GROWING UP GIFTED 2013

[Giraffenneko]

Hi!!

I am a new mummy of a 10 month old son and I need help. I have been considering to put my son into GUG but not sure if I should go ahead with it. I wonder if he will be able to learn much at this point in time as well or should I wait till he is slightly older?
Can anyone give me some latest feedback on their experience with GUG?? I pretty confuse with so much choices out there...

[finicki]

Hi Giraffenneko

I'm a mom of 2 and my eldest is 6yo. She started with GUG at Utd Sq since she's 12 mos. After going through the playtots (once a week) classes and now she's doing her K2 at GUG Mountbatten, I personally felt that starting her at 12 months was a bit too early. There were many things that as parents we had to for her in the 1.5hr class. I'm not against it, I loved it in fact, but it was too early I felt. Maybe others would have cobbled me for saying that, but at 12 mos, she probably couldn't grasped a lot of things done in class. She can't even walk at 12 mos.
But the fact that I was in that class, i learned a lot as a parent, on how to coach her the routine zoophonics, coz doing it daily wld help her remember and the fact that she also loved music and story telling, I persevered on, esp I had to do art for her. She cldn't even grasped things properly

Now my 2nd kid is 17 mos, I still haven't enrolled him in any of the playtots class, coz I do simple zoophonics with him. He understood. I would probably start him soon!

Have fun if you think of starting the class with your 1st, thought i think at 10 mos, it's still too early. 18 mos will be a more appropriate age to start!

And lastly, I love GUG. I think they have fantastic culture and teachers. I was an ex primary sch teacher. I know what it takes to be a good one. The teachers at Mountbatten Square are dedicated and responsible.

[Giraffenneko]

Hi finicky

Thank you do much for your feedback. Any thoughts on the branch at united square? If I should enroll him - that’s where I will do so. I have heard a number of comments from other forums about their high turn over which concerns me.
I think I will go for their trial class first and then decide. Thanks so much finicki!

[Giraffenneko]

Hi finicky

Thank you do much for your feedback. Any thoughts on the branch at united square? If I should enroll him - that’s where I will do so. I have heard a number of comments from other forums about their high turn over which concerns me.
I think I will go for their trial class first and then decide. Thanks so much finicki!

[nficewine]

[quote="Giraffenneko"]Hi finicky

Thank you do much for your feedback. Any thoughts on the branch at united square? If I should enroll him - that’s where I will do so. I have heard a number of comments from other forums about their high turn over which concerns me.
I think I will go for their trial class first and then decide. Thanks so much finicki![/ quote="Giraffenneko"]

Hi,

My DS who’s now 10yo spent his N2-K2 in GUG United Sq. Similar to u, we did a trial class when he was 12 mths, but decide not to enrol till he was older. Those days, Ms Deanne Chong herself run the class. My DD is now in K2 in United Sq, and hv been since she was N1. To answer your question on high turnover, I think a lot of preschools in SG have the same issues, and GUG hv lost teachers to MindChamps. However the more important issue is whether the presch can maintain the standard despite the high turnover, like Pat’s Schoolhouse, which is always not easy. Over the last 6 yrs, I hv observed tat the quality of GUG teachers is not as good as during my DS time. While the worksheets designed by Ms Chong are of high quality and getting better, some of the teachers delivering these materials do not do justice to the curriculum. For example, when I feedback to my DD teacher that DD does not seems to understand why she got the answers in her worksheet wrong, and even for those she seemingly got it right, she doesn’t know why either; the response from the teacher was "I’ll observe her", then she proceed to make general comments about DD behaviour in class like "she needs to be reminded to do her work", "she’s very slow"…very similar to what my domestic helper at home would say abt DD daily. LOL, but my helper does not hv any training in early childhood development. Maybe I shld encourage my helper to consider her next career move. Just kidding. We pay premium fees to ensure good teacher:student ratio, so I was naturally disappointed tat with at least 2 teachers at any point in time in class, for a class of less than 12, the teachers can’t provide instructionally-sounded feedback like true educators.
I would suggest that, when u do your trial class, don’t just evaluate the curriculum, observe the teacher, ask her as many questions as u need to feel comfortable. If u r happy with her, make sure she’ll be teaching your kid’s class and not just for trial, esp if ur trial time slot is not the same as ur intended enrolment class. It’s not finding good teachers, all the best! PM me if u wan.

[nficewine]

[quote="Giraffenneko"]Hi finicky

Thank you do much for your feedback. Any thoughts on the branch at united square? If I should enroll him - that’s where I will do so. I have heard a number of comments from other forums about their high turn over which concerns me.
I think I will go for their trial class first and then decide. Thanks so much finicki![/ quote="Giraffenneko"]

Hi,

My DS who’s now 10yo spent his N2-K2 in GUG United Sq. Similar to u, we did a trial class when he was 12 mths, but decide not to enrol till he was older. Those days, Ms Deanne Chong herself run the class. My DD is now in K2 in United Sq, and hv been since she was N1. To answer your question on high turnover, I think a lot of preschools in SG have the same issues, and GUG hv lost teachers to MindChamps. However the more important issue is whether the presch can maintain the standard despite the high turnover, like Pat’s Schoolhouse, which is always not easy. Over the last 6 yrs, I hv observed tat the quality of GUG teachers is not as good as during my DS time. While the worksheets designed by Ms Chong are of high quality and getting better, some of the teachers delivering these materials do not do justice to the curriculum. For example, when I feedback to my DD teacher that DD does not seems to understand why she got the answers in her worksheet wrong, and even for those she seemingly got it right, she doesn’t know why either; the response from the teacher was "I’ll observe her", then she proceed to make general comments about DD behaviour in class like "she needs to be reminded to do her work", "she’s very slow"…very similar to what my domestic helper at home would say abt DD daily. LOL, but my helper does not hv any training in early childhood development. Maybe I shld encourage my helper to consider her next career move. Just kidding. We pay premium fees to ensure good teacher:student ratio, so I was naturally disappointed tat with at least 2 teachers at any point in time in class, for a class of less than 12, the teachers can’t provide instructionally-sounded feedback like true educators.
I would suggest that, when u do your trial class, don’t just evaluate the curriculum, observe the teacher, ask her as many questions as u need to feel comfortable. If u r happy with her, make sure she’ll be teaching your kid’s class and not just for trial, esp if ur trial time slot is not the same as ur intended enrolment class. It’s not finding good teachers, all the best! PM me if u wan.

[bugz83]

i sent my son for the babies class on weekend at mountbatten when he was 18mths old. now he 2yrs old and is attending the toddler class.


the teachers there are very patient with kids for the babies n toddlers class. The structure of the class is quite standard every week. Occassionally, there are music class, games to enhance motor skills and simple science class incorporated into the lesson.

[TCH]

Thanks for the feedbacks.

Im intending to send my son for weekend class at mountbatten first and see if the teachers there are good.

If no problem, will enrol him in N1 next year.

Does anyone know if there is any difference in the weekend enrichment and the weekday classes? For N1 its 3times a week. If already enrolled in the weekday class, does one still requires the weekend enrichment?

Appreciate any comments for mountbatten branch.