home again...

So the school thing was interesting....I let her get on with testing Abigail and she explained everything as though I was a first time parent who was a little simple....and then after she was through I mentioned that I was taking over the local preschool and was interested to hear from her how I could help most in preparing these children for her kindergarten classes...'


Well.......she changed completely and was just so so helpful....in fact it was as though she had waited years to be asked this! She was on a roll...showing me lots of ideas to introduce to the children...explaining what most of them have difficulty with...she gave me three books aimed at pre-K.......she showed me all her little tricks and games and ideas for teaching certain subjects...and skills....

Basically she would like me to focus on:

colours (some kids going into K don't know their colours!)
cutting (thumb up and move the paper not the scissors!)
tracing....shapes...letters...especially diagonal lines (ie roof tops or teepees)
counting to ten forwards and backwards
reciting the alphabet even if they don't know the individual letters....
writing letters the correct way

She showed me tricks she uses with egg boxes and math blocks.....she suggested LOTS of sorting games....using buttons and things like that...sorting by colour....shape.....size......

The books she gave me seem really useful too and I can't wait to add her ideas into my planning process for the Fall.....

So we came home and then I drove Chris to his party...Mom came with me and got a chance to see Birch Bay Ranch.....which is where the party is....Chris is lucky enough to be friends with the kids that live there (his parents manage it)...Birch Bay is a summer camp facility.....with horseriding, swimming pool, ziplines and climbing walls etc etc and families pay for their children to go there for a week in the summer....the dorms look like a Western scene......

So Chris gets to go there for parties and just to hang out now and then...and today his class has their end of year party there.....swimming, bbq etc etc....

As for the rest of us...we are off to Katies Crossing for ice cream......

Whistler in October!

Whistler is a GO!!!!! Woohoo...we are being flown to Vancouver and then will drive to Whistler for a week :) as guests of the new company Lloyd is now involved with...staying at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler.......food, accommodation, travel...all included :) I can't wait!!!! All the staff and families are going :)

Thursday...

This morning I ahve to take Abigail into school for a speech test (groooooan like she has issues....I swear if she picks up on something I will go nuts because Abigail does NOT have speech issues....why do they obsess over speech over here?????)

Anyway we will go and meet the teacher...I hate the way she speaks to parents as though they are stupid....I really don't like this teacher at all.......but the kids seem to like her so I guess I will give her the benefit of the doubt.....

Thats one of the things I hate about school.....the way the teachers talk to you as though yu know nothing and they know everything about your child - she's never even met Abigail

Oh and at the parents evening she said please please PLEASE do not teach your child to write...

yet all the kids in preschool are expected to write....and no they are not TAUGHT to write...they are just taught to trace the letters....

This is something I plan to change as I really don't think the children 'learned' anything this past year...I think they were just doing what they had learned at home.....I don't think preschool really taught anything at all....

And what was I supposed to say to Abby when she WANTED to write...when she was at the table with her siblings? NO??????? duh! So yes I have to go into school and smile and pretend to be the good Christian Mother and pretend that I think school is the best thing since sliced bread....when really I don't think its the best thing at all......sigh......

What else? Oh I collected the package from my new boss......I have all the forms to send off.....don't have to pay for any of that as its all paid for me....as is my first aid training which is wonderful :) and basically there is no rush for any of it so thats good......my assist already has her training and due to my nursing I know mine - just don't have the cert. so I'm not too worried...........and neither is my boss so thats good :)

Lloyd went out with work last night for a goodbye dinner for Stewy and Dave......I think he will really miss working with them.....I'm sure we'll still see Dave and Tracy but Stewart is moving to Vancouver so we won't see him...