Keiichi's School Tale

Keiichi is turning 6 on October 9 so I insisted that she be enrolled in Grade 1 since her knowledge and ability is that of Prep and Grade 1 (beginner). She can add, subtract, knows her sets, fractions, Ruman Numbers, time; can read CVCs and knows the sound of letters, etc. Basically, she is ready.

But after two weeks in class, it seems that they are too fast in injecting new lessons. In Math alone, they were into reading and writing numbers up to the hundred thousands place and just yesterday, they are arranging numbers from least to greatest and greatest to least. This involves 3-digit numbers when in fact they haven't fully grasp place value well enough to introduce that new lesson. I have to re-teach the lesson to her and we have even gotten to the point when I have to draw circles (hundreds of it!) just to show her concretely. For the value of a certain digit, instead of teaching them that in hundred (period: UNITS), there are already three digits, they are taught to copy the copy in hundreds place and count the numbers to the right and that's the number of zeroes you must add! My goodness! It's understood that Mathematics is an abstract subject but it can be and must be taught concretely for a child to understand and appreciate the subject. Not because the child can answer the seat work or assignment would mean that they have understood the lesson. Another problem is that, some of the questions in Math are answered wrongly. (How many tens are in 760? is it 60? or should it be 76 or another acceptable is just 6 tens and not 60, right?) You can reinforce the subjects or lessons at home but how would you do it if the input from the class is already wrong? Would you blame me if I would go to their school and claim? I hope they will not take it against my child or against me but take it constructively and a source of professional growth. I don't wanna say more...

I don't have that much problem with their other subjects. Their lessons are indeed advanced but they must at least make provisions or adjustments in some lessons they are feeding the child. Also, their methods are questionable in my point of view. They are so fast-paced that I am not sure if they are even using visual aids. They are aiming to finish the whole book which I guess is also what they are using as their curriculum. (UPDATE: In the recent seminar of DepEd teacher, according to Ate Ness Angco, a teacher in Muntinlupa and a cousin of daddy who teaches Math for years) DepEd reiterates that mastery of the lesson and development of higher thinking skill should be the objective even if the bugdet of work is not attained.

I haven't bought her Star Scout Uniform (Girl Scout) yet because we still don't have money. Hopefully, by July 15, I'll get paid by mylot again and I do hope it will be enough to cover her uniform. Her PE uniform will be available next week (I guess). Daddy fixed Tita May's laptop and his pay was used to pay Keiichi's lunch in school. She is having Php 12 - 30/meal almost everyday. She stays in her school from 7 am to 1 pm on Tuesdays to Friday and till 2pm on Mondays.