Kismet123:

Hi everyone, I’m new to the forum. Can I check what CCAs are good in MBS and how much time do they take up? Are CCAs also mandatory? Thanks!

From the school notices, CCA is now mandatory for P3 - P6.

Starting 2019, all CCAs are conducted on Thursday afternoons. Some CCAs may take extra days in school after school hours, e.g. most sports, band, etc. I don't have specifics as I don't let my kids take CCAs that require more than that 1 afternoon per week in school.

Huimin22:

Hi, are there any kids staying in Sengkang and taking school bus service? What is the pick up time and drop off time? Thank you,

Depends on which part of Sengkang you stay in, but generally speaking, very early. I think the school bus driver mentioned something along the lines of 6.30 am pickup when I enquired last time for my kids, and I stay in Buangkok area (slightly nearer to school compared to Sengkang).

If you can send your kids to school, it'll probably be better, as it takes much shorter time by driving (less than 30 mins by KPE). Even taking MRT is faster (35 mins from Buangkok station to Ubi station, including all walking time all the way to school side gate).

Another thing to take note is, due to the school going on single session this year, I think they have a hard time finding enough school buses and drivers. End result is, some of the drivers are not very reliable. I have experienced instances whereby my kid got left behind in school simply because the teacher released the class 2 minutes late, as well as bus driver didn't even turn up at all for the Thursday late afternoon shift (after CCA), resulting in another poor driver having to help out by sending 1 group home, then go back to school to send 2nd group home. Even after complaining to the school and the school having taken the necessary actions, there were still instances whereby the similar incidents happen. And this doesn't just happen to my kid, from what I hear.

So, my humble opinion is, don't rely on school bus if possible.

Hi, 


I’m looking for 1-to-1 English & Chinese tuition teachers for my kids going to P3 & P4 next year. 

Appreciate if anyone can recommend patient but firm teacher/s who can teach in North-East area. 

Thanks!

Jennevie:

Hi Carolina ! Glad to know that there are Maha Bodhians staying in sk. My in laws side is very not encouraging about it due to distance n said some negatives thoughts. Are your kids taking school bus?


Any idea if there is a FB or WhatsApp group for MBS 2018 P1 parent group?

Hi Jennevie,

Sorry for the late reply - I don't come into Kiasu Parents Forum often...

I'm sending them to school in the mornings and they take school bus home in the afternoon. Which means the start of the school run tomorrow morning...

As for FB / WhatsApp group, that's dependent on the individual class' form teacher. Every teacher has their own preferred style, so you'll find out soon enough...

As for your in-laws, I guess you can only ignore them. It can be more tiring for the kids due to the distance (longer travelling time, etc.), but some things gotta give, depending on your priorities. I don't believe in normal neighbourhood schools and I don't want to go through the stress of balloting, so this is the best of both worlds for my case. Also, I'm discovering that MBS has very good moral education system both in & out of classroom - they don't only focus on academics like some top schools. Hopefully, in time to come, your in-laws will come to appreciate your decision.

Enjoy the new school year and all the best!

Any updated feedback on Seimpi? I’m considering putting my DD in Seimpi Hougang Mall - individual class for violin.


Thanks!

Hi all,


We are wondering, how do you encourage and/or instill self-motivation in your child/ren?

Thanks.

Jennevie:

:rahrah: 2018 P1 registration successful!! 6 years of travelling to n fro MBS!! (Staying >2km) :xedfingers: I hope we can make it through this 6years.. n she will enjoy this primary school journey.. let's gambatte!! :rahrah:

Congrats!

I stay in Sengkang too and my kids are both in MBS, going P2 & 3 next year. Let's see how they fair when it is single session...

Personally, the short answer is no.

dodoma:

My family just returned from Germany to Singapore last week and my daughter need improvement in English for P1 starting in Jan 2017.


She will be 5 in coming October and she speaks Mandarin at home and went to a German/English bilingual kindergarten. She understand some English but tend to use German/Mandarin to respond. I used to think kids learn a language from listening first till end of kindergarten. I talked to teachers from Germany and Scotland and they also think so. So I have never worried about her English untill our friends keep emphasizing phonics phonics phonics after our return.

As there is no preschool academic enrichment classes in Germany at all, I was quite overwhelmed by so many different english programs in the market. I know there is a Learning Time with Shaun&Timmy by British Coucil, and a I can Read in Marine Parade Center nearby. And British Council offers another two programs, Preschool English and Kindergarten English programs.

