When North Meets South - Shabeena - R.E.A.L Kids Putrajaya

Ms Shabeena gave us an icebreaker speech titled When North Meets South during Toastmasters Session on 18th Feb 2014.

Do you know Shabeena as a friend? As a Principal? Or as a person learning and growing as she explores her journey in Education?

Why the topic "When North Meets South"? Because her father came from the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia while her mother came from the Southern part. Boom there she is, a new life cast to this new found world of ours.

She grew up a quiet and reserved child in a family of 3 siblings, with her being the eldest sister taking care of her 2 baby brothers. Never she knew she could have leadership qualities until Standard 4 in Primary School when she was picked to be a prefect. Things changed 360° and she began to have confidence in herself and grew outspoken. Teachers noticed her and put her into competitions. 

Later on she decided not to be a prefect anymore because she hated the meetings and not having the normal recess hours. She then participated in various debate contests and spelling competitions, representing her Convent Girl School.

So much for the serious credentials yea? Guess what? Shabeena also shared with us on her cheeky side. Despite being a mother of 2 (5 & 3 year old kids) now, she enjoys hanging out with her brother for weekend shopping! She especially cherished her time with her brother now since she lost another brother over an unforeseen sickness some time ago. Last occasion she spent with her ailing brother, she managed herself positively and spoke of fond moments together. It was a time when her 3 siblings were crazy about an English Tech Movie, they secretly sliced the mattress at home and poured jugs of water in to make water bed! It was sad her ailing brother had to go, and he wasn't even able to smile or laugh recollecting their fond memories together. However Shabeena took it positively and she's only growing stronger and more positive after his passing.

Let's celebrate our time with Shabeena as the Principal for R.E.A.L Kids Putrajaya. From a quiet and reserved child who got bullied by a pair of twins in preschool--whom later turned best friends, clueless of being bullied and loved still to go to her kindergarten; to a loving sister and mother who is leading her center to provide education and care to other parents' little cute monsters!   

Have Mercy On Me - Mrs Rajen - R.E.A.L Kids Cyberjaya

Mrs Rajen gave us a controversial speech on Have Mercy on Me during Toastmasters Session on 18th Feb 2014.

Mrs Rajen opted a controversial topic for her 3rd Toastmaster's Project. She talked about Euthanasia, the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering.

She shared with us on the pros and cons of the practice and urged us to decide on our own whether or not we approve the practice.

Personally for her, she experienced the agony her late mother-in-law went through when her mother-in-law was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. All she could do was to stand there watching her tears run down her face and there's nothing she could do to ease her mother-in-law's pain. 

Pros of Euthanasia:

1. Relief from painful time.

2. Relief from low quality of life.

3. Conversion of medical fund to something else. 

Eg: when doctor's diagnosis is that the patient will certainly die in 3-6 months, would it not be better to pass the medical fund to another patient that could be healed with that same medical fund?

Cons of Euthanasia:

1. Value of life. What is the value of a mosquito's life? How is that comparable to that of a human?

2. Execution. 

3. Doctors are healers, not killers.

What do you think of Euthanasia? Please note that there are different Euthanasia Laws in each country. 

A Lesson To Be Learnt - Mrs Rama - R.E.A.L Kids Kota Damansara

Mrs Rama gave us an inspiring speech on A Lesson To Be Learnt during Toastmasters Session on 18th Feb 2014.

Have you ever asked yourself below 2 questions:

What are the important things in our lives?

What are not important things in our lives?

There's a story about a Professor addressing this question to his class. He picked up an empty jar and filled it with Golf Balls. Turned to ask his students, "Is the jar full?" 

The students took sometime, some answered yes while some answered no.

Then he took a box of Pebbles and roll them down into the jar and asked again, "Is the jar full?"

As usual, some says yes and some says no. But there are more yeses now.

Next on, he picked out a box filled with Sand and pour the sand into the jar. And repeated his question. All the students said YES!

To their amazement, he now pulled out a bottle of Chocolate Milk and poured it into the jar. And guess what? The whole class laughed.

Do you know what does this mean?

-  Golf Balls resemble the big things in our lives, eg: family, children, health, etc.

- Pebbles resemble our jobs and houses, properties, etc.

