3 Yo Daughter Getting To School In Cm

[vspin134]

my daughter is turning 3 in few months so we are thinking of many different schools in the area. We live near Mee Chok are and we are thinking of Nakorn Payap, kiddy bear, Ton kra. We need some opinions to help us make decision...we have been looking around for months now. What we are looking for is decent international program with toddlers with many different nationalities and most importantly is we are looking for good child to teacher (not helper) ratio. Many of school in Chiang Mai do not have qualified child pre-school/kindergarden teacher who pay full attention to kids on creating skills, self-confidence, manner, etc. We understand that kids can learn those values from home but again many of Thai schools have more than 30 kids to 1 teacher with a few helpers who just stand there and chat on their phone!

any suggestion?

thanks.

Jay

[rakchaingmai]

I use little stars for my daughter of 3 years old the western teacher stays with the kids all day until 5 pm and there are only 12 kids in her class very good for the price of 27,500 per term .

My daughter is 3 years and 1 month and can write her name count 1-20 knows all the shapes and colours can also write her name in thai knows most animals from the zoo can spell yes and no .

I have looked at most of the schools around chiang mai and all the others the teacher come in and teach for a few hours then they go home even the ones that claim to be international at 35,000 per term nakorn payap they say 60% english 40% thai but it is more like 80% thai 20% english.

I have worked as a kindergarten teacher for 5 years and i know people that work at all the schools above and i still rate little stars just behind kad suan kaew , Abs on the superhighway is not the same teacher to students ratio.

Also the teacher that works at little stars was also a kindergarten teacher in the uk before she came here and is really good with the children .

[Mapguy]

Not altogether an easy question to answer because different parents like different things for their children, but there are some programs worth looking at at that level. NIS is probably not so bad. I am not certain what the program at that age might be, but you might look at Panyadan (sp?), if they have one. I do not believe CMIS has a program for children of that age. On the low end of cost curve would be a school like Little Stars, which many think good value for the money at that age. For top quality staffing and age-appropriate education you will have to pay a premium price at PTIS.

I left some schools out. Perhaps Varee. Their kindergarten facilities look quite spectacular, but they don't recruit or pay for highly qualified teachers. All in all, look around.

What you do at home makes much more of a difference in any case.

Edited January 10, 2012 by Mapguy

[PlanetX]

I am not sure what schools you have looked at but the NIS ratio for student : teacher at that age level is around 4 students per teacher (1 Western Country graduate, 2 CMIS Education graduates). From my experience with having a child in the K-1 class at NIS I can assure you that the assistants were very experienced and my wife was thrilled with their attentive nature towards the children.

[AndersSN]

I can second Little Stars.

My Daughter is only 2 and a bit but counts to ten in 3 languages and knows the Thai alphabet when she sees the letters.

Very nice and attentive staff, good class sizes.

+1

[elektrified]

I can second Little Stars.

My Daughter is only 2 and a bit but counts to ten in 3 languages and knows the Thai alphabet when she sees the letters.

Very nice and attentive staff, good class sizes.

+1

May I ask what the cost of Little Stars is and where it is located?

I visited Sarasas School today as I am looking for somewhere to send my 2 1/2 y.o. child. It seemed like a nice place. Unfortunately it was out of my budget.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I thought Sarasas was real cheap? Probably around 5000 a month or so?

[elektrified]

I thought Sarasas was real cheap? Probably around 5000 a month or so?

Not 100% sure WTK. The g/f said there were all kinds of additional charges on top of the tuition that made it unreasonable.

[AndersSN]

I can second Little Stars.

My Daughter is only 2 and a bit but counts to ten in 3 languages and knows the Thai alphabet when she sees the letters.

Very nice and attentive staff, good class sizes.

+1

May I ask what the cost of Little Stars is and where it is located?

I visited Sarasas School today as I am looking for somewhere to send my 2 1/2 y.o. child. It seemed like a nice place. Unfortunately it was out of my budget.

