Comments on KBCK!

Sandrine

chuchuma,

1.  The no. is 2336-6213.  Yes it was the mid term break last week.  Perhaps that's why no one answered.
2.  You can send in the application anytime, the earlier the better.
3.  First you call the school for an application form.  After you return the completed form, the school will send you an acknowledgement of receipt.  Probably they will contact you again in Feb next year.  For 2005, the interviews were conducted in Feb & May.  You child needs to be able to communicate in English.

Sandrine

Hi salami,

Don't think my daughter enjoyed the waiting time at all, not because of the waiting but because everybody was crowded in the small room.

However, she likes to talk about school.  After she brought home the class photo, she made me say the name of her classmates again and again and now I know all their names too.  

Some weeks ago, she chanted and acted "Walking thru the jungle" which was really cute.  Last night, she sang some other songs but she missed some of the words.  It's still a good sign though.

Yes the crafts are really wonderful.  They're simple yet customized to the individual child.

chuchuma

Sandrine,

Thanks for the info.  I called the school today and they asked me to send them the self-addressed envelope for the application form.

I also checked through their website, they do not have the schedule for submitting the application.  They even mentioned that we can send the application as early as when BB born.

So I just wonder whether they will give priority to those submitting the application earlier ?

As regards my son's english communication, I have confident that he can handle as we communicate in English at home and he is now studying nursery class in an international kindergarten.  The class teacher's comments towards my son was that he understood and knew a lot of vocabulary (english) except he not yet communicate in a complete sentence.

salami

Thanks for your sharing, Sandrine.  Agree, that room is a bit smaller.  Does your girl in CPM?

chuchuma,
I guess the requirement of KBCK will be tougher and tougher since more applications (local chinese) these days. Hence this is not as commercial as other int'l kindies, it would still stick to limited seats in both am and pm sections.  The earliest your application might help an AM admission if your child is admitted.

Frankly saying, most local chinese eng standard is unexpectedly low though they are studying in int'l kindies.  Their language ability mainly lies on daily family communications in such early stage.  It's better to communicate with your child in sentence at all time rather than single word, phases or vocabs what might stand out his ability amongst others.  The interviewer prefers kids learning naturally instead of academically, a stress of vocabs building may not help sometimes.  Interview usually takes place when applicant is around 2.5 yrs old.

Good luck.

Sandrine

salami,
No she's not.  Is your son in CPM?

chuchuma,
You can send in the application anytime.  There's only one K1 in the morning & two in the afternoon.  
Parents have to apply very early to get a place in the morning session.  Priority is given to English-speaking and non-Chinese speaking children but I think application date matters too.  Not sure how they weigh the factors in deciding priority.  Like salami said, there're more local children now. In my daugher's class, only one-third is non-Chinese.  Good luck.

minggrace

Hi,

For my son's class (WPM), less than one third of kids are non-Chinese. But they all communicate well and naturally in English in the school campus and even outside the school.
And the headteacher really emphasizes a lot of "COMPLETE sentences rather than vocabulary". Personally, I think vocabulary is very important, so I teach my son a lot of vocabulary with suitable contexts and timing in his daily life.
Honestly, my son has improved a lot in spoken English, regarding his spontaneous responses and making COMPLETE sentences. And he likes and is able to create something (sensible words) of his own in right contexts. He's been improving! KCBK helps a lot!

Minggrace

fannychoi

Hi all, will anyone be the helpers in the school?

Sandrine

I'd love to but can't take leave.  My daughter told me that her classmates' mom came to help yesterday and today.  She said, "You should come too."

happybb3

Dear all KBCK mom
I have two children in WPM and CPM class, they love this school, and like to sing song (London Bridge, The wheels on the bus...). Today they brought the craft about yellow colour and blue colour, its very very beautiful. My daughters can speak eng, but now they have been improving, so I love this school too. They go to school by school bus, so I don't know what is the waiting room. I will be the helper in the school on 1/11, is any mom will go there on that day.
Thanks for your sharing

Barbie2005

Hi all,

What you mean by KBCK?

Barbie

Sandrine

minggrace,

One-third (i.e. 9/27) of the children in WPM have non-Chinese last names.

Sandrine

Hi happybb3

I think we met and chatted at the Kindergarten Sunday - get acquainted followed by the service at KIBC last month. Please check PM.

The crafts are wonderful, aren't they?  So in CPM, they did yellow?

happybb3

Hi Sandrine
Thank you for your reply. Nice to meet you here. Yes in CPM they did yellow,
They talked about whoes teacher leave, they can go to pee by themselves, wash hands, always pretend their teachers, and whoes tell them the story, etc.   
Would you mind ask you more questions, which primary school you want to apply? This kinder only have k1 and k2, you want to apply another kinder for k3, and your daughter have learn chinese. Sorry, a lot of questions.  Thank you  

salami

Hello Sandrine,
Yes, my son is in CPM.
I've missed the kindergarten service last month.  Any idea when will be the next one?

Hi happybb3,
have you started teaching chinese to your kids?  joining class or private teacher? any recommendation?

Sandrine

happybb3,

For primary school, we're thinking perhaps ICS.  I met a mom in the morning session who said she would put her son back to local K3, like she did with her elder son. We haven't taught our daughter Chinese but recently, my husband started speaking Chinese to her at home and she's picking up quite well.  We haven't arranged any after-school activities for her, not to say Chinese lesson.

Please share with us about what you do on Wed.

salami,

I'm not sure if there'll be another Kindergarten Sunday.  Last time I only met happybb3 (because of typhoon signal no.3).  But it was great because I visited my child's classroom and saw all the handprints, footprints, colouring, painting and crafts hanging from the ceiling which finally became the fabulous "All about Me" and my child showed me her basket and talked about her classmates and what she did in class.  She was excited telling me all that.

happybb3

salami,

I start speaking chinese to them, my elder daughter say, I don't like to speak chinese, I like to speak english, she asked me why her music teacher haven't speak english, you want me to speak chinese. I don't know how to explain for her. How about you, can you share for me pls.

sandrine,

Can you tell me the ICS full name, any other choice.
Have you try other traditional school, DGS, Maryknoll  ect. Would you mind to share for me pls.

salami

happybb3,
We've started cantonese communication since summer holidays.  He is OK right now, sometimes mixed with english vocab what he doesn't know.  I usually correct him right away the exact expression.  I wonder whether I should start teaching 認字 or leave it after 4 years old.

Check pm please.

tyli,
Have you talked to the headteacher yet?  How is it?
PM me if you have time.

Sandrine

happybb3,

KBCK doesn't prepare its children for mainstream schools and so if you'd like to pursue local schools, you'd need to put them in a kindie that teaches Chinese as well.  There will be a lot of adjustments such as homework, writing, spelling and memorizing. Please check PM.

About encouraging your kids to speak Chinese, is there anyone in your family who doesn't speak English at all? In my case, my mom and mom-in-law don't speak English and so, my daughter has to speak Cantonese to them.  It comes quite naturally and she doesn't resist it.  

fannychoi

hihi,
-原來都有人的想法好似我一樣, 會考慮轉返出local school 讀, 始終都係要識中文.
-如果咁早就入國際學校讀, 我驚個仔連中文都唔識睇.
-我都開始跟我的小孩講廣東話, 雖然佢都係鐘意講英文, 十分擴拒中文

happybb3

salami,
Can you mention 認字.

Sandrine,
I haven't received your PM, can you send again. Your child is live with them, so she can speack cantonese.
Now my children can listen a bit cantonese, but they had ask me then they will transilt to english.