Are Our Children's Future Predicated on Good Primary Schools

[24hr-mum]

what markfch said abt expectation is quite true


i hv 3 kids and i cant help but to compare them when they were of the same age and my response cant help but will differ.

when i buy assessment bks for #1, it will be a more challenging one cos i know she can take it. when i get for #2, i cant use the elder sis one becos i know he isnt ready. so i get a more elementary one. (but sometimes i do get a challenging one hoping to spur him and to expose him to more challenges becos i know otherwise he cant catch up)
for #3, i ‘upgraded’ her with bks of almost the same std as #2 becos i knew she can.

[art_n_i]

I have an interesting scenario to share of 2 children and perhaps the parents can share your views on which would be better to develop a child.


Child A in elite school
Child B in neighbourhood school

Child A has always had better results than Child B in terms of % every year but:

Child B is the one who receives the most awards of reward for the academic performance and Child A receives nothing due to school system albeit being ranked top in class repeatedly after every exam.

Child B also receives many opportunities in school simply because highly valued as top student whereas Child A is treated as like any other child perhaps because the school has many such children.

In terms of esteem, Child B is always on cloud 9 but Child A feels ordinary.

As a parent, do you prefer your child to be in Child’s A or Child’s B position? I will share mine after I hear from you.

[citygirl]

art_n_i:

I have an interesting scenario to share of 2 children and perhaps the parents can share your views on which would be better to develop a child...

It's hard to say as there are many, many other factors in play. I know of a child very much like Child B - topped neighbourhood school, was prefect, class monitor, won competitions, received countless awards, but when he got to a good secondary school, was shocked to find that he was just average. It was a crushing blow to his ego and he really struggled after that.

I'd also like to add this observation - I've been working for over 15 years and have noticed that the younger folks do not have the same work ethics as people in my generation - these younger ones come in with a sense of entitlement, like the world owes them something, refuse to do their own photocopying because \"gosh, that's the job of a secretary\"! I think this stems from the fact that many of them are spoiled, and were brought up to believe that they are the best. It is so rare to find humility in the younger ones today.

So I guess my choice - to be the parent of child A.

[24hr-mum]

it depends on which child has a stronger motivation to succeed on his own.

i wld envy child b’s self confidence which i hope wld not translate into complacency (my #1, becos i prepare her well, i think get too complacent n hence careless becos she thinks she knows all, until she got scolded by me)

child A feels ordinary but hopefully that can spur him to work harder?
of cos he may feel the opposite - defeatist…

[24hr-mum]

the other reason why mos parents including me aim for top sch is becos if we fail to get in at earlier phases eg 2b and 2c, what are we left wif is really those very unpopular sch by the time we reach supplementary or even 3c.


they may be unpopular due to academic results or sometimes the general culture of the student population, i dont know.

but of cos, getting into top sch, doesnt mean all teachers r gd.
its just about probability…

[peterch]

art_n_i:

I have an interesting scenario to share of 2 children and perhaps the parents can share your views on which would be better to develop a child...

I myself prefer child's A option, as he will be facing the same situation in the real life. Competitions are very tight..... So he would not take easy on things as you said, always on cloud 9

[csc]

We need to extend the scenerio a little further. How about this? Cases I have come across.


Child A : Elite primary school (no feeder secondary sch)
Neighbourhood secondary
Mostly polytechnic or neighbourhood JCs (if there's such a thing)

Child B : Elite Primary (with feeder Sec)
Elite SEc school
Neighbourhood JCs/ Polytechnic

Child C : Neighbourhood Pri
Elite Sec (usually with IP program)
Elite JCs
Most probably ending in the University

To answer the forum thread's main question and my humble opinion.

Primary schools have very little influence as compared with secondary schools. :lol:

[jesschan]

art_n_i:

Child A in elite school
Child B in neighbourhood school

I think Child B is in a better position if he has good parental guidance. He will get more opportunities from school and his parents can supplement in areas where the school cannot provide, so he will get the best of both worlds.

The situation is like some of the foreign sports persons who leave their countries to join our Singapore team. In their own countries where competition is very stiff, they are considered \"not good enough\". But when they come to Singapore, they are trained as \"talents\" and given more opportunities, thus enhancing their chances of success.

[Freesia]

Academics is not the determinant to success. They are other things in life that help one to succeed; I have seen many cases whereby the individual is elite all the way to NUS/NTU but still they did not make it in the corporate world. I have also seen individual from neighbourhood school who sail thru to elite secondary school and JC and then to NUS/NTU. The latter has huge ego as they think that they made it from neighbourhood to elite and they must be good. As such; they turn up as failure in the corporate world.


Of course; human nature like to associate with the popular. As such; the thirst to grab hold of branded schools, bags, cars, residences etc… Would you give a second thought given an invitation to join the elite or would you try first?

The determinant of success is humility, responsibilty, openess and kindness. Only then; can you survive in a corporate world where it requires teamwork to achieve the corporate vision. Able to get along with people from all walks of life is the key to success. As such; a child’s key to success rest a lot on the parent’s values.

There is no right no wrong; it is what you want and think is correct and what you choose cos any consequences is borne by yourself, isn’t it?

[csc]

Freesia:

Academics is not the determinant to success. They are other things in life that help one to succeed; I have seen many cases whereby the individual is elite all the way to NUS/NTU but still they did not make it in the corporate world. I have also seen individual from neighbourhood school who sail thru to elite secondary school and JC and then to NUS/NTU. The latter has huge ego as they think that they made it from neighbourhood to elite and they must be good. As such; they turn up as failure in the corporate world.


Of course; human nature like to associate with the popular. As such; the thirst to grab hold of branded schools, bags, cars, residences etc.. Would you give a second thought given an invitation to join the elite or would you try first?

The determinant of success is humility, responsibilty, openess and kindness. Only then; can you survive in a corporate world where it requires teamwork to achieve the corporate vision. Able to get along with people from all walks of life is the key to success. As such; a child's key to success rest a lot on the parent's values.

There is no right no wrong; it is what you want and think is correct and what you choose cos any consequences is borne by yourself, isn't it?

indeed. agree