Open Day at Taylor's College 28thJune2011

Taylor's College has opened their door to homeschoolers. Acceptance into their preU programmes is on a case by case basis. SATs or O-Levels are the usual prerequisites. O-levels need not be taken in one seating, there was a case where the student took O-levels in 2 separate seatings - 5 subjects each. If Malay is not one of the subjects taken, the student has to take 40hours of Malay.

I didn't get to hear much of what the people at Taylor's had to say as I had to entertain Ean in the Staff Lounge. Well, they did have a nice place for the staff to relax and unwind.

One parent came out from the Lecture Theater asking me what the conclusion of the talk was...ummmm.....
From what I heard, the lecturers were impressed with one homeschooler that took charge of his own learning, hounded his lecturers before lessons to grill them about the lessons held the previous day and became valedictorian for his year.

The kids had the opportunity to conduct a science experiment in the Chemistry Lab

The lecturer giving instructions.

The kids were excited to wear lab goggles and couldn't wait to get started.

JY did an experiment on calculating specific heat capacity. She was disappointed when she realised that there was little to do besides boiling water and taking the temperature.

The lab set up. Test tube holders, funnel and beakers under the bench.

The younger kids conducted an experiment that didn't require close proximity with a naked flame and bubbling steaming hot water.

Some gizmos - light bulb and meter

The younger kids measured the conductivity of sugar and baking soda

Using the thermometer and watching water boil. Safety goggles were ignored and left on the bench.

Burettes left to dry upside down.

It was a wonderful opportunity for the kids to see the insides of a science lab and experience a lab session for themselves.

Experiencing Kindergarten for the 1st time 11April2011

KHao refused to go to kindergarten after spending the morning with his homeschooling cousins. He finally relented when we told him we would escort him into class. His kindergarten is in Ipoh town, next to the Primary school he will eventually attend. No playground in the compound, just rows of classrooms.

Ean looking at students walk by two by two with their hands on their hips.

With a backward glance, KHao bids farewell to his cousins.

Ean wanted to go in.

KHao has 40 classmates. The teacher's classroom management skills must be amazing to handle forty 5 year olds. No peeking allowed.

Punishment?

my thoughts on JY and school

You simply can't miss JY's latest post in her blog : Do you know the cupcake girl?

JY is an unschooler and proud to be one.
She wasn't always one though.
She did spend one year in N2 and K1 and a year and a half in primary school.
The moment I could quit my job, I homeschooled her.
Then we spent a year deschooling ourselves after spending 6 miserable and frustrating months attempting a syllabus at home ( I had a hard time letting go of the idea that homeschool means school at home. As in a set up where there are textbooks, workbooks and a timetable to adhere to and she had a tendency to ask me "What shall I do now?") before embarking on our unschooling journey.

Now at 12 she has morphed into Karen Cuppy Cake.

Now she tells me what SHE wants to do and tells me what she needs to accomplish her next chosen task. She does her own research, gets her books on Amazon and sets her own standards.

After reading a recent homeschool discussion online, I had fleeting thoughts on enrolling one of my boys into a school.
It is not that unschooling is not working for him...it is just that I feel that he is the academic sort, someone who would do well collaborating with other brains, doing research .....then I had second thoughts....because collaboration is not allowed in school...it is called "cheating" and what I have in mind for him only happens in tertiary level.