My Apologies

Well well well...

It appears that I have neglected my blog for quite a while.
I do humbly apologize for those people in my life who has been tickling me about getting back writing. I know some people read my blog but I didn't realize that they were looking forward for a new entry. My goal to create this blog was to record my thoughts. I was a diary writer during my growing up days. And blog just seems to be the right platform. My initial (and still is) goal is not to raked as many readers and followers but simply to share and connect. So again thank you for enjoying and taking lessons from my blog entries. Thank you for urging me to write again. And... please forgive me for neglecting it for so long.

Let me fill you in of what happen since my January post.
- I have passed the CPNS Tests (Calon Pegawai Negeri Sipil // Government officials Recruitments Tests) to be the lecturer of English at my almamater, FKIP Bahasa Inggris (English Department of Faculty of Teacher's Training) of Pattimura University. My documents are currently being process to attain my Official Registry Numbers etc. So... yeah... prior to that my days were filled with complying to the process of certification, documents gathering and the likes.

- Our Language Center, Marlene's Language Center is thriving. we got an overwhelming request and applications of new students that we had to turned some of them down. Meanwhile a more pressing priorities are for us to perfected our management system, preparing facilities and at the same time maintaining the level of quality we set.

- We still helped out as part-time lecturers of English at Accounting Department at our local Politechnics. 

- Our Little Girl Tania, the most important and the center of our life, is now a starter reader. She can read 3 or 4 letters words and I have spotted some reading challenges that I can help her with, such as the different pronunciation of 'i' and 'c' when it is combined with different letters in a word. I shall write a separate updates for that. Meanwhile we have begun to think and to consider several Pre-School for her.

Other than that, it is mainly to spend and create quality time with Tania and Simon, my better half. In this retrospects. I do not regret letting go the opportunities for workshops, seminars, gatherings etc etc... these quality times we spent are most important.

I thank God that I have the privilege of choice of being able to choose to give up some work opportunities to stay and make time with my daughter and husband. I reserve no judgement of my other fellow mothers who had to work and do not my have my privilege. Seriously, there are no correct parenting and marriage method. Each one of us need to see what works. What works for me might not work entirely for others and vice versa. We simply need to take the best learning curve and apply and evaluate and come up with our own style. what matters is that our husband and child(ren) knows how much we love them. That we do not forget to tell them that. That we do not forget to give them a few seconds of loving hugs. That we give 5 minutes of our time to simple listen to them and give them a loving touch.

All in all everyone! Make moments to remember... that doesn't have to cost a lot of money. Chances are it's free. As free as a smile, a hug .-

New Year!!! What's New?

So it's 2015!!! Happy New year!!!
Hope you have a brilliant start of the year.
My 2015 begins with a shaky start. Illness... my little family begin with unhealthy body. As I am writing this my lil' Girl is on the road to recovery. Poor girl has lost a lot of weight. So sad to see her that way. My husband was also taken ill as the new year rolls. I have some medical conditions that I need to continue to checked on. All in all, it wasn't a smashing, brilliant start of the new year. However, the time spent caring for them has allowed me to reflect, consider and be thankful of all the amazing blessings we have over the years. I am sharing with you my thankful list

1.  I am thankful for my life. The ups and downs, the joy, the sadness, the success and the failures, the wisdom, the mistakes. All of those helped me to be a better person. 
2. I am thankful for my husband. My rock, my friend, my lover, the loving father of my child. He who liberates and keeps me grounded. 
3. My little girl who taught me more about what worth living for. She is the axis of where our world revolves. 
4. My family - yes, they can be frustrating to dealt with but they are the only people in the world who truly know me, accept me and love me. no matter what happen, i know they have my back.
5. My friends - what is life without them. Both old and new, they are unique and they brought different spices to my soup of life
6. LKP Marlene's Language Center - this is our family business. It has been very kind to us. Through the year we have learned a lot through it both about Language teaching and management. We continue to develop and improve. But I am most thankful for the opportunity it gives for me to work from home. (Some people will understand what a luxury this is).
7. Opportunities and Open Doors - 2014 ended with many doors opens for me. It is a blessings. It is only grace. They led to many roads i can choose for to journey 2015.
8. Life experience - seriously! Both good and bad! I won't trade my life for anything. My life is amazing.
9. Teaching - what better way to bring about change than being a teacher. I got to do what I am passionate about and touching lives of many in the process. I am thankful, I have the privilege of sharing my knowledge. 
10. Food on our table, clothes on our bodies, roof over our heads, money in our wallets, motorcycle for our transportation, communication gadgets and what not, Safety on our journeys, smiles to warm our days, ideas that inspire and motivates -- and the list goes on. Thank you Jesus

