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Rejected by KJS: what to do now

  1. #25
    carang's Avatar
    carang is offline Registered User
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    again.... if you let us know your native language, we may be able to come up with other options...is it a secret?


  2. #26
    Portia is offline Registered User
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    Starters Preschool in Wanchai might be an option. According to their website, it has a full day primary 1 class and costs under $5000 per month.


  3. #27
    rs2000 is offline Registered User
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    @carang, we are from India and mother tongue is Hindi


    we arent too sure about the long term prospects of living in HK and hence really want the kid to goto an EMI school. we live in Tung Chung and own an apartment here. I really like the area and dont want to move to a smaller & more expensive apartment in other areas.

    Please let the valuable suggestions coming...........

    i am just not able to think about anything else apart from schooling............ :-(

    thanks a lot


  4. #28
    carang's Avatar
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    there are a LOT of indians that go through the local system, even the cantonese medium of instruction! there is actually an indian news reporter on the cantonese channel! to me, language is never something to "turn down". i think it is such an opportunity that so many people miss out on. i have heard so many stories of people coming for one contract only to find themselves still here 20 years later! i, myself, only came for a week-long holiday in 1995 and never left! i'm very glad that we've chosen the route that we have. it will open doors for my children for their entire lives. we still have the option down the road to move to an international school if we find the local schools too difficult or not to our liking.


  5. #29
    Twinsmammie is offline Registered User
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    You can consider PLK Camoes Tan Siu Lin primary school in Olympia - a DSS school using EMI (http://www.plkctslps.edu.hk). It caters both local and non chinese students. There's an open day on 22nd April.


  6. #30
    rs2000 is offline Registered User
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    thanks. i have checked the website and it looks good. I have heard its very tough to get into this school but will definitely goto the open day.


  7. #31
    thanka2 is offline Registered User
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    Quote Originally Posted by rs2000 View Post
    Thanks for your comments everyone!

    @Portia: Here is what the letter says"

    "**** is clearly at an early phase of learning English language. She responded inappropriately to some questions nd struggled to explain herself at some times. she is not ready to cope with a class of 20 students in english..........."

    somethings on this line. Now she mostly speaks english (though its not our first language). when I get home in evening, she would normally tell me in detail about her school and the acitvites done throughout the day.
    The thing is, when children go for interviews at schools, the school only has a very limited time to make a "snap judgment" about that child and his or her language ability. Although your daughter may be completely comfortable speaking to you in English at home and to you her level is satisfactory--the standard is probably set very, very high at these interviews--the interviewers are likely native-speakers themselves, right? Basically, they are waiting for your child to "mess up" so they can have an easier time weeding out students so they can make decisions.

    Your child's first language is not English, right? Although she may speak English quite a lot and quite well at home you have to remember she is competing with children who speak English as their native language who not only can communicate in English but can do so extremely well--she is being judged by this standard.

    Also, the ESF schools originally were designed for children who do not speak any Chinese (am I right in assuming that your first language is Chinese?)--these schools were designed to cater to children who really do not speak Cantonese so they don't have the option of the local schools. Over the years, I think ESF has started to accept students regardless of whether or not they could actually be enrolled in a local school (i.e. able to speak Cantonese as well as English). This is actually a big issue for a lot of foreigners living in Hong Kong here who were recruited to work for the government (school teachers) who have no choices for sending their children to school--many come here with children who are older who speak absolutely no Cantonese and the local schools refuse to accept their children (because many local schools really can't or won't cope with teaching foreign children) and they are left with no options for school because there just aren't any spaces in ESF and a lot of the spaces that could go to kids who only speak English are awarded to children who could cope in a local school because of their Cantonese ability. This is a huge issue that the teachers in HK are lobbying the government about right now.

    Also, I realize your goal is for your daughter to attend an ESF school or an international school but what is your reasoning for this? As far as Delia goes--this entire organization has a very good reputation. I've worked with Delia secondary schools and all were top-notch. Even "brand name" and "famous" schools like you want to send your child to--the international ones--that have great reputations aren't always the best fit for every child. Sometimes I think there is a lot of "brand obsession" with schools in Hong Kong and I don't really understand it.

    I also would prefer to send my K1 student to an international school for primary school because from my experience, I agree with and appreciate the different teaching style offered in international schools (or ESF schools etc.) as compared with the local curriculum (more of a process learning approach instead of a product learning approach). English is my first language and I am much more on board with the "western" curriculum taught in these schools.

    However, I have an open mind and if I were to find a local primary school that could offer something somewhat similar for my son (and they do exist in Hong Kong--you just have to look a little bit--not just look at international and ESF schools and assume they are the only "good" ones out there) I would go that route and not stress myself out over getting him into the "name brand" school.

    Even for a foreigner like me whose child does speak English fluently (as well as Cantonese fluently as that's my husband's first language--he speaks so well in both now that he can translate between each language for me and often does--and he's 3-years-old!) the prospects of getting into either an ESF school or a international school are not high. And if we by some odd chance did get in, how in the world would we afford to go there? (Especially with all the drama ESF has turned up in the last year over fees?! Have you been reading the news about this organization?! The government refused to even raise how much money the subsidize for them because they have shown they can't explain where the money goes! Not exactly a great public image they're presenting lately!)

    For now, my son attends a local kindergarten that has adapted its program so that it runs a lot like a international kindergarten--and it's cheap for us, near our house and a very wonderful learning environment. My son is now speaking English, Cantonese and Putonghua and I pay $800 HKD/month for this school! Oh, and they get to grow their own vegetables at school in a garden which my son just loves! Just commented to my husband tonight about how happy I am that our son can attend this school. In my opinion, with all things considered, this local school is every bit as good as an ESF or international school and by sending my son there, I save a TON of money and stress.
    Last edited by thanka2; 03-13-2011 at 01:27 AM.

  8. #32
    thanka2 is offline Registered User
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    Quote Originally Posted by carang View Post
    there are a LOT of indians that go through the local system, even the cantonese medium of instruction! there is actually an indian news reporter on the cantonese channel! to me, language is never something to "turn down". i think it is such an opportunity that so many people miss out on. i have heard so many stories of people coming for one contract only to find themselves still here 20 years later! i, myself, only came for a week-long holiday in 1995 and never left! i'm very glad that we've chosen the route that we have. it will open doors for my children for their entire lives. we still have the option down the road to move to an international school if we find the local schools too difficult or not to our liking.
    Totally agree. Chinese is going to be the next big world language. Your child will always have the chance to speak English and learn English (especially as it is one of the two official national languages of your home country) but when will she get a chance to really learn Chinese by immersion--especially if you do leave Hong Kong. I am a primary school teacher and I teach children not only from Hong Kong but also from Pakistan, Nepal, India and Mainland China. It's amazing the progress these children make in such a short time learning both Cantonese and English and they fit perfectly into our local school--especially the young ones--they just pick up languages like a sponge--the P1 students who last September could not speak a word of Cantonese, Mandarin or English are now communicating quite well in at least two of the three languages! Your daughter already has an advantage in that she speaks English. Also, remember that English language learning, even in the CMI schools takes up a considerable portion of the curriculum so even in a local school your daughter will learn English well.

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