33mama:

I would like :-

1) Smaller classes - 30 pax would be a good size
2) almost full day session mainly morning allocated for academic and afternoon for more nature, understand the world/history, sports activities, excursions, baking/cooking sessions.
3) no homework. everything is done during curriculum time
4) shorter holidays - Mar 1 week, June 2weeks, Sep 1 week, Dec 2 weeks - to allow kids more time to internalize what's learned. the holidays removed to be used for camping activities. I find camping (overnight/no overnight) allows the kids to learn more relationship building and creating better bonding time.

Jennifer:

Recently I had a concern and so I sent a feedback to MOE via its online feedback form http://www.moe.edu.sg/about/contact/


I got a reply and the matter had been investigated.

Trust me, MOE really appreciate us writing to them directly.

33mama:

I would like :-

1) Smaller classes - 30 pax would be a good size
2) almost full day session mainly morning allocated for academic and afternoon for more nature, understand the world/history, sports activities, excursions, baking/cooking sessions.
3) no homework. everything is done during curriculum time
4) shorter holidays - Mar 1 week, June 2weeks, Sep 1 week, Dec 2 weeks - to allow kids more time to internalize what's learned. the holidays removed to be used for camping activities. I find camping (overnight/no overnight) allows the kids to learn more relationship building and creating better bonding time.

janet_lee88:

MR06:

The staggered hours would also alleviate traffic congestion. We may even see more babies in the pipeline..... Btw, why am I the only one writing regularly in this thread? :?

sweetie, i agree with you.
if schools can start at later hour, it will definitely reduce morning peak jam. for eg, son's school starts at 8 am every tue...he gets to sleep in a little later too.

but the prob is if schools end later, kids reach home later and they will have lesser time to get homework done...esp those who take school buses.

nms1:

MR06:

I had been mulling this for some time and after reading this article, (Girl, 14 sold sex for drinks http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20130108-393979.html), decided to pen my thoughts.

As all primary schools will be single-session by 2016,( Transition of Primary Schools to Single Session http://www.moe.gov.sg/initiatives/single-session/) I hope MOE would initiate and co-ordinate the staggering of school hours to cater to the different needs of families in response to a more complex and fast-paced living environment.

We could have say schools starting at 7.30am, 8.00am, 8.30am and as late as 9.00am. Eg. if Toa Payoh has 8 schools, There would be 2 schools that starts at each respective time.

It would enable parents especially salaried employees with fixed hours to juggle better between family and work. They can choose a school that fits better with their routine creating less stress and enabling them to discharge their parental duties well in their kids formative years.

The staggered hours would also alleviate traffic congestion. We may even see more babies in the pipeline..... Btw, why am I the only one writing regularly in this thread? :?

It's a good idea in theory but with the P1 registration system as it is, how many parents really have the choice between very many schools?

MR06:

The staggered hours would also alleviate traffic congestion. We may even see more babies in the pipeline..... Btw, why am I the only one writing regularly in this thread? :?

MR06:

I had been mulling this for some time and after reading this article, (Girl, 14 sold sex for drinks http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20130108-393979.html), decided to pen my thoughts.


As all primary schools will be single-session by 2016,( Transition of Primary Schools to Single Session http://www.moe.gov.sg/initiatives/single-session/) I hope MOE would initiate and co-ordinate the staggering of school hours to cater to the different needs of families in response to a more complex and fast-paced living environment.

We could have say schools starting at 7.30am, 8.00am, 8.30am and as late as 9.00am. Eg. if Toa Payoh has 8 schools, There would be 2 schools that starts at each respective time.

It would enable parents especially salaried employees with fixed hours to juggle better between family and work. They can choose a school that fits better with their routine creating less stress and enabling them to discharge their parental duties well in their kids formative years.

The staggered hours would also alleviate traffic congestion. We may even see more babies in the pipeline..... Btw, why am I the only one writing regularly in this thread? :?

atutor2001:

MR06:

...While I understand it may be hurtful for the adults, the emotional effect on the kids is almost zero. For at the tender age of 7, they will not know or care what is a \"good\" class. It can only be good for them to be grouped with kids of the same ability so the teaching pace is just right for them.....