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Unlike the past years, this year I didn't make any resolution. It is not that I am dealing with sickness but because I just don't feel like making one. My last 2 years resolutions never get done. So this year I decided not to make any life. but to take notes of what I learned and what need to be improved.
The illness that begins this year has helped to remind me that the care for body and soul is important. Time for family is crucial. Time management is major.

It is most definitely going to be another the busiest year of my life. However, I will try to find balance. To have more intimate time with God, To put my little girl and husband first on the list of my work, to make sure I do not bit more than I can chew, to ask for help and to care for myself.Sounds like a resolution in itself... hehehe.

So again, Happy New Year! May you find what is important in life and do your best to find balance in yours.-

Tania's Homeschool September Recap

Pheeew...Ever since Tania's Birthday, our life was one full hectic routines. We got our cousin sister wedding at our house just 1 week after Tania's Birthday. On top of that, our Language center is in full swing, it was end of the terms for my students at Polytechnic SOOO... in the end... I fell sick. The hectic day took it's toll on Tania's learning schedule. we didn't get to do as much as I hoped to but we were able to sneaked some sessions through out the day. So here is a recap of our learning this month.

Learning About Light and Dark - Source of Light

Tania always loves doing shadow puppet with candle light during the night when our city was out of power for few hours (it happens a lot). So that morning she helped me to hung some laundry on our little patio when she discover her shadows. We discussed about shadows, what made shadow, about source of light (sun, lamp, candle etc) also talk about how and why shadows look big, long. tall etc depending on the distance and angle of the object from/to the light source. But bottom line is... she loved her shadow dance.

Learning Numbers

 We still continuing with her session on numbers. Tania has mastered the alphabet and currently being introduce to letter sound which will lead to reading. So now is the perfect time to harness her number skills. I mentioned and showed the counting puzzle on my previous post and we continue to use it in different ways. Instead of matching the center (number) piece to the pictures of things. We took the center piece out so she can do sorting and ranking. She likes the idea and want to 'play' it over and over again. She also use her imagination and took her soring and lining up as the keyboard (piano) and pretend to play a tune. She is getting the hang of numbers and we are now begin to embark on Addition.

Point of View

We have a small pocket camera that we allow Tania to use. So one day, Tania was fussy and was not in the mood for play learning. She wanted to play with the camera. I did not pushed her to learn So I set her a task to take pictures of things that she finds interesting and important to her. After 1 hour of her going here and there in the house while I finished my work. She came back and said, "mommy I think I have all that I need".

She actually took many good shots (not blury and good focus). Her hand is more steady now. We then imported the pictures to my laptop. I asked her to tell me the reason beging every picture she took. I am ever so impressed by her articulation, her thoughts and her wisdom. Later, I told her to pick 4 of her most favorite the pictures which I will share on my blog out of the 137 pictures she took. (yeah!! trigger happy finger). After a while she said, "Aww MOM! 4 is NOT enough! Can we have 6? Six is a good number". I told her that that was a great idea. And she happily picked the above 6 pictures. Here are the reason/story behind her pick of the bunch

• Top left : My feet - I need my feet to go everywhere. My shoes will be sad if they don't have my feet. Especially my pink Cinderella shoes. it can make me run and walk and run very fast when I wear  my running shoes. 
• Top Middle : Your (Mommy's) Hand - because you always scratch my back when I am going to sleep at night. You can use your hand to make me cookies and fried noodles. I love your hands mom because I love youu... **she made puppy face*** AWWW
• Top right : Your wallet, the candle and tissue. You put your money in the wallet so we can buy food and clothes... AND shoes! We also need candle so we can play shadow puppet when the electricity went out. And the tissue is when I have yuck things in my nose or when I spill something on the floor
• Bottom Left : Snow globe - because I can see snow... like in Brighton. They are so pretty. But you said I cannot play with it if there's no adult to help me holding it. 
• Bottom Middle : Daddy - I really really love my daddy. He drive Nuning (our motor cycle) and take us every where and take me swimming and carry me on his shoulder and he's very very good at reading me books.
• Florescent Star Sticker : it's my pet star. It fell down from the sky and broke one of it's star leg. But actually daddy and I get it (won it) when I play the fishing game at the mall.

