Child Underperforms Because Tested Above Cognitive Level
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It has been said that the differences in teaching quality arise from the empowerment given to Principals and Teachers to respond flexibly to student needs. It is quite possible to have flexibility AND equivalent high quality at the same time. In this way, there is BOTH empowerment and consistent quality. One of the easiest way to do so is to provide sufficient high quality resources to ALL teachers so that they can flexibly decide how to help each individual student without being constrained by whether or not the school itself provides enough teaching resources, or that she has no time nor the ability to write them.
Don't Teachers realize that it is their inalienable right to have access to educational materials to teach with without having to write them personally? Would a farmer ask an odd job labourer to hoe the soil without providing a hoe?
I am all for empowerment. One can ensure complete equity in access to resources and STILL have empowerment. It is not one or the other. MOE is in the business of knowledge transfer. Organisational Consultants are also in the business of knowledge transfer.
More than 10 years ago, as a young consultant, I hadn't yet amassed the kind of experience I have today. My company had consulting offices in 66 locations worldwide. We were linked to a common BRAIN with every imaginable case study possible from all 66 locations. In there, I could access with a few clicks, research papers and consulting reports written for every client that the company had ever had, in every country that the company worked in. If I wanted, I could make a request for raw data too... Everything was there. Formulae, models, spreadsheets...
We had to Think Global Act Local. No... I didn't work in HSBC. Nonetheless, we were still asked to do that. Back in those days, IT networks weren't quite as advanced. The company ran hardwired cables to carry the kind of data consultants needed to be able to tailor interventions to clients. Many of our clients were MNCs. They expected a consistent level of quality service tailored to their needs in the different countries they were present in. When Caltex first set up HQ in Singapore, their Global HR Director was a PhD. She gave my company business not because of me. I had NO PhD. I didn't KNOW research. She knew more than me, except that I was a conduit through which my company passed know-how to her.
It didn't matter who was the consultant, you had access to the same materials, the same BRAIN. The company just needed to recruit people who could think and process fast, so that we could process all that data and info, and pass it on. I was young and inexperienced but I was greatly empowered. No one told me what to do with the client. As long as there are no complaints, you do your job with little interference. I was EMPOWERED no less by access to the BRAIN. If I had trouble, there were practice leaders to ask. These could be in ANY country.
MOE is in a single country. It's Teachers don't share teaching resources. It's schools don't share teaching resources. Why? Households are fast getting open net. Mindef gives its recruits iPADs. MOE does not have a e-sharing platform that would cost a fraction to set up today compared to the system we set up to link up 66 offices worldwide. Why?
MOE has been sleeping all these years, and it still thinks it is world class. MOE management was busy getting Teachers to serve that it forgot that they need to serve the Teachers too. -
Do read this. I agree with it 100%.
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_767767.html
This is quoted from the article.
So, if teachers stick to the sanctioned syllabus, most children can cope. The problem arises because what is taught is a far cry from what is assessed.
I gave up helping my children when they reached Primary 5. Who did we turn to? Tuition centres. -
janet_lee88:
YES! I saw this. A Daddy wrote it. We need more Daddies to speak up! Daddies have the assertiveness and aggressiveness Mommies don't have! Daddies should go to sammyboy's and SPEAK UP. Our kids need their protectors to take up arms too. I can't go to sammyboy. I don't dare.Do read this. I agree with it 100%.
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_767767.html
This is quoted from the article.
So, if teachers stick to the sanctioned syllabus, most children can cope. The problem arises because what is taught is a far cry from what is assessed.
I gave up helping my children when they reached Primary 5. Who did we turn to? Tuition centres.
Daddies who have inroads into TR and TOC should speak up too. Our children need their Daddies to speak up in their booming Daddy voices. -
Chenonceau:
We need MORE parents like this daddy. Daddies who coach their kids should voice out. Women do not have the aggressiveness like fathers.
YES! I saw this. A Daddy wrote it. We need more Daddies to speak up! Daddies have the assertiveness and aggressiveness Mommies don't have!janet_lee88:
Do read this. I agree with it 100%.
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_767767.html
This is quoted from the article.
So, if teachers stick to the sanctioned syllabus, most children can cope. The problem arises because what is taught is a far cry from what is assessed.
