[Hougang/Punggol/Sengkang] Preschools

[gancheongmum]

any reviews on acekidz creative educare in hougang? looking for a ccc for my 18mths girl.

[xtinalee]

any review on little world child care at rivervale blk 113??

[hapydino]

hi fellow parents


am having difficulty finding a kindy for my daughter (born 2007) for next year.. so far am on 3 waiting lists namely YCK Chapel, Kinderland and Sunflower..

there is a PCF near my place (Fernvale) and was told they only offer Tamil as 2nd language?!?!

no wonder past yr been seeing this grandpa bringing 2 toddlers take bus to nearby Serangoon North for kindy..

hopefully can find a kindy soon else have to opt for half day CC to get the 3 hours nursery 2 which is going to be expensive factoring in nanny, half day CC and school bus..

[tamannamum]

i just move in to a flat near rivervale mall.

happen to pass by cambridge childcare there.
has anyone put their child there???
see quite alot of childcare along that route too.
any recommendations?

[blur1]

:? Hi, am searching around for childcare around punggol. Would appreciate if someone could give me some comments on the mentioned childcare? thanks[/b]

[Advocator]

insider:

Having an edge over other kids in pr school during their honeymoon years in terms of academic...maybe...coz of their super drilling approach. Understand the amount of Chinese writing they got their K1 to write was many and many many. Where they got so much time for writing and writing? Well, understand kids got minimal outdoor time and minimum play time and so the 'trade-off' was there.

But speech of kids during childcare time was generally quite bad (in terms of articulation)... can faint when hearing most of the kids speak (think due to their teachers having poor articulation themselves).

Checked and confirmed Cedan Sengkang changed to Cambridge in Feb this year and most old super academic-driven teachers had gone too...

I beg to differ. I personally is a firm believer of building strong learning and development foundation when the kids are young. My kids were in Cedan previously and they had not only benefitted from the lesson plans but also excelled through the years of learning in the centre.

The teaching of chinese writing is an 'art' and foster the development of the child's brain and motor skills in writing the characters. A comparison between my sister's kid (2 years older) and my child showed a disparity in terms of writing abilities and that she can also write chinese words when asked by my sister's kid. We were very surprised by her performance too.

In terms of outdoor time, again I beg to differ. They are in fact given outdoor time and activities, usually at the end of the day when classes are completed. They would also have playtime but in the form of art classes and making handicraft work. All my children have enjoyed the art lessons.

To say that the speech of kids was bad is not a fair statement as generally, how fluent and eloquent a child can speaks depend greatly not just through interactions in the centre but also the environment that he/ she is being brought up. Compare one that speaks little at home vs that of a child who has many interactions with the elders and other children at home. Let alone the parents. The result will be different but again this may vary in some cases. So I am only generalizing here... but I could be wrong.

Sharing our own experience here pls.

Cheers

[Advocator]

Hi insider,


I will not dispute on your philosophy, i.e. play-based against academic-based approach to child learning. I think both systems have its own strengths and values.

Personally (this is our most preferred comfort level as parents), I want my kids to have a head start in life. Agree on the point that most kids will eventually 'average' out those who already had a head-start in their younger years. But for me, I want my children to have the best even in their prime years (to achieve as much as I think they can). I believe this is really parents' own personal choice, considering we may be one of the 'KIASU' ones and clearly, why I am in this forum. Of course, when we decide to go with an academic-based approach with our kids, we do it with motivation and encouragement to ensure there is long term sustainance of our kids in learning.

Whether my kids (being ex-cedans) know how to play or not, I let them go explore on their own. This is my philosophy for them that they will need to do their own self-exploration. No need to have a methodical 'A-Z' way to playing.

Incidentally and interestingly, you seem to know cedan system very well. Sounds like you are an 'inside' observer or are you an ex-parent too. :scratchhead:

[keenDaddy]

I also think that play-based approach for pre-schoolers is better. It promotes learning at current stage and teaches the child to develop the skills to "learn" better at later stage. Hence coupled with the right teaching mix, it is part of foundation building in their early years so that they can easily transit to a more academic system in primary schools. Did we not wonder why the govt is scrapping the P1 exams? Unfortunately, many parents are still evaluating the pre-schools based on the homework and worksheets which they bring home and complains when they are insufficient.

[Mari]

Hi I’m interested to put my child in a childcare as I have just shifted into Punggol. I am looking a several childcare centres in Sengkang so that my MIL can send her to school. Anyone has any good reviews of childcare near Rivervale Mall? Want to know more about Young Elite, Cambridge, Sheffield. Please advise if you have any idea if they still have a place for my child. K1. thanksjavascript:emoticon(‘:?:’)

Help!

[Advocator]

Hi insider,


This will also be my last post to your reply. Perhaps I must indicate my position all these while is not to be bias against any of the systems here, let alone to compare them. I say again... I am only indicating my personal preference of academic-based learning here as a PARENT having seen my children being through it. I am also not saying that my children only focus academically at all times as all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. A statement all of us is very familiar with.

To say that being academic at young age stifles the development of the brain and limits its optimum potential growth is indeed puzzling. Through literature, it has been published that our human minds are very complex in its functioning and how it transfers the information throughout. A person can never say he has fully and completely use his brain. The brain can take in and process limitless information. The difficulty is only recalling it when you need to. However, being constantly exposing oneself especially at young age (best is abt 3 yrs old) to similar information/ learning would probably result in better retention, easy recalling and memory gain for the brain. I stop here before this becomes too scientific.

Setting objectives during play is a good thing, I must admit. However, one can also never limit the objectives... otherwise, the child becomes too rigid and only plays the games in the same objectives that have been internalized in him. There is no flexibility in this regard. I also agree that learning can sometimes take the form of playing to better understand and see things in different perspectives.

I cite another example using my sister's kids. Both of them have been through play-based learning and when they reached primary school, my sister admitted that it was challenging for them to adapt to the school curriculum and had to spend the next one year trying to bring both kids' competencies on par with the 'norm' at school. This is sad but a true fact.

There is really no right or wrong in whichever system we choose for our children. It is a MATTER OF PREFERENCE of the parents for our kids and our OWN INTERNAL BELIEFS to which system works best for them. No one knows our children better except us, as parents.