KCIS同SWCK大家會簡邊間呀?

elmostoney

SWCK does not have a secondary.

IB is irrelevant to local university intake.  In fact, even if the school is not IB, you can still apply to overseas and local universities.  The ONLY official advantage that IB gives a child when applying to university is that - SOME universities allow exemption to SOME subjects if the student is in an IB program for Year 11 and 12.  Being in an IB program before Year 11 does not give a student any OFFICIAL advantage, at least not at the present.  IB involves a lot of projects and exploratory work, so if a student is in the system early on, she may become more adept.  My question is - is it necessary to start at primary school?  If the child doesn't even have the skills to do research on her own, write essays and think creatively and critically on her own, what's the point?  To answer your question, whether a student will not be able to catch up with an IB secondary if she was not in an IB primary, my FEELING is that, it's irrelevant.  Most IS encourage their students to explore, to think creatively and critically.  All have projects.  Even many LS are running down the same path.  A school that is labelled IB only means they get the official stamp from the IB organization, and their are additional criteria to become IB - e.g. pay the expensive annual fees and the initial audit, some language constraint, etc.

crystalpui

多謝你的回覆
請問你知唔知NIS有冇意思攪secondary?
你小朋友係nis讀完後
打算升邊間secondary?
會唔會冇學校收呢?

eneresnat

elmostoney:

May I ask if SWCK teaches traditional or simplified Chinese characters? I'll probably enrol my son next year, so I'd like to know more about its programme. Apart from Chinese (I know we can't expect much), do they teach other subjects well? Is it a mix of traditional and montessouri? Thanks.

elmostoney

daughter at SWCK, not NIS.  SWCK has intention to start secondary, but I wouldn't count on it.  Apparently, primary must be running smoothly before they start something else.  Finding another site is also a problem.

SWCK teaches simplified Chinese, but I teach my girl traditional at home.  So far there is no conflict because their pace is slower.

My daughter actually joined SWCK for the last term of kindergarten, so I don't know much of what they did at the junior year.  Don't expect a lot of academics at SWCK kindergarten section.  They use some Montessori tools, but they are NOT montessori.  My daughter has been in a mont school for 3 years and my son is still in one, so I know.  (and I just LOVE montessori) They do some theme based activities, writing letters during the last year in kindergarten. I remember my daughter coming home and telling me about space and astronauts last term, and I was surprised she knew so much.

Of course, now my daughter's curriculum is richer because they are preparing her to go on to year 2 next Sept in the new school.  She does have English, math and Chinese.  Math is simple - still counting, but to bigger numbers.

elmostoney

crystal pui, I cannot think so far ahead about secondary at this point.  I have some consideration, but it is not my foremost concern.  I know my daughter's character, and I think enrolling her in a school that suits her is more important.  It is a bit more touchy with her.  with my son, I think he can deal with many different types of schools, but call my crazy, I want to send him to a Montessori primary (and there is only one with no secondary also).  I honestly think it will bring out the best in him.  Montessori is even more IB than IB, and it came into existence far earlier than IB.  At this point, I feel that Montessori can help my son to achieve his best, and at his best, he can get into any secondary, i.e. if he doesn't change.

elmostoney

crystal, I think you should choose a school based on what you are comfortable (homework load, academic standard, IB or not, facilities, etc).  If a through train is important to you, then you should choose a through train school that best suits your child.  If your concern is whether the school suits yr child regardless of through train, that's another scenario.  If you find a through train school that you like, suits your child, and it takes your child, then congratulations!

crystalpui

原帖由 elmostoney 於 11-10-10 22:04 發表
crystal, I think you should choose a school based on what you are comfortable (homework load, academic standard, IB or not, facilities, etc).  If a through train is important to you, then you should c ...

謝謝你既回覆
我個人來講
唔好太多功課, 又一條龍就係我心水
始終小學都仲係細
唔雖要谷得咁行
小朋友冇晒童年, 唔係我想要既野

我將我女選校問題交俾上帝
如果kcis收先, 就讀kcis
swck收先, 就讀swck
如果2間都唔收, 就冇辦法........

mycjc

Hi Elmostoney,

Hi, I have a 21 months old son and he is currently attending Montessori classes. I also believe in Montessori education and wanted to send my boy to a Montessori kinder.
However, my husband has alot of hesitation in going for this path.
We have not yet decided if we should choose LS or IS for our son yet. But in your opinion, if we send our son to a Montessori Kinder and then choose LS Primary school, will he has difficulty catching up?
May I know which Montessori school your daughter attended? Why did you change to SWCK?

