Last December, we enrolled Sarah at a nearby school, Melody Kindy. She was put in the Nursery class for 2-3 year old toddlers, which runs from 8-12nn. I was there on her first day, of course a big day for both of us. Surprisingly, I was the only parent who accompanied a kid on the first day of class.
During the mid-morning snack time, kids with baon (packed food) can start eating. I packed a sandwich and fruit slices for Sarah so she got to eat right away. Kids who didn't bring anything are called one by one and were provided 2 small biscuits. However, this process took a long time as most kids are not yet proficient in scooping biscuits with a spoon. Why not just ask them to use their hands in getting biscuits right? The kids who finished eating started to wander around and tinker with the toys in the open cabinets. They got scolded and asked to sit again. What the heck are the toys for then? Just for display? Mind you, the kids also have to wait until the teachers finish their food. There was no music playing in the background, no toys/puzzles for the kids to amuse themselves, not even a kiddie show on tv. They just expect the kids to sit down and wait.
The second part of the morning was spent upstairs, where they have different play areas such as cooking, painting, puzzle, playhouse, among others. Here, the 13 toddlers were grouped into four and each group spent about 15minutes in one play area while the rest of the class waited in the open mat with toys and puzzles. But once a kid strays away from the mat, the teacher is quick to scold that kid to go back and stay within the mat area only. Sarah also went from one play area to another but she was scolded gently, primarily because I was there.
I was expecting a play-based learning approach with more singing and story-telling and A LOT LESS SCOLDING. I'm pretty sure much more scoldings happen when there's no parent around.
The next two days when I pick her up at noon, she's so relieved to see me, hugging me real tight with signs of tears in her eyes. Sarah ended up spending only 3 days in that kindy school before we pulled her out. She said she doesn't want to go to the yellow school anymore. (Note that a few weeks before, she was very, very excited to go to school.) When asked why, her reply was, "The teachers are not nice." I can't say I blame her as I've seen firsthand how the teachers operate in the class.
Getting the refund was also a nightmare, of the RM1200+ school & miscellaneous fees we paid, we only got back RM270 and a few pieces of workbooks.
Anyway, Ravi and I have already decided that Sarah will only go to school when she turns 4 next year. We feel that with Sarah's restless and highly inquisitive nature, which she got from her father, she won't fit in a traditional kindy school. We're looking into enrolling her in the school right in front of our apartment, the Fairview International School.
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| Morning assembly with some exercise and kindy theme song singing |
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| Snack time kids are expected to sit still for almost an hour. No kiddie music playing in the background, no toys or puzzles to while away the time. |
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| At the play mat upstairs with some shape puzzle |
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| Playing horsie |
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| Playing puzzle with another boy |
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| Have to keep within the mat area |
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| Wearing her kindy uniform on her second day. Look at that forced smile/smirk haha |
That's too bad, Marz.:( If Neil was in the same situation, I would pull him out, too. Baka ma-trauma with school, instead of enjoying it. We're grateful to have found a good school here, 2.5 years and counting. I hope Sarah will enjoy the next one.
ReplyDeleteHi Dee, my concern is there's very few choices of schools here in Penang. Either you send the kid to an IS or they go to typical Malaysian schools, walang private schools. Both Ravi and Vishnu (eldest son) are pushing IS for Sarah, where they say she'll be more suitable. Good to know Neil is enjoying his schooling :)
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