education
such as shorter classes or more speaking focus to make them comfortable online ”. “ In the end , we found the best option was to keep our lessons as similar to our face-to-face classes as possible since the kids have thrived on familiarity . We even created craft and activity kits to keep at home and replicate what ' s available in our classrooms .”
One parent with a child in K1 at Ashville International Kindergarten in Lantau was impressed with the more hands-on activities sent home by the school ; activity packs with pre-cut art and craft items were “ a Godsend ” as both parent and helper were able to work on tasks with the child . The twice-weekly 15-minute singalongs were also a hit .
“ Zoom fatigue is real ,” stressed one English Schools Foundation kindergarten teacher- let ’ s call her Sarah . “ Trying to keep online classes fun and interesting so the children are engaged is 10 times as hard as when you are in the classroom with them . It is so difficult to replicate ( actually impossible ) the real kindergarten classroom atmosphere ”. And a message for parents , “ A few of my parents were demanding two hours plus on Zoom for three to four year olds , which is too much !”
Kitty Ho , Head of School at Parkview International Pre-school ( PIPS ), found that the increase in screen time was a concern for many parents . “ At PIPS , we provide a variety of hands-on activity and storybook packs to reduce the use of electronic devices and facilitate home learning ”. PIPS online sessions are a combination of learning videos produced by teachers supplemented with Zoom classes for the upper levels . Videos and Zoom meets incorporate a series of play-based teaching strategies like storytelling and active games such as treasure hunts , as well as class discussions and ' Show-n-Tell ' sessions .
According to Allan , of i-Learner Education Centre , “ One thing we ’ re very aware of is the uneven impact school closures have had on children from different backgrounds . Those with parents who work full time are often taken care of by grandparents or domestic helpers who may be less able to solve tech issues or give learning support . These children were slower to take up online learning , and some are still struggling with it .”
For preschoolers , online learning does usually require assistance from an adult , but parents shouldn ’ t get too involved , stressed teacher Sarah . “ No matter how many times I would say ‘ please can you let Sophie answer ,’ the caregiver would more often than not just feed the child the correct answer .”
So , if you have a three or four year old child , is online kindergarten really worth it ? Would you ; should you ; did you ; pull your child out of pre-school / kindergarten during online lessons ?
For ‘ Sarah ’, online kindergertan lessons are definitely worthwhile for maintaining a sense of community . “ The daily contact made a difference in that when the children made it back into the class it minimised the separation anxiety as they were used to seeing us everyday . It allowed us to see the children that had been quieter in the classroom speak up a bit more on Zoom . I still felt it was valuable . I still saw them learn . I saw them become more adaptable , resilient and learn new tech skills . Of course there were days when some children didn ' t want to participate but even just having the Zoom on in the background was good enough .”
Kindergarten education is not compulsory in Hong Kong and Ruth Benny , founder of Top Schools , is certain that many families with younger children decided to withdraw , or not to apply for kindergarten due to it being online and the uncertainty about when children would return to physical lessons . “ It is a rare toddler / parent combo that has managed online learning well enough to justify the cost ,” she explains .
Monthly fees for an international kindergarten in Hong Kong range between $ 4,500 for a half day to $ 19,000 for a full day . While many parents hoped for a reduction in fees , this often wasn ’ t feasible ; kindergartens still have expenses , including staff