For the first time ever, Irfan gets an award for an academic achievement in school. I not just proud of him, but grateful to all my friends in meatspace and cyberspace who gave Ain and I suggestions and solutions to how to get Irfan interested in reading and to learn, even as I suspected of him having a mild learning disability. Some of them even sent books for him to read. Also, when Irfan played more tabletop games this year, he gets better at his studies. Coincidence? I think not!
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Back to School in 2011
Also, the first post of 2011. [[image:2011-01-03-school-opens02.jpg::center:0]] This year, Irfan began his proper Islamic classes; three hours in the morning, ending about two and a hours before regular afternoon school starts. It was not as difficult as I thought it would be for him. He appeared to like going to the new school, and several of his regular school friends are there. But that seems to be the way of things normally anyway. Here in Pandan Indah, he has more friends and acquaintances than his parents considering the number of other students he socialises with at school. [[image:2011-01-03-school-opens01.jpg::center:0]] He calmly underwent the short interview with the headmaster – a friendly fellow – who asked him some questions to see in which class he would be placed. [[image:2011-01-03-school-opens03.jpg::center:0]] The following day, upon dropping him off we saw him immediately lining up with his class for morning assembly. He appeared to be […]
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Visit to Putrajaya
A few weeks ago before the school break ended, Irfan followed his tuition centre group on a visit to Putrajaya where they visited the botanical gardens, among other places. This was the first time he went on a trip with the group. Although he came back tired, he said he had fun. Irfan recently obtained the photos they took during the excursion. One of the first thing I thought of telling Irfan was that I played in the rubber plantations which was ubiquitous in Sitiawan when I grew up there. Then, I remembered that they’ve all been mostly replaced by houses, rows of shophouses or palm oil instead. Guess I have to show him photos of it instead.
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A Sporting Event For Irfan’s School
Irfan handed us the letter from school early this week saying that Friday morning is sports day! The pre-school and Years 1, 2 and 3 classes’ sports day to be precise. The older primary kids will have theirs on Sunday. Early Friday morning, Irfan’s mom and dad was there, all eager to see Irfan in action on the field. His year only had one game, which was pulling a ball across the field with a hoop. Nothing much to talk about there, so here’s a bunch of pictures with accompanying captions. Above: Can you spot Irfan during the initial assembly of short humans? Above: Irfan and friends walks in a column from the assembly area toward the school field. Above: In the very hot sun… very, very hot sun… Irfan’s class 1 Ikhlas during the walk-by. Above: Waiting under the kids’ tent, Irfan traded is now-empty tumbler of orange juice […]
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Moments of Transitions
In anticipation of Irfan’s schooling days, we bought a new desk for him, which came by pretty cheap at Carrefour. After hauling the furniture, allowing it to percolate for 2 days before assembling it last weekend, Irfan finally had a Homework Desk. However, he didn’t seem too interested about it… until his first homework was assigned. Comparing with some of his photos in the rotating, blue-tinged header images on this blog, it seems like he’s really changing fast from being a little kid to a big kid. We see him hard at work, in the picture above. He learned what the colour ochre looked like just minutes earlier. After his homework, he planned on doing his Ben 10 jigsaw puzzle which is current favourite activity. He’d already done it twice before working on his homework. But before he could start on the jigsaw puzzle, there was a knock on the […]
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The Long, Twilight Struggle
With preschool ending last year, it’s now time for Irfan to experience actual public school education, warts and all. Waking up earlier than he is wont to, Irfan took a bath, suited up and had some breakfast to eat, namely some freshly fried noodles. The previous night he tried togo to bed with wearing his tie. Unfortunately, he fell asleep at the table before he could even grab a bite: Then he rides down the elevator where the car awaits to take him to school. (Of course I had to drive the car, not him): He kisses his mother goodbye in his class before saying, “Mom. You and dad can go home now.” : During the assembly, it’s not too difficult to spot Irfan in the crowd. It’s like he’s surrounded by Nelwyns: We very much hope at this point he won’t captured by brownies, accosted by trolls and incinerated […]
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Packed Lunch is Packed
After only bring in sandwiches for snacks at kindergarten, Irfan brought an awesome looking packed lunch in his schoolbag which consisted of awesome meehoon goreng that Ain fried earlier in the morning He finished it off at lunch. I love the little fork and spoon set attached!
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Irfan Goes To School – After A Fashion
Irfan is now registered as a Standard 1 student at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pandan Indah. He is in fact the 32nd student to be registered at the school for the 2009 intake. There were a few observations that we made about the school when we registered him there today. The school staff seem to prefer Waja as their vehicle of choice. Note to self: Find out why their preference seem to be similar. Is it because of something sinister like a Nyarlathotep cult-like thing that permeates the school? Or is Proton trying very hard to market their cars to teachers? School administration offices appear to look exactly the same anywhere in the country. Same old front desk counter, clerk tables, sofa for visitors and even the cluster of potted plants, which all looks eerily familiar for both Ain and I after twenty years. Apart from the flat screen computer monitors, I […]
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