The advent of digital gadgets and the availability of access to the worldwide web have created a revolution in all aspects of society. One of the most challenging and promising effects of this event is the paradigm shift on the way people exchange, process, and view information. Information can now be accessed via any platform as long as there is a connection to the web. But the most appalling effect of this change is the shift in people’s reading habits and perception. The reality that even with the present advancements in technology, the basic skill of reading can never be replaced since all of these data can only become relevant if it is read and digested properly by the reader. 

Here are some ways on how you can develop the love for reading on your kids. 

The best time to develop the habit is when your kids are still young. Make it as a part of your kids’ daily routine. Assign time in a day when you can sit down with them and read together. It can be reading their favorite storybook, the daily paper, and even their textbooks. Start them early. Start them young. 

Your kids’ reading habit can be amplified if they have access to their favorite books and reading materials. You may assign a basket or box situated on a strategic place in the house, probably the living room or their respective bedrooms. If the books are stacked in a shelf, you may leave their books on the lower portion or arranged at their eye level to find their longing to read. 

Your kid’s reading trove should be based on his age, level, and interest. Habit forming is based on repetition of certain action. For kids, repeating a particular action can make them lose interest. Now, to develop their reading habit, reading materials should pique their interest and curiosity. Therefore, it is essential to provide them with reading materials that can fuel their need to know more and develop their interest further. For example, if your kids love Harry Potter books, at some point you may include in their trove readings that fall under the same genre like Percy Jackson series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Geronimo Stilton, to name a few. 

Exposing your kids to interesting reading materials and developing the habit is not enough to fully develop the skill and interest in reading. One of the most crucial things is to allow them to express their thoughts on the things that they have read. This is where probing comes into play. Make it a point to discuss what they have read or should allow them to tell the story in their own words. You may do this over dinner, during casual conversations, or even before sleeping. In this way, your kids can appreciate what they have learned on their own while reading. 

Courtesy: Manila International Book Fair Facebook Page

This is a very long post, my dear friends. Para ito sa mga batch mates and schoolmates ko sa Philippine College of Health Sciences, Inc., who worked hard to be the best and finest nurses not just in the Philippines but abroad. Para ito sa mga professors and clinical instructors namin who guided and taught us. Para ito sa mga nanay tulad ko na gumagawa ng paraan para i-improve ang sarili amidst their very demanding job as a homemaker, mother, and wife. Para ito sa mga kakilala ko at ibang tao na hindi ko kakilala na hindi nagtapos sa "top' or "prestigious" universities or colleges in the country na underestimated and discriminated.

I will always be proud to be a mom, teacher, BSN graduate, Thomasian, PNUan, and most of all, PCHSian! 

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October 29, 2018- 1:30 PM: This date will be etched in my mind and heart forever. I am writing this piece and going to share this to the entire world to serve as a reminder for all moms and the people who didn't graduate from "prestigious" universities or colleges to never stop dreaming even if you are tied with our responsibilities, never stop believing in your capabilities even if there are people who underestimate you, and never doubt in the power of your mind and body no matter how many obstacles you are facing. 

My hands are tied and as you all know, I am a full-time mom with no helper or someone to depend on to look after my child with special needs. I do freelance work, do blogging, manage my social media accounts, maintain a mom community with my mom blogger friends, and help my mom in our home-based business while homemaking. Well, It's the start of the semestral break and this is the only time that I can acquire important documents or inquire/apply for something including requirements for further studies because Hubby's at home to look after the kids. Yes, after nine years, I feel that it's about time for me to go back to school again because aside from the love for learning, I am doing this for Bunso, my autism angel, and for my professional and personal growth as well. I want to be equipped with strategies and knowledge for me to extend at home what his teachers teach him in school. For me, education is the pinnacle of human evolution. Why? Because the intrinsic urge of the human race to learn and explore and go beyond the limits of our current self is what makes us evolve into better beings.

So, I took note all the universities and colleges where Bunso's teachers graduated because all of them were good in what they do. Then yesterday, with all necessary requirements on hand, I hurriedly went to this college in the university belt who is claiming to be the top college for teacher excellence. The secretary of the dean was on leave so the dean herself accommodated me. She handed me the application form for the graduate school entrance test and the list of fees. While I was about to fill up the form, she asked for my Transcript of Records (TOR). The document that was in front of the file was my certificate of honorable dismissal and under it were three pages of my Transcript of Records when I handed them to her.

