Elementary School Lessons

Math Reviewer for Elementary Upper Grades:

Numbers in Exponential Notation

Here is a reviewer for upper grades Circulatory System

Circulatory System

If you are looking for a unique place to visit for the long weekends this August, consider going to Pinto Art Museum.

The California Mission-looking architectural structures built amongst trees in a hilly subdivision in Antipolo  houses modern contemporary art by Filipino artists.

Here are some photos albeit not too clear because I forgot to bring my camera, hence only had mobile photos:

chapel

artworks on display in galleries using natural lights

The Rainforest room

go up the rooftop and see the wonders beyond the walls of the museum while delighting on soaking up the sun’s warmth

gallery on walls that look like a home, yes, it is possible to mix a home-y atmosphere and the arts

More photos here.

Some information:

Art collector Dr. Joven Cuanang is the owner of Pinto Art Museum which was designed by Architect Antonio Leano. Pinto Art Museum used to be called Silangan Gardens. Silangan Gardens is the home of Silangan Foundation of the Arts, Culture and Ecology with galleries built back in 2001 by Architect Leano.

One can spend an entire morning or afternoon looking at Pinto Art Museum’s treasure trove of contemporary (and modern) Philippine art. Pinto Art Museum is open from 9a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesdays-Sundays.

Pinto Art Museum is at No. 1 Sierra Madre Street, Grand Heights, Antipolo City, Rizal. Call tel. 6971015; e-mail info@pintogallery.com.

One of the key factors in the curriculum change for K to 12 Basic Education Program is the STVEP or Strengthened Technical Vocational Education Program.

Here are a few reasons why this is so:

• Agenda No. 4 of the K to 12 Basic Education Reform 10 point agenda provides for the re-introduction of technical and vocational education in public high schools. Tech-voc curricula for Grades 11 and 12 are now being developed. At present there are 282 tech-voc high schools nationwide specializing in Arts and Trade, Agriculture and Fishery.

• Tech-voc education is one of three major strands of the program, the one that specifically aims to make high school graduates immediately employable by providing them with skills needed by business and industry, in case they won’t or can’t go to college. The second strand is geared towards college education while the third is oriented towards music and sports. The Tech-Voc Unit will coordinate with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for the competency Levels 1 to 4 and Certificates of Competency for teachers and students. The private and public sectors and international institutions are also tapped to help develop a standard curriculum for these tech-voc schools.

• Agriculture and Fishery is an important factor in the STVEP curriculum. There are currently around 125 agri-fishery technical vocational schools that work with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and DepEd. The Memorandum of Understanding between DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala provides the sharing of resources by the two departments for the benefit of students disposed to learn skills in agriculture and fishery.

• Arts and trade will cover a whole range of skills, like building construction, drafting, electronics, food trade, machining, PC hardware servicing, welding, cosmetology, refrigeration and welding, plumbing, and garmentsEntrepreneurship will be taught in Grades 9 and 10. In effect, the K to 12 program is expected to turn out not only employable high school graduates but also graduates who are disposed to put up their own business and consequently create employment for themselves and others. Small entrepreneurs are generally regarded as engines of sustainable and inclusive growth.

Read more about the topic here: STVEP

Dear Teachers of my Children,

I know you and the school (the school we love the best!) put the learning of our children entrusted in your care as one of your topmost priorities and for that we are grateful.

My husband and I understand that in order for our children to learn more and understand the concepts they need to learn and understand, they need not listen to boring lectures while sitting for more than 6 hours just doing so. We know that you do your best to make learning interactive, dynamic and leaves lasting impression to young minds so that so these children are able to learn.

Let me just tell you that as a former classroom teacher, this former homeschooling mom who still currently teaches special needs students, I have been trained first and foremost to focus on “Process and not the Product” which means I am not too fond of children asked to memorize facts that they know no significance of.

All those wonderful ways of learning I mentioned: interactive, dynamic, creative and engaging are what the school, your school is all about and those are the reasons why we have stayed, why we have been with this school since year 2000.

Yep, that long.

I know the children need to have homework and if I may say so, this is the least of my worries because you teachers generally don’t give difficult ones.

I know that through projects they learn even more because they not only get to read about certain important topics but they do tasks that make them learn and understand more.

But here’s the thing…

Can you at least give us time to gather the materials needed for these projects or some unusual homework tasks?

I for one am rattled for things the children NEED  TO BRING THE NEXT DAY even if we have our own school supplies stash at home. Yes, we do have this kind of school supplies stash because going to a store or bookstore for a 1/8 illustration board or some art papers is just plain waste of time, energy and effort.

Since you have the lesson plans made in advance, is it possible to give the children enough time to tell their parents the materials they need for school, and not just ask them to bring these the next day?

My kids can bring cartolina pieces in primary colors the next day but don’t expect us to have yellow green or pink to be brought to school the next day.

A 1/8 and 1/4 illustration board? We have these too, but not bristol board.  

Maybe bring a folder the next day? We have these in long and short sizes, in color brown and beige but not in red or purple.

Envelope? We have these too in long and short sizes, in the common color brown but not in yellow or green.

Wood cut in specific lengths and sizes, a saw and some nails. <- Wait that was from a different school.

We can have these colors IF only you give us time enough to get these for you. Over the weekend perhaps?

I am not really complaining you see, if we are given enough time to get what the children need, you won’t hear us complain because we support our children in everything they do to be able to maximize their learning. 

I really hope you understand because this is not too much to ask for.

Sincerely,

A whole lot of moms and dads out there, not just me and my husband.

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Number Patterns are typical math drill that children encounter although most of the time, the obvious is not that obvious.

Patterns are repeated over and over. These could be numbers, repeated lines, colors, shapes, forms and even behavior.

For an example on number patterns, the factors for 2 are the following: 2 4 6 8 10
12 14 16 18 20
22 24 26 28 30

Number patterns are often given in math aptitude tests because it serves to see how students observe the way the numbers in a number series (among other things) relate to each other.

Some examples of number patterns:

Arithmetic Sequences:

1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, …

25, 23, 21, 19, 17, 15, …

Geometric Sequences:

3, 9, 27, 81, 243, 729, 2187, …

Cube Numbers:

1, 8, 27, 64, 125, 216, 343, 512, 729, …

For samples of number patterns, click here.