Real reason behind Singapore’s obsession with tuition

[Funz]

Please don’t get me wrong. I am not down to pinpointing at individual teachers. I put my 2 cents worth here cos I feel that the tone has been one that screams all teachers don’t teach hence we need tuition. And all the good results are a result of tuition not schools.


Chen brought up many very very valid points like a need for better text, for some semblance of uniformity in some areas across all schools, testing within standard, etc. But these get drowned out by TEACHERS DON’T TEACH, TUTORS DO. SO TUITION IS THE ANSWER!

Constraints, definitely there are. There are real constraints and perceived constraints. We need to knock down perceived constraints, recognise the real constraints and work around them.

MOE made some changes to the way things are taught. On paper, it looks wonderful. But execution is a b!tch. Take STELLAR. I love it coming from DD’s school, I worry about it coming from DS’s school. The materials are all the same, the delivery is very very different.

The teach less learn more initiative is good. But in my myopic view only 1/2 a plan was executed that is why it is falling flat. They want to get children to observe, discover, predict, infer, reflect, deduce as such the knowledge acquired will be more in depth. But they forget that ultimately, the kids are sitting for an exam that is designed based on drilling and rote learning, even the open ended questions are answered via a very rote method. How to balance the 2? If they dare, bite the bullet and do away with PSLE?

Darn lost my train of thoughts. Kids hounding me.

[kitty2]

jedamum:

SAHM_TAN:

The teachers don't need to be depressed.


I will ask dd1 to ask in such cases to ask the teacher again and to tell her she didn't understand the explanation, could she explain it in another way.

I don't know if dd1 will have a chance to ask a 2nd time, I will have to wait and see.

We have always impressed upon my boy to approach the teacher to clarify his doubts. Then feedback we get from teacher is he should have been more attentive. So now kids r judged when they asked questions in class when they not sure huh?

My friend's kid from a SAP school asked his teacher whenever he can't understand,the teacher asked him to ask his parents or tutors :slapshead:

[Chenonceau]

Funz:

Please don't get me wrong. I am not down to pinpointing at individual teachers. I put my 2 cents worth here cos I feel that the tone has been one that screams all teachers don't teach hence we need tuition. And all the good results are a result of tuition not schools.


Chen brought up many very very valid points like a need for better text, for some semblance of uniformity in some areas across all schools, testing within standard, etc. But these get drowned out by TEACHERS DON'T TEACH, TUTORS DO. SO TUITION IS THE ANSWER!

Constraints, definitely there are. There are real constraints and perceived constraints. We need to knock down perceived constraints, recognise the real constraints and work around them.

MOE made some changes to the way things are taught. On paper, it looks wonderful. But execution is a b!tch. Take STELLAR. I love it coming from DD's school, I worry about it coming from DS's school. The materials are all the same, the delivery is very very different.

The teach less learn more initiative is good. But in my myopic view only 1/2 a plan was executed that is why it is falling flat. They want to get children to observe, discover, predict, infer, reflect, deduce as such the knowledge acquired will be more in depth. But they forget that ultimately, the kids are sitting for an exam that is designed based on drilling and rote learning, even the open ended questions are answered via a very rote method. How to balance the 2? If they dare, bite the bullet and do away with PSLE?

Darn lost my train of thoughts. Kids hounding me.

Thank you my love... :snuggles: ... for writing a post to integrate differences.

[janet88]

Hubby and I held out for 5 years before giving son tuition for Math last year. He has CL tuition since P1. This year, we went ALL THE WAY…thank goodness we did bcos I don’t have a good feel that school can prepare my son adequately for PSLE.

[verykiasu2010]

janet_lee88:

Hubby and I held out for 5 years before giving son tuition for Math last year. He has CL tuition since P1. This year, we went ALL THE WAY...thank goodness we did bcos I don't have a good feel that school can prepare my son adequately for PSLE.

But Pei Hwa is well known for churning out grads with good PSLE results. That is why the school is popular.

I think you should post this post this same note at the Pri 1 registration thread, so that parents don't go there unnecessarily to register for Pri 1 next year.

