Review Underway of the Educational System

[Nebbermind]

on the 1st page of this thread, someone mentioned that children shd get less homework.


But my kids hardly any homework from P1~3. Think mommy gives more homework than school!!! :rotflmao:

[SAHM_TAN]

But there are kids who are really gifted and who will be disinterested in studies if not for GEP.


I do not think they should be sacrificed becos some parents are too KS.

I want a school system that’s inclusive, that let a child bloom. I’m not into streaming becos that’s not what I believe in, but I know that there are kids who are really gifted and they must be catered for as well.

[Otah]

Nebbermind:

Otah:

Agree that full-day school is viable to start later so that helps the morning rush and traffic jam and the kids need not wake up before sun rise.

How can that be? If students and workers all start around 8.30~9am, wouldn't the buses, MRT, roads be more jammed?

There are many options, not necessary 8:30 to 9am. They have to do some study la, may be 9:30 am till 6 pm.

[Nebbermind]

actually, my pt is that no matter how we tweak the hrs, someone somewhere will still be unhappy.

[Nebbermind]

but if streaming is to group children based on their learning speed/ability, then isn’t it good?

[Otah]

Nebbermind:

on the 1st page of this thread, someone mentioned that children shd get less homework.


But my kids hardly any homework from P1~3. Think mommy gives more homework than school!!! :rotflmao:

Coz schools want to \"partner\" with parents mah. They call you for MTP ...etc .Long ago, our parents majority are illiterate, everything was left to school. Nobody write assessment books for parents to buy as parents also wouldn't understand. :rotflmao:

[SAHM_TAN]

This is my belief. A normal child with no learning disability should be able to handle primay school education. There are many reasons why a child is considered falling behind.


It can be due to home environment, no pre-school edu, a Sep - Dec born child, late bloomer, etc.

Streaming will not help the above cases becos the system does not allow the students who fall behind to catch up.

The class size needs to be smaller, so that the teachers are able to help all the kids in the class.

[caroline3sg]

Otah:

caroline3sg:

[quote=\"Otah\"]I propose MOE to seriously consider full day school to allow more time for teaching, homework, sports, CCA and any other holistic activities for character development on a daily basis as part of school programme. Just like the Japanese schools system. Unlike currently many students go home and stay with maid to do homework or tuition if there is no CCA, or some just simply run around in school, kicking ball under no supervision and neglecting their homework.

Not all spent their afternoon \" stay with maid to do homework, run around in school, kicking ball without supervision and neglecting their homework if there is no CCA.\"

You are passing a general statement of \"full day school\" to primary students especially those lower to mid levels who still need afternoon nap given that they wake up before sun rises. At this tender age of 7-10 yrs, they still need 10 hours of sleep. Our children don't sleep at 8pm to have uninterrupted sleep; they need time to nap to recharge. Primary education is the start of 16 yr marathon.

For teachers, they need time to mark homework / tests. If school is stretched to full day, then marking is done at night. They have family too, they need time to relax and chill out.

Unless school can start at 10am (which is impossible), then the children wakes up at 9am, will it be reasonable to have full day school to end at 5pm.

S'pore is already hectic enough for us adults. I do not wish children are stressed further on top of the current twice a week spellings / multiple tests a quarter / 2 semestral exams to cope.

Hi caroline, I did not generalise the statement, noticed I mentioned some. Agree that full-day school is viable to start later so that helps the morning rush and traffic jam and the kids need not wake up before sun rise. Full day school need not be whole day class room teaching, of course the activities wont be like current. Sport and rotated CCA club will have more time to carry out in the afternoon so only the respective teachers are in-charge and the rest can do their marking. Moreover, the 5pm after school will be right for them to wait for parents to pick them up after work. That also help resolve after school care issue for working parents or make it viable for more mother to join the work force.[/quote]Otah, yes, some run around but many do homework / tuition. This is enough majority to generalise a statement of \"full day school\" for primary kids. In your same original post, you did not mention start later. So when one reads, it is like 7.20 am to 5 pm for children of such tender age which I strongly oppose.

While I understand your view comes from a working parent, I do not dispute having later dismissal time but to do this, start timing must be later which I highlighted. And this benefit those with care giver at home for the child to wake up late.

For those who need to send their children to student care on the way to work if school starts later, they will be unhappy. Because these children practically stays up from 7 am (too short a time to get back to sleep) to 9 pm (do unfinished homework after dismissal at 5 pm) do not have any rest / nap in between.

[Nebbermind]

perhaps every school has their own streaming scheme and our experiences will not allow us to agree!!! :evil:

[SAHM_TAN]