The Georgous

Enough is enough. A few weeks ago I wrote about some ‘mean-girl‘ experiences that five year old Georgia has been unfortunate enough to encounter. We have tried to encourage her to a) laugh it off b) turn and walk away c) play with someone else; all very logical but obviously very ‘grown-up’ ways of responding.

Things came to a head yesterday, in a way that left me fuming. C, was no longer the only perpetrator,  and her close pals, R and B have joined in the game. Read more »

Last week, on Thursday (24th March 2011), was Parents’ Evening. It was the second formal Parents’ Evening, we’ve had since Georgia started at Reception. Technically it was Parents’ afternoon, given that our scheduled time was at 3:20 pm….still minor details

It was really nice that this time round, there was more news, perhaps because a good 7 months have passed since the children started school, and having had more time to both get to know the children and work with them to assess their capabilities and standards, there was simply more information to share.

Georgia’s class teacher was as always, approachable, friendly and very reassuring in wanting to know if there were any ‘issues’; C was mentioned (by me), given that we have almost constantly on a daily basis been regaled with ‘Tales of C’. Beyond that, Georgia is doing very well in academic terms.

That aside, similar to the last Parent’s meeting, new targets for achievements were set. This consisted with a prior conversation, between teacher and Georgia, in which Georgia was asked, what she thought she was already good at. This time, she said ‘writing’. And two targets were set for her, a) to spell words independently and b) to count in 2s.

Now here comes the bit about ‘raising’…you see, we have been doing, well, singing to be exact, multiplication tables, and at this point, Georgia actually already knows her 2 times tables. I was actually really surprised to find that, that she can recall the answers to most, if not all, the 2 times tables, but mainly because she’s learnt them by singing along to a multiplication CD.

We have been trying to reinforce the idea through a work book that explains multiplication using ‘sets of’ and so far, I think Georgia  understands the concept.

So mean (maybe, Tiger, is a more accurate description) mummy that I am, I actually asked for more than just the 2s. It didn’t take very much to convince Georgia’s teacher that she actually already knew the 2 times tables, and she promptly added to the Counting in 2s….10s and 5s.

So there we have it…it’s all my fault, that Georgia is going to have to learn the 10 times and 5 times tables as well, (I think she already does know the 10s), and it’ll add a couple more weeks on to her achievements progress.

She is to colour in a pretty picture of ‘presents’; one present to be coloured in for every time she manages to complete related tasks. When all the presents are coloured in, she is to take the sheet in for a ‘reward’. As school’s reward consists of a certificate, Georgia has asked “Will you get me a real reward too?”

“Yes Georgia, of course I will.” After all, it’s partly or rather entirely (!)  my fault, there are more targets now. Still…

Well done Georgie girl!

We have been ‘keeping’ tadpoles and have watched them turn from spawn, to tiny little tadpoles. Today, Georgia found that she could make them ZOOM!

We haven’t fed them at all…Do we have to feed them? If so, what do they eat?

It’s certainly taking a lot longer for our tadpoles to turn to frogs… how come Mr Bean’s only takes 2 nights?

From our last visit to the local library, I picked up a couple of audio books that I thought we might all enjoy especially during our car journeys.

We are really audio book virgins, never have we ever had anything other than music in the car (OK even the times tables CD  was in tunes!).

Roald Dahl’s Matilda, read by Miriam Margolyes, was simply fascinating. We actually sat in the car after arriving home, just to listen to a bit more of the story. Read more »

As I watch and read and read and read about the devastation, first of the earthquake in Japan, and then the tsunami, and the current nuclear reactor scares, I keep wondering if we should mention it to Georgia.

The likelihood of her ever finding out herself, at home, is somewhat, highly improbable, given that we do not watch live TV (news), or listen to the radio. If she does learn of it, it is most likely through school.

A (probably crazy academic!) part of me, sees so many ‘lessons’, geography (earthquakes, tsunamis), social studies (charity, sharing etc), history (as it unfolds!) and yet, deep down, I really don’t want to scare or worry a five-year-old needlessly.

How young is too young to be told of such events?

This morning, at 5 am, (!)  Georgia squeezed in next to me. As I willed her back to sleep, her little voice pipes out:

G: Mum, when’s Easter?
(I can see her thinking chocolate, easter eggs, holiday!)
Me: It will be soon, but do you know, now is the time called Lent?
G: (huffily) I know that already.
Me: And do you know what Lent is about? (pause…but no response comes) It’s about giving up things.
G (without skipping a beat!) : Ok! I can give up work and Cello practise!

Obviously I explained to her that Lent was about giving up things you really like or love, and her reasoning was,
G: (adamantly) But I do really like writing!

In the Sunday Times newspaper a week ago today,  (OK in all honesty, I probably read it in the middle of the week) at the end of the Money section was an interview with Hilary Devey who was taking over from James  Caan as the next Dragon on Dragon’s Den. (Dragon’s Den is a TV programme in which potential start-ups are given the opportunity to pitch their business/business ideas to already established (read Rich!) entrepreneurs)

Multi-millionaire Hilary Devey made her fortune with a pallet distribution business that she started in 1996. In typical rags to riches fashion, she had her fair share of extreme poverty moments, living above a fish and chip shop (cheaper rent) and even describes having a Christmas dinner out of a tin. The business/entrepreneurial and over-achiever side of me admires and is rather jealous of the tenacity, hard work and steely resolve Devey must have had in order to be so successful.

However, in the interview, there is a telling sign, her answer to the question ‘How much money do you have in your wallet?’ is ‘ My purse is often empty because it’s raided by my son….’ Read more »

A Confession: I am a TED junkie. I could spend all day watching TED videos, and I have been inspired, motivated and amazed by so many of them.

Diana Laufenberg’s talk in December last year however, spoke directly to me. I have seen first hand the amazing advantages of experiential learning, and the combination of that with Constructivism (in which the learner attempts to construct their own knowledge) lends itself to a much much more powerful form of learning than one can imagine.

To be able to teach (especially the way Ms Laufenberg has) I think we, as teachers/educators need to Read more »