DBSPD intervew

morris_mama

Rham 寫道:
But more importantly is why we should determine whether a school is good or bad just based on the exam results in HKCEE?  It is a kind of Halo Effect.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_effect

Academic results (or more accurately, exam results in this case) are not everything.  Some schools are good in this and some schools are good in that.  A school suitable for your child may not be the suitable for mine.

Rham, thank you very much for your 提醒, it is inspiring!  Thinking back, me and my husband really have put academic results of a school on TOP priority of our selection criteria (a long story which involve lots of peer group influence and pressure)...  Maybe it's now a time to have a change - be more flexible lu.

Would you share more with me about what criteria you've used?  I want to learn more from other parents (me and my husband are the same type and we could be wrong).  Million thanks!

eemay

Any update?

Did they shortlist the 2nd IN applicants already?

morris_mama

ckwliu 寫道:
morris_mama, if a primary school can provide a loving environment and space for our children to grow, it's already a good school.  This is much MORE difficult than pressuring them into doing endless exercises...

hi ckwliu , can't agree more!  This is why I like DBS - its culture, work hard play hard (my perception).

Thanks for your message.  Appreciated it!

NichoB

Do you know when the 2nd interview is?

morris_mama

ckwliu 寫道:
hi morris_mama,  but DBS is not necessarily a loving environment, pls bear this in mind.  it's definitely good in networking and I'm pretty sure that this school can provide a truely global perspective but it's not famous for tender loving care.  You can tell from the way they conduct seminars and interviews.

Not a loving environment... oh yeah, you're right!  It's a tougher environment, not necessarily a bad thing for boys though I personally think (maybe I'm a bit cruel -_-).

But yeah... now I got one more point against DBSPD, should my son got rejected I won't feel that unhappy.   Thank you very much, ckwliu...

morris_mama

ckwliu 寫道:
hey morris_mama dont worry too much abt your boy.  I'm sure he'll succeed in his way.  You are here to guide him and prepare him for what life is going to throw at him in the future BUT you are NOT here to pave his way to a better future.  He'll have to do it himself!   

Very kind of you comforting me, ckwliu.....!

And I like this you said:

ckwliu 寫道:
He'll have to do it himself!   

Hey hey, do you have a boy / a girl?

LA

Agree, the procedure of picking up boys after interviews is really for the school's convenience rather than for the benefit/convenience of parents and boys.

ckwliu 寫道:
hi morris_mama,  but DBS is not necessarily a loving environment, pls bear this in mind.  it's definitely good in networking and I'm pretty sure that this school can provide a truely global perspective but it's not famous for tender loving care.  You can tell from the way they conduct seminars and interviews.

sallysally

my son said the interviewer didn't smile. the experience was different from other schools. but he still said it was 好玩.

iamafather

So, ckwliu, will you consider Kau Yan?  I have heard that many parents commented here in the BK that the school is good in the sense that it provides good environment for the students,  but the path to secondary school seems not attractive.  A dilemma to me.

ckwliu 寫道:
To me, the most considerate school is Kau Yan.  We even got a taste from their famous kitchen.   

freddielau

ckwliu,
I'm not too much worried about the Hon Wah Sec. School since it received good comment historically. My worry mainly on the co-operation between Primary session and sec. session. Seemed that Primary school is only a 租客.............haha

Rham

morris_mama 寫道:

Rham, thank you very much for your 提醒, it is inspiring!  Thinking back, me and my husband really have put academic results of a school on TOP priority of our selection criteria (a long story which involve lots of peer group influence and pressure)...  Maybe it's now a time to have a change - be more flexible lu.

Would you share more with me about what criteria you've used?  I want to learn more from other parents (me and my husband are the same type and we could be wrong).  Million thanks!

You have asked a difficult question.  I am also struggling with this as well.

My dream school is:

Academic excellence
+ caring
+ good campus and facilities
+ moral education
+ peer group
(no particular order)

Academic excellence =
emphasis on language proficiencies (a good reading programme)
+ project based learning to stimulate the children to go beyond syllabuses in different subjects
+ all rounded curriculum
+ NOT drilling just for exams (I don't mean no exercises)

Caring =
teachers are loving and empathic
+ catering for the developmental differences and characters of individuals
+ not pressuring the children to do something they are not ready
+ NOT laissez-faire

School campus =
new + spacious + green + safe

Moral education =
discipline + humble + kind + responsible
+ independent critical thinking
but NOT strict for the sake of being strict

Peer group =
Good parents + kids are cooperative + team spirit + exposure
+ NOT too "inch"

But of course, there is NO SUCH SCHOOL that can achieve excellence in all of the above.  The teaching staff need to be superhuman in all aspects to achieve that.  The school board must have a very clear vision and strong support to the school.  Are these all just wishful thinking?

Afterall, we don't normally have the connection to understand the schools deep enough to make a choice.  And most often, we just don't have a choice: our kids are being chosen.  And EMB has too much intervention to our education system and doing too much damages by taking away the choices of the parents and insisting on they are the ONLY authority in education theory.

My problem is that if one school is good in this and the other is good in that, which one should I choose?

It gives me a headache for thinking about these over and over again.

morris_mama

Rham... FABULOUS!    Thank you so much for giving me such a detail analysis... I agree with you on literally all the points you listed...

Rham 寫道:
My problem is that if one school is good in this and the other is good in that, which one should I choose?

It gives me a headache for thinking about these over and over again.

Maybe there isn't such a school - too ideal - but guess what, I think most DSS/ PS are heading in that way already.  So, we still have some hopes here in HK I guess...

tinatam

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