Can Enrichment Classes replace Kindergarten?

[tamarind]

Hi mum05,

My boy attended N2 and K1. Since he was often ill, I decided to keep him at home this year, so he is not attending K2.

I do not think that kindergarten is necessary. In fact, if parents are able to teach the kids at home, even enrichment classes are not necessary.

In fact, my son was not learning well in nursery/kindergarten. I teach him http://tamarindphonics.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-to-teach-phonics.html, Maths and Chinese at home and since the beginning of this year, he is already very well prepared for P1(he enters P1 next year).

What is most frustrating, besides getting sick once every month, is that my boy picked up some bad behaviour in kindergarten. For social interaction, I let him attend Berries enrichment class once a week, and Morris Allen once a week. I am happy that he is being taught by native speakers in both Chinese and English. Though his English is already very advanced, I want him to learn to speak perfect English by listening to a native speaker. This is much better than attending kindergarten 5 times a week, and listening to local teachers speak bad English

I often ask my boy whether whether he wants to go to \"everyday school\", that is, attend kindergarten daily. His answer is always NO. In fact, when he was in kindergarten, I knew that he felt very bored because the books are really too simple for him, and as for playing, his toys at home are so much more interesting

[KSP]

Enrichment classes can replace kindergarten on the academic portion but not socialise part. In kindergarten the children spent longer hours together not only for studying but do things together like play, sing along and socialise. I feel this is important as this will prepare them for longer hours and social skills when come to pri sch.

[tamarind]

I do not think that it is necessary to have social interaction everyday since 4 or 5 years old. 7 years old is definitely not too late to start. In fact, when I was in P1, half the class never attended kindergarten. All the kids were able to interact with no problems.


Also, note that there are often kids who behave badly in class. It is not true that kids can always learn good social skills in kindergarten, sometimes kids may behave even worst due to bad influence. The worst part is when there are insensitive teachers, note that it is difficult to find really good teachers.

As for training the child to sit in class for a few hours, or do worksheets for a few hours before P1, I think this may cause kids to burn out before they even start P1 :roll:

[tweety17]

agree with tamarind. My initial worry was social skills too, hence, I sent to enrichment classes. I do not think there will be a culture shock as long as the parent prep talk to the child about what to expect in Pri 1. My worries about social skill and culture shock were unfounded when my child entered Pri 1 this year. I think the most important thing is to manage his or her expectation and tell them the truth about what are the good and bad things to expect. As long as they know what is going to happen and with a positive attitude, i guess they will be able to blend in to the system happily.

[MMM]

Just curious. Have you seen a P1 crying on 1st few days of school? :?


In my impression, this must be a rare sight since kids are exposed to school nowadays prior to P1.

But I did see a couple of them while helping out as a PV during 1st few days of P1.

I am not saying that kids who don't go to daily kindy will find difficulty adapting. Frankly i am just puzzled on why some kids still cry on 1st few days of P1. My point is that things like that still happen.

[tamarind]

Even though my nephew had attended 2 years of kindergarten before, he still cried very hard on his first day of P1. He told his parents that he was the only child who cried


I have another niece who did not attend kindergarten, she had no problem in primary school.

It all depends on the personality of the child.

Personally I think that for kids like my boy, who gets sick easily, then there is no point sending him to kindergarten just for social interaction. In fact, I find that my boy behaves better now when he does not attend kindergarten, and I am so happy that he is no longer skinny like before due to illness. On hindsight, I really should have kept him at home all the time. When he was in N2 and K1, I must have spent thousands of dollars on his medical bills, what's worst is that at 5 years old, he was still wearing 3 year old clothes

[tamarind]

tweety17:

agree with tamarind. My initial worry was social skills too, hence, I sent to enrichment classes. I do not think there will be a culture shock as long as the parent prep talk to the child about what to expect in Pri 1. My worries about social skill and culture shock were unfounded when my child entered Pri 1 this year. I think the most important thing is to manage his or her expectation and tell them the truth about what are the good and bad things to expect. As long as they know what is going to happen and with a positive attitude, i guess they will be able to blend in to the system happily.

I agree

Actually my boy's Berries class has about 12 kids, the teacher is very fierce and strict, so my boy definitely knows how to behave when in class. In the Morris Allen class, the teacher talks for 2 hours, and the kids have to remain in their seats to do their work, no fun and games, so this is also good training.

