First PTM

Just on Wednesday, I attended the first PTM (Parent-Teacher meeting) .... my my, what an experience! Most parents turned up at 130pm in full swing - fathers and mothers, some mums with their maids and younger kid(s) in tow, some grandparents etc. Other than the school's official open house, this is the second time I have walked into ah girl's classroom and admire their classroom setting. Unlike the days of past, their tables and chairs look so adorably cute and their group sitting arrangement helps facilitate project work and group discussion. The small class enrolment of 26 students is also a contributory factor to enhanced learning. There were many group photos and their work proudly displayed on the walls, the cabinets, hanging down from the ceiling etc. Being a very concerned parent, I couldn't help but notice that my daughter's colouring pieces stood out among the others. That explains why she spends hours on each piece of colouring assignment so that it would be picked to be displayed in class.

The form teacher spent a good 20-30 minutes with each set of parents and showed me a breakdown of the SA1 (first semestral exam) marks for Nicole. She gave me feedback regarding her behaviour in class, group work behaviour, academic performance etc. which I found very useful. Thankfully, I did not receive comments like "Your child is very hyperactive, running around the class, inattentive etc." Instead, I was gleefully delighted that the comment was "She is among one of the best behaved students in class".

Academically wise, Nicole is only average (which means not being in the top 20% of the class) which I guess is something that my husband and I will have to learn to grapple with. We certainly dun have a genius on hand but our consolation is that she is very well-behaved and earns compliments from observers/neighbours/teachers/acquaintances/old grannies hanging around void decks and also she has assured us that she has tried her best (remember that famous quotation from that nerdy chap who dropped out of American Idol?) Nevertheless, I am glad to know that my daughter has one talent which sets her apart from her peers - her colouring skills. So maybe I should seriously consider enrolling her in some art enrichment class??? NAFA??? LaSalle???

Coming back to reality though (just like the bulk of educated parents with high expectations caught in this never-ending paper-chase), we will continue to drill her with more practice so that she is secure in Band 1 across her subjects. Her sustained fever during the exam period also made it difficult for her to concentrate and focus compared to days she's feeling well and fit. Needless to say, this translates into the June holidays being utilised to revise her work and do more worksheets (I am very sure Popular Bookstore is all stocked up with assessments and drill worksheets for this very same reason and parents will flock to their franchises like wild bees to honey) in between playtime.