Is getting straight 'A's important ?

[mynnshariff]

look at our curriculum...

[Mr Man]

Why are we Malaysians so exam oriented huh?

[helenkong]

Obviously, Malaysia is only focusing who is the smartest and excellent student with high achievement in academic.

This is definitely is social culture with it brought up a long time ago.
My dad never got an A in his studies but he always being the last one while come to ranking.
Then, not long ago he announced his retirement as President of a company and pass it to my brothers...
However,
The old friend of his, was always the top in the class at the end...he still working for people even in his retiring age.

Not saying that work as employee is not a good thing. But the Attitude.
I always feel that people who have reach their high achievement in academic during school time, will have funny logical thinking which they think they are superior than others. Especially to those who are less active in chasing As.

I have a 3 yr old boy, and i always encouraging him that "Losing doesn't mean you are lousier than others but you are a step to success by learning from mistakes."

As obviously is not important.
My friend who got Fail in SPM, she nvr go for another try but go for interview in Chanel.
Of coz, people will judge her 1st with her academic qualification for the 1st time.
She kept on calling, calling n calling to HR for more than 10 times. Sending them resume for more than 30 times...

Finally one day, HR called for interview.
She went, and she got the job. Which was Customer Service.
I asked her how she did it during interview.
She said she just tell them how good is she, and how great the brand will be if she being part of the company.
Within 4 years...She have moved on to be Head of Interactive who got no certs from other universities or even SPM.

Isnt tat a great success story?

[tach]

a piece of advice to all 'modern' parents - stop pushing ur child / children to just get As in school....try to stop and ponder for a while, what the little ones really need....

do they really need all the tuitions, etc etc? or actually these are the parents' goals and objectives....going out, meeting friends, and bragging their kids scores...

stop it, and let ur kids to have a real life.....make sure they get a balanced life as a kid, and also balance it with character building skills....i met a lot of little kids, suffocated with homeworks from schools and tuition centres,..but don't even know how to be creative ....sad sad
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[ena]

hi everybody...just joined in.how happy all the parents out there would be if their children not onlly excel in academic aspects but also co-curriculum activities...happy to do school work...willing to help people...be emotionally stabled person...yes...be an overall child.As for me i want all my children if possible to get all as in exams and at the same time be morally good stabled kids.as a parent and a preschool teacher i guess i have more or less tips for the ' success ':
1.start teaching yr kids to read as early as possible(phonetic and look & say method )
2.send to a good preschool ( not necc expensive one)
3.guide homework
4.expose to outdoor activities..bring them to playground,museum,zoo, etc
.....yes u really have to grow with them...nampak susah eh!...tapi kalau tak buat dr awal lagila susah... setakat ni my 5 boys are doing great...

[pumpkinjingga]

Hi everyone,
I'm new. Greetings to all.
I sincerely agree to the quality of teachers these days. Many school teachers come into this profession for the sake of the school holidays and not forgetting the school hours. Those days, this was also the reason for the teaching profession, but somehow, the attitude of people has changed with times.
Teaching is a passion, not a profession.
And its not easy to teach. But one can see the taskas, tadikas, daycare.. centers.. they're mushrooming everywhere. Everyone wants a piece of the cake there but cannot deliver. Parents are at loss at times, not knowing which to go. Many for convenience - price wise, nearby... In the end the kids.. they suffer, if being guided by the wrong kind. Not wrong exactly, but again there's all good and bad in every centers, no one is perfect. But again if one call themselves a teacher, its good to be open minded to improve oneself. To learn and accept new ideas, some learn one method, shut themselves down and drill the kids in their care with one method. Again, educating children, the priority is the parents. Sometimes, parents can be irritating as well. Some with the thinking that they paid the money they want this, this and this for their kid. After a few months, they come back with, why my child still cannot spell, still cannot read, still cannot ....... they don't look into the fact that every child is different. I'm not an expert, but I come across these comments... so just sharing. All in all, kids these days .. they live a stressful life... at a very young age, parents sent them for every possible course... kids these days spend more hours in the car than the playground.... being transported here and there for education. Every parent wants the best for their kids, who doesn't.. But I think its good to take a breather, share and reconsider a comment before taking action.
There are new things, new methods, new ideas...
Well its good to see kindergarden teachers or any teachers sharing forums, blogs etc.... to share comments, and parents too. No internet assess does not mean, cannot share. There are parents who group together in schools during recess time, bringing food for their kids, then sit and do discussions, more like kiasu gossiping.. Sorry no ill feelings.

[MediaMama]

No matter what, the media is only interested in NEWS.

And a kid who scores 20As, runs marathons, draws masterpieces and bakes mouth-watering Christmas fruitcakes is news

While we all hate it (esp if we ourselves or our kids are the 'average' and 'normal' kids), it's going to be hard to stop this vicious cycle, esp now with the recession, there is an even stronger fight for survival among the fittest.

If you read the media interviews with these 'super smart' kids, you'll note that they:

1. Only attend tuition classes for 1-2 subjects they are weak in, not EVERY subject
2. Enjoy extra-curricular activities either in school or with their families
3. Watch TV and play video games
4. Make time to mingle with other kids
5. Have strong family support
6. Are independent learners and do not depend on their teachers 100%

In other words, they are well-rounded individuals.

I'm disappointed with the current education system too but can't think of much I can really do to change things. There are enough politicians already

Instead, I think of what I CAN do to prepare my child for such a 'challenging' environment. After all, the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides have the best motto:

BE PREPARED!

