Kids can be 'enriched' at home too
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You are right that most of the enrichment classes are very ‘fun’. The intent (I hope) is to make learning ‘fun’, and whilst it is still ‘fun’, to expose the children and let them absorb as much as possible.
I start by asking my child first if this is what he wants. I try to tell him that once you start a class, you will have to stick to it, especially when it’s something that he asks for. I hope he understands what I’m saying, because he seemed to agree with me!
In future, I will probably just ask him to choose one thing to learn first, for instance, musical instrument or taekwando (just an example). I will try to tell him that once you decide on it, try to stick to it. Of course, if I find that it is disrupting his school-life / overall well-being, then I will probably have to make the move to pull him out after he has tried hard enough.
You know as parents, we are always in a dilemma. Do you enrol your child in something that he/she is good at and loves (for instance, music), or something which you know he/she is less developed in? -
Oh, and for the record, I also believe that character building begins at home
No school, no matter how branded, can ensure this. I think this is something that parents MUST take ownership on. -
I think the "issue" is whether it is right for us parents say that certain types of enrichment courses are "non-negotiable". Is it good for us to arbitrarily decide on behalf of our children what is good for them? Would that constitute a violation of our children’s rights? Conversely, is it right for us to only let them do the things they like, even though we know there are skills that they need badly which they don’t like acquiring?
The problem with the media is that they tend to sensationalize things. "XYZ are sending their children to expensive pre-schools that they can barely afford". "ABC are making their toddlers attend enrichment courses 6 days a week". And these reports portray such parents as kiasu, brand-conscious, and basically… brainless parents who unnecessarily stress their children. From this thread alone, it is clear that we parents may be kiasu (because the system made us), but we are definitely not stupid. We do generally know the importance of a balanced life for our children.
I suspect the reporters of such articles are probably non-parents. As I have always said… only parents will understand the stress of nurturing children through the complex stratas of our Singapore education system. -
Haha, that is the 'job' of the media
But our job as parents, is to do the best we can for our kids within reasonable limits. I think we can always bring our children to lots of classes, but ultimately, I think our children's health (physical and mental) is most important. I am sure we have met a lot of people who have sick children, and I always try to tell myself how lucky I am to have healthy children. We sometimes forget the most basic things, in pursuit of the 'lofty good-to-haves'.
Ultimately we are all parents, so we can understand the concerns behind each parent's post. We tell ourselves not to be kiasu, but when we hear of other parents sending their kids to very good schools, we are afraid that because of our own 'judgement', we deny our own children. Hence sometimes we are in a dilemma, and as parents we are not perfect too. With my first child I am a little more 'kiasu' haha, but with the second one, I'm more 'relaxed' and more sure of what I want.
What can I say.. it's a learning process -
I am teaching my 18 mth old at the comfort at home
as we are based in a foreign country at the moment since she turns one
where English is not widely spoken, not even to think of getting English or Chinese resources,
her learning path is not deterred.
I am glad & no regrets that i had given up my corporate high heels for
the precious time spent with her.
At 9mths, she spoke her 1st words.
At 14 mths, she had learnt & well versed in phonetic alphabets with
some help from edu DVD & through our play time.
She also learnt to read some basic 200++ English & Chinese words on
flash cards (which i bought from SG but i don flash, let her admire the
pictures) & my hand-written cards with words on 1 side & cut-out pictures
on the other, from mag/ brochures/ product catalogues.
At 18 mths, she can recite the 26 alphabets,
-count to 12 (read numerals to 20),
-tell the characteristics of animals (eg, lion has mane/ bear has paws/ zebra has strips),
-reading 3-letter word phonic cards (home-made),
-indicates when she need to go to the toilet (esp, poop),
-take instructions to keep her toys/ books,
-ask for \"help\" or \"please\" if she is requesting for something
-read simple sentences (esp large fonts)
-recognise the basic 11 colours
-recognise the basic shapes
-hold a paint brush/ crayon properly by herself & doodle
-play a normal playground slide by herself etc.
Early education/ literary is important as the child is able to express
herself better hence less tantrum.
She will still have moments of mischief, after all she is still a toddler.
Had never forced her into anything that she is not willing to take on.
Stop when she indicates if enough.
Had never spent a single cent on academic enrichment class so far & had improvised many learning resources.
