The Alternative Story (TAS) - Discussion

[jasmineong]

Hi sleepy,


I also tried TAS based on feedback from this forum. But I find their teaching of comprehension effective. From the worksheets brought back, all the questions were marked and my kids can understand the passage. They also can tell me need to read qns first and need to infer etc.

As for compo, I noticed also when my kids class was newer, TAS took a longer time to complete the themes but now they can cover one theme in one week. Now they teach a lot of application. I asked the teacher about it she said at first everyone did not have much vocabulary or knew how to write well so that was more memorisation and then also she took more time with one theme as the children took longer to learn but now she just taught my kid to apply the phrases learnt to a topic that is not taught before which is robbery in a bank and I could see that my kid could write well. How long was your child at TAS? I put mine in for nearly a year and can see much improvement.

Maybe sometimes need to take longer time to 'cook'. :lol:

[Kissgurami]

so confused on TAS feedback coz I thought there were only positive reviews on TAS…


Has anyone enrolled with TAS Preparing K2 class?

[jasmineong]

Hi Kissgurami,


I think every centre will have good and bad reviews, sometimes its centres fault sometimes the methods don’t fit the child. But I like TAS because I have tried many centres and heard feedback from friends about other centres and so far TAS is the best. Not perfect but the best so far. And I find they keep improving their methods to teach and keep getting better. I think if your child goes to a centre, it is hard to have it totally suited to your preference unlike having a personal tutor. However, it is also very hard to get a good personal tutors. Also parents must work with child at home to make sure what they learnt at centre is retained.

Anyway, I have recommended a neighbour to try the K2 class on tuesday at amk. She said she signed her child up because the child liked it and she liked the worksheets and felt that the teacher was good. But it was only first lesson so I cannot guarantee it is good but so far seems good.

[Kissgurami]

Thanks Jasmine,


Happy that TAS works well for you

There are various methods in teaching and I will have to place my DDs to see if it suits them. I look more towards consistency amongst the teachers

Like you mentioned, you have tried many other centres and TAS works for you.

I am teaching my DD1 english at home so I do agree parents play a part in revising with their kids but I am just surprised by some of the feedback as the feedback has always been 99% positive for TAS compared to other centres. Just surprised to read the other of the feedback.

Cheers

[jasmineong]

Hi Kissgurami,


Thanks! Hope you will find the right centre Yes, I was also surprised by some of the feedback. But I think sometimes must be patient, when I tried other centres, I also stuck with them for at least a year or sometimes more before making a decision to change. That allows me to understand their methods, teachers more thoroughly.

All the best to you too!

[mrschan]

I am sorry but what and where is TAS?

[Kissgurami]

mrschan:

I am sorry but what and where is TAS?

TAS - The Alternative Story, It is an English Enrichment Centre.

You can check more about it at this link: http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=7586

[kitty2]

sleepy:

Tried TAS too. Not effective. Already withdrawn.


It's precisely because of the positive feedback on KSP that I decided to give TAS a try. But I think too much hype la, like learning lab

TAS asked students to memorise the essay. I don't see any value add in this case. I have tonnes of model essays & award winning books at home. Good essays with personifications, tension building, etc. If I want my dd to learn creative writing through memorising essays, I do not need to send her to classes, right? I expect more than this from TAS.

And I noticed TAS took a long time to cover one theme. Sometimes as long as 4 to 5 weeks on one theme, basically memorise over & over again. I'm not impressed la.

Compre is not satisfactory either. Usually only the first few questions were covered in class, the rest as homework. I am fine with homework if they went through the compre thoroughly and were taught the technique to tackle compre questions. I don't see that le. End up I need to sit with my dd to coach her how to answer every single question. Frankly speaking, if I have to go through every question with her, how is it different from asking her to do assessment books at home? I also sit with her

I heard from my friend that her kids homework was not being marked and no answer sheet given too :? My friend was saying is a waste of time doing it as there's no answer and can't revise too.

[hquek]

Actually I do like negative reviews, becos then I can temper my expectations and better able to make (what I feel) a more balanced judgement. There is no perfect place - esp when we’re talking about group classes; so parents can only go with what we feel comfy with. I can’t teach my kid and can only think to outsource this.


Things I don’t like about tas:
1) squeezy classrooms. Since my kid joined, the number of kids getting more and more - I think it’s reached max size so they can’t take in more kids (unless someone sits in the toilet).

2) Compo. there was a whole load of memorisation going on initially until my kid also got a bit sick. I feedback to teacher and now they are only memorising sentences. This is much better for my kid becos there is less memorisation needed (we usually start on Friday night/sat morning…and his class is on Sat morning). So out of that, something positive I note, ie they take in feedback.

3) Compo. Sometimes I feel parts of a compo don’t make sense. In such case, I’ll ask my son to ask the teacher - train his query skills a bit; and on my part, I’ll enlighten him why I feel this part of compo is absurd and how I feel we can make it more believable. But such occasions are rare, so I take this in my stride.

What I like:
1) they teach according to ability. I think my P1 will be bored stiff if he’s only limited to doing P1 work.
2) I’m amazed how most of the teachers (at least the ‘old birds’) know kids’ names and all - even if they are not teaching the child, they can call each kid by name!
3) the efforts teachers make in explaining and clarifying. On an adhoc basis, I will ‘xiao xiao’ go ask his teacher if my kid’s alright and she’ll go into a whole spiel of what they have covered, where his weaknesses are, or what he did in class. Much appreciate the effort put in.
4) participation. Usually when I wait for class to be over, I can hear kids noises of participation in the classes. I take it to be positive becos I would hate to be in a class where silence reigns - for me personally, during silence, zzz monster comes a knocking.

[sleepy]

jasmineong:

Hi sleepy,

I asked the teacher about it she said at first everyone did not have much vocabulary or knew how to write well so that was more memorisation and then also she took more time with one theme as the children took longer to learn

That high ability class even had a couple of kids from GEP. Don't think anyone in that class is lacking in vocab?
Anyway, student's turnover is very high. From brand new class till the time we withdrawn, not a single 'original' student left, all replaced by newbies. Similar observation from 'original' batch of parents too hence withdrawal one after another

Just sharing my personal experience. Glad yours is better