Little Missy

(Not looking at you for a photo, Mom!)

The page for the Preschooler needs an update.

She has not been a Little Tortoise (Skilpadjie) since the very beginning, and we have now seen the Toddler phase pass well.
The baby is a Toddler, and the Toddler turned into a Preschooler at 4 years at the end of last year.
(Just a little bit of tantrum behaviour left, but not that much!)

She's a Little Missy now!

I get sad when I look at how small she was and how quickly she has changed into this bright and opinionated and chatty little girl!

But I love each phase with all the quirks and the cuteness!

She is still very much the centre of our universe!

Her Big Sister, The Student, plays a big part in her life.
She misses her terribly when she's away, and she loves spending time with her when she is at home.

She is forever on the move, and we are still searching for the off switch at the end of the day.
If we do not follow a strict routine, we still have issues with not  sleeping problems...

She is in Grade RR this year, and next year she will be in the ultimate elusive Grade R.
 Grade R is Little Missy's most highest goal for everything.
When she is in Grade R, she will be "big", and the world will spin around twice, or something...

(It is coming sooner than we can anticipate, or wish!)

I wish I can have this for as long as possible!

You are growing and developing much too quickly!
But we love You, and we love this!

The first feedback in Grade RR

We had our feedback session with the Little Missy's teacher the previous week.
(Before I forget, I am writing down the important points.)

It seems that most of my fears of her being so young are unfounded. Her birthday is in December which makes her a bit younger than most of her classmates. But her teacher believes that it is better to keep them with their age group, and that she does not perceive any problems of our Little Missy not going to Grade R.

Grade R is of course the final goal for Little Missy!
She thinks that she will arrive when she gets to Grade R.

She must be able to do the following: 
(Which apparently is not yet fully mastered)

- She needs to start helping with small tasks.
- She needs to be able to pack her own suitcase.
- She should be able to listen to the teacher.
- She must exercise her cutting skills.
- And: We have a whole list of stuff to exercise at home. (Which was handed out to all the parents)
(Wow! So small, and so many things to do and know already!)

The teacher tells us that she has a bit of a smart mouth on her:
- She retorted when she used a very bad swearword: "It's not me, it is my voice!"
- She was hitting another child, and when reprimanded: "I am not hitting her, I am giving her a hiding!"

The tantrums are also used very selectively, and also more than we expected.
(*sigh* We know! We still see it at home, but thought that it was more under wraps at school!)

She also has a best best friend, and even in the first week the teacher told me that they were very close. The friend calls the shots, and Little Missy follows.
Jade knows best! She knows everything!
The teacher has them seated at different tables, and she has a rule that they can't help or stand next to each other when they get an assignment.
The teacher overheard her once when she was waiting for Jade, and Jade kept on doing her own thing: "Jade I love you so much! Please come!"

Little Missy says that Jade just wants to play with her and no one else, but we see Jade playing with many other friends.

Always tough on the little ones when they focus on someone and don't see the other friends waiting on the side! (I see other friends hanging around when I go to fetch her in the afternoons...)
I will keep on telling her that it is good to have more than one friend!

I don't think boys have so many issues with friends?

Grade R, bring it!

Grade R has been the ultimate ultimate goal for our Little Missy!
She has been bugging and dreaming about the elusive Grade R for decades years!

It is finally in sight when they start at the primary school next week.

We went and bought the sport clothes, the only uniform she is going to have to wear this year.
And apparently only on Tuesdays or when they tell us to.

She was very excited!

I had to ask for the smallest size, and it still looks a bit big!

She is ready!

"You spoil me too much!"

Little Hoot: You spoil me too much!

Two months before she turns 6!

It has been a strange year! The year of Grade R that she could not wait for, and that turned into a bit of a bummer... Luckily the meeting with the teacher helped considerably!

It seems that Little Missy is becoming into her own right now. I suspect this will be the pattern for each year. (Maybe not!) Because she is younger, it is only at the end of the year that everything falls into place?

I have also been toying with the idea that she is also her own person, doing her own things at her own opportune time!
Because we try to measure them and place them in boxes (talking about school readiness tests), it should not define them. And I am not going to!

We have spoken with her about going to Grade One next year, and told her about doing Grade R again. She is in agreement (as far as a five year old is able to) that she wants to continue to Grade One.

