If We Hold On Together

Dearest 4F,
It has indeed been a stressful week for all of us and I would like to encourage you with this song by Diana Ross, a popular singer, with If We Hold On Together.

This song encourages us to think and imagine the dreams we've always wanted to have. It may be to have good relationships with our siblings, it may be to excel in our studies, to fulfil your ambition, or it may also be to be a good friend to your classmates. Whatever your dreams are, holding on together is very important. Know that your family, friends and teachers are there for you, supporting you in your phases in life.

This is a meaningful song. Do ponder over the lyrics and you might just want to sing it to yourself when you feel really stressed, or down, or simply when you just need some encouragement. =)

The lyrics are as follows:

Don't lose your way
With each passing day
You've come so far
Don't throw it away
Live believing
Dreams are for weaving
Wonders are waiting to start
Live your story
Faith, hope & glory
Hold to the truth in your heart

If we hold on together
I know our dreams will never die
Dreams see us through to forever
Where clouds roll by
For you and I

Souls in the wind
Must learn how to bend
Seek out a star
Hold on to the end
Valley, mountain
There is a fountain
Washes our tears all away
Words are swaying
Someone is praying
Please let us come home to stay

If we hold on together
I know our dreams will never die
Dreams see us through to forever
Where clouds roll by
For you and I

When we are out there in the dark
We'll dream about the sun
In the dark we'll feel the light
Warm our hearts, everyone

If we hold on together
I know our dreams will never die
Dreams see us through to forever
As high as souls can fly
The clouds roll by
For you and I

Lyrics taken from: http://lyrics007.com

How to relax

Hi 4F,
These tips are taken from 'English At Work'.
Hope you find these useful. =)

This is often the opposite of how you are feeling when under pressure.
This is exactly what you have to do.
In order for your voice to remain calm and for your brain to "think", you have to be as relaxed as possible.
1. Take deep breaths. Feel your diaphragm rise and fall as you inhale and exhale.
2. Be positive! Take a second and give yourself a positive and affirming message.
3. Clench invisible muscles (thighs, biceps and feet) for a few seconds and release.


Other than how to relax, there is some tips on English writing. Take a look!
What is the difference between spicy & hot?
Can they be used interchangeably?
'Hot' has at least two meanings.
One of those is the same as 'spicy'.
Unfortunately, it also refers to temperature, so a meal can be 'hot' (temperature) without being 'hot' (spicy).

Sometimes it is necessary to indicate which of the meanings is intended and then you might hearsomeone say:

'This chicken is spicy hot.'

Take care and all the best for the English paper tomorrow! Remember to check and check and check through the paper. Do not leave any stones unturned as this is the first and last time you will be attempting this paper. Check for tenses, check for spelling, check for missing pages, check for punctuation, check for correct name and register number written and shaded properly. Check that shading is done properly and errors erased clearly.

Ok, I think I've done a fair bit of nagging, but you know what Ms Seow means. These little things add up to a lot, actually. Persevere!!!

Exam preparation in Term 4

Dear 4F,
As term 3 draws to a close and term 4 starts in 1 week time, it is time to prepare for SA2 once again. The last 3 terms have indeed been very fulfilling and enriching, and there were moments where we were busy and tired too. Take this holiday as a time to rest and recharge yourselves. Spend time with your family members and keep up with exercise and good health.

This September holidays is also a time for you to start revising for the final year examination, if you had not yet started. There are so many things that we have learnt from primary 1 to primary 4, and it is almost impossible to start and finish revising for the exam just a day before. In taking an exam, the 'P' and 'R' in PRRICE can be put into practice.

'P' stands for 'perseverance', and this ingredient is always needed when we need to overcome a big challenge. When we persevere, we do not give up halfway, but push on toward our goal, which is to meet our aim for the subject. Remember the times we have review tests and we set targets? We persevere to reach our target. When we do not meet our target, we try again and again until we meet out target. Even for myself, Ms Seow, my primary 5 teacher many years ago taught my class perseverance. It is because of this teacher's words that I learnt not to give up easily. Try it, won't you?

'R' stands for 'responsibility'. In studying, we need to be responsible for our grades and try to perform to the best of our abilities. When we are responsible, we start our revision early and cover all that we have learnt in school. Do we leave any doubts unanswered? The answer is: NO. If we leave our questions unanswered, we lose out in understanding and our revision is not complete. This is not responsibility, and more needs to be done. When we are responsible, we ask teachers the things we do not understand, and we have extra forms of revision at home too. This will help us be prepared for the exams, and be confident when answering the questions. Apart from that, do not forget the saying 'An apple a day, keeps the doctor away!' Keep yourself healthy too. Eat and sleep well. Studying through the night will make you tired and you cannot concentrate on revision.

Most of all, enjoy the learning process! =) Exams are not set to make pupils fail. Exams test what you have learnt, and stretch you to think and apply what you have absorbed in class. If you have been mentally prepared for the exams a long way ahead, I'm sure that SA2 will be a challenge all of you can rise up to.

Take care!