This is my season of humblebrag so allow this proud mother to unravel after enduring a school year filled with tears, screams, and laughter.
The twins bid Grade 2 goodbye with the report cards below. Teacher Marycrist has been helpful in their learning journey during this pandemic. It has been a crazy year for me. But I can honestly say that Nick and Toni have learned so much this year compared to the two years that they were enrolled in a private school.
They are now able to speak Binisaya more fluently and are more adept in writing narratives. They can speak some words in Filipinos. They learned to play the ukulele, sang and dance more than the usual, and faced Math with daring hearts. I love how interested they are about geography and community engagement; how the lessons on hygiene and nutrition are discussed like the next best thing since Armstrong walked on the moon; and how they love to make art out of discarded cardboard boxes (even if that also includes the huge box where my sewing machine once was).
We also bid public school goodbye as we embrace homeschooling “full time.” Rather than concerning ourselves on catching up with textbook-driven lessons, we chose to teach our children practical life lessons and courses/subjects driven by their interests. It fits our family culture of reading and learning together. There’s a hammock outside our house which has since become the center of the kids’ outdoor activities.
I’ve turned down job offers and worthy projects to serve as their teacher. Some days I love it; other days I question my decisions.
But I always try to find time to write and teach (other learners) and consult with my clients on matters surrounding communication, journalism, languages, education, social development, and literacy.
I treat myself to wine nights and occasional trips and Zoom sessions with friends when I can just laugh in total abandon.
It’s never easy. But I find joy in witnessing how my children embrace genuine learning. We are free from a system that forces learners to accomplish unrealistic goals because some government bureaucrat told them so. My children are happier; they laugh more often. Isn’t that what we always want for them?