Dealing with Fear

Ever since her 4th Birthday on Sept 8th, Tania entered the 'Creepy Crawlies' phase. She is absolutelly terrified of every single creature even little ants. Simon and I think it is because she is more aware of her surrounding. We tried every day to comfort but also to help coax that fear out of her.
One morning, Tania screamed out loud and was stuck to our sofa just because a tiny spider was in her path when she was going to the bedroom.
I went and sat with her. She hugged me and trembled and we sat there watching the tiny spider. After a while, I asked her what makes her scared of the spider? She said it was because she cannot see the face. She doesn't know which one is the face to look at.
So I took a glass and a piece of paper and caught the tiny spider. Tania scrambled to the other end of the sofa and started crying. I sat on the other end of the sofa just holding the glass. I told her to clam down and that I wont gave the spider to her. We are just going to look at the spider from this distance.
I told her that she is much bigger than this spider and that the spider is more afraid of her. I told her that the spider is really scared now in the glass. It wants to go home to it's family. Tania started to listen. Then I inched closer to let her look at it. Then I showed her the spider face. Every time she react positively, I inched closer until I was right next to her. In the end, she was brave enough to hold the top of the glass. After few minutes her fear is gone and she wanted to hold the glass all by herself. I am so proud of her...

Right!... Those are some of the highlights of this month...

About Raising a Daughter and a Barbie Birthday Cake

Last Monday, Sept 8th, was my daughter 4th birthday. She is indeed a blessing to us and to me especially. Through her life, she taught me so much more than those inspirational-self-development books, parenting books, parents advices etc. She taught me to see and accept myself in a more honest way despite all my strength and weakness. She taught me to see the world differently with her innocent and wise point-of-view. She made me want to be the best of myself. She made me want to do the impossible. Then few days before her birthday, I began to think of what I have given and will give to her. What is it that I want to teach her? What legacy I want to leave behind? How do I want her to grow? how should I help her to find herself? Do any of my (our) actions as parents any good to her? are they beneficial? are they damaging? Have we shown enough love?
These thoughts hung in my head and in  my heart as I continue the days work and preparing for her birthday celebration.

About the Cake
For her Birthday, I challenge myself to do something I have never done before - baking birthday cakes and decorating it. Few months before, Tania and I was watching Food Network programs on Cake baking and decorating. We both loved one of the cake, a fairy cake that uses a barbie toy as the decoration part of the cake. She said, "WOW! Mommy that looks very difficult but very beautiful cake". Her words difficult and the twinkle in her eyes set my heart to find out how to make one. SO I spend one and a half months searching and reading the internet on how to make one, to decorate etc. I watched tutorials and memorized the steps. I psyched myself into believing that I can do it. So 3 weeks prior to her birthday, I began to make plan. Listed all the ingredients and it's substitute. Then I went to the several stores getting quotes of prices as well as comparing it to my list. Finally 4 days before the day. I know I can do it. However, due to my escalating teaching work and family activities. I was not able to do the baking 2 days before (the Saturday). Thus, I started baking at 12 midday on Sunday (1 day before her birthday). I have never baked before. So My cake turned out flat and not able to rise. My mother who bakes very well back in the day, was sick so she cannot help me with it. However, she did came out and told me to use the simplest recipe and techniques. The cake turned out well. Not as risen as I hoped it should be but enough. Because the cakes were not very high, I need to bake several times to achieve the height I wanted. So I ended up did 5 times baking. It was exhausting to do the baking by yourself when your electric mixer do not have the speed you need and it is not the standing mixer that you can left there to work on the table. I have to held the mixer for more than 30 minutes each (so times that to 5 times baking) -- arrgh talk about aching!

