PSLE 2012 Top score 285 Lowest score 43

[watchman8]

Re: What Do You Mean By Talent Overrated ?

Is your belief shared by the majority of parents you encountered?

Surprisingly, yes. I even have parents who tell me their own experience of drilling their kids for PSLE, scored above 260, but end up A level quite jialat because the kid simply don't have the aptitude. These are not kids that rebel, but simply no academic aptitude and it shows at A levels.

Though I have also met parents that insist on the hardcore tuition method during primary school, although they do believe that the tuition drilling method is wrong. Unfortunately they are too kiasu and kiasi to take the risk and be different. Sinkies are largely sheep, must move with the crowd, even if they think the direction is wrong.

 

[ahkow]

Re: What Do You Mean By Talent Overrated ?

Go check out the chronological list of physics Nobel laureates, the age of the recipients has been trending upwards. As for the underlying reasons behind this trend, you can always "Google".

I agree with you we can never produce a Nobel prize laureate given the current system.

It seems that experimental physicists have been getting the lion share of the Nobel prize over the last twenty years. Not a good sign as it suggests that there is fundamentally little progress over the last twenty years on the frontiers of understanding nature. Who is the last great theoretical physicist to get the Nobel? Richard Feymann? Edward Witten, acknowledged by most as the current greatest living theoretical physicist got a Field Medal instead (for mathematics) but no Nobel as string theory cannot be verified by experimental results.

 

[scroobal]

Re: What Do You Mean By Talent Overrated ?

I think you are confusing yourself. Tuition drilling is not kosher, not cool, harsh on the child, takes away the joys of childhood etc. That is fine. I think most people would agree with you including me.

It does however pushes the child to a higher level than a child with similar mental attributes with no tuition drilling. That is the edge that kiasu parents are looking for. Singapore has evolved to be competitive and overly competitive to my liking but the perks/ scholarships are attractive not to mention showing off to the Jones.

It does not mean these kids become basket cases, delinquent, or fall off the planet.

Yong Pung How only child was given tuition all the way by highly qualified tutition teachers. One of the forummers here is is now in this space. Even uni undergrads are seeking tuition.

Its like competitive age group sports. Tuition drilling like piano lessons, ballet classes, sailing classes etc are now the norm and I know of less well do parents who kill the social life to support their offspring.

As I said, not cool but they do not come out as failures or hopeless.

Though I have also met parents that insist on the hardcore tuition method during primary school, although they do believe that the tuition drilling method is wrong. Unfortunately they are too kiasu and kiasi to take the risk and be different. Sinkies are largely sheep, must move with the crowd, even if they think the direction is wrong.

 

[watchman8]

Re: What Do You Mean By Talent Overrated ?

It does however pushes the child to a higher level than a child with similar mental attributes with no tuition drilling. That is the edge that kiasu parents are looking for. Singapore has evolved to be competitive and overly competitive to my liking but the perks/ scholarships are attractive not to mention showing off to the Jones.

It does not mean these kids become basket cases, delinquent, or fall off the planet.

As I said, not cool but they do not come out as failures or hopeless.

No, I did not mean that these kids will definitely be failure in life. In fact I think a few of those who did not do well in A level will do even better in life because they have other strengths and their parents are sufficiently enlightened eventually to not allow their kids to feel like failures before 20 years old.

Time wasted on tuition drillings robbed kids of opportunity to develop skills other than exam skills. Tuition drilling does not pushes the kids to higher level, it merely make them score better in exams. Reading widely, asking questions beyond exam syllabus and trying different things are better ways to push the kids the higher levels. These are not the things promoted in schools or tuition centers.

What the current system and methods (heavy tuition, rigid methods etc) created is an environment that mould the kids to become enunchs for the civil service. Anyone that cannot fit into the mould is deemed as a failure in the family, amongst friends, in schools and even on the street. It becomes doubly hard for non-academically brilliant kids to believe in themselves and develop their non-academic skills. Hence most parents simply gave in and push their kids to even more tuition, while dissuading them from exploring and developing other areas.

A major side effect of pushing and championing all the kids on academic achievement is that the entire system neglected other aspects of being human. The result can be seem in today's admin service and PAP. Totally selfish and greedy bureaucrats who wants millions of dollars for their own pockets. Success is only measure by the size of their houses, cars and bank account. These people are failures too, even if they ace their exams.

 

[syed putra]

That's not true. Academic skills can be developed and reinforced. If I am a parent, I'll start them young from 7 so they can peak at 17 in time for their A levels. Every step counts.

Talent is overrated.

This one like forcing the kid that is not talented into doing things that are meant for the gifted.

 

[syed putra]

Helloo,u guys know how the system work or not??? If u screwed up in PSLE, u may not progress or u may end up in Normal vs Express stream. Why do u think parents are so kang chiong about this?? Everyone pushing their kids so that they don't end up in Normal stream. For those in the 250 and above range, why not choose the best schools with the best teachers and system. Everyone may start at the same starting line but these kids already got the best coaches, best equipments and best training,...how not to win??

The do all these to save some time for their kids only to see them waste two years in NS. I think most parent do it for the bragging rights and out do their neighbours. primary school is much too young to gauge a kids ability. The ang mohs got it right. simple exam at 15 (O level) and a tougher one at 17 (A level) and all based on kids competent subject or their chosen subjects of interest. So not much time wasted doing subjects they are not really keen on.

 

[Received_by_Kings]

The one that scored a 43 must be some useless Chinese or rubbish Indian.

 

[Kinana]

The do all these to save some time for their kids only to see them waste two years in NS. I think most parent do it for the bragging rights and out do their neighbours. primary school is much too young to gauge a kids ability. The ang mohs got it right. simple exam at 15 (O level) and a tougher one at 17 (A level) and all based on kids competent subject or their chosen subjects of interest. So not much time wasted doing subjects they are not really keen on.

NS is great training ground for your boy bro. Whats the fuss?

 

[Gazelle]

The do all these to save some time for their kids only to see them waste two years in NS.

True, the momentum to go on studying was lost.

 

[Clone]

This one like forcing the kid that is not talented into doing things that are meant for the gifted.

Yep that's exactly my point.

Talent is overrated. So the crux of the matter is to drill or not to drill....

 

[po2wq]

... to drill or not to drill....

u mean ... 2 screw onot 2 scroo? ...