Passed

(I'm such a bad girl....)

Yeah, Kor-Kor passed.

Scraped thru with 160-odd points. Just got the results last Sat. So slow rite? I even asked the coach why they count so slow, should have just outsource to me:)

So having the almost-heart-attack was worth it. At least he doesn't have to repeat level 1 when all his friends moved on to level 2.

They even have medals for the top 20. A few of his friends made it. Kor-Kor was disappointed that he didn't get one (which made me realise my boy competitive also...or may be its a guy thing??? I dunno) In my heart, I was thinking 'aiyo, pass can already lo, want medal some more!', but of course cannot say out loud. Instead, being a good mother, I told him "Try harder next year loh"

And so, wow...Level 2. Like it will be me in Level 2 cos it will be a major challenge...for the mommy.

First, level 2 basketball class starts at 7.30 am! *WOL for weep out loud man*

2nd, he'll need 250 marks to pass!!! Major yikes!!!

This means this mommy can be a slacker...even on a weekend! (Sacrifice! Sacrifice! Sigh! Sigh!)

Report Card Day

Yesterday was Kor-Kor's school report card day.

It was stated in the notice sheet that he brought back that the parent-teacher session would start at 3.50, after the school recess. I was thinking, no need so 'kan cheong' (anxious) -can go in the evening - to avoid the 'crowd' what.

But one of the mothers I bumped into a few days ago informed that the students could actually go off already after the parents collected the report card. Aisehman! Really? So it's true what Kor-Kor has been trying to tell me ? I thot my son blur-blur!

This meant that I need to make effort to go earlier so that he wouldn't be 'stuck' in class. But, how to be there at that time? Di-Di usually take his nap that time wor. So I told Kor-Kor if his lil bro wakes up early, we'll be there early, otherwise, he'll have to wait. And I told Di-Di he'll have to start his nap earlier - without me nagging - otherwise, I'll ship him to his mah-mah yeh-yeh (my MIL/FIL).

Di-Di was really cooperative wor. We were out of the house by 3.25. But what was supposed to be 5 minutes door-to-door, turned into 15 minutes! No parking @#$%^&*!!!! It looks like parents had been flocking to the school since god knows how early. And by kiasu standard, I'm actually darn late!

By the time we arrived, I was no. 10 in line. Sucks, I noted 2 parents in front were parents to top students of the class. And they were there plus-1 ie with spouse - meaning they got lots & lots & lots to ask/discuss. Sucks!

Surprisingly, the teacher kept it short & simple with everyone - Chinese school efficiency. When came my turn, my son's dear Ms Tan immediately launched - before I can sit down (so efficient rite?) - Kor-Kor has been very talkative & has difficulty concentrating on the lessons since after the school hols!

She was smiling when she said that, so I laughed (cos dunno how to respond le). Anyway, she said he probably needed time adjusting to school regiment after the hols and anyway, he is not very disruptive. Thus, she had not called to inform me on all this. I tried to tell her back in broken Mandarin 'no news is good news!'

Which is true. As long as she doesn't tell me he's a hooligan in class, I'm satisfied already. (Once in kindie, his teacher told me that he purposely play-play sprayed his pee on his friend. Now THAT was embarrassing to face...)

After having that out of the way, I tried to ask one or two things, to help me maneuver the Chinese school system, like:-
1. What constitute the other 50% of Moral marks (as I checked that only 50% was from the subject test paper)? She bla-bla-bla-ed in Mandarin. I didn't really understand those non-day-to-day Chinese bits, but caught words like 'practical', 'class exercise' & 'class behavior'...Can piece together the rest, I should think...
2. Is it true that Moral, Maths in English & Science in English are not counted in the overall marks standing? YES, was the reply wor...But why, why, why, especially on not counting Maths & Science in English ??? I thot these subjects were introduced to improve the command of English of the younger generations??? (Sometimes it is very difficult for a national school raised student - ME - to understand Chinese school curricular. And not that Kor-Kor did particularly well in his Maths & Science in English!)

Anyway, my son's dear Ms Tan did not have any major complaint. She said that comparatively, he is quite well behaved & would listen to instructions. I was smiling broadly.

The only thing I was not smiling about was his results. Not that his results stink - in fact he did pretty good by his parents' standard, with a 90.5% average. It's just that I didn't really realise that Chinese school students were so competitive. And so GOOD academically! Cos with a 90.5% average, Kor-Kor was only 24th, out of 41 students in his class! And in overall Primary 1, he was 370, out of 614!

Stress!!!!

Even more stress - in Primary 2, their test results will determine the best 150-odd to 'ching leng pang'* (intelligent class). One mother told me that to cement a place in the top 150, the students would need an average of (at the very least) 97%!!!! That's close to perfect!!! Now I can understand why some ex-colleagues take leave from work to coach their kids pre-exam!

*not practised in all chinese schools, only certain schools, so no fret!

Not that I want to feel the pressure. I mean, I know academic results is not the be-all and end-all. But still...

You see, like some parents who send their children to international schools, it's not only for the academic experience, but the crowd their children get to mix with.

So am I wrong to want Kor-Kor to mix & be influenzed by the better students?

But I have to be realistic too, I guess. 370 is a long, long way from 150. And I also don't want to scare & pressure my kids too much till they don't feel the joy in learning. And take away all the fun of being a kid!

Anyway, (sour grape a bit here) some parents have a head start. They know about the 'Chinese school system' way ahead, whereas this mommy just got to know recently. They have started coaching their kids since they were 4!

