(no subject)
I think she has the right idea. Kids these days really don't get to be kids, more's the pity.
Schools should let children play
I READ with a tinge of sadness Mr Patrick Tan Siong Kuan's letter, 'Pray, let the children play' (ST, July 8).
I think it is still not too late to get his son into a school where he will be happier.
I once taught in a primary school where the children could not play in the field because it was practically always under repair. While that could not be helped, the school expected the children to keep silent before school, gather and line up in silence 10 minutes before recess was up and would not allow them to talk even as they waited for their buses after school.
Teachers were rostered to keep their watchful eyes on the children outside curriculum time.
I was miserable just looking at those kids and my heart went out to them.
Five years ago, when my daughter was due for Primary 1 registration, my husband and I had to decide between enrolling her in my former convent school, which was quite a distance away, or either of two nearby neighbourhood schools. I was determined to enrol my children in schools that respected playtime as much as schoolwork.
We learnt from some young neighbours who attended the neighbourhood schools that the schools made sure (with good intentions, I'm sure) most 'free' time was filled with some purposeful activity or other, be it silent reading, a skit or performance by pupils or a talk by teachers on a rotation basis.
It wasn't difficult to decide where to register my daughter.
It was the same with my son a year ago. A few well-meaning parents as well as teachers discussed with me the downside of enrolling my son in his present primary school - 'because the standard was not so good'! Still, my husband and I had a chance to watch the children play one day and had our minds made up.
Looking back, my happiest memories of primary school life were playing with my friends before school, during recess and after school while waiting for our buses.
In class, our pinafore pockets were secretly laden with five stones (or four!), rubber-band ropes for zero-point, and capteh feathers.
Sometimes, just running around shrieking in delight while playing catch made our day. It was something to look forward to everyday.
Perhaps we're in the minority, placing an emphasis on playtime over academic excellence. Time and again, I get from people the usual 'But how is the school's standard? Good or not?'
We don't care really. It is us (or rather our kids) who have the last laugh in the end.
They both come back sweaty and dishevelled with cheeky grins most days and we know they've had a jolly good time in school. They'll have plenty of time for adulthood. Meanwhile, we'd like them to play as kids do and not overdose on Silent Reading.
FIONA CHIA CHOR EIN (MDM)
Schools should let children play
I READ with a tinge of sadness Mr Patrick Tan Siong Kuan's letter, 'Pray, let the children play' (ST, July 8).
I think it is still not too late to get his son into a school where he will be happier.
I once taught in a primary school where the children could not play in the field because it was practically always under repair. While that could not be helped, the school expected the children to keep silent before school, gather and line up in silence 10 minutes before recess was up and would not allow them to talk even as they waited for their buses after school.
Teachers were rostered to keep their watchful eyes on the children outside curriculum time.
I was miserable just looking at those kids and my heart went out to them.
Five years ago, when my daughter was due for Primary 1 registration, my husband and I had to decide between enrolling her in my former convent school, which was quite a distance away, or either of two nearby neighbourhood schools. I was determined to enrol my children in schools that respected playtime as much as schoolwork.
We learnt from some young neighbours who attended the neighbourhood schools that the schools made sure (with good intentions, I'm sure) most 'free' time was filled with some purposeful activity or other, be it silent reading, a skit or performance by pupils or a talk by teachers on a rotation basis.
It wasn't difficult to decide where to register my daughter.
It was the same with my son a year ago. A few well-meaning parents as well as teachers discussed with me the downside of enrolling my son in his present primary school - 'because the standard was not so good'! Still, my husband and I had a chance to watch the children play one day and had our minds made up.
Looking back, my happiest memories of primary school life were playing with my friends before school, during recess and after school while waiting for our buses.
In class, our pinafore pockets were secretly laden with five stones (or four!), rubber-band ropes for zero-point, and capteh feathers.
Sometimes, just running around shrieking in delight while playing catch made our day. It was something to look forward to everyday.
Perhaps we're in the minority, placing an emphasis on playtime over academic excellence. Time and again, I get from people the usual 'But how is the school's standard? Good or not?'
We don't care really. It is us (or rather our kids) who have the last laugh in the end.
They both come back sweaty and dishevelled with cheeky grins most days and we know they've had a jolly good time in school. They'll have plenty of time for adulthood. Meanwhile, we'd like them to play as kids do and not overdose on Silent Reading.
FIONA CHIA CHOR EIN (MDM)