Children of average ability

[shylyn]

tamarind:

Last week my boy asked why he cannot make telephone calls to me ? We have been teaching him to use the telephone for a long time. He still cannot remember my 8 digit mobile phone number. He also takes too long to find a number on the keypad.


My boy saw his 6 year old sister calling me as and when she likes. She knows how to do so since 2 years old. My boy is very disappointed that he doesn't know how to do the same thing I don't know how to comfort him. He is not trying to compete with his sister, he really has a genuine need to call me and talk to me.

HI Taramind
I can imagine how u feel. Both r ur kids but one is far more advanced than the other, of cos he will feel a bit inferior compared to his sis. I guess u can ask him to get his sis to help him make a call to u and do so when he's nearby so he is able to see and learn. Try to assure him that he will eventually learn how to make calls to u..kids learn best during stressfree moments.

[tamarind]

shylyn:

I can imagine how u feel. Both r ur kids but one is far more advanced than the other, of cos he will feel a bit inferior compared to his sis. I guess u can ask him to get his sis to help him make a call to u and do so when he's nearby so he is able to see and learn. Try to assure him that he will eventually learn how to make calls to u..kids learn best during stressfree moments.

shylyn,
I believe he does not know how to feel inferior, in fact, we praise him much more than his sister, and he is very proud of what he can do. I guess we make him believe that he can do everything that his sister can do. Except for making telephone calls. My girl usually volunteers to call for him. But he really want to do it himself.

[buds]

Heyya tamarind,


Both my kiddies know how to reach me by mobile phone.
Whether its manual buttons or touch screen ones, hehee...

This is what i did.. share with you.
I kept my 2 previous phones when i got new ones.
They are old models but can still be used, even without a
SIM card. They used to play with toy phones when they
were younger and i suppose being girls, they tend to pretend
play by chatting a lot to one another using the toy phones.
Stick mobile number on the phone (wherever nicely visible)
and let them use it for pretend play or play the mobile games
on and off and also teach them how to use the SMS feature,
which they reali liked. (even though they can't send the message
over - cos no SIM card ) When we ever do pass by public phone,
I'll ask if they wanna try calling me (when younger) and they love
a chance to do that, can reali talk to mummy over the phone and
this time can reali hear mummy's voice... ( not just pretending )

When they miss their grandparents or wanna go over, i get them
to do the calling for me. Occasionally, i let them answer my mobile
calls and guide them phone manners..

Speaking of manners, one student of mine has a sister who loves
answering the house phone in a secretarial manner imitating their
business-woman mommy. I ever got an answer like this when i called
the home to speak to the mom. Its a shocker to hear a secretarial
tone in a mini voice... Heheee.. But cute.

Me : Hi there, may i speak to mummy please..
Her : May i know who is on the line, please.
Me : Yes, i'm your brother's teacher and i need to speak to mummy
about a school excursion next week... Is she busy? If its a bad time
i can call again later..
Her : Please hold the line, ma'am... I will check if she is available.
(Put on hold for a minute, while she went to check on mommy)
Her : Hi again, ma'am. Sorry to put you on hold for that long.
Mummy... eherm... Mrs Lim is in a conference right now. However,
do not worry as i will leave her a message that you have called.
Would you like to leave your number where she can reach you?
Me : (in bewilderment) Yes, please ask mummy...ermmm... Mrs Lim
to call me back... I'm in the office. She knows my number. Thanks.
I appreciate it.
Her : You're most welcome. Hope you have a pleasant day ahead!

Is that cool or what?

(She may have just been pretend playing with her mini business suit too!)

[ChiefKiasu]

buds:

...Speaking of manners, one student of mine has a sister who loves answering the house phone in a secretarial manner imitating their business-woman mommy. I ever got an answer like this when i called the home to speak to the mom. Its a shocker to hear a secretarial tone in a mini voice... Heheee.. But cute...

That's hilarious! :lol: You should tape that conversation next time and post it up here. How old is the kid?

[tamarind]

insider:

If only we can accept that our kids are average and love them for what they are without comparing them to Annie's daughter or Betty's son (or comparing him/her with another sibling), the kids will be a happier bunch...