I gave up helping my children when they reached Primary 5. Who did we turn to? Tuition centres.
When FATHERS speak out, there will be MORE weight. -
janet_lee88:
Thanks for link and yes, totally like what you quoted.Do read this. I agree with it 100%.
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_767767.html
This is quoted from the article.
So, if teachers stick to the sanctioned syllabus, most children can cope. The problem arises because what is taught is a far cry from what is assessed.
I gave up helping my children when they reached Primary 5. Who did we turn to? Tuition centres.
In an ideal world, all teachers in school teach well ie they are all equipped with good knowledge and teach clearly, materials are comprehensive and exams are testing them what is being taught. Thus no tuition is needed and the after school hours could be used to do homework and revise for not more than 1.5-2hours, leaving them free time to idle, read, daydream, exercise, watch TV, catch up with friends and family. Hope this materialize for my grandchildren's generation :evil:
*dream on*
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Ah Heng and his staff got come in here and read wan or not :roll: :rant: ...27 pages liao if he still don't come in..bery hard to catch up one lei :skeptical:
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Snow Crystal:
Ideal world should also have no sex fiends in schools preying on our daughters (and maybe sons). Nothing is gonna change if we dun speak up. LKY and his team TOLD civil servants what to do. In today's Singapore, civil servants TELL politicians what to say.
Thanks for link and yes, totally like what you quoted.janet_lee88:
Do read this. I agree with it 100%.
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_767767.html
This is quoted from the article.
So, if teachers stick to the sanctioned syllabus, most children can cope. The problem arises because what is taught is a far cry from what is assessed.
I gave up helping my children when they reached Primary 5. Who did we turn to? Tuition centres.
In an ideal world, all teachers in school teach well ie they are all equipped with good knowledge and teach clearly, materials are comprehensive and exams are testing them what is being taught. Thus no tuition is needed and the after school hours could be used to do homework and revise for not more than 1.5-2hours, leaving them free time to idle, read, daydream, exercise, watch TV, catch up with friends and family. Hope this materialize for my grandchildren's generation :evil: *dream on*
The true leaders of the country are the faceless civil servants who know that politicians come and go, and that they themselves are the ones who make things happen... or stop things from happening. We must speak up or nothing will change. Even if we do speak up, maybe nothing will change... but we have tried and if enough people hear us by 2016, change might come. -
Chenonceau:
Ideal world should also have no sex fiends in schools preying on our daughters (and maybe sons). Nothing is gonna change if we dun speak up. LKY and his team TOLD civil servants what to do. In today's Singapore, civil servants TELL politicians what to say.
Thanks for link and yes, totally like what you quoted.Snow Crystal:
[quote=\"janet_lee88\"]Do read this. I agree with it 100%.
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_767767.html
This is quoted from the article.
So, if teachers stick to the sanctioned syllabus, most children can cope. The problem arises because what is taught is a far cry from what is assessed.
I gave up helping my children when they reached Primary 5. Who did we turn to? Tuition centres.
In an ideal world, all teachers in school teach well ie they are all equipped with good knowledge and teach clearly, materials are comprehensive and exams are testing them what is being taught. Thus no tuition is needed and the after school hours could be used to do homework and revise for not more than 1.5-2hours, leaving them free time to idle, read, daydream, exercise, watch TV, catch up with friends and family. Hope this materialize for my grandchildren's generation :evil: *dream on*
The true leaders of the country are the faceless civil servants who know that politicians come and go, and that they themselves are the ones who make things happen... or stop things from happening. We must speak up or nothing will change. Even if we do speak up, maybe nothing will change... but we have tried and if enough people hear us by 2016, change might come.[/quote]But Chenonceau, unlike politicians, the faceless civil servants are not accountable to the people, are they? They face a different set of incentives?
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Chenonceau:
I absolutely understand. If you had asked me in end-P4, I would have maintained that we have a world class system too. Besides, I ain't on a warpath... I'm on something of a ladylike, gentle mission. Voilà ! A bit of nuance there...
Oh oh Chenonceau and many other KSP mommies, I think I am probably more critical. My kids are not near P5, and yet I don't feel that the education system is worldclass on many counts.
