Pap

[jedamum]

Hi Ladies,

My dd also in PAP Bt Batok Branch K1 this year. From the 1st day of school till now, what I can see is she has been asked to colour and do colouring all the times. During the first few days, when I picked her up, the teacher released them late and I looked in from the window, guess what they were doing? Colouring!! And what and where they colour on? A nursery rhyme book. Then subsequently, I saw that homework were given, but, they were asked to write the same thing over and over again for 2 weeks except on different paper. Do 2 colourings, same colourings on a worksheet which was written on it as "finger printing". Personally, I feel that she's not learning anything at all in the class, cos everyday, when she returned home, I asked her what she did, she told me colouring, then from day to nite, she will bring out her nursery rhyme book to do colourings and told me her teacher said that was their homework.
On 1 occassion, she drew a picture of herself and learn to write her name, after the teacher marking, the teacher wrote there that she should colour her picture, to me, that is not the crucial and objectives, I feel that as long as her writing are done, it's completed. By seeing that comment, I feel that the school concentrate more on their colourings than their academic, so now, I'm trying to look for a pte kindergarten to attend. The teacher also got attitude, her face like she don't feel like teaching and not devoted to it. I heard from another mother from the same class as my gal told me that she saw her son being beaten up at the chest repeatedly by another student, but the teacher simply ignore it and nvr see it at all unless the mother scream from the window to stop it. My gal was also beaten up by her friend till blueblack. I feel that no matter what, the teacher should step in any fight, or else if our kids suffer from any internal injuries we also don't know.

The above is just my experience with this particular PAP, I feel that different PAP have different circulums and the teachers will be different. So when choosing your PAP, better do a survey and find out more first.

my ds1 attends a pretty good pcf kindergarten in bukit batok. pretty good not in the sense that it focus on academic, but more in the sense that they emphasise on good behaviour and my boy loves to go to school. The academic things taught in school, however, does not meet my expectations, but my boy forbid me to feedback to the teachers, cos he said he enjoys what he does in school (i think they play most of the time ancing_tongue and likes his teachers. So academic wise, i am focusing on enrichment to prepare him for P1.

and also on the focus on colouring, my dh enlightened me and my ds1 on why colouring is one of the main focus for preschoolers - it is crucial to develop the motor skills at this stage (eg colour between the lines), and colouring is a way to exercise the handgrip muscles (it pave the way for good writing skills/how to handle a pencil correctly in the future). developing artistic interest is also done in this way...eg colour coordination.

 

[priscilla]

I have found two church kindergartens that I am happy with the curriculum.
I have visited one and was very impressed with what they are doing with the children, I did not give them early notice for the visit but drop by to see the principal. The preschool is full and I requested to have him on the waiting list so will see how things go.

Will be going down to see my 2nd choice this week. They offered speech and drama, IT course on top of the usual MOE required curriculum plus bible studies, character building modules which I was quite impressed when I called to find out their curriculum. The principal invited me to go down and take a look anytime which is convenience to me during their school hours.

Will give all the feedback when I go next week.

 

[xiaodaisy]

pcf is an affordable source of kindergarten schooling. it exposes your kids to other kids in the social class and teach these kids to mingle well in groups as well as following rules. it does not teach P1 preparatory stuff. that is why it is so cheap! you can either invest in a better childcare, go for church kindergarten or invest in enrichment for your kid outside of pcf hours.

if they increase the standard of pcf and at the same time increase the fees drastically, will you accept it? it will then become unaffordable to the lower income group, which is the target group of families that pcf is suppose to 'service'.

its not cheap at all loh, i donno why my place here is damnnnn soooo expensive loh, last wk just paid dosen de nursery sch fees !!! its not $108 its $129.60 loh !!!!! WTF how come nursery so expensive ah !!!!!!!! aiyoooo i called up n asked dey say oh all along is tis price, never been 108 b4 haiz i tink maybe i forget or wat loh haiz.. but lucky e teacher did change without using force on dosen cos i called up e principal n told her n she say will chat wif e teacher so now better le.. =)

 

[priscilla]

Finally my ds is started school with Calvary Pandan Kindergarten as our 1st choice is still full and no vacancy.

Think life away from Singapore is too relaxed for him and now he is trying to adapt to the educational system here in Singapore. I am happy with his kindergarten and that the principal and teachers knows each pupil's name. As it is a church-run kindergarten, I was able to stay around in the sanctuary and occasionally take a peek at what they are doing. The principal and teachers are very patient with the children, in fact, more patient than me. So far when I am in the 2nd floor sanctuary, I do not hear any shouting or screaming from the teachers but alot of laughters and noise made by the children when they play or listen to story.

There is a lot of seatwork in class beside doing art & craft, which my boy is still trying to adjust. And also homework too. Dh & I came up with a more complicated system to reward my ds when he does his seatwork in class, obey teacher's instructions, share and play well with his friends, do his homework at home, follows our instructions and also read aloud to us on his own. Also other like keeping his toys and helping with housework chores. And when he has collected 90 stickers, he can exchange for cash to keep in his bank, buy a toy or a book below $30.

 

[jedamum]

i am pleasantly surprised that my K2 boy's pcf class taught them about japanese occupation. he came home yesterday informing us about the 12pm siren today. last month, they learnt about Raffles.

 

[priscilla]

It is part of the Total Defence lesson that pupils from nursery all the way to JC will learn about. Ds also learnt about it too.

 

[jedamum]

oic..i thought cos they are from pap, so they extra 'patriotic'.