Furious on my son's 1st Local KG Interview
- 03-28-2010, 10:57 PM #17Registered User
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Thank you everyone for all your kind words and sharing your experiences. I totally agree... what is the point of doing all these interviews, its really appalling! How could they possibly assess our kids abilities, knowledge, personality and behaviour in a span of few minutes.
And I cant believe we, parents have to go through this massive amount of stress!
I am so annoyed and furious that I am thinking of a heading a "Petition to ban schools from interviewing our 2year olds"
I dont care if I have need to collect thousands of signature.... something needs to be done!
What to you think? Will this go somewhere?
Are you with me?
Girl Power!
Woman Power!
Mommy Power!!!!
- 03-28-2010, 11:04 PM #18Registered User
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- Jul 2009
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Any feedback on PIPS Kowloon (Elements)?
Rightly or wrongly, I am currently of the opinion that I would like my daughter to attend a pre-school that is closest to home (PIPS Kowloon is literally downstairs from where we live). I imagine kids at these ages mostly play, sing, learn arts & crafts, so I don't know if one school is all that different from another, and I am not sure it makes sense for her to spend hours on the road traveling to and from schools far away.
Experienced mothers, what's your thoughts?
- 03-29-2010, 12:44 AM #19Registered User
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Bruhildda, you'll have my signature for sure! I'm fine with a casual meet and greet session with the school staff, but to think our 2 year olds' "performance" and behaviour are accessed in that couple of minutes for entry into kindy is ridiculous.
But on the frank side, I don't think the petition would head somewhere anytime soon. I'm not in the education sector, and my daughter is only 11 months old, so the following is just my 2 cents' worth.
# Many schools are private owned (correct me if I'm wrong) and they do as they please.
# Interviews generate profit and schools get to choose who they accept. (it's a demand & supply thing).
# Also, on a perverse psychological point of view, quite a lot of parents would assume that a kindie not requiring interviews are unpopular (nobody wants to go to them, so they take whoever signs up!) and probably end up applying to those requiring interviews.
# Parents these days are way more worked up about kids' academic performance than before, so in turn, it gets teachers and principals worked up about the academic curriculum, even at a kindergarten level. They want to make sure they accept students whom they think are easy students (easy to teach, can sit down and take instructions bla bla bla...)
Do all kindys conduct entry interviews, or is it just the popular hard-to-get-into ones? I don't see why i should put my child and myself through all the hassle and stress, was thinking of going to a kindie which does not require interviews, am I just being naive to assume such exists?
- 03-29-2010, 08:39 AM #20Registered User
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Agree with kyojee's points, some of these kindies are businesses (not all) and most are usually pandering to parents' expectations and a selection process such as an interview increases the perceived "quality" of the kindy/kids accepted (important for HK's competitive mums).
If there was no interview - what selection process would take place then for the popular/oversubscribed places? I don't condone 'interviews' but registration based on first come or lucky draw would probably draw equal criticism...
To kyojee, from experience i think all kindies conduct some kind of interview (play observations/group/one to one) as unassessed registration doesn't seem to be the norm... Some tell you on the spot if you got in and some say wait for the letter (the popular ones)...
- 03-29-2010, 10:49 AM #21Registered User
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Woodland do not conduct interviews to get in preschool, and is not unpopular at all, considering the numbers of schools there are around the island, and that it's also a gate to enter ESF.
If schools were accepting all kids on a "first come" basis, it would just point out the fact there are not enough schools in HK...
You'll get my signature !
- 03-29-2010, 10:51 AM #22Registered User
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don't be dosheartened , there are plenty of schools out there who are not like that. however, I do come to terms with the fact that there are local kindies out there who do not have the resources to cope with children who do not speak Cantonese,and when I look at the teacher student ratio I can understand why. Seriously, my experience with local kindies is that they soemtimes have a pretty clear and defined picture of what type of student they want, and it can be pretty narrow. Thats one of the problems with local education, because they are in a way, less accepting of differences.
my son speaks pre-dominantly English and we have some similar experiences with some truly local kindies, so maybe that one is just not the one for you.
- 03-30-2010, 05:21 PM #23Registered User
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- Sep 2005
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I dont think your petition will work as most local mothers already get used to the interview system and accept it as part of the education system. Dont be disheartened.... other local kinddies are not that bad, just avoid the chain ones and too commercial ones. I am sure you can find one suitable for your child.
- 03-31-2010, 10:50 AM #24Registered User
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- Nov 2009
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There's practically no governance of Kindys. If we all chipped in, we could open one up!
I know many kindys whos 'bosses' are simply businessmen/women!!
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