- I got a boy in my CCA who is a habitual smoker - the PE HOD talked to the father and the father has zero reaction to the news. Can you blame him?
- A sec 1 kid in my class is having school refusal problems - parents cannot control her and she might be throwing her tantrums sometimes as a symptom of withdrawal from computer games addiction.
- There are 2 retained kids in my class and 2 that got transferred from the Express to their current Normal Academic classes - None of them is interested in paying attention in class, and some go further to piss the teachers off.
My second literature lesson, I showed my class pictures of my Nepal trek, and of the small kids who walked hours to go school everyday, as well as websites such as the Nepal School Project and this blog on International Education Statistics to show them how privileged Singaporeans are to have access to education. Next I got them to write several points in considering "What does one gains with an education" and reiterated that they basically wouldn't amount to anything much in their lifetime without an good education and trying to survive in Singapore.
Sigh...feel that parents are really not doing their jobs well still; we need more parents who are aware of parental issues and who are concerned with the way their children develop. I last read that 40% of the students in Singapore are in the Normal Academic stream...is that 'normal'? Is it too much to expect the majority of 15 year olds to start tackling literature and Biology? I am inclined to think that things can definitely be much better, and that the education system definitely needs further improvements, especially at the Primary school level. All the teachers with degrees and masters should be made to taught at the Primary level instead, that might set the foundations right for children here.
2 comments:
Hi wolfie,
I just a random person that read your blog. Im also a PE teacher at Evergreen primary. Really agree with your points in this post. Primary level is really impt where the foundations are laid. Sadly ministry does not see that and primary schools are generally very badly run. In comparison to a sec sch, pri schs are very unprofessional in terms of its organisation. Nice to get to read your blog. can link me at www.lighthouse-by-indescribable.blogspot.com
My name is Alex Ang Kok Wee
Hi! Glad to know that someone think alike too. We really got to mould the kids as young as possible in the right way, and that is why all the best teachers should go there.
I personally don't know much about the enviroment at the primary level, but I do appreciate the teachers there who help to set the foundations for the kids coming into my school. Keep up the good work!
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