Tiny Margins of Difference
I went to my children's kindergarten 'graduation' ceremony this morning. Somehow I remembered the scene in "The Incredibles" when Mr Incredible spoke of how we promote events that celebrate mediocrity. On the other hand, we should reward good performances and hard-earned victories. That's me being diplomatic.
I for one do not totally agree with the need to award (gold, silver & bronze) medals for "best reader" in English/ Malay language. It is pre-school and we should just let children be children. They develop at their own pace, some faster that the others, that's what I believe. We may award prizes for performance but the exercise should never be carried out to cause others to be de-motivated.
Once I came home I looked at their performance reports and noticed that most of their marks were in the high 90-s (with 1 subject in the 80-s), out of the 100 total marks. Yet their class placement was 7 and 11 respectively. The difference in marks from student to student must be minute, to say the least. I guess the child who got the 1st place must have gotten full marks for all the subjects. One parent (whose child was in the first 3 placing) actually opened up the report card + exam papers at the end of the ceremony and proceeded to speak to the teacher about the method that his son answered every single question, about what the son did wrong and how he could have done it better. Dude, he is in the FIRST THREE!
The irony is that once they sit for the major exams (and in institutes of higher learning), there will be no 'national' placement, as such. Well, the best ones will get some prizes from the government/ corporations while the bulk, I believe, will be in the 'average' category. In universities, there will be excellent performers again, but at the end, who'll be employed? Who'll be motivated to start an entrepreneurial venture? Who'll be earning their keep with ethics and morality? Certain dropouts have become very successful and famous- is a university degree unnecessary?
I wish for my children to pursue knowledge with passion, knowing that they can make a difference with the attainment (and application) of knowledge. I'd rather not threaten them with bodily injury (worst-case scenario) if they do not score straight 'A's. Fear may be a motivator, but 'need' and 'hunger' may be a better motivator.
I somewhat agree with a newspaper report dated 6th November 2005. The Star (TM) front page carried the report on why there are a lot of unemployed local graduates. Reproduced below is summary of the findings:-
I for one do not totally agree with the need to award (gold, silver & bronze) medals for "best reader" in English/ Malay language. It is pre-school and we should just let children be children. They develop at their own pace, some faster that the others, that's what I believe. We may award prizes for performance but the exercise should never be carried out to cause others to be de-motivated.
Once I came home I looked at their performance reports and noticed that most of their marks were in the high 90-s (with 1 subject in the 80-s), out of the 100 total marks. Yet their class placement was 7 and 11 respectively. The difference in marks from student to student must be minute, to say the least. I guess the child who got the 1st place must have gotten full marks for all the subjects. One parent (whose child was in the first 3 placing) actually opened up the report card + exam papers at the end of the ceremony and proceeded to speak to the teacher about the method that his son answered every single question, about what the son did wrong and how he could have done it better. Dude, he is in the FIRST THREE!
The irony is that once they sit for the major exams (and in institutes of higher learning), there will be no 'national' placement, as such. Well, the best ones will get some prizes from the government/ corporations while the bulk, I believe, will be in the 'average' category. In universities, there will be excellent performers again, but at the end, who'll be employed? Who'll be motivated to start an entrepreneurial venture? Who'll be earning their keep with ethics and morality? Certain dropouts have become very successful and famous- is a university degree unnecessary?
I wish for my children to pursue knowledge with passion, knowing that they can make a difference with the attainment (and application) of knowledge. I'd rather not threaten them with bodily injury (worst-case scenario) if they do not score straight 'A's. Fear may be a motivator, but 'need' and 'hunger' may be a better motivator.
I somewhat agree with a newspaper report dated 6th November 2005. The Star (TM) front page carried the report on why there are a lot of unemployed local graduates. Reproduced below is summary of the findings:-
- They want only the easy jobs
- They think they should not be inconvenienced by their work
- They do not know how to communicate, especially in English
- They do not have social skills
- They are just not hungry enough
- (We) over-protect them
- (We) give them too much tuition
- (We) are obsessed with them scoring many As**
- (We) take things for granted
I for one do not know how soon our attitudes can change as a nation. What I know is that the change starts in our own home and I will continue to do my part as a parent, despite the ENORMOUS external pressure for academic 'perfection'**.
posted by elya at 7:14 pm
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