Calista’s 1st day at school!

Today was dear Calista’s first day at “school”. She’s been pointing to the school near the playground she plays every day, and saying emphatically “Yes!” whenever I asked her whether she wants to go to school too.

I think those many many days of seeing her brother go to school while she is stuck at the entrance helped increase the desirability of ‘school’, so when I bought her a new school bag and told her it was finally her turn soon, she was all ready to go.

Her brother was there to witness the milestone. He was worried about her though, and kept asking me..”what if the teacher asks her to take her pencil case out, and she doesn’t know how?” “what if she is asked to write?”

I explained that she was only at playgroup, and she goes there to learn by playing, singing songs..and just in case the green monster named Envy made an appearance, I quickly added that she was there to learn colours, shapes, numbers and alphabets, all the things he knows already, and he beamed.

He wanted to tag along, and when she refused to carry her own bag after his repeated attempts at helping her, he decided “ok, then korkor carry for you.” I felt so proud. :)

The teacher allowed him into the classroom for awhile whilst i settled the administrative stuff at the counter, cos they figured she’ll be fine as long as he is inside. It was nice for him to witness his sister going to school, and she did so well, for a first day.

The rows and rows of montessori materials around captivated her and the 3 teachers took turns to be by her side. She would take an activity out, place it on the mat / table, be guided by the teacher, then attempt it herself. The activities which required her to pick and transfer objects with tongs were still beyond her but she did well in the scoop-marble-with-spoon-and transfer-into-paint-palette-holes activity. As for song and circle time, she initially just stood and stared as everybody waved their arms and hopped and skipped, but in the end joined in a little by turning around. I noticed that she was the shortest in class and found out she was the youngest.

The content acquisition is not as important as her learning independence and socialising with other children. The teachers said she did well, cos I left the classroom halfway to observe from afar and she was fine, and didn’t cry. I am quite happy with the fabulous ratio (there were only 5 children to 3 teachers today, although I was told that there are 10 children on Tues- Thurs).

She was obviously tired by the end of the 2 hour session though, and her eyes looked a little droopy. I was still proud of my little girl. Fingers crossed that her love for school continues to outweigh any separation anxieties that may arise!

p/s when i picked Christian up from school later that day, he asked me “did meimei cry at school? did she play with the other children?” Awww..so concerned about his little sister..