1st to 4th Visit @ LEAP SchoolHouse

Structure of the Class

• Free play for 15 mins & clean up
• Hello Song 
• Gym Time
• Break time 
• Bubbles 
• Literacy:

1. Story telling 
2. Activity related to the story
3. Flash cards
4. Sorting activity

• Actions & Songs
• Goodbye song

Total Duration: 1.5 hours

For all the activities done in class, they will be compiled into a portfolio by the school and hand to you by end of the term.

Our experiences as follows:


1st Visit
Type: Trial Session

1. Story telling: The hungry giant
2. Activity related to the story: spread honey onto the bread (real); paste "honey" and "butter" onto "the giant"
3. Flash cards: bread, honey, butter
4. Sorting activity: can't remember

=)

• yx enjoyed throwing the ball (but still quite sticky to daddy and mummy)

=(

• I was quite hesitant to let yx taste the honey when the teacher offered the honey as I read that "Honey can contain spores of a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum, which can germinate in a baby's immature digestive system and cause infant botulism, a rare but potentially fatal illness." Although in general, over 1 year is considered safe, I would let her try when she turns 2. 
• I do not like the idea of testing at the end of flash cards based on Glenn Doman's methodology of teaching. I don't test yx upfront when I showed her flash cards but instead I just briefly ask her to "pick up" for me when the opportunity arise. Perhaps I should raise this to the teacher and see what she says. 

2nd Visit
Type: Trial Session (fees waived off due to wrong class assigned by the administrator; thus we only went through a 45 mins class)

1. Story telling :  The Watermelon
2. Activity related to the story: Touch the real watermelon; make a face and colour 

=)

• making a face is a good activity to understand your body parts but I think yx found it too boring as she just wanders off every now and then. 

=(

• Administrator was quite "blur". I didn't expect her to make a blunder so I just go with the flow as I don't see any major differences in the class (yx attended the "explorer" class instead of the "beanies" class.) Although the fees are waived off, I am quite frustrated as the time is wasted. 

3rd Visit (1st Class*)

1. Story telling: The hungry giant
2. Activity related to the story: spread butter and honey on bread (unreal, all using props); colour beehive and have fun with yellow paint, using fingers to "dot" (signifies the bees) onto the beehive.
3. Flash cards: beehive, bees, honey 
4. Sorting activity: types of toys into hoop

=)

• yx enjoyed the songs. 
• yx had fun with the yellow paint. 

=(

• repeated story as the 1st visit although slightly different activity.
• Only 2 toddlers (yx and another 15 mths old girl quinn) so not much interaction as I would have wanted. 

4th Visit (2nd Class)

1. Story telling: Smarty Pants
2. Activity related to the story: Pasting of textured coloured paper and felt material on printed Smarty Pants 
3. Flash cards: Aeroplane, racing car, swimming pool, thumb
4. Sorting activity: colours into hoop

=)

• yx feels more at ease now as she explored the gym more by herself as compared to previous visits.
• yx has warmed up quite a far bit to strangers as compared to the first time. She could pass objects to another toddler and even willing to hug teacher Pearlyn ! I must say hugging a stranger (as in non family members) is a big step forward for yx. 

=(

• I am getting tired of the "head and shoulders" song, I bet yx is too.
• Only 2 toddlers (yx and another 12 mths old boy Reagan) so not much interaction as I would have wanted. 

Notes:
*1st Class - Signed up for during the third visit thus considered as the 1st class of a term. The official class will be opened from 27 April onwards for the new term and for now is all trial classes for the time slot that we chose. We signed her up anyway as I will be giving birth soon (I am glad that the school allows us to signed up for 6 sessions instead of 8 - a term consists of 8 sessions given my pregnancy) and I don't think I will have the energy for yx unless daddy can handle which I doubt so. Perhaps popo can help out - let's see how.

Well, I have my fair share of attending other trial classes (ok, will follow up with a blog entry on this) before I signed up with LEAP SchoolHouse. Not that it is super fantastic (they aren't bad either), but I have come to realise the curriculum compared to others that I have attended is somewhat similar, the most important criteria is what are your child's needs and your priorities.