Saturday, September 1, 2007 ;
3:07 AM
28 Aug
Tues
ds1's 1st day at preschool.
Hmmm, maybe we did all the necessary preparatory work, or maybe at this age, he is just ready.
I better get used to his character. Once again, he woke up at 4.45am, asking me to get him ready for school. It's deja vu (like summer school). I forced him to lie down on the bed somemore, but he tossed and turned and kept declaring that he was "too urgent to go to school" as he puts it.
By 5.30am, I allowed him to get up. So I shoved him the peanut butter and bread, asking him to make his own breakfast. Both dh and me were very tired, so we dozed somemore.
At 6am, we were roused by him putting on his bag. Guess what? He had finished his PB sandwich, and wore his school clothes already. Buay tahan.
So we got ready too, and were in the car at 7.30am. He was still talking excitedly about school when we set off, but by 8am, during a traffic jam along I-15, he was asleep already.
When we reached, he was still asleep and we expected he wouldn't be in the best of moods to be aroused. Bracing myself for the worst, I shook him. But he opened his eyes and at once said" Are we there?" Then jumped out of the car and pulled me in to the school. Once at the classroom, he went for the blocks and puzzles and when I said bye, he said "bye" without even looking up.
oh ok alright, so much for my concern over his non-existent "separation anxiety". I hung around the school another 10min, "just in case", carrying ds2 around. Dh left for work already. Then I took another peek. They were having circle time. He looked just fine, so I left for the park with ds2.
I walked 30min to Liberty Park and then spent 1+ hr inside, walking with ds2, looking at ducks, playing sand or the slides at the playground. Then another 50min walking back, cos was more tired at the end, and the walk felt tedious already. Was thinking, ok, good, make this my exercise routine.
Reached school at 11.10am, still early, so let ds2 play in the school playground. Then I took another peek. The doors were closed but there were windows. Saw the tr reading a book to them. Happened to be Eric Carle's Slowly Slowly Saith the Sloth. Which I had read to ds1 before. He looked very interested. Then I sat on the benches outside the classroom to wait.
at 11.20am, I took another peek, they were drawing something at the tables, and ds1 was so noisy, talking non stop to the tr about his picture.
I went back to sit down on the bench with ds2, and continued drawing with ds2 (using the crayola and paper they provided for kids who are waiting), and could still hear ds1's noise from there. also talked to another mom, and 2 nannies who are waiting. One of the girl set up a playdate with ds1 on thurs, and I agreed.
I hadn't planned on coming also on Thurs, thought could stay at home with ds2. but i didn't want to decline the 1st time, else maybe they won;t ask anymore. ltr on when i told dh, he said very proudly, "wah, so fast set playdate, and why of all people she choose ds1?" furthermore, this girl is very pretty. her dad's french and her mom's taiwanese.
wanted to tell dh, it was the nanny and i who set it, cos maybe we like to chat with each other, and gossip while the kids play... and, both this girl and ds1 are 4 yrs old. the rest seem younger. so maybe that's why! but look at his smug look, sigh, let him live in his ego bubble for awhile longer lah.
at 11.30am, the doors were opened. the kids rushed out, and ds1 was loudly showing off his drawing to me. we thanked the tr and left. dh arrived late, so while waiting, ds1 told me about his day. seeing him so happy and excited, i felt very relieved and prayed that this would last.
although dh doesn't show it, i know he was anxious for ds1's first day too, and i know he was very happy to see ds1 so happy. so when ds1 asked to eat lunch at Olive Garden, dh at once agreed, so we went for lunch at Olive Garden, which is also one of my fav. ds1 loves the Mac and Cheese Kids meal there.
then we all went to dh's school instructor's factory office. dh worked and i let ds2 nap in the conference room. ds1 insisted he was not tired, so we did drawing. however, i was very tired cos he woke me up so early. i told him i need to rest, so he played quietly in the dark conference room, cos i shut the door and turned off the lights. i think i dozed for 25min. blissful.
when i woke, ds2 was still sleeping and ds1 was playing with the bows left at the corner of the conference room.
occupied them till 5pm, then it was time for us to leave for his school again. there's a "back to School Night".
