Monday 16 January 2017
SINGAPORE EDUCATION SYSTEM
VIDEO: Why education in Singapore works
The Ministry of Education aims to help our students to discover their own talents, to make the best of these talents and realise their full potential, and to develop a passion for learning that lasts through life.
The Singapore Education Landscape
• Print Version (854kb .pdf)
• Print Version (854kb .pdf)
We have a strong education system. Singapore students aim high and they achieve very good results. This is recognised around the world. We have good schools, with capable school leaders and teachers, and facilities that are amongst the best in the world.
We are building on these strengths as we prepare the next generation of Singaporeans for the future. This is a future that brings tremendous opportunity, especially in Asia, but it will also bring many changes that we cannot foresee today. The task of our schools and tertiary institutions is to give our young the chance to develop the skills, character and values that will enable them to continue to do well and to take Singapore forward in this future.
We have been moving in recent years towards an education system that is more flexible and diverse. The aim is to provide students with greater choice to meet their different interests and ways of learning. Being able to choose what and how they learn will encourage them to take greater ownership of their learning. We are also giving our students a more broad-based education to ensure their all-round or holistic development, in and out of the classroom.
These approaches in education will allow us to nurture our young with the different skills that they need for the future. We seek to help every child find his own talents, and grow and emerge from school confident of his abilities. We will encourage them to follow their passions, and promote a diversity of talents among them – in academic fields, and in sports and the arts.
We want to nurture young Singaporeans who ask questions and look for answers, and who are willing to think in new ways, solve new problems and create new opportunities for the future. And, equally important, we want to help our young to build up a set of sound values so that they have the strength of character and resilience to deal with life’s inevitable setbacks without being unduly discouraged, and so that they have the willingness to work hard to achieve their dreams.
- See more at: https://www.moe.gov.sg/education/education-system#sthash.ew4ysMHb.dpuf
Friday 13 January 2017
Building character and values still a mainstay of MOE
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/specialreports/parliament/news/building-character-and-values-still-a-mainstay-of-moe-heng-swee/603938.html
Summary
In Singapore,building character and values has always been a mainstay of the Education Minister's goals for education in Singapore. In that respect, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said Character and Citizenship Education in schools has been progressing well and will remain a key emphasis going forward.
Opinion
I feel that the MOE is doing the right thing by prioritising character and value building because these are 21st century competencies required by the Singapore society currently.Students need more than a university certificate to be able to enter top companies with high pay.This is because good characters and and values are emphasised during work.Thus,these good characters and values should be taught to students while they are young through education.
Vocab
Norms-average
Resonate-echo
Conviction-opinion
Aspiration-desire
Budget-financial plan
Summary
In Singapore,building character and values has always been a mainstay of the Education Minister's goals for education in Singapore. In that respect, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said Character and Citizenship Education in schools has been progressing well and will remain a key emphasis going forward.
Opinion
I feel that the MOE is doing the right thing by prioritising character and value building because these are 21st century competencies required by the Singapore society currently.Students need more than a university certificate to be able to enter top companies with high pay.This is because good characters and and values are emphasised during work.Thus,these good characters and values should be taught to students while they are young through education.
Vocab
Norms-average
Resonate-echo
Conviction-opinion
Aspiration-desire
Budget-financial plan
Why Disney's princess brand will badly influence girls at young age?
Link
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/06/24/princess-culture-is-bad-for-girls-now-theres-proof/?utm_term=.2f6f0981f87e
Opinion
In my opinion, I feel that the princess culture shouldn't be practiced at all when girls are at an young age. It will negatively affect the girls as they already start to be wary about their own body image at such a young age. Having feelings like love and affection are also not good for them as this may affect their mental well being as they grow up. Parents should influence their daughters positively and should not teach them negatively.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/06/24/princess-culture-is-bad-for-girls-now-theres-proof/?utm_term=.2f6f0981f87e
Opinion
In my opinion, I feel that the princess culture shouldn't be practiced at all when girls are at an young age. It will negatively affect the girls as they already start to be wary about their own body image at such a young age. Having feelings like love and affection are also not good for them as this may affect their mental well being as they grow up. Parents should influence their daughters positively and should not teach them negatively.
Does technology nowadays shape the cultural taste?
Opinion
I think that technology is not about shaping cultural taste and instead, it provides an worldwide platform for sharing informations and ideas about a variety of things. This causes a lot of previously normal human being to become famous and become an online sensation. Thus, it proves that only because of humans' existence, the technology then can shape cultural tastes. Therefore, technology itself is not shaping the cultural taste.
Link
https://www.theguardian.com/culture-professionals-network/2014/oct/31/-sp-technology-cultural-taste-youtube-vloggers-vice
Saturday 7 January 2017
Has technology changed cultural taste?
https://www.theguardian.com/culture-professionals-network/2014/oct/31/-sp-technology-cultural-taste-youtube-vloggers-vice
Summary
The internet is a major part of our lives nowadays.
There is an endless amount of audience for new ideas and creativity leads to success.
Audience engagement and customer services are improved.
Creative dreams come true more easily.
People have more choices in their lives.
Technology doesn't not shape taste,instead it is the human desire to connect,share and evaluate culture that shapes the taste.
In a nutshell,society shapes cultural taste.
Opinion.
I do not think that technology is shaping cultural taste.Technology creates an online platform for the sharing of information,opinions and innovation.It encourages creativity and new ideas,leading to the birth of many popular trends and celebrities with unique tastes.Though these things shape the cultural
taste,it is only doing this because of the support of the human society using the technology.Technology itself is not shaping cultural taste.
Synonyms
wannabe-contestant
splutter-burst
provocative-challenging
intellectual-Creative
indulge-entertain
Summary
The internet is a major part of our lives nowadays.
