Bethesda Katong Kindergarten to Living Santuary Kindergarten

Wan Qi will officially be transferred to Living Santuary Kindergarten on 4th May. It was a very sudden decision by all family members including my mum, Xihong and I. Because of this the total damage is about three hundred plus dollars. But I think its worth the money.

It all started when Wan Qi gobbled her food whenever she returned from Bethesda Katong Kindergarten. When I asked her why she said she was only given a little food in school. So I asked Wan Qi to ask for more serving. She did but she was not given as there were not enough.
This continued for a while before I asked Xihong to talk to her teacher. Prior to that she was beaten by her classmate in the schoolbus, I asked my mum to talk to the bus attendent to change their seats. They didnt bother until she was punched at the nose again, I couldnt take it and told them sternly I wanted them to change their seats. At the same time, Xihong also called the school teacher thinking that he can just tell the teacher about the 2 matter.

Unfortunately, it was the school principal who answered the phone and Xihong told her about the matter. 2 days later, the teacher called. She told me that since it was only a snack at 12.30pm, there wouldnt be enough for second serving. I told her that Wan Qi boards the bus at 10am everyday and that is supposed to be her lunch and not snack. By the time she got home at 3.30pm, she will be so so hungry. Then she told me to bring extra food for Wan Qi. I was quite shock but agreed as I dont want to make matter worse. She then told me that Wan Qi was very talkative in school so we scolded and later also caned Wan Qi for that.

Then Wan Qi started to tell me she missed her Daysping Kindergarten teachers. In fact, she will make a comparison saying her present teacher is very fierce and she doesnt like her. And is not only on 1 occasion. But Xihong and I didnt really bother about it as we thought its good that she has a fierce teacher so that she will be disciplined.

However, subsequently, I began to hear her modelling her teacher saying things like "You ah this girl always urine urine urine." or "Talk talk talk " or "Send you off the classroom"and the most recent one "Dont be a busybody hah, you"

I began to think twice about sending Wan Qi to this school. On Wan Qi's birthday celebration that day, I asked the teacher about how is Wan Qi in school. She told me she has improved a little but went on to say that she is authoritative and is very rude to her. I was very disappointed with her and off course I wont spared the rod when she is rude to teachers. For that she got caning from me.

However, in the bottom of my heart I thought is she really that naughty. Back then in Dayspring, she loves her teachers and friends so much. And she is not a girl who cannot adapt to a new environment. The teachers in Dayspring always tell me that she never cause a problem to them not even on the very first day.

Neverthesless, I decided to go straight ahead to withdraw her from Bethesda Katong Kindergarten. I got the report book from the teacher. And I was shock to see that she actually got a Cs for enjoying books and a Cs for being alert and attentive. This assured me further that the lost of $300 is money well spent.

Wan Qi loves books so much that she can dont sleep just to read them. And when she wakes up in the morning and finds that the sleepy head which is me is still sleeping she will just automatically take out books and read. I am very proud of her reading readiness. At the tender age of 3 plus, she knows how to blend the words and read storybooks on her own. Give her a book, read it to her and tomorrow she is able to read aloud the story the very next day, be it Chinese or English. I was amazed by her recently too. I bought a set of TAU SHU Chinese storybooks for primary level, after reading to her three to four times, the very next day she actually read aloud the whole book to me as she pointed the chinese character correctly. How could it be that she is graded a C for enjoying reading. What have they done to her?? Or on what ground did they assessed her in this way. I was really furious. And I was feeling so lousy that I had chosen such a school for her and I hope she was not verbally abused by all the above.

As for alert and attentiveness, I am also puzzled. Back in Dayspring, after attending her own lessons, she will have tea break. The teachers from her own class and also teachers from other classes told me that Wan Qi will always finished up her food quickly and joined in the other classes to sit in and listen to the same lesson again conducted by a different teacher. So I am really upset that she had "changed". I am not sure from Shichida to Little Neuro Tree, she has always been the most attentive girl, she will sit through all the flash cards thing and finished all her activities. She is so determined that when she cant complete a 20 pcs puzzle within a 5-10min timing, she cried and insisted on finishing the puzzle all by herself .

I am not saying that Wan Qi is bright or anything is just the learning attitude that I am proud of her. But right now after receiving such a feedback it really upsets me and it makes me wonder, has she changed or has the school changed her or whatever the reason.

Whatever it is, I hope the change in environment will bring my old Wan Qi back. Keep my fingers crossed.