First, it is extremely narrow, and doesn't embrace going 'broad' before going 'deep'. Granted, the system is GREAT at producing mathematical and analytical kids, and for the languages, it hones exam-smart students. However, the content of our syllabus at the Primary School level is nowhere as broad and rich as in Western countries. Can you imagine, within our system, it is completely fathomable that top PSLE kids are good at the 4 subjects, but have no appreciation or knowledge of geographical manmade or natural landmarks, where the USA or China is, major historical events and their learning points, anything about Singapore's culture and history, major sporting feats, or any inkling or appreciation for major literary works, or musical or artistic works. Our world is...so narrow. Has anyone watched 'Are you smarter than a fifth grader?' - It gives an idea of what 5th graders in the US are exposed to. Certainly, they are nowhere as good in model mathematics or ratios or whatever. However, I firmly believe that content specialisation and depth can be picked up later in life. Learning calculus at 10, 12, 14 or 16 - is there a huge impediment to acquiring it later?
Broadness of vision gives one so much more appreciation of specific disciplines in future. It helps children appreciate so much of life and this world. Life is beyond English, Mother Tongue, Math and Science - unfortunately, this is the paradigm of life for many Singaporean children.
Sorry if this sounds out of this world. -
ksi:
Yes certainly you can Chenon... :hugs: :hugs:Chenonceau:
[quote=\"ksi\"]Chenon dear, don't feel tired. I believe the idea of sharing resources is an agreeable one but the implementation is to be discussed. What piggy says is true too, getting teachers to share what they hv prepared is an uphill task. Perhaps there should be a curriculum team in MOE, not just discussing framework n give guidelines to schools only but detail content sharing. For MOE to invest in content is a given. For MOE to protect their investment of their content is also a must since tuition is so lucrative in SG. However I am sure there is a way around this but takes longer. If MOE does not want to go big in content development, at least use the curriculum team to research on good materials available in the market to be put into the book list as options for purchase. For mandatory ones, work on a subsidy with publishers for bulk book purchase to ensure all children get at least decent mandatory textbooks.
Yeah... I guess I owe Piggy a little apology... it's been a crabby day all day. :imsorry: Piggy.
Seriously though... why are we so kind to MOE huh? If they dun wanna put resources into content development? They dun wanna? What has what they wanna do got anything to do with anything huh? Nobody asked my son whether he wanna write Chinese compos more difficult than his textbook passages to pass his compo leh...
Top civil servants in MOE are paid a pretty penny... probably more money in ONE year than the old lady who clears my plates at the hawker centre has made in her lifetime. Dun wanna? It isn't dun wanna... it's whether they SHOULD.
Oh ksi... May I borrow your shoulder?
You know regardless of how big packages people get, no one sticks out their neck so easily. It usually takes people a very long time to make decisions. I also mentioned that MOE working on content is a GIVEN, no 2 ways about it.[/quote]Making textbooks more comprehensive *or more adequate) necessarily means adding to the content of the current textbooks, and many teachers themselves may feel unconfident of having to cover more syllabus? Especially teachers of weaker classes? I'm not sure - just wondering aloud. This is because, there are many good resources available that everyone seems to know of (like onsponge math, TAS's creative writing book etc) that are in the market and are accessible to all teachers. Some schools and teachers require that students procure extra books beyond the textbook. Some school-based proprietary material exists, and structurally, I can understand why schools and teachers selfishly keep them to themselves, because they want to help their own kids and they are measured on this count. It is their hard work. At the same time, there are enterprising enough current and former teachers who have devised resources for the market.
I think there's nothing stopping teachers from churning out their own resources, and we should encourage them to, because they are they ones who can customize best to their students' learning needs. It is our good fortune if our children are taught by such dedicated teachers. Speaking of which, a gold-prized worksheet to one student, might be useless to another student. It is not just the resource per se, but how it is presented and whether it is suited for the child's learning need at that point in time.
At the same time, I believe there is a need to 'level the playing field' in a sense that the syllabus requirements must be refined, updated and true to what it will test. Secondly, the MOE should publish sample or equivalent questions. Third, never mind if MOE curriculum specialists have no time or are unable to produce good resources. A database of good learning resources, even endorsing those created by commercial entities, should be made available to everyone.
Poor teachers are probably overwhelmed - esp those who have to handle multiple subjects.
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