Stay at home and order school uniforms online

2020 has been a rather challenging year so far with a global pandemic requiring parents to work from home and children to stay at home with schools closed. 

It's coming towards the end of the year now and normally at around this time of the year, parents are preparing for the next school year and malls would be packed with parents shopping for back to school items. However, this year, some malls are closed at times and most malls have few shoppers especially in red COVID 19 zones or areas where CMCO (Conditional Movement Control Order) or even EMCO (Enhanced Movement Control Order) are imposed.

Yet, we still have to prepare for next year 2021. One way is to buy school stuff including school uniforms online. 

We tested out online buying for school uniforms and below is a video of how we did it as well as tips and pointers on the process. 

For our online buying, we went to Thomtex School Uniform Shop. Watch the video below on how we shopped online for school uniforms. 

Thomtex sells wrinkle free school uniforms online. It sells school uniforms for primary and secondary school girls and boys including co-curricular school uniforms.

It is Important to Follow Measuring Guides When Ordering School Uniforms Online

One of the most important things you should do when shopping for school uniforms online is MEASURE, MEASURE, MEASURE. Every school uniform shop have their own measurements and guidelines for measuring.

For example, my kid usually wears size M tops and size 33 pants.  However, when I did the measurements following the measuring guide at Thomtex School Uniform Shop, it suggests that I order size S shirts and size 34 pants which I did and it turned out exactly the same size as the ones he has been wearing. That is a relieve because one of the things you want to do when ordering clothing online is to get it right the first time. 

You can measure directly on your child or measure using their most comfortable clothing.  Remember to follow the picture guides provided at the online school uniform shop to know where to measure.

After measuring and selecting the right size, you add your items to your shopping cart when you are satisfied with the sizes and number of pieces you wish to order. Complete  your shipping information accurately, then check out to pay by credit card or direct debit and stay at home to wait for your uniforms to arrive by courier. 

What will 2021 hold for us? We hope that a vaccine will be found and life will be back to normal again but in the meantime, we still need to live a new normal life which includes shopping for school uniforms online. 

Shop now for Wrinkle Free School Uniforms. Early birds can enjoy a buy two free one promo in October. 

New Normal in Education at Sri KDU Schools

March 18, 2020 will always be remembered as the day when Malaysia implemented MCO or Movement Control Order to try to flatten the COVID 19 curve. However, that is not the only thing that happened. In a way, it led to a positive and immediate change in education, transforming it from a traditional classroom to blended digital learning almost overnight. Education may never be the same again. How prepared are we for this change? Let's have a look at one school and how they transition towards the new normal in education.

Online Learning at Sri KDU Schools

One of the things that Sri KDU Schools emphasizes to its teachers and students during this challenging period is "NEVER STOP LEARNING". As you can see from the video below, whether it is academics, sports or music, teaching and learning never stops at Sri KDU. 

Teachers learnt new ways to reach out and educate students while students were taught how to attend classes online and submit homework digitally.  In a way COVID 19 is positive for education, especially schools which are quick to rise up to the challenge and quickly adapt to the new normal in education, shifting from traditional classroom styles towards 21st century digital and online teaching. 

At Sri KDU schools, students were quickly taught the new skill of learning through video conferencing and other digital means. This is an important skill for all students during this time as schools may be required to close with short notice if needed like the current CMCO (Conditional Movement Control Order) in the Klang Valley. With this new skill in place, students can quickly switch back to online learning mode with ease.

Parents were not left out as they too must be involved in order to support their children's studies. With this in mind, parents workshops were conducted online to help parents understand how online lessons were carried out.

Learning truly never stops at Sri KDU, not even for sports and music lessons as these were carried out virtually as well. Virtual choirs and band performances are yet another positive outcome of the pandemic. Who would have imagined that virtual concerts by students singing and playing musical instruments from their homes could sound so good!

Parents’ feedback on Online Learning at Sri KDU Schools

It is amazing how Sri KDU embraced online learning so well and has seen positive feedback coming in.

Below are some testimonials from their existing parents on online learning:

Sekolah Sri KDU (Private National School) 

• I would like to thank all the schoolteachers for a job well done on this first day of online classes. It has also been a test of our organisation at home, and there were inevitably teething problems. But despite these circumstances, I think what transpired today deserves a pat on the back. I am particularly keen to see that student & teacher do not let the pause in active school life affect their relationship and collective spirit in the classroom. The online system cannot replace the classroom in terms of learning, but it is important for the children's moral confidence that life goes on for them. Please convey my sincere gratitude to all the teachers involved.
• A BIG thank you to the teachers of Sri KDU secondary for carrying out the extra classes next week and remaining online for the students. Acknowledging that it was announced as extended school holidays, I sincerely appreciate the efforts by teachers in “keeping the school open”
• I support online learning so that the students can keep to a routine. Grateful that the teachers are also willing to continue to deliver the lessons despite the government announcement of an extended holiday. I believe this would be the first time online learning will be deployed fully. It’s a good time to start and explore the tool. Thank you, and stay healthy!

