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P1 (K3) Kids, 2009

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    DB, Hong Kong
    Posts
    77

    P1 (K3) Kids, 2009

    Looking for other parents with kids starting primary school in September.

    How are you preparing your child for the move to primary school with older kids?

    Academically, what have you done to prepare your child? We have done very little really, more play based than a structured system.

    Did you get into the school you wanted? Why did you choose that school as your first choice?

    My DD is starting a K3 program while we wait for a place in one of our first choice schools. I hope we made the right choice instead of putting her into P1 at another school and then move her when a place becomes available. It has been a stressful couple of months while I sort it out!

    I look forward to hearing form you.


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    DB, Hong Kong
    Posts
    77

    Realised I asked a bunch of questions without giving my answers!

    DD tells me at least once a day that she doesn't want to go to "big school". When I ask her why, she says they have too much circle time. Still working on the real reason she doesn't want to go (or even grow up!). Because of this I am a little relived that we didn't get into a primary school as another few months at pre-school, in an environment that she is familiar with and where they don't have older kids, will be beneficial.

    DD asked us to teach her to read about 6 months ago. I purchased a program but have had trouble implementing as I just don't have the patients to do it with her. I get frustrated when she doesn't do it right and can't get it. Reminds me of learning to read and how frustrating that was! I though it better that I step away than cause more damage!

    Finally, we didn't get into school. We wanted ESF, mainly because I like that they have and international baccalaureate program from P1 AND transport for DB students. My second are in Discovery Bay. Still on the waiting list and hoping things will change.

    Cheers


  3. #3

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    HK Island
    Posts
    307

    My oldest will start P1 at ESF (QBS) in August. She's looking forward to it. She will have 2 friends in her class and I've organized a few play dates before we left for this summer. I visited the school twice with her and the school prepared a booklet for reading with your child prior to starting. We've been shopping for new cups and other accessories to make things a little more real! Her preschool also prepared her pretty well academically, she's ready Oxford Reading Tree level 3 and 4 already and has no problems with numbers up to 20 (incl. adding + substracting), so according to friends with kids in P1 she should have a head start giving her a little more time to focus on the really new aspects and other challenges that lay ahead. She may need some time to warm up, possibly a little longer than most, but I am confident she'll do really well.


  4. #4

    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    DB, Hong Kong
    Posts
    77

    WOW. My DD can't read yet or do math. Being back in Australia 12 months has really done some short term damage! We will have our work cut out for us settling her back in and catching her up!


  5. #5

    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    12

    Ozekid - C didn't read much at the end of K2 (reception). Just letters and a few words. It's all about play at this stage. That is much more important than reading at this young age. If love learning to read, they'll love reading forever. Huge advantage in future. Something the HK route learning system will never achieve.

    C has just finished K3/P1 and is a very competent reader (top reading group in her class). More importantly, she enjoys it.

    The teachers say that children learn at different rates, but they all catch up eventually.

    Also, remember that Australia is effectively 3 months behind at the same stage due to the different starts - Sept vs Jan.

    C's experience of moving to the 'big school' is a bit different because it was the same school, just another campus a few minutes away. She had 'playdates' at the big school with the new teacher, the new class, in the new classroom. The whole class were excited about being big kids. They also get to do a lot more in P1 - swimming lessons and excursions in particular. Year 5 and 6 were always involved at the kindergarten by helping with sports day etc. So the littlies love them and can't wait to join them.


  6. #6

    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    DB, Hong Kong
    Posts
    77

    Thanks Jane01. That makes me feel much better as DD will also be doing K3/P1 in the same school she started at (only two more kids need to leave in the next couple of weeks and she will start in international stream too!) so I think this will help with settling.

    She can read a couple of words (she can spot "cat" anywhere 'cause she loves them soooo much) and she appears keen. I am the one frustrated because I don't know how to help her! I was concerned that the time back here would put her back. It is reassuring to know that this is not necessarily the case.


  7. #7

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    HK Island
    Posts
    307

    I think every country is different. My 5 yo can read now and she very much enjoys it, but where we are from (Europe) she wouldn't have start reading until age 6 (Year 2 basically), so she's very much ahead compared to her peers here. On the other hand, at some point, they'll catch up and they're all pretty much on the same level. She just went with the flow at Sunshine House and she turns out to be an above average student at this point. My husband is highly intelligent (especially the numbers part) and I did quite well at school as well, though more the practical stuff, not so much scientific. She's a very focused, calm child which likes to do everything perfect (which has it own challenges), e.g. she won't speak her home language (she was born in the States as well) because she feels she's not good at it, however she can understand (we both speak it to her) and read simple words and sentences (so I use reading to keep her interested in the language).

    Again, right now, I much more focus on the social-emotional preparation of the big school, the rest she'll be fine for now, which is at least one less worry!


  8. #8

    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Posts
    18

    I realise this thread was 3 months ago but I'm quite interested in how your kid's doing, Oze Kid.

    My daughter is in ESF Year 1. Her class teacher told me that the kids' reading level vary from Level 1 to Level 22!!My daughter is at Level 2 because she's only just started in September.

    I feel guilty sometimes knowing how advanced her friends are compared to her but at the same time, I feel guilty also if I have to spend our only hour together doing homework. I work full time and don't have a helper. I have an hour from the time we get home and when she sleeps.

    My friends in Australia are quite relaxed. I wish I could as well, but somehow things work differently here. On top of studying, the kids here also do lots of extra-curricular activities. When will this end, I wonder?


  9. #9

    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    HK
    Posts
    12

    MayC... relax.
    It doesn't always have to be a competition.
    From my limited primary experience, kids eventually even out by the end of the year. Just find time to read everyday... 5-10 minutes? And read books with High Frequency Words (HFW). THAT really helps. Loads around a the library or you can buy a couple a month... They don't cost much.
    Some kids start at a very high level from learning HFW then don't really progress as apart from memorising HFW, they may not have picked up any real reading skills... watching videos to learn to read, using flash cards. So they reach a plateau. It'll pan out. So don't worry too much.


  10. #10

    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    DB, Hong Kong
    Posts
    77

    I wrote a looong blurb yesterday and then didn't submit and was logged out... doh!

    MayC - I hear you about the Australian attitude versus HK. I would like an inbetween as I find the Australian attitude a little lax when learning can be made fun and they get somewhere. HK is at the other end of the scale!! Oh well.

    Great job on getting DD into ESF! I wish we had been able to do the same but I could only get a K3 place in a bilingual program. Not ideal but at least she is getting somewhere this year! The Chinese homework is a killer and as I am struggling to keep up with the English it is hard when you don't even know how to write the chinese characters let alone speak them! We are making an effort though.

    Every night is a screaming match with DD as she hates the writing and reading as she is 'behind' the others kids who can do it - how do you explain to an almost 5yo that the other kids are almost 12 months older (she is one of the youngest in the class) and had lots more practice (K2, K1 etc). We have resorted to M+Ms and she read all of reader 10 the other night with only one word that she straggled on -- not ideal but it worked and I am stocking up on M+Ms!!

    How is everyone else going? Did you get your 1st choice school? Are you going to try and change them for P2?


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