[tamarind]

mum05:

As for homework, I don't think there's a need. In fact, from what I know, the enrichment schools actually give more homework than the kindy.

However, to have homework or not, personally, what's more important is that the kid has quality teachings. Plus, we could always buy extra workbooks for the kid to work on if we/kid wish to.

I always find it ridiculous to do homework even after attending 4 hours of kindergarten everyday. It is not necessary for a child under 6 years old to study so much. In fact, I threw away the homework when I thought it was unnecessary.

I have more interesting things for my kids to do at home, they learn so much more reading the wonderful children's classics.

In fact, now in P1, my girl almost never have homework. Her school principal said that kids should read more books and do less homework

[mum05]

Oh tamarind, I've read abt yr 'teachings', u're good and I doubt I'd be able to do what you did/are doing. I just bought some workbooks and yet, I was lazy(esp. when the kid felt tired after musical instrument practice), thus the idea of enrichment schools.


Ya, I also totally agree that it's not just in a kindy tt a child can pick up social skills. In fact, our kid has been attending GUG tot group and then Kinderland Pre-N(3 hrs), Nursery(3 hrs) and now K1(also 3hrs-???). Although our kid was alittle afraid of being left alone for a longer period during GUG tot group time, but didn't cry at all on the very 1st day with Kinderland Pre-N - I didn't even see the need to stay back, just in case, I just went straight home. Our kid socialises very well as what we can see, plus there're still friends in the enrichment schools to socialise with. Play? no problem, daddy, mommy, ex-school friends, cousins can do the extra job.

There was a short period of time earlier when we had to place our kid to a childcare centre(also Kinderland's), we pulled our kid out right after acouple of mths there cos of bad behaviour/speeches being picked up.

I/we don't expect much from the school academically for the Pre-N and Nursery level so we closed an eye and just let our kid go there to 'play' but come K1, I was expecting a little more, not that much of cos, 'cos I don't believe in being too grilling academically but errm, at tis time of K1, still counting up 10-20? Oh man, our kid's already counting up hundreds and can even recognise that 1,000,000 as a million. In fact, our kid self-taught on the ABCs during Pre-N time too(when the school hasn't even started any). I really don't see much of what the school/teachers had taught our kid, (my hubby always seemed amazed how our kid is learning things and they're not taught by the school). They don't even know how to blend words now! and if it's not because of our kid's constant request to learn how to read, I wouldn't have known and I have to start teaching myself as much as I can.

What bugged us most is that I/We hate to see is the tired look our kid has when it's time to go for enrichment classes but as it's the kid's request to go for these classes and enjoyed very much, so we can't stop. Moreover, like what you've mentioned, these courses, same sujects as what're taught in the Kindy, are being taught by native speakers who specialised in each area, so they're more concentrated and usually, they're conducted in a more 'fun' and creative way, so the kid learn more and achieved more - and they're happier.

I'm so glad to hear that your kid is also not attending K2 and that put me at ease with this choice 'cos this route seemed to be able to give our kid alittle more 'breathing' time. Could you pm me your email so I can learn more from you? Thanks.

Thanks anyway, to all whom have contributed as well.

[kiasu_pig]

mum05:

...

Oh man, our kid's already counting up hundreds and can even recognise that 1,000,000 as a million. In fact, our kid self-taught on the ABCs during Pre-N time too (when the school hasn't even started any). I really don't see much of what the school/teachers had taught our kid, (my hubby always seemed amazed how our kid is learning things and they're not taught by the school). They don't even know how to blend words now! and if it's not because of our kid's constant request to learn how to read, I wouldn't have known and I have to start teaching myself as much as I can.

....

i enrol my elder boy in full-day pre-school since he was 20 months old (now he's 40 months old) because both of us are holding full-time job. To maximise his time in pre-school, we enrol the boy with enrichment classes in the afternoons. My boy is also taking musical lessons on weekends. Pre-school is so far so good as we felt that the teachers are responsible enough not to let the toddlers and kids pick up undesireable habits and train to have good manners. The concerns here however is, my boy although is 40 months old (in N1), but still can't recite the ABC to Z, and can't count hardly to 10's. It's worrying at times...