All Schools are GOOD Schools

[alng]

Let me share one more difference that I have observed in the three schools that my two kids have gone to.


In school A, there was no piano placed at common areas for students to play.
In school B, there were but I do not know how many. My son told me his friends played on the piano during recess. This has influenced him to re-pick up piano recently, something he has given up about a year ago.
In school C, there were at least 3 pianos (counted from my memory) placed at common areas for students to play during recess or while they wait for CCA, parents, etc.

Where did the schools get the resources to buy these pianos to be placed in common areas? These are used pianos donated by parents.

[Chenonceau]

jtoh:

I don't understand why parents would perceive schools which produce ONE top student as being a good school. Look at the overall results of the school. Are many of them scoring well, or are many of them just doing average with the one or two students scoring exceptionally well? My definition of a good school is one which value-adds to as many as possible. No point having just one or two exceptional students when the rest are middling and not reaching their potential. That school then is just focusing its attention on the minority of 1 or 2, or didn't even focus any attention on that student and was lucky to get a brilliant student fall into their laps and boost the school name.

I so agree with you. That was why I tried twice to get DS' school to release information about How Many Scored Above 250. All they did was to release the top scores and the percentage passes in the 2 streams.

DS came home and shared that one of his Teachers told the class that the school had experienced one of the worst historical results in many years. I don't wonder why when
(1) Teacher makes spelling errors
(2) Teacher returns homework unmarked (one piece from January)
(3) Teacher doesn't answer questions that have not been covered in class but will come out in exams.
(4) Teacher doesn't have notes to give out, must ask class to contribute tuition notes.

[Chenonceau]

alng:

Let me share one more difference that I have observed in the three schools that my two kids have gone to.


In school A, there was no piano placed at common areas for students to play.
In school B, there were but I do not know how many. My son told me his friends played on the piano during recess. This has influenced him to re-pick up piano recently, something he has given up about a year ago.
In school C, there were at least 3 pianos (counted from my memory) placed at common areas for students to play during recess or while they wait for CCA, parents, etc.

Where did the schools get the resources to buy these pianos to be placed in common areas? These are used pianos donated by parents.

I am not even asking for pianos. I am only asking for basic consistency in basic notes that cover the material tested... plus basic consistency in marking quality between teachers and schools. Pianos are way out of my league.

[3Boys]

smartmummy:

We want all the school are same.

How on earth can that ever be possible? Its like saying we want all salaries to be the same, or all teachers to be the same, or all students to be the same. It can never be.

[alng]

jedamum:

somehow, some sch's character building programme is stronger than some schools. choice of ccas also varies (some schs really have very very limited ccas). besides academics, these are some of the main differentiation influencing parents' decision.

usually these character building and financial literacy programs are supported and implemented by the parent volunteers of current students.

[Chenonceau]

3Boys:

Its a bit of a non-statement from the minister honestly, but all he is trying to say is that all schools in Singapore provide a 'good' level of education. 'Good' is hard to define, obviously.


He never said that they were all the same.

The thread title and the Poll question are not the same, which is kinda naughty....

I know. I have been a little naughty lately because I sense a huge inertia to change in MOE. The Minister went in without baggage ready to help us. Now he is signaling at every turn that things are peachy. He has absorbed the MOE baggage and now seems to deny we have problems that need fixing.

The PAP are honest. They are of high calibre. But our politicians can be lulled into complacency by the many high IQ people in the civil service out to protect their track record. It takes more than intelligence to heal our sick MOE system. It takes guts.

Does Minister Heng have the guts it takes to recraft the legacy of Goh Keng Swee? Singaporeans don't care about the past and how MOE evolved. We care about NOW and what that means to our children, and their future. Do we have a true leader with a strong vision able to pull MOE out of its complacency or is he merely a civil servant in disguise?

Also... I am a little sad... he seems to have broken trust with us.

[3Boys]

Chenonceau:

I know. I have been a little naughty lately because I sense a huge inertia to change in MOE.
Also... I am a little sad... he seems to have broken trust with us.

I guess I don't share your sentiments or concerns, which is why I have studiously stayed out of the couple of threads you have on this issue....until curiosity got the better of me.

Anyhow, I am now ducking out again...... :siam:

Ta

[alng]

Chenonceau:

I am not even asking for pianos. I am only asking for basic consistency in basic notes that cover the material tested... plus basic consistency in marking quality between teachers and schools. Pianos are way out of my league.

The only notes my P6 dd has is the science notes (from P3 to P6). Notes on English are random stuff. Maybe we should start a thread on sharing school notes. Wonder will we get into trouble if we were to do that?

[Chenonceau]

3Boys:

Chenonceau:

I know. I have been a little naughty lately because I sense a huge inertia to change in MOE.
Also... I am a little sad... he seems to have broken trust with us.

I guess I don't share your sentiments or concerns, which is why I have studiously stayed out of the couple of threads you have on this issue....until curiosity got the better of me.

Anyhow, I am now ducking out again...... :siam:

Ta

Thanks for visiting.

[alng]

On quality of teachers…how do parents expect the quality of teachers to improve when the teaching profession is no longer an attractive profession? The better teachers will leave the profession to set up tuition and enrichment centres. The rewards are as follow:


1. Higher income
2. Higher respect from parents
3. Less admin work (no CCA to supervise)
4. Less stress (no need to meet the KPI set by the school principal)
5. More flexible hours (since one can decide how much to work)