Help on my son!

[kikaygimikera]

Mga sis, I need all your advice para sa son ko. He's in Grade 2, and kakalipat ko lang sa kanya sa isang school na may small community. Ngayon na natututukan na siya ng mga teachers, I was recently informed that he's not paying attention to ALL of his subjects. Lahat ng teachers yun ang feedback. Ang sabi, he's just drawing in his notebook and cutting out papers.

I asked my son about it, kung bakit hindi siya nakikinig, he said "I am listening, I just dont understand kasi they are speaking in English." My son knows how to speak in English pero hindi ganun ka galing. Hindi rin siya ganun nakakaintindi. Mostly taglish lang kami sa house para na ttrain din siya.

I told him to speak in English kasi the teachers will not listen to him if he speaks in Filipino. Ngayon, naiisip ko he's not that interested to learn and attention span niya sobrang baba. HE usually tells me he's bored listening in his class. Ganyan din siya sa school niya nung Grade 1. Nilipat ko siya kasi hindi siya natututukan ng mga teachers. I dont know what to do. I think na naman its not the right school for him. I want him to be interested to learn and study.

I need all your advices...

[byutijunkie]

have you taken him to a developmental pedia? baka mas matulungan ka nila.  is your son's school traditional or progressive?  parang mas bagay sa kanya ang progressive eh.  when my son was having problems last year, sinabihan ako ng teacher nya how to help him by lessening his tv time etc.  wala bang nasabi yung teachers nya kung anong dapat mong gawin?  also, about him not speaking in english, bakit mo nasabi that his teachers wont listen to him if he doesnt speak it?
 

[enilec]

Haha! That sounded pretty much like me when I was young Don't worry too much sis, hopefully ma- outgrow nya rin yang pagiging bored nya. I was worse off when I was his age. from nursery to grade 2, all I did was draw cartoons at the back of my notebook and sneak off to the playground while everyone was having their classes. Thankfully, I grew up pretty much ok, I've gotten a number of awards and medals at school and right now, I'm studying at UP Diliman. He told you his problem, so that's a start. I think kids will most likely respond when they are not forced, and when they are enjoying what they're doing. Make learning fun for him so he won't detest it. Like, he can watch fun, kid-friendly english shows, so he'll be able to catch up with the others Anyway, I think that the worst thing you can do is push him too hard-I've heard of kids who were forced so much to study and they just became mediocres later on.

[enilec]

and sis, may point si bagets, ha imagine, having a conversation with your friends tapos bigla silang lahat nag shift ng language nila to german or whatever. How will you be able to participate? And malamang,  you'll get bored listening to something you don't understand, right? Imagine how frustrating it is to your son, Coming to school everyday, not being able to understand his classmates and teachers very well.

[kikaygimikera]

Thanks po sa nag take time to read my concern and also replied.

^^^ Sis byutijunkie, hindi pa po. I am actually thinking about it (dev pedia). My son's school is clearly a traditional one. Gusto ko talaga siyang iprogressive pero hindi ko kaya. Ang mahal. I am a single mother and even if I wanted to enroll him in a progressive school hindi talaga kaya ng budget. I am thinking of buying DVD's na educational. Less ang mga power rangers, and nonsense cartoons. Tapos, nasabi ko pala yung about sa teacher not listening kasi he told me that his teachers doesnt listen to him daw kasi nagtatagalog siya. I told him he could speak in English naman.

Sis enilec, thank you medyo na feel good ako sa posts mo. Naiisip ko playful lang talaga ang son ko. Sana nga kaya kong magawang fun ang pagstudy with him. I will make time for it kahit one hour a day lang. I know its really hard for him lalo na ganun, hindi maganda kasi naging foundation niya sa previous schools niya. As in hindi talaga maayos. Kaya huling huli na siya. Gusto ko maging maayos ang studies niya with my help na din gusto ko matutukan talaga siya.

