Shall I choose SIS?

girlsmama

My girl has been accepted for reception year 2009, but I am still not 100% sure whether to send her there or not. I am worried as we stayed in Kowloon side, school bus will be a big problem. Secondly, don't know if SIS will be too tough and strict for my girl. Thridly, my experience at the interview is bad, staff being not friendly and no introduction or information was given at all.

popolung

Did you have any other alternative besides SIS?

bbky

I too was very disappointed in the way the interview at SIS was set up.  For a hefty $2000 application fee, you'd think they would at least give you a short intro and then afterwards to inform you that the mere 10 minute interview was over so you can get going.  From this experience, I felt that the school had little regard for prospective families and this could be an indication of the school culture.  Anyway, I had already decided on a school of our choice and wrote this school off.

It's always hard to decide but a mom's gut feeling's almost always right.  In my case with my kid's 1st kindergarten, the thought of "not feeling right" kept me up at night and was eating me alive, so I removed her from the school and moved her to one that was more suitable for her and boy, were we glad we did.  Now, she's in a primary IS of our choice.  

So if you come up empty even after weighing all the pros and cons, go with your gut feeling.

[ 本帖最後由 bbky 於 09-3-8 14:33 編輯 ]

Onsen

I used to live in Singapore.  This is actually in their mentality.  Just like they asked for a hefty fee for receiving an application form for immigration back in 1997.  Singapore is a small island surrounded by less-developed Malaysia and Indonesia.  This does enhanced their distorted view of the world as a whole.  Asking for 2000 dollars for an interview is basically a wipe off.  This act does reflect the school's attitude toward students, simply a money-making machine.  SIS actually was on my list before because of its emphasis on English and Chinese.  However, until I heard that a third grader couldn't speak good English I dropped the hope for that.  However, if you do plan to move to Singapore at a later date, this would be a good choice because of its continuity in Singapore education.

一條毛

I just want to say something about my son's interview 3 yrs ago. My son vomited at the entrance of the school due to travel sickness. The staff was so friendly there to help us, clean up, lead us to the school toilet, ask us whether we need to go to the nursing room and lead us to the waiting room afterwards.

We were just asked to wait in the room. Although there was no instruction nor introduction given, I feeled quite comfortable there since I think this is the interview of the child not the parent. The Vice-principal just came around and had a friendly chat with the parents. My son was abducted by a staff to a separate room on the scheduled time and came back about 15mins later with a candy. As a natural response, we asked the staff whether we could go and they said yes. Since this was the first time we went to this school, we asked the staff that whether we could have a walk around. We were then led by a staff to have a school tour and see the facilities of the school. For us, what happened in the interview day was just very normal although I have to admit that we have not much school interview experience (my son had only attended two interviews).

As for the application fee, I think $2000 is about the same level as many other IS although at my son's time, it was only $1000.

原帖由 girlsmama 於 09-3-7 23:46 發表
My girl has been accepted for reception year 2009, but I am still not 100% sure whether to send her there or not. I am worried as we stayed in Kowloon side, school bus will be a big problem. Secondly, ...

Bib

Much has been said about the interview being a factor that affects the choice of the school. And I fail to understand why. I didn't feel anything uncomfortable about the waiting room two years ago when my daughter went for the interview, nor did I feel any discomfort when my son went this year. )n the contraty, I felt the atmosphere was casual and the kids felt no pressure at all, bearing in mind that they would be taken to a separate room some distance away for their interview. There were plenty of toys for the kids to play with and cartoons for them to watch. Of course, feelings are subjective and these are purely mine.

Yes, I agree that SIS provides very solid foundation in terms of education. If a third grader there does not speak good english, I'm afraid that has something to do with him/her. I've never heard of or come across such examples.

Different parents make different choices for different reasons. If u don't like the school so much because of the interview, simply get it off your list. I'm sure those on the waiting list would thank you for that.

sunflowersg

i will enroll my son for SIS this coming term coz i hv confidence in terms of its Eng/Chinese and Science standard.

i do agree with Bib that if a third grader cannot speak fluent english, i think it is the parents who need to be blamed. I hv heard of parents who never read stories to kids in Mandarin, yet they expect them to speak good Mandarin.

girlsmama

Thank you for all the comments.

