Re:Schools for 3 year old & 2 year old 7 Months ago
There are 2 branches of the ML kindergarten with the downtown one being just over the ridge from Labour Park (below the TV tower and 10 min from the Shangri-la).
For the 3.5 year old there is also the pre-school at the Maple Leaf Foreign Nationals School near Tiger Beach.
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Re:Schools for 3 year old & 2 year old 6 Months, 4 Weeks ago
At the risk of starting a heated discussion about early childhood development, I would still recommend a ECD center rather than traditional preschool for children under 4.
Full disclosure - I've been a Gymboree teacher for 5 years, I really believe in the program and I've seen what it has done for the kids and their families. Not all learning is in books. Play is the most important medium of learning for children at this age and not "just playing". They have to develop physically, mentally, cognitively, emotionally and socially through age-appropriate activities that need reinforcement from the most important people in their life.
It's not that we don't have enough teachers that we require a parent or a care-giver to be present. It's that you are their first teacher and the most important one at that.
I resent some statements made here about early childhood education that imply its insignificance.
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Re:Schools for 3 year old & 2 year old 6 Months, 4 Weeks ago
They have to develop physically, mentally, cognitively, emotionally and socially through age-appropriate activities that need reinforcement from the most important people in their life.
I resent some statements made here about early childhood education that imply its insignificance.[/quote]
You probably resent something which I or Funkymother said. He called them fad schools and I said that under 2 1/2 babies just don't suit certain programs. I took my kid to Gymboree and it was a beautiful Mall school. There were some knocks against it, hopefully it gets corrected in the New Mart location. One is that it doesn't offer much independence for the parents because its not a traditional preschool. I think some parents like the idea of browsing about for an hour or two while the kids get into the activities. Second, there are no windows there and without some sun, its very depressing but that is just me.
About those who are most important in the children's lives reinforcing, very true about that. But, my boy could not sit in an art class for more than 5 minutes and were I to force him, I would have some mothers looking at me like I was the worst parent in the world for letting him cry, hence the gym room was more suitable. I noticed every parent with baby under 3 had issues like that so Im not the only one. Many parents even went to the desk clerk to ask why such a program was offered when their kid couldn't handle it.
However, I would like to clarify something, I love it that dalianadobo feels strongly about her product and having work experience in the field, Gymboree is far better than the competitors on basis of class structure, management, and quality product. In the beginning I may have disagreed secretly about what I just said but now I can see a huge difference and also my boy did like dalianadobo as a teacher, he was smiling and not shy, she is a great teacher with alot of patience. Furthermore, I think the gym room accelerated my son's muscular development so he could walk faster, he was a late starter.
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Re:Schools for 3 year old & 2 year old 6 Months, 4 Weeks ago
I totally agree with the statements make by Dalianabodo and also made by HD.
If we see thet Wolfgand method, Montesorri, Reggio method then there is great deal of importnance put on ELC and that stage of life.. But as most of teh Gymboree, etc programs are only offered for an hour os so a day and NOT for a complete school day tehn they start to be more of a fun way of learning than the meat on the bones basis of education...
I think as an extra curricula activity they are great and Eliza is a great teacher and I have know teh Gymboree op for years.. BUT....
The Medically disapproved of Mum
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