教育王國
標題: ISF vs VSA, which one is better? [打印本頁]
作者: avaya 時間: 12-11-30 10:55 標題: ISF vs VSA, which one is better?
Both of them are relatively new. VSA primary and secondary are a bit older than ISF. Both focus on bilingual Chinese and English education. VSA schools fees is cheaper than ISF. Both have nice and decent school buildings and facilities. ISF is still under expansion. Any ideas?
作者: HKTHK 時間: 12-11-30 18:38
I don't know much about VSA but believe there are VSA parents here. Under what dimensions are you comparing the two schools? What are the things that are important to you as a parent?
作者: wenwan 時間: 12-11-30 23:25
My son studied in VSA for two years, what do you want to know.
作者: HKTHK 時間: 12-11-30 23:51
回復 wenwan 的帖子
How would you compare the curriculum (English, Chinese, Math) and culture between VSA and CIS?
作者: wenwan 時間: 12-12-1 11:58 標題: 回覆：HKTHK 的帖子
VSA curriculum is good but CIS is a bit better. I guess VSA is a new school and they are still fine tuning their curriculum. CIS is more established and teachers are more experienced.
English: Both school doesn't teach English like local school ie they won't teach grammar. They will let the kids do lot of writing and correct them. In VSA, my boy not only have written stories, he also wrote poems and even tongue twisters. CIS method is more systematic, they will tell the kids to brainstorm first, do a mind map and then starts writing. Teachers will guide each students while they are writing instead of just correct it afterwards. As for dictation, VSA does have dictation once every two weeks while CIS has no dictation at all. CIS will teach student how to 'Read', I am not talking about phonics or simply knowing the words or the meaning of the words. CIS teaches the kids to pay attention to how the author wrote, what kind of vocabs he used, where is the climax, where is the twist and turn etc etc. The kids will have group discussion afterwards with the teachers. My boy love reading and writing even more than before.
Chinese: VSA derives the syllabus from China while CIS from Taiwan/China. CIS syllabus is easier. Both schools have text books and kids learn vocabs and sentences structure from the text books. Both school have dictation; VSA will do it once a week while CIS is once every two to three weeks. CIS have tests while VSA have no tests at all. VSA will also teach 唐詩，三字經，弟子規。VSA will not teach students how to write, they will ask the kids to write stories and journals and correct them afterwards. But in CIS, they will teach them how to read and write in the same method as in English.
Math: Both schools teach Math through games. VSA have used Australia and Hong Kong syllabus before but this year they switched to Singapore. CIS uses USA syllabus. CIS teaches Math in both languages.
Culture: Their cultures do not differ much. Kids in both school are happy, energetic, well mannered, polite and gentle. Both schools emphasis so much in reading. They don't have a lot of homework and give the kids more time to read. They encourages the kid to read everyday. The only differences I can see is CIS encourages the kids to do a lot of sports, soccer, rugby etc etc.
作者: HKTHK 時間: 12-12-1 15:50
回復 wenwan 的帖子
wenwan,
Thank you. This is very helpful. For the benefit of other parents who are trying to understand and choose between these schools, I will also put down the info for ISF:
English: Mostly self-developped curriculum with reference to UK and California standards. Not sure if you would call this grammar but definition and usage of nouns, verbs, ... are specifically taught. They do write quite a bit as well from journals to stories. Reading comprehension strategies are also specifically taught. There is weekly dictation. There is also a weekly vocabulary list which is differentiated for students in the same class. Everyone is required to read 15 mins a day in English and each week, a student will get a PM reader and also borrow another book from the library.
Chinese: Based on China's curriculum with references to HK and Taiwan curriculums. Text books are the same as those used in HK LS. There is weekly dictation and students will be assessed after each thematic unit is completed (same as in English). Recitation of 唐詩 starts in K3 and it is about 10-15 a year. Chinese teacher will check recitation of each poem by each student. 三字經，弟子規 are also recited starting in FY.
Math: Taught in both languages and follow US curriculum. I think Chinese math are those that scaffold upwards while English math are concepts that might not necessarily built upon itself.
Culture: I would imagine quite similar to CIS and VSA. There is a fair amount of homework but students are still required to read 15 mins each in Chinese and English each day. From what I can tell, a fair number of parents supplement Chinese (if they are not native speakers) and/or Math. ECA are entirely optional but kids are quite active and most will play a sport and a musical instrument.
作者: HKTHK 時間: 12-12-1 15:51
If any CKY parents or parents of other school can put down theirs as well, it will be great since I think it will really help other parents to understand what actually happen in each school as opposed to the general external perception.
