1st day of school in TY ESF K1

JessMama

Hi, dear moms,

My daughter went to ESF TY today as 1st day of school (K1 am).

I accompanied her today and I end up a little bit confused...   The feeling is difficult to describe.

They just let the children playing on their own, deciding what to play, deciding whether to have snack or going to toilet, without reminding you!

May be this is the way to train children to be more independent.  But it really depends on how active your child is.  Well, not complaining, just a bit not used to this very free style.  

What is your experience? Is it better?

Kau

Hi Jess Mama

My son joined ESF TY in Sept, I stayed with him for the 1st 2 weeks and I had the same feeling as you.  I actually thought about changing the school for him after my 2 weeks stay.  After talking to the teacher about my concern, the teacher asked me to go for a visit after 2 month (but I did not). The teacher explained that they are using the peel influencing approach, they believed this is an effective way of learning, the older kids in class can develope their leadership skills and the younger ones can learn from the older ones.

My other concern is the age gap in the class is very wide, my son was born in Aug so he is definately one of the youngest whereas the eldest one is 5, there is a 2 year gap between them, I wonder how they both can effectively learn during class.  Maybe I don't know what to expect from international school.  

After 4 months of class in ESF, my son seems learning a lot.  The reason I put him in international school is to ensure he is learning without any pressure.  He is very happy going to school.  Whether it is a good choice for him, no one knows.  I keep very close contact with the teacher and the class assistants to understand more about my son during class.  I also plan to visit his class one day next month to see how he is doing.

Hope this is helpful to you and good luck.

JessMama

Dear Kau,

Thank you for replying.

Well, I am also wondering that whether I am making the right choice as well...

The other issue is:  I don't know whether it is the same in the other class.  But it seems that the teachers in my class are not very keen to talking to the children or to communicate with them.  How could the children learn good English without talking a lot.   

JessMama

Dear Y2KChild,

Correct me if I were wrong.  Did your child study in YMCA for few months before he went to ESF primary school?

Thanks for sharing.

minggrace

Hi,

It's also the first day school for my son yesterday. Unluckily I couldn't go to school with him yesterday. My maid was with him all the way through... but even my maid said she's worried about the setting of the school...She said it's a mess. I dunno. So, today I'm going to school with my little boy.

Other than the setting, my maid said the kids there (Whale Group) were using English for communication. That's good! Before that, I heard some rumours going around saying that "the boys there used Cantonese and the teachers didn't stop them." You know, I think teachers should get the kids to USE English in some ways. Maybe my son is lucky as the kids in his group do use English rather than Cantonese.

And I'm happy with the qualities of teachers/education assistants for my son's group as they're all English native speakers. Before that, I heard that some education assistants are from Hong Kong speaking with HK English accents. But now, I'm satisfied with the teachers and education assistants of my son's group.

Anyway, I think I can tell more after today's visit with more insights into this school. I hope I make a right choice.

Minggrace

chuchuma

Mingrace,

Many thanks for your info.

I have applied TYESF Kindi and still awaiting for their result (as my son was born in May 2003, so he will join the kindi in Sept 06 if he is accepted by the school).

I have the following questions and hope you can share your experience with me.

1.  Do you know their criterias for offering the seat to the candidate, some BK momies said that they would not have any interview, just depends how early we submit the application (first-come-first-serve ?)

2.  Per the discussions among momies whose kids were studying in international kindi, it seems that KBCK is much more better than TYESF, however, if we want to path the way to ESF Primary, ESF seems to be the first choice ? (as I have also applied KBCK and they mentioned they would invite us for an interview in late January 2006).

3.  I have the same concern if they adapt the peer influrence, how come if the elder students set the wrong example without teachers' participation (the elder students only around 5, I don't expect they all behaviour properly all the time, and my son is small to distinguish the good or bad).  On the other words, the elder students become the teacher ?

4.  Pls kindly share with us more info after your school visit today.

Sorry for such so many questions.

JessMama

Dear all,

This is the second day of school in TY ESF.
My girl woke up at 6 this morning, crying "I don't want to go to school!" & she cried for 1 hour.

But then she stopped crying, starting to look through the window & looking for the school bus!

Sigh!   


MingGrace,

My little girl is also in the "Whale class", but in AM session.  I don't know how she was doing this morning since I have to go back to work today already.  How's you boy doing?

ACmama

Hi! Good to know that you're the new Whale! My son has been there since Sept 05.  He enjoys school a lot.  I like their teaching method which helps the kids to be creative.  That's what I want my son to have instead of having to memorize books in the traditional local school.

Let's keep in touch!

onon811

其實想問下, 如果daddy & mami 英文都唔好, 咁係咪唔適合讀ESF

cpmummy

minggrace

Hi all,

Yesterday I paid a visit to the school. It's really CHAOTIC! Theoretically, it's a good idea for bigger kids (K2) to help K1 kids to learn... but in reality those K2 kids go together and they're not very friendly to K1 kids. When all the kids (K1 & K2) do the songs or stories forming a big circle and working with the class teacher, I can see some K1 kids are very frustrated, simply because they don't know the songs/ lyrics. They just can't catch up with the teacher. I wonder if the school will let us know what songs the kids do in class. Then parents can help out ...

And yesterday there's about 15 to 20 minutes (or even more) that my son could choose to do/play whatever he wanted BEFORE the open program began. Then the open program lasted for 30 minutes. Together with the open program,my kid worked on his own without teachers for about 45 minutes. He was FREE for a LONG time... I agree that it's good for the kids to learn from each other and to work through the discovery learning approach. But I don't see the teachers act as FACILITATORS.

By the way, the kids can use scissors freely without the teachers' permission. Those scissors are sharp enough to cut paper although they are different from the ones that we adults use normally. Still it's not very safe for the kids to use as there may not be teachers around. Just like yesterday, some kids were making some craft work with scissors without any teachers around.

Anyway, please share more and tell me what you observe in class as I can't go to the school every day with my son. Thanks.

Minggrace

Sandrine

minggrace,

Together with the open program,my kid worked on his own without teachers for about 45 minutes. He was FREE for a LONG time... I don't see the teachers act as FACILITATORS.

Just curious, what is the open program? What were the teachers doing then?  Were they working with other children when your boy was left on his own to play, like in his old school?

gab

minggrace: Thank you for sharing your personal experience with TY ESF. The mixed classes environment doesn't seem to benefit the new K1 students too much.

JessMama

Dear all,

The third day of school.  I took another day of holiday to accompany my girl to school today.

I started to accept the way of teaching, letting the children play on their own, learning through peers, to be more independent; since I do see children could manage to eat their snack neatly, clean up after playing nicely.  

But it seems that there are not much greeting or chatting to the children.
What are the other mommies' experience?

Dear minggrace,

how is your son doing today?


Sandrine,

Open program is some time slot like ~ 40 min, during which the children can go to different tables which have different themes (eg, making fire-crackers, playing playdoh, playing sand etc).  

If you don't go, nobody would force you.  Or if you are not quick enough, you may not able to play some interesting toys, since every table has a quota ~ 6-7 children only.

JessMama

Dear Y2K Child,

Pls. check PM.

Thanks.

JessMama

Dear ACmama,

Nice to meet you

JessMa