Singapore International School

gogocat

Hi Cheddar,

How do u feel about the school? Did you notice that most of the children were speaking in Putonghau? Have you appiled other int'l school?

regards,
gogocat

cheddar

Dear gogocat,

We didn't applied for other Itn'l school and I didn't notice there were children speaking Putonghau.

There were not so many people during our time and I found all the child speaking English. There were mix nationalities like Chinese, Indian and Malaysian.

I only applied this school because I thought this school has a well-balanced between English and Mandarin. My friends said their child enjoy their school life there.

Anyway, did you ask your daughter about the interview? My son just mentioned a bit and I couldn't get a clear picture about it. It seems like they needed to write or draw something....It really suprised me because according to the mums here, they said the interview was very easy and they just asked the child to play some toys or reconize some colour or objects?

What do you think?

cheddar

gogocat

Hi,
I guess most of the children I met on Monday were mainly from Singapore or China, no children of other nationalities.
Hv you ever heard the English of your friend's children?
I believe my daughter did draw/color sth in the assessment but she couldnt tell me much about it. I learnt from another parent that her daughter was asked to reconize her name written on the paper. how long did your little one stay in the asessment room? did you ask yr friend when we could get the result from the school?

regards,
gogocat

cheddar

Dear gogocat,

Just came back from China and sorry for the late reply.

Actually my friend is from Singapore and I didn't hear her daughter's English.

The school said we should be informed within a month. So, do you have any back up after SIS?

Cheddar

gogocat

hi, thanks for your reply.
we have got the place from CDNIS at the moment. attended the GSIS interview, but not expect she could get a place as there were 170 applicants applied for the K1 (20 places)this year. the sch management clearly informed us that, they will let those priority groups to fill up the places first. i am sure those 20 places could be easily filled up by those with passport, siblings and debenture holders.

regards,
gogocat

gogocat

Dear parents of SIS,

Do u mind to give comment on the following issues?
1) have children in SIS got phonic to learn in PY1? if yes, do they use "letterland"/jolly or others?
2) do they have swimming class in PY1?
3) when can they join Extra Cirricular activities in the school?
4) when do they learn to write?
5) do they have any reading scheme in PY1?
6) what is the school hour for PY1?
7) how many classes in PY1 and how many students in each class?

i am terribly sorry for so many questions. and grateful if anyone could kindly advise on the above issues. millions thanks.

regards
gogocat

cheddar

Dear gogocat,

I guess your little one must got a seat at SIS?

If so, congratulations !
     

My son was accepted by SIS as well maybe we will see each other on the registration day :

Cheddar

yyyy

gogocat,

1) have children in SIS got phonic to learn in PY1? if yes, do they use "letterland"/jolly or others?
As I remembered, they learnt Han Yu Ping Yin in PY2 and Phonic in P1, it should be letterland.

2) do they have swimming class in PY1?
No. start from P1.

3) when can they join Extra Cirricular activities in the school?
My child started fromPY2 selected by teacher.  I am not sure whether PY1 can or cannot.

4) when do they learn to write?
Write words or passages? Words should be start from PY.

5) do they have any reading scheme in PY1?
More from PY2 or P1.

6) what is the school hour for PY1?
In afternoon. But PY2 is in the morning.

7) how many classes in PY1 and how many students in each class?

5-6 classes with 20-25 per class.

kimum

Hi yyyy,

I remember I have asked you questions on SIS last year when my son attended PY1 interview.  He was on the waiting list last year, and this year for PY2 interview he got a place.

One thing I wish to consult you is that if my child is the type who is not always following instructions, and not so hard working, will it be difficult to cope with the standard and curriculum of SIS?

Do you know if there are children who study in SIS but quit later because they cannot withstand the pressure?  Does the school require the child to be very self-discipline?

Thank you for your advice.
kimum

gogocat

Hi, yyyy,

tks very much.
May i know what kind of shoes (Girls) they should wear to school? I saw they could wear white trainers to school for PE lesson in Summer. can they wear other shoes (summer and winter)to school with school uniform? can they wear white leather shoes to school? grateful if you could kindly advice on this matter.

tks

faybing

Hi,

1 - Any parents at Singapore International know of any school bus other than Kwoon Chung Bus Servicing, please let me know of the mobile number.  I am living outside of Kwoon Chung's bus routes.  Many thanks.

2 - If you have Singapore International and Chinese International to choose from, which of them will you prefer when both of them offer more Chinese curriculum?  

Faybing

Faybing[email protected]

kimum

delete

yyyy

gogocat,

穿白鞋(波鞋或皮鞋)for夏天校服和冬,夏運動衫, 妳見到小朋友通常穿波鞋, 因媽咪為求方便, 不用買2對鞋...冬天要穿黑鞋灰socks.但我的小朋友每天都穿運動衫, 所以成日要穿破波鞋...校服沒有換季時間, 妳覺得有需要便可以換了, 很自由的...

gogocat 寫道:
Hi, yyyy,

tks very much.
May i know what kind of shoes (Girls) they should wear to school? I saw they could wear white trainers to school for PE lesson in Summer. can they wear other shoes (summer and winter)to school with school uniform? can they wear white leather shoes to school? grateful if you could kindly advice on this matter.

tks

yyyy

kimum,

其實很多媽咪都覺得自己的小朋友唔聽自己話, 其實小朋友很聰明, 他們懂得跟大隊, 如果大隊是乖, 佢地變乖的機會大d, 所以很多媽咪千方百計, 千山萬水都要找一間自己認為好的學校給自己的小朋友, 就是認識到朋輩的影響其實很大. 如果妳的小朋友真是如妳所說, 在妳抉擇時, 可能就要問下自己希望佢毫無約束地發展, 還是讓佢慢慢學會過有規律的生活.

我自己的小朋友很守規矩, 所以我沒有這方面的考慮, 但咁多年來都未聽過佢話學校要求佢班NAUGHTY的同學退學, 但有沒有同學因受不住壓力而離開就唔知道了, 我之前都講過一個很EXTREME的CASE, 佢二年時就有一個很聰明但很naughty的同學, 老師見到他們整天投訴佢, 唔跟佢玩, 那老師就要求佢地小息時要和他一起玩, 直至沒有人投訴才可以和自己的同學玩, 二年班的同學仔喜歡找一年班的同學仔玩, 因為學校為了幫助佢地盡快適應小學的生活, 一年班的所有同學是和幼稚園一樣, 所以二年班時佢地都喜歡和相處了三年的同學玩. 原則上小朋友上學是沒有壓力的, 特別是對住外籍老師, 當然台灣和新加坡的老師口吻會firm D, 老師應該有威嚴吧..我自己就不是很介意, 所謂管教, 要管到佢地才可以教到呀! 最重要他們的出發是為學生好, 沒有令他們難受便可以了…

kimum 寫道:
Hi yyyy,

I remember I have asked you questions on SIS last year when my son attended PY1 interview.  He was on the waiting list last year, and this year for PY2 interview he got a place.

One thing I wish to consult you is that if my child is the type who is not always following instructions, and not so hard working, will it be difficult to cope with the standard and curriculum of SIS?

Do you know if there are children who study in SIS but quit later because they cannot withstand the pressure?  Does the school require the child to be very self-discipline?

Thank you for your advice.
kimum

CY-mother

yyyy

多謝你們的分享. 其實我有一個問題仍然有點擔心. 仔仔一直係母語的環境下成長, 需說我們都是在母語的環境下, 但有不少的小朋友是賓賓照顧, 可以習慣以簡單英文對話. 而仔仔平時婆婆照顧, 我亦沒有與他說英語的, 這個問題下, 我擔心仔仔難適應在sis讀書, 同人溝通唔到, 聽唔明, 變得抗佢返學等問題…你們點睇??

yyyy

CY-mother,

妳見到我喜歡用中文, 我們家就是一個廣東話的家, 到現在都是, 我大女一歲前由grandma照顧, 之後由不很懂英文的菲傭照顧, 所以英文都是靠在幼稚園學, 非常有限, 最幸運是她K1讀方方樂趣時有外籍老師教, 她已習慣唔講廣東話, 才順利考到SIS, 上學前都不懂擔心佢的英文能力, 我當時認為個個都是差不多啦! 而確是, 她似乎亦沒有問題…英文程度的問題去到上年(P3)才出現, 因之前幾年各個小朋友知道的都是有限, 大家都是學習階段, 英文程度不是很明顯….但由一年班開始, 喜歡看書的同學(Native speaking)很快已可以看Harry Porter等等, 佢就中英都睇, 所以中文就完全沒有問題…一般來說, 小朋友都很易適應, 佢有一個同學仔一年班才加入, 他媽咪成日都話好采有我個女當年同佢玩(因我們是鄰居), 如果不是佢個仔沒有那麼快就可以容入班上, 不過佢個仔真是很叻, 現在還是名列前茅(全級)….所以適應都是因人而異, 比d鼓勵他們應該沒有問題的…

