(Photo by Gan Wen Shan)
At Tzu Chi Great Love Preschool, a simple tea ceremony is held every Teacher’s Day. Each year, the management team guides the children to serve tea to their teachers as a token of appreciation for their efforts, and this year was no exception.
On 29 August 2024, Great Love Preschools in Yishun, Toa Payoh, and Sengkang celebrated Teacher’s Day concurrently. Whether through hand-painted cards or thoughtful gifts, these small gestures were filled with gratitude from students and parents to their teachers.
(Photo by Gan Wen Shan)
At Tzu Chi Great Love Preschool (Toa Payoh), Mr Chee Hong Tat, Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC (the man in maroon top at the rear right of the photo below), was warmly welcomed to give simple blessings and small gifts to the teachers in the area.
(Photo by Ee Fui Chu)
The Early Childhood Development Agency of Singapore (ECDA) officially designated Teachers' Day and Children's Day as holidays for preschools starting in 2023 to recognise the contributions of preschool educators and give them time to rest. On 30 August 2024, Tzu Chi Great Love Preschool held a team-building activity during the Teachers' Day holiday. The management team had prepared for half a year in advance to ensure that the teachers could spend this day in a relaxed and joyful manner.
The teachers enjoyed a restful morning and arrived at East Coast Camp at 3 pm with great enthusiasm. After unloading the items, they were randomly divided into groups and participated in six different activities.
(Photo by Au Foong Yee)
One of the games, "Telling Tzu Chi Stories with Jigsaw Puzzles," required the groups to work together to complete thirty irregular puzzles and share stories through the pictures. One of the puzzles depicted a little girl holding a balloon, following her mother to put money into a donation box.
Ms Liu Mei quickly thought of similar images from the lesson plans and mentioned street fundraising. Ms Magadia Cecil Pableo recalled participating in street fundraising activities, such as the annual Tzu Chi Flag Day and the "Send Love to Türkiye" campaign in 2023.
After the event, young teacher Ms Leck Li Wen expressed her desire to learn more about how to participate in volunteer activities, especially those suitable for young people. Another teacher observed that even if one has not officially become a volunteer, as long as they have the heart to serve, everyone can contribute to Tzu Chi.
Ms Eve Tan, who has participated in fundraising activities, reflected on the differences between Tzu Chi and other groups in their approach to fundraising. She highlighted the unique Tzu Chi humanistic culture and how Tzu Chi emphasises on the value of respect. She said, "From this photo, we can see that the children are learning to do good deeds and make good wishes by donating to the bamboo bank at school. What is most valuable is that when the children donate, the volunteers would squat down and look at them at eye level to show respect."
(Photo by Audrey Koh)
Ms Xie Qiong Mei enjoyed the Minesweeper game the most. She said, "This game requires a lot of trust in the leader or the person giving instructions. If you mishear the instructions, you'll make mistakes. However, the person executing the task also needs courage and confidence. You not only have to trust the instructions but also be bold enough to try."
(Photo by Gan Wen Shan)
Ms Teo Yu Qing found building Lego to be the most challenging game. She said, "As an instructor, I not only had to understand the diagrams provided but also complete the task under pressure. Although I felt discouraged and even wanted to give up, the encouragement from my teammates kept me going, and I was finally able to complete the task successfully."
(Photo by Lau Vi San)
"I'm the best at beach cleaning!" The teachers had fun while contributing to the environment. Each group challenged themselves to pick up resources or trash, competing to see who could gather the most weight.
At the Nature Creativity game station, the teachers were tasked with finding objects on the beach and creating stories based on what they collected.
"Our team members come from different races and religions, we don't speak the same language, and we don't have a specific direction for our creations. Until we saw a coconut split into four pieces, which looked like the Tzu Chi logo." Ms Jasmine Chong Xiao Min shared, "Everyone picked up the right materials from their surroundings and pieced together the Tzu Chi story of 'One day without work, one day without food'. It made me feel that everyone's little contribution, when put together, can create a great work."
(Photo by Chong Chee Sia)
During the "Education is about Care" session, teachers discussed and shared their understanding of what it means to "educate with care."
Ms Teo Yu Qing opined that educating with care means coming to school with a clear purpose in mind.
"Yes, there are times when we all feel 'too tired,' but I always remind myself of the original aspiration that led me to become a preschool teacher," she said. "For me, educating with care means paying close attention to children, including the smallest details, especially their emotional and social development."
Ms Teo added that while many teachers might simply tell children "don't do this" or "don't do that," she believes it's important to allow children to express their emotions. Even if an activity has to be paused, she will discuss with the children afterward the reasons for stopping the activity.
She further emphasised, "This profession cannot be approached with the mindset of 'I’m just here to work and make money.' It’s about empowering children to grow up in an environment of equality and love, so they can become the pillars of the future."
Teacher Tee Kim Hong shared, "Home is an eternal harbour, and education is about dedication, which is inseparable from gratitude, respect, and love. Being a teacher is a job that requires dedication. I am very grateful for today's activities, which not only allowed me to enjoy myself but also strengthened my bond with other teachers. This team-building activity broke the routine, encouraged us to 'think outside the box,' and was full of creativity. I had a lot of fun."
(Photo by Gan Wen Shan)
After sunset, the teachers enjoyed dinner under the stars, while feeling the breeze and chatting with their peers in a relaxed atmosphere.
Those who chose to stay in the accommodation sat freely on straw mats, conversing and interacting in the natural surroundings. They shared the ups and downs of being preschool teachers. When the conversation turned to children's growth, as well as parents' support and trust, smiles appeared on their faces without them even realising it.
To recognise the hard work of the teachers, the preschool held its first-ever Teachers' Day Award Ceremony during the training day on 2nd September. Awards such as "Best New Teacher," "Best Creative Teacher," and "Most Caring Teacher" were presented to acknowledge their contributions and dedication to education.
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