Petition to Review the Singapore Education System
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Pixiedust,
completely agree. After all, it is the taxpayers money that we want to see put to good use for our country. However, in my opinion, it is about whether policy makers have the heart to serve their people rather than whether they have the knowledge/mind to do something. They have sent teams all over the world to study best practices. So many things in our country are imported - from pork to ERP system. We have very brilliant technocrats running our country - the people with high Ds and high Cs in their personality profiles. There is nothing they don’t already know. No offence meant to those high flying officers reading this. I am just an ordinary mother doing my best to carve out a future for my only child. -
My goodness, they are listening BUT about rugby, hence, no more contact rugby for primary school, to the dismay of many parents, coaches, and children who are involved.
It really makes me wonder - should I have faith in them. -
I have followed this thread for the last few pages. As an outsider, from England, I would say do not dumb down the venerable MOE Primary Syllabi.
We have dumbed ours down over here, everything is geared towards making children happy and less on quality attainment in English, Maths and Science. Although our National Curriculum ends in tests for 11 year olds, our children are effectively functionally illiterate and innumerate. I prefer the rigours of MOE. My kids love using your books, such that I have withdrawn them from school homework in favour of the Singaporean assessment books.
I would prefer that you retained the existing status quo, or make it more challenging to stay ahead of your closest education competitors (in terms of rigour): S Korea, Eastern China, Southern Australia, Japan and Taiwan. -
optimistforum:
The books that can be bought in the bookstores can only get you a pass in the PSLE. To do well, you need books that cannot be bought in bookstores. The books you can find in bookstores (and even worse, the textbook) are no indication of the standards facing our children in the exams.I have followed this thread for the last few pages. As an outsider, from England, I would say do not dumb down the venerable MOE Primary Syllabi.
We have dumbed ours down over here, everything is geared towards making children happy and less on quality attainment in English, Maths and Science. Although our National Curriculum ends in tests for 11 year olds, our children are effectively functionally illiterate and innumerate. I prefer the rigours of MOE. My kids love using your books, such that I have withdrawn them from school homework in favour of the Singaporean assessment books.
I would prefer that you retained the existing status quo, or make it more challenging to stay ahead of your closest education competitors (in terms of rigour): S Korea, Eastern China, Southern Australia, Japan and Taiwan.
I do agree that standards in some parts of the West are too low. We stayed for a bit in USA and even 10 years ago, the syllabus there was behind ours by about 2 years. Since then, their syllabus has stayed status quo whilst ours has moved ahead by another 4 years. To get my son to a level where he can do well in the PSLE, I have to use a creative writing book written for Sec 3 (whilst he is in P5), which I bought only 4 years ago for my daughter.
This said, there is a part of me that applauds and is proud of our high standards. However, high standards of exams should be accompanied by high standards and more effective methods in teaching. Else, an entire nation of parents are pressed in on all sides...
(1) long working hours
(2) high costs of living
(3) need to teach kids material that teachers have not taught but still test
Parents are busy at their jobs. They should not be expected to teach their children too. But of course, parents can hire tutors to teach. If that is what the MOE expects, then our system is living a lie. Our education is then NOT free. I know quite a few people who spend $3000/= on tuition every month for their children.
But all this is irrelevant to me. I can teach well and my job allows me flexible hours so that I can teach my son. What really pains my heart is the following. My son worked hard at Math. He had no tuition teacher to give him extra materials. So, he failed his Math exam. He could not understand it. He was demoralized and on the verge of deciding that he just wasn't made for school.
After analyzing the situation, I got my hands on only TWO Math assessment books which DID contain material that his teacher did not teach but still tested. He skimmed both books and his Math grades went up to the top of the class. And this is bearing in mind that I DID NOT TEACH HIM MATH... I only provided the books. You see... with access to the relevant material, my son can do well, even without active teaching. If Teacher does not teach, then I must find ways to provide these materials.
For languages, the teaching is even more sparse. The school textbooks are actually 2 to 3 years below the standard that he needs to write to do well at compositions. My son already writes Chinese compositions that contain more sophisticated language than his textbook, but he only manages to score 29/40. To even get him to 29/40, his Chinese tutor showed me that he needs exposure to far more sophisticated Chinese than his textbooks and store bought books for his level provide. She gave me materials sourced from Top Schools. Benchmarking myself to these Top Schools' materials, I have now resorted to sourcing for Model Composition books that are published for secondary school.
Last Friday, my son asked for Chinese tuition to be stopped because he felt confident that with the new materials I have sourced for, he can help himself level up. He is a hardworking boy and good at independent learning. If Teacher provides sufficient material adequate for the standards expected in exams, he does not even need teaching.
I am illiterate in Chinese but after I took over from Grandma the coaching of Chinese and provided these materials, his Chinese grades have improved in leaps and bounds, even though I know no word of Chinese and cannot really teach him. Previously, his Grandma stuck closely to the textbook and to store bought assessment books written for his level. His grades went from bad to worse.
As for English, I don't think my son's teacher can write as well as my son... after all, this is the teacher that wrote
(1) ocurrs when she meant \"occurs\"
(2) \"sitted\" for \"seated\"
(3) He should fair better next time
In contrast, my boy writes
(1) The clouds gathered on the horizon like prophets of an impending doom.
(2) As the pyroclastic surge rolled down the hill, everyone ran for cover.