Now even the local baby gym is free in the shopping mall, what i can ask for!
The best thing i had spent as a parent is TIME!
I dont think my child is exceptionally brilliant but we simply enjoy the time playing & learning together. :love:
Some day I will send her to enrichment classes like music/ learning an
instrument which is way beyond my capability.
I hope she can interact with her peers well despite she had learnt many things ahead.
By giving her a sound foundation, i hope she will work herself up the level
where she is comfortable. She is the one who is responsible for her future, not me!
I came from some branded sec school/ Uni myself with my own effort
with no enhancement of enrichment courses/ tuition classes.
Not born with a silver spoon, of course.
Likewise, my children had to work hard for what they would like to achieve.
If eveyone is No. 1, then who will be no. 2? just my 2 cts worth. -
rachelmum,
Thanks for sharing
I also believe that kids learn best at home, when given one to one attention.
Kids who are sent to enrichment classes before the age of 4 generally do not learn as much as kids who are taught by their mommies at home. It is really a big waste of money but many parents do not understand that.
I used to send my boy to Zoophonics enrichment class. After 5 months, he learned nothing. I withdrew him from the class. Each month cost me $100. I wasted not only the money spent, but also the time bringing him there and waiting for him.
I decided to teach my kids at home. I myself is a full time working mommy, and I can only afford to spend 15 - 20 minutes a day teaching my kids. Both my kids are able to read very well before the age of 5. And it is not just simple picture books, but books with more than 200 hundred words a page :
http://tamarindphonics.blogspot.com/2009/09/books-they-love.html
No other enrichment classes in Singapore, no matter how expensive, can claim to be able to do that.
My younger boy is of average learning ability, with an attention span of less than 5 mins. He learns well only when given one to one attention.
The only enrichment class my kids go to is Berries chinese class which I think is worth the money because the teachers do give each child one to one attention for at least a short period of time during every lesson.
You also brought up a very important point of spending quality time learning together. Many mommies think that teaching kids at home means hard work. However, I enjoy every minute when I listen to my kids read out loud to me everyday. We have so much fun acting out the story and there are often lots of laughter when the kids are learning. It is so much better than watching TV or playing computer games. -
Hi Rachelmum,
thanks for sharing your experience. It is very inspirational to reach about successful home education. NOwadays, many mothers depend too much on outside enrichment classes thinking that it will give the child an edge on the academic ladder. Sometimes, we bring them to enrichment classes as an excuse not to teach them ourselves. Or we do not try hard enough to spend some time dedicated to teaching our child. I think many mums buy into all these marketing gimmicks of how some centres promise to turn your child around etc etc. After reading your posting, i am determined not to sign up for all these expenisve enrichment classes for time being and put more effort into home educating. I have seen some really intelligent angmo kids around 2 to 3 yrs of age and they are all self taught by their moms. And i have seen kids who go to shichida, GUG etc.. and they dun seem very brilliant to me. I think it all depends on the parents utimately to nuture your children. Spending money is never a guarantee of success. It makes the parents feel like they are doing something for the child but there is no guuarantee that spending all those money to get them ready for P1 will mean anything. Moreover, now many schools have scrapped exams for P1. I think giving them a positive learning experience and giving a good foundation early in life on approach to things is every important to cultivate them and prepare them for the future. It is the character that builds the person and drives his future success. Not so much who knows ABCs at an earlier age. I am so sick of mums who keep comparing to see whose kids can recognise all the alphabets, read words or speak sentences or sing that song... does it all mean anything??? We are the ones creating the black hole and sucking into it ourselves by failing to recognise that education is more than all these indicators. Knowing your ABCs at a young age doesn't guarantee that ur be a smart thinking kid. I think nuturing a kid from young on self confidence to solve their problems can lead to so much more in life.
Anyway, just my two cents worth. :celebrate: -
The wonderful thing abt this forum is that because of the 'sharing sessions', parents are then able to make sound judgements about issues they need answers to.
As a mother of a 27 mth old, I too was interested in some of the enrichment courses like Shichida etc... Because he is my only child, I really wanted to have the best of evrything and not deprive him of anything if its gging to benefit him. Then I came across this forum while searching for a preschool, and aft going thru the relevant threads and blogs, like Tamarind's, Buds etc.. I have to say that these postings really gave me a clearer perspective as to what I really want for my son.
