Tag Archives: Exams

Day of Reckoning, Part 2

3 Nov

Today is the first day of the month long exam for M1. I feel I should tread on eggshells carefully around the house and not be seen to ensure she is not disturbed and stay focused in her preparations. An unnecessary thing to do but the enormity of the situation just makes me feel this way.

When I was facing these exams dinosaur years ago, I think my mom and dad did none of this and went about their ways; and the only elder sibling was away. I shouldn’t be so paranoid, I think she’s ready. I should stay more cool about it…

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How Come I Never Got Flowers? Part 2

21 Oct

The big exam is nearing for M1. She has been very focused and determined. For this, I am so proud of her but I also worry at the pace that she has been pushing herself.

At times, she would wake up at 5.30 in the morning and put in an hour’s study before getting ready for school. Such discipline! I must admit I was never like that in high school. Maybe in college burning the midnight oil, yes but never like this, waking up before the sun.

Her language teacher has been really supportive. The extra classes under her tutelage has done wonders for my child. And the encouragement the teacher gives her has been truly amazing. She even treated M1 and some of the other students to dinner and a movie two weeks ago. A break and some relaxation time for them to unwind and not be so uptight with the exam preparation. Wow.

Teachers nowadays make me envious. How come I never received such treatment when I was in school? Prior to this, M1 received flowers from her teachers for good luck and now this, an outing treat. As time draws near to the exam, it will be all up to her and at that point, we give her all the moral and emotional support. I know she will do well and will always be proud of her no matter what the outcome.

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How Come I Never Got Flowers?

5 Sep

I am not a flower-loving kind of person but once a year, if I do get a single rose or a bouquet during Valentine, I’d appreciate it. But for no reason or occasion, I’d pooh-pooh at it instead.

Last week, M1 came home with a bouquet of nice smelling flowers, given by her school teachers. It was their way of thanking her for doing a good job as Head Librarian (she steps down this year) and also to wish her well for the trial exams and the eventual big exam. I have never, ever in my life received flowers from my teachers at all levels of education.

So I find this very sweet and motivating what the teachers have done for her. Now if only my teachers then did the same act, I might have done better in my exams. On second thought, if this did happen, I wouldn’t have pursued graphic design and end up doing what I am doing now.

Smell the flowers!

Smell the flowers!

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No More Golfing Trips?

29 Aug

After my last golf trip to Kuching in July (the third for this year alone), I declared no more golfing trips. Well, I lied.

Roping hubby along, tomorrow I travel with a big group by bus to the East of the Peninsular for a short 3D/2N outing, playing three rounds of golf. Unlike the previous trips of at least 4 days, this is considered short – just 3 days.

The girls are pretty happy with us being away for we won’t be constantly breathing down their necks to prepare for their exams. As it is, M1 is sitting for her trial exam (it started yesterday) before the real big SPM exam in November, while M2 basically just have to catch up with constant revision.

While I don’t have to worry about them as the maid can take care of them, I just hope they can remain focused and prioritize what it important without getting carried away with distractions when the study police is away.

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I Can Math

1 Jul

M1 was happy with her results but feels that there’s room for further improvements especially on those subjects attaining ‘B’. M2, not to be outdone, declared that she did improve but M1 questioned her particularly on the languages.

“What did you get for English?” she challenged, “What did you get for Mandarin?” clearly think she had M2 cornered.

Unperturbed, M2 replied, “I did well in Math. So I speak Math!”

How does one speak Math? I am speechless.

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A Promise is a Promise

30 Jun

Exam results are back! As expected, M1 topped her class again. So she’s getting her reward – an Ed Sheeran limited edition album which we had to buy online from his website. A promise is a promise, so how can I break it? She did her part and I have to as well. But I nearly fainted upon learning that the shipping charges cost as much as the album! Well, a promise made has to be a promise fulfilled. The album will be on its way soon after the release.

As for M2, well… This is where I feel caught in a predicament. The 80 percent average was not achieved but it’s a top ten position in class. What do I do? Does she get the phone as originally negotiated? A top ten is pretty good for her ability, an improvement from the last exam but this was not the deal as agreed.

