jeans and a shirt, both black of course. Racing out of the room, she paused at the oak door, listening and confirming that they were asleep. Lisa ran out of the door into the street, checking both ways before continuing her hunt, her hunt for the woman who was at death’s door. Then, in Germany, times were hard. Herr Adolf Hitler had declared war, ammunition such as food and medicine were running low. One of these poor souls who was not able to get the little savours of health was Frau Diller. Her husband was at war. She was lonely and poor. The Memingers were the only people who kept her company – Lisa, Kristen, Maria and Joseph. That night, the mist clung to her, wrapping her in shadows. She ignored the feeling, and pulled her scarf tighter. I followed her waiting to see what she could do. She could not stop death. Death was always waiting. Waiting to capture its next victim. Waiting in the dark. Ready to spring. Ready to carry the next soul up or down according to its deeds in life.
Chapter 2 The next morning, Lisa woke up to the sound of her brother, Kristen, snoring. She flung open the curtains, and to her amazement the sun was shining. That was rare during the war – never was there a ray of sunshine, it was always rain. It was as if the skies could sense the sombre mood of the war and make the weather magnify its sentiments too. “Heil Hitler!” she said before running to get washed and put on her school uniform – a checked skirt with a plaid shirt and checked tie, accompanied by silver buckled black school shoes with white knee-length socks. She grabbed her leather brown schoolbag. That day, it bulged suspiciously. But her mama didn’t notice it. “Bye Mama!” she said as she ran out. School was, as always, normal and boring for Lisa Meminger. It was only the walk back that excited her. That day, Lisa had stuffed her back full of medicine, flour and rice for Frau Diller. She walked the dirt encrusted lane from her school, to the bridge over the crystal river, through the tunnel of woven pine and fir trees into a circular Young Reader Club / Issue 39
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Personification is converting a nonhuman thing or concept into a human figure. This conversion is seen in Tarita’s story here, where Death is given a form easily accessible to humanity. At Death’s Door is not the only story to personify Death; the idea of Death taking on a solid form, such as a human or animal, is widespread in today’s media. Why personify one of the greatest forces of life? Death as a figure would help us understand why the end of a life must be so, and thus cope with the process. Considering the common fear of death, giving it a face would help us accept the inevitable. If we can meet Death as a person face-to-face, we can find comfort in asking this dark figure ‘why’. Basically, personification helps us to accept what we fear or do not understand. The most popular personification of Death is the Grim Reaper, commonly depicted as a shadowy figure or skeleton
garbed in black hooded robes and armed with a giant scythe. A cheerier portrayal of Death would be Santa Muerte (‘Holy Death’), a female folk saint of Día de Muertos (‘Day of the Dead’). Some religions refer to Death as a malevolent angel. Mythology points to the headless dullahan, the wailing banshee, the doglike Cù Sìth, and the Greek gods Thanatos and Hades. No matter how Death is represented, it is always seen as the end of life and the departure from this world into a new one. Other versions of Death in mainstream media include Neil Gaiman’s Sandman series, Ryuk and his fellow death gods from the anime Death Note, the Marvel comic franchise, Terry Pratchet’s Discworld series, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ tale of the three brothers. How do you see Death? Young Reader Club / Issue 39
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Story Trivia
Personification of Death
Heartwarmers
Through the Stormy Winds By Kimberly Foo
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Through the Stormy Winds t’s a lie when people say that popular people have the most friends. I have a lot of girls that tag along with me during lunch, but none of them are my true friends. I don’t have one, to be honest. But sometimes I really wish I did.
