1st part of activity: play
Similar to how GUG runs theirs. In fact, I spoke to the teacher in JG and she said GUG “copied” theirs. I mean, JG started off first, then GUG came along. And they can’t patent their training methods.
But I find the JG play too long to be PART of the class. JG has it for 20minutes AFTER class starts at 445pm. That means we sit around for 20minutes while it eats into the training time. At GUG, this is for BEFORE class starts (maybe 10mins), then AT the start of class (another 10minutes). So they still have the full 20mins but not at our expense ($). Also, I like the children to play before the start for a few reasons:
1. encourage people not to be late else their kids miss out the play. We always try to go early so YE can be involved and warm up with the rest of the children
2. $ of course. I know it’s only 10 mins, but at JG, they have a lot of these “time wasters”. Ok, maybe I shouldn’t be too harsh and use the word “wasters”. For lack of better choice okie.
3. It’s boring waiting for others to do their temperature check. So it’s good if the children can go in and play mah…
2nd part: Is this where they take out the cat? Why cat ah? Are we teaching C yesterday? Haha… star said the cat looks scary. It’s ok lah, I mean I dun mind YE being exposed to all these, but I just need to know why suddenly the cat come out? In GUG, it’s obvious that what they introduce is related to a letter of the alphabet. I like it cos when I tell her the letter, I can say things like “J for Jellyfish. Remember we saw the wiggly jellyfish in this am? Was it blue? Oh, then the jelly was wiggly too right? And how did you like the jam on the biscuit? Yum Yum, was it delicious?” that kind lah.
Wa, I sound like a kiasu mummy saying this hor?
3rd part: Story Telling
Appa the story? Some strawberry disguised itself? One good thing is it’s relatively short. So YE could pay attention. Sometimes she loses interest in GUG when the story gets a little long. But she’s getting better at it esp now that she finds those pop ups in the book interesting.
Maybe the story not as exciting for her cos at GUG, she will go and sit at the teacher’s lap J
4th part: Art and Craft?
Simple fun lah. GUG has more “challenging” activities. But this JG is ok, no complaints. Just that I din see the glow in YE’s eyes when she was stamping. At GUG, she always can’t wait to start. And she will be so excited that she will try to grab the teacher’s demo.
5th part: The playground
I should bring her to the playground more often. Haiz. It’s a good break to the monotony of class though. Kids need to sweat it out and run off their energy abit? Of course I admit a bit of saying to pay and let her play by herself. I mean, if we mummies group together and go gymboree, we can get the same type of fun. How about the next gathering at gymboree? Book their playgym to ourselves during off peak hours for kids to play? I mean, their biz also not so good mah, so they shouldn’t charge us too much also
6th part: Break
It’s free snacks, what can I say? At GUG, we bring our own. Which is good lah, cos we get variety. It’s a good way of teaching her to adapt to food in “school” though. Esp since I intend to send her to play school.
7th part: Singing
ok. They use the keyboard at GUG. Yday was guitar? YE has neither touched one before. So the teacher let her touch and play after class. Happy about that.
General: Quality of Instruction
The teachers were good. Enthusiastic, friendly. I like what I see.
For JG, I walk out saying to my hubby: “Hey, that was fun”
For GUG, we usually walk out saying: “Wow. That was an interesting concept about density that they introduced”. Even though it will be another ten years before YE sees the word density, I like how they introduce it through play. Fun!
<font color="ff0000">Overall Verdict:
JG is good. But I will stick to my GUG as I like the overall program better. It’s better structured. I see the planning in the course content</font>