Newton Kindergarten

[greenbean2011]

hello Mimama,


Yes! Newton history dated back long time ago, to 1956. Winding clock backwards, looking into the hour glass events… you’ll understand why.

back in 1956, Newton started off as a pure 100% Chinese kindergarten.

however from 1960s, due to modernization and to ignite / spark off our SG economic financial growth turbine engine, a huge amount of budget was set aside for Education use – to fund the building of schools. A lot of $ was pumped in ! Under the directions of the first Education minister, primary schools sprout up fast, blooming up like mushroom one by one rapidly! MOE built a lot of schools quickly - from mid 1960s /1970s onwards.

Back then, many fellow Singaporeans were Chinese ed.
Only speak chinese. Don’t know english - can’t utter a word of simple english ! Many fellow Malaysian Chinese flocked to Singapore, seeking refuge! Many fellow Singaporeans become our parents today.
Our parents’ generation broke off from our neighbour, Malaysia. We fought so hard, struggled to become independent nation. We fought to stand on our own feet, fought to survive! We had no natural resources. Education was our source of hope !

Back then, SM Lee kept on emphasising over the old fashion type “black and white” TV daily - the significance / importance of using English - for transactions in trade, for business and for tourism promotion!
He kept stressing – to advance / progress forward, SG can’t help, but to embrace English! Slowly, for the very first time in history, English trickles down into foundation kindergarten, into PAPs (now called PCF), into primary schools. Newton kindergarten was one of them. She began to revise her Chinese curriculum, to include English content.

Back then in 1960s/70s, little children go to school.
They grew up happily, got married, formed families.
They sent their children to kindergarten to study. Newton was one of them.

Now, their children big big! Grown up – got married, also got kids.
Now it’s their grandchildren - who in turn attend Newton kindergarten.

I happen to bump into one such grandparent … when I brought my girl for enrichment class one day. While waiting for my girl, I chit chat to an elderly lady, sitting quietly at the round tables’ waiting area. She also waiting for her kid to finish class.

she told me she stays in Bishan.
I was surprised!
curious, I asked – Bishan got so many good pre-schools to choose from, why come all the way to Newton ?

she replied - because she and her son are comfortable with the school. Because it’s been proven, over so many years.

then she shared with me her story …
she was a retired primary school teacher.
her two children grew up in Newton kindergarten.
then her daughter went St Nick, while her son went Catholic High primary (CHS).

she said both her children now grown up, both doing well in their career. Her son married, she has a grandson. Her son wants his son to follow his footsteps - go back to his familiar alma mater kindergarten, then enter CHS, with strong traditional roots and culture, steeped in chinese. One generation after another passed down …

since she is a retired school teacher - curious, I asked her what subject she teaches ? she replied – teach Chinese !

then she encouraged me to speak more Chinese to my child everyday … because I also open up, shared with her I speak english mainly.

she commented … no good, I must try to change.
she said - it is not fair to your child … if you don’t help her to create a conducive Mandarin speaking environment at home, and yet you expect her to perform a miracle do well in Chinese, it is not fair to the poor child !

Then she added …. at home, she speaks mandarin to her grandson. Her son follow her same style. Then she taught her grandson how to recite simple chinese poetry, example like “zu dou ran dou qi … explain to him what is meant by showing brotherhood love & kindness, before Cao Cao want to kill his brother”.

she said it’s important that … before a child learns to recognise chinese vocab, the child must listen, hear first ! Hearing and listening … comes before reading and writing. It is her daughter in law who speaks english to grandson. She said each parent specialize in a language, and stick to it consistently.

she said she had taught many years in primary school chinese, in a non SAP school. Then she laughed!
she said it’s a trend.
Kids who entered her primary school at Pri 1 - normally beginning of Term 1 - you can still hear many kids chit chatting away happily in mandarin, in the school.

but come Term 2, the amount of mandarin spoken … starts to drop, getting less and less!
come Term 3, even lesser.
by end of Term 4, chinese heard in school is almost negligible. I asked why ?

she replied – because out of 3 subjects in non SAP schools, kids only tend to open their mouth in mandarin, during chinese lessons. Then come Pri 3 - Science another new subject, but again taught in english. So she asked – if you don’t even speak chinese to yr child at home, how else can child ever get a chance to practise speak mandarin, and yet expect her to do well ?

btw, not just parents.
teaching staff at Newton also sent their kid here!
my daughter’s current form teacher’s child also studied in Newton > 20 yrs ago. Today, her son big big, grown up! He’s in university.

Newton is established !

last year when Shichida kindy closed down suddenly, many parents went scrambling high & low last minute, looking for a good kindergarten replacement. Some came over to register their kids with us.

at parents’ orientation day in Nov 2010 - when form teacher want to get to know more about their child, some parents commented – they enrol their child here, because Shichida kindy closed down !

[greenbean2011]

dear parents from Newton kindy,


if you are looking for some excellent Phonics readers for yr child to read, you may refer my recommendation in another thread:-

http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=117&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=660

[smurf]

Hi Greenbean,


Have PM you!

[greenbean2011]

hello verykiasu2010, DesertWind, durianbei, yamdrink, jazz, smurf,


Thank you very much for all your nice, lovely compliments!


erm, no lah …. I not wise … in my past, made many mistakes leh! Now old already, realise how important is proper guidance.

just that i am kaypoh.
last time went internet, couldn’t find much info about this kindy. Since now my child here - if got useful info for kids, just share with other parents lor !

[greenbean2011]

hi smurf,


just replied you

[greenbean2011]

hello verykiasu2010,


you got 2 sons - is it ?
elder son Sec 1 this yr, younger son Pri 6 this yr ?

if u dont mind me asking, yr elder son in which Sec school now ?

[greenbean2011]

hello Bigdevil,


want to share with us yr comments about Newton, since it’s yr alma mater ? curious … any reason why you didn’t send yr child back here to study ?

[corneyAmber]

greenbean2011:

hello verykiasu2010,


you got 2 sons - is it ?
elder son Sec 1 this yr, younger son Pri 6 this yr ?

if u dont mind me asking, yr elder son in which Sec school now ?

greenbean2011, please do not OT again.

[verykiasu2010]

greenbean2011:

hello verykiasu2010,


you got 2 sons - is it ?
elder son Sec 1 this yr, younger son Pri 6 this yr ?

if u dont mind me asking, yr elder son in which Sec school now ?

my son graduated from newton kindy some years ago

now in a neighbourhood sec school

(see, not OT)

[greenbean2011]

hello verykiasu2010,


your elder son Sec 1 this yr … so means he was born in 1998, entered Newton kindy for three years from 2002 to 2004 for Nursery, K1, K2, and then entered Nanyang primary 1 in 2005 ?

since you stay in Bukit Timah near Nanyang pri, so i presume the definition of your neighbouring Secondary school must be … HCI (Hwa Chong Institution) !

since your son graduated from Newton kindy in 2004 almost one decade, generation before all our small little toddler kids here. means your son is our ELDER, (zhang bei) in Newton !

kekekekekekekekekeke !


with your extensive wealth of experience behind in bringing up 2 sons, and with wisdom on hindsight now - is there any words of precious, valuable advice that you wish to give to :-

- Newton parents here (both existing plus future potential ones), and

- also to those who intend to send their child into Nanyang primary school, since your son had spent 6 enriching, wholesome years there ?

i am sure many parents here would love to hear from you!
we respect you as our ELDER !