Chain Post #3.. Enrolled into Cambridge English for Life

Earlier, I have been pondering and pondering about whether to add another English class for Ryan. Worried that I would overload him. Wondering if it is truly necessary. All these thinking and dragging were wiped out in a matter of seconds after that phone call from his new teacher.

I took Ryan to Cambridge English for Life and immediately confirmed a class for him. Then the question was really about whether to put him in JE1 (the basic class) 3rd Term or JE2, the more advanced. At the back of my mind this time, it is clearly about reestablishing his fundamentals and foundations. My mind was pretty sure for JE1 3rd term (which is still around sound blending) is most suitable. JE2 class is too advanced. But still... I was not 100% convinced. (If you want more to know my 2 cents worth about CEFL junior classes, click here for my earlier posts.)

I was there at the centre with Ryan about 3:30pm on Saturday. It was like a fish market! Parents were enrolling their children and it was the 1st lesson for the year. By the way, just so you know, CEFL follows school term breaks. By the time, I have completed the necessary and paid the fees, it was close to 4pm. They have another JE2 class starting at 4:15pm. I asked to let Ryan join in the class to have a feel of the lessons while getting the teacher to assess if Ryan should indeed start from 2nd half of JE1 instead of JE2.

Peeping into the class, it didn't look easy. They were doing the 'air' sounds and spellings for words like 'hairbrush', 'dairy', 'repair', unfair', 'September, 'October' ... my son ain't ready for these. It was later that I discovered that that class was in the final term (4th) for JE2... no wonder!

I had a word with the teacher .. which coincidentally turned out to be a teacher for Ryan's kindy too. She advised for JE1 2nd half. Convinced and assured, I settled Ryan for it. Then there is this other thing that I mentioned earlier about not being able to attend classes on some Saturdays. We have to go back to my husband's hometown. How so, I asked. Would there be replacement or even a 20min quick brief before the following lesson? You see, CEFL follows a syllabus. If a child misses 1 class, then he misses that day's lesson. That is also probably why we pay by number of lessons. For JE classes, it would be RM48 per class x 10 lessons = 1 term. There are registration and book fees as well, totaling not more than RM200. Oops, I have spinned off tangent again! Back to the topic, I just told them that once a month, we wouldn't be able to make it. So the fees was prorated. There will be no replacement or even a quick brief unfortunately but we can arrange for the class work to be taken home to complete. Have to settle with that also.

Ryan likes the class.. he wants to attend CEFL. I suspect it is mainly because there are books and computer games in the waiting area. Whatever it is, this is an incentive to get Ryan to go for CEFL lessons. It is not as easy for E.nopi, though.

Am I having fun setting up all these classes for my son? No! Not because of $$, not that much anyway. I'm just very saddened and truly heartsick that my little boy is already going through the study stress. He is only 5 years old!! Just yesterday, a toddler and not too long ago, a baby! But today, the education is already pitched at this level. And we know some children even start lessons as early as 2years old. It wasn't like those days, my time, when kindy was all and only about having fun and getting playmates. How time has changed everything. Is it really the education system or the higher expectations from the parents of today? I felt that I'm a guilty member of the 'kiasu parents' club. It's just that we have to 'do the Romans do' now to keep our heads above water. How sad! For the children!