Lessons from Yew Chung (Primary)-Be Lack of Responsibility,Respect, ...

TTIS

I would like to share some of my bitter experiences with Yew Chung International School (YCIS).

My daughter, who had poor Cantonese skill, entered YCIS as Primary One student on 20 Aug 2008. Shortly after the school term began, she became very quiet and sad, and lost interest in attending school. She revealed that she felt scared in her class, as whenever she tried to strike up a conversation with her classmates in English, most of them would stare at her. Sometimes some of them would laugh at her too (her limited spoken Cantonese carried odd tones and often in wrong sequence). This made her feel very nervous to talk to her classmates. Even one or two classmates talked to her in English, they would merely exchange a few sentences and switch back to Cantonese to chat with others. As a result, she was being isolated for most of the time and could not make any friends.

Since my daughter sooner had emotional problems, I made a request to YCIS for a change of class in late Aug 2008 as I found that there were some foreign students in 2 other classes. In fact, prior to this request, I had also made a remark of her communication problem in Cantonese in her School Diary for seeking assistance, but there was no response from her teacher.

Unfortunately, the Chinese Principal (CP) turned down my request right away without giving or suggesting any other assistance. I explained my daughter’s situation including her Cantonese skills and feeling again to the CP, and stressed that her problem was merely arising from the language barrier and was indeed very simple to handle.
She would be happy and fine if she could find somebody who was willing to talk to her. She used to love going to school when she was in kindergarten. Kids at 5 treasure a lot their friendship among their peers. They need friends to have a normal school life.

To my surprise, the CP then blamed me for not being aware that Cantonese was also one of their language of instructions. She remarked that I should teach my daughter to speak Cantonese and encourage her to speak more Cantonese in class. I stressed that I only knew this now, as all along, I was told in their seminars that English and Mandarin were their medium of instruction. I would admit my fault if I was sending her to a local school, and it was ridiculous to request my daughter to learn and speak Cantonese in an International School! If that is the case, we do not have to pay so much to study in YCIS. There are also foreign teachers in local schools and we do not need to pay any tuition fee, or at least not a huge amount.

I also added that quite a lot of her classmates were from their kindergarten (International stream) but they were rather reluctant to speak English, I considered it would be simpler to put her in another class. It was amazing that the CP responded that it might be due to the long summer vacation, they forgot how to speak English! I was frustrated and could only answer if the kids would forget how to speak English so easily after 2 to 3 years of training, how could you expect my daughter to speak good Cantonese in a short span of time?

Nevertheless, she rebutted that no matter which IS she would go to, she would face the same problem, as nowadays, over 75% of the students in IS are local students who would speak Cantonese.  I had denied her viewpoint immediately and expressed that I merely wanted to help my daughter to get acquaint herself to a new school as soon as possible.  It was then the CP affirmed her stance again that they would not transfer her to other class.
She also added that they would not consider this proposal in future!

Since then, we had tried our utmost to console and counsel her every day and teach her Cantonese. However, her emotional problem worsened day after day. I talked to her teacher about her problem again but it was so discouraging that they had shown an unenthusiastic manner over her feeling/problem, and merely informed me that they would relocate her seating table.

What we could do then was to divert her focus to her teachers - to encourage her to listen to the teachers and concentrate more on her studies during this interim. We convinced her that she would have friends very soon once she could communicate well with her classmates in Cantonese or they were used to communicate in English.

Indeed, what we did was completely in vain and wrong.
Since day one (after talking to the CP), there was no follow-up, no genuine assistance from the teachers (only ever relocated her seating table twice) nor any update about her situation although I had repeatedly informed them of her emotional problem!

Around mid-Sep, due to YCIS’s negligence, my daughter has ultimately developed some forms of depression.
I would like to depict one incident here.

