Hwa Chong Institution (High School)

[xxjustakidxx]

powershengyang:

Cheval:

Special congrats to my DS! It was not easy for him, at all. 2 years ago, he came back to Singapore from France after spending 2 years and half with me there. At the return, he had to fight on every front to catch up: English, Chinese, Science, and even Maths, his favorite subject. After an entrance test, he was \"thrown\" to the lowest class in his school. But he managed to climb to the best non-GEP class within 1 year and half. For all that, he has worked very hard (most of the time with his mother). I can also witness how heartbreaking it is to see a kid in big stress and even had hysteria for two times. Believe me. So in no way his success in HCI DSA is achieved by luck. Will cook more good food for him the coming weekend.


I know here is not an appropriate place to do so. You can blame me!

Sorry but how old is your son now? Cause we dont split classes according to grades now.

I have an extreme feeling you're from 4A1.

[verykiasu2010]

xxjustakidxx:

powershengyang:

[quote=\"Cheval\"]Special congrats to my DS! It was not easy for him, at all. 2 years ago, he came back to Singapore from France after spending 2 years and half with me there. At the return, he had to fight on every front to catch up: English, Chinese, Science, and even Maths, his favorite subject. After an entrance test, he was \"thrown\" to the lowest class in his school. But he managed to climb to the best non-GEP class within 1 year and half. For all that, he has worked very hard (most of the time with his mother). I can also witness how heartbreaking it is to see a kid in big stress and even had hysteria for two times. Believe me. So in no way his success in HCI DSA is achieved by luck. Will cook more good food for him the coming weekend.


I know here is not an appropriate place to do so. You can blame me!

Sorry but how old is your son now? Cause we dont split classes according to grades now.

I have an extreme feeling you're from 4A1.[/quote]Cheval is talking about P6 class

[DecJan]

ycpang:

I am another happy parent with DS in HCI sec1 this year. DS is given a lot of opportunities in school, and most importantly, the school culture suits him very well. So he is happy and I am happy! :lol:

I like the way HCI handles feedback from parents - they really listen and take your feedback seriously. You can email Dr Hon (principal) and he replies personally and speedily. For that I love the sch even more.

[ningy]

:celebrate: Congrats to Cheval, DS and family. It's great that ur DS who is so young to have the fighting spirit ! May be ur DD will be motivated by her bro now.

[Cheval]

Thanks to all for your congratulations and encouragement. I feel grateful to you.


Also wish good luck to your DDs and DSs. Thank you again.

ningy:

:celebrate: Congrats to Cheval, DS and family. It's great that ur DS who is so young to have the fighting spirit ! May be ur DD will be motivated by her bro now.

I also got to learn from him -- I am all the opposite of him :D. Yes his sister will follow her bro. But I do think my DS's 'fighting spirit' is not far from a dangerous level and I have to pay close attention to that.

[powershengyang]

So sorry, i thought you meant that your son was in HCI, didnt know you were talking about primary school

[xxjustakidxx]

verykiasu2010:

xxjustakidxx:

[quote=\"powershengyang\"]
Sorry but how old is your son now? Cause we dont split classes according to grades now.

I have an extreme feeling you're from 4A1.

me toking to powershengyang LOL

Cheval is talking about P6 class[/quote]

[tks]

octopusmum:

Hi

would like to know if HCI is still a very \"Chinese\" school. during my time, it was so but after so many years, i am not sure whether it is still like in the olden days....
tks

My son was from Tao Nan School, a \"chinese\" school. He did not intend to go HCI as he did not want \"history to repeat itself\". We did not even attend the open house but put in a DSA application on the last day as friends said HCI was very impressive. He was accepted by HCI, and we took it as a kiasu \"backup\" pending PSLE results. PSLE results were good... but he decided to stay!!! much to my dismay as an old RI boy.

2+ years now, I must say he is doing quite well. And it was not a mistake for him to stay.

For those who wonder if HCI is a \"chinese\" school. I assure you it is not. There are of course some students who are more \"chinese\" and speak chinese, but the majority that I come across speak English. My son (and his classmates) are hopeless in Chinese. The teachers speak English to us. The school conducts briefings to us in English, although there may also be a briefing in chinese. Fear not. But the school tries to inculate \"chinese\" valuse etc, which I think is good.

[d1s2]

tks:

octopusmum:

Hi

would like to know if HCI is still a very \"Chinese\" school. during my time, it was so but after so many years, i am not sure whether it is still like in the olden days....
tks

My son was from Tao Nan School, a \"chinese\" school. He did not intend to go HCI as he did not want \"history to repeat itself\". We did not even attend the open house but put in a DSA application on the last day as friends said HCI was very impressive. He was accepted by HCI, and we took it as a kiasu \"backup\" pending PSLE results. PSLE results were good... but he decided to stay!!! much to my dismay as an old RI boy.

2+ years now, I must say he is doing quite well. And it was not a mistake for him to stay.

For those who wonder if HCI is a \"chinese\" school. I assure you it is not. There are of course some students who are more \"chinese\" and speak chinese, but the majority that I come across speak English. My son (and his classmates) are hopeless in Chinese. The teachers speak English to us. The school conducts briefings to us in English, although there may also be a briefing in chinese. Fear not. But the school tries to inculate \"chinese\" valuse etc, which I think is good.

We are an English speaking family where my husband and I can only speak and read very basic Mandarin. The teachers speak to us in English, notices come in English and Chinese and talks/briefings are conducted in English and Chinese.

English and Chinese are both considered 1st languages in HCI. Most of the boys I come across converse in English. However, HCI provides more opportunities to learn and use Chinese. I am thrilled that they have 20 minutes of newspaper reading daily - 2 days of Straits Times, 2 days of Chinese newspaper and 1 day of newsweek. They also participate in both English and Chinese current affairs discussions (starting with Singapore local news this year and to progress to regional and world news over the next few years).

During orientation, my son would come home laughing that it was just \"noises\" and mumblings as they stumble through the sing song sessions (including School song) as many could not even read the characters. But with each exposure, their Chinese vocabulary grew. I am less worried about my son's Chinese now than when he was in Primary school because I believe that his Chinese would improve by leaps by the end of high school.

I agree with you that HCI tries to instill the boys with more \"chinese\" values though some could really be universal. My son talks about working as a team and helping each other to be better, to be humble, to remember their roots ...... yah, we think that is good too .

[Cheers_for_Kids]

My boy has received offers from both HCI and RI. I am leaving it to him to make a decision bcoz he is going to be the one studying. Personally, I kinda of like HCI a little better bcoz of all that I have heard from other parents - they are caring and have sincere teaching staff and take good care of the kids. So far, I have not heard anything about RI other than what we already know about them being one of the top schools. My son is not very good in Chinese and he is very stressed when it comes to Chinese. He tries hard but still find it difficult. OK, he is not really very bad, but he is just average. Everything that he says is direct translation from English to Chinese. He had his Chinese PSLE oral today and sounded depress as he feels he had not answered well. I had to console him and told him not to think about it anymore coz it is already over, but to work harder on his compo and the other Chinese paper. Guess, if he goes to HCI, he might be even more stressed out as HCI is more Chinese oriented (I duno, just my impression hearing so much). I think he will finally choose RI. I hope he will be happy whatever he chooses…it will be a good six years. BTW, is it true that the A level results of those taking IP are not as good as those who take O levels? If so, then why IP? After all, A level results will determine if they can get into the local uni here, right?