My mom was able to talk to him pala. He told my mom na mabilis daw nag teacher mag explain and he can't catch up. Mabgal daw siya.  Gusto naman siya mag-aral dat at mag english kaso putol putol daw english nya kaya hindi siya makasagot. My mom suggested ipa-tutor ko daw. What do you think?

[aquacharly]

Have his listening/ears checked. 
Start speaking straight English at home --24/7.  Check if you all speak good English - Baka he picks up his irregular English - speaking from 1 of you.   
The English tutor idea is good. But IMO,  exposure to effective English is best. So get DVDs
Nat Geo or Discovery Channel may hold your kid's interest -- the English thereon  is correct & clear.  Watch with him and share ideas - in English.   

[dara_01]

^I understand sis, I know how expensive schools now a days. You can also observe your child kung ano ang mga interests niya and you can use it as learning tool, siguro we need to be creative.  In that way, matuto child mo at may bonding moments pa kayo. you can ask him to draw landmarks etc.

If you have time, watch Disney Jr. together. you can role play in English para mapractice.

[kikaygimikera]

^^ Thanks sis. Will do. Taglish kasi kami dun sa bahay. Kaya siguro ganun. I will buy DVDs later. Naglilipat pa lang kami ng house so Im not with him until Saturday.

^ Thanks sis! Yes, thanks for your input. Naisip ko rin nga na ganun, I will make sure he'll watch shows na maayos din. Marami din kasing cartoons na hindi maganda for the kids. Tutok talaga.

[RuChe]

You can also try observing him in your home like during his study time naka-focus ba sha sa paggawa ng assignments? Pag nag-aaral sha or nagsasagot sha ng exercises sa book, nasasagutan ba nya ng tuloy tuloy? Or madali ba sha madistract for a slight noise or anything that will catch his attention. Like if me nakita shang crayon, mag-c-color na sha at makakalimutan na nya tapusin yung sinasagutan nya.

Yan kase yung mga pinagawa sa min nun nung nagkaproblem din kami sa attention ng son ko sa school. Pero sa son ko kase, na-apektuhan talaga yng mga grades nya. As in makikita mo pababa ng pababa. From all subjects na 90+, naging mostly 80+ hanggang nagkaron na ng line of 7. Kaya talagang nagworry kami nun.

[enilec]

Sis I strongly suggest that you stay away from negative thoughts as much as possible. such as huli na ang anak mo, hirap na mag catch up etc... Walang maitutulong yang thoughts na ganyan. Remember, You can attract negativity in your life by thinking negative things. You're the mother kaya try as much as possible to be strong and wag mo sana masyado maiparamdam sa son mo na your having a big problem with him, kasi baka mawalan siya ng kumpyansa sa sarili nya. Siyempre your son looks up to you so he may feel na kung ikaw na matanda na, sobrang problemado with his school activities, baka maisip niya na talagang super mahirap i-overcome yung problema niya. Try to remind yourself na you can acknowledge the problem in a productive and positive way. Your son is smart, and soon both of you will find the solution and get through these challenges

[qmoonlight]

Hi Sis, just like my son. I will suggest that bring home to the developmental pedia. They can assess and give you advise on what to do. Actually my son is diagnosed with functional autism. He went into behavioral therapy kaso na stopped namin. Since kindergarten niya he never sits down & listens to teachers, but what amazes them is pag may pinapagawa nakaka answer siya. But he has no waiting tolerance. Until now, he's in grade 1, after he answers the quiz, he will immediately get up and go out from the room. I enrolled him in a school using School of tomorrow system, yong sa kanila is mastery. There are only 15 students in a classroom. Iba yong style nila. Not the conventional one. Maybe this suits your son. Try to inquire. Until now that's my struggle on how to keep him wait but the teachers fully understands him. Sila nalang yong nag adjust for him pati classmates niya nasanay na sa kanya.

