躍思幼稚園/康怡中英文幼稚園

unwoo

Any comments for Quarry Bay's “躍思” kindergarten?  As the school is so small, is it good for kid?  If compare with Victorial, "康怡中英文" & "康山中英文", which one will u choice?  Why?

And did u know about Banner's "寶寶育嬰幼兒園"?  Thanks for give me some hips for those kindergartens, as I had no idea which one is better?

Racquel

Hi Unwoo,

Creativity is strong in

1. "roject Approach".  After a series of "rojects" in K2 & K3, kids will develop a skill / approach to learn through "roject".  They will acquire "Mind Map" which will help them easily handle "roject" in primary schools.  Some kindergartens also use "roject Approach", but please check the details.  Will the kids learn "Mind Map" (a thinking approach) or only learn some general knowledge with the help of their parents.

2. nurture a positive and self-learning skill.  Through "Children-centre-learning" approch, the teachers will ride on children's most interesting topic to induce them to learn in all rounded aspect.  With great interest, children love learning and exploring new things.  The teachers are patient and are willing to give the childrens time to explore their interesting topics.  As the children are praised and are encouraged to learn, they are confident.

3. parent education workshop. To give the best to the kids, they expect a helping hand of the parents.  Home education, to creat a learning atmosphere at home, is also important.  They will arrange some workshops for parents so that the parents may know 1) the objective of various key programmes, 2) how to help children at home.  

However, if you consider Creative, don't just bring your kid to the kindergarten, and let him/her learn only.  DO try your best to participate in all school programme.  Don't worry the work load is heavy.  "Quality time" is more important than quantity.
:wink:

unwoo

Hi Racquel,

Thank you so much for your advise.  i think most likely i will choose creativity.  yes, agreed with u, i will try my best to participate in all school programme.  

But, had/will your daughter meet any problem in changing to pm class in K3 (i supposed she is morning session in K1 & K2).  and, do u think is it difficult to be students there or difficult to apply am class in K1 & K2 if my son is a "little boy" (2 years 10 months during next year Sept)?  As some kindergarten doesn't like "little boy", and prefer "big boy".

And, what questions will ask during interview?  Does interview involve parents as well?  What format?  Will sit together with kid or separate interview?  Anyway, thanks again!

cecilau

unwoo,
我都同我的小朋友而家搵緊nursery. 個日康怡中英文open day, 咁我都有去參觀到. 我覺得環境都唔錯, 不過真係唔知教法. 你會唔會考慮 victoria 呀?
請問"躍思"有無nursery的?
你覺唔覺得quarry bay個度d 幼稚園都over $3000?

unwoo

cecilau,
我亦有去康怡中英文open day, 但發覺那裏太多日本班了, 例如k1 為例：2班日文班, 1班國際班, 但只有1班本地(中文)班, 而參觀過的課室, 當中亦只有1-2班是中文班, 這好像不太好, 而且,只有中文班是要考試, 其他不需, 而且, 聽聞他們常舉行中日比賽. 另外, 中文班較少可能會導致老師只著重國際班/日文班.

躍思並冇nursery, 完全同意你的說法, 側魚涌/太古區的幼稚園全都較貴(除了康山-是政府資助的), 好像victorial (下康), 比causeway bay victorial 還要貴, 他們的解釋是, 費用已包恬茶點, 但causeway bay 未包, 不知真定假.  我個仔是2002年10月出世, 想出年9月入學, 但是聽聞victorial 通常唔收 “細仔”, 就是收, 亦只會安排在下午班, 同埋, 上康那間會在出年2月結束, 在何文田開分校, 所以我預料收佢讀am 班機會較細. 你呢, 仔定女?  幾時出生?  有冇好心水幼稚園?

cecilau

unwoo,
你都做左好多功課呀. 我個小朋友係03年2月出世, 所以佢會係大仔. 我都係到搵緊nursery. 其實我覺得victoria都幾commerial的, 但係又好似好出名咁. 我都唔知讀邊間好.
康怡中英文幼稚園的nursery的國際班而家得幾個學生, 佢地的校風又好似好好咁.

