Asia spending billions on tutors: study
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Since you write to ST forum often oxyleo, own up! Are you the Wily Wan in today's forum page?
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verykiasu2010:
Perhaps i didn't explain what i meant about the quota. It was meant for primary school admission not junior college or university. Obviously we cannot push in people who are not up to the mark.
quota ..... you from M'sia ? that's how they do it .... quota ....in order to fit the quota, the passing mark of Add Math for the reserved quota people could be as high as 25 to 30 marks, while those left with crumbs (in terms of places) got to achieve a low passing park of 50 or 60 ......Singfrench:
-- no more elite schools: truly equal opportunities for all. e.g.: setting a quota based on household income (e.g. every school must have 20 % of the lowest 20%tile), trying to make core teaching more uniform across all schools, less focus on t-scores.
equal opportunities and yet based on household income and less focus on t-score (ranking exercise) is totally self contradicting. why should the well off be discriminated ?
by the way, t-score is just a ranking exercise. do we seriously expect everyone of the 40+ thousand kids to be on par in every aspect? let them be the robots and minions of the Despicable Me then
Education should be seen as a leveler (of the playing field) and not as a tool to get further and further ahead of the competition when we have the resources. Finland and several european countries have higher social mobility because they have managed to drastically reduce elite schools, standardized testing and rankings. -
Lilac66:
Since you write to ST forum often oxyleo, own up! Are you the Wily Wan in today's forum page?
Heh heheh. No leh Lilac66. Wily Wan more \"hiong\" than me! Writes better! I love her letter!
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Are all teachers NIE trained before they teach in schools? I have seen teachers who taught for one semester and then the school announced that they are leaving for NIE for professional training so they are not certified teachers yet ?
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cherryc:
Are all teachers NIE trained before they teach in schools? I have seen teachers who taught for one semester and then the school announced that they are leaving for NIE for professional training so they are not certified teachers yet ?
NIE course intake starts in July or Jan, I guess.
But they can recruit a teacher anytime, not expecting them to wait.
So, while waiting for the intake, they could be send to schools to \"study\" or let them have a taste of what it is like to be a teacher.
If they don't like it, they can quit, w/o obligations.
Once the NIE course starts, they are bound to complete the course, I guess.
So, in reply to your question, No. But they will be send to NIE at the earliest opportunity. (i.e .course intake starts)
And even those not employed by MOE can go for NIE training too, I guess(?). Just that they have to pay for course fees from their own pocket. -
BeContented:
ok.. so we agree to disagree..?
So you see this data as useful. I see its as useless. To each their own interpretation
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oxyleo:
Thanks for sharing. :-)[/quote]
Musings is right. It is already happening and yes in many schools and in fact in many schools too! Government tops up Edusave and children can earn more in their accounts by doing well or being the most improved. Apart from that the children are also entitled to a bursary sum as well... if the family income is within a certain capped amount pre-determined.buds:
[quote=\"Musings\"]
I think this is already happening in many schools. Fees can be paid for by Edusave so effectively it is free for students.
Purely for discussion purposes only, and just sharing my observation. I do not know if it is many schools that have these external vendor programs, but will do my part to ask around more. In my son's school, an all-boys' mission school, there is no Heuristics program or Creative Writing program for P1 and P2 boys, unlike what I seem to have gathered from Musings and another forummer.. Not saying it's good or bad, cos like some one said, it is left to the discretion of the school. But this also points to a lack of uniformity in terms of what is offered in each school, purely from an academic perspective.BlurDad:
There has always been such help rendered to ALL students pertaining to this.I would think MOE/Schools could do more. As someone mentioned, the Edusave may be insufficient. Most schools offer “Enrichment” programs – not so much on “tuition” classes which is essentially to help the students grasp the concepts better (more time / at slower pace) or to make their learning experience more pleasant. However, I have the strange feeling that nowadays the students may need to be “enriched” in order to cope with the normal school assignments. The line between “Enrichment” and “Tuition” is blurred / confused ie. Top Schools papers are in great demand J.
