How to choose?

umom

Appart from the reputation of the primary school, the secondary school allocation result, what are the other factors that you parent take into consideration when deciding a suitable primary school for youur children?

Small class 小班教學? Instruction medium (whether is English or Chinese primary school?)? Fees and location? Any other things?

Thanks very much!!  

小曳人

我會考慮學校課程，多唔多增潤/資優課程，如果小朋友個別學科表現突出，學校嘅安排，當然仲有交通安排，同埋課外活動安排等
你上要講嘅小班/教學語言 並非我考慮重點 (因為有我要求嘅嘢，通常係大班)
學費係問題，但相信到最後，我未必會考慮呢個問題！

umom

回復 小曳人 的帖子

Thank you so much 小曳人  !!

So your view is if they do have resources to support kids with special needs (gifted kids). My kid is definitely not one of them as I now. :loveliness:

I usually hear people talking about:

活動教學 vs. 傳統教學
小班教學
呈分試 (actually what is 呈分試??)
Are there primary schools without exams? (Is that mean there's no exam/ test/ written asessment throughout the year?)

So many things to learn. Grateful if anyone would share their opinions.

朱寶

我搵小一之前, 先自己睇左小朋友屬於乜型?我自己問左阿仔,想係一間點樣既小學,先收窄左我既範圍,咁相對會易d搵到心水學校

我想小班教育, 有一條龍英中, 師生關係要親和, 唔好太谷太多抄寫功課, 學校以學生為本, 最好就係有私家廚房, 唔駛日日食飯盒

做左第一round篩選之後,揀到十間八間合心水既,續間入去學校網睇一次, 初步了解學校, 再去討論區睇下過來人或在校家長既評語,有簡介會及開放日,盡量出席, 因為講到幾好都好,自己親身去感受先至係最有用

睇下校長既演講, 基本上知道間學校係行乜政策, 係要乜學生, 再同老師傾下偈, 最好就係同學生都傾兩句, 有好多野都係佢地身上可以知道, 例如學生既品行談吐, 功課量多唔多等

最後就係睇佢地既書單, 初步可以知道教學程度, 例如英文用新加坡pop up個d, 又或者小一用緊小二既書咁,程度相對係較深既, 仲要睇下佢有冇直屬中學, 有既話, 幾多人升上去? 無既話升中派去乜學校, 有幾多人派去brand 1英中, 唔好睇幾多%派第一志願, 因為第一志願未必係brand 1英中, 可以大部份brand 2都得既 ........

最緊要都係學校是否適合你小朋友, 希望幫到你

朱寶

呀, 仲有學校同屋企既距離,車程是否太長, 因為真係會影響小朋友既, 以及家校合作係咪足夠, 學校透明度高唔高等

JadeW

kerrielam

如何可查學校書單呢？

朱寶

回復 kerrielam 的帖子

書單不是間間學校都會上網, 面且主要是暑假期間及開學之初放在學校網頁內, 要自己時不時去心水學校網睇下先得,但我覺得係幾有用既資料, 至少我見到書單之後, 去書局望下本書, 都大約知道程度去到邊

kerrielam

Thanks

朱寶

回復 kerrielam 的帖子

welcome

umom

Thank you so much for your valuable input!!

I always hear about school kids doing dictation and text copying a few times a week. I was educated in the west, I really don't think this is any helpful for kids to learn creatively and enjoy learning in the long run, but now that my husband and I decided we are going to send our son to a local school primary instead of the international, is that mean we have no way to escape from all these dictation and text copying? Would the 活動教學schools do less of these?
Apparently, I have also learnt about 2 types of assessments/ exams in the local primary schools, the TSA and also the 呈分試, are these exams only to be taken once in every primary grade (from p1-p6)? I am so confused...

Are these exams compulsory to all the local primary schools in HK? Or schools can actually choose they do either one of the two??  
Schools with/ without TSA or 呈分試, does this say anything about how good the schools are?

We live in HK Island, we are mobile within the island for good schools.  

Apologies for a string of questions. Really appreciate your valuable input!!

