Mental Arithmetic Class For My 5 Yr Old

Its been quite some time since I posted any updates on my brat.   Its been routine stuff mostly ie school and some weekend classes that we send him too.     Since Jan, we decided to keep him a little more busier cos he just spends too much time on TV especially on weekends.

We have started him on mental arithmetic classes twice a week as well as an arts and craft class on Sundays.   Our choice was one academic lesson and one extra curricular activity (eg art, music or sports).

The first 2 weeks was tough.  He didnt enjoy the mental arithmetic class because his teacher was a little more strict with him compared to his kindy teacher.    Perhaps this is a light dose of how a primary chinese school environment would be compared to the current montessori environment he goes too.

He didnt want to go and would sulk every time I reminded him that he has classes today, etc.    Not only it was tough for him, I think the teacher also found it tough to teach him - cos he would not sit still - even for 10 seconds!   Instead of doing concentrating on his work, he would look around, see his friends book, play with his rubber, sharpen his pencils, day dream or go to the toilet every 5 mins.   Thats what the teacher told me .. and I totally believe her cos thats exactly what he does at home as well .. sigh.  

On week 3, I heard some magic words!   The teacher told me that she finds Bryan a really smart boy!  Just that he cant sit still for a longer period of time .. hahaha.   Since then, it has been quite a smooth journey.   I guess the teacher found a way to communicate better with him.   Most of the time now, he enjoys the classes.  After 6 months, the lessons are getting tough.   Even mommie and daddie have to think twice how to get the answer correctly using the correct method on his abacus.  If that day the teacher taught him a new chapter or bigger set of numbers, he would usually get 5 or 6 out of 20 wrong.  And that would put him in a really bad mood.   He would then come home with a black long face and tell us that he got so many wrong answers!!   We then have to sayang him and encourage him and promise him that the next lesson, we will ask the teacher to teach him again so that he can get all the answers correct - then his mood is better and cheers up instantly.   And true to behold, in the next class, he would proudly tell us that he got all correct answers that day!  That's my boy, very moody if he gets them wrong and very happy when he gets them all correct.

Its been 6 months now and we are happy with his progress.   Not only in mental maths but we are also proud that he has picked up Mandarin speaking as well.   I have mentioned to the teacher when we first registered Bryan there, that we plan to send him to a chinese primary school and preferred that the teacher speak to him in Mandarin although he could hardly speak a word then.    Now he is willing to speak Mandarin naturally even at home but its usually English with me and Mandarin with daddie, which works perfectly.

When he turns 6 next year, we will stop the arts and crafts class and enrol him into a sport, either golf or badminton as well as some leisure swimming lessons.   And if he prefers, either drums or piano.   He did mention he wants guitar lessons ... so we'll see.

What other extra or enrichment classes does your kid attend?