Nursery/On-going School Recommendations

I am going on a look-see trip next week from New York. Both my husband and I are third generation New Yorkers (though we were both raised internationally during our early childhood) and are completely unfamiliar with schooling young children in Hong Kong. Here, the older of my two sons would not start nursery until he was just over 3 years old, next Fall '07 -- he is 21 months now. How does it work there? Education is supremely important to us, so it will greatly influence where we choose to live. Any recommendations? Preparations? We would be keen on sending our children to a mandarin/english or just english-speaking program. We also want our children to be best prepared for on-going schools both possibly in Hong Kong and for when we return to the US. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

First of all, welcome to HK! We moved back from Canada. My 2 and half year old daughter has been going to playgroup/prep-programme for over 1 year now since she was 18 months at Anfield International Kindergarten in Kowloon Tong. I have been very happy with this school, and I referred many expats/friends to this school, comparatively, every parent I referred to this school has been quite happy with the school. They are with British curriculum, 15 minutes Mandarin, music, gym, field trips, snack time/juice, art work, excellent school facility, clean, disciplined, and has school bus that allows my daughter to go with my helper or myself.


Anfield has prepared my daughter well for all the kindergarten interviews, we did 7 in November. You can make appointment to see the school first.

Hey Joshmomm,

I've heard a lots of good opinion about K&C but always interested to find out something new, something more. My daughter will turn 2 in October this year. Will she qualified to the local section already? She has not been potty trained yet. What exactly means local section?

As you I'm only starting out in the schooling front, so any comments, opinions would be much appreciated.

Kooni,


Agree with one of the posts above that the facilities at K&C is not very good at all. I sent my daughter there for 2 week when she was 2 and had to pull her out. She didn't understand any Chinese at the time and was quite rebelious. The teacher called me one day and said: "your daughter climbed onto the piano and the window bars and knocked down the hot water pot. We coulnd't be responsible if something happens to her as we have so many children to take care of." Right there I decided to take her out. I find that totally irresponsible. Why would you have hot water pot in the classroom full of 2 year olds. Anyway, I don't think too highly of the school. But the mandarin teaching has to be good.


I have found that many people worry too much about learning mandarin and igore the difference between a Chinese and a Western education. Sure local schools are good at giving you a great Chinese foundation. Personally I would never in a million years have my child receive a Chinese education (HK icluded). I am from China and was educated in the US for college and beyond. Many of my friends who are from the mainland or locals, if they can afford it all send their children to Int'l schools. A Chinese education generally produces people who cannot think on their own, no creativity among other things. This is not to say that they cannot have good jobs and make a lot of money. That is beyond the point. Just look at the HK work force!!!

Dear Greatfind, Thank you. Your posting is very interesting to me. Thank you for all that information! I will definitely look into those schools. If my son will be 2 years 2 months this September, do most HK expats start their children in school at this time? I was planning on waiting until the following September here because I think he is too young to be seperated. And is there a formal application process for nursery tehre like there is here? Applications, essays, interviews, tours... madness in New York.

Dear MC, I was educated both in New York and in Tokyo, so I love to hear about different points of view on international education. I will definitely discuss your thoughts with my husband. I agree about taking your child out of that program. Doesn't sound responsible of the teachers there at all. Thank you, again.

Kooni,


The Montessouri system is good till the children are 4 then usually people would send them to regular schools. I did the same for my daughter. There are not a whole lot of choices for children under 4. People here do send their children at around 2. Most of these places are run playgroup style and mostly half day only for children under 4 so it is not bad at all.


As for schooling after 4, for a few int'l schools in particular, it could be hard to get in. It is not a bad idea to put your applications in early. I did mine when my daughter was 2. HKIS (Hong Kong International School) is easy to get in if you are an American. Others are different.


Many of my friends choose schools based on how much Chinese they want their children to learn. The only int'l school that teaches mandarin properly is Chinese International School. Singapore Int'l also does well but it has no secondary school. Of course there are also the Japanese, Korean, French and German int'l schools among others that focus on the those languages.


The English Schools Foundation is also good but has limited non-English language teaching.


As to the difference in Chinese vs. Western education, it is hard to explain. The end result can be easily seen in people's way of thinking and how they approach things. In the words of my friends' we are all "handicaped".. Very true.