It is termed as remedial. Students zoomed in to have underlying foundation issues and under-performing students ie. failing or almost failing (Band 3s and Band 4s) will receive 'invitation' to attend. However, better performing ones have been known to be welcomed into this extra after school lesson as well.
Yes, this is my observation also, in terms of Supp and Remedial classes offered by the teachers, but I'm just wondering if BlurDad was referring to tuition classes offered by external vendors and offered in the school premise. Pure guess, to be confirmed by BlurDad.
I was referring to tuition classes conducted by external vendors held in school premise. Sometimes, I wonder: is it because these tuition teachers possess certain skill sets that seem to able to deliver the lessons more interestingly or some methodologies that seem to be able to help the students to grasp the concepts better? Perhaps, MOE/Schools can find out more and might even consider to adopt these/enhance in their teaching approach. Perhaps, MOE/Schools might want to engage the so called \"Super Tutors\" as their \"Advisors/Consultants\" (make sense?). My thought is: Broadly speaking, here we have people with distinctive roles in 3 entities: \"MOE/Schools\", \"Tuition Centers\" & \"Home\" - if we could provide a \"integrated & neutral\" platform we might be able to \"cool down\" THIS fever. For instance, for simplicity sakes - \"MOE/Schools\" have its own sets of goals/KPIs, \"Tuition Centers\" - P/L driven organizations by and large, \"Home\" - own unique circumstances; Now a very outstanding retired teacher can choose to go this alternative \"integrated & neutral\" platform to reach out instead of just volunteering his/her service to particular Schools/Communities thus restricting its impact. At the same time, this individual can enjoy the freedom/flexibility while doing this. At least, in Pri/Sec educations if we could bring \" essential basic knowledge\" at \"affordable cost/convenient way\" to majority of Singaporeans I think the reliance on \"Tuition Centers\" may reduce.BlurDad:
I'm not sure about older students but the school my daughters used to attend has graduating students who are currently undertaking poly diplomas or in jcs (etc) come back for mentorship programme to tutor weaker students some of whom have been identified to have learning difficulties. The approach is consistent and structured as these graduates apply the techniques using the lesson plans and methodologies created for this separate programme termed, Learning Support Programme. I was invited a few times to pilot the complete tried tested and proven Montessori Math programme in a few primary schools (by recommendation from fellow teacher-friends) for their teachers and former-student volunteers. Children identified to undergo this LSP are observed to be lacking in basic foundation to move forward with the ongoing curriculum and hence require to go back to have basic concepts embedded to move on with the rest of their peers. Once these students overcome that hurdle and are performing well, they are not required to come for the LSP sessions anymore. This bridges the gap some children may face... ie. for children who fall within the cracks of the system... perhaps due to parental ignorance of basic preps.. perhaps due to lack of funding for early childhood education.. perhaps the kindy or childcare didn't prepare them sufficiently or well yah.. perhaps the teachers in kindy didn't teach either even with a given curriculum. Many possibilities. Do not be surprised when i share that there are some of my own friends who do not believe in early childhood education at all.Getting some older students to assist the younger / weaker students is certainly a good idea. However, the effectiveness may be “limited” as a more structured/consistent approach provides a platform for us to leverage – basically to reach out more for those in need.
I share your observation here too. That schools are identifying weaker students and having older children help them, or parent volunteers help them. Not in an extensive manner though. In my son's school, it is through the Buddy Reading Program. Upper Pri boys, and a few PVs comes in every morning to read to the younger boys who need help. Not many of us though, like 2 grandparents and me, and 1 young grad on temp basis. I agree with BlurDad effectiveness is likely limited, but in the absence of anything else, we are filling the gap. There is improvement, but we also wonder if it could be better.
