Public Holidays

Hi,

Today I need to talk about public holidays with you.

For 6 years we have been teaching English classes on public holidays without taking any rest. Within the last year or so we have noted two things: 

1) attendance on public holidays has been very low, and 

2) the majority of students either tell us they are not coming on public holidays or just don't turn up at all.

So mid-way through 2013 we decided that we will take public holidays off. Thus we don't need to deal with one or two students per class and unannounced absences. Students can enjoy some rare family time together, and we can also take the holiday the government have allowed us to have.

Each year there are around a dozen public holidays announced on the calendar. The days on which they fall are completely random and unfortunately they may fall more on one specific day than another. Last year they were evenly spread out; this year there are a few more on Tuesdays.

However, we have decided that we will NOT have holidays on single-day public holidays that fall during weekdays (Monday - Friday). The holidays we have selected are either 2 consecutive days or fall on a Saturday, making a 2-day holiday over the weekend.

Your understanding is much appreciated on this topic of public holidays. We do hope that you can make them meaningful times to share with your family.

Have a great 2014! We have an exciting syllabus prepared for the year and we're really looking forward to teaching you and your children and building their confidence in using the English language.

Putting the puzzle pieces together

I'm sure you are all familiar with a puzzle, or jigsaw puzzle. I remember completing numerous jigsaw puzzles when I was young, starting with the corners and straight edges and then gradually filling in the middle pieces, piece by piece.

The months of November and December at Horne Learning Services sometimes feel like working our way through a complex jigsaw puzzle.

Students come and students go. Students stop classes with us and new students begin classes. Some families enjoy going balik kampung, back to their home town to visit extended family during the long school holidays. Others like to go on holiday, or as Americans would term it, vacation, either in Malaysia or overseas.

We will do our very best to accommodate all of our students and their families' travel plans during November and December. We are also aware that some students may change school times in the new year and will therefore need to rearrange their classes with us.

Like a jigsaw puzzle, it's never easy, but we will try to run as smoothly as possible, arranging our students piece by piece.

Happy holidays, travel safe. Thank you to our students who have stopped for various reasons. It has been a pleasure teaching you. Thank you to the new students we have welcomed this month, we hope you will enjoy learning with us. And thank you to our students who remain through the puzzling months of November and December, we appreciate working with you!

November and school holidays are fast approaching

November is almost here, which also means the long school holidays are upon us. We will soon be planning the schedule for November 2013 which will include "Movie Week", a student favourite, and "Games Week." Games Week includes games such as Scrabble, Pictionary, Boggle and Connect 4 among others.

Posing with students in our Tuesday morning class

We like to unwind a little with our students during the school holiday by planning some fun exercises and just going a little easier.

Two of my students on Tuesday night performing a dance routine at the end of a recent class

We wish a "Happy Holidays" to our students and hope you enjoy our November classes starting next week!