9/21/2013

The need for tuition


This is going to be the hot topic for a while. It is the concern of every parent and their children. To have tuition or not to have. For those children who are better endowed, tuition may be just a little additive like chicken essence, a little booster to get that extra few marks. To some it is not really necessary. How fortunate for these parents and children.

As not every child is gifted the same way, some would really need that little help. Some are slower or develop a bit later. Some are just afraid to ask in class or not getting the attention of the teachers in a class of 40 children. Then there will be the teacher that may go too fast or just not getting the message across.


For the slower students or late developers, tuition helps a lot. Tuition becomes personalized and tailored to their individual needs and pace. Caveat, a good tutor is needed. A tuition teacher could give the personal attention to find out what really was needed to help a child to improve. The proviso here is that the child is willing to learn


But like all things, some children are just not gifted academically and tuition could not do much and literally a waste of money and time. Just hope no clever people will come up with a solution that fits all. It cannot be. There are so many variables that affect a child in his/her growth and acquisition of knowledge and information, the environment, the motivation and the nature of things.

This also applies to teaching, teaching methods and how to motivate children. Not everyone will be uplifted by the same approach. Please, no one size fits all solution. That is why there are so many variations of schools, Normal, Express, ITE, polys and universities. Different target at your own time, fire.


The problem today is that everyone expects every child to fit into one mould, or have an education system that fits every child. And no one is brave enough to say, look, we need to provide a big enough buffet spread to cater to different tastes and the likes and dislikes. For those who need tuition, let them have their tuition. For those who don’t, good for them.


One thing the govt can do is to provide the facilities and teachers to help those who need tuition at little cost, not affordable fees or more subsidies. Free would be better as this is an investment into our precious resources and you are talking about the young that needed help to make them better people for themselves and country.


How to go about it and how much would the govt cough out for this very important needs of the people? No hawker centre, foodcourt and restaurant analogy please. This is serious business.


My two kids were differently endowed. One was slower and needed a little help in maths. She flunked in her late primary class but enough time for me to repair the damage. All I did was to clarify her thoughts and mental blocks, explained the concepts to make sure she understood. And with some perseverance and motivation, she went on to ace her maths in O and A level. Without knowing her problems and lack of understanding of basic mathematical concepts, tuition would not help much. A tutor must know what is the problem or where is the problem.


The other type of tuition which is very popular is exam jamming, cramming to ace exams. This is only good for the exam but the effects are temporary, like an instant high but no residual or long term effect. My other kid is different, better endowed. He came to me only once for a maths problem in P6. I took too long to get the answer using the old method. Before I could complete he said he had worked it out and that was the last time he came to me. He aced his O and A level and aced his Masters with Distinction in Engineering in Imperial College.


Both my kids did not have a day of tuition. One just had 15 mins with me in his whole life as a student and never came to me again. They were lucky, or I was lucky. But not every kid is so lucky and has parents to guide or fall back on. Tuition is necessary to assist, to guide, to motivate and support a child. Showing them the way, opening up their minds and clearing road blocks are very important. That would pave the way for the child to find his own way ahead. Tuition to game an examination is another ball game.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Come on, there is a Chinese Saying ' 天生天滅'(nature will take care of everything).
There is no need to hot house anything, least of all, the most intelligent species.
Everyone so intelligent, then who is going to build the house for you, who is going to be your maid. And why do you need leaders when everyone is equally clever?

Anonymous said...

You talk about tuition.
What about the useless mentoring-tuition lessons that was conducted by our 90 year old grandfather for our useless Millionaire Ministers?

Is our dengue fever at new epidemic levels?
Is our MRT trains reliable?
Is Singapore flooding regularly like a 3rd world country?
Is our public buses overcrowded like a 3rd world country?

Do we have generals running the country like any other 3rd world country?

You tell me lah!
Tuition or mentoring got any use or not?
Is tuition-mentoring just an excuse for a useless piece of shit to hang around to a time that is way past his useful life?

agongkia said...

Yalor study for what.I would prefer the next gen.to be excuse schooling.
We need more people to cook,do cleaning,drive buses or jaga .
There are many bankers and successful big towkays who are not even educated but are once ah long or charpjikee collector.
Let the new generation choose what they want to be.

Anonymous said...

Tio la, if the people are as good as the leaders then why do they need rulers?

Anyway, clever or not, all come naked and leave empty. At the end it's all levelled.