Of course, we try not to judge a school from the interview but as it is the very first and only encounter with the school, it does form an impression although it may not reflect the truth.

Onsen

Don't write off SIS.  

This is one of the best schools that truly offer the combination of Chinese and English environment for your child to foster.  I have to admire Lee Kwan Yiu for his foresight and persistence in bringing Singapore out of the dump and into the first world.  If only HK or China can have someone a little close to Lee's wisdom, then we don't need to send our children to IS.  Best of luck!

yyyy

我都讚成sis如每一間學校一樣都不是一間完美的學校,我們堅持讓小朋友繼續在sis就讀,是因為:
1. 她們都很喜歡自己的學校,讀得很開心
2. 程度深(轉了校的家長及小朋友說的)
3. 中英並重(身為香港人,很難接受自己的小朋友不懂中文)
4. 紀律比較嚴(希望因為這樣,小朋友不容易學壞吧)

我覺得經常轉校都不是一個解決方法,對小朋友亦不是最好...所以應該一開始就認真地了解清楚學校的辦學理念是否跟自己要求相同;要轉校除非小朋友非常不適應。

[ 本帖最後由 yyyy 於 09-3-10 10:14 編輯 ]

girlsmama

I think we may need to give up SIS.
We have checked with the school bus company, it seems that they don't have bus to TKO side for PY1.

Bib

That's correct. I heard that the closest place that Kwoon Chung's bus would stop at was Lam Tin. One of my daughter's classmates live in Clearwater Bay and his mom has to drive her two boys to school everyday.

It's a pity and I hope that your child can go to a school that tallies with every aspect of your expectations.

Cheers
Bib

elmostoney

I hv a friend whose daughter is studying in PY2.  Her opinion is that the teacher is not very caring and businesslike.  Once outside the school, whatever happens with the child seems to be of little concern to the teachers.  Her daughter was sick and took leave from school for 2 weeks, the teacher never called to find out.  

Having said that, SIS is still on my list.  You just have to weigh the pros and cons.

一條毛

I agree with Thankful that no teacher is representive of the others. My son was sick and could not go to school for three days a few weeks ago. We received two phone calls from two different teachers. One of them even try to deliver home work to us.

I am really surprised if the teachers (of any school) do not try to find out what happened if a kid did not go to school for two weeks since I think the school will need to report to EMB/DH how many students are sick for infection cotrol purpose. You know, communicable disease is a big issue these days.

原帖由 elmostoney 於 09-3-10 18:13 發表
I hv a friend whose daughter is studying in PY2.  Her opinion is that the teacher is not very caring and businesslike.  Once outside the school, whatever happens with the child seems to be of little c ...

[ 本帖最後由 一條毛 於 09-3-11 00:03 編輯 ]

yyyy

This morning, I received an email from my daughter's teacher, she cares her student even for the matter of going to toilet...:

XXX always seems to hold it in when she needs the toilet. She will hold it for a long time until she has to sit and wiggle or stands up and starts doing a little bit of a dance. When I can tell she needs the toilet and I ask her she says no but I think it is just because she does not want to miss anything. Could you maybe have a word with her about going to the toilet, I always provide time and remind the children that they can go to the toilet.

sunflowersg

can mummies share in SIS, are there Native English Speaker teachers for some course?

thanks!

sunflowersg

i m going to move house this summer so that we will be closer to the school.. currently we stay near TST..

Bib

In PY, the English form teachers are either native English speakers or ABCs. If my understanding is correct, most English teachers in their primary school speak with a native tongue as well. Singaporean teachers are mainly subject teachers. My daughter speaks English with a slight American accent, no singlish at all.

Some students in SIS do speak singlish, understably becos of their background and families. Interestingly, students of other nationalities can speak 'singlishly' when they are talking with their singaporean counterparts and switch back to native English at other times. I never heard any cantonese spoken in their school.

Lately when my daughter got gastro enteritis, her Form teacher called me and asked about her situation. And I was given a very detailed analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of my daughter at the parent-teacher meeting. As far as I am concerned, her teachers are very caring. These are my observations.

原帖由 sunflowersg 於 09-3-11 15:10 發表
can mummies share in SIS, are there Native English Speaker teachers for some course?

thanks!