ESF tsing yi offer

jolalee

LOL moral Taliban! I actually didn't come across that many who criticized this method, as least not in the thread i posted in asking for advice on how to improve my child's Chinese about 1.5 years ago. Most parents told me it is better to do one language per environment, and that i should switch over to speak Chinese fully to my boy.

Of course it'd be better for the child if the same parent speak the same language through the years, but i guess with the stress of getting a school spot in HK, normal behaviors are out the window. We just have to do what's best as we see fit.

pppwong

Mamamu1126 發表於 15-9-10 10:56
Just received a call from ESF TY ，school place is confirmed . Take it or not ?
My son now studying ...

i'm facing the exact same problem now,. my main concern is the risks associated with ESF - if we cannot get a place in ESF primary in the end, where would we go? as the reputation of ESF TY has not been great, i wonder if its play based curriculum could lead my child anywhere in case he falls through the cracks.

then of coz on the bright side, it appears that over 95% of kids could eventually get a place, a chance which a lot of ppl would be dying for...

cant decide!!!

oooray

If your child has already been studying in a good kindergarten with good reputation, don't take the one without good reputation in your mind.
In Hong Kong, only the government can guarantee you a P.1 place that most probably you don't want to accept.

FattyDaddy

pppwong 發表於 15-9-18 11:53
my main concern is the risks associated with ESF ...

When we talk abut risks, we should try to quantify it.

Like you said, 95% of ESF kindergarten pupils do proceed to ESF primary schools (including the 2 PIS), so that should give you some idea of how risky or safe things are, personally I think it is already better than many of the so called "dragon" through-train schools.

Of course there is always the chance that your child may happen to be in the few % who couldn't secure a place, that's why it is also important to have a Plan B, but that Plan B could vary a lot from one family to another, some parents may send their children to 2 kindergartens, some may supplement with after school tuition etc, to each their own.

Saboc

I think is crucial that you have made up your mind in choosing local or international stream

chumiguan

My daughter is in TY K2 now. When others say TY is not that good, I am thinking the other way round. Perhaps I was lucky enough that the k1 teachers were really good and with heart to teach and take good care of children (except the 2nd EA whom I didn't like). My girl loves the teachers too! She told me the other day that she likes Miss Xxx most (the k1 TA) and she miss her a lot!

Regarding play based learning, she learnt quite a lot, such as transportation, vehicles, materials (wood, glass, metals etc.), occupations, shopping and restaurants  etc. I like the teaching method as well, e.g. The theme of transportation: Teachers took them to their surroundings to see the trains, buses, taxis etc. She would point to the trains whenever we came across one. She urged me to take her to have rides on ferries, trams, buses, for which she really wanted to experience what she learnt. They made artworks related to the theme as well, such as using shoe boxes for a bus, and making Octopus cards.

At school, there are sand pits and water pools, which they can always play with. There are many toys and tools (such as long tubes) for them to "play" with the water, so she knows how water behaves, and how things work with water and sand. Perhaps I am a Montessori fans, these type of experience learning at school is what I look for. There are lots of story telling, my girl can tell me stories after school. There are books to read at school, they can read anytime and to borrow home every week.

In terms of academic, the school really doesn't teach alphabets and numbers. There isn't text book for them to learn words or numbers. From every week newsletter I learnt what she played and learnt that week, and I am satisfied as K1 should be getting to know their environment instead of recognizing words or maths. When I asked my mom my life in my K1, my mom also told me that I only played in my kindergarten (my kindie was St. Cat). So I am expecting the same from my daughter's kindie.

Regarding language, she speaks fluent Cantonese at home as my helper and grandparents, and all the friends we meet at weekends speak in Canto. Only me who talk to her in English. However at school she speaks in English, even her best friend is a Chinese, they both speak in English. All kids in her class speak in English at school. This was observed during school open days, and classmates' private birthday parties.

However, if someone needs a kindie to equip their kids for applying other top schools, ESF Kindies are never a good choice.

pppwong

chumiguan 發表於 15-9-19 10:53
My daughter is in TY K2 now. When others say TY is not that good, I am thinking the other way round. ...

thanks so much for your sharing. it did give me a lot of insight as to what the kids do in the school!

my kid is very quiet. he can behave very well in local kindies but he does not shine as a kid of a lot of self confidence.  i wonder if he could find his way through a play-based environment in ESF.  do you have any observations on this?  thanks so much! :)

貝珠

Pppwong, I think u already had preference in IS.

Quiet child vs talkative child, who will get more acceptance in local school ? I believe the quiet and well behave one would be more suitable.

For IS , I think in general , it is suitable for all kids. But particularly suitable for children with good communication skill and strong learning motives.