There is an endless amount of audience for new ideas and creativity leads to success.
Audience engagement and customer services are improved.
Creative dreams come true more easily.
People have more choices in their lives.
Technology doesn't not shape taste,instead it is the human desire to connect,share and evaluate culture that shapes the taste.
In a nutshell,society shapes cultural taste.
Opinion.
I do not think that technology is shaping cultural taste.Technology creates an online platform for the sharing of information,opinions and innovation.It encourages creativity and new ideas,leading to the birth of many popular trends and celebrities with unique tastes.Though these things shape the cultural
taste,it is only doing this because of the support of the human society using the technology.Technology itself is not shaping cultural taste.
Synonyms
wannabe-contestant
splutter-burst
provocative-challenging
intellectual-Creative
indulge-entertain
Why Disney princesses and "princess culture" are bad to girls
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/06/24/princess-culture-is-bad-for-girls-now-theres-proof/?utm_term=.2f6f0981f87e
Summary
Disney princesses are popular and well-liked by preschool kids.
Little girls love the princess culture and it becomes stereotypical that little girls love princesses as a result.
However,Disney princesses suggest to girls that beauty is of utmost importance.
It also suggests that girls should be sweet and submissive,and expect men to help them in dire situations.
Love at first sight is also common.
Studies show that girls engaged in princess culture behave in more feminine ways.
Princess culture does not help girls to behave in better ways.
However,princess culture has positive effect on boys.
Opinion
I feel that princess culture should not be exposed to girls at such a young age because it will have a negative influence on them.Girls will start to be wary of their body image starting from a very young age and will also learn about love and affection which are negative influences on kids.If girls are to be shown Disney shows,parents should accompany them and direct to them the positive messages the show is trying to convey to them instead of the negative ones.
Synonyms
Validate-approve
Idealized-glorify
homogeneous-alike
qualitative-approximate
methodological-high-tec
Summary
Disney princesses are popular and well-liked by preschool kids.
Little girls love the princess culture and it becomes stereotypical that little girls love princesses as a result.
However,Disney princesses suggest to girls that beauty is of utmost importance.
It also suggests that girls should be sweet and submissive,and expect men to help them in dire situations.
Love at first sight is also common.
Studies show that girls engaged in princess culture behave in more feminine ways.
Princess culture does not help girls to behave in better ways.
However,princess culture has positive effect on boys.
Opinion
I feel that princess culture should not be exposed to girls at such a young age because it will have a negative influence on them.Girls will start to be wary of their body image starting from a very young age and will also learn about love and affection which are negative influences on kids.If girls are to be shown Disney shows,parents should accompany them and direct to them the positive messages the show is trying to convey to them instead of the negative ones.
Synonyms
Validate-approve
Idealized-glorify
homogeneous-alike
qualitative-approximate
methodological-high-tec
Racism
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/magazine/how-one-stupid-tweet-ruined-justine-saccos-life.html?_r=1
A person who works in New York tweeted about his indignities he met on his way to South Africa to visit his family. He made a really racist tweet with no bad intention but his tweet instantly became a famous tweet around the world. He got a lot of unwanted negative comments and attractions. Even though he deleted the post and his account, it is still being spread around and the comments will live on forever.
I feel that he shouldn't make a tweet so racist. He said he won't get AIDS because he is a white. Although he tweeted for fun and with no intention to discriminate the people in Africa, other people misinterpreted it. The tweet spread like wildfire across the internet and Justine recieved a lot of negative comments and unwanted attentions. Although there should be a freedom of speech, we must still be careful of what we post because people will still feel unease when they see remarks that discriminates them. So, everyone needs to be careful of what to post online by thinking in other people's shoes when they see the post.
A person who works in New York tweeted about his indignities he met on his way to South Africa to visit his family. He made a really racist tweet with no bad intention but his tweet instantly became a famous tweet around the world. He got a lot of unwanted negative comments and attractions. Even though he deleted the post and his account, it is still being spread around and the comments will live on forever.
I feel that he shouldn't make a tweet so racist. He said he won't get AIDS because he is a white. Although he tweeted for fun and with no intention to discriminate the people in Africa, other people misinterpreted it. The tweet spread like wildfire across the internet and Justine recieved a lot of negative comments and unwanted attentions. Although there should be a freedom of speech, we must still be careful of what we post because people will still feel unease when they see remarks that discriminates them. So, everyone needs to be careful of what to post online by thinking in other people's shoes when they see the post.
Sunday 1 January 2017
Can money buy happiness?
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/jan/07/can-money-buy-happiness
Summary
Money is the factor which determines the success of a person.However,it is wrongly thought by everyone that the more money you have,the more happy you will be when in fact,money is the greatest source of anxiety as shown in surveys conducted on some Britons and Americans.
Opinions
I agree with the conclusion that money does make us happier,but only up to a certain point.I believe that as long as we have enough money,we would be happy enough,but too much of it will not grant happiness.However I believe this varies from person to person since some people would surely lead a happier life with more money while some may not.
Vocab
Associate-combine
Satisfaction-achievement
Plateaus-elevation
Psychologist-therapist
Diminish-reduce
Summary
Money is the factor which determines the success of a person.However,it is wrongly thought by everyone that the more money you have,the more happy you will be when in fact,money is the greatest source of anxiety as shown in surveys conducted on some Britons and Americans.
Opinions
I agree with the conclusion that money does make us happier,but only up to a certain point.I believe that as long as we have enough money,we would be happy enough,but too much of it will not grant happiness.However I believe this varies from person to person since some people would surely lead a happier life with more money while some may not.
Vocab
Associate-combine
Satisfaction-achievement
Plateaus-elevation
Psychologist-therapist
Diminish-reduce
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