Petition to Review the Singapore Education System
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sall:
In some of the posts, parents complain that teachers never teach at all, or can't finish the syllabus etc. I think it's not fair to make such statements. There are very dedicated teachers , there are also some bad teachers. But on the whole, teachers are so tied down with so many prog organised. Some teachers have to miss lessons to attend to such activities such as hosting foreign students, visitors and many more. These are the demands of the principals, please don't blame the poor over-worked teachers. I just talked to a current P1 teacher, who told about the reports she had to make for each student, for each assignment. This is just one example of the many unnecessary tasks a sch teacher has to do. For this petition, I think the welfare of teachers should also be taken into account.
I've been watching this thread. I think there is enough awareness that teachers cannot cope... and there has not been undue teacher bashing, at least not in this thread. The petition is not about bad teachers. The petition wants a system review from which teachers also benefit. I re-read this thread quickly and saw little teacher bashing.
It is clear that teachers are helpless against the system. Right now, there are many unhappy teachers too... some of whom have asked for change.
Parents may have stated that teachers don't teach everything and can't cover the syllabus. These are just statements of factual experience. They, in fact, don't cover everything tested in exams. This can be due to bad teachers or an over-extended syllabus. The general agreement is that it is an over-extended syllabus which Teachers cannot cope with, even if dedicated. -
jesschan:
Yes, I also agree that there are some very dedicated teachers who do a lot of extra stuff to help the kids. Unfortunately, what they do may not be measurable and have gone unnoticed by their supervisors. I hope more parents can write in to the schools to commend on good teachers so that their supervisors are aware and hopefully reward them duly.
Here is an example of a GREAT teacher.
http://petunialee.blogspot.com/2010/05/ms-priscilla-see.html
I wrote this and emailed the Principal the link. Teachers like that deserve encouragement but much of what they do cannot be measured.
Looking at the sheer volume of content to be covered by P5 SA1 (particularly the process skills) I seriously doubt whether even such a dedicated teacher could completely and thoroughly deal with all the content.
Teachers suffer too... especially the good ones, who feel the demands keenly. Those switched off ones can't be bothered... so they'll just mosey along and close one eye to everything. My DS has one teacher like that this year - jaded and tired. Over time, dedicated teachers may also become desensitized just to feel less stressed. Over time, when enough teachers feel discouraged, you have a teaching service which loses sight of its true purpose. Many leave and others focus only on measurable KPIs and promotion opportunities. -
My DD only has two subject teachers in school.
Her FT who has to teach 3 subjects and her MT teacher who only teaches 1 subject, but 2 different levels.
Her FT has no time to teach as much as she’d like to as she simply does not have the time (30 mins a lesson). The MT teacher teaches much more - think it is a tad easier when you just focus on one subject.
Am I preferring one teacher over another? No. While I’m happy one gets to teach more, I do appreciate both as I do see that both are doing their best given their constraints.
How does this impact DD? With less teaching in English, Maths and Science, she is unable to do the class tests and revision. Coz while teaching is reduced, the testing (which also causes more work for teachers) is not and what the student is required to know is also not reduced.
Hence, mums like me, are not pointing our fingers at nor bashing teachers. But without teaching, how do they learn? Kids attend school but most of the learning has to come from somewhere else.
I cannot speak for other schools, but in my DD’s, those who are coping just fine either have parents, tutors or enrichment centres that do most of the teaching.
Am always sad for those who have neither of the three. -
I think the main problem is not in the quality of the teachers, but the whole teaching culture in Singapore. I have a big problem with that. For example, when I send my P2 boy to school, there are 2 big sized teachers that will 'herd' the kids in with, \"Hurry up! Late already still walk so slowly, you should be running! Faster, bell ringing in 1 minute. Hurry up! Hurry up!\"
On very few occasions, there is this teacher who will be there in their place always smiling and she says, \"Don't run, don't run, it's ok, be careful, don't rush, boys.\" This teacher is Chinese but brought up in Australia.
Last week, DH heard her asking the boys, \"Why do you think you come to school?\" Boys, \"To study!\" She said, \"I think you are here to interact and make friends.\" See the difference in culture and thinking even in the same school?