I do not compare my son with my daughter. As I wrote earlier, we make him believe that he can do everything that his sister can do. But I cannot stop him from feeling unhappy because he realizes on his own, that he is unable to do certain things that his sister can do. I cannot possibly ask my girl not to do those things in front of him.

[tamarind]

buds,

Thanks for sharing It was only until a few weeks ago, that my son is able to carry on a complete conversation with me on the phone. Before that, he only knew how to say hello and bye bye on the phone. I am not sure why because he has been talking well since around 2 years old. Somehow he does not quite understanding that speaking to mommy on the telephone is the same as speaking to mommy face to face.

[buds]

Heyya tamarind,


3 cheers for boy-boy!
:celebrate:

[buds]

Heyya Chief,


Smart kid's age was 7 yrs old.
Was in RGPS then..

So professional, ay?

Mould from young...
Old enuf can take over business from mummy..

[tamarind]

I am now teaching hundreds of young adults of at least 17 years and above, in an institution that do not group students according to their grades. In every class, there are always about 10-20% of students who are much more intelligent compared to the rest of the class. However, we have to design the syllabus so that the other 80% of the students are able to pass. Which means that those top 20% who are capable of learning so much more, were not able to do so.


On the other hand, the bottom 10 - 20% of the students, who do not even understand basic algebra, or cannot even divide 1/2 by 2/3, are made to learn integration and Laplace Transforms. Needless to say, they were not able to understand of such complex mathematics.

I think it is not right to expect all students to be capable of learning the same thing. These students are already over 17 years old, so you cannot say that they just "need more time to develop", right ?

[buds]

Heyya shylyn,


You're most welcome!

No worries on the late reply, just catch up when you can, yeah!

1. Curriculum Developers
As far as i've noticed, yes, the developers seem to be local.
Hence their inclusion of lessons from other countries like
festivals and people of the world for the geography part of
Cultural Activities bring the outside world into the classrooms.
Its very interesting and children will benefit from such knowledge.
In my opinion, local developers will take into consideration the
much needed knowledge children need to acquire before entering
Primary 1, hence the curriculum can be more in line to our local
context. And that is a good thing lah... Hence, through the years
MMI has fine-tuned a lot of their lessons and worksheets to
accommodate our ever changing primary school syllabus, since
they first started. This shows improvement from when they first
started out. But again, every end result of the children still depends
on the teacher's calibre and passion for teaching young children...
But on the whole, i find that its curriculum is holistic and prepares
our children for primary education.

2. Back to work?
Yes, i hope to join the workforce again as much as i can. I would
like to retain what i have learnt over the years through hands on
practise. My condition is very simple - i must have a conducive
working environment. Nice boss, nice place and nice people..
As i have the upper hand in the sense of experience(ehem), i select
my place of work... hehee... I do not enjoy working in a people-politics
kinda working environment. It distracts the much needed devotion
towards teaching children.

3. Childcare children
Though i do not fancy children being in childcare (if they do not need to),
i do not deny that children who have been in childcare develop into
non-picky and independent eaters for one... as they HAVE TO eat what-
ever is being served on the table. This is a good thing.

Children who have been in childcare develop good sleep routine.
(For full day children) Even after childcare, they will sleep at the
designated times they have done so in childcare. And they will
sleep fast. Without the talk and the lullabies and stuff to lull them to
sleep. They will just sleep. Hehee..

Rotten apples? Everywhere oso have lah.. Bo pian. Its not just the
duty of the childcare to mould the child. Parents must play active
role to be PARENTS.

4. New Curriculum
As for the new curriculum, push for it okay.. until you get it.
Its your right as a parent to know what is being taught or what
will be taught to your children.

5. Messy Classroom Management
Highlight what you have seen to the person in charge and the teacher.
Don't suffer in silence. It must've been heartbreaking to see your son
in that situation that unfortunate day.. hopefully and oversight due to
the many children to a class. The teachers take turns to care for the
sleeping children, have their lunch and prepare to afternoon lessons
during the children's nap time. Talk it out with them so it will help ease
the disturbed feeling you felt that day. My heart goes out to your son.
The poor dearie..