She got the most brilliant report card last week! Enough said!
She is doing very well!

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They had their end of year ballet concert and certificate ceremony. It was as cute as always. She still wants to continue next year, and I think it is good for them to get the basics of dancing. We will see how far it goes! (I don't have a preference!)

Ballet is tiring

Ballerina

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The only thing that Little Missy is worried about now is her birthday party.
All the "planning" and the "talking" finally had to come to fruition! We could not forever promise an airy fairy party because she has her birthday in December and all her friends are on leave. We have made a booking end of November and invited a few friends.
Huge excitement in her life!

Now it is only the party packs for school that needs to be sorted! (Yes, we still need to do that as well?!)
You do not get anything past a nearly six year old girl!

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I gave Little Missy a Happy Meal toy yesterday, because I had ordered a McD Happy Meal just so she could get a toy.
The response: "We spoil her too much!"

Okay...

GR R is a bit of a bummer this year

Little Missy was extremely excited about reaching this milestone! Being in Grade R!
She couldn't wait, and thought that this would be the ultimate place to be...

She has a new teacher who does not give them hugs, and does not even acknowledge the parents when they come to drop the kids off in the class.
The little ones still need their hugs, and they want to feel welcome in the mornings...
She is also very strict, according to Little Missy.

I suggested to Little Missy that she goes on her own accord to give the teacher a hug, but she does not feel comfortable enough to do it.

She has been telling me frequently that she does not want to go to school. She would rather go with us to our workplaces! She also has a frequent stomach ache. Things that she did not say or feel the previous years.

They apparently also have to work very hard, and she was upset last week when she was sick and she could not go to school. She was going to miss out on the class work and the friends are going to laugh at her. (Her words)

Little Missy loved doing colourful pictures, but this year there was a bit of regression and we are not seeing the same bright pictures than we did last year. (The pictures are getting better, but it is still lacking that passion. Or is it a phase?)

I don't know how long I should wait before I go and talk to the school?
Maybe the teacher should be given a chance to find her feet? (It is her first year of teaching.)

How long should I wait?


Related posts:

- Grade R, bring it!

- Stories by The Toddler

What are you going to become?

Some children know what they want to do and become with their lives from a very early age.

I asked Little Missy the same question the other day. Up until now Grade R is still the ultimate goal in Life...


She wants to become a house worker.

(Obviously I asked for an explanation.)

Because a house worker is in Grade R.

She learns the children how to write.

It is not being a person that cleans people's houses!


I tried to press the issue some more, to understand what she means.


I am going to become what I am going to become!

You have asked enough questions (VERY ANGRY)!

Grade R graduation and future plans!

Little Miss had her graduation ceremony and end-of-year concert last night.

They all had to say what they want to become one day.
It was a toss-up between a veterinarian, a dentist or a singer, but she said that we would have to wait to hear...

We were very surprised indeed!
She wants to be a teacher one day!
(Guess what the best friend wants to be? A teacher also!)

I was very surprised that Little Miss  could go and stand on stage, and do her thing. (She said before the time that she was a bit shy, and I was worried that she would freeze... )

She did her thing on stage!




After the graduation, the ugly ducklings did a great job shaking on "Bad To The Bone" by George Thorogood and The Destroyers, one of the scenes from the "Fairy tale" concert.

Photo by Dad

Grade R, mostly done and dusted!

Apple in Education Awards 2013 - the winners! #iPadlearningZA

The 7th annual Apple in Education Awards 2013 arrived on Wednesday. It is designed to award excellence in the classroom. But it does more than that. It challenges the teachers and learners to excel in being creative in their use of technology to enhance their own learning.

I love seeing the finalists and the winning entries! But I must mention that I think that each of the entries in the competition deserves to be mentioned, and especially the teachers who have made a special effort for these kids to be able to take part!

I see this as a positive step towards a future in education where we will be able to address imbalances in the standard of our education, compared to the standard of education globally. The winning entries showed that government schools that implemented the same technology were on par with the private schools!

A few interesting facts, figures and announcements were made:

• The second edition of the Education App guide has been launched, and there are over 100 000+ education apps that are available to use.

