A parent writes in the Forum of today's ST:
'Recently, I spoke to a primary school principal about the heavy workload of students.
One of the arguments she offered was that students in Singapore have no source of stress other than school work. So, schools load them with work to increase their stress and help them become more resilient people.'
Now, that is quite a revelation, isn't it?
Well, sorry, Principal, but I don't agree with that reasoning. First, I doubt it is true that 'students in Singapore have no source of stress other than school work.' Increased school stress will just hit those students with many other non-school problems doubly, triply, etc, hard.
Second, what are schools and education all about? If I may just quote the PM:
'The Ministry of Education aims to help all our students to discover their own talents, realise their full potential, and develop a passion for learning that lasts through life...
Education is about opening doors for our children, and giving them hope and opportunities. It is more than filling a vessel with knowledge - it is to light a fire in our young people.'
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong 12 August 2004
(taken from the MOE website, highlights are my own)
The link between 'heavy workload leading to resilient primary school children' and the above is tenuous at best. Indeed, shouldn't schools focus on developing a love for learning and appropriate attitudes towards lifelong learning, rather than making learning stressful?
Also, can't schools develop resilience in more natural ways, e.g. through sports, CCA, etc?
The letter writer also says:
'Yet another typical response I got from teachers was that parents would complain if students were not given 'enough' homework.'
Well, so what if parents complain that students are not given enough homework? Explain to the parents, lah!
Sadly, while eavesdropping recently on a conversation between a couple of fellow parents at my son's school, I heard them, horror of horrors, complaining that the students were not given enough homework!! Other schools had more homework, one said. Ya, don't know why they finished all their work in school, said the other. Aiyoh, isn't it good that they finish all their written work in school? I guess these 2 belong to the 'resilient' camp.
A page away, the Vice-principal of YJC was quoted as saying that the JC academic life is rigorous because 'we are preparing students for the rigours of a university curriculum.'
Now, that is a lot more acceptable to me because JC students are 17- and 18-year-olds and they are at the doorstep of university. And if your JC child is not getting 'enough' work, I do think you have the right to complain!
'Recently, I spoke to a primary school principal about the heavy workload of students.
One of the arguments she offered was that students in Singapore have no source of stress other than school work. So, schools load them with work to increase their stress and help them become more resilient people.'
Now, that is quite a revelation, isn't it?
Well, sorry, Principal, but I don't agree with that reasoning. First, I doubt it is true that 'students in Singapore have no source of stress other than school work.' Increased school stress will just hit those students with many other non-school problems doubly, triply, etc, hard.
Second, what are schools and education all about? If I may just quote the PM:
'The Ministry of Education aims to help all our students to discover their own talents, realise their full potential, and develop a passion for learning that lasts through life...
Education is about opening doors for our children, and giving them hope and opportunities. It is more than filling a vessel with knowledge - it is to light a fire in our young people.'
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong 12 August 2004
(taken from the MOE website, highlights are my own)
The link between 'heavy workload leading to resilient primary school children' and the above is tenuous at best. Indeed, shouldn't schools focus on developing a love for learning and appropriate attitudes towards lifelong learning, rather than making learning stressful?
Also, can't schools develop resilience in more natural ways, e.g. through sports, CCA, etc?
The letter writer also says:
'Yet another typical response I got from teachers was that parents would complain if students were not given 'enough' homework.'
Well, so what if parents complain that students are not given enough homework? Explain to the parents, lah!
Sadly, while eavesdropping recently on a conversation between a couple of fellow parents at my son's school, I heard them, horror of horrors, complaining that the students were not given enough homework!! Other schools had more homework, one said. Ya, don't know why they finished all their work in school, said the other. Aiyoh, isn't it good that they finish all their written work in school? I guess these 2 belong to the 'resilient' camp.
A page away, the Vice-principal of YJC was quoted as saying that the JC academic life is rigorous because 'we are preparing students for the rigours of a university curriculum.'
Now, that is a lot more acceptable to me because JC students are 17- and 18-year-olds and they are at the doorstep of university. And if your JC child is not getting 'enough' work, I do think you have the right to complain!
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