Disappointment Dad was out again on a business trip, and Mum tagged along with him. They always left me in the house by myself, but I didn’t mind. You’ll get used to it. They’re not very loving parents. They don’t show fatherly or motherly love. It’s sad, that they only give me money and pamper me with designer clothes. I won’t say I really know them much as I don’t spend a lot of time with them. Anyway, the huge house was empty when I came back from school. I only realized they were out when I shouted, “ Mum? Dad?” and all I heard was my echo. The maids were on holiday as well, and I was left alone. We had high tech security systems, so I wasn’t frightened or afraid someone would come, I was just disappointed that they left without me again. Walking up the stairs, I sighed. I stopped, and sat on the steps. I was a rich girl who was really popular, but I had no best friend and no loving parents. I had no idea what love was. There was nothing to do after I showered. No homework to be done, and no one to hang out with. I sat by the window, and let the sunshine pour on my face. It was nice warm day, but
I wasn’t in the mood to go out. Still, the city was a wonderful sight. Young children played in the park with their dogs while their parents sat nearby, watching them. Teenagers skateboarded in the skate park and couples chatted at the fountain. It would be nice to go down there and take a stroll, but it would hurt too much to think of my parents and how they couldn’t even make an effort to spend time with me. Moreover, there were also painful sights, like beggars begging for money and homeless families hiding in cardboard boxes. But the most painful one was a girl, about my age, trying to sell bubble gum and sweets. She was wearing rags and covered with cuts and bruises. Her whole arm was burnt and her hair was messy. People just trampled on her and shouted vulgarities. I couldn’t bear to watch and rushed out of the house.
There Was Sort of A Connection Breathing in the fresh morning air, I shut my eyes. I forgot how much I liked going outdoors when I was little, when Mum and Dad actually took me out. The trees were dotted with pretty Young Reader Club / Issue 39
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Special Feature
m
h esc
ooling
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rior to exploring the subject for this feature, ‘homeschooling’ sounded like a foreign idea – a luxury that expats and rich locals could grant their children. Having heard of a few of our Young Authors who were homeschooled, we could not help but wonder what being homeschooled was like for them. The questions came in: What? Why? How will being homeschooled impact their future? However, after speaking to the three families featured here, that notion changed. It was truly eyeopening, having a closer look at the local homeschooling community and hearing from the families about their experiences. So here we are, sharing with you what we have discovered about homeschooling in Singapore.
What
Homeschooling, also known as ‘home education’, is an alternative form of education where students are not enrolled to learn in mainstream schools. Instead, parents choose to be the primary educators of their children’s learning. This can happen in a home environment or in spaces where parents can best tailor their children’s learning. Homeschooling parents pick and choose from a wide variety of curricula around the world. Some mix or create their own, for example, pairing MOE Math curriculum with Sonlight to boost their children’s language component. Frequent outdoor activities and co-ops with fellow homeschoolers build the socialisation aspect of the learning journey. There is also no age limit to how long one homeschools. Depending on the parents, children could be homeschooled for just the primary years or into their secondary school years. Singapore recognises homeschooling children within the primary years because of the Compulsory Education Act. The number of homeschooling families here in Singapore is much more than we 58
thought. As Mdm Paulin Heng, the mother of one of our featured families, puts it, “Back in my time, it was 300 families. But that was a long time ago. Now, that number would have gotten bigger.” With an expanding number of parents choosing to homeschool their children, the community has become more noticeable. Type ‘Singapore homeschooling’ in the search engine and relevant blogs and resources will pop up. In fact, for the curious and interested, one such blog – HomeschoolSingapore. sg – will be hosting the first Homeschool Convention 2017 in Singapore. So what leads parents to homeschool their children? Different families have different reasons for homeschooling their children. These reasons, as gathered from our featured families and additional research, include: •Lifting restrictions on learning. Public school can be limiting to those who look for one-to-one customisations and alternative pedagogies. •Creating a conducive and holistic learning environment for children of special needs.
Whyy
Reuben (16), Elroi (14), and Jordan (12) Parents
Mr. Robert Teo and Mdm Paulin Heng
Why Homeschool?
Mr Teo: “We were introduced to homeschooling through a friend, and subsequently attended a talk on it. We decided to homeschool our kids because we found it an ideal way raise them in up with Christian values. We chose this curriculum because it is Christ-centred and has a systematic and structured approach, that promotes independent learning.”
