Another fresh new year is here …
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest …
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!

-New Year by William Arthur Ward

God is Love

Christmas is all about love

Christmas is thus about God and Love

Love is the key to peace among all mankind

Love is the key to peace and happiness within all creation

Love needs to be practiced – love needs to flow – love needs to make happy

Love starts with your partner, children and family and expands to all world

God bless all mankind

]]> http://sclc-edu.info/2011/12/merry-christmas-to-one-and-all/feed/ 0 http://sclc-edu.info/2011/12/deped-make-christmas-celebration-simple-and-meaningful/ http://sclc-edu.info/2011/12/deped-make-christmas-celebration-simple-and-meaningful/#comments Mon, 12 Dec 2011 01:50:23 +0000 jezza http://sclc-edu.info/?p=257 The Department of Education announces that Christmas vacation in public schools starts on December 21 and classes resume on January 3, 2012 to give students and teachers time to observe the holiday season.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said that schools may hold their Christmas party on December 19 or 20 which is an annual tradition before the long holiday break. Luistro, however, cautioned the schools to refrain from holding a lavish and compulsory holiday celebration.

“I want to reiterate that Christmas parties should be simple and meaningful and if ever there is going to be any form of contribution, it should be voluntary,” Luistro advised.

The education chief said that teachers and school officials must see to it that the guidelines contained in DepEd Order 114, series of 2009 on the holding of simple Christmas celebrations are strictly observed.

“Jesus Christ led a simple life so we can do no less,” added Luistro.

He warned that school officials will be held liable if the department receives complaints and that they may be faced with administrative sanctions if proven guilty of insubordination.

-From http://www.deped.gov.ph/updates/updateslinks.asp?id=1255

In two straightforward words, pay tribute to your teacher with appreciation – THANK YOU.

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday called on learners to honor their teachers with very simple thank you as it launched the month-long festivity of school teachers in public and private schools across the country.

Education Secretary opened up DepEd’s “Thank You, Teacher” campaign as part of celebrations of Teachers’ Month this September and World Teachers’ Day on Oct. 5.

“I think we should regularly take time to revitalize the image of teachers and pull public attention to their importance in society,” Education Secretary said.

Luistro also pressed students to engage their creativity and say their thank yous in their individual distinctive way, from writing them very simple notes and providing tokens to placing messages to their favourite teachers by means of social media.

-from DepEdteacher.blogspot.com

To celebrate this special day, show your teachers appreciation and love!

It has often been mentioned that the future of the country lies in our children. But what kind of future could it be when majority of our children are classified today as undernourished? In studies conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Filipino children through the years have been afflicted with Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) resulting from inadequate intake of energy and protein food, particularly school age children.

According to statistics, 31.8 percent of school age children are underweight, 32 percent are stunted, and 6.6 percent suffer from wasting. Aside from PEM, Anemia and deficiencies in Vitamin A and Iodine continue to exist as the country’s major nutritional concern. Recent research also shows that it is not only clinically severe malnutrition, but also moderate malnutrition, that exponentially increases mortality risk in young children. Moderate malnutrition also places children at risk of delayed cognitive and psychomotor development and of increased immunity.

In observance of nutrition month, the Department of Education (DepED) launched an information campaign with the theme, “Batang May Kinabukasan, Sa Wastong Nutrisyon Simulan” which focuses on the importance of ensuring good nutrition among the pre-schoolers. Another project of the department is the National School Health Maintenance Drive which is a universal medical and dental health examination for first to third graders in all public elementary schools in  the country.

Local government units on the other hand, particularly the City of Manila, organized a series of activities in their districts, such as feeding, weighing, deworming, and Vitamin A and Iron supplementation. The city government also conducted nutrition- related activities including daily feeding programs for school children in the city’s 71 public elementary schools and pre-schoolers in the city’s 340 day care and 28 home-based centers. Private companies such as Unilever Philippines and Coca-cola Bottlers Philippines, also cooperated and funded such programs, and at times, engaged their employees to volunteer  in various nutritional programs.

Enrique Zobel Foundation did its part by developing a four phase project called “Sagip Malnutrisyon sa Batang Mag-aaral” which is aimed to lower malnutrition and increase scholarship, particularly in the province of Calatagan, Batangas.

