The IQ genius 3 & Nikitin Material N1

The IQ Genius 3 is a 3-D model, we have put this away for a long time as andrea's brain have not form a 3-D model yet until my Nikitin Material arrived (9 months ago), I've brought this out again and see if she can do it. Good enough, she did it effortlessly :) Andrea have completed all IQ Genius, now we are concentrating on Nikitin Material before trying cuboro which is my next target! Can't wait :)

This is Nikitin Material N1. I've bought all the series, however 3 were games, which is quite fun too. Will do it on the next post. N1 has 2 books, if you see the pink sticker (fish), andrea is still trying to do it on her own. I think we took more than 5 months to complete this (except for the fish), doing blocks also has phases, we can't forced it to happen, it has to plant a seed (try), let it grow (info settlement) means put it away and forget about it then try again (harvest time)! This rhythm is so important and it always work for us! I guess this is the universe rhythm, human rhythm, even plants rhythm. Let it flow, it will come/ Manifest! 

6yrs 2months old

The IQ Genius 2

After completing IQ genius 1, we moved on to IQ genius 2. Surprisingly he does not know how to do it, the image has not form in this head, he couldn't get it even the simplest one. As usual, we introduced, and guide (showing answer and ask him to follow 5 examples), we put it away for a few months for the new info to sink in, VIOLA, he made it, just before he turned 4 :) 

As he is "older" when he does this, he is more calm and does not jump up and down like the previous IQ genius 1 when he got the answer. Beside looking at the paper and does what it shows, he also creatively did some pattern and calling me to see his work. Which was impressive! I'm happy to see that he is not inside the box type of kid. Although he is a tough strong willed kid, I'm really happy that I've survived and watching him grow into a "whole" humanity. Throughout this journey, I have learnt so much about myself (not good side) - surrender and let go for ben to grow as "whole" as he can. Thank You Benjamin. 

3yr 11 months old

Brain Excellence Award

We received a letter, telling us andrea has got an award! We were shocked! We have been with shichida since 1 yr old and this is the first! Anyway this is a great milestone for andrea, although we were slow but at least we got there! haha ... It's so good to see jocelyn khoo again, she gave me so much insight on parenting, especially the prenatal class when i had ben, all the children milestone, I only started to appreciate it after I've attended waldorf teacher training, those are really useful if you know the meaning behind it. I had so much gratitude during that event. 

Jocelyn khoo made me cry when she said, this award is actually for the parents, I know how hard you parents work and love your child to achieve this. Hubby and I, tried our best to practice linking memory with them, as they are still young, asking them to do on their own is impossible, you know what? both of us memorize it first then we play games, one person recite one or we recite all and see who can recite the fastest! These moments are very precious, boding time and working hard time. During class time, how my kids listen to my instruction and did well makes me happy. Many parents just sit in and watch the kids. Usually for andrea, i would suggest her how to do fast or how to tackle something that she cannot master. 

The ceremony held at Lim Foo Yung on a Sunday. There were so many kids inside the room. Ben was feeling angry because 2 of his classmate were on stage and he kept asking me why he cannot go. It's a good opportunity for me to tell him, concentrate in class. hahaa, evil me. I'm not so worried about Ben, I know he can excel when he wants to. Congratulations Andrea :)

6yrs 3months old

The IQ Genius 1

Benjamin has done with The IQ Genius 1 very quickly, I'm so proud of him. I have ordered Nikitin Material set direct from Germany and is now waiting for it's arrival. I hope these blocks can take away the kids screen (ipad) time and practice on their intuition skills.

Benjamin enjoy daddy throw him in the air when he is able to solve one of the pattern. This encourages him to do more and gave him the drive to achieve his goal. Ben would shout "daddy! you See!!" then run himself to daddy and expect daddy to throw him up in the air. He's so cute and full of determination. I hope this attitude would stay with him for long until he achieve every dreams he has in this lifetime. 

3 years 3 months old

ben Oct12 Shichida

Last term (jul-sept) I was with ben, It worries me when he does not get a single memory game right. For the 3 months, i was talking to myself, maybe he's not ready because he's merely 3 yrs old, other kids, some can do it some still can't. By the end of september, I thought "this can't be right, something must be wrong" because ben is the only student can't even get 1 correct!! gulp! I'm worried that he has some other things like dyslexia which needs to find out early and treat! 

