All About Preparing For Primary One

[hquek]

Kissgurami:

Been reading various threads and wanted to seek our parents who have enrolled their darlings for English, I have been teaching them on my own but thought it would be good exposure to be in a class


kind of gathered these but would love to hear from the parents on the classes
- Lorna Whiston
- Morris Allen
- The Alternative Story

My kid is in P1 this year, I've placed him in TAS (no clue on the other 2). Without repeating, you can find info about what's going on here. http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?p=391866#391866

[Kissgurami]

Hi hquek, that is such an interesting topic , went to the link wich you gave me


Emailed TAS if they have sessions for K1 and K2 though their website has nothing on it ,

my DD1 doesn't quite like private sessions hence she is asking for group classes so giving private sessions a miss

[kaushal26]

greenbean2011:

hello kaushal26,


I not familiar with East Spring, nor Chong Zheng primary.

perhaps what you can do is - attend year end parents orientation day (POD), at both primary schools.

closer the time towards Term 4 - before the LAST day of Term 4 on 18 Nov 2011, call up both schools, find out when exactly is parents orientation day.

note - once yr end school vacation starts after 18 Nov 2011, P + teaching / admin staff go on holiday, no one will pick up yr phone call, no matter how long you ring.

from asking Principal, teachers, parents there qns on POD – once you clarify your doubts, then you in better position to know which school (ES or CZ) curriculum is higher standard, which CCAs you prefer, normally which Secondary schools do kids end up in from past statistics, etc.

note:
there are 2 types of parents’ talk / briefing.

a)\tthe one conducted around year end Nov / Dec period is POD - for kids entering Primary 1.

b)\tthe other type conducted around beginning each year January is for detailed curriculum briefing for parents - for all levels from Pri 1 to Pri 6.

this is conducted only once a year, beginning January each year. The next time they repeat – will be January, the following year.
go school website, check up online calendar when they conduct.

it is good to attend both types of parents’ briefing.
why ? there is always Q&A at end of session.

from other parents’ concerned queries during Q&A, you can pick up a LOT, 阿great deal of info - about the school you intend to send yr child to.

then as you mingle around with P, teaching staff, plus other parents at higher level than yr kid, you get 1st hand insider news about the school, at yr finger tips.

Thanks greenbean2011 for your helpful information to attend the the parent's briefing. I have tried to go to the schools and try to meet the teachers there through other parents whose children are studying in the schools. I will also try to attend the breifing so I can know more about the school.

For P1 what sought of preparations are done, any special assessment books or reading to enforce. I have been reading with my son everyday and he is picking put new words. But should I be teaching grammar now like Noun, pronoun adjectives. Any parents whose children are going to P1 next year please share what you are doing. Thanks.

[smurf]

What is the point of giving gadgets when u think it’s not good??

[greenbean2011]

hi,


here is sharing of my friend's son in GEP class in Henry Park primary, trained from young kindergarten days:-

http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12778&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=170

[Kissgurami]

kaushal26:

For P1 what sought of preparations are done, any special assessment books or reading to enforce. I have been reading with my son everyday and he is picking put new words. But should I be teaching grammar now like Noun, pronoun adjectives. Any parents whose children are going to P1 next year please share what you are doing. Thanks.

I would be signing my girl up for June P1 Prep English Classes as I have yet to decide on the enrichment center. Currently, going through the K2 English assessment books purchased from Popular and Borders. She is in a Childcare so she has a weekly spelling and reading. At home, we get her to read out to us and guide her if she doesn't know the words.

yet to touch on grammar etc

[janet88]

My daughter is in P1 this year. She still has problems adjusting.

Having remedial after school for Chinese, as her hanyu pinyin is weak.
My advice to parents who have kids going to P1 is to prepare the children for hanyu pinyin towards Term 3…however, do make sure they do not confuse with phonics. The other thing is to let them read books of their level.

[Pen88n]

My gal is in P1 this year too and she really enjoys school. Her daily goal is to collect coupons for good behaviour and performance to exchange for gifts. So far, she has only attended abacus lesson and that is like brain training for her. No other preparation for P1 at all.


I am of the opinion that we should let the kid learn to cope with lots of encouragement and some coaching if needed, as P1 is still very basic foundation. If we rushed in too early to prepare them all the time, they will become more "spoon-fed". If they have learnt all their hanyu pinyin, tenses etc. before P1, what are they going to learn in class? They will get bored and no interest in learning, seek attention in other forms, etc.

I am not saying we should not coach if the kid needs that, but rather to cultivate an interest in learning widely. Instead of preparng kid for the lesson in advance, we should use the time to do something that the school will not cover - I encourage reading. Preparing and teaching in advance will only end up with endless catching up of lessons in years to come. Building a foundation for learning wil enable the future learning.

Just my humble opinion.

[Kissgurami]

janet_lee88:

My daughter is in P1 this year. She still has problems adjusting.

Having remedial after school for Chinese, as her hanyu pinyin is weak.
My advice to parents who have kids going to P1 is to prepare the children for hanyu pinyin towards Term 3...however, do make sure they do not confuse with phonics. The other thing is to let them read books of their level.

They have remedial at P1..? The school told me about remedial but I thought it was for upper pri...

Yup, hanyu pinyin is kind of the focus for K2 classes in the childcare. so kind of enhancing it with enrichment.

[kohbee2.06303gmail.06303com]

I am of the opinion that we should let the kid learn to cope with lots of encouragement and some coaching if needed, as P1 is still very basic foundation. If we rushed in too early to prepare them all the time, they will become more "spoon-fed". If they have learnt all their hanyu pinyin, tenses etc. before P1, what are they going to learn in class? They will get bored and no interest in learning, seek attention in other forms, etc.


/quote]

Totally agree with you. My son attended Han Yu Pin Yin class that was conducted by the kindergarten chinese teacher as my husband and I does not speak much Mandarin at home. Other then this we did not sign him up for other classes. We just do lots of reading on different topics and activities that are of interest to him. Our preparation is more on teaching him to be more independent and what to expect in Primary School. It is better to cultivate a learning culture rather than hot housing the kid with too many enrichment class.