Question about school for expat parents.

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Syntaxfree
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Question about school for expat parents.

Post by Syntaxfree »

My son is 5 now so we’d like to send him to school. I’d prefer to send him to a private international school but we had some unforeseen emergency expenses recently so now I can’t afford to send him to an international school until the start of the next school year.

Local public Khmer school has already started months ago but we chose not to send him as we thought it would be best to just continue with homeschooling him until primary school. We’ve been teaching him at home because we felt we could teach him more at home than he’d learn at public school. I taught at public schools here years ago and I felt they were not so great and even potentially unsafe at times though, maybe I just worry too much. I don’t think he’ll learn much that he hasn’t already learned at home but I do think it’s important for him to attend school as soon as possible in order to develop social skills so now I’m questioning our decision.

We also worry a lot because he has an overactive personality and he is bigger than most 7 yr old American kids so he will look and feel quite out of place for his first school experience in a public Khmer school. Anyway, I’d just like to know if any foreigner here has sent their kindergartener to a public school and if they recommend it or not. Of course, private international school would be best but it won’t be an option for us for another 6 months. Thanks for any advice or input in advance!
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Kammekor
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Re: Question about school for expat parents.

Post by Kammekor »

Does the kid have the Cambodian nationality? If not, public schools are not an option.

If the kid has, I wouldn't consider public schools either, but continue home schooling and try to change 'the overactive personality' a bit. Most Khmer teachers are not qualified to deal with those kind of kids other than using a stick of bamboo or a ruler.

For the social skills try to visit playgrounds after 3pm. Generally there's loads of kids at those hours to play with.
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Ghostwriter
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Re: Question about school for expat parents.

Post by Ghostwriter »

I think you made the good choice by keeping him at home-schooling for the moment, and it would be best to dedicate half the day to socialize him via sports & playground centers with other kids for now, until international school.

Are you an American-American couple, or American-Foreign ? Previous life in the US, or in Foreign ? That can impact a lot.

(French-Foreign couple for us, i might have a specific insight for you of that kind of situation if you're American-Foreign with a Foreign previous life).
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phuketrichard
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Re: Question about school for expat parents.

Post by phuketrichard »

unless ur child is 100% khmer, forget the local schools,,,, even if your child is 1/2 khmer
at 5 -7 school is all about learning social skills an how to get along
Find a good bi lingual school where he will receive most of his classes in English but also some Khmer classes, ( if your going t remain here for a few years)

My $.05 worth, a international school is overkill unless you have disposable money till ur child is in the 7-8th grade, (12-14) as long as he is in a good bilingual school and you assist with homework and activities.
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
Syntaxfree
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Re: Question about school for expat parents.

Post by Syntaxfree »

Thanks everyone. My wife is Khmer and my son was born here. My son knows his Khmer letters but he can’t read in Khmer. He can read simple books in English without much help. Some of my Chinese students are able to read at a much higher level but compared to most 5 year old’s he’s doing just fine so I don’t think he’ll learn much outside of social skills in public school but I will definitely take the advice about bringing to playgrounds more often. Maybe I can enroll him in a music class and have him join some sort of sports team or kids martial arts program as well.

We plan to move to the U.S. in June of 2024 so I just want him to be as ready as possible so he doesn’t feel too out of place. Honestly, I think I probably overthink these things and my wife might be right about it not mattering much where we send him for school as he will probably adapt quickly at his age but I’ve seen how disorganized and potentially unsafe some of these schools can be at times so I think we will just continue with homeschooling until next year.

I really appreciate all the feedback because I was on the fence and feeling guilty. My family back home doesn’t have any experience in this situation and my wife and her family don’t seem to weigh the pros and cons.
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Re: Question about school for expat parents.

Post by daeum_tnaot »

Re: playgrounds after 3 pm, are you referring to public playgrounds or private ones (like in malls)? I have only seen one public playground next to Wat Phnom. Are there any others that I'm not aware of?

@phuketrichard what does a bi-lingual school refer to?
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Re: Question about school for expat parents.

Post by Freightdog »

daeum_tnaot wrote: Thu Feb 02, 2023 12:23 pm Re: playgrounds after 3 pm, are you referring to public playgrounds or private ones (like in malls)? I have only seen one public playground next to Wat Phnom. Are there any others that I'm not aware of?

@phuketrichard what does a bi-lingual school refer to?
Wat Phnom
Wat Botum

In aeon2- kidzone, mostly toys and some activity, plus the other area which is more activity, but it was very quiet when we last went. I don’t recall the name.

Water parks have become rather pricey of late.
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Kammekor
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Re: Question about school for expat parents.

Post by Kammekor »

Freightdog wrote: Thu Feb 02, 2023 12:33 pm
daeum_tnaot wrote: Thu Feb 02, 2023 12:23 pm Re: playgrounds after 3 pm, are you referring to public playgrounds or private ones (like in malls)? I have only seen one public playground next to Wat Phnom. Are there any others that I'm not aware of?

@phuketrichard what does a bi-lingual school refer to?
Wat Phnom
Wat Botum

^those 2

There's a very small.one at Koh Pich too.

Phnom Climb is a nice spot do some climbing.
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phuketrichard
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Re: Question about school for expat parents.

Post by phuketrichard »

daeum_tnaot wrote: Thu Feb 02, 2023 12:23 pm Re: playgrounds after 3 pm, are you referring to public playgrounds or private ones (like in malls)? I have only seen one public playground next to Wat Phnom. Are there any others that I'm not aware of?

@phuketrichard what does a bi-lingual school refer to?
Here in phuket, Bangkok and around thailand, there are many Bi-lingual schools for those expats on a budget and thais wanting more than the public school;
core subjects, ( English, math, science) are in English ( or Chinese) and the other subjects taught in thai, its much cheaper than an international schools. I'd be surprised if there is not something similar in PP .

As to the op's kid, , suggest you continue "teaching", reading to him in English and take him out in the afternoon to socialize.
its only another year and at 6 entering school in the states, he will have zero problems.
look on FB for some kid/ family groups
maybe try posting here looking for play dates with other kids> "Phnom Penh Expats" maybe a swimming class? Art
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
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Re: Question about school for expat parents.

Post by Freightdog »

It might be worth clarifying or defining what constitutes an international school, etc, as I feel there’s some blurring of this, and thus misinterpretations.

In another country, certain schools might have been described as English-medium schools for a core curriculum delivered in English.
These were popular with financially better off (and broader minded) locals wanting their children to receive a good education, and English, with a view to having better international opportunities such as university and jobs, later.
Of course, the local school system was actually pretty competent to begin with, but where English was taught, it was as a non-core subject; it would have a been a supplemental subject.
Some of the English medium schools were apparently frequented by expats whose children got a decent education in the local system, sufficient to fit in with education back in their native countries.

Which schools qualify as international? Which simply deliver an education primarily in English, but at varying qualities?
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