We were given a notice which informed the parents to visit YCIS’s website to know more about their children in school. I intended to chat about the school life with my daughter so as to cheer her up. Upon our successful login, what a surprise that it was all about her class, and her class photo too. While she was staring at the photo excitedly, all of a sudden, she cried out and yelled“why I was not invited?, and, she could hardly control her emotion anymore …

It was truly a wrong decision to inspire my daughter to depend on her teachers. I sent my daughter to school every morning. Could you all imagine up till late Sep 2008, I still saw my daughter being mocked at her poor Cantonese and isolated by her classmates (by pushing her away) while she was trying to find somebody to chat/play with at the playground. I felt horrible on the spot. How far do you think a 5-year old girl could stand such tease or feeling of isolation? What in her mind all along was – she regarded her teachers but ultimately she was completely abandoned like by her classmates, and her feeling and self-esteem was badly hurt by her teachers!

We were totally disappointed and furious too, as my daughter attended school every day. Imagine yourself as the Principals. While taking the school photo for your school profile to be posted on the net, if you are not being invited, how do you feel? In reality, it may result in serious office politics even you are invited to stand at the back row!
YCIS has not only disrespected my daughter, they have disrespected us - the parents as well!

Due to YCIS’s negligence and indifference, we had to find another school in a rush without other option (we were completely determined to discontinue her studies in YCIS starting from 1 Oct 2008 no matter whether we could find another school). Because of their serious blunder (including no responses to all my messages via School Diary and emails), I had later made a complaint to YCIS and filed the case to the Small Claim Tribunal for the refund of one-month tuition fee (forfeited tuition fee for Oct 2008 for without giving one-month prior notice), prepaid unused lunch and miscellaneous fees, and compensation, as we did not consider YCIS have discharged their due responsibilities.

I am gratified that I had filed the case to the Small Claim Tribunal (though it's time consuming), as it has completely let me understand YCIS's "genuine manner/attitude" towards their students. Although the case ended in late Feb 2009 and YCIS refunded most of the fees, they have not yet given me any explanation or apology over the incidents (I have written to them for this and also asked their representative to relay the message again at the end of the hearing, particularly giving me an apology if appropriate). At the end of the hearing, the adjudicator also strongly advised YCIS to probe into the case and should give an apology to the parents, as it is serious to post a class photo without the student onto the website for browsing by all parents and students. The adjudicator had repeated his remark several times, and also asked the representative to jot down this (to avoid his loss of Memory).
Regrettably, it's been almost 2 months, nothing has been heard from YCIS!

Why do I so persist? Let me show you all some of their viewpoints, as what the co-Principals said in answer to my claim. Up till now, they still feel nothing over the whole incident and insisted that –

(i)Cantonese is one of their medium of instructions.
[I was informed during their seminars that YCIS provides a bilingual programme using English and Mandarin as their medium of instruction (may be they have changed their programme now). To allow a smooth transition, students are allowed to speak Cantonese in Year 1. However, the use of Cantonese will gradually be reduced after the 1st term. I wholly conceive that "allow to use a language" does not represent a school's language of instruction. This is also why their students were invited to present themselves on the stage during the seminars and answered questions in English and Mandarin only to boost how successful their students are in achieving these languages' skills. No foreign/non-Cantonese speaking students have ever been invited to show their Cantonese skills on the stage.

On the other hand, YCIS did not provide any information beforehand about proficiency in Cantonese is their prerequisite.]

(ii) We did not change my daughter's school in a rush. The urgency to leave the school was created by us, as if we were not satisfied with the CP's decision in late Aug 2008, we would have had sufficient time to give the school one-month prior notice and find another more suitable school for my daughter. As a result, it would not bring out the issue of without giving a month's notice.
[Indeed, I am terribly disappointed at their viewpoint on this.
All along, we had tried our best to help my daughter to adapt herself to the new school. Even our request for transfer of class was rejected by the CP, we still carried the hope that we could figure out some ways to help her cope with her "adaptation problem". As being the parents, we have the responsibility to teach our kids how to FACE the problem, TACKLE the problem, and NOT to EVADE the problem.

Likewise, I do think that a school should also take up the responsibility to teach their students to have a positive attitude to handle any problems. Otherwise, we would have lots of "delicate" youngsters commit suicide once they are in time of adversity.