elmostoney

mycjc,

mine is a sad story.  I wanted my daughter to go to montessori primary.  She was at Best Concept before.  I even forfeited going to a normal kinder for K1 so she could stay.  K2, i started feeling the need to enroll her in a regular kinder to have normal school life.  So I did something that I never thought I would do - I enrolled her in 2 schools!  3 days in Mont (including Saturday morning) and 5 days at a regular kindy.  I didn't like the kindy and I still preferred Mont, plus the Mont teacher she had at that time was WONDERFUL, so I quit after 1.5 months and she continued to go to the Mont center 5 days a week.  I tried to get her into IMS and was accepted, but they wanted her to do full day class and she was only 4.5 yo.  I didn't want to and declined the offer, making excuses that probably hurt our chance in future admission.  I applied to IMS again early this year.  Perhaps the competition was too keen or perhaps they didn't like the fact that we applied before and didn't take the seat (and the excuse I made before), they didn't take her.  At that time, (January 2011), I put her in SWCK.  She instantly fell in love with the school within a week. (unlike the other kindy - she never really liked it for the 1.5months she went there) By then, she was almost 5.  I have always aimed to send her to an IS which has good Chinese if she doesn't go to a Montessori school - so not many choices now.  My first choice was still Montessori, but she didn't get into the Mont school or the IS of our choice.  That's how we end up in SWCK for upper K3 (or year 1).

Montessori people will tell you everyone fits in the Montessori way of teaching, but from my experience, it's not true.  Only during the short time in upper K3 did I find out that she LOVES to learn with a group.  She has more motivation if she sees all her peers are doing the same thing (although slightly varied progress).  In a Montessori environment, theoretically, every child can move at his own pace.  If the child is not very self-motivated, it may not suit him.  My son is the complete opposite, and he is thriving in Montessori.  

Can a true Montessori child adjust to LS primary if he/she has only been to a Mont school all his kindy life?  Frankly, I can't tell you.  It really depends on the child's character.  Some are more adaptable and some are not.  Everybody is different.  I think some kids can adapt, but it doesn't mean they are happy, right?  how many kids can be happy if it's homework, tests, and criticism from parents and teacher all the time?  Is it necessary to learn by so much drilling and tests?  I suggest you read a book about Norwegian education.  If you believe in it, then the answer is "no." Then next thing is, is private schools/IS within your budget?

elmostoney

BTW, which montessori does your son go to?

mycjc

my son went to ICMS for 1 term (3 months). Recently he transferred to Best Concept and he is attending 5 days per week.

i really admire your dedication in Montessori edcuation as it is rather risky in forfeiting regular K1 just to stay in BC. Afterall BC is not a registered school!

We are just a normal family so those prestigious IS are out of the question. Our targeted schools are ESF or CAIS. But I know the chances are very slim. That's why I don't want to risk sending my kid to a Montessori school if I am not confident that he can get into IS.

I have friends with kids in SWCK and they loved it but we live in Kowloon side so it's quite far to travel all the way to midlevels.

zj

Hi, elmostoney,

想問一下的有些關於 montessori class. 我小朋友在 Best Concept 細仔班讀了九個月. 因 K1 (Int'l Kindy) 開學我沒有再給她升大仔班. 想在十二月, 她足三歲再開始上大仔班. 其實一星期上兩天或三天的分別大嗎?   thanks.

我都想過讓她讀 IMS, 完成 Casa 之後再轉返去 IS Year 2/3. 但因居住地區 & 擔心函接問題放棄了. 所以現在只好選擇 am Best Concept (2 or 3 days) + pm Int'l Kindy (5 days). 但這樣 Best Concept 只可以上到 4 yrs 9 mths.

我看這 post 才知道 SWCK 有 primary school. 亦很高興你找到孩子喜歡的學校.

elmostoney

ha, my son is in ICMS now because he didn't get into IMS.  Same case - last year when I took my daughter to IMS for an interview, I brought my son along.  He was just an onlooker.  However, when the principal saw him, immediately she said that she would take him right away (我個仔係好定同專注力好好).  We said we wanted to apply later.  When we applied earlier this year, they didn't take him.  He is at an age that I also feel the pressure to enroll him in a regular kindy + there were a lot of changes at BC during the last year.  

其實之前因為BC有某d問題同好多複雜原因, 我個仔係細仔班時去過ICMS一個星期, 個陣時佢係剛剛兩歲, 當時我覺得佢地個toddler program有好多不足之處, 返左一星期, 我forfeit所有deposit退學返BC, 因為當時bc細仔班個老師教得我個仔好好.  大仔班我未知ICMS點, 但係我個仔係受教, 而且BC比佢training非常之好, 所以我覺得老師會鍾意比時間教佢. 七月時我帶阿仔去ICMS面試, 本來要in 兩個鐘, ms kelly唔洗一個鐘就比我地走, quote ms kelly嘅說話, 我個仔係一個montessori child.  

對montessori嘅信念係因為我都相信我個仔, 我覺得佢性格適合, 學野快上手, 程度好自然考物野學校個chance都大d. 我個女就不嬲唔專注, 所以就算上montessori咁耐, 都有少少拉牛上樹嘅感覺.  Montessori唔係仙丹, 唔可以改造一個人性格, 只能幫下佢.