Anonymous said...

anon...September 21, 2013 10:35 am
... do you have kids???

anon...September 21, 2013 10:39 am
... because they do not need to answer for their mistake, and its musical chairs for them... we the slave has to pay for their mistake anyway, as they still have 60% support.

agongkia...September 21, 2013 10:47 am
...if we dun study, do you think we all also become bankers and big towkays??? wtf.. every parents want to have their kids to have a head start, its just that Sinkie parents are more kiasu, btw tuition is a good way to students to make some pocket money in our harsh competitive society flooded by FT (F..K Trash).. that now some MP openly said we need them!!! na bay, it because the JEM management were so nasty with the contractors that all were so afraid that they just want to finish the job & run...

anon...September 21, 2013 10:53 am
... just vote correctly to change the education system, or have lesser competition with lesser people... else at 6.9 million and lots of scholars from Asean, China, India... maybe the world over.... then 24 hrs tuition a day also cannot make your kid competitive...

We all talk cock here on uncle Red Bean's Blog... no use la, please ask your friends to attend 5 Oct Rally at Hong Lim Park and hear what Gilbert and his gang got to said....

Veritas said...

I am blog about black and east asian intelligence. In the following I quickly wrote a article about early intervention.

The educational investment in the form of tution is one reason why east asian beats a lot of other tribe in IQ and exams.

While I layout my point of view, many people accuse me of racism. The survey of IQ of tribe does not give a picture of the educational investment, but instead make things look hereditary.

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:19AM

I am a geandfather la.

Anon 1035AM

Anonymous said...

Sorry, typo mistake above..

grandfather to replace 'geandfather'.

I am talking cock too cos went to school for a few years only. However, i never feel worth less than the most qualified and or the most powerful knowing that we all end up the same la.
Nothing to be envious leh.

Anon 1035AM.

Anonymous said...

Anon 1035AM

Glad that you are already a grandfather, congratulations, as most people are marrying so late and having so few or no children!

But if your grand children are school going, don't compare them with you, compare them with their parents, and you can see the stress that they have, and if they are in top schools, it will be worse... 90% of top school children has tuition.

We can continue to talk cock and sing song for the rest of our life on uncle RB's blog or we can act to change this, or we may all quit this place for greener pasture... and be the quitter that GCH commented, without him knowing that he is the cause of all this happening.... sigh.

Anonymous said...

Dear Anon 1215PM

Me likes your interactions.
My children were badly stressed when they were studying annd they ARE being stressed with their children.

Been lowly educated myself, i was, am of not much help. However, my offsprings are much consoled that the patriarch of the home was, is telling them not to be rats in the race. They take my words seriously and are doing fine with whoever they are. I am extremely happy with their behaviours. They are disciplined, responsible, law abiding and much more patriiotic than me. They love this land so much that my son always look forwards to reservist training. My other children who had went overseas for post graduate studies have never consider migration and assured time and again that Singapore is the Best of all lands. Naturally, me am happy that they are happy.

Wish You and All happiness too.

Anon 10:35AM

Anonymous said...

It's nice to be here in the morning to chit chat and drink kopi with redbean. It would be nicer if the dark clouds of Medishield Life is removed. This is damn frightening and threatening.

Anonymous said...

No amount of mentoring can turn little pieces of shit into Ministerial calibre people.

agongkia said...

Anon1119
That gang likely went boleow tuition too much.Everytime say the same thing.Might as well record and play recorder each time.
They got no hokkien or swee char bor speaker ah?How you expect the ah pek know what they mumbling about.
One year rally ten times oso the same unless i give them tuition.

Free tuition on how to attract a bigger crowd.

agongkia said...

Uncle,being lowly educated is a blessing else today you will be like those so claim so call proud highly educated ex PMETs ,kpkb daily on losing their jobs.Not willing to carry changkol but jealous of others earning a living.As if hand made of gold or what.
It is precisely you are lowly educated that your children are discipline.

But dun bluff lah,my ah kong said during your time O level can become tua kow leow.How many are rich and can go for angmocheh kow hor or U.

Anonymous said...

You seow ah, RB lowly educated like you?

agongkia said...

@3.33 pm
Sorry I am referring to anon 1253 who claim he is lowly educated lah.

Why all anon?Display name here must pay meh?

All must go for tuition to learn how to display names,mai kia see.

Anonymous said...

For the Record, we were penalized for having a third child and my wife underwent ligation as advised.
Mind You we had to pay for the Procedure.
There were others who terminated their pregnancies and
had to pay for it too.
My Third Child is a male and had to do NS, luckily he likes it and even told me it is the duty of all Singaporeans. Though me feels it is quite foolish to believe so, nonetheless is very relieved that he loves the training.
Some of the lower educated(O Level n below) cousins are doing as fine as the Degree Holders in the Clan. This makes me feels that the advantage of the educated is their abilities to write and speak better English. Their disadvantages is losing their mother tongues and the very loose understandings of their traditional culture and value.

Agongkia is quite right in saying that my low education had contributed in the discipline of my children. I insisted that they communicate using mother tongue at home and amongst ourselves outside the home. It is still the same and shall be till me am no more around.

Shall conclude here by saying be easy with your offsprings. Most importantly, parents and grandparents must ensure that the youngs are healthy and happy. Do not make living difficult for them.