Regrettably, YCIS's teaching policy is – Quit Once Met With Any Setback!

On the other hand, as the parents, we have lots of considerations in choosing a school e.g. location, curriculum and any through train. It is also definitely not easy to find an IS after the school term started. Maybe as the principals, they have lots of connections that are so easy to get a place in any school they want.]

(iii) A school may not always be able to meet all the requests of the parents. Parents have the freedom to withdraw their children, for whatever reason, through giving one month prior notice.
[I totally agree to their viewpoint, but I think YCIS would bring the whole educational sector into disgrace in my case!

From the business point of view, we have to pay almost $14,000 per month (just a few dollars change). I dare to say that it is a 6-star hotel price (not just a 5-star and probably the highest tuition fee in HK). When you dine in a 5-star hotel, will you accept no waiter comes to serve you, or when you repeatedly raise up your hand for a cup of water, the waiter turns his face away or ignores your request? And in the end, the operator blamed you that it's YOU who picked this restaurant, you have freedom to leave if you are not satisfied with our service, but you also need to pay those "not yet ordered" dishes before you leave.

We are gratified that we had made the right choice to withdraw my daughter.
It is not because of YCIS's refusal of transferring my daughter to other class nor the behaviour of their students (e.g. teasing or mocking at my daughter). My request for transfer of class was merely a "recommendation", hoping to achieve an "immediate and effective result". For the behaviour of her classmates, it's really not a big deal.
Teasing, quarrelling or bullying among the kids are very normal and may be good to their development, as they would not be so lucky to stay in a greenhouse for their whole life. They could learn something "good and useful" throughout the process.

Nevertheless, teachers or schools, and parents would have absolute responsibility to give necessary guidance to cultivate the children to behave well, respect other people, different cultures and to rectify them when necessary from aside. I don't think that a school is merely responsible for delivering academic knowledge. Otherwise, we will have lots of brats in school, and gangsters in the society when they grow up.]

What I've learnt from YCIS after this lengthy process are -
Be Lack of Responsibility; Be Lack of Care; Be Lack of Respect; Be Lack of Response; Be Lack of Consciousness; and Be Lack of Conscience.

Further, never admit doing any fault; find some excuses to shirk the responsibilities or to distort the facts.

I'm deeply sorry for being long-winded as the story is not just the above. I would be happy to hear your comment, particularly those who are teachers. As a matter of courtesy, I've also informed YCIS of posting the incidents to the net for public discussion, rather than arguing between BOTH PARTIES.
Thanks very much.

[ 本帖最後由 TTIS 於 09-4-20 23:36 編輯 ]

almom

原帖由 thankful 於 09-4-30 01:35 發表
Relax, almom, relax.

I think Onsen's reference to the many Mercedes and BMWs parking outside the school is just meant to show that there are indeed many rich people's kids studing in YCIS.  

I do not like YC either for various reasons. So I am totally with most parents here and I do agree with most of Onsen's comments.
I just do not see what the car thing has to do with the quality of the school or the parents.
There is really no need to drag this into the discussion and parents do not need to be too sour, right.

Come to think of it, a school is probably the best place to achieve the aim of "leaving this world a slightly better place than how we found it".  It could do so by turning out generations of good students who will become good citizens of the future and who could then each make contribution towards this goal.  It's kind of sad to see any school being solely run as a business enterprise with the aim of making as much profits as possible and nothing else matters.

It is funny how YC is run.
There have been so much negative comments from everywhere, but it seems that they do not care. If it is indeed a business, should they consider their customers needs their priorities?
Even funnier, there are still parents that believe in them and still think there is nothing wrong even after all these comments went public.

[ 本帖最後由 almom 於 09-4-30 13:51 編輯 ]

almom

I tried to viist the school when my kid was attending Beacon Hill School many years ago.  All I saw was many Mercedes and BMWs parking outside the school waiting.  

