8月5日是爱心班的第二次活动，当天孩子们进行静思语拼字游戏比赛，大家玩得不亦乐乎。(摄 / 潘宝通）
Every Monday evening since July 8 2013, one could hear the cheerful singing of children from the multi-purpose room in Bukit Batok East Zone 3 RC: “Let our love bring hope and goodness to the world. Let's use the power of love to share happiness with the world ......"
In addition to the children’s class conducted at Tzu Chi Singapore’s Jing Si Hall, this is the first time that Tzu Chi has collaborated with the community in setting up a parent-child educational class. After nearly six months of fun-filled, enriching lessons, 64 people including students, parents, RC members and volunteers, gathered for a heartwarming celebration at the conclusion of the course.
Handmade Gifts of Gratitude
That evening, at about 8 pm, volunteer Hung Lai Hun an split the parents into two groups; each group was to come up with a poster to express their gratitude. Everyone was having a great time during the brainstorming process, exercising their creativity with color pencils and coloured paper, talking and laughing as they went through the photographs taken during previous activities.
Meanwhile, the children were accompanied by Tzu Chi’s “Great Love Mothers” as they busied themselves making photo frames. The frames were decorated with Jing Si Aphorisms and stickers of their choice, while a family photograph was pasted onto the middle. Everyone was enjoying themselves as they focused on getting the job done.
The event started off with a video on Master Cheng Yen’s “Essence of the Bodhi Mind Series,” on the topic : “What Parents Should Teach Their Children." Master Cheng Yen said: “A child with good character needs to be nurtured from young; we need to let them know that the happy lives they now enjoy has been made possible by people from all walks of life in society. Master Cheng Yen further emphasized that gratitude should be cultivated from young. "In loving our children, we should inspire and bring out the potential in them from childhood.”
After which, the children and their parents watched a photo montage of themselves taken during class activities which came complete with background music and a narrative. Everyone found it particularly entertaining and the room was filled with laughter as they watched themselves on screen.
Chen Zhou Yun, a volunteer in charge of the branch’s educational mission, expressed his gratitude to the Bukit Batok Zone 3 RC for providing the venue and commended the parents for having good intentions in wanting to inculcate the right morals and values in their children. He also thanked all the volunteers for their hard work and contributions in making possible the community parent-child educational class.
Mr Lu De Li, the Bukit Batok RC Chairman, similarly gave thanks to the volunteers who came early before each lesson to do the cleaning and preparation work. In addition, he hoped that parents and children would be able to apply what they had learnt at home. With harmony in the family, the parent-child relationship can only grow stronger.
A Warm Neighbourhood
With volunteer Hung as emcee, the children sang the song "Hope of Love," with gusto accompanied by sign language. Then the parents came with their painstakingly-made posters, and presented them to the RC members and Tzu Chi representatives. When Hung invited all parents to join in to sing the song "Love and Care," they obligingly sang in a cappella even though the sound system failed them, and warm applause followed.
The children’s handmade photo frames were personally presented to their parents with sincere words of gratitude, and while both parents and their children were hugging each other, Hung led everyone in the recitation of the lyrics of "Love and Care," in the wish that all families will be blessed and happy.
A mother, Lai Mei Ren, was all teary as she expressed how deeply touched she was by the volunteers, who had contributed so selflessly. She feels very strongly about character building for children, but often feels inadequate. Over the past half year, she had learnt a lot about teaching children in the right manner from both the Master and the parent-child course. She feels that the course has given her a very warm feeling and a sense of being anchored onto the right path. Lai says, “I will put in earnest efforts to bring up my children well; I hope that in the near future, I will be able to contribute back to society by becoming a volunteer .”
“Every child has the capacity to learn, it is only the method that must be correct.” This is what Mr Li Yun Long, a father, realized. Since his child started attending the lessons, he noticed that his child has become more polite; he greets his parents in the morning and before he goes to bed. His child also pays more attention to details and tries to change when he realizes he has made a mistake. Through games and play, Mr Li has seen the children learn good moral values. When children grow into adulthood, the kind seeds that have been planted in their hearts will sprout in tandem.
Manager for Bukit Batok East Zone 3 RC, Mdm Xiao Jin Mei, had wanted to promote moral education classes for children in the community upon noticing the demand from residents, but because of the shortage of teachers and other resources, the plan never took off. When Tzu Chi set up the community recycling point in April 2013, Ms Xiao approached Tzu Chi to ask if they could organize classes there. Coincidentally, the existing parent-child bonding classes at Jing Si Hall were always at full enrollment, and Tzu Chi had the intention to expand the classes by organizing them within the community itself.
So with the blessing from Tzu Chi Foundation (Singapore) CEO, volunteer leader from the South Zone, Qiu Wei Qin-Ji proposed a curriculum centered on the teachings of the Jing Si Aphorisms, helping parents nurture children of good moral characters, and instilling them with gratitude, respect and love for their fellow beings. Both Tzu Chi and the RC agreed that the course would be known as the “Parent-Child Education Class”and conducted on the evening of the first Monday of every month for a duration of 1.5 hours. The first registration of 2013 received overwhelming response and a total of 29 students aged from age six to ten years of age from a total of 25 families were enrolled. After six months of mutual interaction and discussions, it was decided that the classes for 2014 will be held on the first Friday evening of each month.
Hung Lai Hun, who is also from the Tzu Chi Teachers’Association, believes that a small class setting enables volunteers to better manage the teaching format of having the children and parents sit apart for separate lessons which are conducted simultaneously. The familiar environment of the community facilities also benefits them, and allows for volunteers to better understand the parents and their feedback. These factors are a great help to her in preparing the teaching curriculum. Hung also thanked the RC for their support and cooperation, especially the RC chairman Mr Lu, and Manager Mdm Xiao. Before the event ended, all were treated to a sumptuous vegetarian meal arranged by the RC committee.
The coordinator for the parent-child educational class, Qiu, hopes that more parents would open their hearts upon experiencing the great love of Tzu Chi volunteers. It is her wish that they never stop learning from Master Cheng Yen’s teachings, and work towards building a more blessed life for themselves.
The first “Parent-Child Educational Class” in the neighborhood concluded on 4 November 2013. Here, parents, children and volunteers thank each other for making the class a success. （Photo by Pua Poo Toong)
Manager Mdm Xiao Jin Mei (right) and Chairman Mr Lu De Li (left) from Bukit Batok Zone 3 RC were impressed by the Jing Si Aphorisms, hoping the parents and children will practice what they have learnt. (Photo by Raymond Koh Fu Yuan)
Parents and children were watching a video clip on Master Cheng Yen’s teaching. In the clip, the Master said parents should instill gratitude in their children from a young age. (Photo by Pua Poo Toong)
Chen Zhou Yun, a volunteer in charge of the educational mission, commended the parents for their wisdom in wanting to nurture wholesome characters in their children from a young age. (Photo by Pua Poo Toong)
Education coordinator Qiu-Wei Qin Ji shared with the parents that the goals of the parent-child educational class is to nurture gratitude, respect and love for others in their children. (Photo by Pua Poo Toong)
Children presented their meticulously made photo frames to their parents before giving them a hug. The frames have been decorated with Jing Si Aphorisms and bear a written message of gratitude for their parents. (Photo by Pua Poo Toong)
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