All About SAP Schools

[ChiefKiasu]

Fettuccine:

... One example of his recent spelling test:

1) Communication
2) letters
3) postman
4) e-mail
5) snail mail
6) delivery
7) television
telephone
9) radio
10) stamps

One of his recent math questions/homework example:
Cheryl baked 9 muffins. Kalen baked 3 more muffins than her. How many muffins did Kalen bake?...

Goodness :shock: ... I think your kid's kindy is yet another siao kindy :). These are definitely NOT your usual K2 English and Math sums! If your kid can do them, then he is definitely MORE than ready for P1. Probably can start P2 when he is in P1 :shock: .

[MMM]

For me, my kids are not "grill" on multiplication yet including my P1 girl. For me, I think it’s better to understand the rationale of multiplication rather than some rote learning. I think they would understand better that way. I also don’t like them to over learn as it kills the interest of learning.


Though I think I am kiasu to some extent but I am definitely not those who rush out to buy past year papers to let the kids practise and practise. I bought once but more to know what is P1 std and if my kid is way off. But she never really practise on it. Also I realised diff school has diff focus in their exams.

I think it voice down to individual, I seek more of her ability to cope well, she need not be the best but she must be competent and most importantly, she must enjoy learning and school and they must be self-motivated.

I don’t like/ believe in parents pushing. It’s tedious and it causes a strain on both parties. I always tell them that they are doing it for themselves and not me. I am not gg to be the road sweeper one day as they are the ones who is gg to face it themselves. I do agree that it alittle materialistic sometimes but no choice. Also, it voice down to kid’s calibre again…

Boys are tough. My son is exactly like yours short attention span and it’s also a struggle for us to get him to finish him kumon in a timely manner. My girl on the other hand is more independent. She need 1/2 hour to master her spelling. For my son, I need a couple of days to go through with him… imagine : )

Also, remember that it’s not the one who has the best result/ go to top school who is going to succeed in life. It’s the person with the right attitude, character and I believe strongly fate.

I was a laggard in my studies, going to normal stream, etc… But I went on to do my pte degrees,etc… as I discover my love for learning around sec 3. I feel that for the $ I am paid today, alot of friends who probably did better than me in pri school and went on to top school,etc… probably even hasn’t reach that level. So going to top school doesn’t guarantee anything. If there is a early burn out,etc… which we have heard some many times, the child will fail along the way.

[Fettuccine]

ChiefKiasu:

Goodness :shock: ... I think your kid's kindy is yet another siao kindy :). These are definitely NOT your usual K2 English and Math sums! If your kid can do them, then he is definitely MORE than ready for P1. Probably can start P2 when he is in P1 :shock: .

Gosh :shock: , I thought its like that for the spellings and math in K2 level. But all the while they are really doing this kind of work.
Another time, they spell words about South Korea, and also something like \"furnitures\", \"wardrobe\", \"cabinet\", etc...Maybe next spelling about satelite, etc haha

So far he is coping with spelling, math and chinese. But I hope kumon will speed up on math, and although chinese enrichment may be necessary only if we are going to Ngee Ann Primary...

[Fettuccine]

MMM:

For me, my kids are not \"grill\" on multiplication yet including my P1 girl. For me, I think it's better to understand the rationale of multiplication rather than some rote learning. I think they would understand better that way. I also don't like them to over learn as it kills the interest of learning......

Me too, agree that no need to push them so hard to become top kids. Being my first kid going primary school, I am more or less kancheong.
I definitely don't wanna stress him out by making him the top student or something. Just getting him for ready for P1 is my current focus.

So far his threshold for stress is quite ok, as his kindergarten already training him up in this environment. Even activities like music and taekwondo are his interests, as he had asked to learn. Only thing he is scared of doing is roller blading or cycling with two wheels haha.

He is very outspoken and confident though (i guess a product of Schoolhouse). But my little boy is so small and cute, can't believe he is going to P1 next year!

[agent66]

I am so stressed after reading this post. My gal is only in N2 now.

[Vanilla Cake]

[Moderator's note: Topics merged.]


Hi CK & All,

Below is a list of SAP Primary Schools that I know :

Ai Tong School
Catholic High School
CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' School
Holy Innocents' Primary School
Hong Wen School
Kong Hwa School
Maha Bodhi School
Maris Stella High School
Nan Hua Primary School
Nanyang Primary School
Pei Chun Public School
Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School
Poi Ching School
Red Swastika School
Tao Nan School

Could you share your views and thoughts for studying in these schools ? My younger sister will be taking PSLE 2011 and my Mum would like to know whether studying in a SAP school will help her to score in PSLE aggregate T-Score.

Thank you.

[kiasuson]

My boys are in one of them. It will definitely help in their MT. I believe all SAP schools offer only Chinese. They have passes and A/A* above national averages. My son school has about 89% scored A and A* this year.

[FlameFighter]

yes, SAP schools are stronger in their mother tongue which is Chinese. My son is in one of the SAP schools and they put in more emphasis in Chinese compared to other non-SAP schools. Also, most of their children are chinese. There may be very little or even no malays, indians and eurasians. This helps as children from SAP schools usually find PSLE chinese easy, as they spent their 6 yrs of education in a place where there is a strong Chinese foundation.

[Imp75]

does it make sense to send a child who is weak in Chinese to a SAP primary school?

[csc]

Imp75:

does it make sense to send a child who is weak in Chinese to a SAP primary school?

It all depends. What is your definition of \"weak\" ? Is it weak in ability or weak in interest?

Frankly speaking, my children speak only English until they are in K2, I think. They have never been greatly interested in the language though they do not lack the ability to do it.

I choose to send them to a neighourhood school with a strong emphasis in Chinese rather than to another mission school (known to have a lower standard in Chinese) nearby.

The school environment does help to create some interest and my son proceeds to score distinctions in both Higher Chinese and Chinese in the recent PSLE.

However, you may want to know that in some SAP schools, Higher Chinese is compulsory from Primary 1 to 5 with the option to drop to Normal Chinese in Pr 6.