至於一星期上幾多日先好, 我真係唔知點答. 以前嘅maria montessori, 又或台灣嘅montessori school, 都係全日, 係到四點幾至六點, 一星期五日. 我當時同我個女嘅大仔班老師傾, 佢話香港得半日, 其實唔係咁好, 所以最好返五日, 我個女係返左兩年五日先轉三日架.  但係如果你返兩間學校, 根本冇可能返五日, 呢個就係現實. 我覺得返兩日同三日, 分別未必大, 或者你可以同老師傾下.

其實我都係一個關口, small world收左阿仔今年九月入學(我係四月先apply), 我推左, 因為我知道有sibling priority, 就算我將來先申請, 收嘅機會都幾大.  我打算再apply ims, 因為我嘅最終目標都係入佢地嘅primary school, 當然同時間我都申請左其他IS, 不過我個仔而家係ICMS又讀得好開心.  佢好慢熱, 最初係學校唔講野, 老師問我, 佢係屋企係咪都係咁, 當然唔係啦! 而家? 老師問我工人, 我地係屋企係咪有教佢phonics, 點解佢英文 (佢係指拼讀字)咁好, 所以老師都花多d心機落佢到.

[ 本帖最後由 elmostoney 於 11-11-3 17:43 編輯 ]

Ocean419

Hi elmostoney, I have tried getting hold of best concept for 6 months now.  Their website is under construction, phone is never answered, faxed them the application form 3 times but nobody ever called back...  Are they still in business?  Can u pm me a number which I can actually get in touch with someone there?  Thanks.

mycjc

我都同意ICMS的Toddler Prgram有不足之處. 其實我覺得佢地唔係太Montessori. 初初頭兩個月佢老師都OK, 但到Sep個兩個老師都transfer到main campus教pre-casa. 換來的幾位新老師經驗不足, circle time時又control唔到d小朋友, 搞到好混亂. 好彩咁啱之前waitlist的Best Concept有位所以transfer咗過去. 你小朋友讀邊個campus呀? 你意思係咪之前BC好好果個老師已經走咗喇? So far, 我覺得BC都OK.
聽d老師俾你囝囝的comment, 如果佢地都咁一致覺得佢係一個Montessori child, 咁真係可以放膽go for this path. In case有問題都有SWCK做back up.
但點解你咁aim for IMS呢? ICMS的Pre-casa 和 casa唔好咩? 我有friend的小朋友讀過Casa De Bambini都話ok喎

mycjc

原帖由 Ocean419 於 11-10-13 13:46 發表
Hi elmostoney, I have tried getting hold of best concept for 6 months now.  Their website is under construction, phone is never answered, faxed them the application form 3 times but nobody ever called ...

I called their TST centre at 2111 8903 and always have someone answer the call

elmostoney

mycjc, because IMS has primary school, and IMS doesn't.  My son was in toddler program at BC 18m ~ 2y8m, then he moved up to casa and stayed until 3.5 yo.  We took a month off in August before he started at ICMS casa.  Casa is offered in their main campus only.

My son's toddler teacher at BC was Ms. Ellen (also my daughter's teacher).  She left in the fall of 2010, right after my son moved up to BC casa.  The casa teacher we had was 宥語 who was a toddler teacher at BC before.  She holds qualifications in both 0~3 and 3~6.  Unfortunately she also left in april/may this year.  I know Ms. Lina a bit and the Indian teacher took over my kids' class.  They were with her for 3 months until we decided to go.  I don't know the Indian teacher long enough to give any comment.  She doesn't seem to be very experienced, but she really makes an effort.

elmostoney

I really think BC's toddler program is probably one of the best in HK - solely from the fact that they don't allow adults to go in.  The kids don't really learn as much when an adult fuss over them, and the teacher will rely on the parent/helper to help with the class.  BC is very hands-on because their teacher really does EVERYTHING with the child.

mycjc

i also read from a few comments that Ms Elleen is very caring. It's sad that she left BC already.
My son is in Kln Tong campus and the teacher is Ms. Lisa (mandarin speaker). She is also very nice. There's another ms Annie (or Amy?) but I don't know her very well.
Is your son's teacher in ICMS Ms Elise & Ms. Rei? They both were my son's toddler's program teachers. My son loves Ms. Elise very much but unfortunately she was transferred to main campus this Sep.

eneresnat

elmostoney:

SWCK does encourage kids to read story books, right? I do wish that my son can start off with a good reading habit (I read to him at home but I hope there's an environment at school also).
If your daughter moves on to SWCK primary, how will you help her keep up her Chinese? I really like SWCK but I also wish that my son can read and write in Chinese in the future, so I wanna see if there's anything I can do to supplement their syllabus.