Archive for the ‘Announcement’ Category
9 October 2009
A homeschooler adrift…
Posted by DAVID BC TAN under: Announcement.
PUBLIC TALK
A Young Man and the Sea
By Ethan Tan
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2009
Time: 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Location: Kota Kemuning Buddhist Center (KKBC, BMSM Shah Alam)
26 (2nd Floor) Jalan R31/R, Shah Alam, Malaysia
Directions: See Google maps
KV and Wai Leng Soon of MALHEN have invited 18-yr old Ethan to talk about his homeschooling experience.
Ethan has been homeschooled by his parents all his life and he’s spilling the
beans on the only upbringing he’s ever had – unschooled, unsocialised, and
deprived of “an environment to associate with other children where they will learn to
communicate, understand different kind of people behaviour, concern for others,
live with others, handle relationships and etc..” (in the words of some
concerned parents)
Early this year, he applied to join a missions exposure programme on board the
ship LOGOS HOPE, which was then berthed in Denmark. He flew to Denmark on his
own and spent 6 months traversing the seas and 11 European cities. In this
presentation, he talks about being a homeschooler and how his experience abroad
impacted his life.
Everyone’s welcome.
His parents are understandably nervous.
30 September 2009
Let the children play!
Posted by DAVID BC TAN under: Announcement.
Oops, I know this notice comes a little late, but there you go. Consider signing up if you are a Christian parent with young children, or if you are involved in children’s work and ministry.
I do think it will be extremely helpful to look at how ‘play’ forms a large part of child development. Unfortunately it is misunderstood as ‘unproductive’ and dismissed as a waste of time. So now you have children in preschool and kindy who are put through the academic grind – exams! tuition! – as if all that matters is a leg up in book learning. Here’s what the New York Times reported recently:
More recently, though, a backlash has been growing against the preacademic approach among educators and child psychologists who argue that it misses the whole point of early-childhood education. “Kindergarten has ceased to be a garden of delight and has become a place of stress and distress,” warned a report released in March by a research group called the Alliance for Childhood, which is advised by some of the country’s most esteemed progressive-education scholars. There is now too much testing and too little free time, the report argues, and kids are being forced to try to read before they are ready. The solution, according to the report’s authors, is a return to ample doses of “unstructured play” in kindergarten. If kids are allowed to develop at their own paces, they will be happier and healthier and less stressed out. And there will still be plenty of time later on to learn how to read.
‘Godly Play’ while built on similar concepts places the whole idea of play in the context of Christian education. It’s a method designed to help children develop awareness of God, the language of faith, and an appreciation of the sacred in their lives, through the use of child-centered and creative play activities.
Related links:
Godly Play UK – resources, training, and articles by founder Jerome Berryman
Children and Mature Spirituality – By Jerome Berryman on concepts and foundation of Godly Play
15 September 2009
Peace 4 Malaysia
Posted by DAVID BC TAN under: Announcement.
One act of kindness… The “Fast for the Nation, Peace for Malaysia” (Fast4Peace) initiative was initiated by a group of friends and supported by Malaysians from all walks of life. The purpose of Fast4Peace is to invite All Malaysians to intentionally become a positive force for change by uniting in a common fast for one day, and committing to at least one act of kindness to another person.
Get together with friends and neighbours. Start the day with a fast as do our Muslim neighbours during the Ramadhan season. Break fast together and celebrate our solidarity as Malaysians. Pledge to pray and work together for peace - for our children’s sake and for Malaysia’s sake.
“Blessed are the peacemakers:
for they shall be called the children of God.”
Matthew 5:9
7 September 2009
14-year old makes Malaysian homeschoolers proud
Posted by DAVID BC TAN under: Announcement; Homeschooling Achievers.
Few people knew, the local media was silent, and the win was almost unheralded. But for 14-year old Balakrishna M Pillai, a precocious Malaysian homeschooler, it did not lessen the sweet taste of victory when he was announced a co-winner of the international Global Challenge Award in the Best Global Business Plan category.
Team leader Balakrishna and another student Ivan Duschatzky submitted a plan for a Multipurpose Electric Generator and won First Place (Best Global Business Plan) in the competition when results were announced in June this year.
Homeschooling parents who often ask about science (or, the ‘hard sciences’) will be heartened to know that Bala’s parents Murali and Juliana are hardly scientifically inclined. Both Mom and Dad are lawyers by profession.
According to its website, the nonprofit, Global Challenge Award’s mission is to “Provide Students the Tools and Confidence to Solve Global Problems Together.” Founded by Craig DeLuca, of The Arno Group in close collaboration with with Domenico Grasso of University of Vermont, College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences in 2005, the annual competition challenges students around the world to submit innovative and original ideas to solve global problems.