DD1 came home to tell me another story, \"Mrs Chua asked all those who did not do the homework to leave the classroom and complete the work along the corridors. She then went through the work and answers with the rest. She gave specific instructions to those in the class not to share notes with those along the corridors. And she said she did not care if we hated her, she only wanted us to score in exams. Mum, she does not make any sense, don't you think? How does not letting those who did not do work have the answers help them score?\"
I was dumbfounded. I'd like to tell my kids to respect teachers and understand their work load, but clearly some teachers do not give due consideration or respect to our kids. It is the culture I have a big problem with, the bully attitude that I think need to change. Not the character of individual teacher, but this historical, third world 'greater than thou' mentality that did not grow up despite us having moved on into the 'First world' status. I sometimes refer this to the repercussion of a country on steroid.
Teachers have to realize kids these days are an informed lot and they have discerning minds. The days of \"sit down and shut up\" are over.
Once that is settled, I think teaching becomes a much easier task for both teachers and pupils. There are always opportunities to do peer learning, group learning, mutual research. Once we pass the learning responsibility to students, the teachers can have a breather while students find their passion in their learning. Students, even those in higher primary, can be great research assistants and they will thrive if given the responsibility to share their knowledge.
But the days of having teachers adopt such a humbling teaching style is not even near. I believe this is one reason teachers struggle so much, to prove that they know it all when in reality, nobody can claim that, especially in our day and age. -
I just signed.
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In sch, there are a lot of students who are there to interact and have fun. Study is never on their mind. These are the trouble-makers who disrupt lessons and can cause teachers to break down in tears. Parents got to understand that when teachers have students who scored badly in exams, they got to answer to the HOD and principals. I know so many cases of teachers being scolded by hod or principals because some students didn’t do well or refused to study. So we can’t blame the teachers if they push or punish students for not doing their work.
If the students are almost late, I don’t think it’s wrong for teachers to ask them to hurry up. If they are almost late and teachers ask them to take their time, what message are we giving to the students? They will think that it’s alright to be late.We can never change the teaching culture. I used to have an Australian colleague who told me so many horror stories of discipline problems in her sch in Australia. She actually said our system is better here. But then, no perfect system in this world. -
sall:
I agree there should be discipline in our culture. Just look at that angmoh chap who spray painted the MRT train. He's in his 30's, a senior IT consultant, and yet he broke into the MRT depot and spray painted the trains, just for the fun of it, and it seems to be a hobby of his. Goes to show maturity and respectability does not come with age or job. It comes with our upbringing.In sch, there are a lot of students who are there to interact and have fun. Study is never on their mind. These are the trouble-makers who disrupt lessons and can cause teachers to break down in tears. Parents got to understand that when teachers have students who scored badly in exams, they got to answer to the HOD and principals. I know so many cases of teachers being scolded by hod or principals because some students didn't do well or refused to study. So we can't blame the teachers if they push or punish students for not doing their work.
If the students are almost late, I don't think it's wrong for teachers to ask them to hurry up. If they are almost late and teachers ask them to take their time, what message are we giving to the students? They will think that it's alright to be late.We can never change the teaching culture. I used to have an Australian colleague who told me so many horror stories of discipline problems in her sch in Australia. She actually said our system is better here. But then, no perfect system in this world.
I don't think we want our children to turn out that way. Discipline comes from reminding children the boundaries. We don't have to put them down. -
sall:
But then, no perfect system in this world.
Sad to say, there is no perfect system in the world. An angmoh friend told me although US has free education for citizens, those schools are public schools and there is no quality...a lot of times, students there are trouble makers. If parents want quality, they have to pay for private school.
In today's ST, there is an article about the attributes GOOD teachers should possess. Some students may have behavioural problems, but teachers themselves can be guilty of that too. A good teacher plays a very important role to inspire students. -
janet_lee88:
hee hee hee....not just teachers lah, we parents also guilty......everywhere got good, got bad, got so so.....eeerrr, more importantly, must start from HOMEsall:
But then, no perfect system in this world.
Sad to say, there is no perfect system in the world. An angmoh friend told me although US has free education for citizens, those schools are public schools and there is no quality...a lot of times, students there are trouble makers. If parents want quality, they have to pay for private school.
In today's ST, there is an article about the attributes GOOD teachers should possess. Some students may have behavioural problems, but teachers themselves can be guilty of that too. A good teacher plays a very important role to inspire students.
DD kena some complaint from her classmates recently and then I was :stompfeet: :rant: :nunchuk: but suddenly I realised
eeerrr, I think I also behave that way to my DD (tho not to others), but kids being kids, they learn and apply to everyone lah :oops: :oops: :oops:
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