Think International School

leshita

www.think.edu.hk

Tel: 2338 3949

117 Boundary Street, Kowloon Tong.

This is a new international school, any parents known and any child studing there?

Please share!

Justinyeung

Dear Leshita,

My son studied in its kindergarten before which is located at Laguna City. I advise you not to consider it.

BabyK

Hi Justinyeung,

Could you pls tell me more why you advise not to consider it? Is that school not a good school? Coz I am thinking of the one in Ma On Shan for my daughter. Thank you.

BabyK

leshita

BabyK

我囡囡今個月開始返馬鞍山朗思，返得好開心，大至上都無大問題．而且老師們記性不俗，不消一星期就記得囡囡名稱，連呀姐都係．都算有心啦．

返左１４日學，囡囡講野同學到既都比以前多左，而且識得講好多完整的句子．　可能係獨囡既關係，語言上的進步較明顯．　行為上都係．　好似以前企唔定，而家都會拉住手行得好定咁．

平日由婆婆接送，婆婆都好鍾意間學校．因為啲職員都好重視家長，包括佢啦，會主動同佢傾學校既野．所以佢好nice．　而且，婆婆仲話間學校勝左多”Hello’wor．
（即外籍老師）

我地可能會做同學仔wor，你小朋友多大？

BabyK

leshita,

How old is your daughter? Is your daughter going to the bilingual class or the international class?My daughter is18 months and I am planning to put her into the N1 in Think in Sept.  but I am still thinking as I still haven't made up my mind to send her to the local school or international school. Since she is Mix and I want her to learn more chinese. And I heard of Think from other Mum and their international class teach English and Chinese. But I don't know much about this school. So I might want to go there to have a look. Any other opinion that you could share?

Is the school environment good? I heard from some people that their K2 have lots of homework. What would they do in the interview? I am very lazy and still haven't gotten the application form yet but I called and the teacher said I still can come and get it.    

leshita

1) she is only 2yrs old.
2)Bilingual class (Nursary) pm.
3)International class will only teach ENGLISH, no chinese.
4)Environment fine.  They lent a farm opposite to the school, K2 student will learn how to farm.
But some mum will think this school is small.  But I think OK.
5)Interview, very easy, just let your child play and play, no question, no stress.
6)anytime you can apply.

The points I choose Think are;
1) on ground floor, more safe specially when their is a fire.  Child no need to walk the stairs, some school are located in 2nd floor.
2)with farm, child can learn grow up and farming, will have farming experience.  (They will eat their BB too. (BB=plants))
3)More foreign teachers.
4)More activities, inter and outer.  More fun for a kid.

What I think is, let my kid have a happy childhood time is important that others.  It is very important to let them happy.  Education is a long long road for them, why don't I let them enjoy more?

BabyK

leshita,

Thank you so much for sharing it with me. It really helps me alot coz I really want to find a good school for my daughter but I don't want to give her too much pressure and I want her to enjoy her school life. I really don't know that they have a farm. That's very good.

Could you tell me how much for the school fee? And how long for the afternoon class?(From what time to what time) I heard that they also teach Mandarin, is it true? Actually I am thinking If I should put her into N1 or just let her wait and go straight to K1. Any opinion?  

leshita

$2400.
1:15-4:15pm
No Mandarin.
As Angel is my first child, so stay with grandmother in the daytime.  As I want she have more quality daytime, that mean not too much TV and play with other child, learn more things...etc, so I sent her to N1.  

***If you take care of your child yourself, than no need to go to N1.  The only concern to me is that only.

mrsho

Leshita.  If I am right, you are the one who also sent your daughter to Tutor time, right?  Are you still let her studying there or you just focus in Think now?  Thanks.

tt2001

Last 2 week，聽過佢地講座，info如下：

Think International School (Primary)
1/ 今年剛成立，加拿大制。現在有P1-P3，P1多數是Think Kinder直升，P2-p3是其他小學轉來的，有些是其他國際學校。
2/ 全日，每月$5,900 x 10期，1年2次書簿費(or叫雜費)，家長不用買什麽debentures
3/ P1-P6各級只有1班，每班15人，若日後超額很多會再申請多個校舍。
4/ 每班1 Native Class Teacher 教全科(國際學校係咁gar wor)教 Eng, Maths, Arts, Sicence....吾記得仲有咩，另1 Native Mandarin Teacher 每日1 hr Mandarin lesson
5/ 若某班多了學生，會加 teacher。
6/ 因小班，學校不會安排課外活動，但他們有Think Art Gallary也在Kln Tong，可在那處参加(收費的)
7/ 如Think Kinder的小朋友打算直上Think Primary，校長recommend在K2/K3轉去Kln Tong Think 讀全日，因有fixed Mandarin lesson everyday and 全日，小朋友易D適應小學課程(Primary吾比講Cantonese的)
8/ 優先考慮是Think Kinder Full Day students, and then Think Kinder Half Day students, and lastly the students from other kinders.

