Taking steps back?

[Wyfitms]

Ya man. Just that i was shocked that Pri 2 kids can't spell A-Z. If they are Pri 1, i can understand that.

 

i think kids are already writing words in PAP kindergarten

[Adrianli]

i think kids are already writing words in PAP kindergarten

 

I did not attend any kindergarten, straightaway go Pri sch and only learn to write during Pri 1. Started to learn and write mandarin also in Pri 1.

 

It was play, play and more play during then.

[Silver_blade]

There must be some form of streaming. The main thing is to ensure teacher can go at a pace that is comfortable to all. If the ability band is too huge, how you want the teacher to teach? Following the slowest learner and the average and above students will find the lesson bore. Follow the fastest leaner and the bottom half will find the lesson bore. So, at the end, no body learns anything.

 

I did a short stint as a relief teacher in a pri 2 class years back. It a class that has not been stream yet. Bottom 25% can't even write A to Z. You tell me, how to teach?

I feel typecasting kids too early will be bad for their self esteem, etc. It also doesn't teach kids to help each other which probably goes to show how our society in general has progressed. Most kids in recent years, by the time they reach Pri 1, they should have a basic command of english and their mother tongue. There will always be various degree of competency, so more effort is needed by the school to look out and help out the weaker ones and continue to provide more info for the better ones. Labelling kids too early is never good...some develop early others slower.

 

Isn't removing the banding among secondary schools is all about? I just hope education here go back to the basics and get it right 1st. School just need to be given the resources to lighten teacher's workload so they can concentrate on what they are suppose to do.

 

 

[Silver_blade]

I did not attend any kindergarten, straightaway go Pri sch and only learn to write during Pri 1. Started to learn and write mandarin also in Pri 1.

 

It was play, play and more play during then.

Your time was donkey years ago...how to compare? :D One of my schoolmate didn't understand english when he 1st stepped into primary school. He came from a poor family and only speak hokkien and a little mandarin. He did really badly in pri 1-2 (maybe pri 3) and so-so in pri 4. But he started to do ok in pri 5 and 6. Now he is armed with an ivy league master degree, working in HK. But he is an exception rather than norm.

Edited September 13, 2012 by Silver_blade

[Altivo]

I did not attend any kindergarten, straightaway go Pri sch and only learn to write during Pri 1. Started to learn and write mandarin also in Pri 1.

 

It was play, play and more play during then.

 

Aiyo, our time cannot apply leow. During kindergarten, I was always playing with blocks or legos. Don't recall much studying.

 

Now is different, my boy who is in N1 has lots more activities than just playing. He has weekly show-and-tell session which are meant to build up their confidence and let them develop their public speaking skills. Also got cooking sessions, simple science as well. Coincidentally, I just received his progress report and it is thick. Maybe that's why it is called a "report". It covers so many things. From physical development to emotional skills, social skills, and academic progress. And he is only N1 !!!!! I remember my kindergarten progress card was a one pager where it just indicate if my psychomotor skills was fine as well as basic academic stuff.

[Timbuktu]

Maybe remove the quota as well? I mean, it's kind of ironic that the health industry keeps complaining about the lack of doctors and yet, there is a cap on the number of medical students admitted to NUS each year.

Yes agree ... otherwise what many parents who die-die want to make doctors out of their kids, are sending them overseas, to UK and Oz medical schools!

Most come back, but some chose to stay there to practice.

Brain drain.

Backfilled by FT doctors over the last many years.

MOH has come to realize that and are collaborating with the MOE to correct this severe anomaly.