All the schools here have back to school nights, so i assume this applies to whole of USA too? anyway the whole school (staff, parents, kids) come and the Principal gives a talk. She's called Head of School here, and she actually spent some time in Spore ard 2000-2003. Mostly about the school's goals for this year, and general issues. Like how the school is an Expedition Learning School... ALthough I like the sound of it, ds1 won;t actually stay that long to get to higher grades.
What happens is that, this school has expeditions and outdoors program as the main learning focus. So the higher grades (I think Grade 7 and up) go overseas. Before that, they plan out the whole thing themselves, even the booking of lodging, where they want to go, what they will do and what to bring. They spend about 2-3 weeks abroad. Teachers go with them and they have lessons there. I looked at past places they chose, and all were very "exotic". Like Africa, Middle East, etc. They also do community service there, something like our own overseas service journeys?
From Kindergarten to Grade 2, they have overnight camps, I think every semester. So they learn to cook their own food, stay in a tent and so on. Grade 3 and above, they stay longer and do rougher/ tougher things.
Preschool, they have mandatory 2 field trips per month. But everyday, the kids have to go outdoors. Outdoors can mean the playground or a walk around the block. Even during winter or when it's raining. So we have to pack sunscreen, hat, raingear and extra clothes for the kids to leave in school.
The Head also talked about the "no candy in school" policy, and "no electronic games" policy. I'm fine with that, totally. :-)
Then we separated to the various classrooms to meet with the teachers.
Last thursday (23 Aug), we already had a Parent Meet Teacher, when the kdis got to play with each other, and the teachers spoke to us on general issues.
This day, it was on specific curriculum matters and to answer any other Qs we have.
It is refreshing to have the other parents ask so many Qs, and all of which I wanted to ask too. So I didn't need to ask much. I only asked about their music program. Which is sad, cos the Kinder level and up, they have a specialised music teacher come in (engaged from outside) to teach, and they learn specific instruments. But this teacher doesn't do the preschool level. Reason being the 3 hours each day are too short anyway. But the teacher said during Spanish class, the Spanish tr will sing songs and do actions with them, so it is like music and movement.
I am going to share some of the Qs, so that if any parent wants to choose schools or understand more about school/ class/ teacher, this list maybe helpful. I know I wanted to find out a lot, and I would like this list again when I search for a school/ get to know the teacher for ds2 too.
Other parents asked:
1. How would you discipline a child?
2. What if a child hits or bites?
3. How do they use the bathroom/ toilet? What is your policy?
4. Which led to: what if they need to poop, what do you do?
5. What do you do with a stubborn child?
6. What if the child cries when I drop him off?
7. WHat is your policy about the caregiver staying with the child in class?
8. Do you allow parents on field trips?
9. What about younger siblings on field trips?
10. WHat age range do you teach?
11. How do you cater to the different age groups and different abilities?
12. What if the child doesn't want to do the activity the rest of the class is doing?
There were other Qs on the curriculum which are specific so I am not including.
ANyway, I have to say the teacher must have been prepared. She is experienced, and probably fields the same Qs every yr. She answered every Q very well, have to give full marks. I say that, cos she managed to answer such that it will please every parent, no matter what side they are standing on. haha. And she used a lot of "correct" terms, and terms we learned in NIE. To impress? And to let the parents know she is full of stuff, and very knowledgeable.
Although I am not sure if this is just an act, or she really is filled with all the lofty ideals, it makes me feel good too, to hear all those stuff. So I guess I have confidence that ds1 will enjoy his rest of the year, and in good hands too.
If you are interested in the answers, I will post again. :-)
rainbows every day, do not worry for the morrow
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