Exams - the kids' and mine

I hope I've done enough for the kids despite the mad rush. The SA1 practice papers & answer keys, the Revision Tests and the worksheets came thick and fast. I never like to rush, but there really was no time. And now I have to rush the non-core stuff during my marriage leave, after going through the SA1 papers and the files.

That aside, I completed my first UniSIM exam paper for Introduction to Humanitites I. I somehow could not get going over the weekend only really studied today, the day of the exam. No wonder they call it study leave - MOE knows we're gonna study at the last minute! By God's grace, I studied selectively, spotting certain questions I knew would emerge - painting evaluation, Colosseum/gladiators/Roman games, and the study of history. Drawing mind maps really helped with the memorising part, together with desperate kinesthetic memory techniques. I remembered whatever I wanted myself to remember in a few hours, with naps in between. I had never felt so lethargic! And so I finished my paper with 15 minutes to spare, enabling me to catch a cab with three others headed to the northeast. I overestimated the cost, so as I got off last, I paid only $2.

Thanks, God. =]

MOE Statement on Sexuality Education Programme

The erstwhile new Exco did have a point, then.
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1 In recent weeks, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has received feedback on the Sexuality Education Programme conducted by AWARE, as well as other lesson material not involving AWARE. MOE has done a thorough investigation. This statement presents the Ministry’s findings and future steps.

2 MOE and the schools do not promote alternative lifestyles to our students. MOE’s framework for sexuality education reflects the mainstream views and values of Singapore society, where the social norm consists of the married heterosexual family unit.

3 Today, schools are allowed to engage external vendors to supplement MOE’s sexuality education programme. MOE has reviewed the internal processes for selecting and monitoring vendors and found that they can be improved. MOE will put in more stringent processes to ensure that training materials and programmes delivered in schools are in line with the Ministry’s framework on sexuality education. Schools will suspend the engagement of external vendors until the new vetting processes are completed. The Ministry is also reviewing ways to provide parents with more information about sexuality education in the specific schools that their children are in.

4 MOE has examined AWARE’s “Comprehensive Sexuality Education: Basic Instructor Guide”. The Guide contains some positive aspects, like the accurate information provided on STIs/HIV and role-play practice for students to say no to sex. However, MOE’s assessment is that in some other aspects, the Guide does not conform to MOE’s guidelines. In particular, some suggested responses in the instructor guide are explicit and inappropriate, and convey messages which could promote homosexuality or suggest approval of pre-marital sex.

5 In view of this, AWARE’s programmes in schools will be suspended and subjected to the new vetting processes.

6 MOE has also investigated feedback about materials used during General Paper (GP) lessons in junior colleges which carry information on alternative lifestyles. These materials and lessons did not involve AWARE. GP lessons are meant to promote critical thinking and discussion on contemporary issues. MOE investigations showed that the teachers had used these materials to initiate discussion on family structures, and not to promote alternative lifestyles. Nevertheless, MOE will remind school leaders and teachers to exercise greater professional discretion in guiding their students when such topics are discussed. They should also adhere to social norms and values of our mainstream society.

7 Parents are ultimately responsible for inculcating values in their children. MOE’s sexuality education programme aims to complement parents’ role in helping students make informed, responsible and values-based decisions regarding sexuality.

Source: http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2009/05/moes-statement-on-sexuality-ed.php

Teachers need to earn their respect too (Caroline Lim, Today, 30/10, p24)

I refer to “Different strokes required” (Oct 29), and would like to highlight that not only are students of current times different from those of yesteryears’ but that teachers have changed with the times.

Most local teachers are products of the educational system and our changing society and it is appalling to read of teachers being convicted or investigated for molestation or outrage of modesty.

A week ago, in the first case of its kind here in Singapore, a female teacher was charged with having sex with an underage student. And there was a recent media report about teachers moonlighting as bar top/pole dancers.

Besides paper qualifications, are teachers’ character assessed before they are hired? When more than 90 per cent of Singapore students rely on private tutors and commercial tuition centres as helping hands towards attaining academic excellence, I wonder what exactly are the roles of current school teachers?

What has gone wrong that teachers who spend at least six hours a day, five days a week with their students are not commanding sufficient respect? Do they themselves lack discipline in the first place? Are they worthy of respect in the first place?
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Gee thanks for tarring everyone with the same brush. That's really fair and well-deserved.