Well, because october I'm with andrea, this makes me less tense with ben, having time to calm down and think what to do for benjamin. I bought these small little cute rubbers from popular (very cheap!) and practice memory game with him, starts with 3 characters. 1st week I really vomit blood because I open and ask him to follow he CAN'T, I worry till wanna kill myself. 2nd week (6th day) was better, now acceptable. Phew ... even hubby comment he will get at least 1 right in class ... I guess my boy, didn't catch the concept earlier on. Phew!!!

Ben is seriously good at maze, both right and left hand. Good at puzzles and blocks too. Confirm he is auditory type of person, hence I need to explore how to be more effective teaching benjamin, I'm like half deaf since young, this is a real challenge to me. Why I didn't have 2 kids of the same kind, sigh ... beating round the bush again! Oh yes, need to do eye training material .... both my kids ... sigh .. didn't catch the concept WHY i said that .. andrea is really slow when doing spotting games and ben on the other hand STARE at the paper when drawing without looking from dot to dot. Aiyoo ... correction time :) I can do it, pls guide me and more positive energy pls. I'm depleting I know, I can feel it. All is well. Amen.  

ben Mar12 Shichida

I'm bringing ben again this month :) After 6 month of not updating shichida progress for ben, i feel he has learnt alot of things.

1. Started to sing A-I-U-E-O song (more than half of the song)

2. follow bit by bit the good afternoon & Good Bye Song

3. Linking memory was very good (well depends on the card if he likes it) - can get 90% correct most of the time

4. able to draw lines for eye training on his own (abit crooked line but consider OK)

5. Can do energy ball and breathing on his own correctly

6. can circle the correct answer, cross still need to practise more

7. Can do easy maze (he grasp the concept of not bumping the "wall")

8. Can do 80% shichida worksheet on his own (sometimes still scribble)

9. Can understand which one is "more" and "less"

10. Can draw very nice Jelly Fish (not shichida, lol)

Andrea Mar12 shichida

5 Year old class - Interesting!

I was with andrea for 2 months starting of the year. Here is what I observed:

1. Creative writing. Of course she doesn't know how to write, usually i ask her what she wants to write then I expand it for her. After 2 months, I can see abit of expression improvement but always are just mum, dad, ben and herself! lol ... I guess at this age family is important to them.

2. Maths are still single digit, however the kumon worksheets are double digit and thankgod the school taught them double digit already. Hence, maths in shichida do not have problem. 

3. Linking memory new book 1 &2. 1 Month one set of 50. As usual I need to memorize it 1st then to remind her whenever she is free or I'm free. till now i have not memorize all 50 but to teach her those tough words that doesn't seems to stuck in her head.

4. Mandala is getting crazy, I admit I can hardly catch up. For andrea, sometimes she can and sometimes she cannot too. Hope it won't drive her insane too. lol

5. left brain activity are always easy for her. no problem. she likes alot of finger play stuff too.

6. shichida worksheet is getting tougher. I need to use abacus to teach her about sequence. anyway, i dunno if she has grasp the concept. [eg. 90, __, 80, 75, __, 65] Andrea seriously cannot see the answer yet. 

ben august shichida

This month I'm bringing ben again :) We did this rotation so that I could keep up with the teaching and observe how my kids behave in class, hubby is not as committed as I am, hence I need to do the hard work myself for nurturing the kids. Hubby has trained ben well in class. To my surprise, Ben DOES NOT go down the chair, not even ONCE!! I'm very happy with this small little progress. Even for flash cards, he look at it 50% - and completed all the games sensei gave ON THE CHAIR! Yippie ... this would be so much easier for me :) 

Ben is getting familiar with the 'matching game' - from flash memory, linking memory + left brain games. Now it's time for me to teach him all the things in detail in shichida class. He loves to call out to 'sensei' loudly when he is done with keeping his games. Yesterday for image play, we played golf. Ben keep hitting the ball but it could not go into the hole, he is smart enough to put the ball into the hole with his hand. lol ... He knows what his goal is. Don't care about the process (use the stick to hit the ball), go to the end goal in mind (ball in the hole). lol .... Benjamin now did not touch the abacus when other kids is counting, he would sit on the table and watch them count. I really felt that he's all grown up *warm in the heart* 

After the class, i bring him to the toilet, he pee in the toilet bowl!! I hope before his 2 year old birthday he could be off the diaper. Benjamin can count 1 to 10 right now.

andrea July shichida

I'm with andrea this month, we are now with sensei kin:

(1) rushing for homework like mad at home [shichida worksheets, mandala, image drawing] - all because Sensei Kin made a remark that andrea does not submit homework diligently on her report book. Bad Mummy!

(2) starting linking memory again at home. Sensei Kin asked did I practice it at home, i said no and asked the test would be on which set. She said any set. Well, maybe she saw the disappointment on my face, she said she will test the set that I do at home. hahaha... super kiasu I've sounded.

(3) ESP is almost perfect for andrea in every class

(4) Flash Memory is OK, Space Memory is OK, Linking memory is weak

(5) Left brain activity is OK for all except for addition - still need to work on it. I must get Hubby to watch my lazy bum, after sometime I don't know when I stop flashing the addition cards to her :( 

Andrea still enjoying shichida. Shall I start Heguru? Kiasuness comes back again! Well .... I did consider it but need to settle down in my new house 1st. See how it goes. Right brain is something you need to train - just like meditation, you can't see immediate results but the results is AMAZING. That's my own personal opinion. When can i start teaching andrea meditation? Just to keep record, I've got all the ESP correct during andrea's shichida class too. My right brain has somehow activated - the effect of meditation I feel

Ben on the other hand, RUSHING for worksheets too. 6 months worksheet still pending. STRESS! My boy has just started develop the interest to do homework. Luckily I do not have to keep the worksheets for 1 year!

Andrea Home Practice

I have not written about our shichida home practice before! I didn't do much, that's why :p After 3 years with shichida, I must at least write something. I've bought alot of stuff from shichida, below are the latest material we are using. Others are just sitting in the cupboard for ben's use - like linking memory set 1, 2 & 3, Japanese CD songs.

I've written The IQ Genius 1 Block previously, this is the only material that i feel most satisfied with. Seeing the OUTPUT! haha .. Andrea completed this 2 weeks after I've written the IQ Genius 1 Block post.

The IQ Genius 1 Block

Completed!!

The IQ Genius 2. Not as challenging as IQ Genius 1

Super Challenging. Andrea have not like it yet

Maths is difficult, because I've not found the correct method to teach andrea. Shichida have been teaching the addition song since 1 year old. I've bought the addition CD from shichida, have been playing (not very consistent thou), but andrea still not picking up. Have been working hard to teach andrea using the basic as per shichida method, see some improvement but have somehow lazy again because andrea prefer her violin more now. I've this random dots card, Organize dots and Variety dots. Very handy to me. The blue paper is for me to see & the green rubber is for my thumb.

Assist me in Addition

Shichida homework.These are the few pages - usually no problem completing it. Only the maths parts have some problem. Will work on it. Addition are like multiplication - force it into the head. haha... it really takes time for little kids at age 4! I also unhappy to see her count with her fingers! That's too slow and so not shichida style!

Ben Shichida 6Mar2011

Ben 'eat' the energy ball with style! lol ... he does all the hand rubbing himself and compress the energy ball. VERY CUTE! I helped him to splash down and wash away the bad energy. Ben is able to follow instruction from sensei now, i would say 70% he can, 30% of his time he prefers to walk around touching sensei's stuff or just want to dig my bag or other mummy's bag. He still absolutely love all the songs sang by sensei. There is no pressure for him to be able to do EVERYTHING in the class as i understand his concentration span is still short and as long as he is listening it's GOOD enough already. Most importantly i can see that he enjoy going to class. Or else i would stop him from going .... quite taxing to bring him around ... he is a super ACTIVE toddler!

Andrea Shichida 27Feb11

Followed andrea to shichida class for feb (full month)! I alternate with hubby, next month i will go with ben. What's new from andrea's class:

1. Imaging - the last time i went with andrea, sensei asked to imagine something and will take out something for the kids to play with. Now, sensei asked to imagine something/ event and they will describe it to sensei. 

2. peg memory, flash memory (the kids say out what's the next card, weekly will add two more cards), memory linking (weekly read all 50 cards, still reading, no testing yet, dunno when is it going to test, last time was 10 a week), body parts memory (weekly to remember 5 but will show all 50 in one go)

3. using marker now to do maths, maze, some random activities

4. mandala (heard heguru starts this earlier, shichida only start in year 4 class)

5. Multiplication! 

It's getting complicated for a 4 year old i feel. Andrea's memory not bad but flash memory abit poor. I on the other hand training my third eye to do ESP. keke ... Next week gonna spank ben's buttock during shichida class! 

Shichida 9 Jan 2011

Ben has new sensei - Siya. Don't know why Ben always get indian sensei, lol ... Anyway, now he is in 2A class, the class is very much smaller compared to the previous class room, hence he has tough time adjusting and seems very cranky on his 1st day. Myself also feel the room is very small and very cramp! I hope both of us will settle-in next week. The mother in this class seems very much older than me, hm... i always wanted someone around my age, well ... i'll never know what suprise i'll get :)

Ben has improvement in putting small beads into small holes, and can recognize black and white. Not bad eh, I'm suprised! He would clap his hands when sensei finish singing the songs. I hope that his patient will improve as now he does not want to look at flash memory card. He is the only active baby in class, only he wants to walk around, sigh ... last class 3 of them will walk, now he is the only naugthy one. 

I hope hubby will let me go to andrea's class because i want to see what the 4 yr old is up to now. I have not been to class with andrea for more than 1 year now. Still persuading him.

Shichida - Ben, Oct 2010

I feel bad for not updating ben's shichida progress for so long, i did not update the communication book as well. Gosh, is it the teacher? is it that ben does not show interest in class? or is it just me, expecting too much from ben or is it because i'm so tired physically? I don't know the reason .. I think combination of all.

1. Ben's first term was good, he enjoys all the songs - I like, Good Morning, AIUEO, Abacus, Good afternoon (japanese), and Good bye (japanese). I used to sing to him at home but right now when i sing, his eyes does not sparkle like last time. I guess he's bored with all these. New term sensei did not sing any new song :(
2. 2nd term sensei changed to an Indian sensei, ben always shake his head when sensei ask him to - shake hands, if he wants 'this' or 'that', or ask ben if he wants to sing song? I feel that he does not like this sensei as much. Or maybe he knows this is Indian sensei so have to shake his head when he means YES? No Clue
3. Ben does not sit still in class, not like andrea. Ben walk around the class and climb under the table 70% of his time in the class. I'm so tired carrying him and asking him to 'stop' & 'come back'. In our class there are 2 girls and 4 boys, 3 boys including ben behaves the same. All the girls so so good like andrea last time.
4. I just hope ben will start to enjoy his class next year, when he is older. I don't know if i shall continue when he shows no interest in class at all. I'm so demotivated!

Linking Memory Method

Andrea & Hubby has been struggling to get a perfect score for almost 1 year, when schichida started to do 50 pictures for linking memory. Me being the lazy mum, because i have other things to keep me occupied - ben, neglected andrea for this long. One fine day i kick myself in the butt and take over the responsibility of teaching andrea again. I observed the method shichida used - telling stories, i listen to the cd and tried to learn it myself 1st .. i find it very hard to memories it myself too. Suddenly, i remember some memory method i learn from secondary school, telling stories too, but you make up your own stories. So despite we follow the stories in the CD, i make up my own stories that relates to andrea. VIOLA! She did it in one day ... all 50 pictures - forward & backward. It's so amazing! I'm so proud of her :)

ben shichida - July 2010

Ben had attended shichida for over a month now, i would say he is still adapting to class like activity. He can sit on his chair for above 70%, the rest of the time just want to stand, get down from the chair & fussing. Overall his concentration is not bad. Honestly, i should wait until he turns 1 or like andrea - 1 year & 3 months only start shichida, at 9 months old is abit too early to enjoy the whole program.

There are a few parts ben enjoys :-
1. The abacus (most enjoy - watching sensei sing the song until counting on his own)
2. All the songs sang in class (he will sit and will not move)
3. All the activity which has small boxes (he likes to pour the content out from the box or shake it)

I don't know if he benefits from:-
1. ESP - most of the time he got it correct, however many times i feel that he does not know what to do when sensei asked him to choose. (correct then can lah, lol, shows that the right brain is functioning!)
2. flash memory - i don't know about this too, most of the time correct too. I doubt he knows which one sensei showed him just now... lol
3. all the left brain activities - like numbers & alphabet. Just play with him only lah, but i feel he doesn't know anything ... whatever ... but he super love ABC song!

All in all, it's good for a lazy mum like me. Once a week input better than none :)
I do not have time at home to teach, all my time has gone to feeding ben. He is not drinking 10oz from 6am-6pm till now. I don't know when will this improves... Oh MY...

Shichida 2010 Term 1 update

We did not stop andrea from going to shichida, although i have a strong urge to do so. I was so frustrated that she does not want to concentrate in class & got everything wrong! Luckily hubby is patient enough, he bring andrea to class every weekend without miss & practice linking memory with her at home. Luckly i bought the linking memory set the other day when i felt that andrea is hopeless, this set helps her alot now & i can see hubby is always so proud of her when the class ended every week.

