Preschool Curriculum

[metz]

kwcllf:

the teacher hardly teaches them to read and only read to them some times. Is this normal?

Hi,

I am surprised to hear that. The few preschools I came across do actively teach K1s to read. For my son's kindy (K1), the kids are taught to read a set of English and Chinese readers.

[luvmum]

My child is currently at N2 moving to K1 next yr. There is no independent reading at her CC, teachers read to them as a group. Hence, I will need to encourage self reading to her at home. Now, she is able to read on her own after reinforcing with her a few rounds. This is also something I feel lacking in her present CC. Self reading (start with simple sentence) should begins at N2, I feel. :shock:

[jedamum]

My boy who was at a PCF kindergarten has no reading programme too.

They have to signed up for optional lessons, which I did for their phonics, but wasn’t any much help.
What they did in class is basically focus on conversational aspect of English and Chinese and no structured word recognition or phonics programme

[en107rn.01056yahoo.01056com.01056sg]

My kids were from childcare before transferring out to kindergarten. My dd was in childcare up to nursery level & there was no phonics. There’s not much written work either. When I ask why there’s not much academic work, the principal’s replied it was due to MOE direction, learn through play.


Even in the kindergarten level, dd was in one of the private kindy, there’s no phonic. I then transfer ds out to PCF which also cover very simple work & again no phonic. Yes, just like what jedamum state, there’s optional class which ds attended for 1 month & then I pulled him out. Very simple work & I think they cover a bit of phonic but not professionally done.

[magg]

Hi all,


My boy is now in Holy Family Church Kindergarten. As a working mum, I find the 2 or 3 hour programme insufficient and they follow the primary schools’ holiday calendar.

Am thinking of putting my boy in full day care centres. Any comments on the curriculum of Sparkle Tots - Alexandra or Commonwealth? Thinking of sending my boy to their N2 class next year.

[en107rn.01056yahoo.01056com.01056sg]

Insider wrote [quote]During their pilot project stage whereby maybe 20 centres were selected to test out this approach, heard those guninea pig kids suffered greatly when they entered P1[/quote]
Dd & ds were from NTUC Childcare. When I was about to withdraw them, the principal told me that spelling & writing will only be touched 1 month before they hit P1. :shock: When was this pilot project implemented? The school also told me that ds was able to read by 2 years old. I'm skeptical. It's more of remembering page by page rather than reading. :?

insider wrote

Good phonics teachers are difficult to come by. To see whether a phonic optional programme is effective or not, think it maybe fairer if you can give them to try out 10 lessons. 1 month maybe a bit too short to come to a conclusion of a programme is no good (but if you listen to the phonics teacher. If she can't even articulate accurately, then can pull out even after 1 lesson...)[quote]Oh. I pull out after a month as ds requested it & have no regrets.  :mrgreen: I'm very curious insider & need your expertise on the following. It's only in P1 that some children are identified as dyslexic & at P3 to identify gifted. Why can't the identification be done at an earlier age when they are in K1 or K2? How about MMI that allow accelaration of level, nursery, to K1 or K2 within a short time frame. What is your thought on that?[/quote]

[magg]

jedamum:

My boy who was at a PCF kindergarten has no reading programme too.

They have to signed up for optional lessons, which I did for their phonics, but wasn't any much help.
What they did in class is basically focus on conversational aspect of English and Chinese and no structured word recognition or phonics programme

Hi JedaMum and EN,

I sent my boy to TumbleTots' rightstart toddler programme where they teach phonics. I attended every lesson with him as it requires parents to participate in the 1.5 hr lesson. I think they use the LetterLand phonics programme. The programme was interesting for the toddlers and well taught by the teachers. Funny thing is now that my son (just turned 3 in Nov 08) could recognise the letter 'e' and says 'eddie elephant!' and makes the phonic sound of 'e' but dunno that the letter 'e' is called 'e'. LOL ... That just shows how impactful the programme is.