At the end of the day, I did not sign him up for any enrichment classes but rather am teaching him at home. And I emphasize alot on character education, the instilling of values like saying please, thank you, asking for permission together with the imparting of academic knowledge. He only attends Mandarin playgrp 2x a week because we do not come from a mandarin speaking backgrd and I want him to start early and he goes for gym once a week.
Later on as he grows older, like Rachelmum, I will send him for lessons on how to play a musical instrument. I have even scrapped the idea of sending him for art lessons for the time being. Instead, I bought an easel and let him draw and paint and if I believe he has the potential to be really good in art, then I will encourage him further by enrolling him for a suitable art class. As for the enrichment courses like Shichida, personally, I feel that my child's way of thinking and absorbing information shd be developed naturally. Again, if I think he is having problems with that, then I will consider putting him in these classes, but only if whatever methods I have tried with him have failed.
At the moment, he is doing really fine at home. I do, however, make it a point to enrol him for short holidays courses like the ones conducted by zoophonics so that he gets to mingle abit with other kids when his playgrp stops for the holidays.
To end off, I'd really like to say a big :thankyou: to the 'regulars' in this forum and to the many others who have willingly taken the time to share their inputs. -
tamarind:
For me all enrichments are optional. English and Chinese will be taught in school, unless they are not able to cope then will I send them for additional enrichments for these.
I think english and chinese enrichment classes are definitely non-negotiable. Where to find kids who will say that they like to study ?
But anything other than that, I totally respect my kid's choice. Then when he grows up and ask me \"Mommy why you never let me learn piano\", then I can say \"You say you don't want mah !\" Good way to save money too.
For me enrichments are for letting them experience more or learn things that are not taught in school or to nurture a talent that they may have exhibited, not to put them ahead of the school syllabus.
I am one of those mummies who cannot teach. I envy and at the same time am humbled by those who are really able to put in that effort and make it work as well. I have tried, but it is just not in me. -
Funz:
For me all enrichments are optional. English and Chinese will be taught in school, unless they are not able to cope then will I send them for additional enrichments for these.tamarind:
I think english and chinese enrichment classes are definitely non-negotiable. Where to find kids who will say that they like to study ?
But anything other than that, I totally respect my kid's choice. Then when he grows up and ask me \"Mommy why you never let me learn piano\", then I can say \"You say you don't want mah !\" Good way to save money too.
For me enrichments are for letting them experience more or learn things that are not taught in school or to nurture a talent that they may have exhibited, not to put them ahead of the school syllabus.
I am one of those mummies who cannot teach. I envy and at the same time am humbled by those who are really able to put in that effort and make it work as well. I have tried, but it is just not in me.
If we wait until the child is in P1 and shows that he cannot cope, then it will be too late. We also have to take into consideration the quality of teachers in primary schools. Not all school teachers are good in teaching. I often heard of school teachers telling parents that their kids need tuition !
The standards of English and Chinese in P1 are so high nowadays. Kids must start to learn both English and Chinese from 3 years old in order to be able to follow up in P1. It is better to start early, learn consistently for a short period of time every day, compared to cramping all the learning in K2 or P1.
It is not about putting the child ahead of the syllabus. I have heard of a case where a P1 child had to withdraw from the school and go back to kindergarten because he could not cope.
Actually I wrote that statement back in Jun 2008. I also wrote this :tamarind:
I meant it for parents who cannot teach their kids at home, and their kids are attending kindergartens which may not prepare the kids well for P1. Enrichment classes for English and Chinese are necessary for these kids if parents want them to have an easier time in P1.I agree that many parents probably do not know how to teach phonics,etc. So it will be beneficial to send the kids to a phonics enrichment class, or a Chinese enrichment class if the child is not in a chinese speaking environment.
In my case, my kids do not attend any English enrichment classes (except my girl who attended 11 months of phonics class and nothing more), because I am able to teach them English at home. However, I do not have enough time to teach them Chinese at home, so I sent them to Berries. Their kindergartens do teach both English and Chinese, but I want them to have a very strong foundation in the languages, so they don't have to struggle when they are in primary school.
When I teach at home, I actually do not follow the primary school syllabus at all. My kids are not doing any primary school assessment books. Instead, I let them read all the wonderful children's classics, which they enjoy very much, and at the same time, they build up their vocabulary and learn grammar
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