She said, "Wait, don't fill up the form yet. You graduated from Philippine College of Health Sciences (PCHS). It is a diploma mill school. Did you check the reputation of this school before you enrolled? Then why did you attend so many universities? I couldn't think of words to say this nicely but tatapatin kita, I can't accept you because I don't want our school to be tainted with a school with a bad reputation. We don't want our school to be associated with PCHS. Here in the university belt, we know each other. Tatapatin kita ha? I don't want you to waste your time and money na pakukuhanin kita ng entrance test 'tapos you will not be accepted here."

After hearing this, I was actually in shock because it was my very first time to hear a "Teacher" discriminating someone because of her last school attended and saying degrading words against a school. She didn't even check my TOR to know the answer why I attended so many universities. She didn't even ask me about how we were taught in PCHS. Then I explained, "Ma'am, I finished my degree in Bachelor of Science in Botany from the University of Santo Tomas. While teaching (I didn't mention that I taught in Xavier School for five years because I thought, "Is it necessary?"), I took up Certificate in Teaching Program from Philippine Normal University. I didn't just take 18 units as a prerequisite to taking the Licensure Examination for Teachers but finished the entire course including the practicum. In PCHS, I took up Bachelor of Science in Nursing and graduated with honors in 2009. When I was a student, I wasn't mediocre, Ma'am. I gave my all. I studied hard." Actually, I felt uncomfortable mentioning to her that I graduated with honors because again for me, "Is it necessary?". But due to my situation that time, I thought it might help. Pero sana hindi ko na lang sinabi. In my opinion, what I achieved was just a bonus or reward for enjoying learning. For me, honors or awards are just titles. They can be celebrated but they don't define who a person is. 

When was about to defend my BSN alma mater that she considered a "diploma mill" which I found very unfair, she said, "Bakit doon ka pumasok kasi madalian lahat? Bakit nag-St. Jude ka then you transferred in PCHS?" I answered, "Ma'am, PCHS was the only institution who catered for working individuals and moms like me who wanted to do further studies in nursing that's why I transferred. The curriculum was designed for working individuals and people who couldn't do further studies at daytime during weekdays."

Unfortunately, because I was in the state of shock, I wasn't able to tell these to her because I could see that there was no point in doing it after all which I regretted the most. I should have told her, "In PCHS, we were taught by the best professors and clinical instructors, we did our Related Learning Experience (RLE) in the top public hospitals in the country and different health centers and communities in Metro Manila. We had to pass the one-on-one revalida of all the major subjects that we took before we would be allowed to graduate. We had our thesis writing. We did our research-based work. We were encouraged by the institution to keep going despite our own personal concerns. Our professors were considerate but firm. The institution wasn't mediocre. It might be a flaw for PCHS to accept anyone but it shows that EDUCATION IS ACCORDED TO EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF THE STUDENT'S CIRCUMSTANCES AND MOTIVATION TO LEARN. The responsibility of our teachers there was to provide the avenue for learning and to give unbiased inspiration for the students to grasp their aspirations."

Then she didn't even checked the requirements that I provided but rather wrote her cell phone number directly on the brown envelope and said, "I will show your transcript of records to someone higher than me. Give me a call after two days to know if you will be considered or not." Then I told her while returning the application form, "I already wrote my name on the application form, Ma'am. I hope you'll give me a chance. Try me. I can handle pressure. Ma'am, if I need to take the basic subjects, I am very much willing to do it." Then she let me keep the form. I courteously said goodbye and left her office. While riding the jeepney going home, with all honesty, I felt so low but eventually what happened made me more motivated to keep going. 

What am I feeling right now? I have mixed emotions. I feel sad because I wasn't given a chance by the dean to even take the entrance test much less fill-up the form. That if I pass the entrance test, I can enhance myself through education in that institution but rather making me feel that my current situation is a hindrance for my growth. She repeatedly told me, "Hindi mabilisan dito. Baka hindi mo kayanin ang pressure. Hilaw ang background mo para kayanin mo dito. Here in our college, our undergraduate students are equipped with basic knowledge. Ikaw, worry ko lang baka hindi mo kayanin dito. Your CTP units are not enough." She didn't answer back after I asked, "Will you not consider my teaching experience?" 

I may be feeling sad but I also feel motivated because I believe that there is a college or university out there who is very much willing to accept me for who I am without any prejudice.