你係唔係住係太古城/康怡?

unwoo

我住康景, 你呢?  係呀, 區內所有幼稚園我都差不多參觀過及查詢過(除了太古的國際學校).  現仍未肯定讀邊間, 同意你話victoria幾commerial, 雖然口碑好, 但因是細仔原因, 同埋考慮到上午班共有300多學生, 好似太迫啦. 所以我唸細仔可能讀躍思會好d, 少d學生, 得到多d老師關住.  同埋我仔曾上victorial’s playgroup (佛教小學隔離), 雖然只是逢星期六上一課,發覺非常commercial 同埋d同學仔同家長都不太有禮貌, 所以對victorial 印象不好.

康怡中英文今年是第一年辦nursery 呢, 所以人數較少.

cecilau

unwoo,
我住下康, victoria就係我樓下, 所以我就會報victoria. 但係我唔鐘意佢地咁commerical.
你會唔會俾你的小朋友坐校車呀? 我朝朝都見到有d小朋友搭校車返學呀.
咁康山又如何呀?

unwoo

Cecilau,
我唸我唔會比佢搭校車, 太細過啦, 未能自己照顧自己, 好危險, 同埋校車的校工一過要照顧咁多人, 有時可能好難睇哂咁多人.  我都會比個仔讀nursery, maybe early next week, 等佢過2歲先, nursery 反而我冇咁緊張, 因為都係返去玩多, 但kindergarten 就想

cecilau

unwoo,
我都係在職媽咪, 而家係office到上bk呀...    
我有朋友兩個小朋友都係讀康怡中英文幼稚園, 佢好鐘意呀.
咁你會俾你小朋友讀邊間nursery呀?

unwoo

Cecilau,
其實康怡中英文都可以考慮, 你的朋友有冇bun bun 揍小朋友, 我個仔是中國人揍的.  佢只識聽中文, 所以擔心不能適應, 除了康怡外, 我亦考慮bo bo, 即banner 那間!  我估你應該會報番victorial, 因為若讀佢的nursery 較易入讀其幼稚園. 我想問你朋友的小朋友是讀k1-3或讀nursery?  若k1-3, 讀國際班或本地班?  還有什麼評語?  課程怎樣?

Racquel

Hi Unwoo,

My daughter is studying at K3 this year.  She got no problem to study in pm.  There is a rule we often put on our daughter, try to let her sleep at least 10 hours per day, no matter once or split into 2 session.  She usually wakes up at about 8:00am.

In K1 & K2, though she studied in the morning, It was not uncommon that Creativity organized activities, like visits / drama appreciatoin in the early afternoon.  They were not fixed programmes.  Whenever there are good visit, drama, activities that are good to the kids, teacher would highly recommended parents to let the kids join.  If necessary, they willl charge the "BASIC" transportation fee, for discounted drama fee, etc.  It gives the children more exposure.

As they closed the Kornhill centre starting this September, they combined the Kornhill and Parkvale kids together.   The Teacher-to-kids ratio of K3 now is 1:22.  Actually, there is a teacher-supporter.  No need to worry too much.

For interview, it is simple.  As long as you accept their teaching approach, your kid will get a seat.  BUT REMEMBER, ask yourself if you really accept their teaching approach.  They do not give too much writing homework for the kids.  In K1, the kids will be trained with "RE-WRITING" skill, like straight line and circle drawing.  In K2, simple english letter, plus simple chinese words.  Creativity encourage parents to spend valuable time for story-telling with your kid.  No need to measure the quantity, but on quality and regularity.  It helps to build a reading habit for your kid and good relationship between the parents and kid.  It also helps them to learn lots of vocabularies.
In K3, kids are encouraged to write at their own will, no force.  Just like my daughter, she wrote a simple letter to her teacher to express her feeling.  The teacher gave her feedback.  It induces my daughter to write and sometimes express through drawings.  When my daughter does not know one word, she will ask me to help her.  Instead of writing on her behalf, I normally will say "yes" but write the word in a separate paper and split it into various parts that is familiar with her.  Sometimes, after realising how to write the word, she requests to write by herself.  This is one of the things that Creativity wants the parents help their kids at home.  Remember, no need to write a long one at the beginning.  Simple and short one will be effective and easy to sustain a kids interest to write.

