1st Parent-Teacher Conference (PTC) at the Kids’ New School

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It is another school year here (in the Philippines).  My kids transferred to new school. Well, my eldest Thea is a returning student for she spent few years there, from Kindergarten to Grade Two. She’s now in Grade 7, while Yohan is in Grade 2. 
Classes officially started last Monday but before that, I attended the 1st PTC and Orientation last  June 12 and 16. Meetings for each department were conducted separately.  
During the Junior High orientation, parents were informed about the rules of the school and marking system. Apart from that, we also got acquainted about the 7 C’s of 21st Century Learning during the Primary School session.  This serves as one of the guiding principles of the new K to 12 curriculum.
For the year, their school is banking on strong partnership among parents and teachers.  This is a very good idea because it not only encourage the parents to support their children but will also keep communication lines with the school open. This will greatly benefit the learners, just like the facilitators emphasized during the meetings.  
So far, the kids are enjoying their first week at school. They have lots of stories about their experiences during the day.  And that makes learning fun and exciting! 

2016 Back to School Checklist

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We’re getting ready for a brand new school year

Back to school shopping for my children is scheduled on Saturday. To make sure that we will not miss any item, I prepared a handy shopping list. 

  • Uniforms
  • Black shoes
  • Rubber Shoes
  • Backpacks 
  • Lunch bag/kits 
  • White socks 
  • White sando and other under garments 
  • Hair accessories (for Thea)
  • hankies and towels
  • Various school supplies and materials.  I want to buy supplementary materials like LEGO blocks, books, and tons of art supplies
Likewise, we will push through with our plan to improve their study area. We need to purchase a bookshelf that will also serve as a divider, study table and chair, and hopefully a dependable printer for the kids’ school assignments and projects.  I’m excited decorate their study room. It will also serve as my blogging space whenever they’re not using it, hehe. 
How about you moms and dads, what are your preparations for the incoming school year? On the other hand, what is your take on militant groups urging presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte to scrap K to 12? 
Share your thoughts in the comments section below this post. Ciao! 

Back To School

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After two months of summer vacation here in the Philippines, around 25.7 million students troop down to schools today, whether in public or private school, from preschool to college. The Department of Education (DepEd) did all the necessary preparations such as the Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE) and Brigada Eskwela or National Schools Maintenance Week. Despite all the efforts of the local and national government, hundreds and thousands of teachers cry for pay hike and improve Philippine education system. That’ what I’ve seen and read in the news last weekend. 

How about us, parents – are we ready yet? and how about the students, are they excited in going back to school?

I’m sure our children were pre-occupied with various things during summer. Some engaged in sports, others enrolled in arts and music-related classes (ballet, voice, playing musical instrument and the like) while other kids plainly enjoyed each and every minute of it just like my little girl over here. She had a blast in out-of-town trips in Antipolo, Nueva Ecija, and just recently she visited her Grandma in Sorsogon. I let her enjoy summer to bits. I think by letting her do all the she loves make her all the more excited to go back to school, especially now that she transferred to a new one. For her, new school means new environment, new teachers and new friends. 


Many kids are excited to go back to school. Some are anxious on the first day high though. Dread it or love it , kids need to go to school for a better future. To combat the first-day problem, I’m sharing some tips for you and your children:

1. Help first-timers like nursery student (for preschool), elementary first grader, first year high school/secondary, and college freshman to familiarize his/her new school environment. Bringing him/her to the school days prior the opening of classes will help him/her explore the different parts of the school. 
2. Most new kids  and freshmen are scared, shy or feel mixed emotions during the first day. So, watch out of the symptoms of anxiety. Don’t take them for granted. It is important to talk to the child as well the school staff to discuss the issues and find appropriate solutions. 
3. Have a menu of  healthy, nutritions and energy-boosting foods for the kids’ snacks and/or lunch.
4. If you find it hard to wake them up early in the morning, adjusting their sleeping pattern might help. Avoid watching TV or playing computer games until wee hours of the morning.
5 . Encourage your child to join campus clubs, and sport activities. This is a good venue of learning new skills and at them time gaining new friends.