By Election for Hougang

[Intermezzo]

Chenonceau:

Intermezzo:

[quote=\"Chenonceau\"]
So.... don't test secondary stuff at PSLE and in P5 and P6. Also... why don't schools switch their chick lit Science textbooks for 'O' level texts? Then parents dun have to buy 2 or 3 books?

look chen, if u ask me why this why that, i oso dunno why..
there is whole spectrum of parents and kids out there.
do they all think PSLE is difficult?
do they all want to read O level texts?

all i'm trying to do is to offer a possible solution to a motivated parent who is concerned NOW.

That's great. I don't mean this sarcastically. I really think it was a nice and helpful remark. I don't see anything wrong with what you did.

But I did not appreciate that you \"sian\" me for doing something else which I thought equally helpful - trying to ensure that parents don't NEED to take the piecemeal approach you suggested. I don't see what is wrong with what I am doing either... to warrant posts from you that drip with sarcasm.[/quote]ok chen, if you are offended by the word \"sian\" that i used, i sincerely apologize. it just described my own feeling at that time. i should've thought more about how you'd feel.

i have nothing personal against you. in fact, i am really impressed by the fact that you are willing to put in so much effort to help people whom you FEEL are at a disadvantage.

the thing is, sometimes i wonder on your behalf, how many of these people actually CAN do something constructive to put themselves out of their misery.

[MMM]

php:

wow...so drama....i will go and watch later....

Hey... too long... Start from around 28:40.

My impression of those tears is that he cried because it's finally coming to an end after all the hectic period and emotional engagement. To be fair to anyone in that position, he has gone so far and did so much. So it felt as though he was crying for himself rather than anything else. As a voter, I wasn't moved by those tears.

[concern2]

Way2GO:

[

Besides d old market in HG, MIW also torn down a block of flats (or was it 2?)
Look out for a repeat.

Ya, if you can't attract the voters, bring in the voters, like they do at the rallies.

[MMM]

fightingmom:

Talking about huat .... remember to go buy 4D tomorrow ... u know...your ballot slip number ... For all you know, tomorrow you really huat huat huat ah !


If so, must remember to give me a treat hor ! :evil:

Hey sure got people huat since there are close to 24000 voters. I haven't seen my slip yet as my fil is afraid we will \"misplaced\" it so he kept it for us. He probably think both dh and I are kids :scratchhead:

But I don't buy 4D lah...

[concern2]

MMM:

php:

wow...so drama....i will go and watch later....

Hey... too long... Start from around 28:40.

My impression of those tears is that he cried because it's finally coming to an end after all the hectic period and emotional engagement. To be fair to anyone in that position, he has gone so far and did so much. So it felt as though he was crying for himself rather than anything else. As a voter, I wasn't moved by those tears.

To give some credits, KBW's speech was pretty good. If only their candidate is of his calibre.. As for HSK's speech, it's skippable..

[wonderm]

Intermezzo:

thanks wonderm for all your input ~
yes that's why hokkiengirl specifically said \"for kids who are willing to\".
i think it's a personal decision HOW you want to handle PSLE.

to reply to your earlier post, i'm not against tuition per se.

what i said was \"I think parents are LARGELY to blame for the tuition phenomenon\".

ie, the 一窝蜂 kind of phenomenon of signing up for tuition without a clear idea of whether the child needs / benefits from it, or whether they have time to play and rest and develop their own interests.

水能载舟， 亦能覆舟。

Tuition / enrichment used by parents in the right mindset is very beneficial for the child, this i agree 100%.

eg. For a child who doesn't have a condusive chinese speaking environment at home, who enjoys interacting with other people, i think a fun activity-based chinese enrichment class would be great.

what i am driving at is that we can all think more about what our kids need, and explore more motivational methods to help them become self-learners with a positive attitude, before sending them off to tuition.

Intermezzo,
I know what you mean. Totally agree! :hi5:

[oxyleo]

Intermezzo:

hokkiengirl:

Actually, it's kinda off topic, but since we are all here...

I think what I would want would be a really comprehensive textbook with practically EVERYTHING that can be tested found inside. Then, even if the teachers are awful (not so uncommon nows-adays) and there isn't enough time to cover the syallbus, the kids who are willing to put in the effort to master the textbook would be rewarded for their diligence during the exams. And if the kid is bo-chap, then so be it. It's a personal choice.