Here is their website including the address, but it's near Nimanhaemin http://www.littlestars-preschool.com/contact%20us.html

I forget the exact prize but I pay 5-6.000 a month.

[thenewgoo]

I don't usually write on forums but signed up when I saw this post as it was a similar situation to mine a year ago. I notice it hasn't been mentioned, but I settled on Lanna for my daughter after looking around for quite a while. Best decision I have ever made! The teachers are fully dedicated, the kids are actively stimulated with activities including weekly field trips, and my daughter's English has progressed at a rate beyond my belief. Aside from that there is active parent involvement and we have made lots of new friends having moved up here from Bangkok. The fees are more than those of other kindergartens but it may be worth considering.

[Paulme]

I have several friends with young children in kindergartens here. One couple have their children at Ambassadors and two others at Little Stars. Both are pretty happy with their children being at these pre-schools and the children seem happy BUT all have reservations about the bilingual aspect. In reality it seems that in both cases Thai is very much the dominant language and hence the dominant language spoken by the children.

I guess it depends what you are after really. Neither of these options is very expensive, hence their popularity.

[vspin134]

Thanks all for comment. We visited little star and discovered that the school itself is rather small compared to other but the staff are very attentive and they do offer daily rate where our daughter can join and try. 400 a day and 7000 a month. We went to NIS a year ago but our daughter was not as happy as yesterday at little star. The preschool program is only a year old now at NIS so I guess they were not quite experienced last year. We would try Lanna as well but again we are looking at getting her started in february so we have a couple week to look around. What we are looking for is a place where they offer small class size where experienced teacher can work on improving all the basic skills...cost is not the main concern.

[Puwa]

Several years ago when my son was at Little Stars we had only a so-so experience. There was a problem with a hyperactive/bully kid in the class and the school was unwilling to talk to the Thai family because of its social status. The kid just wrecked havoc among the other 5 year olds. The van was always late in the morning and we only found out after many months that it arrived so late that our son missed the English classes which were held first thing in the morning. We employed one of the teacher's aides part time as a babysitter, who gave us a lot of behind-the-scenes info (that's how we knew about the bully/social status thing). Despite the rhetoric about progressive teaching methods etc, there was also a fair bit of popping in a video and letting the kids veg out in front of the tv. We also found the couple who owns the school to be rather smarmy by, for example, asking parents for donations to buy equipment, although it is a for-profit business.

All that said, overall it wasn't a terrible situation and no damage seems to have been done to junior. I don't have any ill will towards the school, just reporting the facts.

[LIST]

On Wednesday 18th January LIST (Lanna International School Thailand) will open its doors for an "Open Day". If you are considering LIST as an option then come along and take a look at what goes on during a regular school day. You will also have the chance to meet with staff to discuss the Cambridge International Education programmes that are followed throughout the school.

All are welcome, whether looking for Kindergarten age children or children of High School age. See the attached flyer for details (and print a copy and bring it with you for free admission testing during January).

[Paulme]

LIST,

If my friends were to come along to the open day on Wednesday I assume their is no pressure to have clear plans to join the school? Presumably they could just come and have a look around and a chat? Is booking needed?

Sorry for so many questions but my friends are a bit nervous about coming believe it or not.

I guess schools make people nervous; I never liked them much either.

[Semper]

OP.

I think you aswered your own question.

" We understand that kids can learn those values from home"

[nikster]

Hey gonna add my 2 cents too

A friend's kid is going to TonKla and very happy. I love their adverts as they're all about play, which is age appropriate. I hear Ton Kla has a big garden...

Our kids are going to Chiang Mai Montessori which I would recommend warmly, however, it's way far away from you close to Hang Dong area. So probably not practical for you. Big garden and Montessori program, I think currently the only one in CM. I am always a bit concerned it's too serious but the kids love it, and it's rather amazing to see how well the concept works. Would go too far to try and explain it here, wikipedia it...

We used to bring our son to Little Stars when he was 2 1/2 ... suuuuper nice teachers, and native English speakers, but the building is a bit small and once they started homework (for a toddler not even 3) he was outta there. I'd leave my 2 year old there any time with no hesitation, they are really well looked after. But the "learning" program is a different matter.

