Antagonist
I wish I have more patience and better diplomacy.
Dominic told me today that his Chinese teacher asked them to bring a clear plastic bag to put all the things they need for Chinese class so that whenever they have Chinese class, they just need to bring out that bag and not waste time taking things out one by one.
Here's the problem : things like school diary (for recording homework) and pencil case are used for other classes as well, so I don't see how they can be incorporated into the plastic bag. If we don't count these two items, then there are only the textbook and the workbook/spelling book/worksheets. Worksheets are already in folders. So we are left with just one or two items. I don't see how putting them into plastic bags will significantly impact efficiency. In fact, if this teacher could only do what the other teachers are doing - collecting the workbook and only tearing out the relevant pages to distribute to the kids - the kids will have one less book to deal with (and a lighter bag). The fact that she insists on the kids bringing the workbook back and forth already irritates me no end.
I flatly told Dominic 'no'. His bag is pretty organised as it is and I hate to have to mess up organisation with impractical and o-biang practice of using plastic bags. But I worked out a solution of some sort by telling Dominic to always pack his books in the same order so that he does not need to hunt for the right book. After all, there are not many books in the bag to begin with, so I don't see why we have to go into all that trouble of using plastic bags.
Btw, it is the same teacher who gave out sanitary napkin bags to the class to keep their flashcards. Gosh! She really must have a plastic bag fetish. I hate it.
I discussed with Richard and got his agreement to use the 'no, if she (teacher) has a problem with it, ask her to call me' card.
The next thing is the intellectually-challenged PV who keeps chasing the kids when they are having their lunch. Kids who reached school early probably loiter around the canteen and concourse area to play or eat. So PVs are told to chase them to the hall for assembly at 12:30pm.
But some kids, like Dominic, have classes in the morning and are only dismissed for lunch at 12pm. That means they only have 30 minutes for lunch, which is the same amount of time allocated for recess. Logically, lunch should be given a longer time since it is a full meal and not just a snack. What makes things worse is that PVs will start chasing the kids to go to the hall even before 12:30pm. The kids are so harrassed they cannot finished their lunch. Dominic is not the only one. Another mommy complained to me that her daughter also couldn't eat her lunch. The girl would buy a bowl of noodle, and because the noodle was hot, she had to eat slowly. But because she was hurried, she had to give up after eating a bite or two.
Last term, that mommy called up the school to complain about the over-zealousness of the PV. I also wrote an email to ask the school to either push forward the morning lesson time, or allow these kids to just have 15 minutes more to eat and join the assembly later. (I didn't get a word of reply at all. So much for open communication.) For a while, it seemed like things improved a bit. PVs were told to cut these kids some slack.
But today, again, Dominic complained about being hurried. I always meet him at around 12:25pm to collect back his lunch box and pass him his snack box. His class ends at 12pm. So I know for a fact that it was not because he took his time eating. He really did not have time. Told him to tell the PV he need more time to eat and 'if she (PV) has a problem with it, ask her to call me'.
I know this is hardly setting the right tone for inculcating a healthy respect for authority. But as I said, I just lack the patience and diplomacy to deal with such things.
Looks like I need to call the school regarding the PV and lunch issue again. : (
Dominic told me today that his Chinese teacher asked them to bring a clear plastic bag to put all the things they need for Chinese class so that whenever they have Chinese class, they just need to bring out that bag and not waste time taking things out one by one.
Here's the problem : things like school diary (for recording homework) and pencil case are used for other classes as well, so I don't see how they can be incorporated into the plastic bag. If we don't count these two items, then there are only the textbook and the workbook/spelling book/worksheets. Worksheets are already in folders. So we are left with just one or two items. I don't see how putting them into plastic bags will significantly impact efficiency. In fact, if this teacher could only do what the other teachers are doing - collecting the workbook and only tearing out the relevant pages to distribute to the kids - the kids will have one less book to deal with (and a lighter bag). The fact that she insists on the kids bringing the workbook back and forth already irritates me no end.
I flatly told Dominic 'no'. His bag is pretty organised as it is and I hate to have to mess up organisation with impractical and o-biang practice of using plastic bags. But I worked out a solution of some sort by telling Dominic to always pack his books in the same order so that he does not need to hunt for the right book. After all, there are not many books in the bag to begin with, so I don't see why we have to go into all that trouble of using plastic bags.
Btw, it is the same teacher who gave out sanitary napkin bags to the class to keep their flashcards. Gosh! She really must have a plastic bag fetish. I hate it.
I discussed with Richard and got his agreement to use the 'no, if she (teacher) has a problem with it, ask her to call me' card.
The next thing is the intellectually-challenged PV who keeps chasing the kids when they are having their lunch. Kids who reached school early probably loiter around the canteen and concourse area to play or eat. So PVs are told to chase them to the hall for assembly at 12:30pm.
But some kids, like Dominic, have classes in the morning and are only dismissed for lunch at 12pm. That means they only have 30 minutes for lunch, which is the same amount of time allocated for recess. Logically, lunch should be given a longer time since it is a full meal and not just a snack. What makes things worse is that PVs will start chasing the kids to go to the hall even before 12:30pm. The kids are so harrassed they cannot finished their lunch. Dominic is not the only one. Another mommy complained to me that her daughter also couldn't eat her lunch. The girl would buy a bowl of noodle, and because the noodle was hot, she had to eat slowly. But because she was hurried, she had to give up after eating a bite or two.
Last term, that mommy called up the school to complain about the over-zealousness of the PV. I also wrote an email to ask the school to either push forward the morning lesson time, or allow these kids to just have 15 minutes more to eat and join the assembly later. (I didn't get a word of reply at all. So much for open communication.) For a while, it seemed like things improved a bit. PVs were told to cut these kids some slack.
But today, again, Dominic complained about being hurried. I always meet him at around 12:25pm to collect back his lunch box and pass him his snack box. His class ends at 12pm. So I know for a fact that it was not because he took his time eating. He really did not have time. Told him to tell the PV he need more time to eat and 'if she (PV) has a problem with it, ask her to call me'.
I know this is hardly setting the right tone for inculcating a healthy respect for authority. But as I said, I just lack the patience and diplomacy to deal with such things.
Looks like I need to call the school regarding the PV and lunch issue again. : (