Real reason behind Singapore’s obsession with tuition

[corneyAmber]

Funz:

ksi:

Thanks for your sharing pixiedust.

Sharing has various levels and I find that when we share the specifics then the problem definition becomes clearer. Certainly what you have shared is good and constructive.

It seems that the parents with Category 3 practices are more at this point of time.

Actually you have also brought up an interesting point for me. Initially I thought people go for tuition because the results showed that they have to go for tuition to push the grades up, i.e. obviously shown in the components of the results. However, now I see that people go for tuition due to not knowing what are the detail grades and use \"tuition\" to buy the insurance that the grades can be maintained or pushed up since there is no idea what is the actual individual component score. So this point seems to contribute to the tuition-notion nation where parents can see the break-down results from the tuition centre better?

For me too, tuition only if results show a need for it. However increasingly I am seeing parents looking for tutors for their children even before they start P1. Various reasons were cited, for insurance, cos they believe must have tuition eventually so want to 'chope' reputable tutor's time, cos parents themselves don't have time to go through kids daily work, so tutor more to follow through day to day stuff rather than to help with weak grades, etc.

Yeah, would that be considered enrichment, i.e. good to have since there is no problem to solve? I distinguish between enrichment and tuition. I know many of the bright kids go for enrichment as a good to have. Centres like TLL is enrichment to me, children go there to pick up lifestyle habits like Heelys. Mindstretcher is both an enrichment and a tuition centre. Berries is more of an enrichment centre because if a primary school child is identified to have a problem in Chinese, it would be tough to follow the syllabus in Berries at the same level as syllabus is not MOE driven but extended, Tien Hsia caters more for tuition as they follow MOE syllabus closely but I am not sure if they have started enrichment version as well. So are we an enrichment-centric nation or a tuition-centric nation? :?

[corneyAmber]

Champion:

Intermezzo:

but throughout the years, there were still many of her classmates going for tuition after tuition, no matter what the teachers were like. for some it's 1:1 at home, for some it's at MindStretcher, etc. there were even a few who did all 3 - EMS at TTL, and MT somewhere else - i can't remember the reason now. isit becos TTL doesn't teach MT?

that's the main reason i feel that tuition has become an obsession - when many parents send the kids for tuition without considering whether they REALLY need it, or whether they have time to rest / play / do nothing / get creative / develop new hobbies, and most importantly, learn how to learn on their own.

Already at P4 level - my DD1's classmate - the top girl in the cohort has tuitions for EMS + MT + English Creative class + MT Compo class! :yikes: :shock: DD1 shares that the girl has learned ahead what teacher has to teach and in fact during class, the girl just either plays with her pencil or do some sketching on the paper ( the girl sits in front of DD1 and they are in the same group for class-work).

Well, I just tell DD1 she just has to mind her own business and do the class work together in a group. Well, aside from this top girl's story, for my DD1's case - My expectations are not high. I don't expect my child to ace the subject but by attending tuition at the tuition centre, it does help her to understand better

Champs, the top girl is doing enrichment.

[buds]

This thread has OTed so far with categories and what nots. :offtopic:

[buds]

Funz:

For me too, tuition only if results show a need for it. However increasingly I am seeing parents looking for tutors for their children even before they start P1. Various reasons were cited, for insurance, cos they believe must have tuition eventually so want to 'chope' reputable tutor's time, cos parents themselves don't have time to go through kids daily work, so tutor more to follow through day to day stuff rather than to help with weak grades, etc.

Same observation on our end as well. :yikes:

I have parents asking whether i can teach their 1yr old phonics! :faint:

[corneyAmber]

buds:

This thread has OTed so far with categories and what nots. :offtopic:

Please read the details. :heresmyfish:

[dorisp]

buds:

....I have parents asking whether i can teach their 1yr old phonics! :faint:

This is really :faint:

[Funz]

ksi:

Yeah, would that be considered enrichment, i.e. good to have since there is no problem to solve? I distinguish between enrichment and tuition. I know many of the bright kids go for enrichment as a good to have. Centres like TLL is enrichment to me, children go there to pick up lifestyle habits like Heelys. Mindstretcher is both an enrichment and a tuition centre. Berries is more of an enrichment centre because if a primary school child is identified to have a problem in Chinese, it would be tough to follow the syllabus in Berries at the same level as syllabus is not MOE driven but extended, Tien Hsia caters more for tuition as they follow MOE syllabus closely but I am not sure if they have started enrichment version as well. So are we an enrichment-centric nation or a tuition-centric nation? :?

I do distinguish them too. And no, not referring to enrichments. Talking about tuition, some group, some private. But really, more and more, I see parents looking for tutors for their kids even before start P1.

Enrichment or tuition centric? I think both, constrained only by time and finances. :razz:

[Pen88n]

dorisp:

buds:

....I have parents asking whether i can teach their 1yr old phonics! :faint:

This is really :faint:

Just starting to learn how to talk and want to learn phonics? Old people like my mum will say \"haven't learnt to walk yet, want to run\"?

This is a case of too much $$ :moneyflies: and don't know where to spend..... :siao:

[wonderm]

ksi:

Yeah, would that be considered enrichment, i.e. good to have since there is no problem to solve? I distinguish between enrichment and tuition. I know many of the bright kids go for enrichment as a good to have. Centres like TLL is enrichment to me, children go there to pick up lifestyle habits like Heelys. Mindstretcher is both an enrichment and a tuition centre. Berries is more of an enrichment centre because if a primary school child is identified to have a problem in Chinese, it would be tough to follow the syllabus in Berries at the same level as syllabus is not MOE driven but extended, Tien Hsia caters more for tuition as they follow MOE syllabus closely but I am not sure if they have started enrichment version as well. So are we an enrichment-centric nation or a tuition-centric nation? :?

ksi, agree with your distinction between enrichment and tuition.

For your earlier survey of subject-specialization and release of compo marks/papers. My experience with my boys' school was that they had subject-specialized teachers for upper primary level (I can't remember about lower primary) and they definitely belonged to your Cat3 and Cat4 (for some exams at least, they didn't know the marks for compo and oral, I remembered we had to estimate ourselves). Like other parents, we were frustrated but didn't fight with the school for too long.

[Pen88n]

Funz:

ksi:

Yeah, would that be considered enrichment, i.e. good to have since there is no problem to solve? I distinguish between enrichment and tuition. I know many of the bright kids go for enrichment as a good to have. Centres like TLL is enrichment to me, children go there to pick up lifestyle habits like Heelys. Mindstretcher is both an enrichment and a tuition centre. Berries is more of an enrichment centre because if a primary school child is identified to have a problem in Chinese, it would be tough to follow the syllabus in Berries at the same level as syllabus is not MOE driven but extended, Tien Hsia caters more for tuition as they follow MOE syllabus closely but I am not sure if they have started enrichment version as well. So are we an enrichment-centric nation or a tuition-centric nation? :?

I do distinguish them too. And no, not referring to enrichments. Talking about tuition, some group, some private. But really, more and more, I see parents looking for tutors for their kids even before start P1.

Enrichment or tuition centric? I think both, constrained only by time and finances. :razz:

It is a norm now to attend pre-primary classes - preparation class they called it. You get prepared for the topics to be taught in P1. I always wonder why need to prepare - it is no wonder a lot of kids feel bored in sch when lessons are conducted, afterall they already know it or have been taught.