CNA Article - The Big Read: Fuelled partly by youths' anxiety, the internship rat race has unintended effects
-
I feel that our kids have been trained since young and that they might think it’s their way of life to build up their portfolio.
For those who have applied for DSA with their primary school kids would know that there is a lot of preparatory works on top of coping with the usual school curriculum. Like attending Math Olympiad training, enter MO competition (must try to get at least sliver somemore). Likewise for sports DSA. Come to Uni level, now need to prepare impressive portfolio for ABA and interviews, like volunteering work, relevant work experiences to the course one applied to, outstanding CCA (join student council etc.)
All these building up of nice portfolio started when the kids were in primary school! Maybe we think it is scary but to them, they have been brought up this way and probably this is just how life should be ?!?! -
lee_yl\" post_id=\"2135245\" time=\"1718789755\" user_id=\"17023:
Yes, you are correct - have to 认命 because never able to strike a 8 millions TOTO. :sad:
I thought it is normal for most uni undergraduates to want to do well? Say, they will try to get at least 2nd upper (but whether they can or not, that is another matter lah).
And upon graduation, when one comes out to work as a fresh grad, most youngsters are ambitious, want to climb the corporate ladder and do well. Only when one gets stuck for many years without promotion, then the person will sort of 认命。So to me, it is natural that young people to want to aim high. -
lee_yl\" post_id=\"2135308\" time=\"1718864170\" user_id=\"17023:
lee_yl,
I feel that our kids have been trained since young and that they might think it’s their way of life to build up their portfolio.
For those who have applied for DSA with their primary school kids would know that there is a lot of preparatory works on top of coping with the usual school curriculum. Like attending Math Olympiad training, enter MO competition (must try to get at least sliver somemore). Likewise for sports DSA. Come to Uni level, now need to prepare impressive portfolio for ABA and interviews, like volunteering work, relevant work experiences to the course one applied to, outstanding CCA (join student council etc.)
All these building up of nice portfolio started when the kids were in primary school! Maybe we think it is scary but to them, they have been brought up this way and probably this is just how life should be ?!?!
The rat race has actually started since kindergarten days, from as young as 4 years old.
Do u recall that parents have started sending their sons & daughters to several type of kindergarten enrichment(s)?
Example
=======
1)
Parents send their daughters at 4 or 5 years old, nursery age onwards to learn Rhythmic Gymnastics, to attend ballet dancing, etc. You can see so many young toddlers wearing their ballet costume, attending this or that ballet school, in the presence of their proud mothers.
Why ?
so that by the time they reach 7 years old, Primary 1, Cca Coaches like Rythmic Gym instructors can easily identify out these young girls , who have painstakingly been trained past 3 years ago, at the age of 4 years old to 7 years old, to represent their primary school at lower Primary 1 level, in \"Rhythmic gymnastics\" (RG) in inter-school competition, against some other primary schools?
One good example ?
Take a look at Raffles Girls primary school.
Take another look at CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' Primary school -
how they select Primary 1 candidates, to join their school team, for RG.
Also,
take a look at Nanyang primary school, how they select students to join their school team in AG.
NYPS do offer AG, instead of RG !
Also, take a look at SCGS.
See how they select their lower primary candidates (students), to join their school team, in dancing.
2) how about for young boys?
Well, the same thing happened too !
Parents send their young sons at 5 years old for Sports, like fencing, tennis, badminton, takewando, wushu, swimming in their condominum swimming pool, etc.
Take a look at ACS primary schools, in both ACS branches.
Take a look at MGS (Girls) school, at Blackmore drive.
What happen to these children, when they grow up into primary, secondary, into Junior Colleges ?
Because
From as young as 5 years old, as a kindergarten toddler, they have already been taught : one must always build up an active, impressive portfolio, must have a strong Cca on your plate to exhibit your talents, so that u stand a chance for DSA. Cannot just remain passive, just study only, and expect to be selected for DSA. No such thing. This won't happen. This already drilled into them, from as young as 5 years old.
Therefore,
is it any wonder then that they will continue practising this same old style of behavior pattern and thinking, even when they enter into universities, before they even start to graduate or start to apply for jobs ?
No !
It Is only a natural progression, for them to think & behave like this.
Why ?
Because
of the \" kiasu\" competitive rat race behavior mentality taught or they have been exposed to, since young, from as young as 4 or 5 years old, when they were merely kindergarten toddlers. -
phtthp\" post_id=\"2135319\" time=\"1718876221\" user_id=\"35251:
For some, it actually begins at foetal stage - 胎教
lee_yl,
The rat race has actually started since kindergarten days, from as young as 4 years old.
Do u recall that parents have started sending their sons & daughters to several type of kindergarten enrichment(s)?
Example
=======
1)
Parents send their daughters at 4 or 5 years old, nursery age onwards to learn Rhythmic Gymnastics, to attend ballet dancing, etc. You can see so many young toddlers wearing their baller costume, in this or that ballet school.
