"donations" to international schools

[ML]

Actually I took Montessori certification to pass the time when I had my daughter and after viewing a bunch of Montessoris in Singapore in 98, I wasn't too impressed. Very loosey goosey interpretation in some schools. But that's  a good consideration too since she's so young and schools have likey improved.

expat, for some reason I was sitting here panicking thinking she was turning 5 this year. Thanks for getting my head straight!

tiffiny, thanks for your comments. I will have to check out Dovercourt.

Basically, I just want my daughter to be happy and to learn something besides play which she does all day now with her cousin and pest of a little brother, and has done in the past year in California. She used to come home moaning and groaning that "I don't do anything in school". She was actually beginning to forget everything she absorbed from her old daycare which taught them abcs, colours, etc. as a part of their play-based learning. The kids just loved it!

[ML]

Oh, about UWC and Tanglin. Since they pick the "cream of the crop" so to speak, are they extremely rigid in teaching? I'm starting to think that I'll have to find something that lies in between CIS and Tanglin/UWC if that's the case. I would really love her to pick up Mandarin as well while we're there.

[Tanglinite]

Tanglin is a non selective school academically.  

[Liya]

FoodForThought, I am absolute agree with you.

I don't like the SELECTION method, sometimes it can come against !

I enrolled my girls (4,8) to the CIS, the Administration officer was kind to send the application,and had positive attitude .
From what i have heard (i can assure you, i made my own research ..) the CIS is not lax at all. In matter of fact that is the main reason we are sending our daughters to this school.

Being a tough school does not assure at ALL, creative thinking, open mind to explore and to understand math problems (for example),it encourage your child in most cases to learn by hard,pass the exams and to fear from his teachers.  

Personaly, i want my girls to discover the Science trend, and i belive that by illustration and realization the problems, my girls will understand (not just know by hard) all kind of Science problems and develop creative thinking.

[Mapleleaf]

Liya, the bad reviews of CIS came from very experienced ex-teachers at CIS who are Canadian and now live in Canada. I suppose that would put my expectations at generally the same level as theirs having been educated in the Canadian system for most of our lives. It really concerns me that the criticisms come from qualified Canadians who chose instead to send their kids to Tanglin and UWC. Just a thought...  

[expat]

Yes, I have to agree with Tanglinite - and re-iterate that both Tanglin and UWC do not enrol on academic aptitude (this changes to some extent at Senior school level), but will only enrol pupils who have a fluent command of English. My son is dyslexic and has learning support at Tanglin. I'm very satisfied with the extra help which is available.

I have a number of women friends with children at Tanglin nursery and the children absolutely love it (and they look like little darlings in the tartan uniforms!). There is no rigid teaching, it is "learning through play" at this level.    

[expat]

Just a postscript: You obviously would like your daughter to celebrate the Canadian holidays, but do you know that there is a Canadian Association in Singapore? I'm sure that they probably have family-oriented activities to celebrate Canadian holidays and events (I once saw their monthly magazine in the Anza office). I don't know the phone no. but they are based at the American Club premises in 21 Scotts Road.  

[expat]

Yet another postscript: the website for the Canadian Association is -
http://web.singnet.com.sg/~cdnasg/index.html

Hope this helps!

[ML]

Thanks all! You've been really helpful. At least I will have a shortlist of schools in mind when we get there and I'll know what to look for. It's wonderful to be able to have a choice between Canadian and international! And actually, compared to back home, the fees for private school are very comparable.

Thanks expat, for the CAS link. I had completely forgotten about that. (Although I have to add that I found the Brit Association MUCH livelier!)