Curriculum Used
Accelerated Christian Education (ACE), a Christian-based curriculum originated from America. Here, ACE’s materials are referred to as ‘PACEs’ – booklets for each core subject or elective. “It is a self-directed, selflearning curriculum,” Mdm Heng describes it. They also take an online writing class at high school level (Grade 9 onwards). Reuben has graduated and might be going to a polytechnic to further his studies.
Daily Schedule
Reuben: “I have completed my homeschooling and might go to poly, but when I was officially still homeschooling, I would get up at six-thirty or seven… Jordan: “Mine is eight! Seven or eight. I get up later than them.” Reuben: “That’s the wake-up time. And then work starts at eight-thirty sharp. If I was in a good mood, I would end at eleventhirty in the morning. By work I mean all the workbooks. After that would be piano, Chinese, or computer homework. And after that, I was free for the day. But if I was having a bad day, I would start at eightthirty and end at two-thirty or – worst-case scenario – four-thirty. Elroi: “No, that’s not the worst-case scenario.” Reuben: “It was the worst-case scenario for me.” Elroi: “Our schedules are all similar. Except if I am in a good mood, I finish one hour after lunch.” Reuben: “That’s because we took 60
The trio at one of many co-ops (photo provided by Mdm Heng)
Deborah (8) and Hope (6) Parents
Mr. George Chua and Ms Dawn Fung
Why Homeschool?
Ms Fung: “There are three reasons for this. First, I met a beautiful homeschooling family when I was a young adult. The family of seven was a good role model of bringing up children and caregiving. I wanted a family like that when I had children. Second, I felt I was giving the best waking hours to others’ children. As a school teacher, I saw firsthand the importance of parents as primary caregivers. I wanted the best for my children. I didn’t want them to miss out on having me around in the most formative years of their lives. Third, we find the public school system too rigid. The fixed timetable and little free time to play are not holistic. For example, if my children want to learn about animals and classification, we can go to the zoo frequently and see firsthand the differences, instead of learning off worksheets.”
Curriculum Used
Ms Fung: “I use the MOE curriculum for PSLE and the rest is interest-based learning. The children only need one hour or less a day to tackle a page of assessment books based on the four subjects PSLE requires. The rest of the day is up to them to make, play and explore.”
Daily Schedule
Deborah: “I wake up at seven, brush my teeth, and shower. Then I fold my clothes and my bed. Then I eat my breakfast. After breakfast, I do my homework and then I am done.” Hope: “I get up at seven-thirty…” Deborah: “All she does is play!” Hope: “No, I don’t!” Ms Fung (showing us their schedules): “This is their general structure of the day. They usually wake up earlier than this but this is just a way for me for putting it down. They will do their work and then they will have to do chores, like fold their clothes. On Mondays, they have piano. Mondays and Thursdays, they have gym. Tuesdays, they have co-ops, where we meet up and learn 64
with their friends. On Wednesday evenings, they have Chinese tuition. And the rest of the time is free for them. During that free time, we often go out to hang out with our homeschooling friends.”
What They Like About Homeschooling
Deborah: “It’s very fun and I can see my friends.” Hope (yelling): “BECAUSE WE CAN PLAY EVERY DAY!”
What They Don’t Like About Homeschooling
Deborah and Hope: “We like homeschooling!”
Will They Want to Attend A Public School?