By 6 in the afternoon, All the cakes finished baking. I cannot sculpt and decorate it yet. The how-tos and tutorial all said for the cake to be bake one day before the decorating. But I don;t have that luxury. Thus, I wrapped the cake in cling wrap and popped them in the refrigerator. While they are in the fridge, I took a bath and then set to work on the butter cream. I tried a ready to use buttercream from the bake shop but it tasted artificial and plasticky. So I bought 1.5 kg of Shortening. I then add powdered milk, icing sugar and condensed milk. Then I beat them in an electric mixer for about 45 minutes. I stopped once in a while to taste making sure I get rid of the plastic taste and those stick in your mouth ceiling after taste.

At 8 PM, Butter cream is ready, divided, colored tested and put in the triangle pouch with the spout I wanted. Then the decorating begin. I already have a plan in mind so I was pretty confident to do it. First, I stacked the bottom part f the cake which consist of 2 big round cakes together with a strawberry cream filling. Then I smoothed green color butter cream on it. This is the grass where the barbie will stand. Second, I stacked 4 smaller cakes together to make a tall tower with strawberry cream filling. Then I make holes in the middle to fit the barbie later. Next, I sculpted the Cake for the Barbie skirt. Now the barbie skirt is ready to be transferred on top of the green base cake. After carefully placing it on the base cake, I put the barbie in the hole and adjust the height of the cake to her waist. After that,  I smoothed purple color butter cream as the base color of the cake.
Then, come the decorating part. By 11.45 PM, I was exhausted. I wrote her name 'TANIA" and then decided I am too tired for more decorative butter cream. So I throw in some sugared flowers and silver glitter etc. Then I stand back... I was elated... I didn't expect I can finished it. It was not very tidy and smooth but hey... I am a first timer. - The Cake arrived in Waai at almost 1 AM on Sept 8th. My husband had been waiting. And as we sat down drinking the hot tea he made, we marveled at what amazing gift a child is to his/her parents - Kids made parents do what they consider impossible.

About raising a daughter
I receive lots of great comments on the achievement of making a 'grand' cake. I also receive several comments about why I choose Barbie for my little girl. The comments do not make me angry or offended instead I welcome these comments. They made me more aware of what and how it is to raise a daughter in this world. There are so many talks about feminist and women/girl empowerment this walk side by side with the fact that all around the world women, girl, females are still oppressed, dis-empowered, discouraged, violated and so on. My little girl will grow up in time where woman equality movement is widespread and acknowledge. However in the nooks and crannies of the world and the minds of people, some things have not change (yet). It is a big challenge to raise a child, girl (and boys too), to grow up to be a loving and respectful person to one another.

In general some women equality activist or feminist diss Barbie for putting the wrong (or too perfect and absurd) imaging of a 'perfect' girl/woman meanwhile not all kids/girls/woman have the Barbie image. The idea was that we need to raise our daughters NOT to grow up in a world that values her body over her mind.Some of the messages I receive asked me why an empowered woman like me allowed my daughter to play with Barbie? Aren't I afraid she will grow up into the box that we all trying to get our daughters to avoid.

I remember few years before, I read the arguments about whether or not allowing daughters to play with Barbie. Most of them agree that Barbie do not encourage healthy self-esteem and body image. I wonder why no one strongly argues that Boys should not play with toy gun etc because I believe it will introduce violence. Why no one argues that boy shouldn't play with GI Joe toys,? Is it because it is what boys are meant to do?

I am still learning as a parents. I do not say every thing I do is correct. But I want to think, I will try to do what is best for my daughter. Thus if I want to raise an empowered daughter, I think I should not put boxes in her head. That she belong to this and not that. I believe the negative effect of Barbie is down to the lack of Parental control and guidance. Simon and I make sure we sat down and watch the movies or TV programs with Tania. We explain and discuss the movies. Making sure she gets the positive message it contains. Yes, Tania is currently into princess craze but we focus on what makes a princess - it is her kindness, her care to others and her use of her position to help others. Instead of her looks.