• ZA Books have now over 1500 South Africa titles 
• There are great apps that are free on new iPad purchases: iWork productivity apps: Pages, Numbers and Keynote and iLife creativity apps: iPhoto, iMovie and GarageBand.
• From Grade R - Grade 12 have submitted entries in this competition.
• There are entries from 32 subjects in the competition.
• 56 schools have submitted entries.
• 783 projects were entered.
• The judges were independent from the schools and the learners.

Donnay Torr announcing the winning entries for
the Curriculum Projects Grade 5-7

I had the privilege to be a judge in the category Curriculum Projects Grade 5-7 with Donnay Torr and Karen Walstra. It was very difficult to decide on the winning entries, because the entries were all very creative and innovative. Luckily we had a list of criteria to measure and compare our marks of the different projects.

Grayston Preparatory School winning entry being shown

The winning entry from Grayston Preparatory School deserves their win!

Congrats to the winners of Curriculum Projects Gr 5-7 >Grayston Preparatory #iPadlearningZA @SAPixi @KarenWalstra pic.twitter.com/teTnxOd5BB
— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) November 27, 2013

The iTeacher of the year from Gugulesizwe Primary School (I missed her name, unfortunately!) successfully introduced her learners to using the iPads as a way to introduce English as the language of learning and teaching in the school. 

I am sorry I don't have more information about the other winners and about the learners. I was hoping to find some more information about this competition on the web, but so far it has not been made available.

Congratulations to all the enthusiastic teachers, and especially the creative students! 

The students are showing us that there are no limits on education! 

Give them the tools and technology, and they will embrace it with enthusiasm and with positive results!

Related posts:

- Apple in Education Competition Awards 2013 coming up #AppleinEd

- Apple in Education

Interview with the Preschooler

Little Missy passed her 56 month mark yesterday. She is four years and eight months.

I was trying to keeping this interview for her birthday, but I can ask it again on her birthday, can't I?

1. Who is your favourite person in the whole world?
     Dad

2. What is your favourite colour?
    Red

3. What's your favourite television show?
     Doc McStuffins

4. What's your favourite outfit?
    Beautiful dresses

5. What sport do you like best?
    Cycling

6. What song do you love?
    (I missed this question. Next time...)

7. What's your favourite cereal?
    Brown cereal (All Bran Flakes)

8. Who is your best friend?
     The boy she just played with at McDs
     What about Jade? Yes, Jade

9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
    Grade R

10. What is your favourite book?
       Cinderella

11. What are you really good at?
       Tying a knot

12. Where do you wish you could go on vacation?
      Swimming pool

13. What is your best memory?
      McDonalds

14. What would you buy if you had R 1000?
       A doll for my child

15. What vegetable do you hate the most?
       All the vegetables

16. If you could have a wish, what would it be?
      I want a child

17. What is your favourite flavour of ice cream?
      Rainbow

18. Who is your biggest hero?
      Spiderman

19. What do you like to do best with your friends?
      Camping and swimming

20. What do you hope you'll get to do before your next birthday?
      Get a Barbie doll


This was shared by Rattle and Mum who lent it from In The Corner.

(Photo: Patrick Pretorius)

Stories by the Toddler

The Toddler comes up with the most strangest stories. I thought it would always be based in reality, but it seems the fantasy world takes centre stage at the moment...

(I am struck by how quickly we forget these special quirks of the little ones! I cannot remember the first-born having so many stories, but I am sure she chattered away as well!)

One of the stories: Ouma (grandmother) is coming to fetch her and they are going to fly to the sea. They are going to "fly" in the waves. Oupa (grandfather) is also going to come, but I must stay at home with her dad. When told that we can't fly in waves, she reassures us that we can. We tell her that she did not like the beach or waves the previous time she was there, she assures us that this time it is going to be different!

Another story: She has lost a tooth, and convincing her dad on the way to work to look in the back mirror of the car to see where it has been lost in her mouth (while stretching open her mouth). It is a recurring story. I suspect that a friend who lost all her front teeth (at the dentist) is a big inspiration.

Last story: She is in Grade R already. She is a big girl! (2 years to go before we get to Gr R). She is also telling us whenever she can how big she is. She shows us her "long" legs and "long" arms, and we have to feel her "muscles"!



I would love to hear the stories that her teachers have to listen to...