There are programmes for up to 4 years old. May wanna take a look at this site. I find the toddlers programme a good bonding exercise and it benefits both me and the tod.

http://www.rightstart.com.sg/index.php?page=programmes#2

[en107rn.01056yahoo.01056com.01056sg]

Hello Magg


Thanks for the feedback & sharing the link. I’m sure a lot of parents will find it useful.

By the way, jedamum & myself, must be in the wrong thread. My daughter will be in P4 & my son will be P2 next year. Jedamum’s son will be in P1 next year.

Guess, our sons survive PCF as for my dd private kindy. We just want to share that not all childcare centre & kindergarten touch on phonics. What insider commented earlier on is actually an eye opener for us.

[raisintan]

Hi insider,


Some are of the view that PCF offers a good set of cirriculum with their established network and following closely to MOE’s guidelines. From your experience, what do you think?

[buds]

Heyya all.


Wanna share a tiny observation from an
unfortunate incident i noticed. This scenario
happened while i was having a quiet lunch
with my 2 kiddies at a neighbourhood Mac Donalds,
which had a nearby Cambridge branch.

Our quiet lunch was interrupted by screaming
ladies. After further observation, little cuties
entered the Mac Donalds, seemingly eager to
celebrate a birthday of some sort.

The ladies were observed to have a China accent
while interacting with the children. It did not seem
like a fun party at all. Apart from the broken English
instructions shouted to the small cuties, the demeaning
method of standing up to shout to a small child down
there looking up at ya... i tell you, my girls were wide-
eyed! While the party was going on, the ladies were chatting
away and left the Mac D staff to co-ordinate on their own.

The children were not brought to wash their hands after the
short games segment and told to quickly finish up their food.
None of the children displayed happy faces, not even half a
smile from the birthday child.

More shouting ensued till after the party was over and the
children had to walk back to the centre, with the China
teachers still nagging away at the kids loudly..

When they were out of sight, my little kiddie said...
\"So poor thing ya mum the children...\" Then, she
squeezed my arm.

Boy, was that a great time for me to quip,
\"That's why, you two are lucky children to have your
mummy stay home and take care of you..\"

Thats when a quick reply came again from the lilttle one..
\"Ya, mum. Its okay, we don't need so many toys. We're
bigger now. So you don't need to go to work or send us
to childcare. Just stay home to take care of us... We like
that better, thanks mum!\"

And followed by an even stronger arm squeeze..
This is what makes my day.. everyday.

:celebrate:

So, for that alone Cambridge was out for me.
All those colourful posters boasting highly interactive
activities and a holistic curriculum plus the option of
various enrichment pgrms all at one stop...
Doesn't work for me.

Theory vs Application?
So very true.

If clothes make the man..
Great teachers are the curriculum..

Yes, do not waste time on the administrators.
They're trained to say what they say. And sell
the centre's pgrm. Doesn't mean the one who
answers your phone inquiry that articulates so
well till it impressed you to sign up mean, that
all the staff INSIDE are like that...

If the centre has nothing to hide, the administrators
themselves will obligingly offer for you to meet up
with the teacher and see a class in action. After which
you may then sign up for a trial to see if your child
responds positively to the teacher.

Montessori Trained teachers may not always display
the ideal Montessorian attitude too. So, be careful
what you pay for. Brand or quality.. A big household
name does not automatically qualify it being good.

Eventually, its still..
1. Teachers.
2. Teachers.
3. Teachers.
4. Environment.
5. Curriculum.
6. Fees.

When in doubt at your first pre-school shopping attempt,
try to opt for those with flexible days/hours kinda centres.
Less commitment for you to put yourself to and less worry
that if your child does not adapt well, you will lose out on
the $$$ put into it.

Reading Readiness?
No one perfect way to teach reading skills effectively.
Importantly, lessons must be fun! And i never fail to end
>with a good teacher. A good teacher has passion in her.
You can feel it when its the ONE. Hehee...

But where?
Happy hunting.