Will I call her to check if I will be given a chance or not? I still don't know because this keeps playing in my head, "Why MA Sped? Kasi very lucrative ang course? Malaki ang kita lalo na when you go abroad? Actually, you are the 18th person whom I declined because we don't want our school to be associated with a diploma mill school (I wasn't sure if she was referring to PCHS graduates only.). 'Yong iba nga doctoral degree pa." "I want to take MA Sped because I want to help my son with autism. He is my motivation for doing this. I have no plans of going abroad at the moment," I replied.

If you are in my position, what will you do? How would you feel?


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October 30, 2018 at 4:20 PM

I know that you agree that there is some point in your life when you feel lost. You tend to ask yourself, "Am I on the right track? Am I doing the right things to achieve my goals? Do I really know what I want to be?" It is normal to feel that way sometimes because it shows that you are aware that you want to be successful and you want to be happier and fulfilled not just for yourself but for your loved ones as well. 

You are not alone in finding meaning and purpose in life. That's why after three successful runs of Game Plan for Success, The Fulfilled Women Community will be doing another inspiring workshop for all the ambitious, driven, and purposeful women like you to help you achieve your goals and aspirations! 

On October 13, 2018 from 1:00 to 6:00 PM, "Dreamers Unite: Sisterhood of Ambitious Women Pursuing their Goals" will be held in GreatWork Business Campus in 3rd Floor Main Building, Ben-Lor IT Center, 1184 Quezon Avenue to empower the other go-getter, driven, and passionate women in The Fulfilled Women Community. 

These are the things that you can expect from the workshop:

 

• Meet like-minded women who will support you with your dreams and goals 
• An opportunity to partner up or collaborate with other women in business 
• Be inspired to relive the dreams that you have buried in the ground long ago 

The following are the topics to be discussed:

 

• How to tap your inner giant and be empowered to reach your goals
• How to make a personal mission-vision statement and why you need one 
• How to create a VISION BOARD and why it works

The whole afternoon will be filled with fun learning experiences. Magiging sulit ang Php600 learning fee ninyo! Just a reminder that walk-in participants will not be accommodated anymore so please register before seats run out. 

You may register here: https://goo.gl/forms/mP6cjzUI5xDJns1J3

The learning includes materials, worksheet, snacks, and of course, siksik, liglig, at umaapaw na learning and inspiration! Wagi! 

By the way, all participants are required to bring old magazines and newspapers, a pair of scissors, and glue. 

The organizer will send further instructions once you are done with online registration and payment of the learning fee.

Kita-kits!

Oftentimes, parents won’t think about tutoring their children on academic subjects until they’re already behind.

And while it’s never too late to help your child, you’ll have much more success if you don’t have to start from square one – that is, learning how to tutor in the first place.

Using the following guidelines, you can put yourself in a good position to help your child stay on top of things even before they’re struggling.

Be their tutor, but remain their parent.

Tutoring is different from parenting, and that makes it crucial that these roles are very distinct in both your mind and your child’s.

There are two main ways this can go wrong, the first being that you act too much like their parent while you’re tutoring them – and the other that you become more critical and tutor-like when you’re not.

Thus, it’s very important that your child understands – even as you tutor them – that you love them unconditionally, whether they seem to be understanding the material or not.

But they also should know that, as their tutor, you can’t just give them the answers – you have to let them struggle (even more so than you might as a parent) and learn through their mistakes.

Make sure you know the subject well.

It’s very possible that you’ll relate to your child’s struggles with maths, writing, or similar – precisely because you struggled or still struggle with the same things.

That’s why it’s very important that you have a strong, foundational grasp on the subject or subjects they’re struggling with.

After all, can you truly help them with maths if you never got past some of the major pitfalls yourself?

Sure, you can help them solve problems on their homework, but tutoring is more involved than just providing homework answers.

Good tutors must know the ins and outs of the subject they’re teaching – the fundamental concepts, where students often go wrong – or else they’re doing little more than just helping with homework and not helping their students learn.

Consult their teacher first, if you can.

It’s impossible to overstate the value of parent-teacher interviews, especially if your child is struggling academically with one or more subjects.

The information you can get on your child’s education is invaluable, not least because you generally can’t get much objective insight from your child’s responses to questions like “How was your day at school?”

