Adam Khoo: The expats will rule Singapore

[Blobbi]

tamarind:

It is certainly possible for Singaporean parents to provide the same kind of learning at home, if parents bother to do some research. However, most Singaporeans are obsessed with enrichment classes and assessment books, thinking that this is the best way for kids to learn. The end result is that most Singaporean kids are very good at passing exams, at getting near perfect scores, at following instructions and producing answers that are exactly what the teachers want. They don't know much of anything else.

That is so true again, Tamarind. It's become so that even \"learning art\" is institutionalized!

Having said that, not going for classes is one thing. But instituting a \"love of learning\" type of atmosphere at home is tough because it takes away time for other pursuits like reading or doing sports. Where possible, learning should happen in school. After school is meant for other activities. But this is Singapore - I must be dreaming :(.

[Busymom]

Parent1:

Adam Khoo: The expats will rule Singapore

28 January, 2010

Out of 100+ resumes, more than 60% came
from expats. While locals fresh grads are asking for $2,500+ per month, I
have expats with masters degrees from good universities willing to get less
than $2,000! They know that if they can come in and learn and work hard,
they will eventually climb up and earn alot more. They are willing to
invest in themselves, pay the price for future rewards.

Foreigners with masters degrees from good universities would not be asking for $2,000. With the right qualifications, there are companies in Singapore and elsewhere willing to employ them. Even starting pay within certain sectors is higher than $2,000 these days.

The foreigners who are willing to take a lower pay are either not getting any/much job opportunities at home, or $2000 converted back to their home currency is actually worth a lot more.

By the same token, I don't understand why do we need so many foreign workers in our service industry. Go to any foodcourt or retail outlet, you will see many PRCs or Filipinos doing the jobs that were done by Singaporeans/Malaysian PRs in the past. This brings to mind a fellow forumer's story of her Filipino maid who was offered a waitress job. Is it a case of the locals unwilling to take up such jobs (which I really doubt), or a case of businessmen trying to employ cheap labour from foreign countries, thereby artificially lowering the wages in such jobs? It is no wonder that the income gap between higher/middle income earners and lower income earners in Singapore has become wider in recent years.

[sally72]

Busymom:

Foreigners with masters degrees from good universities would not be asking for $2,000. With the right qualifications, there are companies in Singapore and elsewhere willing to employ them. Even starting pay within certain sectors is higher than $2,000 these days.


The foreigners who are willing to take a lower pay are either not getting any/much job opportunities at home, or $2000 converted back to their home currency is actually worth a lot more.

By the same token, I don't understand why do we need so many foreign workers in our service industry. Go to any foodcourt or retail outlet, you will see many PRCs or Filipinos doing the jobs that were done by Singaporeans/Malaysian PRs in the past. This brings to mind a fellow forumer's story of her Filipino maid who was offered a waitress job. Is it a case of the locals unwilling to take up such jobs (which I really doubt), or a case of businessmen trying to employ cheap labour from foreign countries, thereby artificially lowering the wages in such jobs? It is no wonder that the income gap between higher/middle income earners and lower income earners in Singapore has become wider in recent years.

I'm from service industry and reasons why we prefer foreigners is not of lower salary $$ pay out- but is cannot \"TAHAN\" the fussy Singaporeans' attitude.
Offering the same job ( service retail) to Singaporeans and they will request not to work retail rotating shifts, must off on every Sunday and request to provide a chair in the shop...
If you don't believe you may ask around( Singaporeans) who is willing to work in retail hours + 1 offday on weekday + need to stand for 8 hours and willing to accept salary of $1300?

[tamarind]

MMM:

:offtopic: I understand your passion on self coaching,etc... But pls bear some consideration to other parents who have a number of kids and a demanding job. They got no choice but to seek enrichment classes. There are also parents who can't teach. So getting them to teach is causing much harm than good???? End of day, everyone/ parent is different. We all have our strengths and weaknesses.

I was actually responding to the following :

foreverj:

was wondering if its possible for us to replicate this kind of learning at home? i mean, most of the parents here are educated, thinking individuals as well, aren't we? or perhaps, its also dependent on the profile of the kids who attend the international schools?

as for general knowledge, i believe we do have access to such info/material given the wonderfully equipped libraries we have in spore. just that parents have to spend some time to gather the material or at least to bring the kids to the library

I don't mean teaching English, Chinese, Maths, etc. I mean teaching kids to be more outspoken, confident, as well as general knowledge like what the others wrote above. Enrichment classes only aim at helping kids pass exams. Doing tons of assessment books only train kids to produce model answers. There are many other things that kids need to learn. Parents really cannot outsource all the teaching to other people.

