Government & Education HELP with Elementary School

I had posted earlier about asking for information on elementary schools, specifically for 1st grade, but failed to mention the importance of having an environment for my daughter whose transition from the US would not be difficult especially in terms of communication. When we had stayed in Cebu for a few months, we enrolled her in pre-school and kindergarten thereafter so she wouldn't miss much on her schooling back home and her number one concern is her classmates lack of communicating with her.

So, I am really hoping to seek for any of your advice, particularly those among you who have kids who made the transition from the US or any foreign country into Dumaguete. Is there an International School in Dumaguete? My daughter would be in 1st grade this coming school year 2010-2011.

Thank you so much and I look forward to hearing any of your feedback!

 

The short answer is, There are no properly accredited International Schools in Dumaguete.
This is a problem often discussed on this forum and if you use the search function at the top of the page you will get a bunch of differing opinions. I think a lot would depend on if you intend to take your daughter back and put her in an American school in the future. If she is going back to the States home schooling might be your only viable option. If you intend to have her complete her education here then one of the better private schools is probably best. The younger she is the easier it will be for her to deal with the language.
Please feel free to ask if you have any further questions. I have 2 daughters now living in the States who were educated preschool through college in PI and I have a granddaughter about to start first grade 2010-2011.

 

Kenny I think I read that your daughters were schooled in Cebu? Whether Cebu or Dumaguete did they pick up Visayan and Tagalog? Would you say they are fluent in either?

 

Pedro
I am sorry if you misunderstood. My daughters were born here as was my granddaughter. They speak colloquial American English without accent mostly learned in school. In the house while they were growing up they spoke only Cebuano unless I was there. They learned Tagalog in school and are totally competent in it. Most of their Filipino friends in the States are Tagalog speaking and when they get together or chat on the phone that is all they use.
Kenny

 

I still beleived that there are very good schools and a wonderful teachers in dumaguete. I know a lot of them. A lot of people here in forum they put down all the schools, i dont know if they have kids who are studying in that particular school or they just heared those rumors and spread it out. but i dont blame them, we are responsible of our own action. i know a lot of people who are very succesful that comes from that particular schools.

 

Would you like to recommend the schools you attended? Just for our information. ;-)

 

Thank you for the information regarding your educational background. I think parents of prospective students will find it enlightening. Moirasmom04 and other parents can use this information to gage expectations regarding the quality of these institutions.

Additionally, parents should rest assured that the instructors Judy mentions likely share similar educational qualifications.

 

Hi! So sorry it took me this long to reply back!

Thanks a lot for your comments! I really appreciate it!

To be honest Kenny, we have not gone as far as looking into the possibility of bringing our daughter back here to continue her education, elementary or high school. We're taking baby steps. We're seriously thinking about living there permanently, or at least checking it out for a year, and a lot would depend on the quality of education given in the schools in Dumaguete. If not, our beach home would then have to be a vacation getaway during the summer. Cebu is not an option for us because of the long drive from our house (3hours one way). The boat ride to Dumaguete sounds reasonable for us, and renting a place there so we don't really have to travel everyday.

Thanks to all your comments, my husband is going to look into Siliman University and possibly the Montessori School. I know some of you had not-so-good-things to say about it, but, is it really that bad? Could anyone please give me more feedback if your children have been to the Montessori School there? At one point while reading through some of the threads about the elementary school, someone posted about another Montessori school that was really good. Is there more than one Montessori School and, could anyone please mention the name of the school(s)?

Also Kenny, I hope you don't mind me asking, what school did your 2 daughter's go to from preschool to College? And, how about your granddaughter whose going to be in
1st grade this coming school year?

Sorry for all the questions I have. We can't wait to live there already, but, our daughter's education is our #1 priority.

THANKS AWHOLELOT! HAPPY MONDAY OR TUESDAY !!!

 

Well, without being rude, but most people who defend the educational facilities here in Dumaguete don't know much more than Dumaguete.

Silliman might be a good standard, if you take the general Philippine educational standard to compare with. For Elementary it is IMHO a total waste of money with additional free brainwashing that Sillimanians are something better than "normal" people, I don't need that for my little one...

I send my little one to St Louis and I am pretty happy with the result, but that also comes probably more from the way Rechel and I try to give her "real" education and not passing her off to a "tutor" or Yaya where all she would learn is switching on the TV and watching local soap-crap...

But I am also seriously concerned what to do with her in 3 years after Elementary school. Sending her to any facility in Duma is basically "stealing all her options for her Life after school".

Well on the other hand I hope I have her in 5 years that far that she can create her own income online without the need of another "Certification of Participation" issued for street-blocking at the 107'th and a half founders-day parade, which is even too lousy to hang it on the wall...