Day 106: Entrance Exam

I'm so sure hubby and I were the more anxious ones today during our children's entrance exam at BCS.  We might as well be the ones taking the exam as evidenced by clammy hands and sweaty foreheads. Our daughter, Caitlin breezed through her preschool test by confidently following the teacher's instructions and answering the paper test in front of her. 

This was so unlike my very own experience 33 years ago when my parents took me to Maryknoll CSC for the entrance test. They brought me to the school a total of three times - the first two were unsuccessful attempts to let me take the exam as I would be kicking and screaming upon being ushered into the room. During the third and final attempt (which turned out to be the last chance to take the test), my Mom gave the ultimatum - if I didn't willingly go with the teacher to take the exam, I won't be able to go to school. Well, I went in, took the test and came out grinning from ear-to-ear half an hour later. I remember my parents telling the story of what I said upon emerging from the examination room, "Hay, ganun lang pala yun exam, may mga tanong lang...akala ko naman parang injection sa doktor yun..." - classic epic fail of my preschool life.

As incoming Grade Two, I'm sure nothing prepared our son, Jarred, for the two-hour, more than 10-page test he encountered this morning.  If he was nervous or afraid, you wouldn't see it...he faced the challenge head on and didn't give up until he finished all pages (despite feeling some pangs of hunger midway through the exam).

My hats off to the resilience and tenacity of children today...they're growing up more confident and ready for the world compared to how we were when we were their age.

The exam results won't be in until after Holy Week...until then, we will just keep praying that God's will be done. Everything is in God's hands now...

Day 221: First Quarter Exams

The dreaded First Quarter Exam week is finally here. From today until Friday, my son and the rest of his schoolmates will put to test what they've learned so far this school year.

I can only hope and pray that the review and preparations we did over the weekend were enough for my Jarred Andrei to hurdle the exams.

Day 219: Review

Examinations are dreaded by most if not all students. Well, as a parent, I also dread the coming of quarter exams since it means a toxic week of intense review. Ever since Jarred was in Kinder I, I've made it a point to prepare printed reviewers based on their lesson coverage. I discovered that doing such really makes him more interested in review and testing than just going through his books or notes. 

It does take some deal of preparation on my end (I need to have the pointers ready a week before exams) but the review proper becomes a breeze once the sample tests are ready and printed out.

If it makes my son's work much easier, I'd gladly take on the sacrifice each quarter to prepare his reviewers for him. For parents who need help on making such sample exams for their children, I've made the ones for Mathematics and Science available on Google Docs.

Day 19: Exams and Reviewers

Today is Jarred's 2nd exam day in school for the 3rd quarter this year.

Since the year began, I've made it a habit to make reviewers for him based on his daily school activities and tests.  It is so much easier to do the review with him using these than when I used to write the reviewers by hand.

Jarred likes the pictures I paste and the organization of the questions.  It does take some work and a lot of time but whenever I see my son appreciate my effort and the effect on his own school performance, it's all worth it!