Remember my post about IB vs. British Curriculum?
Well, I do really value the merits of the IB curriculum. But no exam till Grades 11 and 12? Is this correct? How can?
But the British Curriculum is rather outdated....unless they modify like what the boys' school is currently doing. They had a talk about International Primary Curriculum the other day. I didn't attend the talk, which I should have. They actually emphasised the importance of international curriculum as Britain is no longer THE empire it used to be...the world is a fast changing place...India and China... many current jobs will be obsolete by the time our kids enter work force..blah blah blah (I know the outline from a friend who attended. She was quite funny as she went to school in Britain. And she was like "why the heck do I want to know how many wives Henry the VII has, do you know what I mean??").
Anyway, Yes. I am somewhat set on the IB curriculum...but abit apprehensive about the no external exams bit till Grades 11/12. Sure they would have internal assessments...but it's still not the same. Some moms are not convinced of the IB curriculum....because we are the O-levels/A-levels group and it's hard to shed our "old ways"??!?! I went to have a look at the IB website, and even looked at sample Chemistry and Math papers for the IB Diploma exams. I have to say that the papers are NOT easy, and I would have problems answering (or as my sister says, I am RUSTY!!!) them.
The way I see it, IB somehow prepares the child (can I say child? as they would be about 18 years old by then???) for the real world....and not just getting As in exams. It is so much more rigorous than A-levels. In A-levels, you just take the minimum 3 subjects that you are good at. In IB, you have to take subjects from 5 or 6 different groups. In addition, there is the project work, the community work. I think someone getting an IB Diploma could really do well in life, even without going to university.
So which IB school? That is the part that is making me MEGA GILA.
THE IB school that everyone wants to get in, has a loooooooooooooong waiting list like two years. Plus it is the most expensive. As we will have to foot the bill from our own pockets, the cost will be a major deciding factor ...
I've got ISS, CIS, OFS, GESS, EIS, TTS, Chatsworth on my list at the moment.
Each time I go into a school's website, I would like go. ..Yeah Yeah. GESS is it.
Then I go to CIS, and I go...Yeah. Yeah. CIS is it.
And then OFS...Yeah Yeah. OFS.
Aduh. Really GILA. My sister has asked me to just forget about it, and just decide after I've visited the schools. Some schools may just give me bad vibes that I will cross them off immediately.
H also laughing his head off....as I change my mind every day.
Plus, I have got some feedbacks from friends....and another sister, which makes things worse!!
I have a friend who is currently working at SAS, and she used to work at CIS...told me NOT to go to CIS as too profit-orientated, and high turnover of teachers. And this was just after I thought...CIS is it. Hahhahaha My sister also says don't go to CIS. Why ah?
A friend whose daughter used to go to OFS, and she said she didn't really like the school. Other sister says OFS sounds Obiang! What does Obiang mean anyway???
As for TTS, it sounds rather British....with 70% students from Britain, and their curriculum is very British...unlike the boys' current British School. Plus, they only started their IB Diploma last year...so still abit "new" and have to iron out kinks? Oh yeah, space for S1 but not for S2, which means waitlist till I don't know when...and also, they are pretty expensive too.
Actually, most kids from the boys' current school goes to TTS. In fact, S1 has 2 classmates that left last year and went to TTS. When I told S1 that most likely we won't go there (due to the above-cited reasons), I thought he would be rather disappointed...as he has friends there already. You know what he said? "Oh. That means that there would be more chances of me being popular in a not-so-popular school!"...According to him, lots of popular kids go to TTS. :-P
My teenager-to-be now want to look good liow....had gel on his hair this morning!!!
And I just found out that boys' current school principal is moving on to TTS this September.
Basically, I want the following:
- boys to be able to continue with their individual music lessons (Saxophone for S1 and the Flute for S2), and perhaps have a school orchestra that boys can participate.
- S1 to continue with his Japanese and Mandarin. I think Mandarin is not a problem...but not all schools offer Japanese. It would be a waste to give-up after two years. And the thing is, he is rather keen to do this language. I never have to remind him to do his Japanese Homework!
-Soccer Pitch: My S2 is keen to continue in a league
- Basketball Court: For S1
- Swimming Pool: Need to build up those muscles!!!
- A good range of Extra-Curricular Activities
- Some green space!!! (Very limited in this very densely packed City State!!!)
- Reasonable number of classes per grade. I know sounds silly. But don't fancy if there is only ONE class in Grade 5, nor when there are like TEN classes in Grade 5. Too few. No good. Too many. Also no good.
- Reasonalbe number of students per class. Think this one not a problem...as they have a max of 25 in most schools anyway.
- Affordable School Fees! This one very important!!!
- Dedicated Teachers, and low turnover. But this one difficult to tell...unless you hear about it from the people INSIDE.
I had the boys sit down, and list the important things to have in their new school.... I thought their answers were quite funny.
Anyway...no more pondering until I visit the schools end of this month!!!
Wish me LUCK!
6 comments:
I guess I'm not alone in deciding which school to go for my kids. :P But it seems like most inter schools here are switching to IB, and the most popular one will be ISB. We're not gonna send the kids there now, and will wait till high school to save bucks. Thus, the kids will probably go to the Christian school which offers US syllabus and bilingual for primary, and then transfer to inter next time. Beh tahan with the school fees la, I'm not the multi rich expat!
LOL... I'm quite nervous, as although my eldest is going to be 8, a lot of moms are already choosing secondary schools....
it is scary as hell, but like you, I'd visit the school first, get a feel for it. Check out the loos (and see if it's in GOOD WORKING condition), ask the kids "What's the worst thing in your school" kinda questions.
Heh.... good luck!
oh wow!! that's quite a lot to think about ya? all the best... :-)
best wishes with your rigorous school search! like u said, i think visiting the schools and talking with the head/staff or maybe even being able to glimpse a class in session, actually see the school compound n facilities, etc will help u make the choice!
try not to go gila meanwhile, you've got your priorities drawn up nicely, and also sought the boys' wishes, u are on the right track, mama!
Oh dear, my girl is almost 4 years old and I thought I wouldnt need to worry too much about which primary school to enrol here. I understand I need to enrol my girl next year when she is 5 years old..... Sigh! Headache. Hubby and I agreed it would be Chinese school, but dont know which one.
Shoppingmum - Yeah. Lots of schools even those in the UK and US are offering IB Diploma. Yes. Agree that if paying fees by ourselves, it is rather steep. But a bit difficult to switch to local system if kids are already used to international system.
Fro - when it comes to kids' education, it's the main thing in each and every parent's mind...other than their health and safety, i guessed.
Mott - Eh. In singapore, people buy house near the school of choice lah. It's a long term decision leh.
But I am going to check out int' school lah,their toilets cannot be a gauge lor.
Sting - Thanks
bp - Unfortunately, it'll be the Easter Break for most schools, so can't really see a "class in action". Hopefully talking to the staff and a walk-about of the school would give me an idea.
Rose - Decisions. Decisions....
:-)
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