The closing session of the Parent-Child Bonding Class for 2021 was held online. Students shared highlights of their lessons in the year through a short video. (Screenshot by Holly Foong)
"Ding dong! Ding dong!"
The requests to join the online Tzu Chi Parent-Child Bonding Class (or "Parent-Child Class") had been ringing non-stop at 9:30 a.m. on 28 November 2021. To mark the end of the class for 2021, the curriculum team had organised a wrap-up event for the final session and warmly welcomed 59 students and their parents to gather online.
Looking back on the good memories
The wrap-up event kicked off with a throwback photo session. During the viewing, everyone recapped the efforts the volunteers had put in since February to prepare for the programme, set up the venues, and design the teaching tools for the first class on 28 March this year. To comply with the government's safe management measures, students and parents were divided into four groups on that day to attend the class at different venues. Everyone had a fun gathering and left behind beautiful memories of each other.
Unexpectedly, the pandemic worsened in April, and the course had to be continued virtually. To keep children's attention in virtual classes, the Parent-Child Class organising team met online several times to brainstorm on making breakthroughs in the lessons. Other than introducing two cute puppet characters, 'An An' and 'Le Le', to make the lessons enjoyable, drama and stories based on a new theme each month were added to make the teaching elements diverse and lively. Volunteer Lim Ngeong Poh also turned his house into a mini filming studio and made good use of technology and creativity to make the lessons warm and appealing.
Looking back at each of the photos taken by parents, it did not matter if the children were serving tea or feeding their parents on Parents' Day or interacting with them as they played games and made environmental protection handicrafts or learning Jing Si Aphorisms, the photos taken by their parents were still oozing with warmth and emotion. As the video continued to be played, it was evident to the teachers and parents that the past lessons had planted seeds of kindness in the hearts of the children.
The students of the Parent-Child Class reflected on their growth over the year through a presentation. (Screenshot by Pua Poo Toong）
Students show appreciation to parents and teachers for their companionship in their growing up years
The closing class for the year was also the final lesson for new graduates of the Parent-Child Class. A total of 30 students from the Courage Class who graduated this year will be joining the Tzu Chi Teenagers' Class to continue learning in a beautiful and kind environment.
Reluctant to bid farewell, teacher Low Yee Leong shared the Jing Si Aphorism that goes, "Those who use time wisely will be able to control the direction of their efforts", with students in the Courage class to encourage them to face the future with utmost courage. As the students march into secondary schools next year, he hopes that they can manage time well and do all that needs to be done when faced with heavy schoolwork.
Teacher Chen Kung Yi Fan said that while he was unwilling to part with the children, he was happy for them because they would be embarking on a new phase in life. "I hope that you will apply what you have learned in the Parent-Child Class to good use in the future."
Lim Ngeong Poh and Choo Pui Voon are both Tzu Chi volunteers and also the parents of graduate Lim Tzu Yue. They have been involved in the Parent-Child Class for many years and have brought Tzu Yue along to participate in Tzu Chi activities since she was a baby. Joining the Tzu Chi Teenagers' Class next year, Tzu Yue said: "Thank you, Tzu Chi uncles and aunties, for your companionship over the years. I have learned a lot in the Parent-Child Class. Thank you for carefully designing the curriculum every month and trying various ways to make every lesson lively and fun."
Primary six student Siew Jing Ern said that although most of the classes were conducted online this year, he still managed to learn a lot, especially about the importance of Jing Si Aphorisms and adopting a vegetarian diet. "Not only can vegetarian food keep us healthy physically and mentally, but it also protects the earth." Jing Ern, who is already a vegetarian, added, "I am very lucky to be a vegetarian myself, and I hope everyone can eat more vegetarian food so that we can protect the earth by sparing lives."
Apart from the online blessings given by teachers and volunteers, the Parent-Child Class organising team also spent two weekends going around the island to visit every graduate in person to deliver gifts. The gifts might have been small, but their gesture was most thoughtful. The students' pure joy upon receiving the gifts could be felt even through the screen.
Every seed has the potential to grow into a big tree full of fruits. May the students move forward bravely with the blessings of the teachers and volunteers and grow up to be persons of fine character and virtue.
The Parent-Child Class team spent two weekends going around the island to visit every graduate in person to deliver gifts, including greeting cards, glass ornaments and USB memory sticks. (Screenshot by Pua Poo Toong)
A warm learning journey for parent and child
The Jing Si Aphorism reads, "Be grateful at all times, everywhere, for everyone and everything". The closing class was filled with the ambience of gratitude. The talent performances by students had also allowed everyone to know each other better. The students pre-recorded their videos at home and showcased a wide variety of talents such as singing, sign language performance, flute and various musical instrumental performance, Chinese dance, yoyo, yoga, etc. Some of them even invited their parents to sing or do sign language together, revealing a different side of themselves to everyone.
The event emcees were Chan Hsiong Peng with her daughter, Khoo Jing Yue, and Gao Jin Lian with his daughter, Chua Shanwen, who partnered with puppets, An An and Le Le to make the show more lively and interesting.
Gao Jin Lian said, "This is the first time I am hosting a show with my child. This opportunity has allowed her to be more engaged in the class, which is a good form of learning." Chan Hsiong Peng felt that only when the children were involved could they realise how busy the organising team was to appreciate that what they used to see in class were combined efforts of many who had worked hard quietly behind the scenes.
Parent Liu Yan said that she had gained a lot after attending the Parent-Child Class with her son as it had allowed her to grow along with her child. She recalled that her son, Lim Cher Han, had learned about meditation and wisdom and also to be filial and obedient to parents in the lesson with the theme 'Six Paramitas and Ten Thousand Practices'. The boy learned to be gentle in speech and manners with his parents and play his part well so that they need not worry about him.
Liu Yan said she had also learned how to communicate with her son and look at things from his perspective. "When parents are emotionally unstable, they will say and do the wrong things. Parents make mistakes too. The teacher also taught us ways to improve as parents, and I will give them a shot!"
Having had the chance to attend the online programme with her child, parent Liu Yan learned a lot and was deeply moved. (Screenshot by Holly Foong)
The wrap-up session of Parent-Child Class 2021 ended with the singing of a Tzu Chi song titled "Hand in Hand". Everyone waved goodbye and prayed that everyone would remain healthy and safe amid the pandemic and that life would return to normal as soon as possible.
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