Upon meeting with your child’s teacher, you’ll more fully understand what subjects they’re struggling with – and maybe even the specific concepts that they haven’t completely mastered yet, causing them to fall behind.

Parent-teacher interviews are almost always too brief, but if you know how to make the most of that time by asking the right questions, they can help you be a very effective tutor.

Use their interests to motivate them.

No matter what the subject, there should always be some way to tie the concepts back to things that your child cares about – and that’s important to help them learn.

A simple example for younger children: Using toys – cars, marbles, doll clothing – to practice counting and simple maths concepts like addition and subtraction.

For older children, you might show how these subjects relate to real-life responsibilities – paying taxes, budgeting – as these are things they should know they’ll have to do when they get older.

Of course, the better you know your child and the more imaginative you are, the more effective this can be – so listen to them and get creative.

Communicate – by instructing and by listening.

The most vital tip to being an effective tutor for your child is to communicate with them. Tutors must be able to communicate well with parents to update them on their child’s progress, of course.

But they also must be able to communicate well with the child – not just by giving clear instructions and specific, actionable feedback, but also by listening to them.

You might think you know how your child likes to learn, but your understanding could turn out to be wrong – so if they’re getting frustrated, pay attention to this and adjust accordingly.

As long as you’re communicating with your child and following these guidelines, you should be able to help your child improve in no time.

Photo Credit: 

Image 1: https://pixabay.com/en/family-parenting-together-people-1784371/

Image 2: source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/125892716@N05/14419606327/in/photostream/

Like me, she advocates raising readers. Above all means of learning, we patiently teach our kids to read and love doing it. We are so blessed that our kids are growing up as bibliophiles despite the advent of the advancements in technology.

Kat and I started teaching our kids the love of reading while they were still very young. We would find time story reading aloud and expose them to the different kinds of books-  cloth or felt, board (especially the Peek-a-board books), and those who were hardbound or paperback. We experienced frustrations when our kids tore the precious books that we provided them. We didn't mind because it was part of growing up. We just didn't stop exposing them until they learned to read by themselves with a little assistance depending on our kids' capacity. It was such a pleasant sight to see them reading on their own and manipulating their books. It became a habit. I know even if there are eBooks, like us, they would go back to reading books made of paper that they could touch, feel, and smell. There is no greater experience of having books that are tangible. The texture and scent of their crisp pages can be imprinted on the reader's memory. This feeling indeed is part of learning through reading that can't be replaced by any other reading materials uploaded in gadgets.

My Box-All-You-Can Book Buffet Haul

These were my top picks.

I have this eagerness to share my love for reading and teaching kids how to read and their benefits to other teachers and parents especially to those who have students or children with speech delay. There is joy and beauty in reading aloud with kids and pointing the words to them so that they can eventually know how to read words in the story and say them loudly by themselves. When kids are already hooked in reading aloud with their parents, it can be noticeable that they themselves can be motivated to mirror what their parents are doing that's why it is very important to read to them properly. In my five years of teaching and 12 years of being a mom I have noticed that kids learn best when they confidently know how to read aside from giving them other activities to do that can enhance their holistic development.

In line with this, because some parents find books very expensive, I always suggest that they should visit Scholastic Warehouse Sale and avail the Box-All-You-Can Book Buffet to start their mini library at home. Not just parents, I also encourage teachers to start collecting books which they can use as tools in teaching their students. 

I started my collection of story books for kids whenever there was a Scholastic Sale in the school where I used to teach. I used those books in teaching my former pre-school students and for my own reading pleasure as well. Who would have thought that those books would benefit my own children? Amazing, isn't it? My collection keeps on growing through Scholastic Asia  through the years without breaking our tight budget to sustain my family's love for reading.

Our world is now fast paced. Technology changes in a blink of an eye. People from all walks of life especially the older ones do their best to cope up with it while the youngsters, which include my son, are born with. We can’t deny that apps using our phones, laptops, and tablets become part of our lives now and they are here to break or make us especially the kids. What I mean is, there are those who are trashy and don’t teach our children the right values or skills and there are those who help us to develop them cognitively and wholistically.