Why ?
so that by the time they reach 7 years old, Primary 1, Cca Coach like Rythmic Gym instructors can identify these young girls out easily, who have been trained 3 years ago, at the age of 4 years, to represent their primary school at lower Primary 1, in \"Rhythmic gymnastics\" in inter-school competition, against other primary schools?
One good example ?
Look at Raffles Girls primary school.
Look at CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' Primary school.
Look at Nanyang primary school.
NYPS do offer AG, instead of RG !
2) how about for young boys?
Well, the same thing happened too !
Parents send their young sons at 5 years old, for Sports like fencing, tennis, swimming in their condominum swimming pool, wushu, etc.
Look at ACS primary school.
Look at MGS (Girls) school.
What happen to these children, when they grow up into primary, secondary, into Junior Colleges ?
Because
From as young as 5 years old, as a kindergarten toddler, they have already been taught : must always build up an active, impressive portfolio, must have a strong Cca on your plate to exhibit your talents, so that u stand a chance for DSA. Cannot just remain passive, expect to be selected for DSA. This won't happen. This drills into them, from as young as 5 years old.
Therefore,
is it any wonder then that they will continue practising this same old style of behavior pattern and thinking, even when they enter into universities, before they even start to graduate or start to apply for jobs ?
No !
It Is only natural for them to think like this.
Why ?
Because
of the kiasu behavior taught or been exposed to, since young, from as young as 4 or 5 years old.
Some kids will be at about grade 8 standard for music by around 9-10 years old and start travelling overseas for competitions.
-
I don’t want my child to build his or her self esteem primarily on internship portfolios, DSA portfolios or grades. I don’t want them to be driven by the fear of falling behind, or achieving less, or having less in life. At the same time, there is a time and place and season to work hard academically, and there is little excuse for perpetual sloth.
I guess that is where the art of parenting comes in. Given the (lack of) maturity and experience of kids, it is hard for them to see beyond their immediate fears or failures or obsessions. Kids can quickly spiral downwards mentally nowadays as a lot of their fears and anxiety are excerbated by social media. We should not label them as strawberries as their stresses are of a different magnitude and nature from what we went through.
Faith convictions aside, I don’t see how pushing to do one’s best is reachable, or sustainable. We sometimes have to advise when and what is enough, and what is a reasonable effort and attitude. -
Coolkidsrock2\" post_id=\"2135322\" time=\"1718877074\" user_id=\"48901:
Yes, of course !
For some, it actually begins at foetal stage - 胎教
Some kids will be at about grade 8 standard for music by around 9-10 years old and start travelling overseas for competitions.
At primary 2, only at 8 years old so young, some students inside
Raffles Girls primary school,
their parents, you know what they do ?
During the June school holiday at Primary 2,
their parents already started to send their young daughter, at 8 years old only, to Europe, to those far away musically inclined countries, to start performing violin solo, and start to win some medal home. Can you see that ?
And then,
when school Term re-open in July, RGPS school Principal invited this outstanding young student (pupil) to perform on stage, during school Assembly time to perform her violin talent, in front of the whole school cohort, from P1 to P6.
See ?
These parents don't wait so long until PSLE 12 years old, then come & start preparing their young dsughters' portfolio of musical talent. Oh No. That will be too late, got to wait until Primary 6, twelve years old. No. They do it fast. At Primary 2, eight years old, their parents already planned all these in mind.
Why ?
Because
At 4 years old, a toddler, they already start to train their daughter in violin.
Thus, by the time students like this young girl, reach Primary 6 (PSLE) at 12 years old, u think she just casually completed her grade 8 violin ?
No.
She already far exceeded that ! Already gone onto the next stage - in the midst of acquiring some Music \"Diploma\" stage.
So for her to DSA at P6 into any Top Secondary school, what do u think ?
Is it easy or difficult for her ?
Of course easy !
Already travelled overseas to Europe, and given solo performance and won some medal abroad !
Then, u project her time line, forward. Next time, if this student want a scholarship to study music overseas in a university abroad, is it difficult for her ? You know the answer already, dont u ? -
doodbug\" post_id=\"2135323\" time=\"1718877178\" user_id=\"13281:
doodbug,
I don't want my child to build his or her self esteem primarily on internship portfolios, DSA portfolios or grades. I don't want them to be driven by the fear of falling behind, or achieving less, or having less in life. At the same time, there is a time and place and season to work hard academically, and there is little excuse for perpetual sloth.
I guess that is where the art of parenting comes in. Given the (lack of) maturity and experience of kids, it is hard for them to see beyond their immediate fears or failures or obsessions. Kids can quickly spiral downwards mentally nowadays as a lot of their fears and anxiety are excerbated by social media. We should not label them as strawberries as their stresses are of a different magnitude and nature from what we went through.
