Alternative use for tuition

[beanbear]

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:

Yes, I agree that most of our kids don't know study skills. I remembered even in my time, we were not taught explicitly study skills, we learnt from friends, from better students how they studied. These days, there are mind-mapping classes, memory classes, etc. I picked up mind-mapping from my corporate days and then taught my children mind-mapping. But these are more for revision & basic comprehension. What I find more important and what I'm not sure if schools can do well in is really cultivating good inferential, reflective thinking skills.

I remembered it was in Sec 3 that I had my first tuition and it was for Literature. We had a good family friend who was a Lit teacher and she was really outstanding in helping me develop critical thinking skills and translating that into writing. I went on from borderline to doing well in Literature - a subject that is very difficult to do well and this eventually helped in my GP at A levels as well. It was just for 1.5 years but it was a tuition that I still remember still today because it was a tuition that made a deep impact. My family friend and I became good friends and it was a relationship that went beyond just teaching Literature. I believe the new English syllabus for Primary school as well as O levels will require our kids to develop their own opinions and to be able to translate their critical thinking into good writing.

These days, I'm more conscious about having more debates with my older children. Conversations that are about making your assumptions explicit and testing your assumptions aloud. I noticed my P6 DS started modelling some of the language. He would say things like \"That's just an assumption. We don't really know for sure.\" That's a sign of critical thinking. During this coming school holidays after PSLE, my plan is to get him to read more non-fiction and be more attuned with what's happening in the world and do some home debates.

For the younger children, I find it's really about creating self-discipline as a foundation first.

[Mychildren]

BeContented:

Mychildren:

GLORYmum,


U may be right. But I'll wait for her to tell me.

Hi Mychildren, GLORYmum is correct. I have high BP = blood pressure .... after 3 years of monitoring, cannot bring down & was spiking wildly, so already on 3+years medication to control, I tend to get excited easily

On your other posts to teach your kids yourself at home .... for me I would seriously not want to do that. Probably already :lightrod: dead if i try Maybe that's why tho I would prefer kids not to have tuition if possible, I'm not totally adverse to it since there is a reason for their existence. How it evolves eventually depends on human behaviour & market force. Eg. A child having 3 tuition for each subject (I just found out recently)..... So who should I look at for such issue - child/parent/teacher/MOE/existence of tuition industry?? Complex......I better not get excited again.

Do keep cool.

[Mychildren]

Chenonceau:

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.

I am with you on this SAHM_TAN. My first reaction when I read that these 2 Sec 2 students need tutors to discipline them to study was same as yours. If by their teens, children have so little self-discipline that they cannot carry out one of their primary responsibilities without CLOSE supervision... it is worrisome. These Sec 2 students are probably NOT destined for top management positions. When you come out to work and will only do your primary job because someone is watching you, no one will promote you.

In the short term, you get the good grades. In the long-term, life will play you out because you lack an important life skill.

Even though it was tough in the last 2 years because DS' teachers taught simple stuff and tested really hard, I didn't bother to teach him or even learn his stuff. I opened the way to resources and taught him to self-learn and self-discipline. When DD was in IP, the self-directed independent study skills helped her surpass many who scored 10 points higher than her in PSLE.

Don't shortchange your kids long-term character development for short-term grades. I don't think it is worth it.

This is true (those in blue). Chen, did your book mention anything about this too? Then, I'll be interested to get hold of one too.

[Chenonceau]

Mychildren:

This is true (those in blue). Chen, did your book mention anything about this too? Then, I'll be interested to get hold of one too.

Sweet... I dun dare answer questions about my book here. People might get mad at me. How about you pop by here - http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=36240&p=848087#p848087?

[janet88]

Mr HSK has been landed a ‘hot project’. Education has always been a sticky issue and it’s even hotter now. I believe MOE is not aware of things happening on ground level…for eg, teachers who encourage their students to go for tuition.

Since school is mandatory, why then do our kids need tuition? Why not keep them from school and send them for tuition instead? This way, kids get to sleep later.

