Update on Aloysius Progress Report Card

Today, I met with the teacher of Aloysius to discuss the report card and I was relieved. First, he said that my son improved since the first day where he doesn't even answer teacher each time he is called. He is slowly gaining confidence and according to teacher now he raises his hand to answer the question before the other students do. The only problem is, he is the only one who can hear his answers LOL. Teacher said he needs to speak louder in class. Second - About PE, Mr. Coleman told me that he praised Aloysius during the Ice Skating excursion yesterday because he was able to learn how to skate in just 20 minutes and now he wants to join the class. I remember Miggy dreaded to attend gym class because he was afraid to fall in skating. He told me he wanted to skip the class that day and I told him not to join his classmates when he doesn't feel like it (D na pala ang katumbas nun). That was a month ago and now he is enjoying it. I guess he really needs to try it first to experience it because it's really hard to convince him. Third, I asked what is Miggy's standing/ranking in class with the kind of grades he has and the teacher said, they don't rank the students here (he can only speak for elementary) because it's stressful for the kids at their young age to be thinking how to be no. 1. The education system here encourages children to learn at their own pace and also gives them more time to play because it's true that they are still very young. I remember back at Bethany that when Miggy had a chance to be No. 1, he became conscious of how he fares in all his exams and not on how much he learned that he never got back to that status.

Although I already know that my son is bright (kaya mega-react), I was told that he learns fast, is creative (I saw his projects displayed in the corridors and I was so proud) and can do things without much supervision. hanggang tenga na ngiti ko dito. Given the situation that he just joined the grade 3 class when just finished Grade 1, I'm proud of his achievements. I know he is still in the adjustment period and hopefully will get on track in no time. A Filipina mom-friend told me "ikaw kaya, mag-iingles at di taglish kung saan ka sanay para maintindihan ng mga kasama mo, di ka ba maninibago nun, e ang bata pa kaya ng mga anak natin." I was just laughing at the remark, but it's true. And I'm also laughing at myself for the violent reaction.