Singapore International School

bbJP

Dear all,

I'd like to know more about the homework load and the asscessment of the students in SIS.

Regarding the asscessment of the students esp. in lower form. Is it mainly determined by the written tests and exams results? How is the % of the oral presentations, project(s) abd other criteriaes for rating the students performance.

In general, how long do the children need to spend to finish their homework everyday?

thanks!

florence

hi yyyy,

嘩 ! 原來有人係另一個sis topic 鬧緊"交", 無上bk3個星期都唔知發生咩事......好彩呢個topic仲係好太平0姐....

我剛剛復出返左新工, 所以都無上黎問侯一下你個女既法國之旅, 佢呢10日既行程一定係好精彩, 可以分享一下嗎 ?

Y.S_Tai

C.Y-mother：
至今你的孩子上學應該有兩個月了，現在的情況怎樣？

孩子的英文進度跟上去了嗎？需要另外請補習老師嗎？

很想知道他的近況。

cfanny

Ivylove,

Could u give me the details of the centre.
name,address & tel no
I'd like to take a look.

thanks!

evatsoihk

CY-Mother：

本人也十分有興趣想知道，你的bb是否已經適應了SIS的英語課程？

CY-mother 寫道:
阿仔其實唔識講, 亦聽唔董英文… 現已返了3天sIS, 他表現得好唔開心, 我亦明白是需要時間適應, 但佢由2歲開始返學都從未哭過, 但仔仔佢返了sis後, 在學校哭了及今天要我打電話返學校唔返學….我知對佢來說面對全英語的學校是一個好困難的適應期, 我唔知可以怎樣幫佢, 又好憂慮他會否以後變得抗拒上學, 又擔心佢如何可以跟得上聽同講,…..  
:cry:

Ivylove

cy-mother,I can only use english to communicate with you,I hope you don't mind.
I want to share my experience with you because I
had similar experience with my son when he was small.My son was taken care by my mom because
I was working,he did not speak very fluent english
for my mom talked to him in cantonese.He had problem to communicate with the teachers and the
classmates in the beginning,he cried everyday,it last
for a month ! I did not give up as I know that if I do so,he will never learn and he knew that if he cries and make trouble that will help him to get what he
wants ! I was so worried and did not know what to do,it was so helpless ! One of his teacher adviced me
to bring him for english tution to help him to strengthen his english after school it may help him to over come his weakness ! I found a tution center and I put him there three times a week for
a few months and he really did improved and everything was better then !
How old is your son ? Choose a more fun learning
tution center for him.Don't pick a very square and
boring one,you may make it worst.I tried a few before I got the right one.
Good luch to you.
Ivy

yyyy

florence,

好開心妳返左來呀! 有時我都很喜歡看一些到Point的arguement, 很精彩的! 我並不十分介意別人對sis的看法, 自己小朋友在那裡讀了這麼多年, 對學校都有一定的了解.

星期六係學校的family day, 見到法文老師, 當然係要多謝佢地咁辛苦帶住我們的小朋友去法國旅行, 佢都直言是很辛苦,但主要小朋友enjoy佢就很開心,我告訴她我的小朋友真相很開心, 仲想玩多幾日...我見到佢去完旅行後真是有正面的影響,獨立了很多, 沒有像以前經常要跟我們出街,上個weekend我和先生去了新加坡佢都沒有很大反應!下個月學校的outward bound佢亦好想參加,第一日就交form,這些對一般人來說不是很難, 對她是很大的突破!

florence 寫道:
hi yyyy,

嘩 ! 原來有人係另一個sis topic 鬧緊"交", 無上bk3個星期都唔知發生咩事......好彩呢個topic仲係好太平0姐....

我剛剛復出返左新工, 所以都無上黎問侯一下你個女既法國之旅, 佢呢10日既行程一定係好精彩, 可以分享一下嗎 ?

gogocat

dear SIS moms,

just want to know whether your children have atarted to put on winter uniform yet?
what color of socks for girl's uniform (not PE uniform)? Grey?
My daughter told me that some of the girls can wear hairbands of pink color or even mickey mouse? is it true? I was given to understand that only red, black, grey and white is allowed to wear. is the regulation looser in PY? I can see some of them putting on trainers with some eye catching logo. is it allowed?

Ivylove

Hi there,
I haven't change my children's outfits yet,may be when it's a little more chill !
Yes,girls must wear grey socks or pantyhose in winter.As about hair accessories,by right,it is only allowed to use,white,black,grey and red.
I followed straightly to the regulations.
Good examples need to be set for our children,
when should it be so FANCY when schooling !?
right !?
Ivylove.

iristony625

Dear Ivylove,
Does your son write and read Chinese?  My friend's husband is Singaporean, his English is good, but he can read Chinese and cannot write, is it common in Singapore?  He has just explained to me that some Singaporean can read but cannot write Chinese, just like his case.
Regards.

Ivylove

Dear iristony,
My son reads and writes perfect chinese,so is my daughter,their only weakness is hanyu pinyin.
In my school days,yes,many singaporean can speak,
can read but can't write chinese,nowadays,especially
in SIS,you have to learn both writen and spoken
chinese.I do not see a problem at all.
Ivylove.

elmostoney

Hi I am a new comer to this thread.  I know it is a little early, but I am already gathering information about schools.  SIS is one which I'd like to consider, but I was advised that SIS has HEAVY homework loading and that the main difference between SIS and local schools is only the language difference.  Can some parents share your thoughts here?  Thanks.

elmostoney

Sorry.  But I think I'd better elaborate the reasons why I do not wish to consider local schools and some experienced parents can better help me:

1.  Heavy loading on homework
2.  Encourage route memorization without understanding whatever is being taught
3.  Discourage students to ask questions
4.  Zip creativity
5.  Proficient in neither Chinese nor English

Do you think SIS addresses these problems?

yyyy

If you really want to know, I will try my effort to answer you based on my girl's experience.  Sorry that I don't know other IS but I know local schools well by myself's experience and my friends' children experence.

1. My girl usually finishes her homework before I arrive home from work, ie. 6:30pm, except jornal

2. my girl not really practice a lot before examinations but she is good at Science, Maths (full mark for her test just took) and Chinese but English.

3. When I attending a briefing for France Trip, many parents brought their child together, a lot of children did raise question in front of Principal and teachers with confidence. I am sure they will raise questions in classroom too.

4. 1/3 of teachers are foreigner, the teachers themselves will not zip the creativity, i believe.

5. not agree.

elmostoney 寫道:
Sorry.  But I think I'd better elaborate the reasons why I do not wish to consider local schools and some experienced parents can better help me:

1.  Heavy loading on homework
2.  Encourage route memorization without understanding whatever is being taught
3.  Discourage students to ask questions
4.  Zip creativity
5.  Proficient in neither Chinese nor English

Do you think SIS addresses these problems?

EEPhoon

1. Why not provide detail information about the amount of homework?

I am a full time mother so, I know amount of homework of my kids very well:-
For today (Mon & Wed CCA day ,SIS pupils end school at 4:30pm):
P2 -
1.2 pcs of Art work- decorate Chirstmas tree & snowman.
P4-
1. Online homework - science


For Yesterday (pupils ended school at 3:30 pm)-
P2-
1. Chinese accessement book 3 pages (My kid is in  
    Higher Chinese class)
2. Mathes (model drawing) 6 questions

P4 -

1. Chinese - making 5 sentences
2. Social studies short project.
3. Online homework (my kids love onlie homework so much).
------------------------------------------------------
How many tests or exams within an academic year? Are the kids ranked within the class and/or within the level?

There are 2 S. Exam for P3 -P6 pupils
English & Chinese consist of 3 part -
I.Composition writing (picture composition / situationl composition/Picture stimulus -approx 150 words)
II.Listening comprehesion( reading passage/picture conversation/ note taking & dictation/ picture macthing)
III.Written paper - comprehension/ grammer & vacabulary MCQ, grammer & vacabulary cloze
Mathes - consist 3 part
I. MCQ
II. short question
II. Long question

Science - MCQ and short question

1 S Exam for P1 -P2 pupils
There is only 1 S.Exam for P1-P2 pupils.
The format of examination is about the same with thoese P3 -P6,the only different is Chinese compostion is not included in P1 -P2 exam.  

I can still remember, for last year P1 pupils was asked for the meaning of " devour " in their English paper. So, can some tell me if SIS'really has a poor English standared?

For last year examination, below are some of the P3 science questions
I.To raise your forearm, the biceps contract or relax;to lower your arm ,the triceps contract or relax.
2. Give 2 differences between mushroom and fungi.
3. On germination, root  or shoot appear first ?

The following are some of Science knowledge my P4 kid learn from her teacher last year:-
1.Large intestine does not digested foods.
2. The diffferent between hinge joint and ball & socket joint
3. How egg breath?
4. In which stage (egg/larve/pupa/adult) mosquito does not feed?
5. why some of the insects moult?
6. Stomatas are normally found at underside and the why.
7. Xylems in the stem transport water; while phloem distribute foods to all parts of the plant.

The standard of science is high or low is hard for me to judge, but I am happy with what my kids had learnt from her science teacher (Singapore trained).

Hopefully, my kids could understand how sodium hydrogencarbonate - sodium bicarbonate (use in baking)  (NaHCO3) is made by the Solvay process soon:-

2NaHCo3 - Na2CO3(s) + H2O(I) +CO2 (g)   

My kids keen in learing as they know they know too little.
-----------------------------------------------------
SIS does ranked its pupils but the position of our child in class/level is told to nobody ( including parents). The parents will be invited to the prize presentation day if their child is top 3 the in the class/level or best in Chinese/English/Maths/ Science in the level.

Looking for good school is not the only thing that we as a parent can do for our kids. Indeed, be supportive and learn together with our children also a good way to help our kids.
   

evatsoihk

Hi EEPhoon：

非常感謝你的詳細解答，讓我們可以更加了解SIS的實際情況。

Thank you very much.