Reshaping the Way We View Math

July 13, 2015 by
Why do I have to study this?
This doesn’t make sense at all.
This is useless – I’m not going to use this in real life.
I hate Math!

These are just among the countless tirades against Math I’ve heard from the kids I’ve tutored over the years.  I bet even you yourself have uttered these very same words. It’s a sad reality, but a great number of people do have an utter dislike for numbers. What’s even sadder is we pass this fear and loathing to the next generation.

Just as our kids inherit our genes, they learn to assimilate our fears – including our fear of Math. When kids are raised by parents who proclaim that “Math is hard.” or unabashedly admit that they are “not good in Math”, they consequently view Math as a difficult subject that they would have to gruelingly face.

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Filed Under: PLAYhouse preSCHOOL, Resources Tagged With: ,

The 3rd Singapore Math Learning Festival

June 25, 2015 by

Only 10 days left before the 3rd Singapore Math Learning Festival! Parents, teachers, and school administrators are all enjoined to register and take part in this year’s learning fest aptly themed Preparing for the Future: Creativity and Innovation through Singapore Math.

Galileo Learning Festival

As parents and educators, it is our responsibility to prepare our children for the future. We must help equip them with the necessary skills that will make them global citizens of the future. We can do this at school, at events like this, and even at home if you make the most of resources like animated explainer videos.

For years now, educators have been honing learners’ 21st Century Skills needed for them to succeed and thrive in the new global workplace. Among these 21st Century Skills, Creativity and Innovation are the key ingredients needed for solving problems and creating solutions. This is why using the Singapore Math method has become more popular the world over.

Singapore Math is an effective tool in promoting creativity and innovation. It has refined traditional ways of learning math and has transformed how learners see mathematics. Critical thinking skills are greatly improved as learners find creative ways to solve math problems.

This year’s Singapore Math Learning Festival aims to educate parents, teachers, educators, and school administrators with creative and innovative teaching strategies in using Singapore Math. As a parent myself, I do encourage fellow parents and educators to attend this conference and be active partners in raising globally competitive learners.

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Filed Under: for the KIDS, PLAYhouse preSCHOOL, Press Release, Resources Tagged With: , ,

3 Skills Kids Learn Through Pretend Play

June 15, 2015 by

When we hear of the word “play”, we often associate it with engaging games of tag, sports activities, or physical exploration of environments. Physical play, though, is just one of many types of play that children engage in. There’s Constructive Play where kids learn to create things using blocks, clay, and other manipulatives. Competitive Play where they pit their skills with others and learn how to be true sportsmen. Then there’s also Pretend Play.

In Pretend Play, kids assign roles and act them out. They pretend to be someone, or even something, else. As their imaginations come to life, kids develop a myriad of skills. They become creative, insightful, and well-rounded individuals.

Skills Learned Through Pretend Play

During Pretend Play, kids learn how the world works and how adults interact. Their gross and fine motor skills are also developed. Aside from these, here are three more skills kids learn and develop through pretend play:

Language Skills. Pretend Play encourages expressive language. When playing with others, kids learn that words give them the power to re-enact stories or create entirely out-of-this-world ones. Oftentimes, they use the words they hear from the ones closest to them so don’t be surprised to hear your own words (might be even in a perfectly good impersonation of you!) during their play.

Thinking Skills. There’s really more to Pretend Play than “just playing pretend”. Kids learn to solve problems, organize and plan activities, retell familiar stories, and apply gained knowledge. Their imagination, which is an important building block for learning, is greatly enriched.

Social-Emotional Skills. While creating their make-believe scenario, kids learn to cooperate and to negotiate in their role playing. They learn to take turns and share. Sometimes, they also learn how to deal with disappointment. While they pretend to be someone else, they also develop a sense of self and individuality. As they discover themselves and their capabilities, their self-esteem then increases allowing them to confidently interact with others.