So I think in order for her to grow up into an empowered, mighty and strong woman, I think I should NOT throw barbie all together. She will play with her friends who have barbies. She will grow in a world where Barbie exist etc. But the best thing I can do is NOT to keep it away from her. But to allow her to play if she wanted to and explain the positive things about it. After all, it is part of her growing up - to meet, encounter, dwell, think and decide about this matter. I think that is when I raise a mighty and strong girls.

I decided to be unapologetic if my daughter play with Barbie. Because if we are to empower her, why should we boxed her (and her parents), label her (and her parents) and judge her (and her parents) based on her toys, based on whether she plays with barbie or not.

Few days ago I also read a friend posted a inspiring pictures on Facebook that said, "Children will play with anyone and everyone, until their parents says not to". The picture shows 2 children: one white one dark skin. This refer to racial discrimination but I think this apply with Barbie too... Our choice of barbie cake is not based on whether I (or she) wanted her to grow into that image or that we adore that bodily image and the princess nature of her. Simply because it looks beautiful and it's a wonderful challenge for me. It will make my daughter happy... and it definitely priceless to see her WOW! when she saw it in the morning.

It is not that I defend barbie or other girly toys. I simply mean I do not want my daughter to feel apologetic when she does. It is my role as mother and parents to help her see past the shallowness of what ever girly segmented toys and dolls she will come across in her life.

This also applies to whether or not I can/should call my daughter Princess, beautiful or pretty.
My daughter will grow up and be in a world where there most likely be one or more bully(ies) who will call her names, mock her etc. But I wanted her to know that she is beautiful NOT just because of physical features but to expand her understanding of what beautiful is... It is inside and out... My role is to help her navigate and help her make her decision about these harmful effect of other people opinion about what she believe in.

She is our beautiful princess fairy superhero earth explorer and experiementer balerina ... and everything she wanted to become.... We love you dearly...

Home-school Updates : Letter, Counting and Traditional Market

I didn’t posted Tania’s daily Home-school progress these couple of days because we lent our camera to Tania’s uncle and our internet connection was a very troublesome matter. Tania’s Mommy’s camera is not the sophisticated hi-end with the built-in camera to be use as substitute. However, Tania still learns every day. She has finished the ‘learning book’, even the one that required reading and writing. The reading part she persuaded us to read it to her and she will answer. For the writing part she will tell us what the answer is and then ask us to dictate the letter. She is getting better and better at ‘drawing’ letters. 

In order to support the growth of her writing, I gave her sheets of letter tracing to help her with controlling her pencil strokes. However, I did not push her to finish the whole page and only do it when she has the mood. We do this between 15 – 30 minutes every day. Other time, we learn creatively and artistically. 

top: Letter tracing. Bottom left: Counting puzzle. Bottom Right: Color  by number

Last week, we took Tania to the traditional market, simply to introduce her to it. We mostly took her to the supermarket or mall to shop. But local vegetables etc we usually get from traditional market and we need to go there very early and she’s not up yet. However, we timed her sleep and able to took her last week. 

We asked her what she thinks about the traditional market. She said it is noisy, too many people, smelly and dirty. HAH! Typical city spoilt kid answer. So to make sure she does not turned in to one. We (I) am determined to take her more often. We talk about how the people plant the vegetables and other crops and then take it to the traditional market to sell. That money will be use to buy food, clothes and pay school fee of their children. And that we are helping each other by purchasing from traditional market. I hope in the long run, she will be able to understand and look past the smelly and dirty place to see a way to live sustainably. YAY! To local produce!

Now, you may think this is a bit too much of information. But I think Tania is more than capable to understand this. And Kids need to learn the reality and understand what they can contribute to it. Tania already understands Mommy and Daddy do not have lots of Money to buy her EVERYTHING that she wanted. We will buy her what she need but when she wanted something we will see whether mom and dad have enough money to spend or not. Usually when she said, Can I have this or that to a toy or books, and we have no money, we are very comfortable to tell her, “I am sorry dear. Mommy and Daddy don’t have money now. Can we get it some other time? Or if you really wanted it we can make a piggybank especially for this?”. She always obliged and happily went along. She understands now that Mommy and Daddy works and get paid and the money is used to buy many things in our lives and we need to make sure we have enough for everything. I am blessed to have such an understanding kid.

