撰文：八爪魚家長梁永樂先生
聽過不少家長訴說，幼稚園三年之中，最大陰影就是升小，到底要為孩子做多少﹖要不要安排面試班，要不要惡補英文或禮貌（沒有寫錯，坊間真的有訓練班惡補禮貌）。或者十八般武藝之中，要有十六般武藝就夠嗎﹖還是要學習冷門的技能，務求突圍而出呢，例如學習魔術、雜技一類。家長與小孩都忙記了享受快樂的親子時間，尤其當一切活動都有目的時，心態亦隨之而改變，孩子可能對興趣班已不再感興趣。
父母擔心選擇心儀小學 製作履歷表
尤其 K3 學生踏入 6 月的「報校旺季」，家長與孩子面對抉擇，要報 10 間還是 8 間小學，作為爸爸，你很希望只報讀一至兩間心儀小學，但你會否擔當得起「阿仔無書讀」的責任呢？
Written by: Octopus parent, Mr. Leung Wing Lok.
I’ve heard many parents share their experiences, and within the three years of kindergarten, the biggest concern is the transition to elementary school. How much should be done for the child? Should interview classes be arranged? Should extra English lessons or etiquette coaching (not a typo, there are actually training classes for etiquette) be arranged? Among the myriad of skills, is having sixteen talents out of eighteen enough? Or should the child learn niche skills to stand out, like magic tricks or acrobatics? Both parents and children are busy enjoying quality bonding time, especially when every activity has a purpose. As a result, attitudes change, and the child might lose interest in extracurricular classes.
Parents worry about selecting the preferred elementary school and creating resumes.
Especially for K.3 students entering the “peak school application season” in June, parents and children face the decision of whether to apply to 10 or 8 elementary schools. As a father, you may hope to only apply to one or two preferred elementary schools, but can you bear the responsibility of “not providing enough education” for your child?
另一難題肯定是製作履歷表，到底要有多精美呢﹖不少學校都表明最多只收 4 頁紙，但眼見其他家長為孩子撰寫的「工作報告」厚如招股書、精美程度直逼蘋果電腦的簡介書。你望一望孩子，不見得他特別醒，也不是超級「靚仔」，你夠膽只做 4 頁履歷表嗎﹖
「升小」與「做人」的抉擇
最矜貴的不是「學術表現」有多佳，而是學會與人相處、禮貌，當然我最感激是老師特別指導我的兒子「要愛爸爸，爸爸努力工作」，令我在孩子心目中由「成日唔見的人」，而變成「珍惜見到的人」。這些教育對於升小，未必有幫助，但這是親子之間一生一世珍而重之的價值。
回想一下，幼稚園專門培育你的孩子「升小」，還是「做人」，同樣問題，身為家長的你，教育孩子是目的只為「升小」嗎？
Another challenge is undoubtedly creating the resume, how elaborate should it be? Many schools explicitly state that they accept a maximum of only 4 pages, but you see other parents’ “work reports” for their children that are as thick as prospectuses, with an exquisite level of presentation rivaling Apple’s brochures. You glance at your child, he might not stand out particularly, nor is he an incredibly handsome “lad.” Do you have the courage to limit the resume to just 4 pages?
The choice between “entering elementary school” and “becoming a person.”
What’s most precious isn’t how outstanding the “academic performance” is, but rather the ability to interact with others, to be polite. Of course, what I’m most grateful for is when the teacher specifically instructed my son to “love Daddy, Daddy works hard,” transforming me in my child’s eyes from a “rarely seen person” to a “cherished person to meet.” These teachings might not necessarily aid in entering elementary school, but they hold everlasting value in the parent-child relationship.
Reflecting back, did kindergarten primarily cultivate your child for “entering elementary school,” or for “becoming a person”? Facing the same question, as a parent, is your goal of educating your child solely for the purpose of “entering elementary school”?
