Monday, April 18, 2005
Went to Touch at Chai Chee Technopark for a Parents get-together and Growing Family International GFI presentation
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Today papers 14 April 2005
Below is a post on Today papers. This is sure going to get many folks nodding their heads.
Exams shouldn't be national obsession
Happy, balanced children S'pore's greatest asset
Progress is a funny word. By most standards, Singapore has progressed beyond imagination. A thriving airport and some of the best infrastructure in the world, a resilient people, political strength and a city that buzzes.
.But there's so much more work to be done beyond achieving first-world status.
.If Singapore is to make the next leap, then that leap should be one of maturity, maturity as a nation.
.Let's put the 5Cs behind us. They were goals that we sought and if they gave us a sense of purpose then, fine. But we must move beyond. Let us look at cultivating maturity in education for starters.
.Mark Twain once said that he went to school but he never let that interfere with his education. Are our kids really being educated in school? They are Maths and Science geniuses. Sure. But are they having a childhood?
."We have to teach less so that kids learn more," Prime Minister Lee said. Might I also suggest that we have to teach less so that kids can play more.
."Play" is a very alien concept to Singaporeans. Even Phua Chu Kang tells us "Don't play, play" as if playing was inherently bad. Let us loosen up in the Education Ministry and in schools. Study, harness information, do well in exams, revise, by all means, but let it not be a national obsession.
.Let's also kick a ball, shoot some hoops, act in plays, improvise a musical performance and make oratorical presentations in class. Let us shock parents when their children come home and proclaim: "Mum, dad, I can't wait to go to school tomorrow".
."Kids" and "fun" should be synonymous. "Kids" and "PSLE" shouldn't be.
.Our society won't decline because our kids didn't understand Archimedes' Principle by the age of 12.
.Our society will only decline when we forget a more important principle: That happy, balanced children are the greatest asset to our nation.
.Satish Kumar Khattar
Exams shouldn't be national obsession
Happy, balanced children S'pore's greatest asset
Progress is a funny word. By most standards, Singapore has progressed beyond imagination. A thriving airport and some of the best infrastructure in the world, a resilient people, political strength and a city that buzzes.
.But there's so much more work to be done beyond achieving first-world status.
.If Singapore is to make the next leap, then that leap should be one of maturity, maturity as a nation.
.Let's put the 5Cs behind us. They were goals that we sought and if they gave us a sense of purpose then, fine. But we must move beyond. Let us look at cultivating maturity in education for starters.
.Mark Twain once said that he went to school but he never let that interfere with his education. Are our kids really being educated in school? They are Maths and Science geniuses. Sure. But are they having a childhood?
."We have to teach less so that kids learn more," Prime Minister Lee said. Might I also suggest that we have to teach less so that kids can play more.
."Play" is a very alien concept to Singaporeans. Even Phua Chu Kang tells us "Don't play, play" as if playing was inherently bad. Let us loosen up in the Education Ministry and in schools. Study, harness information, do well in exams, revise, by all means, but let it not be a national obsession.
.Let's also kick a ball, shoot some hoops, act in plays, improvise a musical performance and make oratorical presentations in class. Let us shock parents when their children come home and proclaim: "Mum, dad, I can't wait to go to school tomorrow".
."Kids" and "fun" should be synonymous. "Kids" and "PSLE" shouldn't be.
.Our society won't decline because our kids didn't understand Archimedes' Principle by the age of 12.
.Our society will only decline when we forget a more important principle: That happy, balanced children are the greatest asset to our nation.
.Satish Kumar Khattar
Sunday, April 10, 2005
More pics of the empty land in front of my place. Hope they leave them alone
My place, some greeneries taken before they cut them all down
Friday, April 08, 2005