Nonetheless, she wasn’t too upset at not getting the phone but very happy with the top ten and promised to do better in the next exam. That’s the way to go, gal! Let’s hope her promise made will be a promise fulfilled too.

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79 is Not 80

22 May

Mid-year exams are around the corner and motivation needs to be provided for the girls. Unlike M1 whom I am proud to say can achieve her targets, M2 needs a little bit of encouragement. So I offered my old iPhone4 seeing that the need for a mobile phone had cropped up again recently.

There was no tussle over the iPhone4 for ownership after I upgraded because I did not allow a tussle to occur. Although by hierarchy, M1 is entitled to my old phone, she is pretty contented with her hand-me-down Android phone from hubby.

But since M2 has been grousing for a phone, why not just dangle the iPhone to entice her to do well? After all, the iPhone4 is just sitting there collecting dust. All she needs to do is to achieve the 80 percent average target for all her subjects.

M2 is hesitant because firstly, my old iPhone4 was problematic (that’s why I changed) but I convinced her ever since I upgraded, the old phone seems to be okay. The choice was tough: a smartphone or no phone. The second reason being, she wasn’t sure she could achieve the 80 percent overall. So she negotiated with me.

“79? Can ah?” she asked me several days before the exams started.

I merely raised my eyebrow and commented. “79 is not 80. Does it look like 80 to you?”

She cringed. Silence.

Then she tried again.

“What if it was 79.6? Cos if you round up the point six, it would be 80!” she sensed victory in putting her mathematical skills to good use!

Hrmph. We shall see…

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One and Two Ones

17 Apr

M1 has never ceased to amaze me as far as school is concerned. I just don’t know where she inherits her brains. As expected, my firstborn achieved pole position in her class! But as I have said before, my two girls are both different in their own way, therefore hubby and I cannot be comparing their ability. So, while M1 may have achieved number one and being a tough act to follow, M2 achieving the double digit of 11, I termed M2’s achievement as two ones to boost her morale in comparison to her sibling.

In a twisted way, two ones can be looked at as better than a single one! We had a little dinner celebration to commemorate both their achievements and also to spur M2 especially to do better, for M1 cannot do any better than what she has already done.

Keep it up, girls!

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Top 20! Top 15?! Top 10??

15 Apr

Last week was Report Card time and M2 was nervous. Several nights before we were due to school to see the teacher, we had a little chat.

“Top 20?” I asked.

“Maybe…” came the nervous reply.

“What about Top 15? Can?” I queried next.

“I dunno… Top 27?” she countered.

“Huh?! Top 27?! How can? Isn’t that the number of students in your class?” I asked gently.

“Yes.” Another nervous respond.

“I think you can do better than that.” And we left it at that.

One day before Report Card day, upon reaching home from school, M2 called me while I was still in the office.

“Mummy, guess what? I know where I stand in class!” she said excitedly.

“Top 20?” I asked.

“Better.”

“Top 15?”

“Better!”

Wow, I am impressed, so I posted another, “Top 10?”

“Almost but not quite…”

“Lemme guess. Eleven?”

“How did you know? Yes, I am number 11 in class!” announced my proud M2.

I am proud of her too. Well done!

M1 has yet to report on her status at this point in time.

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Back to Normal

16 Sep

Now that the big main UPSR exams are over for M2, what this means is we can have our Saturdays back and our lives back to normal. We can go play golf, stay home or just sleep in.

Gone are the back-to-back-to-back routine where we would ferry M2 to school for classes in the morning. After school, a quick lunch before we head for the extra tuition classes, a 15-minute drive away. Four hours later, it’s a quick dash back home for a shower and short rest before we head out for yet another quick meal (dinner). Then zipping across town in the other direction, we send both of them for the extra music practice session in the evening in preparation for their guitar ensemble performance at Guitar Alive! 2013. It’s been a crazy schedule the past several months!

The craziness has ended with the ensemble live performance yesterday, we finally heave a sigh of relief.

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