late application

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bumpkin

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newbie poster, so please be gentle...
we just found out that we are moving to HK, which sounds great to everyone in the family. The only problem is that we have a 2.5 years old son and most kindergartens have stopped accepting applications, esp. those have mandarin / english classes. The only resolution we can come up is that we send him to an english program and apply for the year 2009-2010, hoping that he can get into a mandarin program at the age of 4. While we don't mind our son studying with kids a year younger than he is, is it possible for schools to accept him like this? or have you seen anything like this?

There must be others who have missed the appliation period, how did you cop with this sort of schooling issue?

A small note: We both speak english and mandarin so we hope he will learn both as well. Since we are going to move back to U.S. in 2-4 years, we think that we just worry about his madarin now...

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated...

bumpkin :Butbut
 
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hi bumpkin,

yes, most deadline for new application for yr 2008-2009 r over. however it is still possible for you to put your child name in the waiting list. And if you are open to kindergartens other than International School, there might still be vacancy in the coming academic year.
 
i was just at a kindie in sai kung. (the ONLY one that i have looked at). my boy was born in feb 2005. they still have room for him in sept.

i haven't checked around too much, as i'm not overly concerned that he have 3 years of kindie...

my point is just that there are places available, you just need to look a little.
 
Do check out Tutor Time. I know that they'll accept 'outside' applications (i.e., those not currently enrolled) starting from Feb, so this means that you still have time. What's more, Tutor Time is 50/50 English/Mandarin. My son is currently enrolled in K1 there and we are quite happy with his progress in both English and Mandarin.

Please feel free to PM if you have more questions.
 
We don't know exactly yet but should be somewhere near hong kong island if it is not on the island. We still hope to get him in to SZ someday.

Bumpkin:Butbut
 
Sorry for the confusion, carang. I meant Kiangsu & Chekiang School (I am from mainland China but living in the States now, Su Zhe is Putonghua / mandarin abbreviation of this school's name.)

I just feel that one has to be in the environment in order to learn the language so I can't say that I am open to anything. He already mixes English and Mandarin together when he speaks now, introducing him to Cantonese would be even more confusing, especially none of us understands it at the moment. :mad:

Another question, he is still in diapers now and we just started potty training. What is the "standard" expection on that at schools? Does a kid need to be 100% off-diaper/training pants before they can be accepted at a kindie?

Thanks in advance,

Bumpkin:Butbut
 
I think if your child is 3 and starting kindergarten they need to be toilet trained, i.e. 100% no diaper!
I think you will find it difficult to find a sch that will accept a child at 3 who is still in diapers.....as no teacher/assistant is going to change their diaper during the day!

KCIS is oversubscribed! My son is 15 mnths and due to start kdg in Sept 2009 and his name is already on waiting list for KCIS.....they have already recieved a number of applications for his year.
 
hi bumpkin,

i hv fren who was on waiting list for KCIS, and she manage to got a space just b4 the new academic term start. i believe some parent register v early and withdraw last min and hence, there are vacancy. This happen to us for Victoria Kindergarten as well. So, no harm putting your kid name on the waitlist.
 
hi

how early can we register ? I checked with Victoria and they said that kids born in year 2006 will go to K1 in September 2009 so the forms available only in September 2008 same for ESF. Does every school have different registration dates.

Thanks
 
This is exactly the reason why I get frustrated about moving to HK. In the area where I live, probably only one third the kids under three would go to a child center or pre preschool, what they do there mostly is just play. They focus more on social skills that young children need to develop. I can hardly find words like curriculum on these places' web. However, since no one begged us to move to HK, we have to play by the HK rules.

B:Butbut
 
no, you do NOT have to play by hk rules. you do NOT need to get sucked into the system if you do not want to. i haven't been. the ONLY reason i am considering sending my child is that we live WAY out of town and there are no children his age around to play with.

a three year old's main job should be play. i still believe that. even if i decide to send him to school, i WILL NOT care about homework/tests/assessments etc. his reason for being there is to learn the social skills I BELIEVE are more important.

i am NOT passing judgement on those who really want their children to "learn". it is my belief that children "learn" best through play. i do not believe that i am succumbing to the local mentality by considering school or that it is necessary to do so. if your child does well at the primary school interview, it has no bearing what kindergarten he/she went to. your child can still be accepted without any kindergarten at all.
 
I agree with Cara, I personally think there is way too much pressure on young children in HK and that homework for kindergarten aged children is just ridiculous! Reading books with Mummy and Daddy is something that any kindergarten should encourage but anything more than that is just insane!

I think preschool education is important for a lot of children, by the age of 3 a lot of children need the new environment, learning opportunities and challenges that kindergarten brings and provides.
HOWEVER not all children do, and recent resarch in the UK shows that pushing children at too young an age into pre school education (espec boys) can be disastrous for how well they do at school later on.

My son is only 15 mnths old and already on lists for kindergarten.....because I have chosen where I want him to start school carefully and it's important to me that he gets a place. My decision hasn't been made on academic results alone.....if you can talk about such a thing for 3 year olds!!!!! :)

A lot of popular kindergartens in HK are oversubscribed and if you want to gurantee a place for your child there you do, to a degree, have to buy into the system.

Schooling is not compulsary for HK children until the age of six.
 
If possible, I centainly want to be your child at my next life. :yeah2

However, pressure is not totally a bad thing. Competition can also be beneficial. What's more important are how we deal with them and to teach our children how to deal with them. After all, aren't there always something like that at work or in our lives? and we do have the right to pull out our children, don't we?
 
yes, but in your work environment, you are a completely functioning ADULT with the capability to UNDERSTAND the situation.

a 3 year old does NOT have these faculties yet.

i have a student, just turned 4 and his parents INSIST that he learn to read. he knows his phonics and he can read short words and sentences. but the parents continue to buy books for him to read that are light-years from his capability. he then refuses to even try to read the books. i weekly explain to the parents that all they are succeeding in doing is pushing their son AWAY from the enjoyment of reading. it's the PARENTS that don't get it. not the child.

ANY pressure for a 3 year old is TOO much!
 
I agree with cara......there is no reason why a three, four or even five year old should be under pressure for any reason.

Yes, at some point our children will need to learn how to survive in high pressure, competitive environments but pressurising a kindergarten age child is just cruel........! Sorry that sounds harsh but it's what I believe.

Rsearch shows, time and time again, that children pushed to do things they hate/ can not do, or pushed into doing things before they are developmentally ready to do it will hold themselves back. It also turns them off learning for life!!

But it all boils down to how we define happiness and success?

As a parent do you believe happiness lies in academic success etc. or does it lie in other things?

I was very academic as a child and teenager and yet it isn't in my academic success that I have found my greatest happiness in life.

I want to be able to provide my children with the best start in life....what parent doesn't? But for me that start means so much more than just the school they attend and the education they recieve......!

I want my children to be happy, confident children who are allowed to develop their own individual talents in their own time......I guess this all sounds a bit idealistic and my son is still very young so I have yet to put my theory to the test, or practice but it is what I believe in and hope to practice.
 
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