The un-Americanizing of America's School System

I have no patience for YouTube clips that are more than five minutes long. I made an exception for this one because it was recommended by wifey. It is about 10 mins long. Would I ever view it again?


This is a former American school teacher speaking to an American audience. A constant refrain that kept echoing in my mind as I sat through this was, "Their system is so un-American and they are making a bad copy from Singapore's method".

I suppose the American government, business and civic leaders are just sick, tired and terribly embarrassed about their positions in the educational league tables. Compound that with endless anecdotal evidence of high school graduates that can't do simple math and write clearly, they are impatient to clean shop. But they are currently copying us albeit terribly. I think what gave them to confidence to adapt our system for their use is how regularly our scholars come up tops in their Ivy League schools. So we must be doing something right. They don't know that they are looking at the wrong things. Also how could they just conveniently de-link a school system from the culture that raises it? But it is the same shallow thinking everywhere. Liberal parents here demand why we can't use the less stressful but as high performing Finnish system here.

I think America is like what Churchill said about them, i.e., they have to exhaust all options before doing the right thing. In education they still have quite a long way to go. I also think America can only fix its education system from the bottom up and I am confident they will find a solution. It wouldn't be coming from the government but just as unlike and remote as a psychologist wining the Nobel Prize for Economics is where observers must look. Perhaps the Khan Academy will offer a key plank but Education is much larger than Sal Khan's vision.

After they have gotten rid of some bad and most of their best teachers, they will face the rebellion of the students and their parents. I hope they get there quickly. The world is not standing still for anybody, not even them.

Study Law! Whatever for?

Medicine is out. Unlike my niece, my girl was never interested in playing doctor even as kid. She went no further than playing nurse to her older cousin because that was a role to be filled during play faraway in the Netherlands when we took our cancer stricken mom for her final holiday. Ten years later, her cousin is in NUS Medicine and she has to start thinking about what to read if she gets to university.

A neighbor daughter did well in her A levels last year and ended up in law. We didn't see her for months but when we met her, she had become reed thin. I thought she was an anorexic case and was unhappy learn it was just plain old stress. At work wifey had to work with lawyers often and for a while I had also. I don't envy their life.

For years I read about lawyers leaving their profession for something else. I had a classmate who took that path too. Although we rarely keep in touch now, I could read in the papers on and off that he is happy. He wouldn't be if he had stayed with the Law.

Law is not an option for my daughter. Wifey is not even supportive. I haven't even discuss the case of an old friend's nephew who graduated from NUS Law School recently. He didn't become a lawyer. Last I heard he wanted to return to school to train as an engineer.

This blog entry is a reminder for the past year or so how hard it is to choose what course to pursue if she gets to university. And why shouldn't she make it? 70% of her cohort would and she is nowhere near the bottom. The civil service is interested getting her interest but she isn't keen and from what I know neither her classmates who were invited to these scholarships teas and fairs. If they are any indication of how our youths are responding to government careers, civil service salaries are going up. This is stupid but that is the government way of spending their cheap money (our expensive taxes) when they do not want to change their management and culture.

#FreeMyInternet

The protest event is scheduled for the coming Saturday. I will click 'decline' to this invitation

This government is unlike others and our response to them must also not be aping what is popular elsewhere. Don't do this unless the majority of Singapore including PAP supporters are with you - the Pop.White Paper is a good example, but it wasn't the first. That honor should go to the Graduate Mothers Scheme. We didn't have Hong Lim Park designated for such use then but the message didn't fail to reach the government either. Then we had a PM that was so strong he could get away with many things. Not any more.

I think most Singaporeans are not with these bleeding hearts and idealistic Singaporeans.  On this matter, those who strongly disagree with the government ought to continuously engage and educate them. No point protesting when your opponent is clueless and still desperately trying to learn the ropes. The problem with our leaders is they thought they understood the Internet when they actually don't. They had always played catch up and the minister who was way ahead of his colleagues lost his seat in parliament.

Update: 9:35am

Senior civil servants here have a long long way to go to be in touch with us eh? Doesn't matter that his big boss Peter Ong dress simply because that is the uniform handed down from his early days as a junior officer. It's just politically correct.

You know why they were always behind the curve with the Internet? Because they own the mature communication infrastructure. Such folks don't trade what was then solid for something that is emerging and uncertain. Incumbency is a liability they never understand and still do not because they hold the reins of power. But what is your source of power? How secure is that? The more out of touch you are, the more 'Pop. White Paper' episodes you will get.

Update: June 3, 2013 11:05am

I scratch my head wondering how could the elites ever know what is like to be one of us. Click on pic for full view.

Rainbow Beginnings

Was it going to rain or not? I would like to ago the PCN. I looked out of the window and what did I see? A brilliant rainbow! A good start to a Sunday.

2013 PSSC Fair

We were at the PSSC Fair yesterday. Wouldn't have turned up if not for the second reminder.

I had thought it would be a fairly formal and exclusive affair. She was told not to tell her friends as not everyone is invited. Why do they prejudge students? Let everyone come.

Highlighted:

As this is a strictly by-invitation only event, we’d appreciate it if you do not forward the invitation to your friends.

Deadline to register extended. Looks like they were underwhelmed by the response. Many students do not want a career in the civil service?

No registration for the fair! This email arrived two days before the event. It is now free for all. The whole family went to take a look.

Very happy to meet my daughter's P3 form teacher at the fair. Very few caring teachers. We cherish everyone of them. She has a daughter the same age too.

PM: Don't do too much homework

Heed the PM's advice at your own peril. One of my kids suggested his advice is for the P1s and P2s, may be the P3s. I think they forgot they didn't really work until P5 or P6.

One girl has been given a ton of work to do and she is attending two camps too plus preparing for a history quiz. Another one has exams in the last week of the school holidays. Let's see how many students will quote the PM's advice to their principals.

We have to take our politicians advice less and less seriously. I feel sorry for the many who had always depended on them for direction. As for the kids they are learning this quite young.

Patrick Stewart or Captain Picard, there is no difference

These are the opportunities from Facebook that have kept me with them. I am sure I am missing a lot because I haven't made friends or 'like' enough of the right people or groups.

Patrick Stewart's testimony was just amazing. Indeed he will break your heart, then make it you soar.

I once waited and waited for a long time as my old friend told me about how irresponsible and aggressive her husband was. After weeks I got what I wanted to hear. Her husband never once laid hands on her. I told myself he cannot be as bad she had painted him out to be, but perception is reality for her or anyone else.