Education 02 (Sep 09 - Jul 10)

[millionairemind]

I posted my thoughts on the latest changes in the education system. It's a bit too whiny and long to paste it all here, so I thought I'll just put a paragraph.

If it interests you, read more http://bullythebear.blogspot.com/2010/04/changes-in-education-system.html.
--------------------------------------

I read with interest regarding the latest changes to our education system. Most of the time, the changes will relate to mother tongue - a misnomer for the second language we learn besides English. The bugbear had always been the teaching of chinese, which many found it extremely hard. Interestingly, scant little had been done for tamil and malay when compared to chinese, where many innovative and creative ways to teach are reported in the newspaper. I could be wrong, but if there's any changes, it is definitely not as 'reported' as those changes made in the chinese language. Maybe the advocates for changes in the malay and tamil languages are not as loud as those for the chinese language.

La Pap,

Thanks for the link and your tots.

Chinese language teachers ain't get no respect nowadays... unfortunately.

I guess squeaky wheels gets the grease??

Cheers,
mm

[la papillion]

Hi mm,

Thanks I guess who complains the loudest will get the most attention, haha

[millionairemind]

My sister related this funny story to me yesterday. Her son is in Sec 1 in a SAP school. She went for a parent-teacher talk on streaming where the Principal was addressing the parents from the Sec 2 cohort.

The principal is close to retirement. He is very direct to the parents and spoke to all the parents in Mandarin (all students must take higher Chinese).

The principal occasionally switched to English "just to emphasize that the school is a bilingual school"

The principal acknowledged to the parents that he has a "bad reputation" for being very direct to the parents and asking them to "fly kite".

He mentioned that the students need a minimum of B4 in Chinese to be promoted every year, failing which, they might be asked to leave the school.

A few parents KPKB, saying that he should not put so much emphasis on Chinese.

The principal's answer?

"This is a SAP school. Higher Chinese is a MUST. If you cannot make it, you are free to leave. If you cannot make it in Sec 1, I will advise you to leave. In Sec 2, I have also advised you to leave.. this is the last chance".


I like this principal!!!

[kennynah]

if i was the MOE Director ... i'll ask this principal for kopi...and wash him in and out and tell him to change his attitude towards being more professional and learn some manners....or i will ask him to leave (with no retirement gratuity)

dont be so Kwai L*n...when in position of authority..be gracious from the heart....

[iam802]

I differ from K's view.

And the key point is highlighted in the Principal's speech.

This is not new. I heard from my friend's mom that such practices exists more than 25 years ago. It may not apply to Chinese, but the idea of minimum requirement is not new. Some of the schools can be found along Bt Timah.

For the specified example highlighted by MM, this is a SAP school after all. Higher Chinese does matters. If one do not want to meet the minimum requirement, why do you want to go into a SAP school? There are many good schools around.

The Principal is just portraying the 'take it or leave it' attitude because nowadays parents are so difficult to deal with (very demanding).

Just like in the workplace, some jobs are more demanding, and the minimum requirement is HIGHER. So, there will be staffs who will be told to leave. Likewise for the school.

If my kid is in SAP school, and she fails to meet the requirements, I will be glad to transfer out of the school. For languages, most kids will stagnant by the time they reach secondary. Very seldom do you see a student going from C grade to A unless they have been slacking previously.

I will let my kid knows the true reason behind and highlight that we should not let such things limit one's achievements.

[millionairemind]

The Principal is just portraying the 'take it or leave it' attitude because nowadays parents are so difficult to deal with (very demanding).

Not just difficult. At times they think they are better than the teachers and talk down to them. If the parents don't show the teachers/principal any respect, the kids won't too cos' they learn from their parents.

One of the fathers from my son's school actually made a police report, yes! a police report just because the teacher scolded his son for misbehaving in school.

Back when I was a kid. If we come back home and said that we got scolded, or caned by the teacher, we get a second dose from our parents.

Times have changed... teachers don't get that kind of respect anymore.

[Musicwhiz]

I agree with MM and iam802's views.

Parents these days are extremely spoiled, and so are their kids! Teachers are finding their jobs more and more difficult not only because of the spoilt brat kids, but also their spoiled brat parents! I know this because I have many friends who are in the teaching line - the kids are becoming almost intolerable.

Is Singapore breeding the next generation of pests?

[Poles]

Times have changed... teachers don't get that kind of respect anymore.

Vice versa......teacher/principle also don't respect student !!
Instead of teaching student , they are choosing student...??

[LenaHuat]

"This is a SAP school. Higher Chinese is a MUST. If you cannot make it, you are free to leave. If you cannot make it in Sec 1, I will advise you to leave. In Sec 2, I have also advised you to leave.. this is the last chance".


I like this principal!!!

That's my style too. Say it as it is. Look, this is a capitalist world.
Is there a need to look at the world from a Chinese's eyes? I advocate greater diversity in our schools. As far as I'm concerned (and I'm proficient in Mandarin), a child should be allowed to take up Russian, Czech, Korean, Polish whatever he wants. The world's so big and there are so many opportunities. In fact, it's silly to try to make one's mark in China now.
It's far too late for many Singaporeans.

[kennynah]

wow...i have harsh friends here....hahahaha...

well... i guess it is ultimately best for the child to accept set standards... i just didnt like the way the principal put that across... afterall, being gracious is a virtue and students have the principal as the role model....