Saturday, July 30, 2011

To switch or not to?

A new playgroup is opening near my home next year. It's by the AppleTree group which has almost 60 branches locally.

So I went to check out another existing branch this morning together with the boy, who switched to his socializing mode immediately ;)



















Pros of new place as compared to current school:

  • Teaches phonics
  • Classroom actually looks like a classroom with proper seating and teaching corners. Current one is a mirrored music room with makeshift furniture.
  • Structured syllabus and regular updates of what has been taught. I have totally no idea what my son is learning, or if he has been learning at all in the current one.
  • Good hand-washing practices. Zilch in current one, they eat with crayon-ed fingers.
  • Will be less tolerant of bullying I suspect, cos it's afterall a profit-driven business that cannot afford to lose customers.


Cons:


  • No outdoor or physical activities at all, full 2 hours in aircon room. Current one has occasional activities in open-air area and sometimes goes to HDB fitness corner to play (although that means they walk along the main road).
  • Long-sleeved uniform with pants, made of sweatshirt material. Not practical for local weather! Already feel my son's current tee and shorts ensemble can be more skimpy.
  • Only 1 teacher and 1 auntie, so lonely. Current one has 3 teachers with maybe 2 volunteers, plus Boyboy gets to socialize with the Venerables, employees, ah-pos and aunty volunteers all around the temple.
  • Find the environment v quiet, a little sterile, not vibrant and spontaneous enough.


Dilemma dilemma!!! Not ideal, but then there is not much choice for a 2-hr playgroup in the Punggol area. I like Carpe Diem, but that is more of half or full-day childcare which Boyboy does not need for now.

Anyone heard of feedback w.r.t. AppleTree? Would hate to displace Boyboy and throw him into a new environment, and have it all not be worthwhile in the end :p


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