作者: shadeslayer 時間: 12-12-1 16:59 標題: 引用：If+any+CKY+parents+or+parents+of+other+s
原帖由 HKTHK 於 12-12-01 發表
If any CKY parents or parents of other school can put down theirs as well, it will be great since I ...
作者: musicien 時間: 12-12-1 17:39 標題: 回覆：ISF vs VSA, which one is better?
Thank you all!
作者: HKTHK 時間: 12-12-1 21:16
回復 shadeslayer 的帖子
In which sense?
作者: shadeslayer 時間: 12-12-1 21:29
本帖最後由 shadeslayer 於 12-12-1 21:31 編輯
HKTHK 發表於 12-12-1 21:16 
回復 shadeslayer 的帖子
In which sense?
CIS:
From CIS web site:
Happy, motivated, multi-talented and multi-lingual, CIS's 1,400 students come from over 1,000 families and diverse backgrounds. While about two-thirds of students are ethnically Chinese, they represent some two dozen nationalities with family roots in many parts of the world.
VSA/CKY, I believe almost all, if not all, are local Chinese. VSA parents can confirm.
ISF: somewhere in between.
作者: HKTHK 時間: 12-12-1 21:34
回復 shadeslayer 的帖子
I will let wenwan speak to the % of non-ethnically Chinese students at CIS. It is tough to quantify at ISF as there are quite a number of mixed ethnicity children.
作者: shadeslayer 時間: 12-12-1 21:49
HKTHK 發表於 12-12-1 15:50
回復 wenwan 的帖子
wenwan,
xxxxxx
The history, faculty and student mix define the culture. I don't know for sure but I imagine CIS is quite different from VSA or CKY.
It is not easy to get admitted to any of these schools. If I have a choice and money is not a concern, CIS seems to be a much safer bet.
作者: wenwan 時間: 12-12-1 23:32 標題: 回覆：shadeslayer 的帖子
Yes, CIS has more non ethnically Chinese than VSA. Not sure about the percentage but in my boy's class, there are 8 non ethnically Chinese or mixed race kids out of 22 kids. In some classes, there are about 4 to 8 non ethnically Chinese kids. In VSA, he used to have 3/4 mixed race kids out of 28 kids in his class. Another interesting fact about student mix is that CIS has equal number of each gender, 44boys and 44 girls in each year band.
Regarding the ethnic culture, CIS is more westernized, there is no flag racing ceremony, no singing of national anthem but they will still teach Chinese history. But in terms of learning culture, both schools are very similar.
作者: avaya 時間: 12-12-3 08:54
Would it be fair to say CIS/ISF students are from relatively richer families while VSA are mostly from local HK middle class families?
作者: wenwan 時間: 12-12-3 17:36 標題: 回覆：avaya 的帖子
avaya, most of CIS families are rich but not like every one is as rich as Martin Lee or Victor Lee. There are still a lot of parents who are not very rich but very reputable in their professions.
As for VSA, the majority is middle class to upper middle class but they still have very rich family like 羅傑成。
作者: 亞Boo 時間: 12-12-4 09:05 標題: 引用：VSA+curriculum+is+good+but+CIS+is+a+bit+
原帖由 wenwan 於 12-12-01 發表
VSA curriculum is good but CIS is a bit better. I guess VSA is a new school and they are still fine ...
作者: Starrynite 時間: 12-12-4 10:51
HKTHK 發表於 12-12-1 15:51
If any CKY parents or parents of other school can put down theirs as well, it will be great since I ...
作者: wenwan 時間: 12-12-6 00:09 標題: 引用：Quote:原帖由+wenwan+於+12-12-01+發表VSA+
原帖由 亞Boo 於 12-12-04 發表
Wenwan, thanks for the detailed information. So, your boy switched to CIS after 2 years studied in V ...
Yes, my son switched to CIS after spending two years with VSA. I don't see VSA kids have discipline problem. The principal and the teachers do care a lot about the students discipline. They might be naughty sometimes but they know when to behave properly. For example, the kids are dead quite during assembly, those who speak improper language will be punished, teachers will also send emails or call parents to notify them. Teachers know who are the bullies and will keep an eye on them all the time.
All the primary kids are well disciplined. Some secondary students might speak foul language but I guess they just represents the minority.
作者: 亞Boo 時間: 12-12-6 09:02 標題: 回覆：ISF vs VSA, which one is better?
Wenwan, thanks again. Your comment is neutral and it seems VSA did improve a lot. Based on your observation, how's the language ability of the kids there? Good? Fluent in English? Eager to learn or just keep playing around? Sorry for keep asking as my little one got the P1 offer from VSA finally 
and it's important to know more about this school. Thanks.
BTW, do you mind to share with us why you switched your boy to CIS instead?
