Is getting straight 'A's important ?

[tach]

I read in newspaper, more and more students getting straight As in their government examination...and even that students are comparing how many As they achieved.....they might felt bad even if they scored less one 'A' than expected, or compared to their friends...

Tuition centres and parents seems to be putting the emphasis on getting 'A', A and A...

It's great to see your son or daugther excel in their studies, but I think the emphasis nowadays is wrong...in fact, with all the tuition and priorities of getting 'A's, the stress and pressure is on the children....It is not fair..

Moreover, if we look back, is 12 A's or 13 A's or even 20 A's in your PMR, SPM, STPM etc etc important if you cannot perform well during employment or lack of business acumen ?

Look around you, where are those top scorers in your class last time ? Are they all holding high positions in organization, earning big money or are they successfully running their own business ?

Developing their social skills is more important...but normally we do not really pay attention to this...

My 2 cents...
_________________
| Husband | Father | Son | Entrepreneur | Trainer | Consultant | Facilitator | Avid Photographer | Coffee Drinker | Self-Claimed IT / Gadget Freak | Learning Virtual Artist |

[buzybee]

i'm with you...but it's not easy to convince others

they say, it's a good competition in order to make ur kids excell in academic...personally i dun agree with them because education takes more than a competition...it involves learning and exploring oneself, it takes long-term process to cultivate the thinking...it offers more possibility to our kids in the future...it's a platform to instill good habits and cultivate strong characters ....

parents are too busy with IQ matter because they can subcont. the task to others...they just pay and get result ... whereas EQ needs more attention from the parents...

[tach]

the education system has been all the while emphasized on left-brain teaching - where students are 'force' to memorize rather than teaching the rational behind it...

I am in training and consulting business. A lot of times, in my class, I see 2 different types of participants (engineers / managers). First typed, educated, graduated locally - they seems to be happily taking notes / orders from me, without asking questions or challenging me.
Second typed, overseas educated, graduated - they are totally different. They are vocal, and dare to express their opinions even if they know is a mistake...

Even nowadays I see that pre-school education are emphasizing on whole brain teaching - left and right brain..

Yes - the temptation of sending the children to private school is high, but again the you may have to consider the higher fee. I know of most parents who have the money, will definitely make the switch to private schools..

Our government should be proactive to do a study on how to close the gaps and encourage parents to send their children to gov school. Rather spending money on developing more teachers (which I believe is the main objectives why parents lost their interests to send their children). Sometimes, I see a lot of gov school teachers themselves seems to be not 'qualified'.
Being a trainer myself, I know that it is important to motivate the class to learn - it is the job of the trainer / teacher to stimulate and create a learning climax. But again, a lot of times, I do not see this in the gov. school classroom.

Note : Sorry, the above observations are not for all gov. school teachers. I know of few good, dedicated gov. school teachers. My point is most of them, and also the school / learning / curriculum structure itself have 'moulded' our children into what they are today...
_________________
| Husband | Father | Son | Entrepreneur | Trainer | Consultant | Facilitator | Avid Photographer | Coffee Drinker | Self-Claimed IT / Gadget Freak | Learning Virtual Artist |

[yy]

I am so glad that somebody can finally put into words what's the problem with our education nowadays. I agree that not all teachers are poorly trained but some really make my blood boil.

Last year my daughter encountered a very inconsiderate teacher. My daughter was a bit shy when reading out aloud in class; instead of gentle prompting, the teacher shouted at her and poke her face with a cane. And that was in Standard 1!

That experience really traumatised her. Luckily she had a very good class teacher who slowly brought her out from her fears and encouraged her to be more confident in class. I am so thankful to this teacher.

Now, my girl is managing quite reasonably well in school.

My kids don't attend tuition, I teach them myself and in this process; I have reach a conclusion that teachers nowadays don't do much foundation teaching. They give the students a lot of homework which the students cannot do on their own because there is no prior explanation and preparation. I find myself having to do a lot of explanation to help my kids to understand their lessons.

That's the reason why tuition classes is so popular, students simply isn't given enough explanation in class.

[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...

[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.

[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?

[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?

[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!
[/url]http://''nurtureourchild.com

[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?
_________________
Roziana Dato' Haji Rashid
Trainer/Writer/Translator/Special Functions Caterer
Always Wife/Mother/Daughter
Blogs:
http://serviceandsuch.blogspot.com
http://sayingsandseeing.blogspot.com
Facebook:
Roziana Rashid

[farafiz82]

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

[Rosabel]

Welcome, Farah. Of course you may join in.

[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!

[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.

[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...