Why teachers leave for tuition centres

3 Aug 2012
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/why-teachers-leave-tuition-centres

AS A parent and former teacher who is still involved in the education field, I wish to make some observations.

Since I started teaching in 1995, I have seen teachers who love and excel in the profession leave the service. Many do so because they cannot concentrate on what they love, that is, teaching and interacting with children.

Today, many such former teachers are anchors in successful tuition centres, doing superb jobs without the distraction of administrative duties, projects and committees.

Have our mainstream schools become distracted from the main goal of education? In the drive to provide more than an education, have we perhaps failed to deliver on good old education?

Teachers have too many things to do and cannot focus on teaching. That could be why the tuition industry is thriving - because schools fall short.

I can also understand why some teachers request that parents let their children have tuition.

They have to teach according to the level of the majority, so if most students have tuition, the teachers cannot slow down for the few that don't.

Thus, a vicious circle ensues: Good teachers leave to teach at centres while parents lose faith in the schools' ability to deliver good education, and turn to tuition.

There is a way out of this quandary - smaller class size.

A small class size is touted as a carrot in the gifted programme.

Herein lies a serious irony: Children who are innately blessed to achieve and are self-motivated learn well even in big groups, but those who are unable to motivate themselves due to low self-esteem are the ones who will really benefit from small class sizes.

This unfortunate reversal will surely hinder social mobility.

I am not calling for the opposite, but for equal treatment - small class sizes for all.

This investment can improve the quality of teaching, keep good teachers - managing 25 students is vastly different from managing 40 - and produce better adjusted children. It is not the only way, but I would argue that it is a truly important way forward for a developed country.

Recognising teachers who work with difficult students - academically or behaviourally - will also go a long way towards encouraging them. Calculating workload by the number of periods ignores the challenges of teaching difficult classes. A more equitable method can be devised.

Leong Sun Yee (Madam)

Plank A -> 360 cm (I can't really see clearly)


10 equal parts -> 360 cm
1 equal part -> 36 cm

Between W and X, there are 8 equal parts.
8 equal parts -> (36 x cm = 288 cm


Plank B

6 equal parts -> 288 cm
1 equal part -> 48 cm

8 equal parts -> (48 x cm = 384 cm (Plank B) :imcool:

What's the purpose of this poll?


To help create greater hype or publicity for the already popular schools? :?

Or can't get into these good schools so create this poll to provide some comfort? :celebrate:

Sahimi:

Can we calculate our own T-score base on school prelim result?

You can do a projection of the T-score based on your child's school prelim results.

It can only be served as a reference. Plus-minus 10 points within the projection is quite usual.

Don't need to give yourself too much stress, everything is already carved in stone since the day he/she was born. :boogie:

harini:

daisyt:

From my understanding, the schools would calculate and let you know the prelim scores, of course its not T-scores. But not all schools would do that. And a few colleagues told me, based on the prelim scores, add between 15 to 20 marks, that can roughly be your PSLE T-scores. Of course, all these are just \"aunties\" lunch time talk. For these \"aunties\" children's history, seem to be proven quite accurate. For my girl, PSLE T-scores is abt 23 marks higher than prelim. BUT I am not aunty. Hahaha .....

Wowww!!! So u mean if your girl's T-score in prelim for example was 250, your girl got 273 in PSLE? Thats great!!!

I think it depends on how tough the school prelim papers are in comparison to the actual PSLE paper and of course how the cohort does ...

This is very rare, at that range. Most pupils will have to pray for a miracle.

But the usual case is, if your child is always a mediocre performer in school, it is most likely somewhat similar in PSLE, at this point of time. :imdrowning:

With only less than two months to go, the only way is to pia other schools' past year exam papers. :rahrah: