Reborn before the famine, kicking away the scumbag's family and living a carefree life.

95. Skipping grades

“Sister, your child is only in first grade. He hasn’t even finished his coursework and is already studying at home. How much knowledge can he possibly learn? He’s only six years old, and his self-learning ability is limited. Even if he has learned some knowledge in this year at home, skipping two grades at once seems a bit too hasty. Have you heard of the story of pulling up seedlings to help them grow? Doing this will harm your child.”

"Principal Zhao, I understand what you mean. You're worried that the children might try to learn too much at once and end up harming them. Children are naturally curious. If they learn everything and then keep repeating the same things, won't that stifle their curiosity and desire to explore?"

Principal Zhao glanced at Su Jinru.

“You’re a very eloquent mother. It seems your child must be quite good. So, I’ll do as you say and give him a few practice tests. If he really reaches the level of a third grader, then I’ll let him skip a grade.”

Primary school only has two subjects: Chinese and mathematics.

Principal Zhao immediately asked Ms. Liu, the third-grade teacher, to find two sets of third-grade final exam papers.

Anran sat down at the teacher's desk and began working on the test paper.

Anran did the Chinese first.

He glanced at all the questions, then lowered his head and started working on the first major question, his pen scribbling away without the slightest hesitation.

Principal Zhao stood next to An Ran and looked at the questions he had answered. He had indeed answered them correctly.

The school bell rang, and all the other teachers went to class. Only Principal Lu and An Ran remained in the teachers' office.

Principal Zhao walked up to Su Jinru and quietly asked, "Has your child really been studying at home all year?"

"Yeah! What else can we do if we don't study? We can't go to school, we can't go out, we're stuck at home all day, we have to do something!"

"Your mother must be highly educated, right?"

Su Jinru shook her head.

“I have never been to school, but I have attended literacy classes. Principal Zhao, the village may often invite teachers like you to teach the villagers and help them become literate.”

"Really? It was teachers from our school who ran literacy classes for you before?"

"Yes! I only learned to recognize a few words after attending several literacy classes."

“Although you only know a few words, you have a high level of awareness and know that you should let your children continue to study during the famine so as not to waste time.”

"Yes! The child is very hardworking and I don't need to worry about him much. He not only studies on his own, but also teaches his younger sister to study. His sister can read storybooks now."

Principal Zhao asked in surprise, "Qi Anran is only seven years old now. His younger sister should be even younger. How old is she now?"

My sister is five years old now.

"A five-year-old...able to understand storybooks?"

"Yes! After reading the storybook, they even told us the story in great detail!"

"Then her literacy level should be at least a thousand characters."

“I bought them both a dictionary, and they’ve learned almost all the words in it. The two kids often have competitions to see who knows more words, and they often ask me to be the judge and test them! The word recognition competition game is a daily tradition in our family.”

"Isn't it getting boring and tedious after a while, with the same routine every day?"

"No! Our writing system is particularly interesting. When you say a word, you can hear all its synonyms and antonyms, as well as related descriptions! A word can be used to make sentences, descriptions, and metaphors. Different verbs can be used to perform various actions, allowing you to experience their differences... In short, it's endlessly fascinating."

In her previous life, Su Jinru accompanied her grandson and great-grandson as they grew up, and she also accompanied them to various training courses and participated in various parenting education programs.

She learned the early education methods for many children in later generations.

Principal Zhao was full of praise.

“This parent, I don’t believe you haven’t been to school. You’re a complete education expert. With your level of expertise, you’re more than qualified to teach elementary school Chinese.”

"Principal Zhao, please don't make fun of me like that."

"I'm not laughing at you, I'm telling the truth."

By this time, An Ran had finished her Chinese exam.

Principal Zhao gave him the math test paper and told him to continue working on it.

Principal Zhao then began grading An Ran's exam paper.

I answered all the questions correctly except for the essay.

The essays were also exceptionally well-written, with concise and vivid language, expressive descriptions, sincere emotions, profound meanings, and a lingering sense of enjoyment.

In short, one word: good; two words: very good; three words: excellent!

If he hadn't seen An Ran's essay with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed that it was written by a seven-year-old child, and that it was full of inspiration.

This exam paper shows how solid this child's basic Chinese language skills are.

So what the parent just said is true. It's unbelievable that a mother who never attended a formal school could let her child play word games every day. It's impossible for a child growing up in such a family environment not to excel.

Principal Zhao couldn't help but feel admiration for Su Jinru.

Anran quickly finished the math test.

Principal Zhao immediately graded An Ran's math paper.

At that moment, the bell rang, and the other teachers returned to their offices.

Principal Zhao quickly finished grading the papers.

He excitedly held up two test papers, saying, "Come and see this child! He's only in first grade, yet he's done a third-grade test so perfectly."

Ms. Liu, the third-grade teacher, took the test paper to look at.

"Perfect score in math, and all the Chinese questions except the composition were correct."

The other teachers, hearing this, all curiously gathered around.

"Wow, that's amazing! You got everything right, and your handwriting is so neat and tidy."

"This essay is also quite well written."

Principal Zhao: "Teacher Liu, is Qi Anran qualified to be in your third grade?"

"He's qualified, absolutely qualified. I want this child."

Su Jinru gently tugged at her son's clothes.

"Qi Anran, call her Teacher Liu."

An Ran bowed slightly to Teacher Liu.

Hello, Teacher Liu!

Teacher Liu couldn't stop smiling.

"This child is good at studying and also very polite."

"Come, come, I'll take you to the classroom right now."

Principal Zhao smiled and said, "Qi Anran, go with Teacher Liu! From now on, you will be a third-grade elementary school student."

Su Jinru also bid farewell to Principal Zhao.

"Thank you, Principal Zhao. I won't bother you any longer."

"Wait a minute, Anran's mom, didn't you just say that Anran has a younger sister? Where is she?"

"At the village nursery."

“She already knows so many words, she should be sent to school.”

"But she's only five years old, and I'm afraid her classmates will bully her."

Back then, most children in first grade were seven years old or older, some even eight, nine, or ten or older. Many families were reluctant to send their children to school, and it was only after village officials and teachers persuaded them that they came to school. Therefore, the ages of children starting school varied greatly.

A five-year-old child is indeed too small compared to these older children, especially since she is a girl. Su Jinru wants to let her enroll in school another year.