[Ang Mo Kio/Bishan/Thomson/Toa Payoh] Preschools

[beanstalk]

smurf:

Hi Greenbean,


Have u heard of singapore montessori? :? Just want to ask u for opinion, but i think we have to move this discussion to the Montessori thread coz very out of topic already. Haha. :lol:

Hi, just browsing through this thread.

My kids attended/attend Singapore Montessori. It's a school where the kids are mostly from English-speaking, very middle-class backgrounds. I have not read everything in this thread about the various pre-school teaching methods...but I don't think SM is a pure Montessori school if that is important to you. It doesn't bother me because I believe in the 'whatever works for the kid' method, ie every kid is different and no one method works for everyone.

SM is not a childcare but it packs it all in within a daily 3-hour program. It uses Montessori methods at the lower levels but becomes progressively academic in K1/K2. The SM kids I know are more than prepared for P1; the school has a sound reading program and homework once a week (no drills) from K1. Virtually everyone attends an established primary school in the vicinity or elsewhere. (This of course is testimony to the parents' own backgrounds and ambitions rather than the school's influence.)

Fees are (I think) about $1400 per term. HTH.

[goldfish1395]

Trying to ‘revive’ the thread


Currently, i am with United Montessori. But i am still on the search of a better CCC cos not beri pleased with the current sch. There is an influx of new teachers. Moreover, not all teachers are montessori certified and i am not that ‘pleased’ that i am paying a premium price for teachers that is not montessori trained.

Am consnidering My First Skool but not sure whether is it good or not.

Heard some -ve reviews on Hampton. The environment is nice but i find it too enclosed. No idea what is going on in class! MFS concept willl be non-aircon concept, so willl be able to ‘view’ how the class is conducted.

Hope more parents will share more views of CCC in bishan area!

[smurf]

Ha? I thought united Montessori is considered the better ones, if not the best?? :?


And the fees are not expensive right? Compared to Other premium ccc. For that fees, I dun think it's viable for the sch to have the teachers to be all Montessori certified lah. Maybe the certified ones are the main teachers and the rest are assistant teachers?

[lady_love]

Hi all… my daughter has just turned 18 months and my husband and i thought its time send her to childcare, at least she will get exposed and meet other children instead of being stuck at home, and it will give my MIL a break!!


We were looking at United Montessori schoolhouse… anyone sending their kids there??

I called up they are full at the mo, but i am thinking of making an appoint to go see the place and ask some questions!!

Goldfish you mentioned not all the teachers were trained, that doesn’d sound right to me, as smurf mentioned maybe those who are not trained are assistant teachers being trained, im sure Montessori teachers MUST be trained before joining Montessori schools?

Im thinking of sending my daughter half day prob in the evening!! Im very new to this whole childcare thing… and im still trying to figure it whats the difference between modern montessori and other montessori’s ??

[goldfish1395]

Hi Smurf! Ermm... We are paying $610 after subsidy which includes Kindermusic class. It is not exactly ex as compared to the atas sch but comparing with MFS at $300+, it is almost twice more ex. Actually i am quite ok with the sch until recently, we went for an open house in a montessori sch (not exactly near bishan but off CTE near those bungalow) and upon comparing, i realized that eh, i dun see it in UM and yet the price difference is a mere $50?


That sch has PERSONALIZED tracking of the child progress in montessori programme. I even saw the principal showed me how the teachers keep track whether KID A or B has mastered the alphabet or the montessori toolbox tat is categorized by color. And for Nursery size, it has a class size of less than 10? For UM, there are 30+ students and i ever posed the qn how many Montessori trained teachers they have and they 'prata' the reply by not telling me specifically how many but eleborating they have OTJ training by the Trained montessori teachers. But from my understanding (wich may be wrong), i think probably only 20% are Montessori trained? But the reason why we din switch to that sch is because TOO FAR from home as we do not have a car. I have asked UM whether do they have such tracking on students progress, they told me nope but they are working on it for something similiar (which i am still waiting)

Ladylove, go and make an appt! The sch is very nice in appearance. I love the spacious feel. It is a very lively place which we like it as well. You can either talk to Maggie or Dennis but Dennis will be a more PR oriented which will give you PR answers

But having said all that, it is hard to find a perfect school esp within walking distance from home. Arghh...

[MyMooMoo]

Elena:

Hi mng_kl


We are paying $340 per month for Carmen to attend Candyland CC half day.

Regards
Elena

Hi Elena,

I have send you a pm.. Can you share with me your experience with Candyland?

[Elena]

Hi MyMooMoo,


Please see your PM. Hope this helps.

Elena

[pinkapple]

elchwong:

Hi littlehelper,


1) Reached at about 8am ...

All these are observed when I'm there....what happens if I'm not there???

which school is this, please?

[pinkapple]

goldfish1395:

... until recently, we went for an open house in a montessori sch (not exactly near bishan but off CTE near those bungalow) and upon comparing, i realized that eh, i dun see it in UM and yet the price difference is a mere $50?


That sch has PERSONALIZED tracking of the child progress in montessori programme. I even saw the principal showed me how the teachers keep track whether KID A or B has mastered the alphabet or the montessori toolbox tat is categorized by color. And for Nursery size, it has a class size of less than 10? ..

which school is that, please, Goldfish?

am looking for a childcare for my baby when she turns 18mths next year.

our elder son just joint united monte last year.
we're not exactly pleased with the school.
my hubby said he will NOT recommend the school to others.

our main issue with the school - lack of discipline and supervision.

Kids can run amok or out of the main area and teachers don't even know. a few times, we saw one or two children outside the main area at the reading area or even at the sofa near the door and nobody knows.

A few times my son wet his clothes because he and/or his friends were playing water in the toilet and the teachers didn't even know.

Once, I witness a two boys getting into a fight and by now u should have guessed - no teacher was around until one new young teacher happened to walk by and I motioned her to the boys. She appears clueless as to what to do. Good things the boys stopped.

if you must know what's good about them - they do teach phonics well and I'm happen that my son can read quite a bit now at K1.

Also love the reading area and reading culture there.
wait time = reading time.

my son is now k1 so we're not sure if a change of school will be good.
opinions, any1?

[smurf]

Hi goldfish,


May I know where is the sch that you mentioned? Can PM me if u r uncomfortable.