Alternative use for tuition

[SAHM_TAN]

I was reading the write-up on tuition in the ST today. There were 2 sec level students who are doing well in their studies but opt for tuition so that they will be disciplined to study.


The article does not state if both had tuition when they were in primary school.

I was scared. I immediately worked with dd1 to get her set a schedule to learn her spelling and tingxie and let her take responsibility. I think to start small and gradually move on to bigger stuff like her many mini tests.

[Mychildren]

I do not want my children to have tuition when they’re in secondary school.

Yes, self discipline is very important.

[hquek]

Well I know some bright sec school kids who ask for tuition so they can have access to good notes.


When I was in sec 3, I took bio and had no clue what the super cheem book was talking about. Luckily I had a friend who quietly told me about this fantastic alternate textbook. Went to buy the book and the bio world made sense after that, moral of story…sometime studying hard ain’t going to help if one don’t have good crutches to lean on.

[Mychildren]

hquek,


So they went for tuition for good materials, right?
OK, so I understand. Then parents are forever forking out $$. I remember my time, many no need tuition but maybe the richer ones & still manage to go through our 'O’s. However, I got some extra books for Literature & A Math, sourced by myself & with my own earned pocket $.

[Mychildren]

slmkhoo:

hquek:

Well I know some bright sec school kids who ask for tuition so they can have access to good notes.

If they are bright, they should be able to compile their own notes! I feel it's a failure of the Singapore education system that handouts are seen to be so significant in boosting performance. What are these kids going to do when tasked to do something in the workplace - ask for notes? If so, they can never do any new or creative because the 'notes' won't exist.

Well said!

[janet88]

Mychildren:

hquek,


So they went for tuition for good materials, right?
OK, so I understand. Then parents are forever forking out $$. I remember my time, many no need tuition but maybe the richer ones & still manage to go through our 'O's. However, I got some extra books for Literature & A Math, sourced by myself & with my own earned pocket $.

A friend's son is in IP school (Sec 1). I thought once the child is done with PSLE and moves on to sec school, this thing called tuition is not necessary or very minimal. Unfortunately, my friend's son needs help with English and Science. Literature, comprehension and situational writing is tough.
When will parents not need to fork out money for tuition then?

[alng]

janet_lee88:

A friend's son is in IP school (Sec 1). I thought once the child is done with PSLE and moves on to sec school, this thing called tuition is not necessary or very minimal. Unfortunately, my friend's son needs help with English and Science. Literature, comprehension and situational writing is tough.
When will parents not need to fork out money for tuition then?

When the child learns how to learn independently, there is no need for tuition. But it is a chicken and egg issue here. Parents send their children to tuition because their children cannot learn independently. But if the option of tuition is not removed, the child is not motivated to learn independently. So at some point, I feel that parents have to let go and let the children learn on their own. Of course, I am not suggesting to let go at critical years like PSLE and O levels.

In the past, students were more attentive in classes, took a more active role in learning and be responsible for their own learning. There was no need for tuition then. The only tuition I had was tuition at PSLE year undertaken by the Singapore Teachers' Union. My own teachers were tutoring me three times a week in the evenings in school. This is like the supplementary classes that schools are conducting now. We were more attentive in classes because we knew that if we were not attentive, we would have a hard time trying to get that knowledge. Internet was not available yet and our parents had no extra money for tuition.

Today, students could afford to be less attentive in classes. They could turn to their parents, internet and tutors for help. They rely too much on tutors and model answers. Sad to say that at workplace, there is no model solutions to work problems.

[Lilac66]

alng:

janet_lee88:

A friend's son is in IP school (Sec 1). I thought once the child is done with PSLE and moves on to sec school, this thing called tuition is not necessary or very minimal. Unfortunately, my friend's son needs help with English and Science. Literature, comprehension and situational writing is tough.
When will parents not need to fork out money for tuition then?

In the past, students were more attentive in classes, took a more active role in learning and be responsible for their own learning. There was no need for tuition then. The only tuition I had was tuition at PSLE year undertaken by the Singapore Teachers' Union. My own teachers were tutoring me three times a week in the evenings in school. This is like the supplementary classes that schools are conducting now. We were more attentive in classes because we knew that if we were not attentive, we would have a hard time trying to get that knowledge. Internet was not available yet and our parents had no extra money for tuition.

Today, students could afford to be less attentive in classes. They could turn to their parents, internet and tutors for help. They rely too much on tutors and model answers. Sad to say that at workplace, there is no model solutions to work problems.

Agree esp the part in red as it's also my observation. But then again, the teachers have a part to play as the teaching should not be based on the assumption that most have tuition. I'm glad HSK has realised this and covered this aspect in his speech.

[SAHM_TAN]

The article and discussion reminds me that need to prepare kids with study skills such as research skills, know how to make own notes, critical thinking skills. I need to take a deep breath now. :imdrowning:

[alng]

Lilac66:

Agree esp the part in red as it's also my observation. But then again, the teachers have a part to play as the teaching should not be based on the assumption that most have tuition. I'm glad HSK has realised this and covered this aspect in his speech.

I agree that some teachers teach with an assumption that most have tuition. But I do not totally blame these teachers because some teachers do not want to bore the students since the students already know. If parents and tutors do not over teach or teach in advance, this problem can be minimised. But I do not blame the parents too. Sigh! This is a complex issue.

I just want to share that my dd has no tuition on Maths. 2-3 years ago, when I realised that she could not understand certain basic concepts in fractions but could tackle more complex problem sums, I suspected her teacher had skipped the teaching of basic concepts. I asked my dd to consult her teacher. I just told her teacher that my dd had no tuition and would like the teacher to focus more on the basics before advancing to challenging problem sums :-).

Other than English which my dh and I could not teach, my dd has no other tuition. Her only resources are her teachers and parents. When her parents do not know the answers to her questions, she could only rely on her teachers. She asks many question in class, via emails to her teachers and in edmodo. When she does not understand her teachers' answers to her questions, I will interfere by helping her to re-phrase her questions or consulting her teachers personally.