Modern Montessori Tampines (Preschool Research)

At 2 yrs and 3 months, Kai Lynn has a curious mind and restless spirit. Sometimes we cannot keep up with her tireless energy and worry that we are not giving her the stimulation she needs (with an over reliance on youtube). This is especially so with the arrival of No 2.

As the first (and only female) grandchild, Kai Lynn is spoilt rotten by those around her, especially her grandparents. She tends to cling to them subconsciously for support and does not mix well with other children.

It is with the above considerations in mind that I have started looking out for a daily playschool for Kai Lynn. My pre-requisites include:

- proximity to home. the school has to be prefarably walking distance from my place. School bus service would be an added bonus
- non PAP affiliated. Based on feedback from a number of friends, the teachers in PAP kindergartens tend to be less experienced and skilled than their counterparts from private kindergartens. Student teacher ratio tends to be quite big too.
- fees: Anything between S$500-S$800 per month. I am a firm believer that you pay for what you get. Whilst the above fee bracket will not qualify her for top notch schools like Eton and Pat's Schoolhouse, it is sufficient to enrol her for a upper tier quality school in the neighbourhood.
- timing: We are only planning to enrol her for half day classes so she can get to nap at home and spend quality time with her grandparents. Since she wakes up quite late, anytime in the early afternoon (around 12 noon onwards) would be perfect
- curriculum: nothing too stressful. something fun yet stimulating. Exposure to music and mandarin preferable.
- clean and caring environment. Children have to look happy.

Did a cursory google search and found a couple of potential schools meeting the above criteria. One of them was modern montessori tampines. I briefly visited the school on Tuesday and was given a quick tour and orientation by the principal (Josephine). Below are some observations:

- Childcare with playschool options: The centre functions primarily as a full day childcare. However parents who wish to place their child for shorter durations (say, 3-4 hours in my case) are also welcome to do so
- No air conditioning. To me, this is a plus point as kids in an enclosed air conditioned environment tend to fall sick/infect each other more easily. Fans provide adequate ventilation.
- Close proximity to home: The school is located at a HDB void deck along Tampines Ave 5, which is about a leisurely 15 min walk from my place and relatively near Tampines Central (2 bus stops away). There is also school bus service available
- Monthly Fees: Half day fees are S$650 whilst full day fees are S$690. Since the difference is only S$40, Josephine suggested I opt for full day so as to provide myself with added flexibility.
- Withdrawal option: There is no trial session available but parents are allowed to sit in with the kids for the first 3 days of class. Thereafter, if the child is still unable to adapt to class within 2 weeks, parents can get a refund of fees (including deposit).
- Curriculum: Montessori based learning encourages children to grow at their own pace, with an emphasis on fun and sensory learning. The timetable provided to me seemed to hold a fair bit of fun activities (water, dance, cooking, music and more), which I think Kai Lynn will enjoy. However, all activities are confined indoors.
- Overall environment was cosy though not as clean as I would have liked. The place is a little run down but fairly well maintained. There were 2 teachers to the class of 10 children, which ensured adequate attention was spent on each kid. The teachers assigned to Kai Lynn's age group comprised of 2 pleasant looking Chinese ladies. I understand there is a parents-teacher meeting held once every 3 months to update parents on their child's progress. This is in addition to a communication notebook which teachers use to update parents on an ongoing basis.

Overall, I have a good impression of the place. The only problem is that enrolment is currently full and I have to wait for a student to withdraw before Kai Lynn can be accepted.