Guest Star Post: Starring: Simon
The following post is written by my friend (you can read it at Simon's wordpress blog too). Presenting to you... our Guest Star Simon! If you have had or still have grouses about our school, read on.
Drop, drop, drop
Preface: Those people out there who don’t agree with what I say, I do NOT give a damn. Whatever I have said in the following article may not be true for all situations but I’m sure that many situations are like that.
Drop, drop, drop. That’s the way it is. When you don’t do well in a certain subject, the subject teacher will come to you and encourage you to drop the subject. Some teachers may claim that this is for the student’s own good and that the student will be wasting his or her time if he or she continues to take the subject. They may claim that time could be better used to study and improve on other subjects instead. But all these are nothing but claims, claims and more claims. Do teachers who claim all that mean what they say? I think that it is just a load of bull. I believe that the real reason why teachers would encourage their students to drop subjects is because they do not want the weaker students to affect the school’s MSG for that subject.
An example can be seen from a newspaper article that was published some time ago, where it was reported that a principal of a certain school told her Secondary 5 students to go to ITE instead of taking the O levels examinations. Yes, it is claimed that going to ITE might prove to be a better choice for the students, but is that really the reason why the students were told to go to ITE? If I have not remembered wrongly, it was mentioned in the article that the principal said that she wanted the school to have a 100% pass rate for the O level’s examinations. Therefore, from this example, I strongly believe that principals and teachers do not have the interests of the students at heart, but their own.
Who’s fault is it then, when teachers tell their students to drop a subject, or when principals tell their students to go to ITE? Is it the incompetence of the students? Or is it the incompetence of teachers? Let us now analyze the case that involves Mr Roland Tan, Head of Mathematics Department, Kranji Secondary School, encouraging some students of class 4A to drop Additional Mathematics. These students who are encouraged to drop A Maths are selected based on the results of the recent common test that took place just last week. Of course, these students are those who did not do very well. However, I strongly believe that the main reason for majority of these students’ poor results was not because the students were weak in the subject. Rather, it was due to the absence of 4A’s A Maths teacher, Ms Sim Chin Chin, for the past few weeks before the common test week.
During the past few weeks before the common test week, Ms Sim was absent and yet, there was no relief teacher to teach 4A students initially. It was only after missing a number of lessons, then Mdm Mah took over and taught the class. As a result of the delay, the students were told that they might be having an “uncommon” common test as they were lagging behind the other classes in terms of chapters learnt, and of course, this is due to the absence of Ms Sim. At this point of time, I would like to pose the following question : If the students are really given an “uncommon” common test this time, can they also be given an “uncommon” O level paper, just because their teacher is absent for some time and therefore is unable to cover all the topics required for O levels?
Of course not. And who’s to blame if that really happens? The answer is obvious.
However, that did not happen and the 4A students were given the same paper as the other students from other classes after all. Fortunately for them, the noble and thoughtful Mr Roland Tan decided to give the 4A students IP coaching within the common test week itself. I would like to commend his efforts in trying to help the students but I would also like to condemn him for having no sense of urgency and being so inconsiderate. Firstly, the IP coaching should haven taken place before the common test week. Secondly, the students have to revise for the common test the next day and might not be able to afford time for IP coaching. Even if nobody turns up for the IP coaching, the students are not to blame because such a last minute IP coaching is nothing but useless.
After saying so much, I believe you are already getting my drift. Also, from the above analysis, I believe that you have an answer for my original question : “Who’s fault is it then, when teachers tell their students to drop a subject, or when principals tell their students to go to ITE? Is it the incompetence of the students? Or is it the incompetence of teachers?” Hence, a final word for teachers who cause their students to score badly in a certain subject, for whatever reason reasonable or unreasonable: Don’t tell the students to drop the subject. Instead, you should “drop” your teaching career because you have failed too.
Period.
The following is just my own thoughts on the post. I think the school is also being unfair to the students. I am from class 4E, which is so called the "best class", and even though I have hardly ever passed a A maths test or exam since secondary 3, no teachers have asked me to drop A maths. What does that tell you about our school?
Think of how the situation would be if the students in question had been from the so-called "best class", 4E.
