Link to letter
Link to comment I support (though on the extreme side)
In short, Janelle discusses in her letter,
- The education system in Singapore discourages students from asking why.
- The problems with rote learning.
- Values being taught in schools and how teachers use civics time for subjects.
- Character development should be more important than academic education.
My Thoughts
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In the letter, she mentioned one example which really set me thinking...
"Why is carbon a non-metal?"
Even an A level graduate like me (I got an A for chem k!), couldn't quite answer the question. I went to google the question, and guess what, no convincing answers. This questions is in fact like asking "Why is an apple a fruit?". This is purely classification. There's no why to it, it's just classified like that. I don't know whether the education system has indeed killed my creative thinking but I stand firmly on my point of view.
Many things can't exactly be explained to students because they might not be at the age where they are able to understand and appreciate them. Although there are many improvements that can be made, memory work still has a part to play in learning.
One example I can give are magnets. (How do they work? LOL! I'm not trolling here.)
In primary schools, we are taught that like poles repel, opposite poles attract and some materials can be magnetized. However, one kid might ask, why do magnets have such properties? Are teachers able to explain to this child that it's due to electron spin and stuff of that sort? It is definitely not practical to do so.
Furthermore, with regards to questioning, being a relief teacher for a term, I was instructed by the senior teachers to not spoonfeed them, but rather question them in class and guide them in class. A teacher should be a facilitator in learning. That's what I believed in. (At least this is true in the JC I taught in)
The failure in this system cannot be solely blamed on the teachers. Students themselves should always question themselves, and learn to apply their knowledge, not just memorizing them. When asked questions, students often keep quiet in class. Class dynamics are simply non-existent nowadays. Teachers do try, but many students are unwilling to cooperate.
It’s the right attitude towards learning, being motivated to be curious and taking action to acquire knowledge. Instead of waiting to be spoon-fed by teachers, students should be taught to seek knowledge on their own. If they cant find answers from their textbooks or classes, seek knowledge on their own instead of waiting for someone else. Real learners are proactive!
On the topic of moral/values education, I think giving tests on these subjects are ridiculous. Enough said.Last words of the day: Still thinking about some current affairs and discussing them with my old friends :D