- Sand resembles the small matters.

- Chocolate milk resembles the need to treat ourselves occasionally, to motivate ourselves in life's journey, and to enjoy your life.

Give importance to the big things, others are just like the dust and sand. Go for medical check regularly. And remember what makes you happy. 

Teach for A Cause

>>> Are you someone who enjoy or take pride in helping others develop themselves better into the authentically best they could be?

>>> Deep down, do you care to teach and mentor juniors eager to learn from you?

If your answers to the above are solid YES'es, I would like to divert your attention to below 11 Education related organizations or societies (within Malaysia) I personally find worthy of your services.

1. Teach for Malaysia

- 2-year structured teaching program for high-need schools in Malaysia by enlisting only non-teacher grads who have secured or worked for high profile MNCs. It offers the Teacher Associates an opportunity to leave a legacy or impact students through their short term teaching career.

2. Dignity for Children

- Empower community to break the poverty cycle by quality holistic education from age 1-18.

3. SOLS 24/7 (Science of Life Studies)

- Youth development centers with teacher volunteers at centers 24/7 to guide youths on critical subjects such as English, maths and sciences. Non-profit, non-religious, non-political, non-governmental science of life studies.

4. Cosmotots iqd.

- Preparing kids for successful university career by early exposure to English literature and training of thinking faculty via sophisticated writing skills. Their teaching methodology is strictly through directed-questions aimed at the kids to draw out what they know rather than feeding them the knowledge.

5. Wynkids

- Supplementary holistic education program aimed at 7-18 year old's to raise high achievers via programs on communications and interpersonal skills, confidence building, ability to focus, discipline and sustain interest in studies, strong character development (moral and ethics), desire to learn, high EQ, creativity, perseverance and persistence, and courage to fail and make mistakes.

6. R.E.A.L. 

- Private integrated education service provider for age 6 months old up to Diploma via multiple intelligence learning and 49 character first traits as foundation of lifelong success.

7. Money Tree

- Financial literacy programs for kids all the way up to college youths via CashVille Kidz, Formative Internet Retail Store Training (FIRST) Steps, Financial Literacy Programs (FLiP), Young Entrepreneur Startup (YES), MoneyTree Idea eXchange (MIX) for business idea pitching.

8. Discovery House

- Fostering positive learning experiences during formative years of childhood starting 1.5 years up to 6.5 via exposure to languages, maths, practical life, creative arts, science, history, technology, geography, literature, music, gymnastics, dance studio, playground, child-friendly snack & lunch area, sand pit, water play area, children's personal cubby cabinets, reading corner.

9. MySkills

- Promoting skills training to youths-at-risks via transformational activities.

10. Endeavor

- The best anti-poverty program of all. The only non-profit that supports high-impact entrepreneurs around the world. Their mentor-capitalist model breaks down economic and cultural barriers to entrepreneurship through advising from their network of world-class business leaders. 850+ Endeavor Entrepreneurs throughout Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the U.S. created 225,000+ high-value jobs and generated $6 billion in 2012.

11. StART

- Charitable fine art academy giving free art lessons from reputable art teachers to 300 students from 14 shelter homes under UOB, SO+CO and Tang's Art with StART Society, where students are treated as their little teachers with pure and honest thinking reflected in their inspiring paintings and drawings. Life doesn't have to be perfect.

Julia Gabriel's Upcoming Story Telling Session - "The Lego" at Times Bookstores, Bangsar Shopping Center, 22 Feb 2014 (Sat)

Julia Gabriel's center is conducting a story-telling session on 22nd Feb 2014 (Saturday), 3pm - 4pm in Times Bookstores, Bangsar Shopping Center. 

It's not the first of their interesting story-telling session hosted in bookstores. To find out more about the experiences attending to the sessions, we would suggest you pay a visit to Selina Chew (Holistic Therapist cum homeschooling mother of 2)'s blog. 

I personally find it enticing because it's "The Lego" and in conjunction with the upcoming Lego The Movie 2014. Do check out the trailer below and let us know if your kids love "The Lego" story-telling session with Julia Gabriel's center. 

The story-telling session is subject to change without prior notice. For more info, please visit timesbookstores.