It all started when hubby complained Faith was attending way too many academic courses - Kumon (2x/week), CMA (1x/wk) and Berries (1x/wk). And at one time, even a theme-based project work class (1x/wk) which fortunately has ended three weeks ago. Not forgetting her English and Chinese Speech & Drama classes, Fastrack Kids and I-Math programme, during her extended day programme at her kindy. :p
After some thinking, I decided to pull her out of the Kumon programme in order to free up some time and energy for her to pursue other types of non-academic learning. Ideally, I would like her to pick up playing one musical instrument and specialised in one sports. Too ambitious? :p
After some thinking, I decided to pull her out of the Kumon programme in order to free up some time and energy for her to pursue other types of non-academic learning. Ideally, I would like her to pick up playing one musical instrument and specialised in one sports. Too ambitious? :p
Faith has been attending Kumon since last February when she was in K1. Though it benefitted her in introducing some form of work discipline in her daily schedule, I think it is about time she moves on. Part of the reason is that the level of English she is doing is way too advanced (roughly at P4 standard) for my liking. Though she could answer majority of the comprehension questions, I don't think she fully appreciates the text itself. As for Kumon Math, it is becoming so repetitive and boring that even I feel sorry for her at times for having to work on so many similiar-looking sums. So in place of Kumon worksheets, I am planning to get her to work on various assessment books instead.
Faith also used to attend Cristofori Little Mozarts keyboard lessons for about 3 terms. However, she eventually asked to quit because she complained the lessons were boring and she disliked sitting on the floor to do written exercises. Hubby and I suspected she couldn't follow up with the rest of the class. I guess our mistake was a lack of practice - we didn't even get a keyboard for her, thinking the weekly lesson would suffice. This time round, we are determined to follow up at home.
I did some online search to scout around for a good piano teacher. I eventually found one and we went for a trial lesson at her place a fortnight ago. The trial cost $50 for each girl (Faith 45 mins and Angie 30 mins), presumably so expensive because she is SO qualified - Masters in music, Diploma in ABRSM and a certified instructor with MOE, no less. My neighbour's kid's piano teacher from China only charges $80/mth for four 30-mins lessons!
I considered for a long time before deciding to go for the trial mainly because her place is so far from ours. It took us nearly half an hour to reach there by car and more than one hour to get back - due to the after-work traffic jam. I had a big headache and nearly puked spending so much time in the car that day. The only consolation was the teacher seemed patient and professional and the girls seemed to enjoy their trial piano lessons.
Thinking the travelling issue is only once a week, I almost signed up UNTIL the teacher pointed out she has a dropping-off policy - meaning we CANNOT wait at her house when the lesson is on-going. :( Instead, I am supposed to send one girl there then leave, then pick her up and leave no. 2 there. I think she is probably concerned about security issues - during the trial, they practised in a closed air-conditioned room while we waited outside in the living room.
Honestly, I don't mind dropping off and picking the girls up one by one but the problem is - there is simply nowhere for me to hang out while waiting for the lessons to end! There is no shopping mall nearby, unlike Berries at Bishan where I can shop at Junction 8 or go to the library while waiting for the girls. I can't wait in a car since I don't have one and I can't possibly wait at the void deck for more than an hour, right? What if bb no.3 starts to cry or the older one waiting wants to go to the loo? In contrast, my neighbour could sit with her younger child and OPENLY watch her older son takes his lessons with the teacher. After some thinking, I decided not to continue with her since she was so particular and inflexible with regards to us waiting in her house. The teacher didn't seemed to be too hard up for my business too when I told her about my decision - she probably has earned enough from her current pool of 30+ students who pay premium to learn from her.
After that disappointment, I called up Yamaha and enquired about their group lessons. It cost about $30/Piano School lesson for Faith and $23/Music Wonderland lesson for Angie. This works out to be only about half of what that piano teacher quoted me - $200/mth and $180/mth respectively. Not only I will save $, it is also half the distance nearer.
Faith also used to attend Cristofori Little Mozarts keyboard lessons for about 3 terms. However, she eventually asked to quit because she complained the lessons were boring and she disliked sitting on the floor to do written exercises. Hubby and I suspected she couldn't follow up with the rest of the class. I guess our mistake was a lack of practice - we didn't even get a keyboard for her, thinking the weekly lesson would suffice. This time round, we are determined to follow up at home.
I did some online search to scout around for a good piano teacher. I eventually found one and we went for a trial lesson at her place a fortnight ago. The trial cost $50 for each girl (Faith 45 mins and Angie 30 mins), presumably so expensive because she is SO qualified - Masters in music, Diploma in ABRSM and a certified instructor with MOE, no less. My neighbour's kid's piano teacher from China only charges $80/mth for four 30-mins lessons!
I considered for a long time before deciding to go for the trial mainly because her place is so far from ours. It took us nearly half an hour to reach there by car and more than one hour to get back - due to the after-work traffic jam. I had a big headache and nearly puked spending so much time in the car that day. The only consolation was the teacher seemed patient and professional and the girls seemed to enjoy their trial piano lessons.
Thinking the travelling issue is only once a week, I almost signed up UNTIL the teacher pointed out she has a dropping-off policy - meaning we CANNOT wait at her house when the lesson is on-going. :( Instead, I am supposed to send one girl there then leave, then pick her up and leave no. 2 there. I think she is probably concerned about security issues - during the trial, they practised in a closed air-conditioned room while we waited outside in the living room.