I do not understand the parents/schools obsession with counting and ABCs. What's the point? Do they really think their kid will not be able to count or to recognize letters? Are they smarter if they are able to do that at 3 instead of 5, or 6? As a counterpoint google some Japanese methods for teaching Math, or reading and writing - by age 2 or 3! You can teach a toddler anything, they're like a sponge, but you have to ask yourself why. Is a toddler that can do math at 2 going to be a maths genius? I think it's very clear that the answer is no.

IMO these things are great mainly for the parents, who can see progress, and check off boxes. But they're at best a distraction from learning those things that toddlers learn all by themselves if you leave them alone (and the TV off....). There's this TED talk by a woman scientist - unfortunately forgot her name - in which she shows how toddlers when they seem to be playing, are actually doing some pretty complex problem solving and rapidly testing different theories of how things work. It's pretty amazing. In it she's showing a toddler creating and testing out 5 different theories in the space of a minute. You think they're rolling on the ground grabbing and licking stuff, in reality they're learning physics!

[lannarebirth]

Are they smarter if they are able to do that at 3 instead of 5, or 6?

Yes, they are.

[AndersSN]

On Wednesday 18th January LIST (Lanna International School Thailand) will open its doors for an "Open Day". If you are considering LIST as an option then come along and take a look at what goes on during a regular school day. You will also have the chance to meet with staff to discuss the Cambridge International Education programmes that are followed throughout the school.

All are welcome, whether looking for Kindergarten age children or children of High School age. See the attached flyer for details (and print a copy and bring it with you for free admission testing during January).

You almost had me thinking about changing schools until I read: "A quality British education in Chiang Mai"

British education is the ass end of European education, you could call it French education and it would be better.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I disagree; the British always win those pub quizzes; they must learn all that stuff somewhere?

[rakchaingmai]

Yeah drinking in the pub because it's so bloody cold in england so we go to the pub and enter quizzes normally on wednesday nights .

Also they have quiz machines(who wants to be a millionaire) in most bars you go into .

[jackr]

Nakorn Payap would be ideal being so close, but don't think it's such a big; your kid is 3 after all!

British education is the ass end of European education, you could call it French education and it would be better.

Christ, all the prejudice is coming out today; I think you'd fit in nicely among the dolts in the Taliban thread. Please go there.

[PlanetX]

Are they smarter if they are able to do that at 3 instead of 5, or 6?

Yes, they are.

No, they aren't. In fact, the more a young child is forced to "memorize" these concepts, the less their brain is able to naturally develop through the most efficient and expedient methods of play and discovery.

[AndersSN]

Nakorn Payap would be ideal being so close, but don't think it's such a big; your kid is 3 after all!

British education is the ass end of European education, you could call it French education and it would be better.

Christ, all the prejudice is coming out today; I think you'd fit in nicely among the dolts in the Taliban thread. Please go there.

Don't blasphemer please.

I was here first and you were in the Taliban thread first so why don't you stay there?

Anyway, the two following post saw the funny side and it's not my fault can't add smilies on my iPad.

I'm sorry if I hit the mark and you fell of your high horse.

[jackr]

Well done for throwing the thread. May I suggest avoiding attempts at wit unless you're all-over the given tongue, or, better still, just use smilies and avoid text altogether.

[NxaiPan]

LIST,

If my friends were to come along to the open day on Wednesday I assume their is no pressure to have clear plans to join the school? Presumably they could just come and have a look around and a chat? Is booking needed?

Sorry for so many questions but my friends are a bit nervous about coming believe it or not.

I guess schools make people nervous; I never liked them much either.

Open days at Lanna International are very relaxed, just like the school. No need to book, just turn up, check it out, chat to the teachers and the students to get a good picture of the place and to see if it will work for you and yours.

[wedders]

Are they smarter if they are able to do that at 3 instead of 5, or 6?

Yes, they are.

Not necessarily. Many different factors can affect this ability, or lack of, other than innate intelligence.