Award winners enjoy international travel, tuition at the Governor’s Institute on Engineering at the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences University of Vermont, and cash scholarships.
We hope to feature an interview with Bala in the near future, but meanwhile, the homeschooler is getting ready to move on. He’s put up his old physics/science books for sale (over 70 titles and magazines, all on our NOTICES September page); and he’s offering his services as a physics tutor. Bala completed the SAT last year – his very first public examination – and scored full marks in SAT II Maths and 30 marks short of a full score in SAT II Physics.
Why the tuition? Bala says he has to ‘kill time’ before he gets to a University in the US. “I see no reason why I cannot make money with my talents. I have a very expensive passion for traveling, not to mention college will cost a pretty sum too!” he adds.
Congratulations Balakrishna, and to your parents Murali and Juliana!
You can contact Balakrishna at balakrishnapillaim(at)gmail.com
14 August 2009
Free: Guide to Influenza A (H1N1)
Posted by DAVID BC TAN under: Announcement.
Click here or the image to download a FREE 33-page colour booklet on Influenza A (H1N1) Virus. Released by the UN, you’ll find things to know, things to do, and where to go to learn more. The 1.0mb booklet is formatted in pdf and should be easily downloaded onto most computers. This booklet was last revised on April 2009
An ADOBE Reader is required to read pdf documents. If you do not have an ADOBE Reader, get it here.
Go to UN Staff Pandemic Information website for regular H1N1 updates.
12 August 2009
HAPPENINGS IN AUGUST!
Posted by DAVID BC TAN under: Announcement.
HEY, WATCH OUT FOR THESE UPCOMING EVENTS IN AUGUST!
TALK: ROTARY CLUB INTERNATIONAL YOUTH EXCHANGE
DATE: 14 Aug, Bankers’ Club, Amoda, KL
========================================
EXHIBITION: COMMUNITY SERVICES FAIR
DATES: 15, 16 August, DUMC, PJ
========================================
FORUM: YOUTH TO YOUTH – FOR A BETTER MALAYSIA
DATE: 16 August, Sunway University College
========================================
SEMINAR: CHRISTIAN IMAGINATION – FAITH & ARTS
DATE: 22 August, City Discipleship Presbyterian Church, PJ
========================================
CONCERT: SOUND OF SILENT DREAMS
DATE: 27-29 August, KLPAC, Jalan Sentul, KL
Please check out NOTICES for links and details.
31 July 2009
It was a temporary breakdown, folks.
Posted by DAVID BC TAN under: Announcement.
HOMEFRONTIER experienced a network breakdown a couple of days ago. That scared quite a few of us. The word we got was:
“We are currently experiencing some networking issues with our Data Center provider (SoftLayer) and certain ISPs from around the world. It appears to be affecting a large group of customers with ISPs such as Comcast, BellSouth, and AOL. We are working with the SoftLayer networking engineers at the DataCenters to rectify this issue as soon as possible. Any information we receive will be posted on here as soon as we get it. We apologize for any inconvenience this may be causing.”
Well, things are a-okay now. Thanks to those who alerted me.
25 June 2009
Upcoming events!
Posted by DAVID BC TAN under: Announcement.
UPCOMING EVENTS!
MALHEN MEET-UP with KV and Wai Leng in Ipoh, Sat 27 June
JPS Debate in Subang Jaya Fri 26 June
SKATE MALAYSIA 2009 at Sunway 2-5 July
John Maxwell LIVE in KL 6 July
Malaysia International Christian Artists Show 11-26 July
A ROCHA CONFERENCE: Biblical Environmental Stewardship 18 July
Check out full details on NOTICES
12 June 2009
Happenings in June
Posted by DAVID BC TAN under: Announcement.
I’m trying out something here.
Ever so often we get notices of events and garage sale on our forum site. I thought I should also post them here.
Please go to the NOTICES page for more details. A couple of homeschoolers are clearing out books and stuff, there’s a Character First seminar, and 2 other interesting forums. Also look out for a notice regarding a debate conducted by our Junior Public Speaking Club.
The above are happening in June.
29 April 2009
See you on this blog!
Posted by DAVID BC TAN under: Announcement.
I’ve been delinquent in managing incoming emails and requests for subscription. Some of you submitted forms. Sorry. But I finally got around to doing it and so if you’re reading this after receiving an email alert, it’s because I’ve put you on our list. At last. Don’t worry – I’m not selling you anything. However I am an advocate for homeschooling, so my thoughts will appear to be somewhat heavily skewed in favour of alternative education. You will understand that I can’t apologise for that. <wink> If you think you don’t want to receive further updates, just let me know.
Until then, have a great day. May your adventure in alternative education be a fun-filled one!