Here is what i heard from hubby about her improvement in class. She always has her ESP almost perfect some class were 100% correct, always finish ahead of her classmates (blocks, tracing, weekly different activities), confident enough to sing in front of her class & her speech is very clear, last but not least - linking memory is perfect (well of course, because we did home practice. However other kids were still struggling). Linking memory for 3 years old is to memorize 50 pictures, they have done this for 1 term, but i heard that they are still continue to use this for term 2.

Personally i felt that home environment is very important for the child. If they feel loved & secure at home, they can learn & absorb information very fast. I'm so sorry that I've hurt my girl last time, I hope she will continue to be a cheerful girl. I have also play alpha wave CD to her every night, her behavior seems to have improve after 2-3 months. She did not cry when i drop her off to school now, and did not cry when i pick her up (she sees me she will cry, i think she missed me alot at school last time), she did not cry when i ask her to take her nap, most importantly she score very well in schichida class. I'm very proud of her!

Shichida update

It was a challenge for me to bring andrea back to shichida class after more than 3 months. I have decided to let hubby to bring her until she shows improvement in her memory linking. Andrea does not seems interested in shichida activity anymore and always looking at her friends. I do not know why she does not concentrate anymore and would always find it funny when she does not follow instruction. I had showed frustration & anger when she was not paying attention or has done wrongly for her activities. I know i should not do that, but i just do not know how to control myself. Hence, the best solution, let hubby accompany her to class. 

Today, i've bought some activities materials for andrea and also for ben's future use. To help andrea's memory linking. I have also put ben on the waiting list, there are 50+ in the waiting list! What shocking news! How on earth so many parents wants to enroll their baby to baby class. I actually didn't plan to send ben so early, but 50+ in the list, i better queue if not I'm afraid by 1 year old he does not have a place. How kiasu.. haha... anyway, i hope andrea will continue likes her shichida activity. I will play my part & will draw out a time table so that hubby and new maid can help me on home practice. 

Personal View

Many people put shichida & glenn doman to comparison, I think this is largely due to both using flash cards. Hm.. my believe was the same as the public although i've attended shichida for exactly 1 year now. On the web or even attended many shichida seminar, you could not find what the real essence is. Because no one really compare them or they do not have in dept knowledge with these two programs. i've even attended glenn doman method of bringing up your child by dr. laila from nury institute (only for Malays last time, now the doctor is 80+, i dunno how long she will still be here), she too never compare it with shichida or whatever right brain development that is available.

This got me thinking when my blogger friend said her daughter started to read words on the flash cards. I do not know if Andrea can read words on the flash cards, because we flash it the shichida way not the glenn doman way. My youngest sister follows glenn doman method when she was born (my mum was a civil servant and got the opportunity to attend dr. laila's course when she was working with DBKL), no doubt my sister understanding power is strong since young & now is becoming a medical doctor in 1-2 years time.

Glenn doman: repetition of flash cards in a day (only a few cards a day) + show love to your kids (praising)
Shichida: no repetition, flash VERY fast - activate right brain wavelength (10-100 cards) + show love to your kids (praising)

Personal view:
GD - improve flash memory (right brain), reading & writing. Immediate results can be seen.
Shichida - improve 5 senses using right brain. some senses improvement can be seen, but many can't like speed reading, Imaging etc. Even the breathing exercise i still need to guide her. No doubt ESP and flash memory (object location, linking memory & tell the difference) is perfect.

Shichida - 6 Sept 09

I want to record down that andrea started to sing AIUEO with sensei, not very loud but the mouth is moving! That's a very good achievement to me, because i do not know why she does not want to sing in class although she knows how to sing. Maybe too shy or not confident enough. I'm very proud of her.

Besides she can now recognize number 1-10. She can pick up the numbers i ask her to during the class. She can also count 1 - 20 confidently now, with no missed. shichida currently stops at 20, i think i shall introduce 21 - 30 now.

Now Andrea can do her number tracing on her own, worksheets from shichida. I'm amaze that she took out her magic colour and start writing it herself & show it to me happily. She has really grown up ALOT!

I recommend Kumon workbooks i bought from kinokuniya/ MPH as i can see that andrea's progress is faster than her classmates, despite she is the youngest in her class. i wouldn't say she is smarter but i think is the exposure she gets. Andrea can do puzzles very well, hold a scissors very well, shapes & colours activities she can finish it very fast. She is always ahead of her classmates when doing all these activities. I've also started andrea with the big kumon books - easy maze & numbers 1-30 just yesterday. She has trouble in the maze but i guess it's the exposure, I'm sure she will get it right very soon!