With all these counter measures, I believe the government’s battle on malnutrition could be won in no time. But as the saying goes “an ounce of prevention is better than cure” and one important factor that is somewhat overlooked is breastfeeding. Studies show that breastfed babies grow up to be, on the average, more intelligent, emotionally secure, and healthy than infant formula-fed babies. Six months of breastfeeding is needed for “optimal infant growth, development and health”.  Whether the decline is a result of the successful marketing of infant formulas, I still think the government should resume, or start a new promotion campaign on the importance of breastfeeding.

Source: DEPED http://www.deped.gov.ph/e_posts.asp?id=371

But washing our hands is not enough.  We should always wash it the proper way.   How to do it?  Follow this.

Avoid getting sick so wash your hands the proper way!

Yesterday was Father’s Day.  Were you able to greet and treat your father? How did you celebrate this very special day?

Anyhow,  while I was attending the service, the minister mentioned this wonderful book which I find interesting and will give value to our everyday encounter with children.

This book should be read not only by parents and guardians but by anybody who deal with children even if it is not on a daily basis.  This is my book suggestion for this month, and I do hope that we get a copy of this and share it to our friends.

This book is really for all audiences.  Please read the review below:

oOo

Words Kids Need to Hear is another parenting-how-to offering by David Staal in which he explores seven key phrases or words every child needs to hear, words that strengthen the heart.

Although these words should be heard first and most from parents, they are universal. Every relationship can benefit by using these words sincerely, often, in the right context and in any language.

• I Believe In you
• You Can Count On Me
• I Treasure You
• I’m Sorry, Please Forgive Me
• Because
• No
• I Love You

The book isn’t long – 138 pages – but it is sufficiently deep to merit reading. Dave doesn’t hide the wisdom it contains behind excessive verbiage. Its pithy statements shoot right to the heart of the issue.

• “Sometimes the words kids really need to hear are those they say to a parent willing to listen.”
• Parents to children: “We will stand by your side when you make good choices and bad choices.”
• “A world of difference exists between I congratulate you and I treasure you.”
• “The skill to apologize and request forgiveness typically comes handed down from a parent or other close adult who models such behavior.”
• “The words kids need to hear can also arrive as words they read.”
• “It’s not your child’s responsibility to make you feel loved”…but…”few parents know how to transfer their heartfelt love to the hearts of their children.”

And that last remark expresses the real intent of the book. Dave isn’t encouraging us to speak to the heads of our children – only with words – he gives these principles context.

• We express belief in kids when their self-belief is at its lowest.
• We spend time with our kids when our schedules are least forgiving.
• We apologize and request forgiveness as soon as possible, sometimes rearranging our schedules to do so, not after time has congealed the malleability of the heart.
• We express love for our kids most effectively when they are acting in unlovable ways.

And each context is illuminated with anecdotal illustrations to show the impact these words, and the corresponding actions at the just the right time, can have on the heart of a child.

He doesn’t target only the traditional first-wife-first-husband-two-parenthousehold. He makes it clear that single and surrogate parents have an important place in a child’s life.

He doesn’t, in the name of parenting, concentrate on what kids should be. He focuses on changing the parents and suggests the best soil in which kids grow is found in the behavior of adults. The bad qualities we loathe in children are nothing more than outgrowths of misguided or neglected parental actions.

He doesn’t suggest one method fits all. David draws on the experience of many different parents who implement the sentiments of these important words in a variety of ways and suggests you too can devise different but effective ways to accomplish the same goals. He also frequently quotes other professionals.

Each chapter includes a cautionary statement to help parents avoid using these strength giving words in manipulative ways.

The book includes reference notes and three appendices with questions for further study. The questions can be used individually or in groups.

David is more than qualified to write this book. He is a husband and father of two children. He was director of Promiseland, the children’s ministry at Willow Creek Community Church, a premier program to say the least. And he is the editor of Today’s Childen’s Ministry newsletter, a joint venture with Christianity Today International.

March 1, 2011 by EnnisP

http://nowthinkaboutit.com/2011/03/review-words-kids-need-to-hear-by-david-staal/

We sincerely hope that great things will come this year.  Lets work hard to learn more and increase our knowledge.  Aside from developing ourselves intellectually, let us also give equivalent importance in our emotional intelligence.  Let us, together, look forward and work on becoming good pupils in school, and children in our homes.

In preparation for the start of class, you may read through 7 Great Ways to Prepare for School.

We were not able to capture very good photos on the first day of class, but here are few of the them.

SY11-12 First day