Posted by
J.D.
20 yrs ago
I have a few questions.....
My son is aged 2 years and 3 months. I've started looking into playgroups and preschools for him as I hear there can be long waiting lists. Does anyone have (or previously had) their child at the Highgate House Waldorf school on the Peak? Any comments?
Apart from that school, I'm finding that even the playgroups are very structured, let alone the preschool. One playgroup we trialled had all the kids playing with the same things at the same time, eg. first lego, then reading, then drawing, etc. And the comment I've had from all the preschools I've been too (excluding Highgate) is that the kids will be able to read and count by the time they're 4-4.5.
This is very different to what I've seen in Australia where playgroups are pretty unstructured with the kids choosing to play with whatever they want. And I'm not interested in having a "trained" child in preschool. Australia I gather is somewhat different in that primary school doesn't start until the child is 5 and the focus is not on academic achievement in kindergarten, so perhaps I just need to get used to different systems.
I'm also amazed that preschool starts so young (under 3), and that it can be 5 mornings a week. My boy is quite clingy and I don't want to force him to separate before he's emotionally ready.
What are your views and experiences? How did your child(ren) cope or adapt to the schooling in HK? Do you know of any playgroups and preschools that are less structured? I haven't yet tried the HKPPA playgroup, and we were thinking of looking at an ESF preschool.
And lastly, we don't know how long we'll be in HK (local contract) and if we leave we are not necessarily going back to Aus. Any views on what schools/educational systems provide a good general grounding and make your child more adaptable to new circumstances (emotionally and academically)?
Would appreciate any comments, positive or negative.
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MC
20 yrs ago
JD, there are lots of postings on this subject. Do a search and you will find out plenty. There are lots of playgroups or pre-schools of various types. The one I liked when my daughter was your son's age (she is now 6), was Montessori. The one we sent her to was Woodland on Caine Rd. Since then an international montessouri on Queen's Rd. opened and is very good. I now put my daughter there for the summer when her regular school closes. Guess it also somewhat depends on your budget. Montessouri is quite expensive. I didn't like HKPPA. Looked at others but didn't think they were professional enough.
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J.D.
20 yrs ago
Thanks for your response MC. I had done a search but didn't get the answers I was looking for.
There are alot of positive comments about Woodlands and Montessori. We had a look at Woodlands on Caine Road and it seemed ok but again very structured. And, my mother-in-law is a kindergarten teacher back in Aus and she disagrees with the Montessori approach (she keeps reminding me it was developed for underpriveliged children). I trust my mother-in-law's opinion as she has a really good reputation as a director of a kindergarten. She advocates the Waldorf Steiner approach, although she uses a combination of methods/approaches herself. However, there are only a couple of comments about the Highgate School in the threads here and they are only references to "heard this".
I'm also not sure whether to actually put my son into a preschool so early, or to leave it until later. Most of the threads here seem to accept the HK system and work with it. Does anyone keep their kids at home until they're say 4? Does this make it more difficult for them to adjust to school when they attend because they're behind? (I realise that this may make it more difficult to get into a pre-school hence we're looking at enrolling him at a younger age.)
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MC
20 yrs ago
Personal I do believe in structured environment and mine experience with Montessouri was excellent. The system is such here in HK that if you keep you child at home till he was 4, it might be a bit difficult for him to get into a good regular school. Of course, unless you do home schooling. I personally think those who stay at home tends to lack social abilities. Again very much depends on each child.
The reason not much comments are found on this site regarding Highgate is that it just is not a school most of the people (writes on this site) send their children to.
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cd
20 yrs ago
My 3rd child didn't start school here till he was 4 1/4, certainly did him no harm. My 4th one started Kindy late and did 1 year and 1 term which was late. My last one is starting in Sep at 3/12 so a bit later than usual here, and that was after much deliberation. I love having them at home and taking them out and about, they learn so much from us. But I know she will love kindy and having 4 older siblings that she sees off to school every day, is always asking when she can go to school.
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From my persoanl experience, I think preschool was one of the best things for my son. I was a bit apprehensive about it at first. He started going just under three years of age and he loves it. I think he was bored at home, as he is an only child. He is, though, a very active child who loves to socialize. He has plenty of friends and there are lots of activities for him to do at school. I find he has developed more both mentally and socially and is starting to write some letters and speak some Chinese. Plus, I noticed he has calmed down a lot because he has to "conform" to classroom rules and regulations and knows the boundaries of proper behaviour. He now goes half day but next August he will be in full time.
My personal feeling is that one is never too young to learn, and kids do absorb alot at this age. However, it is your own personal decision when to put your child in school.
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cd
20 yrs ago
sorry it should have read 1 year and 1 term was enough - not late.
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J.D.
20 yrs ago
Thanks for all your responses - interesting to hear your views.
NLW, if we were back in Aus, I would probably not have put him into kinder until he was 4. I was worried about getting him into our preferred preschool here (assuming we find one) when he's 4 as most of the ones we've spoken to say they obviously take existing students first and then they have a waiting list, and sometimes alot of kids miss out. But now I think I'll hold off and just find other ways of developing his social skills.
Mealnie07, my mum-in-law did say that in her view preschool at a young age can be good for kids who are very social. My son is not social - he's quite shy and reserved. It took him almost a whole semester to get comfortable at kindermusik back in Aus.
And MC, I should have said I don't oppose Montessori for all kids (that's why I checked one out), but I think a less structured environment would be better for my son. My husband and I are both mathematicians so I think we're probably quite structured and logical, therefore I'd prefer our son to develop his imagination and curiosity. That's why I am looking at Highgate House. (And interestingly I found the Woodland Montessori school less structured than the Woodland Happy Valley school.)
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@@
20 yrs ago
City Kidz - HKPPA Without a doubt is one of the most "Aussie" style preschools. The school isn't project driven, is parent run and the toys don't have to go back into plastic bags! Only problem at the moment is the waiting list.
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J.D.
20 yrs ago
Thanks @@ - I'll have a look at it. And see how long the waiting list is.
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J.D.
20 yrs ago
Thanks Lammum, your comments are particularly useful. If we leave HK in the next 3 to 5 years then we may end up in the UK. So we're considering putting our son through the ESF schools, or one with an UK based curriculum. (It absolutely amazes me that schools interview such young children.)
I'm not too concerned about our son being confined to an apartment as our building has good facilities. And I will organise other activities for him (kindermusik?, gymbaroo?).
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Check out City Kidz on Borrett Rd - a HKPPA run pre-school. they also run playgroups. It is the closest i have found to Australian style learn through play preschools in HK. Don't be pressured to "conform" to the local system of sending your child off so young. Our oldest is 3 and has just recently started going to a playgroup, accompanied by me or our helper, which will eventually lead to her going alone. And I refuse to allow her to go 5 days a week - it means i have had to pay full tuition fees (ie. for a 5 day week) and just not send her, but that is our choice as a family. She too is quite clingy but getting better. Good luck.
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@@
20 yrs ago
Just a note about City Kidz - you can apply to be a duty parent which requires one morning a week to help in the class room (and lower fees) but otherwise you don't need to stay.
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