I am already quite sad to see many young adults coming out of our education system whose knowledge is only limited to whatever they have to learned in schools to pass exams. They don't understand how things work and they don't know how to google and read and find out facts for themselves. They are scared of learning new things, and they are scared of speaking up to the authorities. I believe that this is the end result of attending too many enrichment classes and doing too many assessment books. In fact, many parents think that this is the only way for kids to learn. Kids should learn by reading a wide variety of good books, as well as real life experiences.

[tamarind]

Blobbi:

That is so true again, Tamarind. It's become so that even \"learning art\" is institutionalized!

Having said that, not going for classes is one thing. But instituting a \"love of learning\" type of atmosphere at home is tough because it takes away time for other pursuits like reading or doing sports. Where possible, learning should happen in school. After school is meant for other activities. But this is Singapore - I must be dreaming :(.

I agree that after school, kids should do other activities. But most Singaporean parents are so concerned about getting perfect scores. I know parents who hire private tutors for their kids who score over 90 marks. What kind of adults will these kids grow up to be ?

[Parent1]

tamarind:

I don't mean teaching English, Chinese, Maths, etc. I mean teaching kids to be more outspoken, confident, as well as general knowledge like what the others wrote above. Enrichment classes only aim at helping kids pass exams. Doing tons of assessment books only train kids to produce model answers. There are many other things that kids need to learn. Parents really cannot outsource all the teaching to other people.

We tried to get our kids to pick Drama as their CCA, hoping that they would learn to be more confident & articulate. But it's full & our kids preferred other CCA. Many schools want those students who are already good in that particular CCA so that they can keep their CCA ranking.

Self coaching can be: Be very patient & supportive with our kids. Try to speak to them as if they are adults. Putting down them for not being the perfect child or whiz kid would not help to build their self-confidence. Kids would believe in themselves if their parents never give up on them.

It is strange that we tend to treat other people's kids better. May be we should try swapping kids with our friends!

[tamarind]

Parent1:

When our ancestors came to Singapore, they thought they would make & save enough money & return to their motherland for retirement. But many became attached to & adopted the country. Similarly, many PRs have localised & naturalised, as their children grow up & made friends in the schools. And many PRs let their sons serve NS.

For those who left, they would have given some, if not all, of their best & most productive years to the country. We are better off with their contribution to our economy.

The PRs nowadays are not the same as our parents' generation. All my Malaysian colleagues have no intention of becoming citizens, or let their sons serve NS. The reason is because they want to earn money here, then retire back in Malaysia where they can live like kings. There are no official figures, but I believe that not many PRs actually become citizens.

[tamarind]

Parent1:

Self coaching can be: Be very patient & supportive with our kids. Try to speak to them as if they are adults. Putting down them for not being the perfect child or whiz kid would not help to build their self-confidence. Kids would believe in themselves if their parents never give up on them.

I agree. Parents also need to teach good morals at home, like kindness, loyalty, compassion, honesty, etc, and the courage to speak up to the authorities when they believe that things are not right.

[Parent1]

tamarind:

The PRs nowadays are not the same as our parents' generation. All my Malaysian colleagues have no intention of becoming citizens, or let their sons serve NS. The reason is because they want to earn money here, then retire back in Malaysia where they can live like kings. There are no official figures, but I believe that not many PRs actually become citizens.

It's easier said than done. The Malaysian PRs' kids would not be able to catch up with the Bahasa used in all national schools. They would probably end up in prvate colleges or international schools back in Malaysia (at ~M$20k/semester or /year?). Their parents would have to scrimp & save to send them to overseas universities at US$30-70/year for US, A$20-30k/year for Australia and simlar amount in sterling for UK. Mind you, that's current tuition fee. Double that to cover living expenses. Who knows how much it will cost in the years to come.

[toddles]

tamarind:

I agree that after school, kids should do other activities. But most Singaporean parents are so concerned about getting perfect scores. I know parents who hire private tutors for their kids who score over 90 marks. What kind of adults will these kids grow up to be ?

yah... totally agree. Tuition has lost it's meaning, not to help those who cannot cope to catch up, but to make those who can cope chase perfection in scores.

Nothing wrong in trying to be better, but drilling and drilling just for the paper chase? whilst childhood slips by and all they can remember is shuttling from enrichment class to enrichment class. so sad.

and it's precisely the adam khoo types that are profitting from this chase.

don't know why, I just don't like him. don't like his talks, don't like what he's always trying to sell, don't like his whole motivational mumbo jumbo. but that's just me.