CY-mother 寫道:
yyyy

多謝你們的分享. 其實我有一個問題仍然有點擔心. 仔仔一直係母語的環境下成長, 需說我們都是在母語的環境下, 但有不少的小朋友是賓賓照顧, 可以習慣以簡單英文對話. 而仔仔平時婆婆照顧, 我亦沒有與他說英語的, 這個問題下, 我擔心仔仔難適應在sis讀書, 同人溝通唔到, 聽唔明, 變得抗佢返學等問題…你們點睇??

Hadrien-mama

Hi CY-mother,

As I type Chinese very slowly, may I share my thought with you in English.  My son studied in (1) an international nursery (with Eng native teachers), (2) then a Chinese traditional kinder K1 (with only Chinese teachers) and then (3) SIS.  I can see the instant change from him as follows:

1.  enjoyed speaking Eng, became very active and talkative, sociable, liked singing songs and dancing
2.  switched to speak more Cantonese and felt more interested to learn Chinese words, more disciplined, but less active than before (since the teachers are very strict).
3.  picked up Eng at a fast pace, refused to speak Mandarin at first few months but now became fully confident to talk, sing songs and even challenge his dad's pronounciation.

Please note that we seldom talk to our son in Mandarin at home.  So we can conclude that his peer group, ie. his classmates and the school environment are actually major factors of his language learning.  My son's class has Eng and Mandarin native speaking classmates but I can see them mingle very well while talking and playing.  Absolutely no problem at all.

CY-mother 寫道:
yyyy

多謝你們的分享. 其實我有一個問題仍然有點擔心. 仔仔一直係母語的環境下成長, 需說我們都是在母語的環境下, 但有不少的小朋友是賓賓照顧, 可以習慣以簡單英文對話. 而仔仔平時婆婆照顧, 我亦沒有與他說英語的, 這個問題下, 我擔心仔仔難適應在sis讀書, 同人溝通唔到, 聽唔明, 變得抗佢返學等問題…你們點睇??

gogocat

Hi, yyyy and Hadrien-mama,

thanks for your sharing. I believe you should understand every mother would like to make a right choice for her beloved one. In fact, I have read almost all the messages related to SIS in the past, yet, when it is the time for you to make a decision, you still have some more to ask no matter the issues have been discussed before or not.
I truly want to say thanks to yyyy for your patience in asking most of the questions related to SIS.
I wish that my little one will enjoy her school life in the upcoming August like your kid does.

Best regards,
gogocat

kimum

yyyy,

Thanks very much for your sharing.  One point which I do not quite understand is that when you mentioned "…英文程度的問題去到上年(P3)才出現..."

Can you elaborate more on what's the problem and how are you dealing with it?

Many thanks
kimum

yyyy

kimum,

其實這個現象我和先生在佢一年班都有談到, 原因很簡單, 只因我們是香港人, 在家說廣東話, 小女最初接觸或學到的名詞都是廣東話, 而英文, 是靠佢在學校學回來的, 一個字一個字從老師, 同學, 課本, 課外書等慮績而成; lower form沒有問題, 因其他小朋友(native speaking)都是慢慢地在學習中, vocab也是慢慢地在慮績中, 但妳可以想像, 去到三年班, 一個8歲的小朋友(native speaking), 還有什麼英文的名詞(常用)是不會的, 就如我的小朋友, 佢大部份的廣東話都會說, 但佢所知的英文一定不會如native speaking的多, 例如佢不可能知道身邊所有東西的英文名稱, 花草樹木的名稱, 天文地理的英文名稱, 但佢native的同學已沒有難度... 但學校的英文科當然是以native為準, 所以問題就出現了, 不是說佢會不合格, 是很難很top...

唔知這樣說可否令妳明白我的意思?

kimum 寫道:
yyyy,

Thanks very much for your sharing.  One point which I do not quite understand is that when you mentioned "…英文程度的問題去到上年(P3)才出現..."

Can you elaborate more on what's the problem and how are you dealing with it?

Many thanks
kimum