Faith convictions aside, I don't see how pushing to do one's best is reachable, or sustainable. We sometimes have to advise when and what is enough, and what is a reasonable effort and attitude.
As a parent, u have given sound valuable, precious advice, to your children. That is, do not just blindly follow the crowd.
Example
=======
If the crowd were to take up 10 Internship, then u blindly also haphazardly join in the crowd. That is being foolish, being led on a wild goose chase. The blind, following a blind elephant.
However, on the opposite flip side of the coin, u also cannot do without any Internship opportunities. Many things and scenario have altered (changed), which we have no control over.
At 17 years old upwards, even for Polytechnic students, before they can even graduate with a Polytechnic Diploma, it is compulsory for all Poly students to go through an Internship. Otherwise, they can't graduate.
Thus, in our \"kiasu\" highly competitive rat race Singapore, even for under graduates, they are growing up in a different generation, very different from our time. This same Polytechnic Internship concept, has also trickled down, into the university undergraduate campus bachelor degree ground.
Our time : no need such thing.
Just focus on doing well in your studies, graduate with hopefully at least a 2nd upper honors degree, or better, will do. Those were the 1990s, 2000s university era old days golden period time.
But,
for the millennium kids born after year 2000 onwards,
and particularly for
Gen (Y and Z) kids :
they faced a very challenging different league, from our time.
You need to showcase some Internship cases, in order to support your job application. No need 10 Internship(s), so many. This one, need wisdom. Need to balance your time management plus your resources well.
Otherwise, end up neither here nor there. Can get burnt out, end up produced dismal, poor, lousy university graduation grades, even harder to find job. Become a viscious cycle, instead.
Be realistic.
Which one do u think employers look at, first? Look at your 10 Internship(s), or look at your academic what class of Honors degree, first ?
Ask yourself :-
Suppose you have 10 Internship, but gotten just a Pass degree, not even a 2nd Lower Honors degree, u think will receive phone call to attend interview?
If u are caught in this situation, what are u signalling to your future employer ?
Ya, I had done Total 10 Internships before i graduated, but all these came at the ... cost & expense of my academic quality degree. You want to sign this type of signal across, to your future potential interviewers? -
phtthp\" post_id=\"2135325\" time=\"1718878736\" user_id=\"35251:
It is not that uncommon. Even the parents overseas do the same.
Yes, of course !
At primary 2, only at 8 years old so young, some students inside
Raffles Girls primary school,
their parents, you know what they do ?
During the June school holiday at Primary 2,
their parents already started to send their young daughter, at 8 years old only, to Europe, to those far away musically inclined countries, to start performing violin solo, and start to win some medal home. Can you see that ?
And then,
when school Term re-open in July, RGPS school Principal invited this outstanding young student (pupil) to perform on stage, during school Assembly time to perform her violin talent, in front of the whole school cohort, from P1 to P6.
See ?
These parents don't wait so long until PSLE 12 years old, then come & start preparing their young dsughters' portfolio of musical talent. Oh No. That will be too late, got to wait until Primary 6, twelve years old. No. They do it fast. At Primary 2, eight years old, their parents already planned all these in mind.
Why ?
Because
At 4 years old, a toddler, they already start to train their daughter in violin.
Thus, by the time students like this young girl, reach Primary 6 (PSLE) at 12 years old, u think she just casually completed her grade 8 violin ?
No.
She already far exceeded that ! Already gone onto the next stage - in the midst of acquiring some Music \"Diploma\" stage.
So for her to DSA at P6 into any Top Secondary school, what do u think ?
Is it easy or difficult for her ?
Of course easy !
Already travelled overseas to Europe, and given solo performance and won some medal abroad !
Then, u project her time line, forward. Next time, if this student want a scholarship to study music overseas in a university abroad, is it difficult for her ? You know the answer already, dont u ?
Is almost like a templated process - just tweak to suit self. -
Government’s plan to redefine success, build a society that accepts slow downs, pauses, u turns, side steps, outliers.
https://youtu.be/AnyFWfW9lDo?si=5qXe_8MNyb_d2qgW -
CNA Video - Meritocracy In Singapore Schools: Can It Breed Inequality? | Measuring Meritocracy |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8frwa5JdaQ
I think this CNA video may have been shared before as it was made a couple of years ago. It articulates why some of us may not fully embrace the IP system in the current form, or that perhaps we see some of the flaws / concerns the current system may lead to.
Hello! It looks like you're interested in this conversation, but you don't have an account yet.
Getting fed up of having to scroll through the same posts each visit? When you register for an account, you'll always come back to exactly where you were before, and choose to be notified of new replies (either via email, or push notification). You'll also be able to save bookmarks and upvote posts to show your appreciation to other community members.
With your input, this post could be even better 💗
Register Login
Online Users
Statistics
Popular Topics