[Rosabel]

Welcome, Farah. Of course you may join in.

[farafiz82]

Salam everyone..i'm newbies here..can i join this topic

[Roziana Rashid]

True, our school system is very exam oriented (for that matter, so are our uni/colleges); yes, most new breed of teachers lack the passion to teach since teaching is a last option rather a preferred choice of career for them, and so we have children not taught the rationale behind a subject but more the how to answer exam questions i.o.w. memorise and you'll be okay.

But then what about us parents and the public in general who eagerly wait for major exam results to be announced, to find out how many and who scored that many As? Or what about the media that proudly prints pictures of scores of students shouting in joy for scoring those As? And requesting for tips from these "brilliant" students on how they studied to get that many As?

The government is aware of the shorfall in our education system; we read of this and hear our leaders speak of this on a regular basis. Yet when there was even a hint of suggestion to abolish one of the many major exams as a start to restructuring that same system we now put under scrutiny, who cried out for this not to happen?

Or when there was a plan to add in non-academic subjects into the school curiculum, to introduce vocational and technical subjects from an early age, who cried foul? The very same parents who criticise the education system, I'm pretty sure! Parents who believe science students are much better than non-science, teachers are wholly responsible over their children's results, and anything less than an A is not acceptable (ohh...my child ONLY got 2 As...).

I am not being political here - far from it. But I grew up among teachers, retired and still active. I hear and see them trying their best to add on life skills to their students so these youngsters could amount to something.

So while waiting for changes to take place in this not perfect education system of ours, how about we changing our mindsets to become parents who are not too kiasu over the number of As we want our children to get?
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[Rosabel]

The Malaysian Education System is too academic. Children with good results don't mean they can socialize well and communicate well with people. The School does not prepare them to be part of the reality world. Once they step out of school, they are lost and facing lots of pressure. They will realize that what they've studied in school does not equipped the skills that they need to take part in the working world.

I'm a kindergarten teacher, and it's sad to say that our standard whether in school or the teachers are very low. You may enroll your child to a nice kindergarten with nice setting, but the teacher that teaches there may be very unprofessional that she/he doesn't even know what the child's needs and how can we help the child to develop in his/her full potential.

Parents are too emphasizing in academic achievement as well, that's encourage more centres and schools that telling the parents that their child who study there will achieve great results. They are in business and they are just trying to meet the parents' needs! Who is responsible? What is the child's rights and needs? Do we meet the child's needs or the parents?

If you look around the children or teenagers nowadays...what is lacking? Manners! Morals! Responsibilities!
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[MediaMama]

I agree with Tach here...in my line of work, I meet with many, many high-flying folks who were actually average (or even terrible) students when they were in primary or secondary school.

Everyone knows this already i.e. the Malaysian education system is too academic and exam oriented, focusing on the 'book smarts' and neglecting the 'street smarts'.

Also, kids nowadays are spending too much time on or the other tuition classes that they are a) exhausted and b) overscheduled. They should be allowed time to rest and relax either at the playground, parks or outdoors.

More importantly, our kids are not reading enough! And yes, social skills are lacking also.

Nurul - You've brought up a great point also about our education system. Sadly, the remuneration system has attracted teachers who are more interested in the $ than teaching itself.

I just wonder - is that why Malaysian parents are a more 'active' lot? Or are Malaysian parents too over-protective that teachers & administrators become weary/wary of the entire educational process?

[services.sales]

Getting straight 'A's doesn't mean that you'll get a great job or business in the future. Is just giving your kids more pressure. Just do the best that we can. There are people who stop school at Standard 3 and now have lots of money, own big house, etc.. Great achievement in studies is a honour to our family but will our kids be happy?

[noreen290476]

Being a teacher takes a lot of patience. Whatever the pressure public school teachers are facing nowadays, they don't have the right to let it out on the students!

Take for example the movie "Dangerous Minds" starring Michelle Pfeiffer as LouAnne Johnson, a retired U.S. Marine who becomes a teacher at a local high school. She finds a class of tough, street-wise kids, involved in gangs and drugs when she arrived. However, she managed to tame them without even touching the students! She used pure psychology to get the attention of her students. This movie is based on a true story.

Another inspirational movie is the "Ron Clark Story" starring Matthew Perry. Inspired to leave his small North Carolina hometown to teach in one of New York City’s public schools, Disney’s 2000 Teacher of the Year, Ron Clark, uses his enthusiasm, creativity and passion to reach his toughest students. The "Ron Clark Story" is the true account of this innovative teacher, who strives to tap into his students’ potential, talents and abilities, gaining their respect and ultimately raising their test scores to the highest level in the school. Clark went on to win Teacher of the Year, was featured in Oprah’s O magazine and has written very successful books on education and child rearing.

I can still remember clearly during my schooling days at Convent Bukit Nanas where we had a teacher who taught us Modern Mathematics. She never humiliate or shout at her students even when they did not finish their homework. She was very patient and caring, and it makes us respect her more and more everyday. Furthermore, she made us want to learn and listen.

I don't expect our teachers to become the "Ron Clark" or the "LouAnne Johnson" of Malaysia but they definitely can learn something from these two great people.

[NurulPhotographer]

Without passion for the children, there will be no great teachers.

Some start with great passion, but with 45 screaming kids, increased workload in school, unsupportive fellow teachers who shirk responsibilities, over-protective parents and their complaint letters - that same teacher's passion goes out the window...