Competition among primary schools

[metz]

tamarind:

Chamonix,

My girl's \"premium\" PCF have english spelling as well as Chinese written tests since the first half of K1 ! They have also been taught to draw a picture, then write a simple sentence in K1.

I sure hope that's not the only thing you are paying a premium for. Incidentally, a few other kids I know have English spelling since the start of K1 too. Another kindergarten has started preparing K1 students on simple comprehension.

IMHO, I'm not sure if Spelling is a good practice to have in preschools and also to what end does it serve to have Spelling at K1. Perhaps to help kids in reading?

tamarind:

We should teach the child as much as his/her ability can reach, so long as we are not pushing them like sending them to many enrichment classes and doing tonnes of homework everyday.

Even with just parents' coaching alone, there's still risk of pushing and hothousing. It's not easy for a parent to be objective, especially with his/her own kid. That's a constant reminder for myself

tamarind:

Well, I have heard of some parents who bought P1 textbooks/assessments to prepare their kids. Such kids will probably feel bored at P1. So I am not going to do that. I only make sure that my kids read at least one page (depending on their ability) and write a few words everyday.

Different parents have different thoughts of preparing their kids. Some kids are packed for P1 preparatory classes at the start of K2.

[metz]

heutistmeintag:

Apart from children being over-prepared for P1, I tend to think that P1 is meant for settling children into primary school life. To get used to the routine (perhaps longer hours for some), learning to go toilets on their own, deciding what food to eat during recess, playing with both younger and older children etc ..and last but not least, taking exams.

Academic achievement is IMHO the least important concern at this stage of primary school and children are expected to sail through. The screws are only tightened from P3 onwards and from my kids' experiences, they even started to learn (simple) biology in P4 and that forced me to do a desperate revision off the Internet. lol

I'm on the same thought too. For me, lower primary is more about learning discipline, respecting others, interpersonal relationships and honing life skills.

[tamarind]

chamonix:

I sure hope that's not the only thing you are paying a premium for. Incidentally, a few other kids I know have English spelling since the start of K1 too. Another kindergarten has started preparing K1 students on simple comprehension.

IMHO, I'm not sure if Spelling is a good practice to have in preschools and also to what end does it serve to have Spelling at K1. Perhaps to help kids in reading?

This is the first year that premium PCF starts to have K1 class, so I completely have no idea about their standards before my girl started school. I put my girl there because it includes enrichment classes such as cooking, dancing, junior writing, poetry etc, not because I want her to have spelling in K1.

I think it is OK to have spelling in pre-school, it will help when the kids start to write in sentences. But it should be limited to 3 letter words, or commonly used words like the, this, that, etc. My girl's K1 class requires her to spell words like \"ambulance\", \"submarine\", etc. I find it funny that the kids know how to spell these words, but don't know how to spell \"the\", \"this\", etc. Or perhaps the teachers expect the kids to already know how to spell these simple words in nursery ?

My girl don't feel stress at all in her K1 class, so I am glad that I have found a suitable school for her. But for my younger boy, I have registered him in a \"normal\" PCF which will suit him better.

chamonix:

tamarind:

Well, I have heard of some parents who bought P1 textbooks/assessments to prepare their kids. Such kids will probably feel bored at P1. So I am not going to do that. I only make sure that my kids read at least one page (depending on their ability) and write a few words everyday.

Different parents have different thoughts of preparing their kids. Some kids are packed for P1 preparatory classes at the start of K2.

Actually I was thinking about those kids who feel bored at P1, because they already know everything that the teacher is teaching. It is a result of the parents \"over preparing\" them.

[en107rn.01056yahoo.01056com.01056sg]

The PCF I paid was slightly less than $100. Besides fully air-con, they have drama (that was the year end performance), music, dance room, computer, science, English, Math & 2nd language. For cooking, creative art work, the parents pay slightly during school holidays. Yes, they cover spelling (not the 3 letter words) & simple writing. What they did not cover is phonic which I think is very important for the children.


Some kids like to be at the top of the game, like Jedamum son (our dream boy!). Some kids have high ability, so repetition is a no no. Some kids with lower ability, will need a lot of helps and guidance. So it all depends on the child & the school they are going to be in. As we know, different schools have different emphasis & different standards.

[sleepy]

Oops, my girl is definitely over prepared


She's one of those advanced Kumon kids. In fact, there are many in the Kumon center she's attending. Like a norm rather than exceptional. Some of the lower primary kids are doing secondary level Mathematics.

I don't think she's bored at all in her kindergarten. She's busy socialising, and there are other topics taught that she doesn't know yet such as sea creatures, farm animals, how the cow get milk. Those that she already knew, I ask her to treat as revision.

I believe it's even more pressurizing & depressing if the child cannot cope

Anyway, P1 & P2 most kids have no problems. P3 onwards is the real test


Oh, just to add, there is no way a child can be over prepared for languages. Chinese is about reading & writing. The richer her vocab, the better. Ditto for English.

[metz]

tamarind:

Well, I have heard of some parents who bought P1 textbooks/assessments to prepare their kids. Such kids will probably feel bored at P1. So I am not going to do that. I only make sure that my kids read at least one page (depending on their ability) and write a few words everyday.

My 5 yr old is definitely very well prepared in this sense. We find P1 Maths syllabus a breeze. Not very different from the concepts kindergartens are teaching. In fact, another 2003 kid has started working on P1 English assessment books too.

I am not so worried about him feeling bored in school. Besides academic learning, there are other aspects of school life that he has to learn to manage.

[phtthp]

metz:

However, things will start to take an interesting change when the kids hit P3-P4.

P1/p2 are foundational years.
Real test seep in from end of p2.

[beth_ng]

Thanks for sharing!