我見有幾個最有興趣的家長都是有仔女正就讀其他Int'l Primary such as KG5 and 英基，有的是想轉校，但local school 一定適應吾到，有的是吾想細佬/妹步哥哥後塵，入左Int'l school 之後冇彎轉。他們後恢比仔女讀那些Int'l school的原因好相似：

- 那些Int'l School 有D全完冇教中文，有D求其教，個仔4/5年班至得小一程度，依家覺得好吾對路。佢地buy Think Primary係 Int'l School 但比較重視mandarin class (個teacher都有黎briefing，聽到嗰幾個父母幾高興)，佢地覺得就算第日吾對路仲可轉英文小學，第日又可多條路報英文中學，最多比$讀私校，好過依家讀緊嘅Int'l School，想同個仔轉，但連英小都適應吾到。

[size=medium]JustinYeung請問你是什麼原因叫人吾好consider呢？ 可否交流下？ 佢都吾係冇賣點架，佢要收15人一D都吾難，佢有4間Kinder，當中台灣人都吾少

wet_wet_2

My son was transferred from Laguna city to Boundary street since last Sept. I like the whole day class here than Laguna city. The school starts at 8:30 to 3:15 n have one hour Mandarin every day. Since boundary street is newly established n therefore my son is enjoying small class ratio (1:7). His Mandarin
teacher is very good and have many years experience in teaching International school. If you attended the briefing, you should know she had been teaching in Canadian internatioal for six years. I can tell my son has great improvement in Mandarin.
I plan to stay here for primary school. For me, I definitely will not chose school without Chinese. Chinese is as important as English. Think International provides what I need. Even though the school is small but it is cozy. More importantly, the level of Mandarin/chinese is compatible to local school.
Frankly speaking, this is not "NOT TO BE CONSIDERED" school. This is not fair to the students who are studying here. Every parent has their own thought!! Should I say ESF is "not to be considered".
Some people might say "Yes" even though it is a dream school for most parents.

tt2001

Yes, the briefing was impressive to me.  Actually, 我從來不考慮Int'l School就係吾鐘佢中文太差。我就接受吾到自已個仔明明係純中國人，4/5年級D中文得P.1水平，仲要對中國文化亳無興趣(甚至(皮)視)，我會覺得係醜架。

學習中文已是大勢所趨la，Think似乎取得平衡，國際學校模式，但重視中文。Briefing時，個class teacher仲簡單講左佢係點教英文& Maths，點令學生舉一反三，令到從來不考慮Int'l School嘅我都為之打動。

不過，我唯一還有保留就佢冇課外活動，wet_wet_2，呢方面你點睇呢？

wet_wet_2

I believed that more new international schools will use both English n Mardarin as first languages in order to suit the market needs. And also some DDS
schools are using the same approach. But one thing you have prepare yourself is to boost up their mathematics skill if you want to switch back to local system.
I heard the school will have "boy scout" on Satursday and it will be started next school year. You are right, the school can not offer extra activties at the moment. I wish they could form a orchestra for primary section. Since my son is learning vioin from private teacher. Also, the school campus is one of the considerations as well. May be you could take a look of some internatioal schools with Mardarin. Like Yew Chung, Canadian international, kingston,Austrialia international. but they are more expensive.
Hope it will help.

leshita

mrsho 寫道:
Leshita.  If I am right, you are the one who also sent your daughter to Tutor time, right?  Are you still let her studying there or you just focus in Think now?  Thanks.

而家沒有返tutor time 了，因為playgroup要大人陪，我２公婆都夾不到時間同佢返學呀．

BabyK

leshita,

Thank you so much for the info!! I finally got time to go to the school with my husband and apply for my daughter.

My daughter had an interview today and so far so good, me and my husband asked the principal lots of questions and she seems a nice lady. But me and my husband feel those teachers(Chinese and English) are so young. But Bcoz I kept asking the principal questions, She didn't really ask my daughter questions and My daughter just played around and played with some student and teachers(By that time, just finished school not so long) So I don't know if they accept my daughter or not but at the end the principal said for her age, she can start going to Nursery in Sept, but she didn't ask me if I want my daughter to go to a.m. class or p.m. class. So..

But Coz still have a few months b4 she turns 2, I might want to apply a couple schools for her. For my lists are- HKPreschool, Keen Mind or Tutor Time. then to see which one accept her and make a decision. Have you heard of any good comment about these schools?