P/S: If you think I'm comparing classes, it's time to use some grey matter.
Drop, drop, drop
Preface: Those people out there who don’t agree with what I say, I do NOT give a damn. Whatever I have said in the following article may not be true for all situations but I’m sure that many situations are like that.
Drop, drop, drop. That’s the way it is. When you don’t do well in a certain subject, the subject teacher will come to you and encourage you to drop the subject. Some teachers may claim that this is for the student’s own good and that the student will be wasting his or her time if he or she continues to take the subject. They may claim that time could be better used to study and improve on other subjects instead. But all these are nothing but claims, claims and more claims. Do teachers who claim all that mean what they say? I think that it is just a load of bull. I believe that the real reason why teachers would encourage their students to drop subjects is because they do not want the weaker students to affect the school’s MSG for that subject.
An example can be seen from a newspaper article that was published some time ago, where it was reported that a principal of a certain school told her Secondary 5 students to go to ITE instead of taking the O levels examinations. Yes, it is claimed that going to ITE might prove to be a better choice for the students, but is that really the reason why the students were told to go to ITE? If I have not remembered wrongly, it was mentioned in the article that the principal said that she wanted the school to have a 100% pass rate for the O level’s examinations. Therefore, from this example, I strongly believe that principals and teachers do not have the interests of the students at heart, but their own.
Who’s fault is it then, when teachers tell their students to drop a subject, or when principals tell their students to go to ITE? Is it the incompetence of the students? Or is it the incompetence of teachers? Let us now analyze the case that involves Mr Roland Tan, Head of Mathematics Department, Kranji Secondary School, encouraging some students of class 4A to drop Additional Mathematics. These students who are encouraged to drop A Maths are selected based on the results of the recent common test that took place just last week. Of course, these students are those who did not do very well. However, I strongly believe that the main reason for majority of these students’ poor results was not because the students were weak in the subject. Rather, it was due to the absence of 4A’s A Maths teacher, Ms Sim Chin Chin, for the past few weeks before the common test week.
During the past few weeks before the common test week, Ms Sim was absent and yet, there was no relief teacher to teach 4A students initially. It was only after missing a number of lessons, then Mdm Mah took over and taught the class. As a result of the delay, the students were told that they might be having an “uncommon” common test as they were lagging behind the other classes in terms of chapters learnt, and of course, this is due to the absence of Ms Sim. At this point of time, I would like to pose the following question : If the students are really given an “uncommon” common test this time, can they also be given an “uncommon” O level paper, just because their teacher is absent for some time and therefore is unable to cover all the topics required for O levels?
Of course not. And who’s to blame if that really happens? The answer is obvious.
However, that did not happen and the 4A students were given the same paper as the other students from other classes after all. Fortunately for them, the noble and thoughtful Mr Roland Tan decided to give the 4A students IP coaching within the common test week itself. I would like to commend his efforts in trying to help the students but I would also like to condemn him for having no sense of urgency and being so inconsiderate. Firstly, the IP coaching should haven taken place before the common test week. Secondly, the students have to revise for the common test the next day and might not be able to afford time for IP coaching. Even if nobody turns up for the IP coaching, the students are not to blame because such a last minute IP coaching is nothing but useless.
After saying so much, I believe you are already getting my drift. Also, from the above analysis, I believe that you have an answer for my original question : “Who’s fault is it then, when teachers tell their students to drop a subject, or when principals tell their students to go to ITE? Is it the incompetence of the students? Or is it the incompetence of teachers?” Hence, a final word for teachers who cause their students to score badly in a certain subject, for whatever reason reasonable or unreasonable: Don’t tell the students to drop the subject. Instead, you should “drop” your teaching career because you have failed too.
Period.
The following is just my own thoughts on the post. I think the school is also being unfair to the students. I am from class 4E, which is so called the "best class", and even though I have hardly ever passed a A maths test or exam since secondary 3, no teachers have asked me to drop A maths. What does that tell you about our school?
Think of how the situation would be if the students in question had been from the so-called "best class", 4E.
P/S: If you think I'm comparing classes, it's time to use some grey matter.
posted by Vernon at
3:25 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home