Sri KDU International School

• My child and I are enjoying the online learning. Thank you to the teachers.
• My child and I are enjoying the work set on the Seesaw app. The app is easy to use and the instructions from teachers are clear. We also get real-time feedback. Thank you for helping us keep the kids learning and occupied.
• Thank you to all the teachers in SKIS for the efforts and attention put in to ensure that the students of SKIS continue to get their education at the highest level possible. I really appreciate it.
• It looked like they truly enjoyed your Seesaw activities and your Hangout classes. It is apparent that you have put in a lot of thoughts into your teaching methodology with plenty of variations and creativity and with that extra mile, you made learning fun. Your marking system is also commendable, making them think again to correct their mistakes. Thank you for making the children learn in eagerness. It must have been challenging at times.

Interested to know about Sri KDU schools? Click here for more information. Registration is now open for 2020/2021 session.

A good night's sleep starts with a good pillow

Having a good night's sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Yet, many of us struggle with getting a good night's sleep. Some tips for getting a good night's sleep include having a relaxing before bed schedule, making your room dark and comfortable with just the right temperature and not to mention having a good pillow. 

Recently, I had an opportunity to test out the Origin Superior Coolmax® Latex Pillow. This pillow is voted as one of The Best 8 Pillows in Singapore. Having gone through dozens of sleep trials, more than 10 different product tests and 100 density changes before being marketed, The Origin Superior Coolmax® Latex Pillow is designed by a team of experts in Germany.

The pillow feels bouncy and soft yet firm and with good support at the same time. I like the feel of the tencel cover case. Tencel is a a new age cellulose fibre. Tencel is smooth, gentle on the skin  and anti-bacterial. It feels luxurious. I find that it provides good back support if you prop it up because it is firm. My current pillows are the kind that can be punched into any shape. This one stays firmly in shape. Takes a little bit of getting used to for me.

Where to buy the Origin Superior Coolmax® Latex Pillow?

The Origin Superior Coolmax® Latex Pillow is available at Origins Malaysia which also markets the award winning Origin Hybrid® Mattress. Founders Shaun and Gee started Origin Mattress to give Malaysians more comfortable sleep at lower prices. Origin products are designed in Germany and made in Malaysia for Malaysians. You can buy it online and have it delivered to you with no shipping charges.

Credit for image: Express Photography

Giveaway for Blog Readers. 

Thank you for following and reading our post. To enter this giveaway, complete the information in the form below. You will be required to fill in your name, email address, FB username, visit Mumsgather Finds FB page and share this post on your FB timeline with public setting. Sharing is not compulsory but it will earn you more points! This giveaway ends at 12am 26 Oct, 2020. It is open to Malaysian readers only.

Prize: 

2 winners will win one (1) Origin Superior Coolmax® Latex Pillow worth RM400 each. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

References for this article:

- Origin Mattress
Website | Facebook | Instagram

- Best in Singapore
Website | Facebook | Instagram

Coding Learning Box for Kids

One of the most frequently asked questions on our platform is "Where to buy Educational Toys for my child?"  Kids love to play and have fun, and if they can learn something useful at the same time that would be a bonus for the parents. This is even more so now during this pandemic period when kids are stuck at home. 

EDU:BIT Project Kit for Children to Code • Play • Learn

Introducing the play-and-learn EDU:BIT Project Kit

Today, we're going to talk about one such educational toy or learning box. It is the EDU:BIT Project Kit for children aged 7 and up. The EDU:BIT Project Kit is an all-in-one complete kit for kids to learn coding and electronics as they play in a fun and engaging way. The projects also help the children develop creativity and foster problem-solving thinking skills.

With coding being an essential skill in education these days, as basic and important as your 123s and ABCs, it is good for kids to get a head start and practice these skills from a young age. Coding is now included in many school curriculums all over the world including Singapore and Japan. In Malaysia, coding is introduced in the new KSSR syllabus under the subject Design and Technology for Y4, Y5 and Y6 students.. Coding need not be a dry, boring or difficult subject to grasp for kids. It can be fun and creative play too. Children can learn coding skills as they play with this educational learning box.

What is included in the EDU:BIT Project Kit?

The graphics below show what is included in this Educational Learning Box. The most important component in this box is the EDU:BIT board which is the heart of it all. (See item 1 in the graphics)

The EDU:BIT board comes with the BBC micro:bit board. The micro:bit was designed by BBC to get kids actively involved in coding and making projects.

