All Schools are GOOD Schools

[caroline3sg]

COS 2012 Debates: MOE – Integrated Programme



by NCMP Yee Jenn Jong
We started the Integrated Programme, or IP in 2004 to allow higher ability secondary students to skip the O levels into the A levels or its equivalent.

I wish to propose an alternative IP, from primary 1 to secondary 4.

The current system puts huge pressure on students, parents and teachers in primary schools to prepare for the PSLE. Various members in this House, including myself have spoken on the excessive pressures in our school system. A Straits Times article last month reported more parents taking their primary school kids to see psychologists after doing badly in school tests, some as young as primary 2.

The purpose of PSLE and other major exams appears to be to sort students into different streams and into different schools. Our highly competitive exam-driven system has resulted in high dependency on tuition and drilling for exams, rather than education for the joy of learning.

Sir, I understand this is a difficult and emotive issue, as there are parents who may feel a competitive system is desirable. However, there are parents like myself, who can accept that our children need not fight to be in the best schools. The current system offers us no choice at all because of dreaded consequence of the child doing poorly in a major exam at age 12. Many parents feel their child’s future is determined by the PSLE.

Many private schools globally already through-train students from primary to secondary, including overseas schools based on the Singapore curriculum. Some of these schools have done well in international tests despite not subjecting students to standardised exams at primary 6. Finland switched to such a through-train system nation-wide with encouraging outcomes. Its PISA test scores are comparable to Singapore’s.

I like MOE to consider piloting primary through secondary IP schools, with the same level of funding per student as any government or aided school. With such schools, primary education need not be focused on grinding out results just for PSLE. Schools can then spend more time on values-based education. The post primary section will eventually prepare students for a recognised exam, namely O or A levels or even the International Baccalaureate. By that time, students are more matured and better able to handle stress.

Existing school groups may opt to run such a programme. There are already Aided schools in Singapore with affiliation schemes, where the majority of primary students enter the affiliated secondary school. Some schools have long histories and are trusted education brands. They are potential candidates to kick-start the programme.

MOE has implemented holistic assessments since 2010. The experience of holistic assessment can be incorporated to ensure the rigor in learning throughout the 10 years of studies in such pilot schools.

Sir, I believe we have the calibre of management and teachers in Singapore to achieve this. I hope MOE can do a serious study on making this option available.

http://wp.sg/2012/03/cos-2012-debates-moe-integrated-programme/

This eliminate PSLE stress at P6 but does not address the issue of quality of materials, class size (assuming all schools have equally good teachers). Gaps may be greater between elite & neighbourhood schools due to longer years from 6 to 10.

[janet88]

limlim:

Why I don't say ban private tuition?


bcoz, if the student is weak, I believe, these student would reasonably be assumed that they cannot follow class lesson as well.. and they NEED individual attention. These student wouldn't benefit from attending tuition centers classes bcoz they do not get individual attention at all..

School teachers now do not have patience with weaker students. So these slower ones need 1-to-1 tuition in order to keep up with the rest of the class. At primary level, kids need that individual attention bcos they are not that mature yet. My son is one such example. He is weak, so he needs individual attention to keep up. It was only with this kind of attention that he can pass his Math (p6) CA1 this year. His classmate had math tuition since P3, which was why he didn't fail Math in P5. My hubby and I coached him all these years other than CL.

[metz]

verykiasu2010:

Singaporeans are all very shy and reserved. They prefer to keep things to themselves, hence no feedback to teachers, HOD, principal, MOE etc that the teachers (some, not all lah) could not make it or not doing it right. Thus MOE was deceived by parents that all things .

I say \"Singaporeans are all ......\" as an intended generalisation ....... :siam: :siam:

I did just that, more than ten years ago at my sister's PTM. Think it was regarding JC1 end year results. Sitting across me was her teacher who kept rambling on how badly my sister had performed for Econs, how she must study harder. I got annoyed and asked her as politely as i could the percentage of failures in the class vs the cohort. She refused to give me any numbers or percentages. I told her that if my sister was one of the very few who failed, then it showed my sister's poor grasp of the subject. Shouldn't the teacher render more help to her and the other weaker ones? But if a large number failed, wouldn't that indicate something is amiss? Perhaps there was a need to provide better resources or there existed some communication problems between the students and teacher? So much for my feedback. My sister had a tough time in school since then. Once, the principal insisted on meeting only our parents, not the infamous sister, regarding my sister's discisplinary issues. (She was being accused of dyeing her hair and skipping PE lessons.) I felt apologetic towards my sister.

Now, I will think twice before giving the educators my feedback. Not because I prefer to keep things to myself, but the repercussions on our kids may not be what I can manage.

[janet88]

chamonix:

verykiasu2010:

Singaporeans are all very shy and reserved. They prefer to keep things to themselves, hence no feedback to teachers, HOD, principal, MOE etc that the teachers (some, not all lah) could not make it or not doing it right.

Shouldn't the teacher render more help to her and the other weaker ones? But if a large number failed, wouldn't that indicate something is amiss? Perhaps there was a need to provide better resources or there existed some communication problems between the students and teacher? So much for my feedback.

Now, I will think twice before giving the educators my feedback. Not because I prefer to keep things to myself, but the repercussions on our kids may not be what I can manage.

Educators will not willingly accept comments/feedback from parents.
They feel they are always right...and if we parents really voice out our unhappiness, our kids will suffer repercussions after that. Do we want our kids to be black marked by the teachers ?
Attend PTMs and listen to what teachers tell me...don't volunteer any info. Just smile and get it over.

[Edureach]

Most importantly choose a sec sch that your kids can excel or a sch which you think can bring out the best from your child. If your kids need to attend so many tuitions inorder to keep up with top grades, you shld not even consider an IP sch.


Ignore the name recognition as the top sch is relative to your kids’ potential and calibre. There are a number of good band 1 or 2 schs to choose from. No worries.

Do not make the same mistake that many had made in the past.

[janet88]

Edureach:

Most importantly choose a sec sch that your kids can excel or a sch which you think can bring out the best from your child. If your kids need to attend so many tuitions inorder to keep up with top grades, you shld not even consider an IP sch.


Do not make the same mistake that many had made in the past.

Thanks for your advice. Read that article published not too long ago about kids who couldn't make it in IP SCHOOLS. I know my son doesn't have calibre for IP, and I won't consider it even if he does make it through some miracle. I still believe in having O levels.

[verykiasu2010]

janet_lee88:

chamonix:

[quote=\"verykiasu2010\"]
Singaporeans are all very shy and reserved. They prefer to keep things to themselves, hence no feedback to teachers, HOD, principal, MOE etc that the teachers (some, not all lah) could not make it or not doing it right.

Shouldn't the teacher render more help to her and the other weaker ones? But if a large number failed, wouldn't that indicate something is amiss? Perhaps there was a need to provide better resources or there existed some communication problems between the students and teacher? So much for my feedback.

Now, I will think twice before giving the educators my feedback. Not because I prefer to keep things to myself, but the repercussions on our kids may not be what I can manage.

Educators will not willingly accept comments/feedback from parents.
They feel they are always right...and if we parents really voice out our unhappiness, our kids will suffer repercussions after that. Do we want our kids to be black marked by the teachers ?
Attend PTMs and listen to what teachers tell me...don't volunteer any info. Just smile and get it over.[/quote]never in our experience

[Chenonceau]

VKS2010... maybe you can help. Or someone can please help because it has been 12 months and I am so frustrated that I actually cried over the CA1 marking.


I sent an email (polite) to DS' English Teacher pointing out that \"A number of reasons contribute to...\" instead of \"contributeS to\". She responded that she will feedback to the HOD to change the marking scheme.

Then I found more mistakes in the compo she marked, so I emailed again pointing out that it should not be \"The whole family WERE eating...\" plus others ... and since DS did not make all these language mistakes perhaps his Language component of compo should get better marks. This time I copied the email to an HOD. It isn't the marks that are important but I needed an excuse to email her without sounding like I was correcting her English. I have not received any response to my email since Monday.

It has been 1 year. It has been one year of emails that go either unanswered or are answered after 3 weeks. I have never once succeeded in getting her on the phone... and if I leave a message for her to call, 2 weeks can pass before she calls. I need to leave another 2 messages. So far, I have talked to her twice on the phone... both times, I had to leave multiple messages and emails to get a call back.

We don't have a bad relationship. When I do get her on the phone, we have a good chat. I've never been rude to her and until this week's Monday, I have never given her negative feedback (both times I spoke to her last year were to ask questions)... but there were SO MANY mistakes in her CA1 marking this time that I finally took the step to email her, and I also dropped a word with the HOD.

Should I call? Should I email the Principal? Should I keep quiet and teach my son myself (I can more than cope), and complain next year bringing all her marking along with me as evidence? I feel very helpless and frustrated.

What would other Mommies/Daddies do bearing in mind that my DS still has to stay in her class till the end of the year? I need some advice because I am on the verge of marching to school and requesting to see the Principal... and that will be so unpleasant for the Teacher and I.

[limlim]

verykiasu2010:

janet_lee88:

[quote=\"chamonix\"]

Shouldn't the teacher render more help to her and the other weaker ones? But if a large number failed, wouldn't that indicate something is amiss? Perhaps there was a need to provide better resources or there existed some communication problems between the students and teacher? So much for my feedback.

Now, I will think twice before giving the educators my feedback. Not because I prefer to keep things to myself, but the repercussions on our kids may not be what I can manage.

Educators will not willingly accept comments/feedback from parents.
They feel they are always right...and if we parents really voice out our unhappiness, our kids will suffer repercussions after that. Do we want our kids to be black marked by the teachers ?
Attend PTMs and listen to what teachers tell me...don't volunteer any info. Just smile and get it over.

never in our experience[/quote]Juz one sentence..

better safe than sorry..

[limlim]

Chenonceau:

It has been 1 year. It has been one year of emails that go either unanswered or are answered after 3 weeks. I have never once succeeded in getting her on the phone... and if I leave a message for her to call, 2 weeks can pass before she calls. I need to leave another 2 messages. So far, I have talked to her twice on the phone... both times, I had to leave multiple messages and emails to get a call back.

wow you're so free.... many parents struggling to keep up with the rising costs of living don't hv that luxury to be so pro-active in the kid's education..

*envy*..