Singapore International School

一條毛

TeddyBear2006,

Believe it or not, this is the first time that I argue so vigorously in the internet and I also seldom do so in real life. In fact, BK is the only forum I have participated.

After reading your posting, I have read thro' my postings again. I have not said anything to defend SIS or to attack ESF. My target is obviously Leehoma001. I think this personal attack is the reason why it is so offensive to you. The reason behind had been explained by Thankful (what a co-incidence!). If you read thro' other topics in BK, you will find Leehoma001 used to give out what he knows,his ideas and opinions so generously. However, he is so subjective that if someone disagree with him, he will argue until his opponent surrender.That's why I admitted that I am in great trouble. Let me quote a comment from another parent in other topic:

"It's a waste of timing to answer your argument.
I have the impression that you are arguing for the sake of arguing, you challenge other people's integrity, memory, knowledge and common sense.
But what about yours"

However, all my writings come from my true heart. A few of them are even friendly advices. These include: "Therefore I advise you to conduct the research again. This may be a very good PhD thesis and worth publishing so as to benefit our future generation and help the education reform"( from a person who knows a little bit of research methodology and has a little bit of academic research experience) and "Does it mean that ESF system is only suitable to a certain proportion of students and your son may not be one of them?" ( from a father who cares for the future of his son).

As a new comer to SIS, I treasure very much to have an opportunity to read the postings from YYYY, Ivylove, Florence, EEPhoon etc. to know more about the school. I also treasure to read from parents of other schools (not only international schools) so as to exchange information.

BTW, I think this is nothing wrong to be sarcastic in the forum where people can freely express their view. At least, this is better than to use bad language. Also, I think our kids would like to see their parents stand up and fight for what they believe if it is being  attacked so fiercely. However, I appolgise to anyone (including Leehoma001) if you feel uneasy after reading my postings. Anyway, thank you for making me re-think what I have done.

TeddyBear2006 寫道:
leehoma001 may have strong opinion on SIS but is it necessary to be so sarcastic, bearing in mind that it is a forum where people can freely express their view.

I guess kids, no matter they are in ESF or SIS, will not like to see their parents defending for their schools in this way.

一條毛

TeddyBear2006,

I think I may have an answer to why there are virtually no western kids at SIS.

The reason why there are international schools in Hong Kong is that the foreign kids who come with their parents to work here find it difficult to study in local schools. Therefore, their governments set up schools for them so that their education would not be disturbed if they only stay for a short period in Hong Kong. Usually, they use their own country's education system and this is defined as international school by EMB. They primarily serve their citizens. If there are surplus places, they will admit Hong Kong students so as to increase the 'international exposure' to their kids but not to the kids of Hong Kong. In recent years, a few international schools like CIS, Yew Chung were set up to provide another choice of education system to local people. I think these schools can be label as 'international schools of Hong Kong'.

It is very natural for the foreign kids to study in their own country's international schools. If they stay long enough in Hong Kong and if they want to have more mixing up with Hong Kong kids, I think they will go for those 'Hong Kong International schools'. That's why we can find more western kids in CIS. Isn't it odd for a foreign kid in Hong Kong to study in SIS? If they want to expose to Singapore culture, why not go to study in Singapore?

To know more about an international school, I think we should know more their own country's culture. There are 4 official languages in Singapore (Correct me if I wrong) namely English, Chinese, Malay and Timar (a southern Indian dialect, I think I got the wrong spelling) with emphasis on English and Chinese. So, It is also very natural for SIS to emphasize on the Bilingual system. I just wonder why they don't teach Malay and Timar.

I just think there is no conflict between the kid's welfare and their parent's expectation on the kids future academic achievement or language development.

TeddyBear2006 寫道:
thankful,

"International" is with respect to local students in Hong Kong, not to western students living in HK. Before asking if SIS can offer international culture to western kids, you may want to find out why there is virtually no western kids at SIS first.

By offering Chinese language does not mean that a school shifts the emphasis from English to Chinese. SIS, on the other hand, emphasizes its bilingual curriculum which in essence has the same mentality to all English "local" schools. The only difference is on the detail implementation, not on the big picture.

I totally agree if kids are happy, it worth the price. However, I maintain that happy education does not necessarily equate to either "international" or "expensive" education. Motivated students in some unknown local schools can also be happy.

I am just wondering how many parents before signing up their kids to a school will put their welfare above their own expectation on the kids futrue academic achievement or language development.

TeddyBear2006

一條毛,

Several remarks:

I agree that international schools are initially set up to serve citizens of their own countries.

IS accepting HK students are basically a commerical decision I guess.

Foreigners study in CIS more or less are limited by the corporate debentures as well as attracted by CIS not so rigorous curriculum yet pretty good academic achievement of its students.

About welfare, exam based academic achievement cannot equate to better living. It is the creativity, personality and social skills that matters. Exam based assessment only encourages memorization. The most distorted picture actually happens in HK where students rank No.1 in class need to go to private tutorial class to get tips for HKCEE!

HK local students have gone through much more rigorous examinations than virtally any non-Asian kids and yet when coming down to real life working environment, they are perceived by themselves and many others to be inferior. Why is there such a lack of confidence even getting through so rigorous assessment. It is exactly because they suddenly find out in practice, a completely different, non-exam based assessment is used to gauge their ability!

In my humble opinion, kids in HK are indoctrinated too much about positiveness of examination and spend just way to much time to boost their exam score from 95 to 100!

03baby

Can anyone pls give me some info?
1) will the students learn chinese history, culture, poem, literature... in the school coz they are using singapore textbook.
2) what are the extra-curriculum classes or clubs? which one needs to be paid and how much?

thanks

EEPhoon

In Singapore all pupils  learn English as first language and mother language as second language. Chineses learn Chinese as second language, Malays learn Bahasa Malay and Indians learn Tamil. SIS does not teach Tamil & Bahasa Malay probably there is only very very little of non-Chinese Singaporean here.

will the students learn chinese history, culture, poem, literature... in the school coz they are using singapore textbook?

SIS chinese text book/syllabus do cover chinse history, culture ,poem...... but of course there also some Singapore histories and cultures.

Shou zhu dai tu (waiting by the tree stump for a hare)- fable wrote by philosopher, Han Fei During the priod of the Warring States.
Nan Gua - lan yu chong su - The non-play who makes up the number
Zeng Zi sha zhu - As  parents we to have to keep our promise in order to gain trust from our children
Hou Yi she tai yang ( Chinese Hero who shot ten
suns)
Hua mu lan - dai fu cong jun
Xiao shun de Di Ren Zi
Kong Zi - great teacher
Yue Fei- jin zhong bao gua
Zheng He xia xi yang (China  officer who
visited xi yang seven times)
Ou Yang Xiu - He was poor and could not afford paper and pencil.His mother teah him to write on a sand with stick.
Si ma Guang -a child who broke a vase to save his drowning friend.
Chinese zodiac -Why cat was not selected as one of the representative among the 12 aminals.
Sometimes the Chinese teacher would introduce some poems written by Li Bai, Bai Ju Yi (famous for his simplicity) & Du Mu ( One of his famous poem is Cheng Ming).   

2) what are the extra-curriculum classes or clubs? which one needs to be paid and how much?

The CCA are asbelow:-
Art club, Athletics, Brownies,Chinese Dance, Chinese Drama , Chinese Orchestra ( Fees: HKD 1000 per chid per year + music instrument),Choir, English Drama, Gymnatics, Innovation & Discovery Activity Club, Happy Bee, Netball, Oriental Dance, Petanque,Scouts, Soccer, Swimming ets.

The following are some of the events:-
Oreintatin day
Prefects' camp
Mid-Autumn Festival
Prefect Investiture
Culture Festival
Dress Casual Day
Family Day
Educational Tour
P4 Camp
Joint Activity in Putonghua com.
Japam Homestay Programme
Sicence & Technology Week
P5 outward bound camp
Open House (PY & P1)
Christmas Celebration
Chinese New Year Celebration
P3 in house camp
Math &  PE Week
Chinese Language Immersion Programme
Life Sciences courses
Childre's day celebration
Music for The Millions
Sports Day
The Darlow Show
Asia-Pacific Mathematical Olympiad
P2 in-house camp
Mothers' day celebration Swimming Carnival
Arts Festival
Fathers' day celebration
PY Excursion
Py Birthday Party (Monthly)

EEPhoon

一條毛 ,

You are in hot soup! I am praying for you!

If I am not a Singaporean I would shift my 4 kids  to ESP.
ESP is excellent !
ESP is super-duper!
Trust ESP!
This a fact that you MUST accept! or.........

Leisurefan

Hi, daydream, so you are back, just in disguise!

EEPhoon

DAY DREAM,

Once again !
ESP is super-duper!
ESP is Excellent !
ESP is the best!

Hooray! ESP is my dream school!

THIS IS MY VIEW!I am changing my mind and decided to send my 4 kids to ESP.

ESP IS THE BEST !  

Leisurefan

This is so pathetic. Whoever you are, I sympathize with you.

kwansiulan

EEPhoon和各位SIS的父母：

謝謝你們提供的資料。

我有兩個問題想請教你們：
如果我們係一個英文程度不太好的家庭（可以看得懂英文，但寫唔到一封似樣嘅英文信件，講英文亦唔係好好），但係我們想自己的孩子上到一間好的學校，例如SIS。咁類似我們這樣的家庭——
1）作爲父母的，平時應該點樣跟SIS的老師做日常溝通呢？他們會說廣東話嗎？
2）而小朋友方面，是否會出現像CY-mother嘅仔仔那樣的情況，搵唔到朋友？


[quote]
EEPhoon 寫道:

In Singapore all pupils  learn English as first language and mother language as second language. Chineses learn Chinese as second language, Malays learn Bahasa Malay and Indians learn Tamil. SIS does not teach Tamil & Bahasa Malay probably there is only very very little of non-Chinese Singaporean here.

will the students learn chinese history, culture, poem, literature... in the school coz they are using singapore textbook?

SIS chinese text book/syllabus do cover chinse history, culture ,poem...... but of course there also some Singapore histories and cultures.