Even I did not know what a \"pyroclastic surge\" was.
Yes... high standards are good. But when the standards rise beyond the ability of the school teachers and school materials to teach, then either
(1) we get BETTER school teachers
(2) BETTER textbooks
(3) or we bring down the difficulty of the PSLE
It is a question of balance. How easy is easy that it becomes dumbing down? How hard is hard that it is considered levelling up? This system is unfair not just to children and parents, but to school teachers too... Not every teacher can write as well as my son but they have to teach him. This creates a lot of stress for teachers, many who are seeking psychiatric help... and others have stopped caring.
They should benchmark exam standards to teacher ability to teach, and thus ensure that
(1) teachers are not stressed
(2) children who are bright and work hard don't fail in the absence of tuition
(3) parents don't have to spend long hours at work and come home to pick up the teaching slack -
I have recently been asking around for Top Schools Chinese Language oral exam materials. I was first exposed to Top Schools CL oral materials through my son's Chinese Tutor. These materials come with scripts, glossary lists, pictures and a write-up on how to systematically construct the answers. They were given out way before the SA2 oral exams.
My son had his SA2 Chinese oral yesterday. Over the September school holidays, I gave his Chinese teacher an email asking for CL oral materials. She responded that she would be giving these out the week before the SA2 CL oral. We received the materials and they were a paltry total of 8 pictures. No glossaries. No scripts. No systematic instructions.
In addition, the teacher complained to the class about my one email.
The point is this... some schools teach and others don't. But a system should not degenerate into a tikam-tikam one where one does well because one is lucky enough to get into schools where teachers do teach. -
Chenonceau:
schools are run and operated by human, not robotsI have recently been asking around for Top Schools Chinese Language oral exam materials. I was first exposed to Top Schools CL oral materials through my son's Chinese Tutor. These materials come with scripts, glossary lists, pictures and a write-up on how to systematically construct the answers. They were given out way before the SA2 oral exams.
My son had his SA2 Chinese oral yesterday. Over the September school holidays, I gave his Chinese teacher an email asking for CL oral materials. She responded that she would be giving these out the week before the SA2 CL oral. We received the materials and they were a paltry total of 8 pictures. No glossaries. No scripts. No systematic instructions.
In addition, the teacher complained to the class about my one email.
The point is this... some schools teach and others don't. But a system should not degenerate into a tikam-tikam one where one does well because one is lucky enough to get into schools where teachers do teach.
hence consistency is not guaranteed
because of human inconsistency, there are a number of websites in China dispensing their top schools' exam papers / assessment papers / and its modified versions, for anyone willing to pay - everything is online
such websites are making tonnes of money
could be the same in singapore :rotflmao: :evil: :evil: -
verykiasu2010:
Again, there is a balance to be sought. Complete consistency is not only impossible, but highly undesirable.
schools are run and operated by human, not robotsChenonceau:
I have recently been asking around for Top Schools Chinese Language oral exam materials. I was first exposed to Top Schools CL oral materials through my son's Chinese Tutor. These materials come with scripts, glossary lists, pictures and a write-up on how to systematically construct the answers. They were given out way before the SA2 oral exams.
My son had his SA2 Chinese oral yesterday. Over the September school holidays, I gave his Chinese teacher an email asking for CL oral materials. She responded that she would be giving these out the week before the SA2 CL oral. We received the materials and they were a paltry total of 8 pictures. No glossaries. No scripts. No systematic instructions.
In addition, the teacher complained to the class about my one email.
The point is this... some schools teach and others don't. But a system should not degenerate into a tikam-tikam one where one does well because one is lucky enough to get into schools where teachers do teach.
hence consistency is not guaranteed
because of human inconsistency, there are a number of websites in China dispensing their top schools' exam papers / assessment papers / and its modified versions, for anyone willing to pay - everything is online
such websites are making tonnes of money
could be the same in singapore :rotflmao: :evil: :evil:
But I do believe that as long as Singapore's MOE wants to maintain that we have a low cost education, then schools should not embargo materials, and keep them Private and Confidential.
These materials developed by different schools should be made available to students online so that students like my son, with the ability and the determination have somewhere to go to help themselves. Not every bright child (and keen to learn) has a mother who will trawl the net and activate personal relationships to get high quality materials.
And we should not have to pay for them because this means that the child who is poor but bright and willing to learn, will not have access. The educational system of today defines our social structure of tomorrow. Is it any surprise that social mobility is slowing?
I actually don't much care what the other countries are doing. I never much cared what my friends bought... how they renovated their house... whether they have a TV... or whether they wear Jimmy Choos. I lived my life according to first principles. I saved whilst others spent. I read whilst others pubbed. Every country or family is different. Just because it is China, we should follow?
Gee... my dear... I don't mean to be a chia cha boh... but this is something I care deeply about because I know so many poor children made good in my generation. -
Yes. And I want a teacher who teaches instead of recommending tutors or tuition centre. Basic requirements are not met and it’s no longer a case of having tuition because you are lagging.
Even with the same school you kena "tikam-tikam" luck. Some teach and some don’t. -
Exactly!
I so wanna switch my son to a non-HCL class to be with his last year’s teacher. It will take so much pressure off me. But the father is adamant about him doing HCL. -
An opportunity for your views to be heard:
http://www.facebook.com/notes/lim-biow-chuan/education-in-singapore-dialogue-next-sunday-25-sept/274186212600637
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