based on 2 reviews
International School of the Peninsula
3233 Cowper Street
Palo Alto, CA
94306
(650) 853-0264
JamesPao@istp.org
http://www.istp.org
By: Your Neighbor
Date: July, 2007
We have sent our children to the Chinese program for two years now. Aside from Yew Cheung Intl School, it is one of the few decent Chinese Mandarin immersion programs on the Peninsula.
Though some parents have issues with the Chinese curriculum (e.g., frequent changes, not well communicated), we are satisfied for the time being. The teachers are for the most part very good - though many need training on more Western approaches to teaching. The parent community is great as well.
My wishlist for the school includes the following:
1) more differentiated teaching in the classrooms (i.e., some children are far more advanced than others in Chinese, reading, math; and yet the are all doing the same thing. For some kids it is really boring),
2) more creativity in the classroom (i.e., the teachers and administration have taken a traditional teaching approach which is very authoritarian). I would prefer a more project-based learning experience.
3) more guidance and involvement during recess. Currently the teachers monitor the recess activities but do not actively engage with the children. This has resulted in a few incidences of bullying and conflict. Though not directly playground activities, teachers should be in closer proximity to talk through and teach children how to resolve conflict before it escalates. Afterall, this is preschool and one of the skills to learn is how to interact with others.
4) better afterschool care/activities. The school offers after school care to 6pm which is great for working parents. However, I wish they had better quality programs. The afterschool classes are hit-or-miss, and the daycare is just a free play area, often times with movies (don't like that).
By: bay area parent
Date: January, 2007
My daughter is attending the French immersion program
at ISTP. My French is very limited. My daughter can
understand and speak a little. My understanding is
that it will take two years before they are fluent.
My neighbor has her daughter enrolled in the Chinese
program and she raves about it. It is very expensive
and they are raising their rates for next year.
