Preschool in China or not?
300 children poisoned in China kindergarten
We had a productive Saturday as we:
1. Checked out the new neighbourhood
The place is almost as nice as the one we live in now. There’s a better playground and quite nice green areas but it’s in a higher density area. There’s always people going in and out of the area. Nearer to restaurants and shops. Just 5-6 minutes away from Lucas’ potential preschool 2.
The apartment we visited is much, much smaller than the current one but the furnishings are newer. That means the owner maintained the place! Cleaner, brighter bathrooms and kitchen.
No lake view. Further from the market. Further from the supermarket. Further from the park.
We’ll need to wait for the agent to call us to view potential places.
2. Checked out potential preschool 2
I’d mentioned earlier that Lucas can enroll in a preschool soon. We checked out two this week.
Preschool 2’s surroundings appear cleaner and airier than Preschool 1. They also charge higher fees i.e. RMB1,500 for 9.00-4.30 pm (2 snacks, lunch). Preschool 1 charges RMB750.
There’s a registration fee. Uniform fees are RMB120 (winter) and RMB70 (summer). But they will only wear these on Mondays! Expensive costumes…
We Malaysians are a *very lucky* lot because:
a. With a 1.3 billion population, it’s common to have 30 kids in a group, even for toddlers aged 2.5-3.
I had *the wind knocked out of me* when the principal of Preschool 1 told me that.
With 2 teachers to a group, that’s a 1:15 ratio of teacher:super-active, uncooperative, unpredictable Terrible Twos!
My Malaysian mum group confirmed this.
I was surprised when Preschool 2 said they have a max of 15 kids for his age group. This brings the ratio back to the accepted level of 1:7/8 plus an ayi to clean up after them.
b. The standard of English is unbelievably low, even in bilingual kindergartens.
The certified or experienced English teachers are either at the international school, training adults or running their private tuition centers. What’s left then?
The expat English native speaker who is on holiday in China and in need of funds to support his or her backpacking trips! Bear in mind that they are hired if they can show up in decent-looking attire, demonstrate good social skills and of course, speak with a distinctive English accent.
It doesn’t matter if it’s an American, British, Australian, Irish or Scottish accent!
Foreign-educated Chinese have it a bit tough because the Chinese (similarly with many Malaysians) tend to have a bias towards their own race. They think that another Chinese *couldn’t* possibly be more fluent in English than a proper Mat Salleh.
Sigh, I wish Confucius or Lao Tzu had a wise saying along the lines of “don’t judge a book by its cover”…
I almost cringed when the English teacher in Preschool 1 said, “Zank-you for coming”. She couldn’t understand “August” until I said, “ba yue“!
Preschool 2 has an English teacher from Italy but I’ve yet to meet her. I hope she’s OK. Many Chinese-educated families who come to China worry for their kids because when they return to Malaysia, their kids would be in trouble for English…
I’ve already got many interested Mums asking me to set up an English tuition class for their kids! I wonder what’s the process for setting this up???
c. My biggest worry is still his well-being.
Reading the article above deepens that fear – I was firm with the principal that I want a few days to settle Lucas in. I will NOT adhere to their policy of just dropping him at the gate and saying “Good bye” on the first day.
As it is, Lucas hardly saw his Papa since last June and he’d just lost his Grandpa. He’s very clingy to me and will wail for “Mi-mi” each time he wakes up from sleep.
Should I go to the toilet etc, he’ll come looking for me and loudly call, “Mi-mi! Mi-mi!” My Mum and sister witnessed this when we were in Penang.
Whenever I went out on errands, he’d be so happy when I return and exclaims,
“Mi-mi come back!”
Imagine his trauma if I were to leave him with a group of total strangers in a strange place and all chattering Putonghua to him??!!
In Preschool 1, a lady was stationed at the entrance to check each kid’s mouth and hands. She also took their temperature using a digital thermometer but she merely wiped the tip with a cloth! Hmm…
Children who have a fever will be sent home but those with a slight cough or cold will still be allowed to attend. Yikes!
The dining hall is huge and looks like a mini image of dining halls in boarding schools. I told the principal that he’s a fussy eater and also wouldn’t sit still for his meals. She *assured* me that the ONE ayi would ensure that he ate all his food. Do you think so? I’d like to believe that but…
The WCs are really cute as they have mini-sized sinks and toilets. I’ll definitely take photos IF he enrolls there.
We’re checking out Preschool 3 this week and then arrive at a final decision.
For now, Preschool 2 sounds OK as they allow me to take him home at noon and will adjust the RMB399 charged for meals. If he’s just going to nap away in a *crowded* room with 20-30 over kids, he may as well do it at home!
How did Lucas take the visits?