[Jennifer]

verykiasu2010:

janet_lee88:

bcos I don't have a good feel that school can prepare my son adequately for PSLE.

I think you should post this post this same note at the Pri 1 registration thread, so that parents don't go there unnecessarily to register for Pri 1 next year.

Is it fair to post \"parents don't go there unnecessarily to register for Pri 1\" based on one parent's perception?

verykiasu2010:

But Pei Hwa is well known for churning out grads with good PSLE results. That is why the school is popular.

I hv a P5 boy still with Pei Hwa. Comparing my elder boy's experience with what's going on now, there is definitely a difference.

[Funz]

J and J:

Wonder if you can share which school your DD is studying and which level that her class has differenct teacher for each different subject?
I did propose to my child's school to have different teacher for each different subject. As his form teacher always absent from school with various reasons like training, MC, CCA competition, CCL... During his form teacher's absence, the class was given worksheets to do in the class by the relief teacher. No teaching at all for all subjects except the mother tongue. That's why I proposed different teacher for each different subject to the school so that the impact on the class can be minimised, not for all subjects, but the prinicpal told me that no school can afford to do this in sg. If your DD school can do that, why they can't....

I know for a fact that DD has had different teachers for different subjects since P1. I cannot say if this is the situation for the whole school or just that DD happened to be that lucky. Her teachers do teach across levels though.

[J and J]

Funz:

J and J:

Wonder if you can share which school your DD is studying and which level that her class has differenct teacher for each different subject?
I did propose to my child's school to have different teacher for each different subject. As his form teacher always absent from school with various reasons like training, MC, CCA competition, CCL... During his form teacher's absence, the class was given worksheets to do in the class by the relief teacher. No teaching at all for all subjects except the mother tongue. That's why I proposed different teacher for each different subject to the school so that the impact on the class can be minimised, not for all subjects, but the prinicpal told me that no school can afford to do this in sg. If your DD school can do that, why they can't....

I know for a fact that DD has had different teachers for different subjects since P1. I cannot say if this is the situation for the whole school or just that DD happened to be that lucky. Her teachers do teach across levels though.

So happy for your DD. Can PM me the name of her school? so that I can recommend the principal to learn from that school how to make it possible.
:thankyou:

[buds]

Funz:

Please don't get me wrong. I am not down to pinpointing at individual teachers. I put my 2 cents worth here cos I feel that the tone has been one that screams all teachers don't teach hence we need tuition. And all the good results are a result of tuition not schools.


Chen brought up many very very valid points like a need for better text, for some semblance of uniformity in some areas across all schools, testing within standard, etc. But these get drowned out by TEACHERS DON'T TEACH, TUTORS DO. SO TUITION IS THE ANSWER!

Constraints, definitely there are. There are real constraints and perceived constraints. We need to knock down perceived constraints, recognise the real constraints and work around them.

MOE made some changes to the way things are taught. On paper, it looks wonderful. But execution is a b!tch. Take STELLAR. I love it coming from DD's school, I worry about it coming from DS's school. The materials are all the same, the delivery is very very different.

The teach less learn more initiative is good. But in my myopic view only 1/2 a plan was executed that is why it is falling flat. They want to get children to observe, discover, predict, infer, reflect, deduce as such the knowledge acquired will be more in depth. But they forget that ultimately, the kids are sitting for an exam that is designed based on drilling and rote learning, even the open ended questions are answered via a very rote method. How to balance the 2? If they dare, bite the bullet and do away with PSLE?

Darn lost my train of thoughts. Kids hounding me.

:goodpost:

[BeContented]

verykiasu2010:

janet_lee88:

Hubby and I held out for 5 years before giving son tuition for Math last year. He has CL tuition since P1. This year, we went ALL THE WAY...thank goodness we did bcos I don't have a good feel that school can prepare my son adequately for PSLE.

But Pei Hwa is well known for churning out grads with good PSLE results. That is why the school is popular.

I think you should post this post this same note at the Pri 1 registration thread, so that parents don't go there unnecessarily to register for Pri 1 next year.

Humans are generally full of contradiction :siam: