Singapore International School

kimum

yyyy,

Got it and thanks for your detailed explanation and quick response.  

Actually my child is the other way.  He is studying in Starters which all other kids speak English.  At home, he communicates with maid in English, and I let him watch educational video only (nearly no TV) which are mostly English.  Gradually he has established his own mother tongue as English.  He speaks to Dad in Cantonese but to me in English.  I respond to him in English as I wish to train him better to prepare for his number of interviews this year.  He turns 5 in next 2 months and has started to read simple story books.  

My plan is that starting from this summer I will let him join Mandarin class and speak more Cantonese in order to catch up his Chinese level.  If he really joins SIS, my concern is more on his Putongha and Chinese writing rather than his English as most PY2 kids who are promoted from PY1 already grasp simple Putongha and Chinese writing. Do you think my child will have a hard time on Chiense learning initially if he joins PY2?

According to what you mentioned, my understanding is that it really depends on what language you emphasis to your child in daily life and he/she will be stronger in that language.  Please correct me if I am wrong!

kimum

CY-mother

yyyy and Hadrien-mama,

多謝分享. 自小受傳統的教育影響, 有一套課本, 知道教到邊溫到邊. 但聽說sis的工課比較小, 書本好像亦不多, 那如何知道他學了什麼, 有什麼範圍, 什麼的詞彙, 助佢revison?  

另外, 中文是簡體字, 那我們周遭都是瀪體字, 那對他們那麼小來說, 會否好confuse, 應該識的字,看到瀪體字都唔識?

yyyy

kimum,

Your response also very fast.

To tell you the truth, I am not prepared my elder daughter to attend international school at her early stage.  We moved to Western district and hope to gain a famous primary school to attend.  But just like Mark Six, very difficult.  I can only say it's her blessed that she was taught by english teacher when she was in K1 in a local kinder.

My second now is 2.  I am preparing her for SIS kinder.  But I am a lazy mother, I don't do anything extra to help her english.  I just asked my helper to speak english with her. I and my husband still continue to speak cantonese (we are too old to change our tone).  She now usually speaks english with my helper and her elder sister and cantonese with me and my husband.  She knows when to change....it's wonderful for babies....

My 2nd is studying in a local kinder now.  As she is born in Jan, she will enter SIS until her 4 years and 8 months old.  If she contiune studying in local kinder, I am afraid her cantonese is too strong.  I am thinking whether I need to change her to some kinders with more english...what do you think? Can you give me some advise?

For chinese in SIS in PY or Primary, some of my child's classmates are weak at chinese as they just like english.  They refuse to read chinese books...but their english, of course is very good. I think it's normal, no matter which child, they are strong at which subject whenever they like it.  If they like english, of course, english will be better or otherwise... Just like my child, she likes science and maths, although she is a girl, she is still strong in them.

kimum 寫道:
yyyy,

Got it and thanks for your detailed explanation and quick response.  

Actually my child is the other way.  He is studying in Starters which all other kids speak English.  At home, he communicates with maid in English, and I let him watch educational video only (nearly no TV) which are mostly English.  Gradually he has established his own mother tongue as English.  He speaks to Dad in Cantonese but to me in English.  I respond to him in English as I wish to train him better to prepare for his number of interviews this year.  He turns 5 in next 2 months and has started to read simple story books.  

My plan is that starting from this summer I will let him join Mandarin class and speak more Cantonese in order to catch up his Chinese level.  If he really joins SIS, my concern is more on his Putongha and Chinese writing rather than his English as most PY2 kids who are promoted from PY1 already grasp simple Putongha and Chinese writing. Do you think my child will have a hard time on Chiense learning initially if he joins PY2?

According to what you mentioned, my understanding is that it really depends on what language you emphasis to your child in daily life and he/she will be stronger in that language.  Please correct me if I am wrong!

kimum

kimum

yyyy,

I think Victoria kinder and Woodland Montessori are one of the good choices as you can choose to enter "International English Putongha" class which your little one can have balance learning on both English & Putongha for preparation to join SIS.

Otherwise if your approach is to train your little one with better English first at this moment, you may consider Starters, ESF, Small World, etc.  But these schools do not have Mandarin Class. (Starters now have Mandarin afternoon class)

kimum

CY-mother

"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..."

那應多深的詞彙,囡囡會否好吃力,  會否有點氣餒, 或感覺怎努力都後難很top, 影響信心?

現在囡囡是否說英語已很流利? 要你重新選舉是否選sis讀書? why?

好抱歉, 那麼多問題, 因為我現在正在十字口內徘徊, 想了解多些. thanks for your kindness!

kimum

up

yyyy

yyyy

Dear Kimum,

Thanks for your suggestion.

I have checked Woodland Montessori, the school fee is quite expensive. I have put my kid in Victoria playgroup before. The playgroup is not as good as what I expected.  But I have heard a lot saying their kinder is good.  Maybe I think about to put my kid for K1 international class if they accepted my kid. I keep my kid at the current kinder for this year and next year.

