Danial got his report book home yesterday. I came home slightly later with some dessert, as a surprise for the kids. Only to see him red-eyed and stony-faced.
Farah told me he's been crying ever since he got his report book. He then said, in a trembling voice that he is ranked last in class. I felt my heart sink and a lump in my throat.
I examined his report book and looked at his grades, English: Band 1, Malay: Band 2, Maths: Band 2, straight As for the other subjects. Then I looked at "Class ranking" and there it was 28/28. I guess in terms of class ranking the teachers don't rank the students out of 60 which is the total number of students in his class. And he continued, trying not to sob, that he won't be in a mega class next year.
The teacher's written comments were curt. He needed to be more attentive in class and he needed to be more conscientious about handing in homework on time. As if there's been nothing positive throughout the entire year that they could highlight in their comments. What about positive reinforcement? What about acknowledging that he has done well in projects - that he scored a Distinction in a Creative Writing test that the University of New South Wales conducted on the top Pri 2 students in Singapore?
And like Danial needed anymore running down, he said the girl who got first placing told him he was dumb and that was why he is last in class and getting kicked out of mega class. He said all he could do was walk away from the girl, go to the bathroom and cry. I secretly wished that I had taught my son to be a bit more aggressive, at that point.
Profanities were running in my head when I read the teacher's comments and heard the girl's remarks.
I feel for Danial because I know he drives himself hard. And this comes as a severe blow to him. But what broke my heart was when he said he didn't mean to disappoint the husband and I.
Farah said she saw him coming out of the bathroom at the end of school period and came over to say hello. Only to find him struggling to regain his composure. Her friends also came over and gave encouragement and hugs to him. Bless them girls.
I've never been a big fan of the mega class concept nor any types of segregation that the Singapore education system is (in)famous for. I am happy that Danial will be moved to a regular class. Getting a regular experience and hopefully with teachers who encourage, not undermine, his confidence.
Because the face I saw last evening, was not the face of Danial Hadi who started school at Pri 1.
3 comments:
wow. his teacher set quite a high standard for her class. since when (imo) getting Bands of 1 & 2 were deem as failure? gosh..
kesian Danial.
Thats rough. Its hard for schools to have the honors/regular/remedial distinction and even harder to handle it well. My high school got rid of the remedial program becuase they thought kids who couldn't read felt a stigma going to special reading classes, so they stuck them in regular classes to make the kids feel better, telling the teachers to grade them easier. At a a school that cost $6000 a year, can we say educational rip off?
Anyways, I hope Danial is happier next year. There's always the risk of being bored out of one's mind in class but it is more important to note that the teacher makes the class, not the subject material. If he can find a good teacher, it doesn't matter.
You, of course, are older than I, and more experienced, and my ramblings may be ineffective, but I hope everything goes well!
Hi Rina:
Yeah, this teacher and her assistant have high standards coz the kids in this class are supposed to be the top students in their cohort. But I don't like her very much, she seems too obsessed with the negatives and that can't be good for the kids - or for adults, for that matter!
Hi VI:
I've never thought your ramblings as ineffective :) and wisdom doesn't always come with age :D
And yeah, you know I think the teacher is very important. Farah had fabulous teachers who helped her catch up and I was fully involved, meeting them and exchanging ideas. With Danial's teacher at this class, well, she runs the class pretty much without parents' involvement; parents only get involved if the kid is in trouble.
Anyways, Danial is still bummed out because he's no longer considered to be "amongst the best" but we're telling him that's fine because all he needs to do is benchmark himself against his own results.
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