Is Notebook LM My New Secret Weapon for P1 Prep?

Another Monday morning, and as I sip my kopi, the familiar Singaporean parent anxiety is kicking in. The legendary Primary 1 registration exercise for the 2026 intake just wrapped up. My wife and I are incredibly thankful that our daughter, now a bubbly K2 kid, has secured a place at Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (PLMGS). Phew! But as one chapter closes, another begins: the actual preparation for Primary 1.

Gone are the days of just buying a new uniform and pencil case. We want to ease her into the new environment and curriculum without overwhelming her. While trying to figure out the best approach, I stumbled upon a game-changer: Google’s NotebookLM. And let me tell you, it's not just another fancy tech tool; it’s like having a personalized teaching assistant.

What is NotebookLM and Why Should Parents Care?

Think of NotebookLM as your own private AI expert. Unlike general chatbots, its power lies in what you feed it. You upload your own documents—like school orientation handbooks, curriculum guides, or even storybooks—and the AI becomes an expert only on that material. It doesn't pull random information from the internet; it uses your sources.

For us, this was the key. We wanted a tool that understood the specific context of PLMGS and the Singapore MOE curriculum for a 6-year-old, not just general school advice.

How We're Using It for PLMGS

My wife and I started by uploading the PLMGS P1 orientation PDF, the MOE's Primary 1 English syllabus, and a list of high-frequency words. The results were amazing.

• Personalized FAQs: I asked NotebookLM, "Based on the handbook, create a list of five questions my daughter might have about her first day." It instantly generated questions like, "Where do I eat my food during recess?" and "Who can I talk to if I feel lost?" This helped us pre-empt her anxieties with reassuring answers.
• Instant Storyteller: I gave it a simple prompt: "Write a short, fun story about a girl named Chloe who is excited to start at PLMGS, using these high-frequency words." In seconds, we had a custom story we could read to our daughter, making her new school sound like a wonderful adventure.

It’s been a fantastic way to make learning targeted and fun. It's not about being kiasu; it’s about using smart tools to support our kids' big transitions. This little AI helper is definitely staying in our parenting toolkit.