Teacher Teresa

Enrolling my 2 children with Teacher Teresa has been a blessing for us.  Unlike a typical enrichment centre, Teresa instills in them a love for the English language instead of rote drilling through worksheets and past year papers.  The children enjoy their lessons with Teresa tremendously and will often update us about interesting and fun activities they have experienced in class.  Teresa provides genuine and candid feedback about our children so that we can monitor their progress together; be it an online lesson or otherwise.  Two thumbs up to the teacher who devours students if they do not deliver good quality work!

Mr Neo
(Father of Xuan Che and Xin Yu)

Year 2020 is a special year! A year that we have never experienced in the past. Especially for the PSLE graduating batch of students! School physical lessons and enrichment classes were halted and everyone was forced into Home Based Learning because of the pandemic. This inevitably caused undue stress and much disruptions to the learning and preparation for the National Examination.

Fortunately, enrichment lessons at Shine Language went into Virtual Online Lessons (VOL) to ensure continuity of learning without compromising the children’s safety. Though apprehensive initially, Jayden and I were surprised to find the VOL to be as good and effective as the physical lessons could be. There was not much of a difference between the physical lessons and the online ones. The contents covered in the VOL were the same as the physical lessons.

 

My son and his classmates quickly adapted to the online lessons adhering to the VOL rules and taking their learning seriously due to the good disciplines that Teacher Teresa has instilled in her students from the start of the Upper Primary English Programme.

Teacher Teresa is an assertive teacher and has a strong presence during class. She is able to make the class lessons interactive, fun, interesting and keep it under control. The students are able to upkeep and enjoy their learning in the VOL classes. I am delighted that the learning of the subject is not compromised and has put students and parents at ease in the inevitable light of mainstream lesson disruptions.

 

With the VOL, we are confident that the preparation for the National Examination is on path. All learnings for English will turn out well under the charter of Teacher Teresa and the Shine network of teachers. Discipline and determination to overcome are the roots for true Success!

 

Mrs Lim (Jayden’s Mummy)

We thank God for Teacher Teresa. She is truly a teacher who teaches not just with her mind but also from her heart. Without doubt, she is well equipped with knowledge and experience to teach, what’s more and most important is the genuine love, care and patience she gives to each of her students. She does not hesitate to support kids who are in need of more help, putting in extra time and effort to coach, communicate with parents on how to work with her to support the child better. She takes care of their emotional well-being and propels them to want to do better. Truly an extraordinary teacher.

 

Since the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, Teacher Teresa and the Shine network have kept the students’ parents updated of all developments and information on how the children can continue to learn safely. At a time when the circuit breaker was enforced, the network conducted their lessons virtually online in the full presence and guidance of the location teacher.

 

I feel this has kept the children’s learning at a time where it is most critical. Thank you, Shine, for the foresight and partnership in journeying with the students.

 

With Teacher Teresa, there is clear communication between her, parents and kids on what to expect and to do when lesson went online. During each lesson, she ensures the kids are engaged with her. Her learning materials are always sent ahead of time and corrections are promptly marked and reviewed. No grief to anyone and parents are kept informed of their kids’ progress. Shine’s home based learning via VOL is definitely one of the best platforms!

 

Mother of Aden (Catholic High) and Andrea Ling (Temasek Junior College – IP)

Teresa is a great and dedicated English teacher with high standards. I was so assured when both my boys (currently 15 and 12 years old) were learning from her towards their PSLE. It is not only for the fact that both my boys scored A*stars for their EL in their PSLE, but I am most grateful for her encouragement and efforts in making the learning of the subject such a natural joy for them! She really goes the extra mile to ensure that her students are inspired to  learn, know and love  English. The extra sessions for oral and revision given to the students prior to the national exams help prepare and motivate them to strive for greater heights. Thanks also, Teresa, for igniting the flame to an infinite adventure of lifelong learning (beyond the exams) for my boys! Thumbs up and many, many thanks to you, Teresa!!

