Good article - what teachers want to really tell parents
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MandyMummy:
Tuition makes sense if kid is trying hard to catch up, but find it superfluous if it is to move from band 2 to band 1, or in order to stay in top class. Think many parents would disagree with me, but to me, instead of channeling those money to achieve that few more marks, should try to develop other innate talents of the child, or give the child more time to explore other things. Teachers have their targets to meet, and there are many ambitions teachers around. Ultimately, kids are ours and we need to make a choice...JMHO.
I also noticed that there is an increasing trend of teachers asking parents to send kids for private tuition.limlim:
Teaching is not an easy job.. Those who pressed on and and continue to give their best are certainty worthy of our respect and appreciation.
As many mentioned, good teacher are hard to find.. How many of the parent here have encountered good teachers instead of bo-chap ones?
How many teacher are willing to go the extra mile to help their students..
Instead of simply feedback to parents that they should seek private tuition for their kids..
Last time it wasn't like that right? Or am I just ignorant?
What if parents refused or cannot afford? Then what is the school's stand?
Just curious :scratchhead: -
Worse case scenerio ...your child get left behind and stream to the tail end class and get teachers who simply switch off or yell and scream every lesson instead of doing constructive work ... just my 2cent :oops:
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autumnbronze:
:roll: demand ??? it's our child or the teacher's child :faint:pinky:
do you think parents will demand teachers: what can you do to help my child achieve 4A* in the coming PSLE or 6 pointers in the O levels?
This has been demanded by a pupil before as experienced by a friend. On the first day of her teaching career, the pupil arrogantly asked her \"what have you got to teach that I don't already know?\" :roll:
we teach children values not just book smart ?
Educating a child is a partnership between parent and teacher
even if it is a bad teacher I think our child do learn thing , but
then we need to know how to complement the lack in a bad teacher
in educating our child....that what i would do. .....
Having said all that , to be a teacher is not an easy job-- all the
more demanding and unappreciated profession especially when
met with demanding parent who only see one side of the coin.
BTW i am not a teacher, just a parent that think whereever our
child is , as a parent we hold the key to their learning.... :hi5: -
Limlim… You teach, yes… But have you taught in an actual govt sch? I do agree that there are teachers who are slack… But those are just the few rotten apples in a basket of apples… But, you also cannot deny the fact that there are excellent teachers out there who teach well such that they may not need to give that much homework in order for their students to retain and/or apply the concepts taught? How about those students whom you have taught actually really don’t have homework or just lie about it? Or will you also be the parent that complains when all subjects teachers give homework on the same day and that your child have to stay up late to finish all homework by the next day?
Frankly, as an educator myself, i feel that the discipline of the child lies in the hands of parents. There is only so much that we can do for the 100plus students that we come into contact daily for that few hours… Imagine if we have to go the extra mile for ALL the students, than what about our own child(ren)? Don’t they need our attention and effort to raise them too? You cannot be selfish to want the teachers to put in all the effort into your child and neglect their own child(ren)… I am sure many other educators will concur with me on this point… For us, we give parents a different perspective of their child(ren) when away from their parents to let parents have a better picture of what their child(ren) is like without their parents, their work attitude, socializing skills etc…
Don’t get me started on the other duties and admin we have to do here… The list is never ending… You only see the tip of the iceberg… -
pinky_j:
That's a very lame remark..
Don't get me started on the other duties and admin we have to do here.. The list is never ending.. You only see the tip of the iceberg..
Every job has it's tough part. teachers are paid what they are worth.. Just like any job, plus extra holidays like children's Day?!!!! teacher's Day and many others.. Even National Day got extra Off days compared to other industries.
Are you been a doctor b4? have you been a waitress b4? and the list goes on.. it's easy to say how tough is teachers job while neglecting the fact that every job is not easy.
Really sian of hearing those excuses over and over again.. -
pinky_j:
For the first part, there is no reason for them to lie. Bcoz as the tutor, If they have any problems doing homework, I can guide them along or advise them how to go about doing it. No matter how lazy they may be, there is no benefit to lying about no homework. My job is to advise them how to solve the problems, not discipline them for not doing homework etc..How about those students whom you have taught actually really don't have homework or just lie about it? Or will you also be the parent that complains when all subjects teachers give homework on the same day and that your child have to stay up late to finish all homework by the next day?
Frankly, as an educator myself, i feel that the discipline of the child lies in the hands of parents.
For the second part.. My opinion is this..
If the student has \"too much\" homework, it is the responsibility of the parent to manage the kid and make sure they complete their work. Parents who complain abt too much homework do not deserve teachers who really care and willing to push the child to do better.
