[Ang Mo Kio/Bishan/Thomson/Toa Payoh] Preschools

[twotwobravo]

hi,


does anyone have experience with edufarm daily 2hrs playgroup (18mths - 3yrs old)? esp the one at blk 78 toa payoh central.

have interest to reg mine gal there.

thanks for sharing.

[cherrygal]

debpch:

:idea: recently, was reading some treads where parents were debating on whether to send kids for enrichment only (i.e. separate classes in eng, chinese etc etc) & skip preschool... AMK/Bishan/Yishun seems to have many enrichment centers but few preschools...

i am beginning to consider this option since finding a preschool in AMK (not child care kind) appears to be soooooo difficult. :stupid:

what do you think?

Just to share, I find even half a day at a CCC is better than 2-3 hours subject-oriented enrichment... It's more for the socialising than anything. If I compare my kid who goes to full time childcare to my fren's kid who only goes for 2-3 hrs type, my kid learns much more in terms of language skills and manners. Her kid still can't speak English properly as the grandparents don't speak English and just let the kid play and watch TV. 2-3hrs can't help much if the caregivers don't educate the kid the rest of the time. For SAHMs, it would be their job to educate kids after those 2 hours, and who here can say the \"curriculum\" they can provide at home is more all-encompassing than CCCs?

Even if I don't work, I would still send my kid to a childcare for at least half day or more as I am not a trained early childhood educator. It's hard work to be someone like Evelyn Tan who wants to home school her kids.

[debpch]

desertwind,

thanks for the recc.. but i m less interested in religious kindergartens... just a personal preference...

cherrygal,
i am somewhere in between... self-schooling is not for me cos i am a FTWM (& i dun have the experience or patience) but full-time CC sounds too much for my 2-year-old... that's why i am looking for kindergartens... but most good ones are religious (like what desertwind suggested), else they have super long waiting lists (prob need to queue before kid is born... in which case, i dun qualify liao)
half day cc is an option but like i say, good ones in AMK is so hard to find... :stupid:

[cherrygal]

debpch:

cherrygal,
i am somewhere in between... self-schooling is not for me cos i am a FTWM (& i dun have the experience or patience) but full-time CC sounds too much for my 2-year-old... that's why i am looking for kindergartens... but most good ones are religious (like what desertwind suggested), else they have super long waiting lists (prob need to queue before kid is born... in which case, i dun qualify liao)
half day cc is an option but like i say, good ones in AMK is so hard to find... :stupid:

For half day CC, there are a few along Upp Thomson (near Jalan Leban - Jln Gelenggang has a Cheriehearts). It's not that far from AMK esp if your workplace is on the way. I am also a FTWM and I put my ds in Full time CC since he was 18 mths old. He has adjusted well.

[DesertWind]

debpch:

desertwind,

thanks for the recc.. but i m less interested in religious kindergartens... just a personal preference...

Hi debpch,

Understand, how about Patschoolhouse at Whitley Road? Got to take school bus though...there are quite a number of independant kindies/CCC around AMK but after thinking through, I think I don't dare to put my kid at those independant ones. I would like to go for the more established ones. Security is my main concern with those independant ones. Montesorri centres are also out for me hence did not consider the many around Thomson/AMK. As for MMK, I am not from same religion but after a while just got to register here because like what you said, not much choice already leh!
:celebrate:

[smurf]

Hi Dersertwind,


just currious, why montessori centre is out for u leh? :?

[momof3b]

btw, there is one pre-school at Thomson Hills Drive - LiCdo Schoolhouse. not far from AMK.

- Their teachers seemed friendly
- teacher-child ratio quite low

anybody tried?

[DesertWind]

smurf:

Hi Dersertwind,


just currious, why montessori centre is out for u leh? :?

Hi Smurf,

After discussion with hubby and also some friends/colleagues, most seem to feel that the standards varies and typically, the principal/directer is usually very good and came up to set up the centres but the teachers actually teaching the kids may not be so good/well qualified.

Secondly, the \"philosophy\" of Montessori seems to be let the kids decide what they want to do. I am not sure I like this. [Sorry I actually do not know much about Montessori nor can I go into a debate about pros & cons of Montessori, suffice to say we decided to go the \"traditional\" kindergarten route].

One colleague with 3 kids of various ages adviced me. His first kid went to Montessori more than 10 years ago, turned out ok. His second kid went to PCF later went under gifted program. Third kid went to a church kindergarten and went to sap school. Which one does he think is the best pre-school? He adviced me to go to a church kindergarten - he is not a Christian by the way!

I decided to heed his advice and go for a church kindergarten - joke is although I am a Christian, initially I was not looking for a church kindergarten, preferring a non-religious one (so funny hor?).

How about you, what is your thinking?
:celebrate:

[littlehelper]

I agree with you that every montesorri school differs.

From teachers to the way they teach.
But this is not for montesorri schools only.Evey school differs.
Church kindergarten tends to be a nicer environment with caring teacher but may not have the best of education.
And you should not be choosing a preschool according to standards 10 years ago.
MANY things have changed since.
I think it would be best if you go down to the diff kindies and see which is your preferred and then get info from parents with kids there.

[smurf]

Thanks Desertwind for your feedback.:)


The one who went to PCF got into GEP right? Then it must be the best sch leh...no?

SAP school is only good in Chinese mah. Haha, and it's not difficult to go into SAP nowadays?