How To Nurture Their Imagination

Allow Them To Create Their Own Scenario. The best stories unfold when children are given a freehand on who they want to be and where they want the stories set. It’s perfectly fine to be Batman riding a horse with Sheriff Callie while exploring a new red moon in outer space. Their pretend world is as vast as their imagination, give them complete control over it and watch them develop story lines a thousand times more interesting than your favorite stories. Letting them use the backyard as a setting can help them to develop exploratory skills as well as giving them new inspiration for their imaginations. Chammy IRL explains how to make sure your backyard is safe so that you can give them free reign of this new, exciting environment.

Provide Props and Costumes. Dress up costumes from Smiffys would be wonderful but even old clothes would do. Kitchen sets, Doctor kits, Shop stands, and other toys help make pretend play more realistic. You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg in props though. Even ordinary household items can be used in Pretend Play. In our home, a blanket becomes a tent, the stairs a mountain to climb, our chairs obstacles in a grand adventure. Empty boxes turn into airplanes, or boats, or cars, or rockets, or whatever else is needed for the kids’ imaginary kingdom.

Play With Them. Playing with your kids is a two-way learning process. From you, they learn how to communicate, interact, and rationalize. You, on the other hand, can learn to understand your kids more. You can even discover a few things about yourself too as kids are wont to mirror their parents’ behavior. So, next time your kids run to you asking you to be the High Queen in their kingdom, stop for awhile and play with them. Just a few minutes of your time is forever for them. Know that “play” for them is not just play – it’s a learning process.

Filed Under: Busy Bees, Kids At Work, PLAYhouse preSCHOOL, Resources Tagged With: ,

Ways to Get NSO Certified Birth Certificate and Other Documents

May 19, 2015 by

Depending on how much time you have in your hands and how much you’re willing to shell out, here are four different ways on how you can get NSO certified birth certificate and other documents:

 

NSO Census Serbilis Center

If you need to get your documents within 1-2 days, it is advisable to go directly to any NSO Census Serbilis Center.  For faster processing, you may download the application form and fill it out before going to the serbilis center.  Depending on what time you arrive at the center, processing may take as short as 1 hour to as long as  5-6 hours.

photo NSO serbilis.png

Cost:  Php140 per copy – birth/marriage/death certificates ; Php195 per copy  – CENOMAR ( rates include 15 pesos documentary stamp tax)

Processing Time: 1-2 days

Procedure: 

  1. Present filled out application form to NSO personnel along with the following:
    • Valid ID
    • Authorization and ID of the certificate owner if you are requesting a certificate and you are NOT any of the following:
      • the owner of the birth certificate
      • his/her parent
      • his/her spouse
      • his/her direct descendant
      • his/her legal guardian or institution-in-charge, if minor
  2. Pay corresponding fees.
  3. Wait for your certificates.  If birth/death/marriage certificates are available in the database, documents will be issued within 2 hours. CENOMARS take 2-4 days to be issued.

For the directory of Census Serbilis Centers, click here.

 

NSO E-CENSUS

NSO E-Census is an online facility that allows you to submit requests for the issuance of certified copies of birth, marriage and death certificates; and issuance of certificate of no marriage record (CENOMAR).  Through this website, you can apply and pay for the documents you requested and inquire about their current status.

photo NSO ecensus.png

Cost: PHP 315.00 per copy – birth/marriage/death certificates; PHP 415.00 per copy – CENOMAR (fees are inclusive of processing, delivery, and government taxes)

Processing Time: 3-5 working days after payment (for delivery within Metro Manila/Metro Cebu/Metro Davao) ; 4-9 working days after payment (for delivery to other cities/provinces within the Philippines) ; 6-8 weeks after payment ( for delivery to other countries)

Procedure:

  1. Fill up online application form at https://www.ecensus.com.ph/.
  2. Pay corresponding fees thru accredited payment channels
    • Over-the-counter Payment Channels
      • BDO branches
      • Unionbank branches
    • Online Payment Channels
      • BDO Online Banking
      • UnionBank Online Banking
      • Credit Card (KABAYAN CENTRAL NETWORKS, INC. will appear in the credit card statement. Unisys Public Sector Services Corporation (UPSSC) will appear in the official receipt(s))
    • Other Payment Channels
      • BDO ATM ( BDO account holders only)
      • UnionBank ATM (account holders only)
  3. Wait for delivery.  Upon delivery, you will be asked by the courier for the following:
    • Valid ID
    • Authorization and ID of the certificate owner if you are requesting a certificate and you are NOT any of the following:
      • the owner of the birth certificate
      • his/her parent
      • his/her spouse
      • his/her direct descendant
      • his/her legal guardian or institution-in-charge, if minor

To request for your NSO document thru E-Census, click here.

