Something Amusing to Share!

[tara]

Wanted to share something amusing.......(well, at least I find it amusing).

My daughter is 4 1/2 years and have been attending kindi for the past 2 years. Mandarin is one of the subjects taughts at her kindi and she's learnt all the shu, pie, hen etc...(I can't remember them). Anyway, one day she told me I had two pie and two dian on my face....guess you know what she means....my two laughter lines relates to her two pie and my dimples relate to her dian.

Amazing, how she had somehow linked her understanding of mandarin strokes to my facial expressions.....so much so that I am ashamed of my lack of understanding and knowledge in mandarin subject.

[smithsgj]

But Tara how do you (and others) feel about this stuff being taught to toddlers? How many other "subjects" are there? Shouldn't she be playing, and learning how to interact with other kids? Given that you can't remember it (and that as someone with a degree in Chinese I only have a vague idea what you're talking about), how important do you think all this shoe-pie stuff will be in forming her character and generally setting her up to be a useful citizen?

[confucius]

There simply has to be a "pie-in-the-face" joke somewhere in there.

[tara]

smithsgj:

I was actually very concerned initially when my daughter first enrolled in the kindi. She started at the age of 2 but that was at her own request. I really wanted her to enjoy her childhood, that means having fun and playing games that children her age would do. However, this kindi which is located very near my house, drew my daughter's attention and she requested that I send her to school. Which I did and ever since she has been enjoying it.

How many subjects? Well, maths, english, mandarin, bahasa malaysia, computer, art & craft. In my opinion, its alot of subjects for a child her age, but she's not complaining and coping well, so I let it be. However, I did think about it before, had she not been able to cope, I would have switched her to a playschool.

Having said all that, I never push her to do her homework or expect too much from her. I just ask her to have fun and do her best. On her lazy days, I let her skip school. I think the essence of kindi is interaction with other kids and not the work itself per se. One incident - the school provide snacks during break time and my daughter tells me that she only has time to 1 piece of bread as she wants to talk to her friends with the remaining of the time, coz she is not allow to talk during lessons. Way too strict for children her age. But she found a balance, half the break time to fill her stomach and the other half to catch up with her friends. I think sometimes we underestimate how children can think for themselves and if you or the situation allows them - they actually THINK and find a SOLUTION themselves.

And if you look at it in another perspective - its good discipline and its vital foundation before starting school. I knew of other parents who thought the work was too much and the syllabus taught was too acadamic oriented, they opted out. However, having seen that my daughter scores no less than 96% for her annual exams, I can't really complain. But I never praise her, I just say good - you know, don't really wanna let her head get too big.

As for the shu, pie - I really do not know how important it is. I can't help her with her mandarin homework. My dad helps her and even he mentioned during his time - he never learnt the shu, pie stuff. And I can't remember them bcoz I am english ed.

MY DILEMMA NOW is whether to send her to chinese OR english medium school. Having compared myself and my chinese ed. friends, I can say that english medium school is less stressful - more fun, alot of work is project based and alot of interaction - drama based lessons. And I heard chinese schools, you have to do alot of writing and you are pushed hard.

What do you all think?

[skylee]

I have no idea about sending kids to schools etc (I personally went to Chinese primary/middle schools and Chinese university, but have no difficulty in communicating in both English and Chinese). But your post is very refreshing. Thank you.

I would guess that, if you are not in China/Taiwan/HK, then it would be better to send your kid to an English speaking school. But give her a chance and help her to learn Chinese if she so inclines. And as you say that kids can actually think for themselves (though they are not always right), perhaps you should ask for her opinion too.

[Guest Barbara]

Dear Tara,

I would say it depends on where your daughter will live in the future. If she will live in the US or Europe, then let her attend an English middle school although, after having gone through a Chinese primary school she may feel the western-style education not challenging enough. If she’ll stay on in China, then let her attend a Chinese middle school.

Chinese middle-schools are hell. But she’ll get the best possible education you could wish for her and, if she has lived through this, she’ll find any further education easy-going. What she won’t much learn there, though, are things like problem-solving and critical thinking and all that.

One of my (Chinese) friends has an 8 year-old daughter who was born and has grown up in Germany. Two years ago my friend went to China with her then 6 year-old daughter to spend the summer there. She put her daughter into the nearest Kindergarten, because she wanted her to mix with other kids. It didn’t work! Her girl just refused to accept the strict discipline, she would loudly protest and refuse to fit in with the others, she wanted to play when the others had lessons and so on. Not to mention that she lagged ages behind the other kids when it comes to skills like reading and writing.