作者: elmostoney 時間: 12-12-6 09:29
I am also keen to learn more about VSA. A friend of mine has a child there at lower primary, so i hear a lot from her. I think VSA has changed a bit since wenwen's time. 1 hour of hw is minimum for year 1, and a bit more time is required for year 2, etc. Parents are asked to attend reading and math workshops on a regular basis so they can assist the child at home. According to my friend, they have hired a math specialist from the UK to develop these math games and coordinate the curriculum. Gifted kids are hand-picked. E.g. gifted kids in math can do after school classes (free) with 4 teachers to 9 kids.
Expect the parent to be quite involved at lower primary. Since the school runs IB, much work is research-based. E.g. lately for a transportation theme, the child is asked to come up with a list of transports, why do people use them, and why some of them are no longer in use, etc. Let's just say it's not completely within a 7-yo's ability to handle it alone.
For Chinese, as they already master 拼音 at year 1, they are expected to type out a Chinese composition using pinyin by Year 2. I am sure their Chinese curriculum is harder than CIS, if not ISF. They are now learning multiplication at Year 2 (first term). According to my friend, that is ahead of most average LS.
All in all, VSA has augmented their academic standard again beginning from lower primary during the last 2 years. Even the school publicly declared that to be so. So it's not quite the same for Year 1 students 3 or 4 years ago.
Since VSA kids are mostly from local HK families and Cantonese is not prohibited on school grounds, English ability of VSA children will not be as good as CIS. But again, CIS' Chinese is not as good as VSA. So take your pick.
作者: poonseelai 時間: 12-12-6 09:56
elmostoney 發表於 12-12-6 09:29
I am also keen to learn more about VSA. A friend of mine has a child there at lower primary, so i h ...
Don't worry, those workshops are not mandatory. In fact, working parents would find it hard to attend all of them as most workshops are held at 8:30 am. Parents would know more about what students are doing at school and how parents can help.
作者: HKTHK 時間: 12-12-6 11:33
本帖最後由 HKTHK 於 12-12-6 12:16 編輯
回復 elmostoney 的帖子
Very good to hear. Sounds like VSA has made great strides compared to some of the other comments before. I wish ISF has the same type of after school math classes for those who are interested.
On Chinese, it sounds like VSA is about the same or slightly behind ISF. Pinyin are taught in Foundation Year which is the equivalent of K3. Grade 1 students are typing in pinyin already.
作者: poonseelai 時間: 12-12-6 12:04
I believe universities' requirement on Chinese would get higher as more students in HK are taking IB Chinese. Schools with more emphasis on Chinese (CIS, ISF and VSA) may have some advantange.
作者: wenwan 時間: 12-12-6 14:22 標題: 引用：Wenwan,+thanks+again.+Your+comment+is+ne
原帖由 亞Boo 於 12-12-06 發表
Wenwan, thanks again. Your comment is neutral and it seems VSA did improve a lot. Based on your obs ...
I have to say VSA is a very good school especially their PYP program and you have made a good choice, so go for it!
Most VSA kids are tri-lingual, fluent in three languages. They usually converse in English and Cantonese in the playground, Putonghua during Chinese lesson. Their written ability is not bad either but might varies among students. That's why teachers will divide the students into groups according to their level and teach accordingly. Twice a year, parents are required to attend "learning journey" ( some kind of exhibition) showing the students project and their work. The students will be presenting their projects and parents need to give them comments. Through these exhibition, you will know what your child has learned at school, not only Chinese, English and Math, but also their research skills, presentation skills.
I would like to elaborate more on homework. Homework are given out every Monday and due the next Monday. After two years of time management training, he knows how to prioritize tasks. To be honest, since year 1, I have stopped nagging him and he is in auto pilot mode. He will only ask for help when needed.
As for the learning attitude, the teachers do care about their learning attitude, they will email or call the parents when something is not right. All the kids I know are very positive and eager to learn, not lay back or "hea" at all. VSA report card even grade the student's learning attitude.
Why I switched school? VSA does have a better Chinese and Math curriculum than CIS, however, CIS have a better MYP and DP programs. Their 2012 IB scores are one of the best in HK. Their universities placement are so promising. And I know from friends that the learning atmosphere in CIS is so positive and strong. CIS also encourages kids to do sports and my boy loves sports. And I hope my boy can not only excel academically but also in sports.
Hope I have made a right decision for my boys!
作者: 亞Boo 時間: 12-12-6 14:36 標題: 引用：Quote:原帖由+亞Boo+於+12-12-06+發表Wenwa
原帖由 wenwan 於 12-12-06 發表
亞Boo,
I have to say VSA is a very good school especially their PYP program and you have made a go ...
Your kind sharing is highly appreciated! Thank you very much Wenwan. Cheers...
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