I have two sons, eleven and five years old. With all honesty, I don’t expose them too much on gadgets because they have the tendency to get addicted. In the case of my eldest, I have no choice this year but to give him his own tablet because his class uses e-book in school. What I do is I give him an hour during weekends and ten minutes during weekdays to enjoy his favorite videos on YouTube, read articles online, or play games. Paps, Loley, and I are still monitoring him despite of trusting him that he can control his urge to play instead of studying. While my Bunso, who has been diagnosed with Mild Autism Spectrum, is not allowed by his Developmental Pediatrician to get exposed to television shows or watching videos online and offline because his speech and fine motor skills are delayed. Sadly, he has the tendency to get hooked on gadgets that he doesn’t like to stop. He needs to do activities that require communicating and tinkering.

After his diagnosis in 2014, we took away his gadget privileges. It was also in the same year when he started being afraid of hearing load sounds and getting overwhelmed with too much color and action from movies. I exposed him to more books, flashcards, and concrete educational tools like blocks and Lego. 

It was only last year that I let Bunso use my phone. I only installed two educational puzzle apps that he's still playing daily under time limit. Presently, he is still afraid of loud sounds and hearing songs from the television or radio. Ironically he has the tendency to get addicted to YouTube firework videos so I locked the internet access. So when KidloLand, an award-winning app for toddlers and preschoolers, contacted me to review its app, I was hesitant at first. But then again, 250+ mom bloggers all over the world recommended it so why should I not give it a try. Then I accepted the offer. Seeing and exploring the app myself with Kuya before showing it to Bunso made me feel happy that I said yes.

These are the things that we love about KidloLand:

1. Versatile

- There are over 800 nursery rhymes, stories, songs, activities, and games available for toddlers and preschoolers. 

- 95+ interactive classic nursery rhymes with thousands of surprises come alive when tapping the screen. 

- Original educational songs for learning ABCs, fruits, vegetables, shapes, colors, and a lot more can be found. 

- There is a complete Phonics section composed of activities and songs to help kids start or enrich their reading skills.

- Kids learn a lot through games. They enjoy playing without them realizing that they are learning at the same time.

- It is loaded with activities that help kids develop their cognitive skills like sequencing, math, picture and number, comprehension, problem-solving skills, and a lot more that develop their eye-hand coordination, creativity, reasoning, and imagination.

2. Child and Parent-Friendly

- There are no advertisements that may influence the child.

- The games, songs, and activities are designed for kids ages zero to five.

- It’s easy to use and navigate.

- Shows a wide array of funny animations and sounds that make children entertained.

- Animation and sound are colorful and crisp respectively.

- Parents can download activities, videos, and songs that kids can enjoy offline anywhere, anytime. 

This also assures that parents can still choose and be in control in what contents of KidloLand their kids can watch, hear, and do at the moment.

Our internet connection speed here in the Philippines is too slow and it takes longer for me to download more contents of the app but I guess in other countries downloading is faster. It’s okay for me because as I’ve said, I only show Bunso a few portions of the app daily.

3. Android and Apple Device Compatible

Kidloland may be purchased through App Store, Google Play, and Amazon Appstore for Android.

4. Affordable

There’s a Basic (Free) Service where a limited number of songs and other content is made available to the free users of the app and unlocking any additional content requires either in-app purchase or registering for subscription service. One year subscription, for example, is US$39.99.

During the first time that I showed Bunso the activities that I downloaded from the app, I felt a little nervous. As I mentioned a while ago, he was afraid of loud sounds, too colorful animation, and could get addicted to videos so I did his exposure one at a time for him not to get overwhelmed. I was surprised to see that he loved everything about it especially the puzzles. He didn’t get afraid of the sound and color. He was hooked but still would return my phone after a given time limit. Like his favorite old puzzle apps, he didn’t get addicted.

Our family loves KidloLand. It ‘s definitely the best educational preschool and toddler app that I’ve seen so far. No wonder that it is trusted by moms all over the world and has gained so many awards and badges from different parenting and educational institutions. KindloLand can win the hearts of kids as well as their parents.

Like us, I also like you and your toddlers and preschoolers to experience the wonders of this app. KidloLand is so generous to give three (3) AAPM Readers of the Month of November a three-month subscription each to the KidloLand app. It’s so easy to join. Just follow the steps below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to my readers WORLDWIDE. You don't have to be my social media account followers to join. Giveaway period is from November 7 to 30, 2016 only. Winner will be chosen by random.org.

I'll announce the winner on my Facebook Page on December 1, 2016 and he/she will be notified through Facebook message on the same day. Thanks!

Good luck and thanks for joining!

XOXO,

SJ