We often hear the above statement thrown out carelessly, don't we?
School never teach us this, school never teach us that...
As if without spoon-feeding, we cannot function alone in the real world or think for ourselves?
Quick!
What's the purpose of an education again?
I didn't have much (formal) education myself, so I'm not an authority on the subject. But to me, if I can read, write, and count, I'll consider myself "educated"!
On a side note. Another important purpose of education is to teach youths how to be good citizens; or to be a good person.
Its usually reflected in the school motto.
That's how "attas" schools set themselves apart from "every school is a good school".
Its the Values they impart to their students.
Big daddy, as one of the biggest employer in Singapore, is perfectly aware of the limitation in recruiting 10-year series memorizers that can ace exams, but once in the real world, are totally lost when they don't have existing SOP (Standard Operational Procedures) or past precedents to work with...
What they want are youths who can transfer what we learn in one context to an entire new one (举一反三).
Hence the decades of education "reforms" that's still ongoing.
When its old fogeys lamenting school never teach... I'll give them a free pass. After all, they are products of the old regime. Plus the fact life probably has not been too kind to them...
But when youths use school never teach as a "shield", then its pretty obvious they have not got the memo: "师父领进门，修行在个人."
Which is China to mean, "Think for yourself!"
Wait a minute.
Maybe that's a better definition for an educated person?
The ability to think for ourselves!?
Hi Smol
ReplyDeleteIn chinese, shifu will always have one or two tricks that will never impart totally to the student. One for self protection, Second to let student self innovate " Green comes from Blue, hence wins Blue."
Not sure, how many shifus are on the second though.
Small Time Investor,
DeleteThe shifu will impart everything only to their own family members or 内室弟子 (inner sanctum students).
No such thing as anyone and everyone. Even if so, its all very kindergarten stuffs...
In religion, we can see this in practice all the time ;)
The honest senseis, will tell their students they have to do their own "cultivations" from day 1.
As for the false shepherds, they understand human nature well enough. So they'll peddle "short-cuts" to their flock.
You know, passive passive, don't have to do anything, but you'll get to Nirvana!
Or "buy" your way out of hell!
No worries! Sensei got your back! (All for a small tithe of course)
How many in their sales funnel will go, "Hey, wait a minute! Isn't corruption or bribery a sin too?"
Snake oil loves to teach or advise so go and find them! LOL!
ReplyDeleteCW,
DeleteWhy are "attas" schools hard to get in?
Why is it hard to get into certain faculties at our local universities?
Are well paying jobs in MNCs or civil service available to anyone and everyone?
Of course we knew the answers in our hearts.
Yet when it comes to financial education, we do the complete opposite!?
If I can do it, so can you!!! (Yeah, right...)
Reminds me of love scam victims.
Some would rather lose all their money than face up to the reality of their unbearable loneliness...
Smol,
ReplyDeleteSchool teach us to say school never teach.
"I dunno leh"
"Yesterday not like that"
"Like that one lorr"
"Don't have"
"Cannot one"
"Not my job / dept"
"Not my fault, I follow SOP"
"I deeply empathise (but cannot take responsibility or ownership)"
"That's 's responsibility"
"Talk to my lawyer"
There's always OJT.
Or trial & error.
Spur,
DeleteThat would depend one is from "attas" or "every school is a good school" ;)
Some schools embrace risk taking, chasing rainbows, seize the day, dare to dream big, that sort of thing ;)
Its reflected in their Values; and their alumni who are entrepreneurs, creative types, mavericks, captains of their industries; etc...
Then there are schools who like to "pour cold water" on their students' dreams...
Eh, just study hard and get a good stable job; that's the purpose of your education!
If we only stick to the official "syllabus", like horses with blinkers on, of course we'll more likely discover "school never teach" as grown-ups...
And that's a bit sad.
If only they knew school is only ONE avenue of learning.
Smol,
DeleteI suspect it's a personal character thing rather than a school thing. ;)
Correlation doesn't necessarily mean causation.
Does the school make the students? Or the students make the school?
Maybe both.
Sometimes it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy-loop with high performing teachers & principals posted to such schools, and children of successful alumni recycled back, with the alumni building enclaves around such schools. :P
Govt isn't so dumb as to not realise the reality. Problem is that most high performing staff don't want to get posted to challenging schools, and they usually get their choice postings or they walk.
Govt also knows it's the nature of things & that it's good to have differentiation. Even communist states can't escape the aristocratic & class hierarchies. It's only when there's extreme polarisation that problems crop up.
If inflation hits formula milk again...
Wanna bet if most ministers' toddlers & grandkids will be taking plain old cow's milk? :P
Spur,
DeleteIf its a personal character thing, then its back to "every school is a good school"...
The litmus test is for your own children, what you do ;)
If there is such a thing as corporate culture, then schools have their own culture.
Its a bit like Rich Dad; Poor Dad. Students from landowner families have a different outlook from peers who came from flock families.
One SEES possibilities; the other HEARS limitations.
Of course its a self-fulfilling loop! That's why "attas" schools don't want anyone and everyone! You want to get first dibs on the best of the best!
The day Singapore accepts anyone and everyone, look out below!
Well, if formula milk is out of reach to the masses, there will be a campaign to "sell" the benefits of Mother's milk ;)
"Free" some more!
OK, not every woman can or willing. Lucky we are in Asia. We have "vegetarian" milk as in soya milk!!!
Just use to same marketing trick in "selling" voluntary CPF contributions as "investing" ;)
Look! Soya milk as just as good as formula milk!
A decent mix is always nice! Trailblazers who can put on their thinking caps and high-performing SOP drones who are good at following orders.
ReplyDelete"School never teach, but you don't know how to Google meh?"
Kevin,
DeleteOf course.
We can't have everyone as Indian Chiefs!
Some have to do the skinning, tanning, cooking, washing, taking out the trash, etc...
Then there are some fields where we don't want or need "thinking soldiers".
If I'm playing chess, I don't want my rook to wander off on his own!?
LOL!
I knew a girl in JC.
ReplyDeleteShe's from atas school, one of those top scorers kind student.
She said, "isn't school supposed to teach you how to learn?"
Of course that's from her experience.
Then of course I've heard of schools that teach students "what to learn".
No. not all schools are the same ya?
This one I think no one is fooled. Doubt even the bei kambings are fooled.
ERSG,
DeleteNobody likes to be patronised.
That episode was one of the most awkward and embarrassing example of trying to peddle bullshit...