Ticks and Crosses

It's been 3 weeks into my Child Development course now. Although it's been a very hectic 3 weeks, I am enjoying my course so far, yes, even my night class on Wednesdays. One of the things I'm so amazed at the education system here is that there is so much opportunity for investigative, exploratory learning, for both the adult as well as children.

Let's talk about the children first. Some of the things I'm impressed with the preschool curriculum here is that schools provide a lot of opportunities for children to learn through play. Most of the schools here have the following basic interest areas which give children a lot of opportunity to explore, investigate and imagine. These interest areas include: Blocks; Dramatic Play; Toys & Games; Art; Library; Discovery/Science; Sand & Water; Music & Movement; Cooking; Computers; Outdoors. I am particularly impressed with the Dramatic Play section where costumes are provided so that children can engage in make-believe play. Cooking and Sand & Water are great activities, providing the children with great opportunities to explore with sensory materials.

The curriculum for preschools here is also very impressive to me. Unlike in Singapore, where kids are exposed to subjects like Geography, History in secondary schools, and social studies in upper primary, children here are exposed to these subjects as early as preschool and elementary school!! I thought this is awesome, because as a Singaporean who grew up with the Singapore education system, I never could really appreciate the values of these subjects, and always wandered how the studying of the earth's crust and the life-stories of sultans can impact my life then?!!

Other subjects such as Literacy, Mathematics and Science are also built into the preschool curriculum through play. I remember how in Singapore, children are made to complete worksheets after worksheets of letter-writing, and mathematical problems. Over here, teachers use worksheets too, but worksheets don't start till 1st or 2nd grades.


Now, coming to my own education experience, I must admit that for the first 2 weeks, I often go to class being rather nervous. I'm never good in public speaking, and there is the cultural difference I had to deal with. Sometimes, I actually got tongue-tied when i tried to speak out in class, especially for my night-class!! :0

Over here, classes are conducted whereby students are encouraged to speak out and contribute. Even in a lecture setting, there's a lot of group work involved and teachers often ask open-ended questions. Students play a very active role in the classroom settings and contribute to what's being taught.

I remember a recent incidence whereby I tried to apply what i read in the textbook in my assignment. Upon going for the class, I somehow came to a conclusion that what I've wrote in my assignment could perhaps be incorrect. Oh my, i thought I would probably get a very low grade for this assignment now. However, I was really relieved when in fact, I got quite a good grade for that particular assignment.

In Singapore, I remember throughout my education experience, that things are always either right or wrong. This is just my personal opinion here, but the impression I get from school is an answer will always have a tick or a cross to them. Even in essays, i get that too - a tick for a good example, and a cross for perhaps a not-so-sound argument. As a result, I'm a very right-or-wrong person. However, since attending my courses so far, I find that there is really no right or wrong in learning. In subjects such as Mathematics or Physics, perhaps there are such things as a wrong calculation. But sometimes I would think looking behind how a child came to the wrong answer and then helping a child come up with the right answer will cultivate a better attitude towards learning, rather than just saying, "You're wrong! Go do your correction.".