private local school or esf

[Butterscotch]

i would like my son to go to a school which encourages creative thinking, where he can learn to be independent, with good foundation in both english and chinese (reading n writing). i m not sure whether a private local school or esf would be a better option. would anyone who has sent his/her child to either school please share your thoughts.
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[carang]

Yeah...creative thought and learning to read and write chinese rarely, if ever, go hand in hand.

Sent from my GT-I8150 using GeoClicks Mobile

 

[howardcoombs]

ESF is an English school group and as the name implies (English Schools Foundation), its emphasis is English; you will not get good foundation in reading and writing of Chinese by sending your child to an ESF school.

If Chinese education is important to you, you should be looking at other alternatives.

 

[chrcheu]

Local schools lack creative thinking in their curriculum due to the intense education system in HK. I was having this problem a while ago and finally chose international school for my son. SIS and CIS teach good chinese.

 

[Jomama]

If you options are only between ESF & private local school, then you must decide which is more important to you:
Creative & independent thinking, or good foundation in reading & writing in chinese.

If you want both, then International School is the way to go. Schools that teach chinese well: CIS, SIS, CdnIS, ISF, Yew Chung, Victoria... there are many choices, if we can get a spot, that is.

 

[howardcoombs]

Local schools lack creative thinking in their curriculum due to the intense education system in HK.

You (similar to many others in Hong Kong) are categorizing all non-english schools into one group and calling them "local schools" and assuming they are all the same. HK Parents should realize that there are 8 types of schools in Hong Kong. ESF and International being 2 of them, there are 6 more types that many collectively call "local".

Having said that, these schools are can be very different from each other and labeling all of them with the same brush is simply wrong. They should not be thought of as a single entity; they are not.

Similar to what you would find in any western country, some of these schools are fantastic, some are very average and a few are horrible. Important thing being : they are different and should not be all lumped together as "local schools".

As an example : There are *huge* differences between Precious Blood, Marymount, StStephens and StPaulsConvent.

 

[howardcoombs]

If you options are only between ESF & private local school, then you must decide which is more important to you: Creative & independent thinking, or good foundation in reading & writing in chinese.

There are many private local schools that foster creative and interdependent thinking. ESF (and international schools) are not the only choice for schools that support creativity and independent thought.

If you want both, then International School is the way to go. Schools that teach chinese well: CIS, SIS, CdnIS, ISF, Yew Chung, Victoria... there are many choices, if we can get a spot, that is.

Neither ISF nor Victoria are international schools. Both are independent private schools.

 

[karhu]

Hi there, any examples of such schools? And anyone with opinion about pui kiu?

I know there are direct subsidy schools that teach English and French or Cantonese, I think maryknoll convent does? Not 100% sure though, and its an all girl school

 

[Gataloca]

You (similar to many others in Hong Kong) are categorizing all non-english schools into one group and calling them "local schools" and assuming they are all the same. HK Parents should realize that there are 8 types of schools in Hong Kong. ESF and International being 2 of them, there are 6 more types that many collectively call "local".

Howard, where can we get information about these? I am quite confused sometime. I think there are private schools, DSS schools, government schools, .........government aided schools????

 

[howardcoombs]

All the various types of schools are documented here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Hong_Kong#School_types