Just so you guys know:P

English No Enough

Kor-Kor got his time table during his first week. I of course don't understand since it's all in CHINESE. And since he was in no hurry to learn to pack his bag according to the timetable (he said his teacher asked to bring EVERYTHING everyday!!!), I left him be till his school bag couldn't take it anymore.

So what's a banana like me to do ? Had the timetable translated, of course! At the playground by a Std 3 neighbour's daughter, no less. There and then i started summarising his weekly lessons (with each lesson 0.5 hrs):-
Assembly (with weekly announcements. Trust me they got lots!): 1
Chinese: 12
Bahasa Malaysia: 9
Chinese Math: 6
English Math: 4
Chinese Science: 3
English Science: 3
Moral: 4
Lukisan: 2
Music: 2
P.E.: 2
Computer: 2
and last but not least English : 2.

WHAT???!!! Two lessons for English only!!! One hour a week !!!! How are they going to learn all those verb, noun, adjective, pronoun, present tense, past tense, past participle, etc, etc...with just 2 lessons a week!

No wonder students from Chinese schools are weak in English. And they'll probably get weaker now with only 2 lessons left. Hello...we need FOCUS la...Science and Math in English OR Chinese (or other mother tongue). Choose. Then, more time can be placed for proper English lessons la...

Or else our children will grow up spitting out this kind of English:



Pay note to line no 2 (eg will given; kind operation). HUH? And i can't begin to tell u what's wrong with line 4...

This is a school extra-curricular notice, mind you!

To Meddle or Not to Meddle

As this mommy was out of work, this mommy punched card at Kor-Kor's school every recess for the first week. To make sure Kor-Kor tucks in his shirt. To find out what's cooking at the canteen. To learn the prices so that Kor-Kor won't be able to bullshit mommy. To peek at what food other kids are bringing. To spy on what other parents are doing for their kids. Most of all, to send telepathy messages to the class teacher to reshuffle the seating arrangement!

Kor-Kor complained after the second day that his naughty neighbour pulled his hand down & refuse to let him volunteer for an answer. My son is no saint, I know. When he was 4, he was punished to stand in the corner almost everyday. When he was 5, his teacher put him to sit with the girls so that he would be better behave & it worked.

I know I really shouldn't butt in. I read somewhere that parents shouldn't try to solve every problems for their kids. How then do they get to practise on their problem-solving skills. Plus the teacher looked stress out. And she hadn't reshuffle the seating arrangement like the other classes yet.

After refraining myself for 4 days, hurray! Saw Kor-Kor sit beside a new boy on Fri. Well, that boy doesn't look like he stand a chance against my lil' monster. Phew! So now cross fingers, Kor-Kor behaves himself well enough so that his neighbour's mommy don't complain about him!

Besides that, also noted:-
1. Kor-Kor was lousy at tucking in his shirt...
2. The canteen food did not look appetising...
3. Considering the quality, prices were ok. Drinks are quite expensive eg Vitagen cost RM1 each.
4. Some bring enough food to feed a trucker.
5. Some parents stalked outside their child's class for a week. Some watched helplessly as their kid slept & drooled. One dad made a movie of his girl sitting in class for entire week! Some mommies discussed the benefit of starting tuition-all lessons (Then what's the point of going to school???).

Me ? Kor-Kor asked to "Can It, Mommy!" (or was it beat it ???)

First Day of School

Jan 5 (Mon)was a monstrous day. It was Di-Di's FIRST DAY at kindie. I can't believe my baby is so grown up already. I had been grilling him that i would be leaving him there, expect some trouble. But hey, guess what, he just kissed me goodbye. Byeeee, mommieee!!! Aisehman, mommy wanted at least a tear or 2 as evidence that he would miss me, BUT no such luck!

It was also Kor-Kor's FIRST DAY at national school, a Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina. Boy, what a cultural shock (for mommy)! So many dwarfs running around with their parents in tow. Just to give an idea, there were 15 Primary 1 classes, ~45 students a class. That's ~675 Primary 1 students. Add another ~675 Primary 2 and ~450 odd Primary 3 (200 less as these creme of the crop has the privilege of attending morning session). Then add the parents, siblings, grandparents, maids...it's like Isetan on the first day of sale, except there's nothing to buy!

As Kor-Kor was darn cool only, Mommy decided to make herself scarce during assembly. Must make way for other mommies trying to worm their way nearer to their sons/daughters mah. Don't they realise that they are breathing into their children's oxygen. But thank god for those blow fans!

Mommy went to school again during recess to show Kor-Kor some moral support. Eck! Kor-Kor is sitting next to the naughty boy from playground. Sucks! But surely the class teacher is going to reshuffle. Yeah, let's wait. No need to interfere right away, rite ? May be the boy's mommy also thought my lil' monster is a rascal & ban her boy from sitting next to Kor-Kor. Yeah, rite!

As I'm not into the 'wait outside classroom' thing, I came back just before school ends to make sure Kor-Kor knows which car to get into. Kor-Kor looked a bit dazed. Also didn't know how to tuck in his shirt. Sucks! Why we never thought about teaching him that. Oh ya, it's now in fashion NOT to tuck in the tees.

But overall, a successful day...NO COMPLAINTS from either of them! Well, maybe except 1:-
Kor-Kor: "Why this school so long one ? Morning go, nite come back...."
Mommy: "Huh ? Oh no la, starts in the afternoon, ends evening la!!!" [Kids! Exaggeration! (*roll eyes*)]