I agree with Nikster to a large extent. My (just) 3 yo has had a mixed education, going to schools in France and Thailand, speaking English with me, and with no parental obsession about education - just the desire to see a child raised in a pleasant learning environment where she feels at ease, and confident. At that early age anyway. As a father I just wish my daughter to grow up to become a knowledgeable, balanced human being, who treats others with respect, other than raising a learning machine destined for some remarkable career - in the parents' dreams anyway.

From bog-ordinary schooling in the countries she's been raised in so far, by a single parent, my daughter speaks fluent 3 yo English and French, and understands Thai. No pressure, no special learning priorities. Sure educational standards are important, and there are considerable variations from one establishment to another, but I do think we can get excessively hung up on this aspect rather than the other factors that contribute to a kid's wellbeing at school.

[LIST]

LIST,

If my friends were to come along to the open day on Wednesday I assume their is no pressure to have clear plans to join the school? Presumably they could just come and have a look around and a chat? Is booking needed?

Sorry for so many questions but my friends are a bit nervous about coming believe it or not.

I guess schools make people nervous; I never liked them much either.

Open days at Lanna International are very relaxed, just like the school. No need to book, just turn up, check it out, chat to the teachers and the students to get a good picture of the place and to see if it will work for you and yours.

Yes indeed, no need to book. If you are interested to find out more just pop along between 9am and 2pm. There will be no pressure at all to join the school, it's simply a chance for people to see the school during a regular school day and form a more accurate picture of what the school is like.

Some of the people who will be attending the Open Day already have a child at the school and come along to find out a little more about the place to which they entrust their child's education. If you come along you will hopefully get the chance to chat to some of these existing parents too.

Edited January 16, 2012 by LIST

[rakchaingmai]

Are they smarter if they are able to do that at 3 instead of 5, or 6?

Yes, they are.

Not necessarily. Many different factors can affect this ability, or lack of, other than innate intelligence.

I agree with Nikster to a large extent. My (just) 3 yo has had a mixed education, going to schools in France and Thailand, speaking English with me, and with no parental obsession about education - just the desire to see a child raised in a pleasant learning environment where she feels at ease, and confident. At that early age anyway. As a father I just wish my daughter to grow up to become a knowledgeable, balanced human being, who treats others with respect, other than raising a learning machine destined for some remarkable career - in the parents' dreams anyway.

From bog-ordinary schooling in the countries she's been raised in so far, by a single parent, my daughter speaks fluent 3 yo English and French, and understands Thai. No pressure, no special learning priorities. Sure educational standards are important, and there are considerable variations from one establishment to another, but I do think we can get excessively hung up on this aspect rather than the other factors that contribute to a kid's wellbeing at school.

+1 very good post .

[AndersSN]

Well done for throwing the thread. May I suggest avoiding attempts at wit unless you're all-over the given tongue, or, better still, just use smilies and avoid text altogether.

Throwing the thread? I have offered valid information that was found usefull, what have you contributed with? I must really have gotten under your skin and you suffer from a serious inferiority complex for you to lash out like that. Sorry.

On a serious note.

The first European university was founded in 1088 in Bolgna Italy, in what was then the Papel States.

If you look at how a science like chemistry was pursued then, we would laugh at how primitive and unscientific it was. Keep in mind that this was thought as the hight of scientific pursuit then.

If you looked at a lecturing hall and the way teaching was conducted, you would recognize it instantly from your own uni days as being virtually identical to how we teach now.

The point is, that education haven't changed in more than 900 years because we don't actually know how the brain works and how stimulate it properbly. The result is that good learning occurs more from a good inviroment and the people in it rather than curriculum and method. Also when you take into account that studies (like IQ test of twins separated at birth growing up in different environments) have shown that your intellectual potential is genetically decided, all this worrying about where to send our children is pointless.

The positive thing is that the fact that you do worry is a sign of intelligence, that you have transferred to your child, and that you care will most likely create a stimulating environment for you child, helping it fulfill it's potential.