Tot Learning Week 1 of 2010 (04th to 10th Jan 10)

This entry adds a track record for me to review what Yvette has been doing for the past one week. Be it structure, unstructured and even impromptu ones. This also gives me a chance to review what I need to do with her at home from time to time too. And also to remind myself what need to follow up and what is missing.

Heading to class really take up a lot of time due to travelling. We normally leave home around 10.50 am (to JGC) and won’t be backed home till 3 pm in the afternoon. (We are 4 hrs away from home.) When we are backed, Yvette will normally nap anytime during the bus journey till 5 pm or 6 pm in the evening. Then she will have dinner. The only time slot for her to play and learn at home will be the time after dinner. And it only last for 1 hr to 1.5 hr before we called for a day. If we happen to go out in the evening, she will leave with nothing to learn at home. (We are left with Wednesday & weekends and I strongly disagree to go for any enrichment class on weekend.)

For swimming, we will leave home around 10 am and back home around 1 pm. Then follow by lunch at home. I think we will have around 1 to 2 hours of playtime for learning before she naps.

I don’t believe in sending my child to class and not doing anything at home. Home is always the best place for a child to learn. The main educator here is the parent ourselves. Regular home practice over those stuffs she learnt in class will only give me result and I must say that these are hard work.

And why school?

School for young age in my view is not totally about learning. They help the young to get off their comfort zone to familiarise with the world; to socialise. Moving up to Playclub is something different from Playnest too. Good school helps to cultivate good habit and mould good character. They give us a chance to learn how to share with other kid when I have only child at home. In the same time, I also learn how to manage bully and manage Yvette countless demand in school.

And since I want to bring up my child without helper (still working on this idea), I need another platform “to help”. I might send Yvette to school full time when second one coming (if any) so that I can concentrate on the number two (one to one; my wish) while having Yvette in “safe and learning” environment. Anyway, this is just a plan.

Then again I know I left with little time. I have yet drawn up another plan for Yvette.

I have not done up the word card for Yvette on the Chinese curriculum. (I have left those crafts on the table for her).

For English, I have stop doing the learning card which I find it really important. (I really need to find time to take pictures and turn them into card again.) I have stopped doing the letter card and now I channel my energy in using the online resource I find on the internet.

I have not been doing the Songs and Rhymes which I find them important too. In fact, when I revise those learning cards with Yvette every now and then, she always urges me to sing those songs for her. Perhaps she like me singing.

*Blow whistle*

Lastly I am not going to be creative in updating this entry too. It might be unadorned for reader to read but really, I really got not much time! I don’t have much creative juice too! And I will only update them in English, no time for Chinese.

If you will like to find out what we did for the past week in details, click to continue.

Yvette Learning & Having Fun – Lesson 3 (Dec 14 to Dec 27)

Too many activities too little time for learning in these two weeks. But since these lessons are prepared before hand and those toys are brought long ago, so I still manage to squeeze out time to execute it.

Another reason the lesson was extended for another week mainly due to I wanted to cover the topic “Christmas” with Yvette. Even though we are non Christian, I will like to teach Yvette more about the purpose of celebrating Christmas by reading some books relating to Christmas. Lift-the-Flap Christmas Stories is a good book which I borrowed. Unfortunately due to time constraint, I didn’t have time to read this book to Yvette.

There will be no learning activity for coming weeks. We will be heading Batam for 2 Days (still in holiday mood) and Yvette will be having injection on 31 Dec. Fever is expected. I might stop doing home school with Yvette for a few weeks because her lesson with JGC will commence one week time. With 3 days in JGC, 1 day learning swimming, I am left with Wed. I need time to adjust and re-design some of the program of what I want to teach so that I will not be duplicating her learning in JGC and also could spare time helping her in revising the “subjects” she learn in school too.

I also realise I am running out of idea on what to teach Yvette too. I hope to take a break to read up more on early childhood to enrich my knowledge in this area.

If you will like to find out what we did for the past week in details, click to continue.

琬文学华文周记 – 第三课 (14 Dec – 27 Dec)

Yvette didn’t enjoy the second book I did for her. I stop reading book from 大泡泡 and started with 奇奇幼年. She doesn’t have much liking too. I added the listening activity for Yvette in these two weeks too. She seemed to like it and could remember and anticipate some of the storyline from time to time.

Due to festive season, she was sick for a few days and we had some parties. Of course how can I forget my brother’s day on Christmas day? So the learning for a week was extended to two weeks.

The result wasn’t promising but better than not doing any learning at all!

If you will like to find out what we did for the past week in details, click to continue.