I think what kind of cars parents own has nothing to do with the school, the quality of students and mentality of parents. There are BHS parents that own Mercedes and BMWs too. I do not see what is wrong with parents driving their own cars to pick up their children. Does it mean that the parents or schools are of better qualities if we see only Corollas? Let's stick to discussing the school itself. What brand of cars parents drive has nothing to so with the subject matter.

[ 本帖最後由 almom 於 09-4-28 17:18 編輯 ]

Onsen

YCIS is really for those rich local people who envy the international school experience but couldn't.  So, they make it up by sending their kids to these kind of name-only international school.   I tried to viist the school when my kid was attending Beacon Hill School many years ago.  All I saw was many Mercedes and BMWs parking outside the school waiting.  Hiring foreigners to teach doesn't really make a school international.  To be able to send their kids to YCIS is something many can brag about locally.  

The rude manner and insensitivity among local educators here actually a norm rather than an exception.  This may happen in other schools, be it local or so-called international, as long as they are being managed by local staff.  Just look around and see the overall quality of local students and adults and you see this is just a normal day-to-day event that happens to anyone in local school.  My heart sunks everytime when I see or hear this kind of stories, in person or through other means.  

So, the rule of thumb for me, first look at the sponsoring body's composition and philosophy, then meet the principal, then the teachers, finally, the general behaviour of the students before making my decision.  

I am glad that you can get out of this mess in time.  Early school life is a great memory to be treasured.

[ 本帖最後由 Onsen 於 09-4-28 13:34 編輯 ]

bbjan

thank you for sharing with us the true story of your experience at YC. educators like this should not be tolerated.

JJsMama

Regardless of nature or background, it's despicable for any school to turn a blind eye to bullying and takes an indifferent attitude to their pupil's emotional well-being.   In this case, even if the ownership is on the parent to educate their child Cantonese, there are many ways a school could do to help, e.g. pairing the child with a buddy during the transition period, and instill in children that jeering and teasing is not acceptable.   I would be disgusted if my child is not taught common courtesy and manners at school.  

Friendship, acceptance and self-esteem are very important to the emotional well-being of children.   Obviously you daughter was a long shot from getting that at YC.  It is good call that you moved your child quickly.

treebearma

Dear all,

I have not studied in any IS.  But I have read a lot of discussions in bk.

I had been a private tutor of a YC secondary school student when I was in the university.  He is a Hong Kong born Taiwanese .  So, he speaks cantonese and mandarin in daily lives.  Neither his parents nor his friends are english speaking.

I think the condition in YC should be--- they teach in english and most of their teachers are foreigners.  Their cirucculum and teaching style are similar to international school.  So, they are called international school.  However, most of students are just normal Hong Kong kids, not very international.  That's why they don't stopped their students to speak cantonese after class.  

They are really commercial, but they provide good facilites and teachers with good qualifications.  

They are just not really internationally international.  Similar to most international kindergarten in Hong KOng

shermancaicai

:ayawn: Sorry to hear your bad experience with YCIS.  In the past, YCIS really enjoyed a good reputation at early childhood eduction in HK.  Originally I have considered this school for my son, and quite interested in the dual language program offered by YCIS that adopting both English and Chinese as their medium of instruction.  I believe such a language policy is a sound selling point to most parents, at least perfectly matched with my expectation.  Although your experience may be an exceptional case, the handling of YCIS is problematic and disappointing to the parents.  Being a Chinese mother with strong reluctant to local educational system, I feel helplessness when facing the limited choices of international schools in HK.

TTIS

Thanks very much for the comments and blessings.

I would like to clarify some of my points here.
Honestly, I don’t care much about a school’s academic results, including the language proficiency of its students, as my reason for choosing an IS, particularly in this early childhood stage, is solely to let my kids have a “happy” school life – not much pressure from their homework/ exam.
But having a bit of Chinese (traditional) skills in both reading and writing are a must.
That’s why I chose YCIS (as well as its location and through train), and rejected the offer of other well-known IS in the vicinity that teaches simplified Chinese.

