PM Says new Stat Board to oversee pre-school education

[Lynn2010]

Lilac66:

The whole approach of leveling the field for preschool education with more help for the disadvantaged families is laudable. :rahrah:

Hopefully his advice not to send 4 , 5 year old kids for tuition will not fall on deaf ears.

Some parents (who can afford) will want their kids to go for enrichment. Their reason? \"Otherwise the kids have nothing to do at home, so good to go and learn something\"

I think, sometimes, it is good to let the kids' mind to \"idle\" and explore things at home.

[Mawar]

The parents with the means and aspirations will continue to send their kiddies for enrichment classes. I fully encourage exposing little ones to music, art or speech & drama type of classes. They are fun and kids benefit from playing and having fun. I hope the new anchor operator will incorporate more of this type of activities into their program. Let kids from all walks of life be exposed to this type of classes. Make our kindies fun. Focus less on the ABCs, that will come later. Focus on inquiry and exploratory based learning, and life skills.

[MMM]

Imami:

Musings:

[quote=\"rinoa538\"]PM Lee says, let your children have their childhood.


How to? The education system took away their childhood!
Take a look at Primary 1 textbook, no wonder parents are preparing kids before entering P1.

I don't agree with this. My first son is in P1 and the syllabus is v manageable. In fact on hindsight almost all preschool syllabus more than cover P1 work. in fact I just complain to my second son's preschool - which my elder son also attended that it is ridiculous to expect N2 kids to master addition within 20 when this is exactly what my older son is doing in first semester P1. I was told I was the oddball because all the parents want their kids to 'accelerate' and learn all these stuff in the name of preparation for P1. Such attitudes are what is taking away our children's childhood. I don't blame the preschool because they are responding to demands of parents.

For parents whose kids are not yet in primary school, it is easy to be swayed by hearsay about the many things kids need to know by P1 and go into an overdrive. It is not necessary. If the kids are keen on learning, by all means accelerate and give them more advanced stuff but it is not true P1 syllabus is that demanding. Now I know P1 is not the monster people make it out to be and I am taking it easy for second son - go with his interest and give him stuff when he is ready to learn. I do not want my son to look back and only recall his preschool years to be filled with endless classes and worksheets.

Thank you musings. To hear this from someone who has walk the path is very comforting. I am one of those parents who have been \"frightened\" by what other people said. Yes, I am concerned by the demand (if any) of pri 1 but I manage control myself (not to go into over drive mode) and take the cue from my child instead.

If he is cool about learning more advance stuff, fine and I am cool too. But if he shows signs resistance/stress, i will back off/feedback to the teachers.[/quote]Actually P1 syllabus is really manageable. Having my 2 older kids in P5 and P4, I used to think P1 is scary too... In fact my stress started when kids enter P1. Apparently the stress level never reduce but it just went higher and higher.

However recently I started to tell friends that P1 and probably P2 is actually honeymoon period so take it easy. This is after we looked at P4/ P5 requirements.... For term 3 assessments, I started to take it \"easy\" with my P1. Never expect her to get 100% but just got to train her to read instructions, check her work and make sure she understand those concepts along the way. I sort of felt that maybe this is the time to let her make mistakes and learn from it. By not having level/ class ranking in the report book sort of help too.

However, the scary part is really the peers.... Eg. my P1 dd's best pal (the boy sitting beside her) already knows his timestable while she is probably still clueless as I didn't get my kids to rote learn. I prefer them to understand the concept of timestable along the way.

So I come to a conclusion that the monster is not P1 syllabus but the kiasu parents around who prepares their children. In order to keep up, we got \"no choice\" but to keep up too as personally, I feel that if the child is able to cope well, this will increase their self-esteem. The last thing for us is for our child to think she is lagging behind her friends..... so yes it's that kiasu mindset. It's a chicken and egg story....

[Nebbermind]

Daddy

How come no1 :rahrah: for paternity leave?

think most of us here may not even qualify for childcare leave now!!

[Mawar]

Nebbermind:

Daddy

How come no1 :rahrah: for paternity leave?

think most of us here may not even qualify for childcare leave now!!

I also think most of us are past this stage. Nevertheless, it is a move in the right direction. During my time, DH drew on his own AL to help with errands and chores. There was so much to do with a new baby. Sharing maternity leave is great too. The new mom and her employer will be happier, and it gets the new dad a better chance to be involved too.

[Cuppamocha]

HVR:

It's time to contribute your ideas now. If anyone has useful suggestions, not just for education but all the national issues, do get involved with the national dialougue. It's easy to criticize but if we really care and we think we can help, please do our part. You can sense the sincerity and genuine concerns throughout PM's speech.

:goodpost:

[Nebbermind]

Cuppamocha:

HVR:

It's time to contribute your ideas now. If anyone has useful suggestions, not just for education but all the national issues, do get involved with the national dialougue. It's easy to criticize but if we really care and we think we can help, please do our part. You can sense the sincerity and genuine concerns throughout PM's speech.

:goodpost:

Well, to begin, maybe we should 'dissect' the rally into several topics PM touched on and make them sticky.

[Oppsgal]

Mawar:

Nebbermind:

[quote=\"Daddy D\"]How come no1 :rahrah: for paternity leave?

think most of us here may not even qualify for childcare leave now!!

I also think most of us are past this stage. Nevertheless, it is a move in the right direction. During my time, DH drew on his own AL to help with errands and chores. There was so much to do with a new baby. Sharing maternity leave is great too. The new mom and her employer will be happier, and it gets the new dad a better chance to be involved too.[/quote]Do not affect me, paternity leave or not, as a stay home mother.

[Oppsgal]

Apelove:

Hi, just my two cents worth...


I think this boils down to the vast disparity between the middle to higher end preschools vs the lower or more standard preschools. In fact, those who can afford to complain that the preschool is over teaching, I think you are very lucky. Do note that children who are well equipped early will suffer less in pri 1. I am very happy that LHL would be doing something about the preschool standard.

I have witnessed my own nephews who are currently in a 'lower range' fee structure childcare centre. One of them will be entering pri 1 next year but is unable to even read a standard Peter&Jane reader 2A, much less to say blend phonics properly.
The younger sibling is a year younger and attending a standard $90 per month pcf. He is currently in k1 but unable to sound phonics, nor recognize any words without the picture appearing beside it.
With such basics not well established in the child, they are very ill equipped to enter pri 1. I would not even dare to think about how they might cope in school. To these children, pri 1 would be extremely demanding. It is extremely shocking that the lower range childcare/preschool standard can be so lacking!

Then parents should teach at home or send to enrichment to cope?

My kid's teacher even ask me how my kid already learn all the phonics...as most of the friends there don't know.

She thought I have sent my kid to some sort of tuition. Told her cannot afford to have childcare + tuition. I DIY the teaching currently.

I would prefer to continue teaching new things to my kid. I do not want to overload my kid when reach primary school. I rather space out the information to my kid for easier \"absorb\".

[Imp75]

aiya maybe need to shut down this website (:P) to stop parents from being so kiasu!

But I agree with LHL - it needs a mindset change from parents and educators to stop this stupid trend of preparing our kids so hard for that paper chase which, at the end of the day 10 years later, almost everyone will have a degree so where’s the differentiating factor?