I have this idea as I think SIS may probably accept my kid as her elder sister is studying there. Therefore, I just put her in international class for one year to train her English for interview.

kimum 寫道:
yyyy,

I think Victoria kinder and Woodland Montessori are one of the good choices as you can choose to enter "International English Putongha" class which your little one can have balance learning on both English & Putongha for preparation to join SIS.

Otherwise if your approach is to train your little one with better English first at this moment, you may consider Starters, ESF, Small World, etc.  But these schools do not have Mandarin Class. (Starters now have Mandarin afternoon class)

kimum

CCM

Hi 4Y

Long time no talk    Is your elder girl still in SIS?  Thought she had other possibilities?

Busy with work and my children's exams.......

yyyy

CCM,

Nice to see your name here again!

Yes, my elder girl is still in SIS.  As SIS will have their secondary session in 2007, my kid will be the 2nd year to study in the secondary school.

Hope your kid can get good result!

CCM 寫道:
Hi 4Y

Long time no talk    Is your elder girl still in SIS?  Thought she had other possibilities?

Busy with work and my children's exams.......

CY-mother

多謝yyyy , florence 耐心及詳細的解答, 我已今天同仔仔註冊了  

ultravox

FYI.....
I read from yesterday's news paper that in
2008年後，聯合國已經決定使用的中文字一律為簡體字。
I think most international schools in HK are teaching simplified chinese.  At least SIS kids will benefit from this teaching method and especially ping-yin......

florence

CY-mother 寫道:
多謝yyyy , florence 耐心及詳細的解答, 我已今天同仔仔註冊了  

祝你個仔可以好好享受SIS既學校生活....精伶又活潑      

尋日老公同我講下午時佢同一個年長既客人傾"計", 對話如下:

客人: 你個女係讀邊間學校呀 ?
老公: SIS
客人: 點解讀國際學校既 ?
老公: 亞女PRE-NURSERY既時候, 老師既COMMENT係亞女好熱情, 好活潑, 好鍾意笑...但係轉左去傳統名校讀K1之後, 老師既COMMENT係亞女好COOL, 之後覺得唔係幾妥, 就不如幫佢轉校, 因為學校生活對幼童影響好大, 我希望佢可以喜歡學校, 喜歡返學.....
客人:    

其實我都好感動, 因為我老公係同我有相同諗法, 所以由我提議亞女轉校到SIS既時候, 佢係一直只有支持, 並無持任何相反既意見 (記得當日註冊都係我老公去辦理的), 所以當大家見個女好鍾意呢間學校同埋一日一日既進步, 大家都好開心架 (雖然個女亦係曳左好多 ) , 希望你將來會有同感啦 ~~~

Twoboysma

Hi SIS moms,
I just registered my son in SIS today. He will be a PY1 student this coming August. Would love to chat chat and exchange news with you all!    Yeah!
Have a lovely weekend!

Twoboysma

gogocat

Hi,
May I know whether we need to buy all the SIS summer uniform? how many PE lessons in a week? Is the cotton vest for boys? Do we need to join the PTA? what is it for?

regards,
gogocat

cheddar

Dear all mums,

May I know is there other school bus company besides Kwoon Chung? We live in mid-levels and a Kwoon Chung staff said that it might take an hour from my place to the school which is too much for a 4-year-old boy.

Any other suggestions, please help!

Thanks a lot!

cheddar

yyyy

gogocat,

Actually you can buy uniform at Kingcow anytime.  There are two shops selling SIS's uniform. One is in Sheung Wan near Wing On Department Store.  Plesae call them first for the size available.

As students can wear whatever uniform they like, ie. my girl likes to wear PE uniform all the time (she likes to run on plaza during reccess), I need to buy one more set for her.  

gogocat 寫道:
Hi,
May I know whether we need to buy all the SIS summer uniform? how many PE lessons in a week? Is the cotton vest for boys? Do we need to join the PTA? what is it for?

regards,
gogocat

yyyy

cheddar,

What time your child need to take the school bus? My child once took the bus at 6:55am  but when I moved to few more streets up, she just took the bus at 7:25am.  Maybe there are a few bus routes near your house up or down.  Please ask Kwong Chung.  I think only Kwong Chung can provide normal school bus for SIS (if they are late, students will not be counted).

How about #10B? this bus usually arrive school a little later than other school buses.

cheddar 寫道:
Dear all mums,

May I know is there other school bus company besides Kwoon Chung? We live in mid-levels and a Kwoon Chung staff said that it might take an hour from my place to the school which is too much for a 4-year-old boy.

Any other suggestions, please help!

Thanks a lot!

cheddar

cheddar

Dear yyyy,

Thanks for you reply!

The py1 will start at 11:50am. I called the bus company 2 days agonand they answered that the route will be different every year. It really depands on where are the students live. According to past experience, it will take an hour  :cry:

May I know where do you live? It's really good that you can save more than 30mins just to move few streets up! I wish we are as lucky as you!

Good night!

kimum

Cheddar,

You can get a copy of the current bus route from the General Office so that you have an idea of the existing arrangement.  The PY1 starts at 11:50 is already easier for your child as he/she does not need to wake up too early.  For my child who will join PY2, he has to wake up around 6:30am, poor.

Kimum