unwoo

Hi Racquel,
Thanks for your comments again.  Seems “Creativity” not as “commerical” as “victorial”, is it right?  Is “Creativity” like “victorial”, everything needs money?  How much around u spends in other fees/activies in 1 year?  And is it expensive for school uniform & their textbook (I heard that the textbook is made by themselves, right?)

Racquel

Hi Unwoo,

I also heard that Victoria seemed "commercial".  But I think Creativity is not.  

There are lots of extra curricular activies organized by Creativity in the afternoon.  Normally, it is about $1000 per course, about 10 sessions per course.

Besides, the Parents Association will organize a few seminars / picnic during the year.  For some seminar / projects with special education themes, Parents Association will ask help from Creativity to apply funding from the government to subsidize the event.

Teachers will help my daugher to develop her "own" book.  I remembered last Autumn, she started to learn words, phrase, information about Autumn.  Teacher induces her to draw pictures, collect fallen leaves, sing songs, read words about Autumn, etc.

Every year, Creativity will enourage Parent Association to arrange a "Charity Event" by asking parent to donate old school uniform, used toys, etc.  Parents only need to pay about $20 to get one set of old school uniform.  These funds will be donated to a school in PRC for helping education.  But, please note that it is not a fixed programme by Creativity.  However, in the past few year, they ran such a programme.

:

unwoo

Hi Racquel,

Many thanks for your quick replied.  But do u know/heard other kindergarten in quarry bay?  says "康山中英文" & "康怡中英文"?  Have any comments?  I am now considering these three kindergartens.....

newdingdong

Hello, I want to share my comment to BoBo and Victoria.
My baby joined BoBo's playgroup last year for a few sessions , the school area is very small, english standard of the teacher is not so high, then I tried Victoria at upper Kornhill, comparing to BoBo, they have more variety of toys, with native English Teacher tells story or sing along in the playgroup, good hygienic system as before you enter the classroom, you have to change a pair of clean shoes for your child, and you have to wear socks too. but, it's too crowed. If you don't mind the crowed environment you can try Victoria.

DingDong

cecilau

unwoo,
我朋友的仔仔都係賓賓揍的, 佢係讀本地班. 我再問下佢d comments再話你知啦.
禽日我同d街坊媽咪傾計, 佢個女都係victoria讀nursery, 佢話個classroom好細呀.

yvomak

我住係上康, 我個仔2歲時都讀過bobo都ok, 英文都係學拼音, 不過就冇外籍老師, 地方好細, 冇班房, 但有一樣最好就係比佢地食埋午飯先走, 比佢地可以學下自己獨立食飯都幾好.  依家係中康Victoria讀緊K1, 覺得都幾好, 其實都唔係好Commerical, 佢地既學費已經包埋書薄費茶點, 平時都冇嘜錢要比, 其他課外活動都唔係一定要參加, 好多都冇參加既, 佢地每一班都有兩位班主任(本地同外籍)另有一個助教, 出年closed係中康個間, 佢依家開始叫我地可以選擇其他Victoria, 所以都唔洗擔心要過海. 直到現在都學得佢地既教學方法幾好.

unwoo

cecilau, newdingdong & Racquel, thank you so much!  Work off this afternoon for Mid-Autumn Festival, talk to all of u on coming Thursday!   

BTW, cecilau, 你朋友的仔是讀k1, k2 定k3?

cecilau

unwoo,
我朋友兩個仔都畢業啦. 而家小學啦.