You probably have already heard that a Secondary Four student recently wrote a to letter the Education Minister, Mr Heng Swee Keat, which generated much heated debate again about Singapore's much-discussed education system.
Read the article here:
http://www.temasekreview.com/2011/07/12/an-open-letter-to-the-education-minister-from-a-secondary-4-student/
What are your views? Read the article and give your responses to the following prompts:
To what extent do you agree with the issues that the student has raised here? Point out some issues of agreement and possible contention.
In the letter, it suggests that the education system in Singapore limits the creativity of students. In neighborhood schools, teachers normally gives students model answers for students to memorize as said in the letter. Well, I partially agree with the statement above. With the model answers that teachers give, it makes a student less independent. Instead of the student searching for answers, the teachers are giving answers for them to memorize. Thus causing less student asking WHY. As we all know, there is more than an answer for a question, instead of giving answers, how about letting student to be more independent, searching and forming solutions and maybe, just maybe their answer may be better than present ones.However, why do you think there is an education system like this? While in today's society, O levels is considered very important. With good marks, one can go to a good junior college and thus leading to a brighter future. So, model answers and memorizing them is actually a good way to ace to O levels. Can the education be blame because it is trying to provide you with a brighter future?Examine her tone and attitude in this letter. Do you think it’s a well-crafted letter with the appropriate tone?
Her tone in the letter is rather demanding. As I said above, the education system is there for a reason, Even though she raise a good point in the education system like in the western country where independent, projects and the learning process is more important than the results itself. However, the letter is well-crafted, well structure and the use of vocabulary is amazing.If you should write a letter to Minister of Education, what are some issues you would raise? Remember- your intention is to make the system better for society’s betterment via CONSTRUCTIVE ideas.
If I were to write a letter to the Minister of Education, I would like to propose to reduce the mark percentage. Marks are not the main factor to study. I think that independent, learning process is a true meaning in learning. Mark may still be a factor to prove one's ability, but we should promote more in independent and the learning process itself.
Dear Wei Lim,
ReplyDeleteI am Jia Neng. For your point on the reduction of the reliance on marks to assess students, I am not very sure about it. I agree that the learning process is the true meaning of learning. However, without using marks or grades, how do we assess the students? Do all students get the same score? Or the students will be assessed by the level of participation in class?
Excellent blog prompt. Elaborating on the point i raised earlier would make this better. Thank you.
Best Regards,
Ng Jia Neng :):):):):):):)
http://literatureviewed.blogspot.com
Dear Wei Lim,
ReplyDeleteI am Jerome. I agree with you that giving model answers make students less independent. It lets them become more lazy as they just need to memorise the anwswers and they can score well. They will not even bother to understand the question and answer. Thus they will not learn anything. I agree with your view on the girl's tone too. About your answer to the third question, I need you to elaborate more becuase I am not sure what your reducing the mark percentage mean.
Overall blog prompt with good points and answers.
Please comment on my blog too!:) (http://the-world-of-volkswagen.blogspot.com/)
Thanks.
Regards,
Jerome