For me, I am a part-time Mum but I spend all of my time with her when I am not working. I am thinking to stop working when she starts the school. The reason for me to want her to go to Nursery is, Me and my husband want her to be more independent, coz even I can teach her at home but she really relys on me alot and want her to learn sharing, and also hope that she can speak a bit more since we speak english and chinese at home and she doesn't really speak much.

leshita

BabyK

For the details of enrollment, their staff (clerial staff) will tell you instead of the principle, Ms Lily Choy.  For am/pm, date of school etc, they will talk with you around 2 months before start school.

I've got no idea on should/shouldn't try other international school, if your $$ is enough to let her stay in such school for 3/4 years, then let go.  

eggeggma

Justinyeung 寫道:
Dear Leshita,

My son studied in its kindergarten before which is located at Laguna City. I advise you not to consider it.

Some information for your reference:

b 女 02年9月 (2.5 years old) 入 MOS Think ２歲班, 未入學仲識講 simple words.  入學之後, 忽然自閉, Staff 無特別跟進. Christmas 前比我見到老師半吊半拖 B 女 (happened outside the campus during one outdoor activity).  我知會其父母,父母 complain. 老師反指b女 naughty.  At last, quit Think. 04年2月轉去一公屋村內 KG (school fee around $1000), 老師好快發現b女有語言問題, 大小肌肉問題, 於是幫手做 refer 去有關 services 跟進.  現在已 4 years old, 仲做緊2歲的語言 training. 查實b女返 Think 時, 我這個 layman 都見b女唔妥. 真唔明 THink $2XXX 的 professionalism 在那? IF THink 發覺到, b 女現在發展會好 d, 快半至一年.

You may find comments on this school varies, but given a lot of choices around, why bother to risk this one?

leshita

eggeggma

你的個案都好extreme，個別事例，不過都回應下．

學費：
若單以學費去計係唔係professional會唔會不太恰當？　若收$2000以上就評為pro.的話，那麼合一堂，綠茵等咪又可是所pro.學校？

我地是否須以合不合理去評收費？ｔhink以Nursery去比，它們是沒有書簿習費的，那麼相比其他，實在只是相差佰多２佰元吧了．

再者，think有至少８名的外籍老師，這是其他同區幼稚園沒有的．一分錢一分貨．

２）發現小朋友問題

係呢個個案上，我覺得學校及家長都有責任，並不可說那一方完全疏忽．當然學校可以發現問題為最理想，至少不用自己操心，但畢竟自己都有責任．

論時間，三小時返學，其他時間係家中，家長�照料者都應該用心去了解及都應知道問題而找尋問題嗎？

３）學校對小朋友的方式

我都有擔心過黎個問題，不過，大家都不在場，都不能了解發生過甚麼事而導致有拖拉情況．

總之，了解過事件才評論誰是誰非好一些．有時小朋友又未必對，當然有時學校又可以改善啦．

eggeggma

leshita:
pro 唔 pro 唔講.  但拖吊 incident 是我親眼見. 02年12月 nursery 在 Waterside 商場彩排 Christmas 節目. around 11:am,我返企見到 B女, then 留低睇佢, 見到佢比人吊拖. eggegg 都見到. then call B女父母, 個老師死撐完都認.

又一個同 Tower 的媽媽在仔仔班房門外望上課情況 (first day), 見老師把仔仔高舉大力 boom 一聲放 chair 上. 2 year-old 仔仔哭. 老師轉頭嚇見媽在 door, 青面. Next day, 退學.

pro 除左 knowledge, 點都要有禮掛, 識得分言語及肌肉協調 pass 唔 pass 掛? QKT 怎來? 家長是外行, 必信老師, 但老師除左話 B 女內向, 無下一句.  相反一去耀榮, 老師一星期就見到問題, 時時 follow-up.

eggegg 都 study 過 Greenfield, 我覺得 pro 過 Think lor.

Maybe Angel is normal, 唔會有 problem.

又放學要接送咭是新 policy.  以前試過走左 d 小朋友出門口.  開業4 年先用呢招, 有d 鈍    Greenfield  一開業已經用呢招, 工人仲要留 ID copy.

Anyway, $ 同 pro 唔一定成正比. 肯定搶$, 去年 SARS call 人交＄, 人地免學費 lor.

PS: eggegg 都有 40-50 foreign teachers, 但無意思.  Think summer program/playgroup 同 nursery share 這 8 個 foreign teachers, 人家比大份$ ($3XXX). 你估 teacher serve 邊個多 d?

eggeggma

Just to reiterate my position that since comments on this school are somewhat too polarized, why not play safe?

Other opinions in MOS KG Plan under  教育小組.