1st Week in Pre-Nursery

IZ ended his lernen-reise in CS Montessori in Nov. It has been my intention to do a half-year in CS and continue his journey in Kinderland. Towards the end, I felt very heavy hearted as he enjoyed going there and learnt a lot from his favorite teachers. His Chinese progressed tremendously, so much that I couldn’t believe my ears when Ms. Chen told us that he spoke to her in Chinese in the class, something he has never done before at home.

Anyway, this post is meant to talk about IZ’s adventure in Kinderland.

Day 1: 2^nd Jan’13

After the long wait, we have finally started in Kinderland yesterday. The school fee is just that tad difference compared to CS, but at least it’s a 3 hour programme (but hold on about this!). IZ and his friends (Si En and Kay) are in the same class, Creative 1, in Studio 6. Theirs is called Pre-Nursery.

We went for an orientation on 1^st Dec’12 to familiarize with the school and teacher. But having been away from classes (CS and enrichment) for some time, I guess IZ just had to re-start his engine to get himself going.

With his new classmates

aka playdates

IZ couldn’t wake up early in the morning; we had to literally drag him out from the bed. We walked to the school as it is just a 5 mins (adult walk), 15-20 mins (IZ walk). We reached the school at slightly past 8. He hardened when we queued for temperature check. The PIC told us not to rush him, let him be if he doesn’t want to. I talked to him again, telling him what I’ve told him days before, that he has to let his temperature taken, just like in CS and also have his mouth and hands checked. He agreed to do it. And we proceeded to the sanitizing machine. Place your hand under it and it’ll dispense within a few seconds. Cool! Think IZ was impressed too. :-D

We walked him to the classroom, wanting to drop him and go, but gosh, he was the first to arrive! We put his bag into a shelf and I took his water bottle and placed beside the bag. Ms. Fizah (the class teacher) held out some toys and IZ played with some blocks. Then more children came into the class.

On the way to school

Busy snatching

I attempted to leave the classroom a few times, but IZ never failed to notice and cried his heart out. :-(

Children were crying, and I think Ms. Fizah and Mdm Sok Huay didn’t do a good job to manage and control the “crowd”. First day of school I figured, but yet, something could have been done better.

Ms. Fizah tried to tell a story, but I couldn’t even hear the soft-spoken her from where I stood, near the shelves. I wonder how the kids would be enticed to join her in her storytelling. And she then moved to body parts, I figured that would be the theme for the term. IZ was proactive in naming body parts and also helped to stick a piece of ear onto the face on the wall.

I waited till Ms. Fizah took out crayons and asked them to draw. IZ loves drawing to max, and suddenly oblivious to my presence. And I sneaked out again for the 3^rd time. This time, hubby and I decided to just leave him there and we went for breakfast. 

Engrossed in his fave activity

I was told by a friend that he cried on and off. I guess it’s exactly the same thing he was experienced in CS, forgot about crying when he was busy with activities and started crying again when he was doing nothing.

I wish the teacher has more experience and she should have just moved on with all the activities, so the kids would join her and forget about crying.

Towards the end, IZ cried for me. Dismissal was a mess in here. The kids were crying at the glass panel (which we do not understand why they are transparent glass and the kids could lookout and saw the parent) and it was an early dismissal, at near 10.40am.

3 hours is a little too long for the crying kids, 30 mins for a subject that is not interesting would be like forever. Their concentration span, I think not there yet.

Day 2: 3^rd Jan’13

Today I brought IZ to school as hubby had to go back to work. He refused to put on the t-shirt, we had to somehow force him in.

He cried when I left him, and again during dismissal, and intermittently during the class.

Crying

Perfectly fine after school

Day 3: 4^th Jan’13

He refused to put on the uniform again. It did make me feel if the school is any good for him. I shall persevere.

But he showed tremendous improvement, didn’t cry much except for drop-off, and definitely not when I picked him.

Feeling it was a great accomplishment on his side, I brought him to a shop nearby to choose a sticker, but he chose to get a ball instead.

Exploring after school