Innovative day

At school,  there is a day that the student each gets to decide on what they want to learn about.  It could be anything.   Nathan has decided to learn how to make a robotic hands. 

This project is cool, not only that the kids have the control to learn what's interesting to them, they also get to present to their classmates.   So Nathan actually learned some other neat things that their friends learned.  

My best friend Zoe

This id Naomi's illustration of her best friend Zoe.  And she requested that I send it to her mom.  ><

Swimming selfie

Naomi has been such an awesome little swimmer ever since she got passed of her initial fear.   (Remember how she couldn't put her head in water?  And how she had to scoped water out of her hand when blowing bubbles? ) 

 

Now that she is enjoying swimming so much, every comment she received from her teachers has been positive.   She was stuck at a level for a couple of terms not because of her ability,  but due to her age. 

 

And this time,  Naomi has reached her new challenge.   She can't thread well.   I can totally see the struggling.   When she threads water,  majority of the time her head was underwater,  and she would kick really hard to push her head just above the water to catch a shallow breath and back down again.   As a mom, it is hard to watch when your child looks like she was about to drown.  (That's why you shouldn't watch your child in class). 

 

I had a talked with her teacher to see if I should be concern.  Her teacher said that he was watching over her the whole time,  but he also wanted to push her so she can get stronger.  

 

I don't know.   I couldn't decide how I feel about this.  Push her,  or let her grow progressively.   Naomi's teacher seems really good, very professional and knows what he is talking about.  But for two weeks in a row, Naomi looked like she was going to cry at the end of the class, and even said she can't breath, swallow some water, etc.  Should extracurricular be fun, or should it be hard core?  I just worry that she is going to be so turned off that she would want to learn swimming any more.

And one more thing, because they didn't have enough instructor, they were joining two levels together, and Naomi is suppose to be in the lower level, yet doing the exact same thing as the other level.  Also, he left threading water til the end of the class when she is really tired already.  I am not sure if that's an issue either. 

 

The instrutor did say at the end that he will not push her as hard as he knows where her limits is now.

A fine balance is essential. 

Dancing King

Nathan's dance move at school includes a rattlesnake scaring an elderly man, and an avalence falling off a mountain.   Em???? 

 

So I asked him to show off some of the dance move that he has been learning at school.  He said that they have to research and design their own dance move.  Watch! 

 

 

Peggy E ma ma says he looks like he doing Kung Fu :)

Making connection

In part of the grade 4 curriculum,  you are supposed to read something,  and the expectation is you should be able to make connections to your life. 

Why?

Why are you being evaluated if you are able to connect to your life? I can understand learning different ways to write paragraphs or being able to summarize (skill:  comprehension plus synthesize). 

And since the teacher's instruction on writing paragraph is bb (bold beginning), mm (mighty middle) and ee (excellent ending), you can see that Nathan's paragraph always starts with "Have you ever wondered...." .

Plus,  his teacher has been scribing for him quite a bit becasue he just couldn't finish his work....

But things are improving,  very slowly.... but one shall remain hopeful,  right! 

Abstract art?

Naomi scored level 4 on thia piece of art at school.   I asked her what this is supposed to be.  She said "No idea". 

Gundam - BB 戰士:劉備

According to Nathan:  "The gold thing is a dragon that can merge into the Gundam and become wings.   Very cool.  The ultimate move are dragon surrounding this sword,  spiraling his enemy."

Morning!

This is how she brushes her teeth.  And lately she has been liking to wear Nathan's old undershirt on the outside. ..

Little twin stars

Went over to Estella EE's house for gathering last week.  Naomi really really likes playing with Iris and Joanne that she even said yes when we asked her if she wants to sleep over at their place.

Then she put on this PJ, little twin stars.   Naomi purposely asked me to take a picture for her and send it to Iris and Joanne to show them what she is planning of wearing for the sleep over. 

NN hockey photos

Who knew that hockey would become their favourite sport?   Nathan has even expressed an interest to join select.  But select means an extra 2 nights for hockey practices / games.  Where do you find 2 extra nights per week.   The last time I checked, we still only have 7 days a week.  Em...

I guess he is going to have to decide what extracurricular he would like to give up on.  (Let me guess,  I think his first choice would be chinese school.)

Yogurt moustache

Naomi's karaoke

I can't stop dancing

I guess it's fun going shopping with mommy! 

Can you believe he is 9?

Nathan's winter concert 2014

 Well, what to say.  Nathan did good.  He was able to play the song.  But the concert was quite something.  Have you been to a concert that all the song played by all the classes were all recorder......

My family is the heart family

To: Carmen

From: Naomi

Karaoke time!!

玩自拍

Happy new year dinner!