We enrolled her this school year to a playschool so her excitement in school will be maintained.  We enrolled her at Learn and Play Preschool in Cubao, just near our place. I was excited to see how their uniforms look like.  I searched the net but I did not find any picture.  So here are some of Ria’s picture on her uniforms (they’ve got two colors):

 

Yes, they have two uniforms in school.  Pink is worn during Mondays and Wednesdays while yellow during Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Everyone’s in PE uniform (including teachers and staff) on Fridays.

And so we documented her first day in school.  Since she was so excited, we were excited too.  I arranged all the things that she needs on her first day.  That was a big occasion for all of us.  Although she already attended some summer activities, it’s still different when she has to go to a real school everyday.

 

We took pictures before we left the house.  Unfortunately, this is the only “good” picture.  My daughter is photogenic (with all the sarcasm in the world!):

We made sure we were there on her first day in school.  So Dann and I took a 2-day leave for her.  Fortunately, our bosses (and the company) are very understanding that this was  a big day for the family.

We were at Learn and Play so early.  She was the first student in their class to arrive.  The first two weeks were in staggered schedule and the class was divided into two.  This was done in preparation for the teachers and school (as they expect parents to come over) and the kids (to gradually introduce to them regular schooling and long hours of stay in school).  Her teachers in Jr. Nursery are Teachers Coi and Jam.  They also have two aides (one female and one male) to assist the teachers in case the kids need something like going to the washroom, etc.  They also have male assistant because toddlers need to be carried most of the time.

Her class schedule is from 11am to 1:30pm.  But because of the staggered schedule, the first day was only for 30 minutes.

The school is a big play place for kids.  It has lots and lots of toys inside, especially inside the classrooms.  The classrooms also have different areas such as reading corner, sandbox, math area, etc.  The school teaches in eclectic method, meaning the teachers get to use different methods that they think are effective.  But the school is gearing towards the progressive type.  The class has different activities (such as circle time for formal lessons, and free time where kids get to play any toy that they want).

I think it’s a good school.  At least there’s a prayer time although the teachers do not require the students to make the sign of the cross to respect other religions.

During the first week, Ria was with 2 students only (in the picture, the other one was not ready to sit so she was loitering inside the room).  Ria is also with Jaeda, the daughter of Moymoy Palaboy.

After the class (which lasted for 30 minutes), we went to Gateway to eat our lunch.  And that was Ria’s first gala during school days..hehe.

Organizing her uniform

Since she has to wear different uniforms, I have to ensure she wears the right one.  So I labelled the hangers with days in pink and yellow, whatever the color should be on that day.

 

Home Notes

The school does not give homeworks, instead, the teachers give home notes every week.  Those home notes are list of activities that the parents and the kids should do at home as the kids stay at home longer.  This is to ensure that kids continue to learn even when at home.  These activities are actually parents’ assignments.  It takes a lot of dedication although they are just simple activities.  Sometimes, Dann and I were so tired at work that we cannot do the home notes.  But we have to do them for Ria.

The home notes also give the parents an idea on what the kids will learn during the week.  In that way, we can guide our child on her lessons.

The home activities also serve as bonding moments for the whole family.  And we have a consistent visitor, Xye.  She joins the activities all the time even though she knows the concepts already.

As of July, they were already taught  many things such as 1, 2, 3, A, E, I, O, same and different, color red, etc.  And it amazes me how Ria can pick up the concepts so fast (except for same and different).  It means learning through playing is an effective way of teaching the children.

The beauty of the home notes is that the kids are learning different concepts in different areas (intellectual, arts, social, etc.)  You may think that the activities are so boring and corny but Ria enjoys them and learns from them.

Bullying

No, she’s not being bullied.  Fights are normal in toddler years.  But I am afraid that one day, she’ll be the one who will bully her classmates.

One night, she told me her classmate pushed her.  So I asked her teacher what happened.  Apparently, her teachers did not see them fighting.  And so when I went to her school to fetch her (it was a holiday for us), her teacher ambushed me with what she notices with Ria.  She told me that Ria does not share toys (which will be the cause for pushing/pulling).  That might be the reason why Ria told me her classmate pushed her.  Baka nag-aagawan sila then she though inaway sya ng classmate niya.

But one day, her teacher texted me.  She asked me to call the school.  My heart was pounding when I read the message.  What is it this time? And this is something, because the teacher wants to talk to me.

Her teacher told me that during their circle time, Ria and her classmate was fighting over a chair.  Ria pushed her classmate, the classmate bit her.  Teacher Coi told me, “pero nasalo naman po namin, di natuloy, pero may marka lang po ng ngipin sa wrist nia.” I asked if Ria cried, she said no. I asked if the classmate cried, she said, “pinagalitan po kasi namin yung classmate kasi mas malala yung ginawa niya.  Umiyak sya dahil napagalitan.”

Relief.

Ngayon, pwede sa phone…what if next time papuntahin na ko sa school.tsktsk. When I asked Ria what happened, she told me she was the first one to have the chair. And so I told her  to never push her classmates, nor be selfish.  I just hope she’ll not do it again.  It’s a matter hahayaan mo bang awayin yung anak mo, or mang-away yung anak mo. Yeah, this is hard.

The interrogation stage

As early as 2 years and 7 months, Ria started to ask series of questions to us.  Some are repetitive but some are difficult to answer.  Her pedia told us to answer in all honesty and as closest to the reality as possible.  We can’t lie nor introduce different myths and beliefs (such as “bakit umuulan?-kasi umiiyak ang Angels sa heaven”).  So Dra told us to read some refresher books (science, math, etc) so we can answer her accurately in simple terms.

In May, her questions were like this (with our corresponding answer/s):

Bakit ka bihis – kasi work kami

Follow up: Bakit ka work – para may pera tayo

Follow up: Bakit kelangan natin ng pera – para may pambili tayo ng milk mo, chaka toys

(One time, she answered, “may toys na ko eh” so Dann said, kailangan mo naman ng milk)

And now, she knows the answer as why we have to dress up and go to work.

In June, her questions were like this:

Bakit ulan? – kasi marami ng water sa clouds kaya nagfall na sila

Bakit marami water sa clouds – kasi diba may dagat, umaakyat sila pag mainit tapos napupuno yung clouds

In July:

Bakit sya girl? – I WAS STUNNED!. I don’t know how to answer her.  And so I just answered, kasi ginawa syang girl ni God. I was thinking of answering her like this: kasi, yung boy and girl, iba yung reproductive system nila. Yung girl, designed yung body nila na magkaron ng baby, yung boys hindi. hahahaha..but then, I did not.

 

It’s so difficult to answer some questions because they are too technical and the kid won’t understand it.  It’s difficult to explain in simple words like what happens in evaporation, etc.  It’s also difficult to answer gender sensitive questions as I do not want her to be gender insensitive.

She has a lot of questions in mind, some are hilarious, some are difficult to answer.  Nonetheless, we have to answer them correctly.

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Learn and Play Preschool and  Activity Center for Children

92 New York cor. Oxford St., Cubao, Quezon City

912-2657 (look for Ms. Cynthia)