1. He’s a potential A student in English. The school’s population is largely Chinese and Korean. When the principal heard me conversing to Lucas in English, she said he’s good.
As I’ve been speaking in English to him nowadays, the Chinese around smile indulgingly when they hear his childish voice piping out,
“Blue taxi! Yellow taxi! Or-rain taxi!”
“Butter-fai (fly) over there! Liu-ther hands dee-tee (dirty).
“Gordon number 4! Poh-mas (Thomas) number 1! Bames (James) number fai (five)!”
“Taxi, pop (stop)!”
with right hand outstreched.
He happily explored the playground with Hubby’s colleague’s kindergarten age son. And of course, he HAD to comment on everything he saw, my little reporter.
I just hope he won’t return home and start arguing with me that his English teacher is right and I am wrong (unless of course, she is)!
2. He *loves* the school
The principal was impressed when he:
Hahaha, my little brown noser earned many “hau ker ai“s again…
When I asked him,
“Do you want to go to school?”
He replied,
“Want play-round (ground). School oo train. Got! Got!”
Hmm…all the best to his teachers!
Sigh, I have about 2 months to decide as the new semester begins in August.
Tell me, what do you think of the preschool so far?
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I cringed when I read the part where they just wipe the thermometer with a cloth. A child with fever will definitely infect others after that. Did you point that out to the administrators?
It’s really not easy to find the perfect school for in a foreign place eh? I guess cleanliness is one of the crucial criteria, I’ll probably opt for P2.
Haha..btw.. I’ve seen those mini sinks/WC here. Very cute indeed.
It’s about time I start searching as well. Have been contemplating about whether or not to start sending Yiu Yiu to pre-school.
I have friend in China too. They send their kids to International school. Quite expensive but covered by company, ok loh.
Vien – Err…I think I did damage by raising eyebrows and looking gobsmacked about the 30 kids per class
Will mention if I’m sending him there – NOT!
Yvonne – They have them in Singapore too? We all went, “Aww…so cute!” when we saw them. Yeah, I’m crossing my fingers for Preschool 3.
A Mom’s Diary – Let us know what you find ok? Can compare notes…
Allisia – Your friend is *very* lucky. International school here is ridiculously expensive – US$30K for pre-K per year!!!
To me, 30 kids in a group of 2 teachers is definately too much. Here in Netherlands, for playgroup age 2-4y/o they have 2-3 teachers for 18 students. Not to scare you, but my China friend told me, if you want a better school in China, choose those more expensive and try to be nice to the teacher too. If you are nice to the teacher (eg buy pressie for them when you go travel), the teacher will treat your kid GOOD also.
Looks like this is yet another tough decision to make. If you set up your own centre, you must have the commitment… can’t go back to M’sia… so often.
just like Jo, he always says mama wrong but teacher right, of course you know who is the right one..
don’t worry, the teacher would ensure kids finished their food…this is the culture here
Auntie D said ‘Preschool in China…NO WAY! Please think twice…new place, nice wheather and new faces you hardly know! Auntie D said NO! NO! NO!
I agree with beckysmum. 2 teachers certainly can’t handle 30 hyperactive toddlers. Between the two of them, they only have 2 pairs of eyes. They can’t keep track of ALL the kids’ activities.
Beckysmum – Ya, Preschool 2 (RMB1,500) is certainly more expensive than 1 (RM750) due to the smaller group of 15. I’ll remember your tip about being nice to the teacher! Already, the principals likes my kiddo.
I’m more concerned about the ayi who will ensure that he eats his snacks and lunch
Angeleyes – I never seriously thought about setting up a kindy or language school here. Will look see, look see first LOL
Huisia – Phew, that’s a relief! I’m trying to inculcate in Lucas the habit of finishing his food before he runs away.
Auntie D – He cannot stay in the house with me all day long for the next 2 years. His playgroup is not meeting anymore already because the kids are also in preschool.
After visiting Preschool 2, Lucas has been telling me, “Want go school! School got swing, small playground, small train…”
He’s also very happy to have a kor-kor to play with. When the kor-kor went home, he said, “Come back! Come up Liu-ther’s house…” See how lonely he is? Don’t worry, I will choose a good school for him.
Josette – Umm…if you read my post again, you’ll note that I am leaning towards Preschool 2, which has 15 kids per group with 2 teachers and 1 ayi. That means 1:8 teacher-student ratio, which is quite OK by early childhood education recommendations
read about such news from China so often. sounds very scary and risky to put our dear lil one in preschool, isnt it?
Chinnee – Ya lor. It’s ironic that I’ve NEVER worried about situations like this until I became a Mum!
is that 1500 RMB per month?
Vince – Yes, that’s right, which I am paying out of my own pocket!