Hoong Yang: Sing to be happy, happy to sing

Rachael with brother and close friends

When we are happy, we hum and sing. At times when we are moody, we may sing to change our mood and be happy. At our centre, we coax and encourage children to sing and repeat familiar dance move and music to change their morning mood. Not all children arrived at our centre with smiling faces. Some cried, out of lack of sleep and some may need a longer time to warm up. Music, songs and dances are very important to growing up children. They do not mind to listen to the same songs or music many times. They do not mind to sing many times especially birthday songs, in fact they enjoy very much each time the same tune are repeated.

Happy children celebrating Rachael's birthday

It is important to keep children happy in order to maintain a happy frame of mind for the children to learn. At times children are faced with a lot of unfinished homework, our teachers will have to be sensitive to their mood and avoid giving pressure instead giving mountains of encouragement and praises to them. If teachers were to use cane or force children by scolding, to accomplish their objectives,the children will not learn much even though the tasks are completed, because the children do not have a happy mind to learn; instead they have fear and anger in their minds.
Children know who loves them and who doesn't. It is easier to guide children when their hearts are with