[beanbear]

Chenonceau:

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.

I am with you on this SAHM_TAN. My first reaction when I read that these 2 Sec 2 students need tutors to discipline them to study was same as yours. If by their teens, children have so little self-discipline that they cannot carry out one of their primary responsibilities without CLOSE supervision... it is worrisome. These Sec 2 students are probably NOT destined for top management positions. When you come out to work and will only do your primary job because someone is watching you, no one will promote you.

In the short term, you get the good grades. In the long-term, life will play you out because you lack an important life skill.

I was talking with some HR managers about what they are noticing about young Singapore executives (ie in their 20s) who are in the workplace and they shared they see this lack of resilience, spoon-feeding mentality and not being able to articulate their own opinions. They are opinionated but can't articulate positions with clarity. I'm worried about our next lot of Singapore kids who in 10+ years are going out to the workforce. They've been smothered by tuition and parental spoon-feeding.

I told my P6 DS that he will not get any tuition at Secondary school. We could not depend on the primary school teachers for good teaching but at Secondary school, I feel it's critical for him to self-study and depend on himself. I'm glad that in the last 2 months, I got him to be more self-accountable for his own PSLE revision and to monitor his own progress. Even at this critical juncture, I want to him to feel that his success/lack of it is due to his own efforts & not his mother hand-holding him.

[Mychildren]

Chenonceau:

Mychildren:

This is true (those in blue). Chen, did your book mention anything about this too? Then, I'll be interested to get hold of one too.

Sweet... I dun dare answer questions about my book here. People might get mad at me.

Why be mad??? I don't understand.
They should be curious instead of mad??? :?

[Chenonceau]

beanbear:

I'm glad that in the last 2 months, I got him to be more self-accountable for his own PSLE revision and to monitor his own progress. Even at this critical juncture, I want to him to feel that his success/lack of it is due to his own efforts & not his mother hand-holding him.

A partial result of reading... something?

[Mychildren]

beanbear:

Chenonceau:

[quote=\"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.

I am with you on this SAHM_TAN. My first reaction when I read that these 2 Sec 2 students need tutors to discipline them to study was same as yours. If by their teens, children have so little self-discipline that they cannot carry out one of their primary responsibilities without CLOSE supervision... it is worrisome. These Sec 2 students are probably NOT destined for top management positions. When you come out to work and will only do your primary job because someone is watching you, no one will promote you.

In the short term, you get the good grades. In the long-term, life will play you out because you lack an important life skill.

I was talking with some HR managers about what they are noticing about young Singapore executives (ie in their 20s) who are in the workplace and they shared they see this lack of resilience, spoon-feeding mentality and not being able to articulate their own opinions. They are opinionated but can't articulate positions with clarity. I'm worried about our next lot of Singapore kids who in 10+ years are going out to the workforce. They've been smothered by tuition and parental spoon-feeding.

I told my P6 DS that he will not get any tuition at Secondary school. We could not depend on the primary school teachers for good teaching but at Secondary school, I feel it's critical for him to self-study and depend on himself. I'm glad that in the last 2 months, I got him to be more self-accountable for his own PSLE revision and to monitor his own progress. Even at this critical juncture, I want to him to feel that his success/lack of it is due to his own efforts & not his mother hand-holding him.[/quote]I'm impressed. Hope I can be like u when the time comes.
My DS2 still need some spoonfeeding, need to teach him to hold his spoon soon. :sick:

[Chenonceau]

Mychildren:

Chenonceau:

[quote=\"Mychildren\"]
This is true (those in blue). Chen, did your book mention anything about this too? Then, I'll be interested to get hold of one too.

Sweet... I dun dare answer questions about my book here. People might get mad at me.

Why be mad??? I don't understand.
They should be curious instead of mad??? :?[/quote]There all sorts of different perspectives on this forum. Some mind. Others don't understand why some mind. I need to honor everyone and be suitably sensitive to how some may perceive words and comments about the book.