Ms Fung: “I did put them in childcare until they were K1 and nursery respectively. When they were in school, they found it ok. Do you like school or homeschool?” Hope: “Homeschool. Because I can play and I have friends! I also have friends in childcare but one of them bit me.” Ms Fung: “It wasn’t that childcare was bad. Homeschool gave us flexibility and a lot of free time. Gross motor skills directly affect to cognitive performance. If you put them in a rigid system where they are often seated and not having enough time outdoors to run and play, you will hinder their imagination and brain growth. As well, free time for the children allow them to learn at their own pace, and according to their interests. This will help parents understand their children better. Perhaps even build a portfolio for the future.” Deborah: “Homeschool is more fun and cool!” Ms Fung: “When I took her out of school when she was K2, I wanted to make sure I wasn’t taking her away from mainstream school. So every two months, I would ask her if she wanted to go to school. I wanted to respect her decision. I did not want to force my views on her. But every time I asked her, it would always be ‘no’. One of the reasons she once gave me was that she got to have a lot of time with me. She enjoys being with
Asher (17), Abigail (15), Isaac (14), Isaiah (12), Magdalena (8), and Michaela (5) Parents:
Mr. Dan Ong and Mrs Sue Ong
Why Homeschool?
Mrs Ong: “Even before they were born, my husband and I decided that this was what we wanted to do. Because at our church, we had a small community of homeschoolers. At that time, we had six to seven families. Our pastor also homeschooled his children, so there was some encouragement there. We saw it was a good and doable thing. In fact, my older sister homeschooled her children, so she inspired me to homeschool my children as well. It was very doable and our children turned out okay, so that was good.”
Curriculum Used
Like the Hengs, the Ongs also use ACE, coupled with electives of their choice. However, Isaiah, who is taking PSLE this year, has shifted away from ACE temporarily to do relevant practice papers and exercises in preparation for the major exam. Isaac also does not do ACE; instead, he does A Beka Book, which lets him study and learn via video tutorials rather then textbooks. Mrs Ong explains that ACE’s paces come with regular tests, so grade weightage is spread out to reduce stress from cramming.
Daily Schedule
Isaac: “We have this set amount of subjects or this set amount of lessons that you have to finish every day. When we are distracted, they take the whole day to finish. But sometimes, when you are feeling hardworking, you cram it all before lunch. For me, I take five subjects — five lessons, one lesson from each subject every day. After lessons, I do chores. My chores are hanging out the clothes.” Abigail: “One person keeps, one person hangs, one person washes, and one person cooks. And we section parts of the house for packing. For some tasks, we rotate. For my schedule, I wake up and I teach at the private school my father teaches at. I teach half-day with him, from eight to twelve. Then I come home and do my own paces and chores. I take six subjects, with a few electives. When I finish the 12th year, I will 68
get an American certificate, equivalent to a ‘A’ Level certificate.” Magdalena: “I take English, Maths, Word Building, Social Studies, Science and Creative Writing. I can do them until twelve noon.” Mr Ong: “Unless she gets distracted by those who finish their lessons earlier than she does.” Isaiah: “I don’t take ACE now. Not currently. I am taking practice papers and exercise books for PSLE. Like, English practice books and Chinese reading.” Mr Ong: “We usually start preparation for PSLE when they are Primary 5. There are some who start their preparations earlier than that. After PSLE, it depends on him if he wants to go back to ACE.”
What They Like About Homeschooling
Isaac: “The flexibility. Bonding with siblings. A lot of people don’t have that opportunity to be so close with their families.” Abigail: “The freedom of time. And it’s fun. You get to do some stuff other children can’t do because they are in school. Like cooking.” Magdalena: “And sewing!”
What They Don’t Like About Homeschooling
Magdalena: “There are really no cons.” Abigail: “Because we don’t know what we’re missing out.”
Will They Want to Attend A Public School?
All: “Yes and no!” Magdalena: “All the children in school get to chose what they want to eat.” Mr Ong: “In school, there are so many stalls to choose from.” Magdalena: “Every day.” Mr Ong: “And then you end up going to the same stall every day.” Mrs Ong: “When they reach their teens, they do want to have more time with friends. We do give them time to spend with their friends, mostly friends from our family’s circles.” If you have read the photo-travelogue 6
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Young Reader Club / Issue 39
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4 GREAT STORIES INSIDE!
Angels versus
Demons
By V Swaytha Raman
At Death’s Door By Tarita Kaur Dadwall
Through the Stormy Winds
The Painting
By Kimberly Foo By Raphael Renfei Jakob 2