Anybody have knowledge about the differences and which course suites better my daughter.

Thanks a lot in advance for sharing your experience.

I have no idea about the differences of the different phonics programs. As far as I understand, phonics is just the sounds of the alphabets, how to blend, etc.

Maybe you might want to arrange and bring your daughter for trial classes and see which one she enjoys more. Or find out about the teaching methods of the different programs by talking to the program providers and see which one might interest your daughter. Only then sign her up. Kids learn best when their interest is triggered.

Phonics is important for Singapore education context, given that kids are expected to already be able to read fairly well by the time they start Primary 1 and able to write short sentences by 2nd-half to end of Primary 1. Along the way, they will have quite some spelling tests as well. Phonics will come in handy as the ability to sound out the words means less time needed to memorise spelling words.

Have some patience though. Phonics is progressive and different children have different learning speed and different strengths and weaknesses. My daughter at age 5 can read as well as my son at age 6 simply because she is better at languages, although we spent more time and effort on my son to build up his reading skills.

Then, there are the more traditional methods like Peter & Jane series, which basically trains reading skills by training the kids to memorise the common words by sight. This is good for sight words, but not much else, unless your daughter is weakest in learning via audio method and strongest in learning via visual method, like my son. Then this method can help complement phonics.

Hope the above is helpful.

Thetrees123:

dorabelle:

Hi


I am having problems with my girl who is in nursery this year. She dislikes chinese and refuses to learn it. Part of the reason is lack of exposure to mandarin. Me speak some mandarin to her. My hubby speaks zero chinese. The grandmother speaks mostly english to her.

She is in berries since last year (pre nursery) and is attending kindergarten nursery now but chinese is still very bad, refuse to speak and cannot read chinese characters. Whenever i try to teach her chinese from the berries textbooks using stickers to entice her, she cannot sit still and run away immediately or slap the book from my hands.

Are there any parents here who face the same problems? How do u overcome it? I am afraid she will do badly for chinese in PSLE in future.

既然妳会讲华语,那就坚持不要和她讲英语，只和她讲华语。久而久之，孩子自然而然会和妳讲华语，和爸爸讲英语。那不是一举两得吗？

在生活中妳得不断制造讲华语的环境，例如：在家故意和丈夫讲华语，让孩子感受到华语也是生活用语；养成观看8频道9点钟电视连续剧的习惯，让孩子不知不觉紧追剧情，看久了中文程度自然会逐渐进步；在外时，不妨利用机会教育，比如过马路时，告诉他这是交通灯，这是斑马线，这是行人天桥........

语言属于生活，无须死记硬背。若只懂得强逼孩子读课本或补习中心教材，只会弄巧反拙，让孩子和母语渐行渐远。

I agree with Thetrees123.

Put the child in an environment where she will be constantly exposed to the language and no matter how hard she resists, she will pick it up eventually.

Having said that, try not to force the issue, at least not too obviously. Especially if your child has a stubborn nature (like mine =P).

The only \"forcing\" you should probably do is refuse to reply to her in English, even if she replies everything in English. Always speak to her in Chinese. Be stubborn about it. Once you start finding her replying in Chinese unconsciously, you can start acting blur and not respond when she responds in English.

You can also play word games with her, like when she says a word in English, ask her what is it in Chinese and teach her in game if she doesn't know. Likewise, when coming across a Chinese word, ask her what is it in English. Make different funny sounds when she gets it right or wrong, or tickle game, etc. In other words, add fun into it so she'll resist less. Do it enough, and she will not only be able to master Chinese, she will master translation.

Introduce Chinese books maybe a bit later, especially those that contains complicated characters. Kids who're already resistant to Chinese will really hate Chinese when made to recognize tough words. Instead, use pictures to introduce simple Chinese words to give them life and new meaning, e.g. how a picture can become the word \"big\" (a stickman with the arms wide open), \"sun\" (a circle with a dot in the middle), \"see\" (a hand above the eye), etc. Once interest is induced, you can then introduce simple picture books that she'll like, and slowly move from there. Don't force her to read the words, but rather, read the story to her first to induce further interest. Then reread the same book that she showed interest in a few days later (or at her request), and this time read while pointing to the words. Then progress to taking turns to read different words, then sentences, then let her read herself.

The idea of Chinese TV is good too. Chinese cartoons? Her favorite princess cartoons, but switch to Chinese?

It is good that you're already looking into it while she is still in nursery. The later you start the harder it will be. Persist and you'll succeed.