I feel very blessed to live and to raise a child in this life situation. We have enough money and a little bit more to cover everything in life. We are not rich in money and swamp in treasures. My child grows in reality and knowing that she need to work hard to earn living and to give thanks for whatever we are given. I do hope when our life gets way better than today. All of us will not forget to give thanks and to remain in simplicity. --

When Our Paths Crossed : That person who changes your life for the better

This morning I read the blog entry of a friend or shall I say a sister. She recently returned from Costa Rica from a Global Institute of Theology (I am very proud of her). She wrote about her brother whom I also know very well in this blog. She talks about him as the greatest big brother and the motivator who is always there for her. In a way, I also consider her brother as a big brother figure for me. One day I also met him and on that fateful day, He was that person who changed my whole life.
I originally already posted some of what I write below on Facebook comment box, however I think it is more fitting for me to make a link post.

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My life changing encounter with Bung Alto, My friend's brother, is perhaps in 2000 or in 2001 in our local bookstore, Dian Pertiwi. I have known him before through Ambon Tourist Guide activities that my father was involved with (and I tagged along). He always strikes me as a warm and friendly person. So on that day, I was looking for books for one of my University subject. It was during the time of conflict in Ambon. My family and I already evacuated from our village and labeled IDP (Internally Displaced Person) or Pengungsi (refugee). He told me that his office, an International Humanitarian Organization - Mercy Corps, is looking for a translator and it's a part-time job that he is certain that I can do it.

It was a new thing for me. Though professional part time work is not very common for 19 years old young people in my place. I am used to part-time work. I teach/tutored English to KIDS in my neighborhood since I was in 10 grade (SMA kls 1). I am a freelance typist (for many university students around my neighborhood) during thesis and dissertation months. Our family also contracted to handle SIL (Summer Institute of Linguistic) guest house. So all hands on deck for that.

However, being a part timer-out side my house, doing translation and during conflict period where 'Muslim and Christian' are killing each other are something I need to take a long consideration for. I think Bung Alto saw my hesitation. He encouraged me to give it a try or at least come down to the office to have a look and to learn more about the job. He told me if I made up my mind, I should come down to the office this afternoon after lunch.

We went our separate ways. I went for lunch with one of my friend. Then I decided why not. I asked my friend to accompany me there. She was scared because she said the area is at the border, the no man's land' she called it. I once again hesitated. but God is good. Along came another friend of mine, a young man who had a crush of my friend. He said the situation is conducive now and many soldiers are guarding the place. He thought it will be OK for us to go to that office because it is a neutral zone.

The office was located in the basement/parking ground of a Hotel. It is located in so called 'border' or 'neutral' area. After reporting to check points we walked though an alley and then turned to some small streets and entered through the parking lot. It was a simple office with partitions for work quarters. A young woman greeted me. I told her I am here to see Bung Alto (I didn't even know his last name that time). Suddenly a familiar face bobbed from one of the work quarter and that familiar face broke to a reassuring smile. He asked me and my friends to come and sit at the couch and to wait there.

He went in to one of the office door. Then came out and said that I can go in and talk to his bosses.
I went to talk with Anna and Nick, I forgot what they asked me in the beginning but towards the end I began to feel like it's a work interview. The last question Nick asked me was, 'Do you have your CV with you?". I said I didn't have any. Both Nick and Anna then looked a bit confused to why am I here for. I told them about the information from Alto and that I wanted to learn more. I think, Anna went out and talk with Alto then she came in again and said they would like to test me. I said OK.

I went out and Alto was smiling. I think in that situation, I may misunderstood Alto and maybe I do not hear him saying that I actually went in for an interview or perhaps he did it on purpose... I don't know... and it doesn't matter. Hehehe...

They asked a woman called Wendy, I think she's a consultant. She brought out some documents and asked me to translate some paragraphs and to put it in writing. Then she asked me to translate other paragraphs orally. After 30 minutes, she said we are done and asked me to wait at the couch with my friends. They called me back in few minutes later and they said they wanted to contract me as a translator for their program. I said Yes of course. Then they asked another question with left me dumbfounded. "How much do you think you wanted to ask for salary?". I excuse myself to go to Bung Alto. I told him why do they ask that? what should I say? Should I say a number figure? He chuckled and explain to me what it means. So yes... the rest is history...