Beginners can easily learn to code using Microsoft's Makecode with simple drop and drag modules while more advanced users switch to Python or Javascript to programme.

Since this learning tool is specially designed for young kids and beginners, a step-by-step colourful guide is included on how to complete up to 10 projects using the Microsoft Makecode platform to code. By following the guidebook, kids can turn early childhood games like rock, paper, scissors or snakes and ladders into fun digital projects. Cute cutouts are included for this purpose.

 

Younger kids may need supervision but older kids can self-learn on their own. 

Where to buy the EDU:BIT Project Kit for Children

Looking for a gift for your child or a friend’s kid?

UPDATED: FULLY FUNDED ON KICKSTARTER, YOU CAN NOW PURCHASE AT RM199 FROM CYTRON WEBSTORE

Get EDU:BIT now at a discounted price on Kickstarter.
Only US$35 (RM145) now - (NP: RM219) 

Pledge a Reward to get this at RM145 on Kickstarter

Here's how to get a set for your child. 

The EDU:BIT Project Kit for Children is now available on Kickstarter. Pledge a Reward to get this educational learning box for your children before Christmas. Here is a video on how you can back the project by pledging a reward to get this educational kit for kids age 7 and up at USD35/RM145. 

As some of your may know, kickstarter is responsible for launching many of the coolest toys and games available in the market today. You can pledge a reward for an early bird discount to get this one. The team has already secured the funding they need to produce this product, so all you have to do after pledging your reward is to wait for them to contact you at the end of October to get your shipping address. Your credit card will not be charged till the kickstarter campaign is completed on 22 October. The kits will be shipped out in November, in time for Christmas 2020. You can read up the risks and rewards of pledging a reward on kickstarter.

Parents Workshops, Storytelling Sessions and Kids Speaking Workshops at British Council Malaysia

 

This is a guest post by British Council Malaysia

[Update – 12/10/2020]

Given the recent rise in Covid-19 cases, the British Council has taken the precautionary measure of postponing both the parent workshop on 17 October and the Secondary Speaking workshop on 17 and 31 October to a later date in November. We thank you for your interest in our events and hope to inform you of the new dates very soon.

Our new teaching method combines face-to-face classes ‘in-centre’ and guided learning that students do independently online at home to prepare for class. The guided learning is made available to your child on a safe and secure platform.

What is Guided Learning?

Guided Learning:

-  is designed to keep your child motivated, it includes fun quizzes and games based on the topics they’re doing in class
         

- gives your child the space to practice and improve their reading and listening skills and vocabulary

-   is child-friendly and easy to use, so they can work independently

Your child’s progress is tracked, scored and presented in a personalised dashboard so you can both track progress.

How does the new guided learning component benefit your child?

We believe this approach gives your child a more rewarding experience. When your child completes the guided learning in advance, they will arrive in class feeling:

- engaged, motivated and confident to express themselves because they are more prepared

- connected, inspired and ready to share their ideas with classmates. Classes are more productive, with more time spent exchanging ideas and opinions and less time spent reading

- more in charge because they’ve had the space to work through related activities at their own pace

- a greater sense of progress and ownership for their work

During class,  teachers focus more on sparking discussion, supporting students individually and giving them personalised feedback. At the end of the class our teachers encourage your child to reflect and evaluate their progress. Ultimately it helps them build good habits for life and feel more confident –like they’ve pushed through barriers and reached a new personal best.

 

Want to learn more?

Attend our free GuidedLearning workshop, on 10 or 17 October, where we will introduce the new structure of our Primary and Secondary courses to understand how they help your child excel and what you can do to support them. There will be a free storytelling session for your kids to attend while you’re sitting in our workshop too.

Alternatively, if you have a 12-15-year-old who’s ready to experience the British Council’s way of teaching but not ready to commit to a full term, sign them up to attend our one-day Secondary Speaking workshop, on 17 or 31 October, at only RM50 per student.

Attend either one of our workshops and get the chance to register for our January 2021 intake at a special rate of only RM799 (NP: RM940)! Terms and conditions apply*.

More details available on our website, so hurry and book your spot today:

-          Guided Learning workshops (for parents) and storytelling sessions

-          Secondary Speaking workshop for 12 to 15-year-olds

-          Early bird registration for January 2021 intake (use promo code ‘MG880’)

Terms and conditions:

1.       The special rate of RM799 is only valid for new enrolments. Only a maximum of 10 enrolments at the special rate is allowed.

2.       Parent(s)/new student(s) must have attended the workshop in order to be eligible for the special rate.

3.       Enrolment must be done on the same day as the workshop attended.

4.       After the special rate has been fully redeemed, our course fee will revert to early bird pricing of RM880 which is valid from 31 October to 30 November.