As for me, i find it extremely difficult to pardon a man rever by many in Sin. The Wisdom of one man has destroyed the happiness of many. Do note compete for the sake to be outstanding.
A personal observation for talking sake. The better educated children tend to keep a further distance with uneducated or lower educated family members. Do You share the same observation?

Anonymous said...

The Elite Leaders oso keep a distance from the People with their many protection officers around them.
Some look like ever ready to pounce, very frightening.

Anonymous said...

RB u very lucky lor. For me the kids have tuition in all 4 subjects in primary school but once secondary I stop cause 9 subjects leh where got so much money. Psle different lar as only 4 subjects plus decide which secondary school they go so must invest,

Once in secondary, except one kid got tuition in maths for one year. After that first kid A level no tuition, second kid only Maths in jc2, but last kid in three subjects lor and it cost over 10,000.

But Bo bian mah, other kids have tuition in 5 subjects and this is from top jc ok. The teachers there in top jc now not so top lar as the real top one have left and in tuition centre. Some better one in jc also use wife name open tuition centre and moon lighting lor

The education scence is a mess lar but we have to operate within the mess. Bo bian lor so lucky still have enough money to pay but have to cut down all other expenses lor knn have to give up many of my enjoyment. U tell me lar I angry or not.

I

Anonymous said...

Uncle with grandchildren, agongkia, veritas, uncle Redbean...

Really enjoy the reading..
Me 50 in a few days, went through the system as a WIP for every stage of my life..

1. Went to a prototype kindergarten at the PA Committee Center
2. Went to AngMo School because mother said need to start on English
3. Went through stop at too, parents got fined for 3rd brother
4. See stopping of pig rearing
5. See the stopping of Nanyang University
6. See the chopping of Chinese from Secondary & JC for non Language subject, where a full generation of Chinese School students lost 2 to 3 years of School life
7. Went through the killing of the extended family
8. Went through home alone kids where left alone at home after schools
9. Went true industrialization and the information age at the fro front, including DOT com
10. Seen the good and not so good time of the 80's and 90's
11. Shouted out aloud in the early 2000s for the increase in population to 5 million
12. Shouted aloud for the Enhancement of Value of HDB by GCT & MBT.
...... so many more...

WTF... whole life, ie our whole population is going through WIP Work in Progess) all these years since PAP come to power, I felt was just myself, now to think about it... everyone around me is going through this SHIT without knowing, and we are now flooded with foreigners and some are so happy, more business and more $$$$$. Wait till the tide turn, how to offload all these excesses???? And for those stuck with big debt????

Better stop KPKB!!!!

b said...

Not all kids are academically inclined. For those who are not, they have other talents. A very good example is Micheal Phelps. If he is born in spore, he and his talent will end up being flush down the toilet. Do not blame that there is no local talents, blame the system devised by the he-thought-he-knows-it-all old man. When someone who lives in a big, nice house and drives a big, nice car and has a big pay cheque tells the voters that they needed none of that, this person should be flushed down the toilet and not being voted in again and again. THe voters are really insane.

Anonymous said...

What RB wrote, for various scenarios, is very true. For parents and grandparents who have children and grandchildren who flung their Prelim 2 in Sept every year for those sitting for "O" and "A" levels in Nov, last minute intensive tuition is akin to an eventual rain after a long drought. Many managed to pull it off and make it to the next stage. This is especially worrying for those who take the through train IP PROGRAMME. Since many don't take their "o" level, for those minorities of minorities in IP PROGRAMME who flung their "A" levels, think about it, these kids don't even have any "O" level cert to fall back on but only PSLE. IMAGINE GOING THROUGH 12 YEARS OF EDUCATION AND A GOOD SCHOOL AND EVENTUALLY END UP WITH ONLY "PSLE" CERT! Seow Lah! Surely! NO? RB and all, what say u?

Anonymous said...

*Seow liao

Anonymous said...

TRUE OR FALSE
------------------
The only thing wrong with Singapore is the PAP?
The only thing wrong with Singaporeans is that 60% of us choose to vote for the wrong party?

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

The PSLE is only a guide. Some got good grades because of jamming. The inborn talent of a child will emerge over time. Those who were hot housed to score at PSLE against those who are naturally talented will show over time. It would be a tragedy for children who are not really that talented but forced into those through train to A level when the real talents of a child is tested and found wanting.

And yes, they will end up with highest standard passed, PSLE. Then what?

Richard said...

Mr Chua your children are lucky to have a father that is not "kiasu" as "kiasuism" is prevalent in Singapore.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Hi Richard, as parents we should not demand too much from our children. Many parents are living their lives through their children, expecting the children to be wonder boys and wonder girls.

Better to let them develop at their own pace and just keep a watchful eyes that they are doing okay. The successful people will be successful with or without the string of As.

Richard said...

Mr Chua I fully agree with you.