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Random Snappy: I Miss….

I so miss painting on walls

This time of the year is always hectic yet super fun in the preschool setting. This is the time we design our classrooms and come up with all sorts of cutiepatootey decorations for teaching aids. I have done all sorts of themes for my rooms in the past, from Under the Sea to Gardens in Bloom. I love love looooove this part of the school year.

And yes, I sooo superdidooper miss it right about now.

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Posted by Teacher Ria in College, Teacher's Corner | 0 Comments

Learning from Outside the Classroom

If there is one thing I wish I had the chance to do when I was younger, it was to have had the opportunity to become an exchange student…in Paris preferably. My eldest cousin was able to join a foreign exchange program at one point during his high school education and he was able to spend a year in a school in the United States and it was not just a fun opportunity, it really opened up a lot of doors for him. Obviously I never got to do it, but if I could, I really would have Although I would have wanted to do an exchange program to be immersed in a different culture in a school setting, other foreign exchange programs can either focus on touring/cultural exposure or on community service.

If I were a parent of a teenager, I would definitely encourage my son or daughter to try join one of those summer volunteer programs offered by various institutions and organizations. Some church groups, for example, even do teen summer community service activities which allows participants to truly engage in volunteer work. Not only do these programs allow let a teen volunteer abroad, this also allows the participant to explore his or her leadership abilities, as well as maximize their potentials.

Exchange programs, whether local or abroad, are definitely something worth investing in. Whether it is academic based, sports oriented or for socio-civic causes, the learning a teenager gets from this is truly priceless. This is really what learning is actually all about, in my opinion. It’s going beyond theory, it’s not just practice, but it’s actually living and breathing through what it is you try to learn, all done outside the four walls of a classroom.

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Impressions, Perceptions and Misconceptions

One of the things that really get me the most is the way some salesladies in the malls treat shoppers who they think are not in a position to afford items from their store. For example, today, I decided to dress down…as I said in my Facebook status message, I am on student mode today, ergo the high heels, the make-up and formal dresses stayed home. Little did I know I would end up in the mall meeting up with a dear, dear friend of mine. While waiting, I decided to have a look around in the mall and well, I went into one of those high end stores and suffice it to say, I wasn’t given the attention I usually get when I am all dressed. Annoying right?

It really gets to me how people often make judgments from these kinds of impressions. This is why in the class I teach on personal effectiveness, I always tell my students two important things:

1. First impressions often last very long and

2. Misconceptions are often formed from these first impressions therefore use your judgment wisely.

As part of my curriculum, I teach them skills like power dressing and resume writing. I also tell them to invest in business cards even if they don’t have much to put in it. I tell them they don’t really need a high end print company to make it, and they don’t even need the embossed kinds or what not. I shared with them how small home based printing businesses, such as that of my friends who mainly does invitation and poster printing, can also make affordable cards for them. This is essential, I tell them, in making good first impressions.

At the end of the day, however, what I tell them most is that beyond the first impression, what really lasts is how they reveal their true selves and allow their personalities to shine.

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Posted by Teacher Ria in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

To Preschool or Not To Preschool? Why not do both with the Kids on Focus Kittens Program!

I often get asked, both as a former preschool teacher and as a psychologist who works extensively with children is whether or not a preschool education is really necessary and if so, at what age is it most recommended. Also, what kind of a school program is better or whether homeschooling is a good option or not.

My standard answer for this is IT DEPENDS Of course the standard response I get is either an eye-roll or a heavy sigh from parents who get frustrated because I don’t give them a straight answer. My friends say sana di nalang ako nagtanong. Hehe… but well, that’s what I think is the best answer. While I do believe in the value of early childhood education, I also believe that each child responds differently, has different needs and learns in his or her own way. I follow this up, however, by telling them three important points to consider or to think about as part of their decision making process:

1. What are your goals or objectives for choosing to enroll in a preschool (or the choice of a program for that matter)?

2. What resources are available to your child? For example, is your child home alone for most of the day with only a nanny on hand or are you a stay at home parent? Also, does the child have siblings, cousins, and other children around to interact with?  If no, perhaps he/she will benefit from being around other kids on a regular basis through a school program.

3. Most importantly, is your child ready? I, for one, was a child enrolled in the preschool at age 2. Lucky for me, my school was a non-traditional school that did not force me to sit down and learn to read and write even if I wasn’t ready yet. It also helped that my teacher was able to spot red flags in my learning process that could have led to potential difficulties if not addressed early. Perhaps, if I had been enrolled in a more traditional school, I wouldn’t have thrived the way I did, mainly because I wasn’t ready.

Whatever answers the parents give me to these questions help me in responding to their needs because the bottom line for me is that there is no one size fits all when it comes to preschooling. Unlike, let’s say, more formal grade school education where a more set curriculum is in place. In the preschool, maybe a more flexible program is what a child needs.

This is exactly what the Kittens program of the school Kids on Focus is really all about. As they put it, children who have parents who can act as their primary teachers need not spend 5 days in a preschool.  For these children, going to the preschool can serve as a supplement or to complement, perhaps, what happens in the home. In these cases, preschooling attends to two important goals: the development of gross motor and fine motor skill as well as to improve their social skills.

The Kids on Focus’ KITTENS program is specifically designed to develop your child’s motor and socio-emotional skills through a 3-days-a-week (MWF) or 2-days-a-week (WF) school schedule.  This program is open to children aged 2 – 4 years old. Classes are held from 8-11 am or 12-3 pm.

For more inquiries call KOF at 6826207

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Posted by Teacher Ria in Reflections | 0 Comments

Oh, Teacher, You Look Different!

warning: this is going to be an all about me post so be prepared for some random self-affirmation and vanity. teeeheeehee.

You won’t believe how many times I heard that on my first day back in school:

“Misss…you’re so blooming!!!”

“Miss Ria, you’ve lost weight!”

“Wow, Teacher, you look so different now…in a good way ”

Teeeheeeheee. Random moments of flattery, I tell ya. One of my friends even said, “parang tumangkad ka ha, kahit mababa heels mo ngayon”  (you even look taller, even though your heels are not as high as usual). Mwihihi. I guess it must be all the yoga I did over the break that really made my skin so much clearer, my posture so much better (after all, the stretching, the ‘ creating spaces’ and strengthening the spine to hold myself up better must be much like getting an hgh shot or popping a few growth enhancers, right?? hehe), and for the most part, made my aura so much brighter because I am much more relaxed, calm and balanced even if I get stressed from time to time. Oh, and of course, the hair cut and color did add a little change to my physical appearance but the weight loss I guess and the more tone physique is what really makes a difference.

It was nice to know that the changes I have made in my life are starting to reflect on my entirely. After all, as I teach in class, well-being is really a holistic thing.Another thing I realized, however, is that I respond better to these comments and complements now….before I’d get all flustered and stuff…now, I just smile and say thank you Yep…teacher is different now.

She grew up. Bow. Teeheehee.

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