If all Goes Well

If all goes well, well, by this time next year I should have a few kids running around after nap, doing some fun relaxing stuff, right here in my house.

There has been conversations, plans, imaginations, excitements... It all started with what has went wrong in the current workplace and hey, a quick chat with the brother and here we are. All inspired and excited about it.

I've always dreamed of my own school. Small, cosy, yet well equipped. Not in terms of fancy telescopes and great big white boards, but with toys and costumes, along with various recycled yet useful scraps. I've always believed we don't need fancy stuff for school, those are just to impress shallow parents. Real parents, like the ones I have now, send their child in knowing that they are truly cared for, regardless of expensive thick paper or cardboard that is used in school.

Children come in knowing they have something to learn to today, expecting freedom to play within reasonable limits. They read to each other and help each other along the way. It's been a few months after my long holiday and I cannot tell you enough how beautiful my children are as individuals, and even so when they are together. Of course they fight and bicker and dislike each other from time to time, but so many times I catch them offering their favorite toy or book to their friends, stop to help each other so they can play better together. I see a 4 year old 'read' to a younger boy because she is the elder sister. They help the younger ones when they can't reach, make sure the little ones drink lots of water, help the weaker ones with heavier things, while the little ones take care of the smaller things like a fallen handkerchief, or turning off the running tap.

Some weeks ago came a potential parent inquiring about our program. She wasn't the easiest person on earth, to put simple. Later on, I found out that she was really unhappy with our school, with the children playing cardboxes, with so little toys, with the children just playing, when the 2 year old class doesn't have artsy craft to bring home every day or two. Frankly I was quite hurt by the feedback. Though after some careful considerations it was the mother who had unrealistic expectations, still I was hurt. After a while I started feeling sorry for the mother, for her mindset and attitude seemed rather unhealthy... So I forgave her meanness.

But you know, things like homework in preschool, spelling tests, examinations, are not even being disputed yet, it's done like it's the most natural things. Parents expect their children to magically turn into scholars when they go to school. 2 year olds are expected to bring home crafts when they start schooling. 4 year olds are expected to read and write within the first 5 months of schooling. Sad parental expectations and 1980 style schools are still running around wildly around the neighborhood forcing preschoolers to write like adults through endless meaningless homework, and parents complain when their children don't want to attend school. Parents expect their children to bring home beautiful perfect craft and teachers end up doing every child's art work so parents would be happy. Mind me, have I even mentioned the child here? The child is the machine, mummy says write well, teacher presses the button, child needs to produce beautiful essay. It's pathetic and horrifying.

Thankfully there is this group, who believes in education through play. My children come in happily, and they learn and share more than their peers. Education is not just academics, our children take part in discussions, wait patiently for their turn to participate in games, sing and dance, make up their own songs and dances, they brainstorm, imagine, create and problem solve.

By the end of kindergarten, they are as strong, perhaps stronger, than peers who attend traditional Malaysian schools. They might not be able to do their math with their eyes closed because they haven't done countless math questions that they know everything in the back of their heads, they may not be able to spell bombastic words through memorization, but academically they are at par, but above that, our  children enjoy learning, they speak for themselves well and with good manners, they care for each other and everyone, and are independent and responsible children. All seemed like the basic for humanity, which seems like common sense, are very much forgotten by our fellow preschool competitors, and most parents...