In Germany, this girl is not only one of the best of her class but also one of the best-behaved

That’s how big the gulf between the two school-systems is!

All in all, though, I would say the same as skylee has, ask your daugher what she wants. She seems to cope well enough now, so the chance that she’ll “survive” a Chinese middle-school isn't so bad.

[Ian_Lee]

I think the best place to send your kid is international school where both languages are taught.

[Jive Turkey]

Chinese middle-schools are hell. But she’ll get the best possible education you could wish for her and' date=' if she has lived through this, she’ll find any further education easy-going. What she won’t much learn there, though, are things like problem-solving and critical thinking and all that.

[/quote']

Huh? You say that she won't learn things like problem-solving and critical thinking in a Chinese medium school, but you still think such a school will give her kid the best possible education she could wish for?

I've taught in Taiwan and Hong Kong as both a regular teacher in Chinese medium schools and as a tutor for both Chinese and English medium school kids. When I think about where I will send my kids to school, I'm not so concerned about whether their dominant language will be mine (English) or my wife's (Cantonese). I'm most concerned with how well their education will build their analytical and writing skills, and then to a lesser extent, discipline. From my teaching experience, I would make the following generalizations.

The general teaching philosophy in Chinese schools is that above anything else, school should instill discipline in students. The thinking among most Chinese teachers I know is that discipline is the most important thing a child can learn in school because strong discipline will be the factor that helps a person overcome life's difficulties, whether those difficulties are academic or occupational. In a Chinese school, the general reaction to a poor exam score is that the student just needs to dig in and study harder; teachers almost never adjust their teaching style to fit students' needs or try to help students develop study habits or strategies that will help them overcome their difficulties.

In general, western education puts more stress on building independent thinking and problem solving skills. From the western perspective, good analytical and communication skills will be the skills that help students overcome life's difficulties. The way most English medium schools help build these skills is by encouraging students to build their own study habits and strategies.

It is very difficult for a Chinese educated child to build the critical thinking and independent problem solving skills that a good western education will nurture. Nevertheless, most schools back in my home country are way too lax on discipline (IMO). This isn't because western educators don't think discipline is important; more often than not, teachers are no longer given enough support by parents, school administrators and government to maintain an orderly learning environment.

I would prefer for my children to study in a school where English is the primary language and Chinese (Putonghua or Cantonese) is the secondary language. I say this because I think it's more important for them to have the critical thinking and writing skills that a western education will provide, but I also hope that learning Chinese will instill a greater degree of discipline in them-I just don't want the Chinese emphasis on discipline to pervade through every aspect of their education. If I thought a Chinese school would be able to teach my child the same skills as a western style school, I'd be open to sending my child there. I've never seen such a school, though, and there's a good explanation for that. You can't have your cake and eat it, too. Most schools aren't able to maintain such a strict level of discipline and at the same time nuture independent thinking. I'm not saying that none of the pupils at such a school will be able to think analytically and have a high degree of discipline; they just aren't going to learn both at school.

[tara]

I share and value all your opinions.

As in Malaysia, I am unable to find a school with equal emphasis in both English and Mandarin. As Jive Turkey quoted...u can't have your cake and eat it too.

Well, I have done some homework. Graduates from the chinese primary school I intend to send my daughter have very poor english language foundation and needless to say, their mandarin and maths is top. And those from english school, have stronger english language understanding as well as bahasa malaysia.

You see, in Malaysia, whichever you choose as your primary language - English or Mandarin, the secondary language has got to be Bahasa Malaysia....but in most chinese primary schools they teach all 3 languages with main emphasis on Mandarin. The way I see it, is either way, I've got to support the secondary language by sending my daughter to extra tuition classes.

My idea is to send her to chinese primary school and if she copes well, then its gonna be all the way chinese school.....supported by weekend lessons at Lorna Whiston (british english syllabus). However, I am still thinking about it.....

I came from a private international school and these international schools are alot different now in Malaysia - the discipline is not instilled in the children. I wouldn't say whose fault it is, but society is changing. The parents of these children don't have time for them and compensate by giving them way too much money. You would see these teens wearing branded from top to toe, carrying handphones, being chauffeur driven and some even with bodyguards. Em....I don't think that's the kind of environment I want my children to be brought up in. Nothing against but yet nothing for...so international school is out...