Honestly, I don't mind dropping off and picking the girls up one by one but the problem is - there is simply nowhere for me to hang out while waiting for the lessons to end! There is no shopping mall nearby, unlike Berries at Bishan where I can shop at Junction 8 or go to the library while waiting for the girls. I can't wait in a car since I don't have one and I can't possibly wait at the void deck for more than an hour, right? What if bb no.3 starts to cry or the older one waiting wants to go to the loo? In contrast, my neighbour could sit with her younger child and OPENLY watch her older son takes his lessons with the teacher. After some thinking, I decided not to continue with her since she was so particular and inflexible with regards to us waiting in her house. The teacher didn't seemed to be too hard up for my business too when I told her about my decision - she probably has earned enough from her current pool of 30+ students who pay premium to learn from her.
After that disappointment, I called up Yamaha and enquired about their group lessons. It cost about $30/Piano School lesson for Faith and $23/Music Wonderland lesson for Angie. This works out to be only about half of what that piano teacher quoted me - $200/mth and $180/mth respectively. Not only I will save $, it is also half the distance nearer.
I particularly like the clear course structure which is supposed to get children to attain ABRSM Grade 3 by their 4th year. I also like the fact that parents can sit in together to learn together with the children. Parental involvement is important to maximise learning. Especially for clueless musically-untrained parents like us, I think it is better to sit in rather than to wait outside. Cristofori only required us to sit in for the last 15mins of each lesson, mainly to take notes - which was quite ineffective cos we forgot everything the minute we stepped out of the classroom. On the other hand, Yamaha requires parents to sit in THROUGHOUT for all the Music Wonderland lessons and for the 1st three months of the Piano School lessons.
Yamaha's new term will only start in October. I have registered for the Wonderland trial next month and I will decide then whether to register the girls or not. I have discussed with hubby and he has agreed to send and accompany the girls to their lessons since I will need to look after bb no.3. Partly because he is also (mildly) interested in learning how to play the keyboard. Heheh.
Meanwhile, in search for a class that would provide some form of art exposure, we took the girls for a trial at Art Loft today after the P1 registration. I had learned about them last year from another mummy at JG who told me happily she could relax and drink coffee while waiting for her two sons to end their art lessons. :p
The trial cost $40 each so $40 x 2 = $80. Eventually, like the piano trial, I didn't sign up as well but for different reasons - I wasn't impressed with the teachers, the classroom environment and the activities done during the trial.
The girls did a total of four art activities back-to-back in about 1.5 hour:
1) Rolling paint balls - drawing papers, paints, ping-pong balls, plastic basket
2) Silk printing - water-soluble markers, silk frame, lacquer paint finish (?)
3) Finger painting - drawing papers, paints
4) Table painting - paints, brushes, drawing papers
Meanwhile, in search for a class that would provide some form of art exposure, we took the girls for a trial at Art Loft today after the P1 registration. I had learned about them last year from another mummy at JG who told me happily she could relax and drink coffee while waiting for her two sons to end their art lessons. :p
The trial cost $40 each so $40 x 2 = $80. Eventually, like the piano trial, I didn't sign up as well but for different reasons - I wasn't impressed with the teachers, the classroom environment and the activities done during the trial.
The girls did a total of four art activities back-to-back in about 1.5 hour:
1) Rolling paint balls - drawing papers, paints, ping-pong balls, plastic basket
2) Silk printing - water-soluble markers, silk frame, lacquer paint finish (?)
3) Finger painting - drawing papers, paints
4) Table painting - paints, brushes, drawing papers
I thought it was a little cheapskate of them to use ping-pong balls for 3) because the girls have difficulty rolling the light plastic balls which kept getting stuck to the paint. Angie did the same activity at JG last year but a heavier golf ball and a smaller (more manageable) paper box cover were used instead and they worked very well.
Except for 2), don't you think the rest are very simple activities which could have easily been conducted at home? Besides, I think the girls are already doing similiar activities back in their kindy. Sigh! What was I expecting anyway? :/
As the girls worked on their activities, I can't help feeling a little bored. As I think about it, I prefer art activities to be integrated in their learning curriculum e.g. rolling paint balls over the letter of the week instead of just a blank piece of paper would be more meaningful, right?
What I most disliked was, the assistant teacher who guided us, did some 'demo' on their paper or helped partially with their artwork. I think that shouldn't be the way. She could have used verbal instructions or demo on a separate piece of paper. Otherwise, how could it be considered 100% their work, right? She even took away their finished work and laid their art pieces to dry on the floor when the girls could have easily perform that simple task themselves. AND I think she sounded a little too patronising at times - she kept praising their work "very nice" when honestly, there was nothing much outstanding about it.
Except for 2), don't you think the rest are very simple activities which could have easily been conducted at home? Besides, I think the girls are already doing similiar activities back in their kindy. Sigh! What was I expecting anyway? :/
As the girls worked on their activities, I can't help feeling a little bored. As I think about it, I prefer art activities to be integrated in their learning curriculum e.g. rolling paint balls over the letter of the week instead of just a blank piece of paper would be more meaningful, right?
What I most disliked was, the assistant teacher who guided us, did some 'demo' on their paper or helped partially with their artwork. I think that shouldn't be the way. She could have used verbal instructions or demo on a separate piece of paper. Otherwise, how could it be considered 100% their work, right? She even took away their finished work and laid their art pieces to dry on the floor when the girls could have easily perform that simple task themselves. AND I think she sounded a little too patronising at times - she kept praising their work "very nice" when honestly, there was nothing much outstanding about it.
There was another 27-month-old expat toddler who attended the trial with us. I was surprised the mummy signed up for the next term after the trial was over. I felt like telling her that her daughter would have more fun and learned much more at JG PlayClub. But I was scared she might think I am a busybody or something. :p
Ah well, I think the girls are better off doing arty-farty stuff with me at home. Just that I will have extra cleaning up to do.... (@.@)
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