Last Friday was a bittersweet affair as we saw our graduating batch of children perform their hearts out for their family and friends at the K2 Graduation Concert 2023, titled ‘You Are Special’. An adaptation of Max Lucado’s tale ‘You Are Special’, the children told the story of Danny, who was not seen as talented or beautiful by the world’s standards despite trying his best. Danny went on a journey and eventually met his creator, who told him that he was special just because, and that he did not have to prove his worth in any way. In the same way, this reminds us all that everyone is precious in God’s sight, no matter what we are good at or what we look like.
In the months leading up to November, both children and teachers alike were practicing hard to perfect their moves and build their stage presence in preparation for the big day. Of course, the preparation process came with its own challenges and joys.
One of the greatest hurdles was coming up with the dance choreography and formations for the items. Eileen Lua, Centre Leader of PPS Pasir Ris 51 shared, “This was my first time doing choreography, and it was challenging to decide on the dance steps and positioning before viewing the actual stage. I was thankful that other Centre Leaders also came down to view our performance and provide feedback along the way.”
For LOT Bukit Arang, they were initially worried if they would would face constraints with performing a variety of dance formations since they only had a graduating class of 5 children. Teacher Gae, LOT Bukit Arang recalled, “It was challenging to think of how best to showcase the children’s skills during their dance. My favourite part was when the children brainstormed how they could show off their flexibility and athleticism, as they are athletically-inclined and we wanted to make sure to showcase that. They had fun demonstrating to their peers and teachers, and were also amazed when they saw videos of them doing splits and cartwheels!”
There were countless heartwarming and amusing moments during concert preparation too. Rachel Lee, Centre Leader of LOT Woodlands recounted, “There was one day when we were practicing that we invited the children to wear their costumes. The children were so excited and seemed to have forgotten the times they complained that they were tired of practicing. As teachers, we were joyous and felt accomplished when we witnessed that moment.”
The children’s teamwork really shined through as they helped each other out to learn and improve. During practices, teachers would hear phrases such as “run now!", "quickly move!", "you can't talk on stage!" and “remember to put on your smile and enjoy the song and dance!”
“一个小孩对另外一个小孩说：你要记住你在这里（这个位置）”| “One of the children told his classmate, “You must remember to stay here at your spot!” shared Yanxia Laoshi, PPS Ang Mo Kio.
During practices, teachers would hear phrases such as “run now!", "quickly move!", "you can't talk on stage!" and “remember to put on your smile and enjoy the song and dance!”
A child from LOT Bukit Arang even expressed, “Will they be amazed when they see our tricks during our dance?” Little did she know how impressed the audience was going to be on the day of the concert!
Indeed, the teachers have seen the K2s grow in leaps and bounds, not just during the concert preparation process, but ever since they walked through the doors of the school till now.
Deborah Mok, Centre Aide, LOT Woodlands shared, “We were only with the K2s since the beginning of the year, but we have noticed that some of them have matured, become more responsible and are now able to take on leadership roles in class.”
“小朋友变得更加的自信，并且很健谈。各方面都有成长，和朋友间合作意识更强，矛盾越来越少。” “The children have grown in various aspects – they have become more confident and better conversationalists, and are able to cooperate better with their classmates with fewer conflicts.” - Yanxia Laoshi, PPS Ang Mo Kio
“I have seen the K2s grow like caterpillars in a cocoon and blossom into beautiful butterflies. The children are observed to be very conversational in class; their ideas are respected and heard, and they are allowed to try out their ideas e.g for dramatic play learning spaces. These contribute to their development as curious, confident and engaged learners,” said Daphne Goh, Centre Leader of LOT Bukit Arang.
As the K2s move on to a new stage of life, we are sad to see them go, but at the same time, we are excited for what is to come. Eileen Lua, Centre Leader of PPS Pasir Ris 51 shared, “I remember telling my K2s that they are leaving for primary school soon. They asked me to move to their primary school to keep teaching them! I told them that I'll be here if they need advice or just a simple hug. And I immediately got a group hug. My hope for my K2s is that they will never forget the lessons we teachers have taught them in childcare, and they will learn to stay resilient and cheerful when going gets tough.”
“期望K2的孩子能很好的融入小学学校学习与生活节奏。期望孩子们有一颗感恩的心，能够感恩新加坡国泰民安。” “I hope that the K2s can integrate well into their new environment and schedules at primary school, and that they will continue to have a grateful heart." - Yang Laoshi, PPS Ang Mo Kio
This is Teacher Gae's (LOT Bukit Arang) hope for her children: "My wish is for the children in my class to continue to develop their love for the learning process and continue to be curious, confident, inquisitive, kind, independent and expressive. I hope they can achieve their greatest potential as they move to the bigger schools."
We are so grateful to have had the privilege of educating and loving this batch of children, and we will continue to pray for their journey and growth as they advance to primary school!
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