 

SM BUSINESS CENTERS

If your need for the NSO document is not immediate,  getting them thru SM Business Centers is the most convenient and most affordable way.  SM Business Centers facilitate the application, processing, and releasing of needed copies from the civil registry including birth/death certificates, marriage contract, certificate of no marriage (Cenomar), and annotated and endorsed documents. SM Business Centers are open from Mondays to Sundays from 10am to 7pm.

photo NSO smbusiness center.jpg

Cost: Php160 per copy – birth/death and marriage certificate ; Php215 per copy – Cenomar (rates inclusive of service fee)

Processing Time: 7 working days (may take as fast as 3 working days – get phone number so you can check the status of your request)

Procedure:

  1. Fill up request form at SM Business Center.
  2. Pay corresponding fees.
  3. Return after 7 working days to get your documents. Present the following:
    • Valid ID
    • Authorization and ID of the certificate owner if you are requesting a certificate and you are NOT any of the following:
      • the owner of the birth certificate
      • his/her parent
      • his/her spouse
      • his/her direct descendant
      • his/her legal guardian or institution-in-charge, if minor

 

TELESERV NSOHelpline.com

If you are unable to go to any Serbilis Center but need your documents the soonest possible time, you can request copies thru www.nsohelpline.com.  The rates are quite steep but you are assured of receiving your documents within 2-3 days.  And in case you have no internet access, you can call their hotline to process your request.

photo NSO Helpline.png

Cost:  Php 350 per copy – Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates and Death Certificates / Php450 per copy – CENOMARs or Certificate of No Marriage (rates are inclusive of processing and delivery)

Processing Time: 2-3 working days upon receipt of payment

Procedure:

  1. Log on to NSOHelpline.com and click the Order Now button. Answer a series of validation questions and fill up the application form. You can also make a request by calling their hotline (02) 737-1111.
  2. Pay the corresponding fee thru Bancnet online, any Metrobank branch, Bancnet ATM or select Bayad Center outlets.
  3. Wait for your documents to be delivered, usually within 2-3 working days upon receipt of your payment.
  4. Upon delivery, present the following:
    • Valid ID
    • Authorization and ID of the certificate owner if you are requesting a certificate and you are NOT any of the following:
      • the owner of the birth certificate
      • his/her parent
      • his/her spouse
      • his/her direct descendant
      • his/her legal guardian or institution-in-charge, if minor

 

It takes several months after the date of birth/marriage/death before the birth/marriage/death certificate is received, verified and converted into digital format by the NSO so do allow 2-4 months after the date of birth/marriage/death(if the birth/marriage/death occurred within Metro Manila) or at least 6 months after the date of birth/marriage/death (if the birth/marriage/death occurred outside Metro Manila) before filing your request for a copy of the document.

 

Filed Under: Resources Tagged With: ,

Early Registration for SY 2015-2016 in Public Schools

January 22, 2015 by

The Department of Education just released its first Dep Order this year.  On January 22, DepEd Order No. 1, 2015, was published Declaring January 24, 2015 as Commencement of Early Registration for SY 2015-2016.

Image taken from www.facebook.com/DepEd.Philippines

Image taken from www.facebook.com/DepEd.Philippines

An advocacy campaign will be undertaken from January 24 to February 27, 2015 to ensure that all 5-year-old children are enrolled in Kinder, to identify out-of-school children and youth and to encourage them to go back to school.

To know more about the Makapag-aral ay Karapatan Mo, Magpalista campaign, visit http://www.deped.gov.ph/orders/do-1-s-2015.

Filed Under: Press Release, Resources Tagged With:
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