All About SAP Schools

[san76]

Picolo:

I have been picking up my kids for 4 years now (2 years in pre-schools, and 2 years in pri schools) and I always meet nice parents. I am beginning to think, for me, it is the value of good schools.

Yes, indeed you are very lucky. I hardly fetch my son from sch due to my work. When I am here, I will make an effort to fetch him.

The sch my son attending is one of the top 10 sch, isnt it good enough? But again, parents do help one another, but they will still end up gossipping. Too much trouble!!!! There are too many types of parents. I belongs to the type that you need help, can come to me and not participating in the gossip debate. Useless and waste of time.

Perhaps you are the type of people I wish to mix with but, sadly, I hardly go to sch and know people. When I walked to the sch, some of the parents will keep looking from head to toes, what is wrong with me? Cant talk it. All the gossip gossip and staring. How I wish I can mix with the right group and perhaps, I wont want to go there not b'cos of my baby. His friends will tell him your mommy very beautiful and tall, some will say, my mommy says your mommy not good b'cos she wears too nice. After work what can I do. I have full of passing remarks when I dont talk.
Kids I love them, bcos they are so sweet and naive. I wont blame kids, but the mother's or parents talked too much.

[phankao]

MMM:

So was wondering if the chinese focus activities they do in a SAP is different. So it is not just about learning higher chinese as a subject.

Every school is different. SAP schools should have a more Chinese focus. Eg in my girl's school, the announcements, the prayers, etc, etc, are all done in Chinese. Even their Bible lessons in primary school were in Chinese.

In our boys' school, it doesn't seem to be quite much that way. Although they still do sing their school song & say the pledge etc in chinese, and say the Lord's Prayer in Chinese - but I think they still can't remember it. Even in p6!!!!

[MMM]

That's interesting.


For us, school & other religious songs as well as religious lessons are also in mandarin. It drives my hubby \"nuts\" when the 3 of us sing the religious song together as it was something that I learnt in pri school but long forgotten. :stupid:

There is also a interesting observation. The principal addresses the parents in both languages and uses both languages freely. Probably to drive the importance of the 2 languages. I recalled during my era I always wondered if english teachers can speak mandarin as they are never observe to speak the language and vice versa.

[phankao]

MMM:

There is also a interesting observation. The principal addresses the parents in both languages and uses both languages freely. Probably to drive the importance of the 2 languages. I recalled during my era I always wondered if english teachers can speak mandarin as they are never observe to speak the language and vice versa.

Ah, yeah, in my girl's school, they still observe traditions like \"greeting\" in the morning. \"Xiao Zhang zao an, fu xiao zhang zo an, laoshi men zao an, aunty/uncle-men zao an, jie jie/mei mei - men zao an\".

And in the boys' school, I always hear them say goodbye:
Laoshi zai jian, tong xue men zao jian, tianzhu bao you (God bless).

They don't ever say this in english - unless maybe it's a non-Chinese teacher (malay, indian, eurasian).

And I see the Chinese teachers make special effort to speak to all the children in Chinese instead of English , altho' Chinese teachers these days are mostly bilingual.

[nmhmum]

I am still very puzzled about SAP schools. My understanding of SAP school is they are more chinese focus and offer higher chinese, but now there are alot of neighbourhood schools also offer higher chinese.So what is the difference? Also, why do majority of SAP schools can perform much better than those neighbourhood schools? Is it because SAP schools have the gifted program conducted in their schools?

[phankao]

nmhmum:

I am still very puzzled about SAP schools. My understanding of SAP school is they are more chinese focus and offer higher chinese, but now there are alot of neighbourhood schools also offer higher chinese.So what is the difference? Also, why do majority of SAP schools can perform much better than those neighbourhood schools? Is it because SAP schools have the gifted program conducted in their schools?

SAP schools being historically chinese schools - all students are required to take Higher Chinese from Pri 1, without discrimination. It only becomes an option at Pri 5 & Pri 6.

In non-sap schools, some may offer Higher chinese at lower primary, but only to whom they determine as high-performing students in that subject.

[nmhmum]

Hi Phankao,


Thanks for your view. But of what I know, some of the neighbourhood schools are having higher chinese from pri 1 too. They can only opt out to normal chinese when they are in Pri 4.

[phankao]

nmhmum:

Hi Phankao,


Thanks for your view. But of what I know, some of the neighbourhood schools are having higher chinese from pri 1 too. They can only opt out to normal chinese when they are in Pri 4.

Really? I've only heard of them doing chinese streaming in P1. Usually they stream into foundation level, average level, higher-ability level. Sorry, i don't know the actual \"names\" they give to those \"streams\". But this is what I've heard.

Why would they give the option in P4? Even in SAP schools, the option starts at P5.

[nmhmum]

Sorry, I can't remember is Pri 4 or 5, but I know that if your chinese are not good, the school will ask you to opt out and learn normal chinese instead. Thats why I am puzzle. If those neighbourhood schools are offering higher chinese like SAP schools, then what is their differences? :?

[phankao]

nmhmum:

Sorry, I can't remember is Pri 4 or 5, but I know that if your chinese are not good, the school will ask you to opt out and learn normal chinese instead. Thats why I am puzzle. If those neighbourhood schools are offering higher chinese like SAP schools, then what is their differences? :?

Anyway, what's the big deal. I don't select schools for my children just bc they are or are not SAP.

Our major criteria is still distance...and my dh's criteria was for \"mission school\". Both satisfied, we happy liao. The fact that they are SAP is just a coincidence.