That is the beginning of my career as Translator and Interpreter (Written and Simultaneously). This took me of amazing journey and adventure both personally and professionally. I tasted the work of Translator and Interpreter in East Timor, Australia, Philippine, Singapore, and around Indonesia. I also met my husband there at that office. He was a new comer for Program Staff.

So you see Vin, my friend and Sister. Be proud of your brother. Be proud of your family. God made each one of us a blessing to others. It is matter of how we respond and act upon it that counts. Your brother has done this with his life (and I am sure you do too). I am sure he has changed many lives he has come across. He sure does changes mine.

Be blessed..-

Teaching 'Little Monsters'

So, I did say somewhere in this virtual world that I will be writing updates on my new teaching level at MLC this Quarter. Well, I recently took charge of the KIDS English class at our Language center, Marlene's Language Center (MLC). One thing that you need to keep in mind, I have come to understand and accept that teaching elementary (primary) School level students is not my strong forte. Seriously! Hats off to Kindergarten Teachers, Pre-school Teachers and Elementary School Teachers. They are the actual hero in Education. Without them, this nation... ANY nation... and Humanity are lost and crumble to pieces...

The English Department of our Language center has a separated KIDS levels and grouping which are separated from the Regular Class (and leveling). KIDS level caters 1st grades to 6th grades Elementary School students. Junior High School will enter through Regular Classes (BASIC, BEGINNER, INTERMEDIATE, ADVANCE). Some of these Elementary students that have been with us for a while and have shown amazing growth in skills and knowledge thus are in Regular class despite still being an elementary school students.

Anyway... I found the above picture on the web and it strikes me as such a powerful way to sum up my experience teaching the KIDS class (Well... I taught 3 session of 2 hours each... that will count as experience). It is a different matter if you are just spending time and playing with them. However, if you have a learning goals and 'curricula' to adhere to, and not to mention teaching KIDS is not your strong forte,.... things can get a little frustrated. Some of you reading this might think, "Well, you need to follow their lead", "don't get attached to the lesson plan", "don't be too strict" etc etc etc...
Well good for you if you can do it well! You had it in you and that's a blessing. Here is my story of someone who do not have 'it' (or perhaps hasn't found it) and is trying to figure it out how to balance everything.

I consider the 3 sessions I have with them as a success: for me as a teacher, for them as the students and for my learning plan. For myself: I have little patience for whiny students. I understand and can handle the small one (1st, 2nd and 3rd grades) but I have little tolerance to the bigger kids who whines, acting like a spoilt brat, plain nuisance etc.. or in my local language 'caciwe'. However, after careful examination, I have able to determine the cause of each 'problematic' kids. This prompt the need to separate the class in to smaller group. (Currently we have 12 - 15 KIDS in one diverse level class. I have already arranged new classes). Here's hoping that the smaller group by learning pace is manageable. For the students, all in all I think they enjoy it. As any kids would they eagerly embrace the fun learning activities. (It is I who need to maintain the tempo and make sure the gaps and attention span are balance). Many of them showed up 30 - 45 minutes before time because they can't wait to come to class. I am happy to see this. For my learning plan, I am learning a lot. Indeed teaching young learners English is one of the most challenging yet amazing experience ever.

Kids or young learners have very (I mean VERY) little attention span. so I am working hard to use the 1.5 to 2 hours learning time we have together to be beneficial for their learning.

I am learning too... to adjust expectation, to know how to discipline, to be creative and fun in dealing with the combination of ultra Hyper KIDS, Very silent ones, Lack of motivation ones, trouble makers, etc etc... May God bless this endeavors and granted me strength, wisdom and joy.

DISCLAIMER:
So, before I end this entry I think I need to make a clarification.
Please know that when the title says "Teaching 'Little Monsters'", I have no intention to call my students monsters. Little monsters is written in between singe quotes, signifying the little monster (the scary feeling) in me that I need to tackle. If anything, My little students taught me to conquer my fear, that little monster in me.