Two wheels' milestone and a report card

Little Missy was adamant the previous weekend that her dad must take off the extra two wheels on her bicycle. She is ready for the two wheels!

Her dad had to hold onto her for the first two days, but on day two she had mastered going forward on her own.

First time without the extra wheels!

Making new friends on her bike

Blurry, but there she goes!

Little Missy is five and a half now, and although I don't do the monthly updates any more (who's putting on the brakes now?), we are loving her energy at the moment.
(And getting tired by just watching her.)

She is forever doing cart wheels and hand stands and head stands. And getting better and better at it! She can spin a hula hoop for a very long time!

Little Missy got a very good report card from the school. The teacher is happy with her, and says that she is working hard when she is supposed to be working hard, and enjoy playing with all the children in her class. She can't think of any reason why she should not be able to continue to Grade One next year!

We are extremely relieved after we found Grade R to be a bit of a bummer in the beginning of this year! Little Missy loves her teacher and her class, and misses them when it's not school. With the midweek break she was counting the days to going back to school again.

We even had two mornings in the past month  where Little Missy announced at 6 am that she wanted to do a speech that day and I had to notify the teacher. It is something they are encouraged to do, but not enforced. She grabbed paper and pencils and was off in the car while vigorously sketching on a tray. (Hope it is not a peak into her future studying methods?) Apparently the teacher says it went very well! We can't get her to do the speeches for us as well...

And of course, her teacher knows best and e-v-e-r-y thing, and her commands are obeyed to the letter. If I smuggle in a little sweet in her lunch box (bad mother!), it gets voluntarily dumped in the dustbin! "No sweets in my lunch box, Mom!"

This is a very interesting age!

Apple in Education Awards 2015 - mind-blown!

The yearly Apple in Education Awards was announced on Tuesday night!
As always I walked away with a an inspired feeling of FOMO! I am definitely missing out!
I wish I was in education right now!
I wish I was a student again!

The possibilities! The creativity!

This year there were again entries from Grade R to Grade 12.
70 schools from 9 provinces participated.
1156 projects were received which were judged by local and international judges.

Here is one of the winning entries:
Exploring the Sciences in Everyday Life - Thomas Granig from The Ridge School
"Gravity and beyond"



You can check out the rest of the winners here: Apple in Education competition 2015.

Christine Greig from Parklands College won in the iPhoneography part of the competition with her "Selfiest Self" portrait! Stunning!

Judge Bernard Viljoen (from "I was shot in Joburg") with Christine Greig

Lindsay Durell from Parklands College won the iTeacher award, and it was not difficult to guess, because she was on stage with many of her students!

Lindsay Durell

The following are links to the rest of the entries. If you have time, it is worth looking at all of these! And wondering How The *Genius they did it!

- Expression Through The Arts: Gabriella Fedetto from St Stithian's College: Lovely

- Bring to Life Your Favourite Historical/Literary Figure: Matthew Thompson from St Andrews: Winston Churchill

- Shape of my world: Luca Genovese from The Ridge School: The Shape of My World

- iTunes U in the Classroom: Brett Udal from Hilton College


Well done to all the winners and the teachers who make this happen! You are stars!!


Which one of the projects are the most mind-blown to you?

School readiness

‎
We are getting the results of the tests back this afternoon. It really is a difficult decision. 

Little Missy was born in December, and we want to make sure!

I must mention that after this past weekend at the Voortrekker camp, I am less worried. She did her own thing, and could cope without us!

She even instructed us to leave her!

I don't see how we would be able to keep her for another year in Grade R?

A weekend camping with the Voortrekkers #thingsyoudoforyourchildren

On the dirt road to Hartbeesfontein

Little Missy had a blast this past weekend.

She told us that she could have stayed camping with the Voortrekkers until she is a grandmother herself! She also wished that her friends could have experienced the same!

Some of the photos:

She told her dad today that the best thing of the weekend was the jungle gym in front of their sleeping quarters!

Beautiful sunsets and sunrises!

No problem in getting them to eat this whole weekend

Fun stuff

Peekaboo!

Learning how to make popcorn on the fire

Popcorn on the fire

Foam fun

A forest creation from dough and leaves

A number of these 

In concert - the Grade R Suikerbekkies
("I was so shy, Mom!")

