krazykid:

electron:

Will not be attending PSG tea-party because i did not register with PSG. Dh was not at all impressed with the PSG talk during orientation so we'll just stand back and observe for now.

Maybe your dw can share after attending this Saturday's tea-party.

Well my wife attended the tea party and was impressed by some of the HoDs in the school especially the English and PAL heads. I believe that the dynamism of the PSG depends largely on parents like ourselves so it really reflects on how much we want to get involved.

This Saturday is the Math Workshop and I hope that it will be meaningful... to help me to tutor her. My daughter has been trying out the problemsums.com website. I don't have much experience with these things but I guess if she's doing it willingly, it can't be all that bad. A good command of English looks to be the pre-requisite for doing well in Math now.

Cheers!

Thanks for the update.

Dh is considering joining the Father's Club.

Cheers!

Ora et Labora:

@Smurf: Actually it wasn't easy to go in and out of school for me early last year. Every time I would be stopped by the guard. The lady guard always asked me to sign-in & out to get a \"visitor\" tag. But since I've got \"PV\" tag, it's much easier. I can drive my car in during contact time. Actually you can park your car in the compound as long as it's not during the time when the school buses are coming in.


If you're just walking your son in...the guard won't really ask you to get a tag, but you will need the tag if you want to go to the bookshop or canteen. We were once chased out by the guard for being in the hall (it happened last year, while waiting for my son to finish his badminton session).

@Electron: SJI Jr PVs are parents of current students... they don't accept volunteers for parents of non-students. We're Catholics and staying within 1km, so we got into the school under phase 2B.

Thank you for the info, Ora et Labora

BlackVelvet:

electron:

Hi BlackVelvet


My dh and I are considering placing my ds in St Gabriels' in 2013. Our other choice is St Joseph's. We are staying in Bishan.

Did your son benefit from all the remedials in preparation for P6 last year? It is obvious that the school's emphasis is on improving the quality of teaching and learning. It is also praiseworthy that the teachers would spend that many additional hours teaching after curriculum hours.

Your comments, please.

Hi Electron

Yes, my son benefitted from the extra classes, and he had made improvements in his subjects.

It was not only after curriculum hours that the teachers spent. The Mother Tongue and English teachers also came in earlier in the mornings to give the boys extra practice in Oral.

Thanks Blackvelvet!

Kudos to St Gabriel's teachers! So all those reports in the newspapers about the teachers not using curriculum time effectively and so resort to mindless extra classes is just one side of the story? Tsk, tsk.

In my opinion, happy teachers, make happy students. Based on your sharing, it looks like the school is heading in the right direction.

krazykid:

Angelina:

Hi my daughter is in Perseverance 1. Anyone in the same class and would like to exchange info ?

Has anyone received any feedback from the teacher about ur child?

Today she brought back a pupil handbook 2011 but nothing is written in it either. :?:

My daughter is in 1 Perseverance! And no, we have not received any personal feedback from the teachers. Is there supposed to be one?

Within the first few weeks of school, my daughter managed to get into 2, thankfully minor, fiascos. She also managed to lose her student handbook except for the personal particulars page which was left behind in her bag. We had to ask for her teacher's help to obtain a new one... By the way, did you happen to notice that \"Perseverance\" is mis-spelled on the cover of the handbook?

I was tempted to write a note to let the school know about it (it doesn't reflect well on the proof-reading, does it?) but DW asked me to let things be

Feedback from my daughter indicates that recess is her favourite subject *grin* followed closely by AC. I'm glad she managed to make a few friends because she is a very quiet and reserved girl. DW and myself were initially quite worried she would be an absolute loner in class.

DW will likely attend the PSG tea-party this Saturday. Hope to hear more about the upcoming activities in school then.

Cheers -krazykid

Hi krazykid

My guess is that feedback on our dds will be given after Term 1. By this time, the comments would be more authentic. Certainly hope so.