[chinita_san2007]

hi sis qmoonlight san po itong school of tom system?got the same dilemma with my son.poor waiting tolerance.tnx

[marose17]

First, address the issue of his inattentiveness.  I agree with aquacharly.  Have his ears checked to rule out any hearing deficiency.  My sons underwent a hearing test called play audiometry at Medical City when they were in preschool. This is actually a requirement in their school prior to admission to grade 1.  Your son's pediatrician may issue the referral for the audiometry.  Or you can consult a pedia-ENT/ENT.   Dr. Rina Reyes-Quintos of Medical City is a good pedia-ENT.

If his ears are okay, then there may be another reason for the short attention span, in which case, an assessment by a developmental pediatrician seems the best recourse.  There's a thread about developmental pedias.  Find it na lang.

In the meantime, cut out tv and gadgets during school days.  Read books in English to your son daily so he can build up his vocabulary.  Talk to your son in English (never Taglish; either pure English or pure Filipino) to boost his confidence in speaking the language. 

Be pro-active.  Familiarize yourself with the school curriculum by asking parents of older children about the coverage of the lessons and talking to the teacher.  Teachers, good teachers at least, welcome parents who are pro-active and will most likely accommodate any concern that you will bring up.  Your son's class adviser is in the best position to help you.  You can also supplement his lessons by buying workbooks and other textbooks available in the bookstore.

Do you study with your son?  It will help if you study with him and present the lessons in a fun way.  I play word games (synonyms/antonyms, rhyming words, etc.), mind games (Guess what I'm thinking), numbers games (I make them count and measure food ingredients or things around the house or cars on the road when we are in the car, etc.), pretend games with lessons injected therein and so on with them.  You have to catch his interest first and then include the school's lessons to make learning more fun.

[qmoonlight]

hi sis qmoonlight san po itong school of tom system?got the same dilemma with my son.poor waiting tolerance.tnx

Hi Sis, I'm in mindanao kasi,are you located in Luzon? But i heard plenty of schools in there using PACE system. I believed it's Philippine
Christian School. Our school here is using that system which I think is really good for kids. My son is now
fine. What's good in this system kasi is the student competes with himself. At natutukan talaga ang mga weaknesses niya.
Try to inquire sis.

[chinita_san2007]

yes sis im from luzon. anyway, will inquire na lang with the info that you gave. thanks sis qmoonlight. 

[px17]

Sis don't force your son. Learning should be fun. Baka dahil dun sa language kaya wala talaga siyang interest. And mejo naloka lang ako sa teacher, bakit hindi naman nila pinapansin kung nagtatagalog?

Yung younger brother ko late siya ng 1 year bago ipinasok sa school. Nung i-eenroll na siya dapat ng kinder 1 sinabi niya mismo na ayaw niya pa, syempre my parents consulted the pedia. May go signal from the pedia that it's okay pero lagi siyang may edicational activities sa house. Nung ipinasok na ng parents ko ayun laging honor. Ngayon he's in college na at achiever parin.

Kaya sis tutukan mo lang son mo. Try enrolling him sa tutor or kumon. May reading/english sa kumon. Baka makatulong sakanya yun.

[phexchanger]

We had the same dilemma before. It's either my kids are hyper like they talk and talk or drawing something yet when asked by the teacher, they can answer naman daw. Problem lang ng teacher ay naba-bother sya kasi parang di nakikinig. So, every grading period, expect na namin iyon ang feedback ng teachers We enrolled/transferred them in different schools, big and small community, same ang observations. Since ang feedback ay drawing sila ng drawing, we bought them lots of drawing materials and when at home, we let them play with other kids para medyo magamit ang pagkahyper nila.

Now they are older, they are still kind of hyper but they already found some activities that they like. Di na rin masyadong mabigat ang feedback ng teachers.

Tyagain lang ang mga anak. Try also the reward system like a gift for some good deeds but not too much It sometimes works for us, if they are interested with the reward. Or you could ask them what reward they want if they do good

[dobro]

eldest ko may functional autism din, sis qmoonlight and sis chinita_san2007, saan schools in manila/qc may PACE system, hope i can find a good school for my eldest daughter =)