However, if the student has NO homework, it is under the responsibility of the teachers to provide the necessary practice for the students. Teachers who never give homework or bother to mark are just irresponsible. -
Regardless of which country it is, teaching is a profession that is prone to burnout. This is a known phenomenon.
If the organization within which Teachers work do not provide enough emotional sustenance and support, any reasonable human being burns out… stops caring. It may thus be too simplistic to say that Teachers are irresponsible. No doubt, there are irresponsible Teachers but I would say that the vast majority of Teachers are not irresponsible. In general, Teachers are responsible people. The larger proportion of MOE’s teachers are Singaporean. Why would they be any less responsible than any other Singaporean in any other job. So, let’s not so quickly point the fingers at Teachers.
I think it is unproductive to point fingers at individuals. There are some specific systemic issues that can be addressed that will help Teachers help our children.
(1) Have better textbooks
(2) Have more resource materials shared across schools (else, Teachers in every school have to write their own)
(3) Build an encouraging and forgiving ambience amongst Teachers and School Administrators
(4) Less goal driven and more values driven management
(5) Set up an internet portal for Teachers to upload the educational materials they write and pay Teachers a small royalty for each download of their materials
My son gets tons of Math homework that is not calibrated to his level. Twice already, I wrote an excuse letter so that he did not have to do the homework. We needed the time to sort out the more challenging skills sets that his Teachers did not teach but still tested.
Classes are so large that work assigned is not always calibrated to student ability. Homework is not customised when actually the way the syllabus is now structured it needs to be. A syllabus that is heavy on mental skills absolutely needs a TUTORIAL GROUP. That was how university functioned in the past. You sat in a tutorial and thought aloud, and the Tutor could give feedback about how you think and how you string thoughts together. Hence, perhaps we could…
(6) Allow students to choose the homework they want to do after sitting down with each to check ability level.
A system like the one in Kumon centres allows large large numbers of children to move through with few teachers and each child goes at his own pace, with work calibrated to him alone. It does not mean more work for Teachers.
In this way, we move away from focusing on individual teachers and towards systemic improvements that will help teachers to help our kids. -
b2b3m4:
Yap!!! Both my SIL and BIL are teachers. Yes, they always have to choose June and Dec for BIG occassion. And they must plan it well so that it wouldn't clash on meeting, excusion, enrichment for student etc etc. So mostly they plan on mid of december. If they are posted to teach PSLE or N'level or O'level classes, their June hoilday will be BURN!!!!limlim,
I think you really do not understand the job of a teacher. I am not a teacher.
But i know i DD's teachers have lots to do even on your so called 'off days'. For 1, the lastest presidential and general elections. Who do you think are the counters and the people manning the booths and centres. It was the teachers! The teachers were called in for briefing and meetings way before the elections.
During school holidays, these teachers need to bring students to Ubin and OBS for camps. Ya, lots of fun, right? And not to mention, coming back to prepare for competiton, performances etc. National Day- holidays??? Did u see when the teachers need to practicse with them for the National Day Parade? Bring the students for rehearsals? Dun they even deserve 1 day break?
Yes, not to mention the many nights they need to bring papers, student works back home to mark. And nowadays, a teacher can't go to a class and flip her textbook and teach. She/he must plan the course, the objective, opening blah, blah... the paperwork itself is like another thesis. And the KPIs to meet and maintaining school standard and the many telephone calls, e mails that they need to reply from parents.
Yes, they do not have scheduled leaves, and these poor teachers can only get married in June or Decemeber. Imagine being controlled to the point on which day to marry???
And patience involved to teach. For one, teaching DD myself almost make me vomit blood. I cannot imagine teaching a whole class of DDs. -
i know of 2 teachers who have to work when they were on maternity leave. schools were constantly calling them for assessment/test/school programmes discussions. both went back to school pretty often during leave to sort out details which couldnt be done over phone. also papers were sent to them for marking.
another teacher had 3 fun fairs within 2 months recently because the new principal wanted to raise funds. so many afternoons and sat were burnt to do the admin work and planning.
haha, teachers might not necessarily wed in june or dec but they definitely can only go on honeymoon in dec and they cant take leave as and when they like.
but regarding homework, my kids’ teachers would write on the whiteboard the amount of homework given to the kids on what day and when it is due. thus when another teacher sees it on the board, she will either give lesser or hold back work till a later date. there is thus a better distribution of work given to students to do. -
LOLMum:
That's a problem with the system..
another teacher had 3 fun fairs within 2 months recently because the new principal wanted to raise funds. so many afternoons and sat were burnt to do the admin work and planning.
Teacher are meant to teach.. some admin work relating to student's attendance, healthcare etc.. is understandable.. but asking teachers to raise fund and do other profit oriented activities is really sick..
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