The role of a teacher is supposed to be simple - to teach. But the moment things start coming in that detract from it, we start running out of time. When we do that, we have to rush. When we rush, learning inadvertently drops. And that's where tutors, who earn more than us by the way, come in. MOE has to decide if they want teachers to focus on teaching, or if they want the children to turn to tutors instead. Tutors may do a better job because of one word - ratio. Let's have them teach 40 and see if they can handle it.

I laugh to myself when you ask if MOE considers character when they hire teachers. I'd like to see you get off your high horse and propose how you'd measure the character of someone you are interviewing. You don't even know the character of some of your colleagues whom you've worked with for years. How then do you expect MOE to get all the bad apples out of the basket?

Moreover, do your research before you shoot letters off to the press. Since when do teachers spend six hours (at least!) with our students. We'd be lucky to get three. Factor in school holidays, exams and other special events, and the average goes way down. And what character values can you effectively impart when your focus is on getting their attention when they are over-stimulated at home by parents who use the TV/PC as a babysitter, and then again with virtually all time-proven discipline methods banned by MOE because of aforementioned over-protective parents?

You really can't have your cake and eat it. If you don't want us to discipline, do it yourself. And if you want us to do it, stop telling us we can't do anything remotely effective.

Finally, I say the main reason children lack respect for teachers is partly because of what parents do. I witnessed a parent call a maid stupid in front of her children. Gee, that will really make the children listen to the maid when the mum's not around.

Children no longer have fear of discipline. Inconsistent discipline at home teaches them how to get away with it and they pull the same stunts at school. But our hands are tied. How long before they call our bluff? Epiphany: "Hey! You can't do anything to me! Even if you call my parents, they don't do anything either!"

Spare the rod and spoil the child. But our generation has chosen to spoil the future of our nation instead.

Sengkang Primary

Met up with a HOD at Sengkang Pri this morning. Nothing doing mostly, just given a few forms and informed of meeting dates and holidays during the holidays. Started at 8 and was done by 9am. Met two fellow graduands who did their practicum there and they filled me in on what the school is about.

Everything sounds OK so far, though the fact that shouting at the kids is frowned upon throws up a small red flag. Contact Time is known to go on to 4pm, so that's another red flag. Apart from that, there's daily PE, active kids who wear PE attire perpetually and a quaint school environment that reminds me of a traditional Tao Nan-esque school - I like.

CCAs are modular, meaning kids choose which sport/game/hobby they want to learn at each level within their house.

So working life begins.

http://schools.moe.edu.sg/skps/

Principals

Wel, well, well! The New Paper is getting more interesting! A letter in the forum about how principals need to improve on their people skills. I'm glad to have had good principals so far, but have heard enough horror stories from colleagues and friends. Firstly, let me say that they have a really difficult job on their hands, though they are paid to do so. But my point is that just as football players don't necessarily make the best managers, teachers don't necessarily nake the best principals. It's almsot a totally different set of skills. While they may be excellent educators with a genuine heart for children, they may not be the most skilled in dealing with employees and parents. If courses would help them in this blind spot, then why not? But please don't make it another superfluous and run-of-the-mill thing. That's too much of that floating around in TRAISI.

Let's face it: results are more important than staff well-being. The school will always come first. It's just dumping more work on you in a mroe civilised way.

GROW 2.0

MOE has made it more attractive to be and stay a teacher. Not much, but progress is progress.

I like the fact that they are recognising more part-time degrees unrelated to education. This includes study grants and full-pay/no-pay leave in the interest of professional development. There are also enhancements to the Connect plan, performance-related bonuses and salary increment scales (with regards to market wage benchmarks).

Read all of it here.

GROWTH
Professional Development Packages
Greater Support for Postgraduate Studies
More In-Service Upgrading Opportunities for Non-Graduate Teachers

RECOGNITION
New Education Scheme of Service (2008)
Revised CONNECT Plan
Additional Outstanding Contribution Awards

OPPORTUNITIES
Enhanced Senior Specialist Track
Further Re-employment Opportunities
Future Leaders Programme

WELL-BEING
Expansion of Part-time Teaching Scheme
Greater Support for Part-time Teaching
Enhancements to No-Pay Leave