HKTHK

Some other issues to consider:

culture: what are the kids like?  are they courteous?  do they seem well-disciplined?
school parent relationship: is the PTA active?  what type of feedback can parents expect?  what kind of involvement by parents?
tutoring: is it encouraged or discouraged? how prevalent is it?
extra-curricular activities: is it encouraged?  would there be sufficient time?

Can you share the reasons why you choose a local, as opposed to international, school?  For someone educated in the West, this is an interesting choice.

朱寶

回復 umom 的帖子

about the TSA  and 呈分試 .........


我估你識睇中文, right?

TSA, 主要係定呢間學校既學生既學習能力, 初步認定呢間小學有幾多個%既學生係brand 1, 2 或者3, TSA主要係幫師弟師妹攞分, 師兄姐做得好, 咁就可以令到多d %既弟妹進身brand 1, 對派位係有幫助既

呈分試就係p.5下學期, 同埋p.6全年既考試成績, 上呈education department, 呢個係定左個學生本人既braning, 派位先後次序同呢個分好有關係, brand 1學生會比2及3既學生早派位, 相對揀到派到心水學校既機會打好多

大部份學校都會做以上兩件事, 小部份學校會選擇唔做, 大多數係有直屬中學, 而又保證100%小六生會全數升上中學既學校

無做以上兩件事既學生, 除左直升直屬中學之外, 就只有自己去扣門或者考直資私小, 官津校派位難以入隊, 因為無branding呀!

umom

Thanks HKTHK!
Why do you think PTA is an important factor when considering a school? Is that because if the PTA is active and influential, we parents would have more say about how the curriculum and other relevant matters?
Would the PTA in the direct subsidy and private schools be more important as a consideration factor than the government schools?

Extra curriculum activities. Do you mean some schools have more while other have less as they are more focusing on the academic achievement? Or do you mean some schools would expect kids to attend lots of extra curriculum outside schools as they want kids with various "nurture talents"??
I suppose if the school encourage the participation of extra curriculum in the school ( they school takes the effort to organize them) these schools would gives their students lesser homework??

I am so sorry if I do sound rather ignorant as some these may be just common sense to you all, but definitely foreign to me. Once again, I really appreciate everyone's kind input

Why do we go for the local? $$$$$$!
We can afford the monthly tuition fee but the extra cash ( talking about 3-5milliom) to be locked there for 6-12 years is not within our capability now! My husband also prefers they go to a local school to at least learn some Chinese. After all, easy for him as he's not the one chasing and nagging the kids to do homework!!!
Well, I know it's definitely tough but I am trying to minimize the "torture" for him and myself!!

umom

Many thanks once again for the detailed expiation!

Yes, I can read Chinese but not typing in Chinese

When u mention "branding", did u actually mean "banding"?

Thanks again.

朱寶

回復 umom 的帖子

Spoh no, yes, banding.........haha
Sorry for my careless mistakesssssss

umom

Thanks a lot
The info is very vey useful indeed.
May I know if you already have kids in the primary schools or are u also in the admission game this year?

umom

By the way, does anyone know what is 活動教學 and what is the 傳統教學？
Does the former imply less dictation and text copying homework?

Do kids in HK local schools generally have frequently dictation and text copying, and tests?
I heard about kids given 10 homework everyday, is this just rare extreme case or fairy normal?

朱寶

回復 umom 的帖子

My boy will promote to p.1 in 9/2013, we are playing the admission game right now.Luckily, we got two offers 嶺小 and a dragon school, just compare both of them and can't make decision yet

HKTHK

On PTA, it is just a matter of education philosophy.  Some schools may prefer parents to be involved and would seek their opinions.  Some schools can probably care less what parents think.  There is also a wider issue of parents' role in education.  Some schools don't really take feedback from parents and maybe less flexible on co-operating with parents while some do.  Which style do you like?

If you are serious about ECA, some activities may require school's co-operation to apply or taking time off.  Will the school allow that?  How is that looked upon?

I doubt most international school parents have 3-5 million locked away.  Are you referring to buying a debenture?  I don't think that is a requirement at most schools.  One usually only need to pay a capital levy and the amount varies by school though substantially less than 1 mil.