A last key ring creation

Lots of tree climbing, and rescuing

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Some of the things the Moms and Dads had to do this weekend: (For future reference, of course)

- Camping in the cold and dust.

- Hanging around children who tells you that you are not needed! You can go!

- Doing camp duties such as a night walk with the children, or a 12 - 2 am security watch. (Although I have a strong suspicion that the dads enjoyed the standing-around-the-camp-fire-with-wine-stories!)

- Standing to attention 6 times and singing the National Anthem.

- Being woken by Afrikaans songs being played over loudspeakers at 6 am on Saturday and 6:30 on Sunday.

- Having to remind the little ones they need to go to the toilet, or brush their teeth, or change clothes! (Not a priority in their lives!)

- Having to do a dust load of washing after the weekend.

- Having to contend with very exhausted children on Sunday night.


Yes, the things we do for our children!

The pink house and the little sister

She has her own pink house which is far away. It is a light pink house. (Light pink is the favourite colour!)

Sometimes the house is as far away as London, and we will have to drive and drive and drive to get there...
Sometimes it is in the clouds, but she is adamant it is not like the "Up"-movie house with the balloons...

We are only allowed to come and visit when we are good! Mostly we are threatened that we won't be allowed!

She has a pink car as well, but it is too small for me to ride with her!

She has a little sister who is very small small. A tiny kind of small. She is younger, but it seems she knows stuff! The little sister stays in the pink house.

She has a number of dogs that stays at the house as well!

When she grows up to be in Grade R (the ultimate goal for a three-year old), she will be at University as well (where her sister is now).

Some of the stories that we are being told each day...


I hope her dreams only get bigger!

Mid-year report

Little Missy is doing well at school!
I was totally surprised to learn that she can say all the months of the year! (We did not think to start teaching her ourselves, and here she is doing it.)

We still need to focus on concentration and listening skills!
So we got lists of stuff to do at home!

But she got a mention for her creative work!
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She has been approved for Grade R, and I felt like dancing! I don't know what we would have done if otherwise...
Happy holidays! For the lucky ones! (Not us! :-()
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Please hold thumbs for The Student who is writing 2 subjects tomorrow! Thinking if you!

Posted with Blogsy

Coding is an essential skill for children #CodeSpaceSA

I was invited to a basic coding class last Friday. The invite stated "to become a creator of technology!" It did not take much to convince me! ;-)

I got to experience CodeSpace, a creative and collaborative design by Think Ahead to teach children the basic of computer programming and computational thinking. (How I wish I was a child again!)

Coding and computational skills have become essentials skills in the workplace already. I have seen it in my job as librarian and archivist, and most other jobs today require the same knowledge. It is not anymore about the three R's (Reading, Writing and Arithmetic)! Now it is about Leadership, Digital Literacy, Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Entrepreneurship, Global Citizenship, Problem Solving and Team-working. (It bothers me to think how outdated our school curriculum is with regards these skills!)

Michelle Lissoos of Think Ahead

We were taught some basics on Hopscotch, and iPad app that is available for free from the AppStore. I don't think I am a coding genius, or that it lies in my future, but is a lot of fun! My coding did not amount to much, but I can see that a few bright kids who come together, can do almost anything with this!

@karentoittoit learning critical 21st century coding skills - Think Ahead CodeSpace @Redefining_Edu pic.twitter.com/DzijE2hSQU

— Michelle Lissoos (@MichelleLissoos) February 12, 2016

Coding #madeonhopscotch #CodeSpaceSA https://t.co/sI65epIjhQ pic.twitter.com/bZUhYu4qzC

— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) February 12, 2016

We even got certificates!

Certificate of participation...

Coding Genius? Not! ;-)

Keep a look-out for the CodeSpace sessions run by Think Ahead. It was initially only run as holiday programmes for learners from grade 5 - 7.  It will now also include run a 10-week course as an extra-mural activity, as well as CodeSpace for Girls!

Coding Geniuses

I would really like to sign up Little Miss as soon as she is old enough!

In the meantime there is the coding apps, which the little ones are able to understand with a little bit of help!
Hopscotch, Tickle and Sphero are all included in the CodeSpace courses.


For further information, please contact Michelle Lissoos at Think Ahead: michelle.lissoos@thinkahead.co.za