Irfan's school


On wednesday, since alim and I ended at 10, we managed to pick irfan up from school. He was ever so eager to show us around his school, pulling us immediately to his favourite part of the school; the "BIIIG playground" and "imming pool".





He had water play earlier in the day and I could not imagine how the teachers manage to bathe and clean each and every tiny, squirmy, noisy toddler...and then pack their belongings back neatly in their bags, one by one...phew..must be tiring.

I took the opportunity to ask the teacher how he is like in school. I did see him the first few days when he started school, and he was extremely active and totally ignored what the other kids were doing especially during circle time. He was up and about, rolling the play mats and turning them into 'guns' and started pointing at everyone. I must admit, I was pretty worried when i saw that and was not sure if the school setting was suitable for him.

The teachers did not shout, scold or force him to behave (like I do )..instead quietly tried to bring him back to the group and when he wiggled to be free, they just let him go. after a while they tried bringing him back again and again....no voice raised, no wagging of the index finger and no mention of the overused "NO!"
I doubted if the teachers' methods would work on Irfan but I decided to give it some time.

And to my relief, the teacher said he is getting better and he is more controllable now. She added that he is very imaginative and creative during play and cited some examples. She also said he is bright and did well for his practical assessments. Hmm Im not quite sure about that since I really cannot imagine how the teachers managed to keep him still for a practical assessment. I left it at that and didnt want to ask too much although Im very curious about so many things like, if he is able to interact well with others, does he follow instructions, can he play on his own for long, does he throw tantrums but I suppose I have to wait for the termly report.

I did notice some changes in him eversince he started school but Im not sure if it's the effects of schooling or just coming of age. For example, he is more independent now and listens more. His concentration level has also improved and he can sit still for a longer period of time, concentrating on one toy at a time.
I do agree a lot with the teacher about his imagination and kids his age are indulging a lot on imaginative play. The things he says and his opinions are really beginning to surprise us more these days.

Some people have warned us that Montessori education has too much play and kids might have difficulty adjusting in a school setting in P1. I don't know how true is that, especially now that most Montessori education is not purely Montessori anymore. Maybe to a certain extent, it is true. At this moment, I think I want irfan to enjoy school and play is crucial and extremely important for him. In this school, at least he gets some form of constructive play as compared to home and he gets to interact with his peers. The exposure he gets from the wide variety of activities, outdoor play and monthly excursion makes learning more engaging and meaningful. And that really is the best way to learn.

Let see how it goes.. in the meantime, im happy to know that he wakes up at 7am every morning, eager to wear his school uniform, songkok, put on his bag and shoes, carry his bottle bag and hops on the van and enthusiastically waves my mum goodbye.