My disappointments over YCIS are their unenthusiastic manner and a “who care” attitude in handling my daughter’s case.
Is asking my daughter to learn Cantonese the only solution? Is it the sole responsibility of her parents to help her adapt herself in a new environment? Do you think it’s really difficult for a little kid to overcome a language problem?
As what I told YCIS at the outset, her problem was simple and easy to solve.
She was mainly scared of being isolated.
Could the teacher try to teach her students be nice to others, or anything, they’re supposed to have such expertise!
I’m sure just a bit of concern to my daughter, she could feel it and the outcome would be totally different.
But sadly, YCIS did not do anything or bother to try it!

I’ve noticed quite a lot of readers here like to use the word “commercial” to describe a lot of IS.
But I really couldn’t get it as if they’re really running the business so “commercial”, the service should be very good.
Take a look at some chained fast food restaurants, they are still striving their best to improve their service.
Here in YCIS, I admit that I felt they were nice and responsive before I enrolled my daughter in their school. However, after you get in their door, just a “little” problem, it has completely unveiled their irresponsible and unprofessional manner.

Luckily,not all the school is like YCIS, at least, her current school has brought her back "school is fun and with joy"!

foolish.mom

Yes, there are exceptions.  Some YC parents have witnessed how their kids improve greatly in their English and Chinese abilities over the several years of primary school education in YC.

If you believe that you are one of those, YC is still worth studying.

But there are of course some kids with 2nd language level in both English and Chinese, no matter after much small group tutoring.

foolish.mom

TTIS,

More than 95% of students in Yew Chung have Cantonese as their mother tonque.  Their admission requirement of primary is just that students can understand English and do simple communications in English.  One of YCIS's selling point is to educate this pool of students to have both English and Chinese as their 1st language after several years' of YCIS education.

So obviously you have chosen the wrong school for your girl.

Hope that your girl becomes more happy in the new environment.

babyoush

It's so scary~
Sorry to hear that. If I face the same situation as you, I think I'll become a crazy woman coz I can't accept my daughters to suffer this kind of depression. Hope your daughter will be happy again as soon as poosible

琬晴B

Sorry to hear that.

My daughter had been in ITLP (i.e. Yew Chung's playgroup) for one year and she had a great time. However, I also felt that they were not as bilingual as they claimed. They had a good student/teacher ratio (2 Cantonese teachers + 1 English teacher + 1 tea lady with around 20 students) but sometimes the English teacher left in the middle of the lessons (or even absent??) so the lessons were conducted in Cantonese or the Chinese teachers would use English instead.

kyliema2006

I'm pretty sorry to hear about this.  Hope your daughter have a healthy and happy learning path.

Pianokc

Sorry to hear your terrible experience, my knowledge and experience with Yew Chung has been:

1) Yew Chung is a school where basically, with money, your children will be accepted.

This was the case with at least 6 of the students I know who didn't have any other choice of schools to go to, they went to YC, accepted right away.

2) I also had the similar experience, I applied for my daughter when she was 2.5 years old for kindergarten, upon receiving my application form, the secretary called me for an interview for Playgroup (pre-nursery) forgot what they call it.... and they told me once my daughter gets in NOW, she will be automatically accepted onto Kindergarten and onwards to primary school... through train.

Before she hung up, this was what changed my mind about GOING to the interview at all.

"Mrs. XXX, please remember to bring your cheque book, we require you to pay a deposit on the spot."

So that meant, my daughter is going to be accepted even before the interview, that's why they ask me to bring my cheque book already!

So we informed them, we are not interested. Until this day, YC is the LAST school I will put my kids in because it's just a gigantic business they run.

They have two programmes... that's what my students tell me. One is English and Putonghua, and one if more for local kids.... English and Putonghua, but less putonghua?

THe fees are astronomical.
The chinese currciulum is senseless... randomly choosing words to teach the kids so as to say they have a up to standard chinese programme, but the kids are never truly prepared for what they teach. Just teach, ask the kids to interact, and then it's forgotten because the kids didn't really learn it. Just passes in and passes out.

That's my view. So your post, doesn't surprise me one bit.

Hope your child is in a much more suitable school now.