So the 12th Parliament of Singapore just opened, and Opposition MPs are talking about further improvements to the education system. (Finland was brought up as a model.)In any case, I do have memories of Singaporean education that makes me exactly understand the issues presented in this cartoon.
Teach for America application deadlines are coming up. I am not sure if I have time to apply, or a chance even if I did apply. I grew up in a low-income family myself, and I have this fantasy of a system that would exploit both the strengths of Western and Asian education, while having none of their weaknesses.
oh my gosh - I LOVE that cartoon!
ReplyDeleteIncredible!
Tell us more!!!
(And do apply for TFA!)
btw, there are at least two other TFA-like programs, one run by the Jesuits (don't know if you need to be attending a Jesuit college - I would imagine not).
ReplyDeleteEd's colleague's daughter is in the other program, but I don't know the name of it.
I just asked Ed about it. He says, "It seems like a much more serious program."
ReplyDeleteHe says there's lots more classroom training -- he thinks as much as two years of classroom training, NONE of which is managed by ed schools.
I keep meaning to ask, how did your summer stint in Iowa work out?
ReplyDelete--Linda Seebach
Catherine- are you thinking about the Alliance of Catholic Education? That's a TFA-type program at Catholic colleges of education where graduates go & teach at parochial schools serving a low-income student population.
ReplyDeleteThere's also the MATCH program, which does not do the TFA throw them in to sink or swim method. From what I can see it's a far superior program. It aims to teach you to teach, not to survive two years and then go tell other people what to do.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.matchschool.org/matchcorps/teacher.htm
Be aware that in TFA particularly, you are likely to be placed in highly scripted schools, and many of those scripts, to be blunt, suck. You would NOT be given any opportunities to "exploit both the strengths of Western and Asian education" sans weaknesses. You'd be grading stupidly constructed multiple choice assessments til the wee hours.
Le Rad, what are your complaints about the Singaporean system? And how would you change it if you could?
ReplyDelete