Evidence that Playing is good and educational enough!

"By preschool, the brain can handle larger numbers and is struggling to link three crucial concepts: physical quantities (seven marbles, seven inches) with abstract digit symbols (“7”), with the corresponding number words (“seven”). Lessons like the one Ms. Andzel taught are meant to fuse this numeric trinity, which is crucial for understanding basic math in kindergarten.

Children begin recognizing geometric shapes as early as 18 months, studies find; by preschool, the brain can begin to grasp informal geometric definitions."


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/21/health/research/21brain.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2

Education acquired thru everyday living

I always said...when there's a need for it..Jnr will learn it.

So far, he's proved me right. Everytime someone question our homeschooling decisions, whether we're qualified enough, whether Jnr will be learning the right thing, blah blah blah.

My standard answer is "Look at him...is he coming across to you as stupid, ignorant and mute? Uable to understand you or communicate sort of boy!!??" The answer is always inevitably a dragging "No..ooo.... BUT what about exams?"

ARRRRGGHHH and LOL!!!


Well, I will say to the person...do you think Jnr is smart enough for you? Did he not asnwer all your questions? Did he not entertained you of his latest car and speed passion? Did he not informed you of his pocket money budget?


The answer is yes....BUT what about exams?


I replied "What is the exams for? What good doe sit do? Did Jnr not past the exam you just imposed on him? Surely he must have passed with flying colours for he answered each and every of your questions wonderfully....you seemed happy with the conversation you had with him. Jnr has proved to you he is an intellectual, intelligent child who is able to answer questions and conduct conversation in proper grammer. He has not provide you any reason to think I am failing him...so why would you still be so worried about me not teaching him anything LOL!?"


"But...."


The moral of this story is...there will always be a BUT. People has been led to think exams is a must and is a very important component of our lives. The people believes to be examined and measured is the right way forward, to be able to categorised each other so that each other knows where in the society one stands.

These people will forever be blinkered and unable to see alternatives....despite it being smack right in front of thier face.


The proof that osmosis learning works ....is in the pudding, as they all say. Just looking at Jnr...I can see he is growing up fine....just like any "school going" 9 yrs old, if not better I dare say.


Informal Learning: An Interview With Dr Alan Thomas MSc, PhD, FBPsS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kakCOKJ9AUE

The Importance of Touch

I am a true believer in touch-healing. I love massages not only for that momentary 1 hour of "me-time peace" it brings to my mind...but also that noticeble beneficial healings tp my body and skin, that inevitably trails after that one massage session. In short...massages to me is therapy. And regular therapies is what I offer to my son.

I am constantly either massaging DS's feet when we're watching tv, or stratching his back, or rubbing his back whenever I'm near him. It is second nature to me for I am a very tactile person. Becoz of this, it is hard for me to say if any of this "touchings" is healing or beneficial to DS for it is an ongoing thing without any observations.

Until...recently, due to a death in the family, staying in a different country, I have totally lost my routine, and having to spend alot of time apart from Junior, I then realised Junior is beginning to get very hyper and out of control again. I then realised the lack of "contact" between us of which i quickly resume my mini massages for him.

Strangely enough, preceeding this phase of hyperness, I have failed to recognised Junior's own recognisaton of his tactile sensory needs...many times he has asked me to be just sitting next to him...he just wants to be close to me. Even in the morning, he would rather stay in bed with me, snuggle up. Bedtime was all about lots of lots of back scratches, unable to switch off. Junior was exhibiting signs of clumsyness as in he is beginning to be bumping and banging into things. His energy level is high, un-able to control his power in most everything like crashing into us when walking or running to us, constantly rolling and playing on the floor, shadow fighting with lots of flipping and rolling on the floor.

How silly of me to have missed all these signs of his skin sensory is seeking input/ feeding.

So, it is back to whole body massages for Junior, and mini foot massages too and lots of bear hugs too.