Well, dd spotted the error on the cover page with regards to the spelling. I refrained from commenting because the last time, I shared with dd an error in the letter issued to parents on Gym Lessons (salutation for Principal was stated as \"Mr\" Catherine Seah), she shared it with her FT!

After 15 years of teaching (now a full-time SAHM), I tend to be a wee bit more empathetic with the schools. More importantly, my dd is happy and looks forward to attending school everyday. What she likes about school - mostly her friends and her FT.

Will not be attending PSG tea-party because i did not register with PSG. Dh was not at all impressed with the PSG talk during orientation so we'll just stand back and observe for now.

Maybe your dw can share after attending this Saturday's tea-party.

Ora et Labora:

Hi All,


I'm a Parent Volunteer (PV) during contact time too.
As what Fishball said, we're currently short-handed as PVs from last year have \"graduated\" when their boys are in P3 this year.
So we would definitely welcome new PVs to join us!

I've been helping out with Contact Time since last year too and its's the enthusiasm that the boys show during the contact time activities (be it art & craft, Quiz or just movies), that have kept us going!

PVs are needed to for reading programs (Chinese or English - reading to boys who need help, usually they will assign 2 boys to a PV), Cathecism classes, helping out in the library, contact time, carnivals, etc.

We have a yahoo group for St Joseph's Institution Jr PV:
http://asia.groups.yahoo.com/group/SJIJRPV/

Currently it's mostly used for Contact Time activity update.
Do register with the group if you're interested in volunteering.
For Contact Time, we need more volunteers during art & craft sessions.
You don't have to come every Wednesday, can choose to come on those Wednesdays which you can make it. Just come up to the hall at about 12.30pm and approach any of the teachers / PVs!

I'm sure your sons will be happy and proud to see mummies/daddies getting involved in their school activities and you get to know your sons' classmates too! The boys are really a lovable lot!

Hi Ora et Labora

I'm a relatively new SAHM. I've 15 years of teaching experience. Decided to stay home to supervise my dd who is currently in P1 in OLGC. My hubby and I are considering placing my ds in SJI Junior in 2013.

We are Catholics and would probably be registering under phase 2B (with/without PV). I'm interested to help out but I'm only available from Mon-Fri, 11.00am-1.00pm. Please advice. Thanks.

Hi BlackVelvet


My dh and I are considering placing my ds in St Gabriels’ in 2013. Our other choice is St Joseph’s. We are staying in Bishan.

Did your son benefit from all the remedials in preparation for P6 last year? It is obvious that the school’s emphasis is on improving the quality of teaching and learning. It is also praiseworthy that the teachers would spend that many additional hours teaching after curriculum hours.

Your comments, please.

Hi ProfMummy


I know what you mean. However, individuals posting their comments on this Forum have the responsibility to share objectively. It is not meant for all to shoot down the schools' attempts but to network with other parents. Schools who assess this Forum also need to be open to comments from parents. We need to change our mindsets about sharing our views openly or else we become a society living in fear.

My dd too loves her school. She wakes up enthusiatically every morning raring to meet her classmates and teachers. Agreed, emailing the teachers is a good strategy but even emails can be misunderstood. Just one other thing, the email addresses provided in the school website requires updating.

Thank you, phankao.


Finding a suitable Catholic boys’ school which is grounded in holistic development is going to be a uphill task.

If CH boys are all leaving for other schools, it doesn’t speak well of the Sec section.


Hi, I live very near CHS and am considering sending my ds to the school. He is 5 now. Any idea how many non-Chinese boys there are in the Pri Sec? My son will be taking Chinese as a second language.

Hi there! :celebrate:


Finally, there is another parent! However, my dd is not from 1P.
I've not received any feedback regarding my dd's progress in
school too. I'm planning to email my dd's FT after CNY to get her
comments. Thus far, my dd has just been sharing all that's been
happening in school. It sounds like all is well.

Before the handbook, I got my dd to write her homework in a
notebook. This routine kind of fizzled out because she said that
she could remember all her homework as there wasn't much to recall.
I thought I'll just leave it at that for the time being and observe.