Branded Schools / Well-known Schools

[asherzoby]

Thanks for your comments!


My kid isn’t in any enrichment classes except for swimming. We try to expose him to reading in Chinese and English by bringing him to the library.

Why I asked is because this is something that was told to me by a teacher friend and some parents who are already in the primary school system. That a lot of parents send to TLL and the kids are already taught prior to the lessons. The teachers find it harder to engage the kids in the lessons as almost 3/4 or more of the class already know the lessons, hence the kids get quite rowdy. The teachers end up catering to the masses that have already been taught and the minority students with no tuition tend to get left out during class time.

Its good that it doesn’t seem that way so far from the responses!

[asherzoby]

Thanks for your comments!


My kid isn’t in any enrichment classes except for swimming. We try to expose him to reading in Chinese and English by bringing him to the library.

Why I asked is because this is something that was told to me by a teacher friend and some parents who are already in the primary school system. That a lot of parents send to TLL and the kids are already taught prior to the lessons. The teachers find it harder to engage the kids in the lessons as almost 3/4 or more of the class already know the lessons, hence the kids get quite rowdy. The teachers end up catering to the masses that have already been taught and the minority students with no tuition tend to get left out during class time.

Its good that it doesn’t seem that way so far from the responses!

[zac's mum]

This is probably a blanket statement but I’m just sharing my limited observations.


I am really irritated with TLL and other enrichment centers which pre-teach several weeks ahead of the school syllabus. This sort of system may appeal to girls, especially girls who lack confidence unless they already know the material before the schoolteacher introduces each topic. And then when the school teaches it, they hardly cause any disruption because they can sit quietly and pretend to pay attention, without disrupting the lesson, even if bored.

This sort of pre-teach system simply does not work for my boy (or most boys). If he knows even a little bit about the topic, he will switch his mind off and display his boredom. Best case scenario: read his own storybook under the table. Worst case scenario: start talking to his neighbor and/or fold paper planes to throw, fidget with his stationery, look under the table to pick up imaginary dust, doodle on his clothes…other boys who may be ADHD would walk around the room or even dash out of the classroom.

That’s why I have pity on the teachers who have to deal with all these disruptive behaviour. At the very least, I try not to pre-teach my kid anything. I wait till the school teacher covers it in school, then I recap or reinforce at home. He has no issues with low self-confidence if he doesn’t know the material in advance.

Just let the teachers do their job and teach without making life even more difficult for them, for heavens’ sake!

[sharonkhoo]

My other grouse about pre-teaching is that kids get used to not needing to pay attention in class. It breeds dependency on tutors (who presumably spoonfeed more directly than in a classroom), and inhibits self-learning. Then you get young adults who look at you blankly when you tell them to figure out something by themselves, and require to be "taught".

[mommyNg]

Maybe schools should stream students into classes not by academic grades, but by which tuition centre they go! So children who attend tuition centres who pre-teach will be in one class, and children who don't will be in another class. That way, school teachers will know to teach more to children who don't go to these pre-teach tuition centres, and give free periods to children who go to these pre-teach tuition centres (since they already know the stuff) :evil:

[zac's mum]

mommyNg:

Maybe schools should stream students into classes not by academic grades, but by which tuition centre they go! So children who attend tuition centres who pre-teach will be in one class, and children who don't will be in another class. That way, school teachers will know to teach more to children who don't go to these pre-teach tuition centres, and give free periods to children who go to these pre-teach tuition centres (since they already know the stuff) :evil:

Actually, I know of at least 3 primary schools that have stopped academic streaming & already have pull-out classes according to the kids’ learning pace. The slower learning pace ones get remedial/LSP/LSM depending on which subject they need more coaching. The medium learning pace ones get the regular textbook curriculum. And the “already know the textbooks” kids get to go another classroom to eg practise Chinese Xiang Sheng (crosstalk) so that they can represent the school and/or perform some entertainment for assembly. Shouldn’t give free period to those kids to do nothing lah - good for school to make use of their parents’ investment to squeeze sthg out of their extra knowledge lol.

[kchairenn]

I also disagree with teaching the chapters several ahead of the school syllabus! Tuition is supposed to either boost the children by strengthening their foundation or enrich them by exploring the subject in-depth in an interesting way. Tutors are not supposed to rob the responsibility of the school teachers by using the same materials and teaching the exact same content. The school teachers do not function to cover areas that parents and tutors have not taught yet.


Pre-teaching has impacted many people in several aspects. I personally feel that it has affected the learning attitude of the children. Children feel that the tutors are teaching at a normal pace and the school teachers are slow. Children also find the lessons less important and prefer spending the time on activities they like but could not do usually. This is because they have seen the same content. However, most of the children have not internalised the concepts and/or able to apply them in their daily life or assessments. Furthermore, some tutors or parents even teach the wrong stuff and confuse the children.

[peasants]

Is GEP preteaching? Thought I read somewhere they are verse in sec 2 works even when they are in sec one.

[zac's mum]

peasants\" post_id=\"1927961\" time=\"1565491317\" user_id=\"75885:

Is GEP preteaching? Thought I read somewhere they are verse in sec 2 works even when they are in sec one.

Nope. GEP is on a totally different plane. They don’t get pre-taught with next year’s content. They get assigned a topic and have to research it in-depth themselves. That’s how they learn. University-style.

[peasants]

zac's mum\" post_id=\"1928003\" time=\"1565507261\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=1928003 time=1565507261 user_id=53606]

peasants\" post_id=\"1927961\" time=\"1565491317\" user_id=\"75885:

Nope. GEP is on a totally different plane. They don’t get pre-taught with next year’s content. They get assigned a topic and have to research it in-depth themselves. That’s how they learn. University-style.

I see, much like IP style in primary schools.