Mrs Clarissa See
(Ryan and Dylan’s mummy)

Both my children attended the Shine Language Enrichment classes with Teacher Cecilia at the Lower Primary prior to joining Teacher Teresa at the Upper Primary in the learning of English.  The way the classes are conducted are both entertaining and value-adding. The teachers here have helped motivate and spur my children to cultivate a love for English.  This has resulted in tremendous improvements in their command of the English Language and inevitably yielded excellent results in their exams through the years.  Attending lessons under the Shine programme have definitely played a major role in helping both of my children score A*s in their PSLE. Most importantly, my children have thoroughly enjoyed the learning process. I would strongly recommend parents to send their children to Shine Language Enrichment!

Regards,
Mrs Edna Lim
Parent of
Wilma (PSLE: 2017)
Eldridge (PSLE: 2019)

I want to thank Teacher Teresa for her consistent dedication and commitment to her students in the Shine programme. She sees each child as an individual kid and is attentive to the child’s overall well-being on top of just teaching the subject. My son, Javan, commented that her classes were always interesting and enriching; and he looked forward to every lesson without fail. Even before graduating upper primary, he already said that he was going to miss his Shine English classes with Teacher Teresa.  The pre-psle exam workshops are highly effective, motivational and very helpful in providing the last lap of revision leading up to the national exams. Many thanks to Teacher Teresa for helping my son score an A* for his English at the PSLE.  I am very happy that Javan has done well and is able to go to the secondary school of his choice in the next chapter of his learning!

Best regards,
Chyehoon

Dear Teacher Teresa,

It had been a wonderful three years navigating the rocky roads of examinations with your constant support and fruitful lessons!  You have always been a patient and caring teacher whom we have all come to love and respect.
I had thought before that enrichment classes existed for the sole purpose of our academic developments, but after taking lessons at your home, I was proven wrong as your lessons were more than just academic aid.  I found myself loving the language a lot more and growing as a person, not just as a student and certainly not only in terms of academics.  I always looked forward to your lessons as they were filled with lots of laughter and fun!  I had never thought that lessons could be so fun yet so fruitful at the same time!  Of course, when our examinations neared, we had to work doubly hard in class and we could all feel that time was tight, but you were always there for us, constantly motivating and encouraging everyone.

I also loved the homely environment that we were provided with during our lessons. Lesson materials always challenged us to go beyond what we know.  The times we pored over the difficult questions as a class were certainly memorable!  I have learnt a wealth of useful vocabulary and many grammar rules that I would have found confusing without your clear explanations.  Through your useful materials and teachings, I have gained a strong foundation in the English language and exceeded my expectations in the PSLE.  I would not have been so confident to tackle this stressful examination without your help!

My parents agreed that sending me to your English classes was certainly one of the best decisions they have made.  Now, I am a more confident user of the English language and have developed a strong passion for it.  Thank you, Teacher Teresa!

Your student,
Tan En Xi

My child, Lukas Lee has been with Teacher Teresa learning English at the upper primary level. With her guidance, Lukas has been doing very well in his English papers, including composition. With Lukas learning with Teacher Teresa, I never needed to worry about his progress in the English subject. He enjoyed her classes very much and would never want to miss any of the lessons. Every Monday, he would always rush me to send him to Teacher Teresa’s class promptly. To him, this once a week enrichment class is an enjoyment where he could learn English, love English and excel in it. We thank Teacher Teresa for her care and love. Her ability to make her students love the subject and excel in it is highly commendable! Lukas has done well and finished strong in the PSLE. A big thank you to Teacher Teresa!

Phylise Er Jia Li (Parent of Lukas)

Dear Teresa,
What a journey it’s been for Dylan! We’re thankful to have had you journeying and guiding him along and his achievements would not be possible without your strong support and encouragement.
You are an exceptional teacher and possess outstanding values and attitudes towards children and adults alike. You set realistic goals and work hard to achieve them with your students. Your sessions are well organised, relevant and varied.
You are an experienced, natural teacher with your students – they respond to you, respect you and enjoy being taught by you. You possess an exceptional ability to connect with the children. With a firm yet friendly demeanour, your positive attitude translates into a classroom atmosphere of learning and respect. You are perceptive and intuitive in identifying the needs and abilities of your students and Dylan’s holistic and academic achievements are certainly a testimony to your teaching approach.
You are a wonderfully committed teacher and as Dylan embarked on his next phase of learning journey, the foundation he has built learning with you will truly be beneficial.
Thank you, Teresa.
Andrew Woon (Dylan’s dad)

Dear Teacher Teresa,
I can still remember the day I stepped into your house for the very first time, feeling nervous and apprehensive. I imagined you to be a stern teacher and my heart pounded worryingly. But my doubts were misplaced as you turned out to be an approachable and wonderful teacher with a friendly demeanour.
Your lessons were interesting and motivating and you taught us to read beyond our textbooks. It’s here that I started to diversify my reading as you shared many good reading materials with me. You also taught us that learning the language is not just for the marks but knowing the world. In class, we had fun learning English and there was always a generous dosage of humour and laughter. It made understanding the concepts and doing worksheets much easier. However, there were also moments when you dealt with us firmly when there was a need to teach and instil discipline in us to help us grow.
The P6 year had been a rocky and challenging one but you were always there for me. You always had kind and encouraging words that helped lift my spirit. Eventually, I did well in my PSLE and topped the school cohort winning three scholarships along the way. I know I wouldn’t have done so well without your support.
I also want to thank you for cultivating in me a strong interest in writing. Your creative writing classes have given me the confidence and tools I needed for my competition essays for which I have clinched many prizes. However, more than winning prizes, it is the sense of accomplishment and the joy that I derive from having written a good piece of work that mean the most. I hope to be able to write many more good essays in the future.
On the whole, I thoroughly enjoyed your lessons and I will miss them! I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me and I will always remember you fondly.

Yours sincerely,
Student: Dylan Woon

Teacher Teresa is a patient and loving English teacher. She is a very passionate teacher who always put the interest of the children under her care first before anything else. My two children, Austin and Angel, have improved in their English by leaps and bounds under her guidance. Her engaging lessons allow my children to pick up vocabulary, sentence structure, grammar and ideas for composition in an interesting and effective way. Her constant encouragement to my children has helped boost their confidence and enable them to strive to do better each time. I know they enjoy her lessons very much as they constantly share with me what they have been challenged to do and what they have learned. My children look forward to attending her classes weekly. Teacher Teresa not only engages my children, but also gives me feedback about their progress. She would highlight their strengths and weaknesses and give parents pointers so that we know how and where to focus on. Her firm yet approachable and friendly demeanour allows the children to learn without fear and more importantly, to improve each time. My appreciation to Teacher Teresa for including both of my two children in her path of teaching. My children have done well and are happy learners of the English Language. Thank you, Teacher Teresa, for teaching my children all these years!

Mrs Chan

Teacher Teresa came highly recommended by many of my friends whose children went through the English enrichment programme under her tutelage over the years. I like that Teresa’s classes cover all the components of the PSLE syllabus, unlike some of the other enrichment centres which separate Paper 1 and 2 into two different classes. Teresa teaches with her heart and always encourages her students to strive for the best. She pays attention not only to her students’ academic performance but also their holistic well-being. In that way, she was able to sense when my child was under pressure and struggling with the stress and demands of preparing for a milestone exam. She went beyond her role as a teacher and shared tips with us when we felt helpless during the PSLE period. We were able to work together and my son has done very well and made it to NUS High, the school of his choice in his next phase of learning. We cannot thank Teresa enough for her dedication, patience and guidance given to my son. As a parent, I always believe that my children should learn only from the best teachers. I am elated that my younger daughter has gotten a place to study under Teresa at the upper primary level. My heart is at peace knowing that she will be learning from the best!

Mrs Chee

Teacher Teresa teaches her pupils with passion and she cares for their well-being both academically and holistically. Both my twin girls, Norine and Ninett, are indeed, privileged to be under her excellent tutelage from Primary 4 to 6.

Teacher Teresa is an earnest, dedicated and caring teacher. She is always ready to give feedback and advice to update me of my girls’ progress and performance. With her profound general knowledge and experiences, Teacher Teresa is able to further enrich the contents of her lessons and teach them in the most interesting manner. My girls simply love to attend her classes and she is their favourite teacher.
I find that the Shine Language Enrichment curriculum covers all aspects of the PSLE syllabus well. The exam test papers are also good resources for revision. Teacher Teresa, thank you so much for all your support and help all these years!

Mrs Jane Tan
(Parents of Norine and Ninett)