I however believe that that is where children really start. All that learning thru play is the real thing.. the real learning begins then.. the foundation of what they need is via those absorbent years. As i follow up with former students i have taught, there were many who were auto pilot ie. did not need tuition for the foundation was concrete and prepares them beyond primary school for the Montessori Education prepares a child for life. Failures included.
Early Childhood does seem to be the focus point now by MOE/MCYS. Hope it brings about good things for the children.BlurDad:
Once again, this is already in place. There are schools in Singapore that offer in-house after school care service. Parents can fetch by 7pm. Whatever the typical after-school care offers.. these service does the same and at an attractive price. A cousin paid only like $250-ish per month. Lunch, homework, revision, supervision, pick a sport plus indoor educational games. Her son has finished O levels now. So this has been in place for that long... perhaps even way earlier.In addition, I got an idea (not sure if it makes any sense) whereby the MOE/Schools might want to experiment it:-
a) We are quite used to the word “integrated” like “Integrated Resource”…etc – Can we consider integrated “After-care” service platform in our Schools?
b) This “After-care” service platform comprises “tuition” as one of its components but run by selected external vendors. They rent the a small office space from School and use the classrooms/facilities of the School to deliver lessons.
c) Just like the School canteen operators, they provide “affordable” and “nutritious” food to our children because the Rental is low (running cost).
d) Volunteers like older students, retired teachers, educated homemakers, part-timers… can leverage this “After-care” service platform to help the needy students.
Here I think you are referring more to the homework supervision and revision, food part when you say it is already happening? Just trying to clarify. I think Blur Dad is suggesting (a)-(b) too, which is tuition classes within the After school Care hours. What is currently provided is homework supervision and revision by the student themselves. the After care I/cs don't teach or tutor the children.
My humble sharings. -
Limlim
This is what you may have overlooked.ksi:
This is only one area, there could be more and Sun_2010 has mentioned about materials designed which should rightfully belong to the school. Also, how is MOE or school going to track if a teacher is teaching their own students or not? It is again an issue of span of control. In any case, this moonlight issue in the commercial world is clearly spelt out in the hiring contract for most large companies with protection over intellectual property rights and their customer base. -
I was referring to tuition classes conducted by external vendors held in school premise. Sometimes, I wonder: is it because these tuition teachers possess certain skill sets that seem to able to deliver the lessons more interestingly or some methodologies that seem to be able to help the students to grasp the concepts better? Perhaps, MOE/Schools can find out more and might even consider to adopt these/enhance in their teaching approach. Perhaps, MOE/Schools might want to engage the so called \"Super Tutors\" as their \"Advisors/Consultants\" (make sense?). My thought is: Broadly speaking, here we have people with distinctive roles in 3 entities: \"MOE/Schools\", \"Tuition Centers\" & \"Home\" - if we could provide a \"integrated & neutral\" platform we might be able to \"cool down\" THIS fever. For instance, for simplicity sakes - \"MOE/Schools\" have its own sets of goals/KPIs, \"Tuition Centers\" - P/L driven organizations by and large, \"Home\" - own unique circumstances; Now a very outstanding retired teacher can choose to go this alternative \"integrated & neutral\" platform to reach out instead of just volunteering his/her service to particular Schools/Communities thus restricting its impact. At the same time, this individual can enjoy the freedom/flexibility while doing this. At least, in Pri/Sec educations if we could bring \" essential basic knowledge\" at \"affordable cost/convenient way\" to majority of Singaporeans I think the reliance on \"Tuition Centers\" may reduce.
BlurDad, I like your suggestion very much. It makes great sense. Alleviate the current situation, and optimize resources by getting qualified retirees involved in nurturing the next generation. Apologies I couldn't quote it in full context from your original post. Oh maybe I could, but I didn't know how to. Haha! -
Food for Thought... I don't agree with everything but I do agree that with meritocracy, elites believe they are ENTITLED to success whilst others are not... and fail on the attitude of stewardship... and empathy for others who don't succeed.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/19/opinion/19brooks.html
Again, I don't agree with everything but this is well-written...
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_822110.html
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