Actually, if you think about it, that's how we were tested in Uni? The lecturer gives a tons of notes and those who bother doing the work end up answering the question better. Even if the lecturer was totally inept, it was ok cos we knew we would be all right once we did the work!!!!

Ok, ok, :offtopic: I slap myself on the wrist first. Bad, bad Hokkien Girl!

hi hokkiengirl,

yes personally i think that would be nice...

but i can also foresee what is likely to happen.. another group of parents would take a look at the new textbooks and start a new round of KPKB about stressing out our kids, teaching too much, loss of childhood etc...

no matter how, there will always be people who complains..

But no matter, we don't have to wait for MOE to change the textbooks, whether they intend to or not. I just thought of a quick solution for your worry above.

It is said that the Science textbooks are the worst culprits. They are always not up to the level tested, correct?
So for PSLE, it is said that they test some secondary school stuff right?

Don't worry, just go to the Popular Bookshop, get some secondary 1 or 2 textbooks, O levels, whatever level your child can handle and enjoy. I think that would make a good backup for a motivated student if the teacher is really awful, what do u think?

Dear Intermezzo,

I think it is a poor excuse to not go back to the drawing board and assess the current situation just because any new move will still be met with complaints or more kiasuism.

We all acknowledge that it is unlikely that any human being can ever be a perfect being, but I don't think we can accept this as an excuse to not strive toward perfection, or at the very least, to strive to be a better person.

You seem to have a good suggestion for parents to try Popular Bookstore. I'm sure everyone agrees that until there is an end in sight to the madness, this has become a necessary stop-gap measure. What will become of kids of parents who are illiterate, or who are not so academically inclined? Who will choose those books for them? It is no easy feat selecting assessment books from Popular because of the sheer variety. One does require a pretty good level of understanding about the curriculum each year to make a good selection.

If we truly buy into PM Lee's belief on building a socially inclusive society, I think he is asking for us to not just think of fixing our problems as an individual, because that's the easy part, at least for those who have intellect, resources, etc. It is fixing it as a nation, collectively, that's the hard bit.

Those who are asking for a minimum level of good, standardized textbook material are actually supporting his belief on social inclusion rather than success at an individual level.

[MMM]

concern2:

Way2GO:

[

Besides d old market in HG, MIW also torn down a block of flats (or was it 2?)
Look out for a repeat.

Ya, if you can't attract the voters, bring in the voters, like they do at the rallies.

Hey those supporters are like whistling non-stop and cheering at every comments??? So fake.... Worst if they are not even voters??? I was alittle pissed by this when I attended the first rally.

Yes, WP supporters will also cheer but it is usually after hearing certain comments/ the favorite speakers (eg. Pritam, CSM, LTK, Sylvia) that the crowd will cheer even louder. Everyone including myself will clap etc...as some of the comments are really funny and it's real. You know right after the rally, people were still cheering. Everyone is just so high spirited. I also read comments that people were still cheering in the MRT station.... Also when we were walking back, there was a group of people in the same direction and they were still cheering as well. Those are man on the street and genuine IMHO. Also cars driving pass will make those rhythmatic horn sounds.

[php]

concern2:

Way2GO:

[

Besides d old market in HG, MIW also torn down a block of flats (or was it 2?)
Look out for a repeat.

Ya, if you can't attract the voters, bring in the voters, like they do at the rallies.

at national level, bring in more FTs

[Chenonceau]

Intermezzo:

ok chen, if you are offended by the word \"sian\" that i used, i sincerely apologize. it just described my own feeling at that time. i should've thought more about how you'd feel.

No biggie... Thanks for your kind apology. :snuggles:

Intermezzo:

i have nothing personal against you. in fact, i am really impressed by the fact that you are willing to put in so much effort to help people whom you FEEL are at a disadvantage.

the thing is, sometimes i wonder on your behalf, how many of these people actually CAN do something constructive to put themselves out of their misery.

I left my son quite alone in lower primary. Since I managed without tuition when I was little, I expected them to do the same. When I woke up to the mess in 2011, I did what I had to do to rescue my son. I know what I did... how much I did... how much of my intelligence it took to help ourselves given that I dunno his Math... am illiterate in Chinese. I didn't send for tuition (except for 3 months of Chinese) so I did it all myself. I know how much it took from me. Those who delegate to Tutors won't know HOW MUCH the school fails to teach.

I don't think many people can do what I did to help themselves. Really.

At least give them textbooks.... and give Teachers a national sharing database.