....The assessment should be viewed in the right context. It is not carried out to class or condemn a child. It is not streaming, it is a gauge for the school to know where to start and at what pace. If there are more work to be done and more time to be spent to bring them up to the expected level, the school will do the necessary. All the children will be regrouped in P3 according to their learning outcomes.

Do not underestimate the emotion that young kids can have (fundamental mistake of most adults - they are too young to understand or feel it). Most kids don't express this type of negative feeling (being in a lousier class) openly. To them, it is not \"cool\" - it is \"steady\" among his peers if he dares to defy. Some conveniently also use such streaming as an official endorsement/excuse that they are born stupid/slow to justify their poor results so that they can continue playing and be lazy. Only a very small percentage of kids are really born slow and needs coaching at a slower pace. For the rest, it is simply motivation - something that is so easy to say but unfortunately is near impossible to carry out. Usually if a kid has already reached P1 and does not understand when to deliver and when to play, it is difficult to turn back.

MR06:

...While I understand it may be hurtful for the adults, the emotional effect on the kids is almost zero. For at the tender age of 7, they will not know or care what is a \"good\" class. It can only be good for them to be grouped with kids of the same ability so the teaching pace is just right for them.....


....The assessment should be viewed in the right context. It is not carried out to class or condemn a child. It is not streaming, it is a gauge for the school to know where to start and at what pace. If there are more work to be done and more time to be spent to bring them up to the expected level, the school will do the necessary. All the children will be regrouped in P3 according to their learning outcomes.

Coolkidsrock2:

My DS is in p2 currently and just as there are students scoring full marks, there are also students failing (heard the score was sub 30) in the same paper. If the standard within a class can be so uneven (there was no streaming for class allocation), the gap may be wider at a national level.

pirate:

MR06:

Does anybody know of any primary school that is known for setting internal exams that are too easy compared to the PSLE? :scratchhead:


I am raising this because I do not want a centralised exam database to result in dumbing down.

MR06:

If the exams are standardised and weaker schools taken care of by MOE's headquarter sending in a support team, parents would be assured of an acceptable standard across board. There would not be so much fighting tooth and nail over the popular schools. Those who fail to get in would have the consoling thought another school would still be ok. It is less likely to see someone wanting to \"move heaven and earth\" should his/her child fails to get into that \"dream school\".

J and J:

Small class teaching (<30 pupils @ class) across all classes from lower primary to upper primary for all schools.


MEP and AEP are offered in all schools, not only for those popular schools.

pirate:

MR06:

At the same time, it removes the incentive for overzealous schools to teach beyond what is required and over-load their students with homework depriving them time in learning other life skills, forging and nurturing friendships and enjoying their school years.

Considering that many of the schools that are reputed to be overzealous (some would say notorious for it) continue to be amongst the most popular when it comes to Pri 1 admissions, I really wonder how much support such a suggestion really has among the silent majority of parents.

If a primary school is reputed to be a mill for churning out students with top PSLE results but are less than \"balanced\" in other areas, and that school remains amongst the most popular in Pri 1 admissions, then I think parents should take some responsibility for choosing to send their kids to those kind of schools in the first place. After all, parents know which schools those are. And we know how they churn out those results.

Parents who do not want that kind of pressure on their children have a very simple choice. Just choose not to send their children to those schools. You know which ones they are. And if you make that choice, chances are you don't have to be an alumni. You won't have to join a clan or be a PV. You don't have to worry about moving to within 1km of that school. You won't even have to worry about how the ping pong balls are going to come out of that wire cage because chances are there won't be a bingo session at the end of Phase 2C, especially if your kid is a SC and/or you live within 2km.

Mawar:

JoeeYee:

I propose all kids be taught table manner. How to use chopsticks, different ways to use forkspoon., when to use what, etc.... Not just theory, but practical lessons too....


I wish they learn the correct way to address all their relatives..... Not just uncle and auntie....

That covered in kindy! The salutations and simple table manners.

Mawar:

JoeeYee:

I propose all kids be taught table manner. How to use chopsticks, different ways to use forkspoon., when to use what, etc.... Not just theory, but practical lessons too....


I wish they learn the correct way to address all their relatives..... Not just uncle and auntie....

That covered in kindy! The salutations and simple table manners.