Review of my ABCD.

Aloysius' journey into Primary One.
Aloysius just started his Primary school journey. I have been reviewing and correcting in setting the priorities for him. Or rather I have been aware to correct myself. Perhaps i shoukd not interfere too much in setting his priorities. Ultimately,  he will need to be able to learn about his own priorities and what he wants to achieve in life. He either learn now or later. I will prefer the former though. I have to keep reminding myself that I gotta guide him in decision making more than imposing rules and restrictions on him. He's in a "Chinese" school. In Singapore, how Chinese a Chinese school can get as compared to those in Malaysia. It's still a bilingual school,  just that the school offers more programs more towards the Chinese culture.  I hope the teachers there have values more towards the Chinese way -  礼仪廉耻。

To be honest, I am still figuring out how the school work and the values that the school teaches. So far, I am satisfied with the teachers he has. In his first week of school,  his form teacher, Mum Sim was already looking out for Aloysius' mommy to feedback on his behaviour in class. For the first week of school, his teacher spoke to me 3 times out of the 5 days I picked him up after school. Aloysius has loud voice and he cannot control himself when answering questions the teachers asked. And he keep chit chatting with his new found best classmate. His teacher asked me whether Aloysius is more for the soft approach or the hard way. I was caught by surprise. Here, I must praise the teacher that she bothers to get to know her students. Thumbs up for that :)  I can put my heart down that he has a caring form teacher who bothers. I do not expect his teachers to adapt to him cos I think he needs to adapt to different kind of people out there in the society. I told the teacher that he takes on the soft approach. The teacher replied me, "I think so too." Not all teachers can accept the students' way like this teacher does. Not many teachers bother to find out from the parents more about a child, and in the first week of school. I am impressed. I thank God for giving a dedicated and patient teacher like Mdm Sim to guide Aloysius. After the feedback from Mdm Sim, we spoke to him about adapting to the class environment and have self control, and also respect his teachers in class. I also told Mdm Sim that Aloysius' buzz word is "self control", cos his kindy instill "self control" in him and used this vocabulary. She remembered it on the spot! I guess she remembered our conversation. To me, a teacher who remembers a conversation with a parent and bothers to adjust her way of communication means she cares a lot. One week later, at the end of the second week of school, i met Mdm Sim during pick up after school. She feedbacked that Aloysius has improved a lot in class. Phew... He has a young Chinese teacher who is quite dedicated too. On the first day of Chinese class,  Aloysius brought back a letter. It was a survey by the Chinese teacher asking about his history of Chinese learning and about enrichment classes he's attending outside school. Wow! Very efficient Chinese teacher he has. I really thank God for giving Aloysius teachers who care for the students despite them having 30 students.


Bernice and Charlene in K1.
Ok, so much about Aloysius. He's coping very well in school so far and discovering a bigger environment. Let me move on with Bernice and Charlene.

They are now in K1. I have stopped their Montessori class in school,  after two long years. They started the Chinese program in school, which is 3hrs of Chinese daily. Aloysius been through this program n I feel this is very good for recognising and reading of Chinese words. I am not sure if the Montessori program can achieve the level that is equivalent. Honestly, I did not see vast improvement in my gals after two years in the Montessori program after doing a review of my own. I guess I was a bit late to really go into the details of the program and the mindset of the teachers only last October. I had a feel that the program will not give me what I wanted when I put Aloysius there for 6 months. And that it's not really Montessori,  and we are just wasting money n time. I was pretty disappointed after talking to the teachers. And I went to talk to the teachers with an open mind. No wonder I needed more drilling in my gals academically at home on my own. At least I know... Darius will not be following this education route like my gals.

Bernice n Charlene are still in the weekly Shichida program. So far so good. They are able to cope. I am spending quite a lot of time with them on their poems recitation n linking memory. I would say this journey was not a breeze in the beginning. It is a lot better now after I figured out what and how to motivate each of them. They ahave different ways though. Therefore I need to spend the individual time with them.  Phew... Bernice n Charlene have different strengths too. Bernice hhas more interest in reciting poems n linking memory. Charlene is more interested in writing n doing homework. Bernice is open to trying more challenging n new things. Charlene is competitive and catch up without you knowing. Bernice will practice new poems n linking memory,  whereas Charlene is into perfecting n improving on the poems n linking memory that she knows. This term of Shichida is pretty challenging for me too. They will be learning 5 sets of linking memory plus 2 poems within 12 weeks. My target is 2 poems and 3 linking memory sets for them, and recite each set of 50 within 30s. Pant pant for me... As of now they need 2 weeks to learn the items in sequence, then 1 week to increase their recitation speed to 30s. But really gotta be daily practice. If I am too busy to practice with them for a week, they will be back by a week. Time n tide waits for no man. Being a perfectionist me, I have planned to achieve the goal one set at a time. But if need be, I will need to readjust.


Darius...
Hmm... I don't have a lot to write about Darius. But he's a very smart boy and learn from ABC. As of now, he's only attending Shichida enrichment. He learns very fast. He loves animals sounds, Thomas train, bus, cars. And at times the teddy bears and the children's stroller. He's learning about sharing n being able to return jie-jie and get-get toys. At this age, being able to give n share, is very good development in his social skills. He knows almost everything that you asked him to do. He knows single words, and trying to communicate in sentences. Nowadays, he will say "mama, I want this". When he's playing with something that he's enjoying, he will call "mama, look!" He will be very happy when ge-ge n jie-jie come home in the afternoon. Darius is close to daddy too. Sometimes when I return home alone, he will ask "mama, where papa". In the evening,  when he hears someone at the door, he will put down everything he's doing n run to the door calling "papa, papa".

I have started his potty training for 7 months now. It's getting better, but I just guide the maid. I will need to gear up the potty training after E is born. It was honeymoon potty training for last 7 months. Hahaha... Perhaps after 3 kids, I understand potty training will take minimum 6 months, disregard at what age the kid start this potty training journey. The earlier he starts, the faster he is potty trained. I started Aloysius at 18maths, n he's fully off diapers including night time at 2.5yo. Bernice n Charlene potty training started at birth. They were off diapers including night time at 18 months. I reckon Darius will be off diapers including night time before he hits 2yo, but now is gearing up to off diapers when going out and at night. Lucky I have a young n efficient maid. I thank God for that.

I have been looking around for suitable programs n schools for Darius   Number of hours in school, distance from home, programs offered are my considerations. So far, I have enquired n visited 6 schools. I have not made the decision yet. I am still looking out. If Shichida kindergarten is still operating, I will send him there. Though their teachers turn over was very high in the first year that Aloysius was there,  the effectiveness of the program is there. Cos I have seen it in Aloysius. Darius will go to Brmck for K1 n K2 though.And baby Edric will follow Darius' path.