CIS vs ISF

se7en

hi All, really want to focus on Chinese as a comparsion    parameter...heard that ISF's Chinese is too tough while   CIS Chinese is not enough, any comments?

se7en

and my next question is if you got offer at both CIS and ISF, which one are you going to take?

mrsho

ISF is local school and CIS is international school.  There is no way to compare.

原文章由 se7en 於 08-3-26 12:52 發表
hi All, really want to focus on Chinese as a comparsion    parameter...heard that ISF's Chinese is too tough while   CIS Chinese is not enough, any comments?

warrrren

I agree that there is no point to compare one school to another.  By the way, those who know ISF should know that ISF is not and never claims to be yet another international school.  It is in its own league.  If you want a traditional elite local school, it is not for you; if you want a international school with students from 18 different countries, it is not for you; if you want your child speak and write better French/Japanese/Korean/German than Chinese, it is not for you either.

[ 本文章最後由 warrrren 於 08-3-26 19:58 編輯 ]

se7en

i see. thanks but correct me if i am wrong; local school talks about discipline and they will focus on telling you what is wrong and why you are not getting 100 points + pretty exam oriented.

international school talks about interactive learning and creativity. they are not forcing you to study this or recite that but rather encouraging you to explore on your own and build up self-confidence along the way.

comments welcome!

warrrren

原文章由 se7en 於 08-3-26 19:36 發表

i see. thanks but correct me if i am wrong; local school talks aboutdiscipline and they will focus on telling you what is wrong and why youare not getting 100 points + pretty exam oriented.

international school talks about interactive learning and creativity.they are not forcing you to study this or recite that but ratherencouraging you to explore on your own and build up self-confidencealong the way.

comments welcome!

It is hard to define what an interanational school is.  It may mean 11 things to 10 different people.  Using your definitions above, I would say that ISF is certainly not a local school.

[ 本文章最後由 warrrren 於 08-3-26 20:00 編輯 ]

se7en

hihi...looks like we have received comments from teachers, school representatives, equity analysts....any comments fromparents-parents from CIS or ISF?

502

Dear se7en,

I'm not a teacher, school representative or equity anlayst. Just a parent of ISF.

Thus,  I can only share with you my experience with the school.  The teachers are kind and caring. The Chinese curriculum is definitely not an easy one.  Students have to put effort in handling it.  

Of course, as the school is new, it takes time to put things together.  

Rgds,

502

原文章由 se7en 於 08-3-27 06:39 發表
hihi...looks like we have received comments from teachers, school representatives, equity analysts....any comments fromparents-parents from CIS or ISF?

vibrant_orange

....nor even a parent? right?

se7en

Thanks 502! So, can i say ISF is less organised in a way but wanted to increase the school standard by giving out above average task to students?

502

No -

"So, can i say ISF is less organised in a way"

Better to admit there are areas for the school to get better.

"but wanted to increase the school standard by giving out above average task to students"

The standard is high but it is achieved not by giving so called "above average task to students"!  The kids are taught and cultivated to achieve the standard!

原文章由 se7en 於 08-3-29 07:39 發表
Thanks 502! So, can i say ISF is less organised in a way but wanted to increase the school standard by giving out above average task to students?

brydenbobo

Hello everyone!
Heard that both Chinese & Maths are challenging in ISF, how do you find the level of the other subjects?

almom

原文章由 se7en 於 08-3-26 19:36 發表

i see. thanks but correct me if i am wrong; local school talks about discipline and they will focus on telling you what is wrong and why you are not getting 100 points + pretty exam oriented.

international school talks about interactive learning and creativity. they are not forcing you to study this or recite that but rather encouraging you to explore on your own and build up self-confidence along the way.

comments welcome!

The "definition" of international school is very clear. Schools are all legal entities and the government do have rules or laws to govern the running of international schools. I remember that someone in BK posted a link to a government website or government document that have listed out names (and addresses etc.) of all international schools. So any school not within that list is not international schools; any school that is on the list is an international school. And this has nothing to do with the style of teaching or the culture within the school community.

It is true that ISF stress the learning of Chinese in early years. So you are expecting your child to spend more time on Chinese than English at early ages. So if you are merely comparing the Chinese cirriculum in lower primary, then of course ISF has to be stronger.

It is difficult to say which school to choose. It is like arguing whether Mercedes or BMW is better. Everyone wants different things. So the best thing to do, is to try to get to know more about each school and decide which one suits you better.

warrrren

Cars are cars are just cars.  Who cares?

warrrren

原文章由 christf 於 08-4-2 16:23 發表
I believe most of the people who would like to buy a car would really care.  All reasonable people would like to purchase the best car which is affordable and valued for the money paid.

Hi christf,

ICS is an excellent school.  No doubt about it.  But it is not for everyone.  I did give it up a few years ago and I have no regret (except that I would have made a windfall of over $2m had I subscribed to the corporate nomination, which cost $600k then).  There are things that CIS cannot offer - teaching of 正體 Chinese (I absolutely hate 邪體 Chinese), respect for our identity as Chinese, diversity (more than 10% of ISF students are on financial aid/scholarship and many students are from expat and returnees families), and a better spirit to name a few.  When I visited ISF for the first time a few years ago, I was very impressed.  I could tell by merely looking at the students that the school must be doing something very right.  I did not feel the same when I visited CIS and other so called "elite" ISs.  I was a parent volunteer in one of the open days last year.  A lady visitor whom I recognised as a partner of a big international operation bumped into me and asked me where she should go to submit an application.  "The kids are so great. The school must be doing something right.  I can't wait to submit an application", she said.  "Great minds think alike", I thought, and I showed her the way to the admission office.  I have met quite a lot of visitors in ISF open days. And I have yet come across one who is not impressed. KISS. KISS. Keep it simple stupid (or keep it simple sweetheart, if you are kissible).  It is indeed that simple - take a look of the students and ask yourself how do you feel about them. If the students are happy, cheerful, confident and keen to learn, relax and stop worrying. Chance is that everything will turn out just fine.

Is ISF the best?  Of course not.  I am not smart but never stupid enough to begin to think that it is already there.  Is ISF good?  Yes, absolutely.  In fact, many of our schools are good.  This world is big enough to house more than just a few good schools, isn't it?  Belittling other schools is stupid and un-gentlemanlike.  It will do me no good and I refuse to do it.

By the way, I really don't care about a Mercedes.  Nor does it matter to me that people are driving a Geely.

Have a nice weekend.