6 weeks in JG

Zofie has been attending Julia Gabril for 6 weeks (2 times per week) and now is coming to the end of term 2. Zofie used to be very quiet when she first started. Now she is loud and running around. JG is very strict about hygiene. They will check the child and make sure they wash the hands before going into the class. Even after playing we still got to wash the hands. Within 1 and half hrs I brought Zofie in and out of the toilet almost 3 to 4 times. I hate going to the toilet because each time I carry her I have to balance myself ALSO make sure this girl don’t struggle. Although very tiring for me but I guess it is safe to be strict.


The first 10 mines in class there isn’t much for the babies to do. There are some toys lying around. Zofie always likes to go to the ducks on the mat. Now she is almost saying the word duck. Personally I feel that parent’s participation in class is very important. Each time I praise her in class the following week she become better and more confident. I disagree with maids coming to the class too. But parent has to work so no choice. From the video we can see the maid sitting down leading against the wall relaxing. Wow! How nice!



Next we have ‘Garden Time’ Zofie loves to go to the slide. I always thought her how to turn around and come down on her own. Now she knows how to solve the ‘coming down’ problem on her own since 12 months old and that was what I learned form Tumble Tots. There were colorful blocks on the floor. Those were for children to play but I was not sure what was the purpose here and how does the kids suppose to play with the blocks. I guess these are for stacking. Since Zofie was already at the blocks I don’t see any teachers teaching her to stack up the blocks or do anything with the blocks. I off my camera and thought Zofie how to stack the blocks and push the blocks. Teaching my child to stack up the blocks was thought from Trio school. When the teachers here saw me teaching Zofie than one of the teacher starts joining us and thought her stacking. Sounds like I am teaching the teachers how to teach the babies.

Once the babies were back from the garden they would sit down in circle and sing hello songs, do art work and snacks time. Although this company is popular in doing ‘Speech and Drama’ but I only seen the puppet show twice.

The teacher wants us to hold the babies to sit still during story time. Zofie was always one of the fist babies to run around the room. Although reading takes only a few mins but I find the teacher's reading too slow. Zofie prefers fast just like the flash cards which catches her attention. She could sit with me for 5 to 10 mines while I flash the cards at home.



After snacks times Zofie will run to this corner and take out toys from the box. There were some toys mirrors on the floor, Zofie picked them up and look at them. There was one teacher sitting besides Zofie and another teacher sitting behind her. No teachers interact with her. Again I have to off the camera and teach Zofie ‘mirror’ and says her favorite line from her book ‘I peep myself in my mirror I am as pretty as can be’. I repeated the word mirror in mandarin ‘镜子’ End up I am the one teaching her in class just like teaching her at home.



Most of the time I sees teachers in class talking to the parent. Just like this video, a maid talks about her girls is teething. All teachers talk to adults only. How about Zofie and other babies? They play on their own or mummies will play with them. When we talk to the main teacher I can see that she is over confident in herself and as I talk to the other teachers they seems to be very proud of being a JG teacher because the company is getting popular. So… the company pays the teachers to stay in this company and not teaching very much?



Zofie’s favorite corner. Video was taken last week.


Zofie likes the song



Zofie doesn't like the song. See she look up sad.


I have heard of JG since long ago. A lot of parent feels that they were good. But personally I felt there were not as good as what most of them said or maybe this is not what I am looking for. Zofie enjoyed herself in JG but I don’t think they teaches much in class.

Another parent told me she calculated the total play time which was almost 40mins. She asked the teacher why the play time was taken up so much time. The teacher told her because they wanted to train their motor skills. But to me it seems like they are not doing much on the motor skills. I see the babies throw the toys all over not being thought what to do with he toys. I am not trying to bull shit here but I do feel that I can teach better motor skills at home on my own.

I felt JG is a place for children to have fun but for parents who want the child or learn something here, I would say this is not suitable. Perhaps, I am wrong to say these, I do still hear some good comments from some of my friend’s classes in another center. Maybe I am just unlucky to get unsuitable teachers. In the first place I shouldn’t be too confident in JG. I should have gone for a trial before signing up with them.




Finally bye bye bubbles.