An idea of what schools can do

My interest in education takes me through some of the schools to find what the children are learning. This is one example of what is taking place in one of the schools in Sydney. I am not suggesting that we imitate whatever is done in schools in other places but it is good to see what imagination can do. We have to be more imaginative and explore the wider world for our own good. Learning need not be confined to just the three Rs.What we need most are leaders with imagination in the field of education to make the country bloom.

'WHEN you are already learning Sanskrit, Latin, Spanish and putting on a Shakespearean production each year, the national literacy and numeracy tests might seem like a cinch to children at John Colet School.

Gilbert Mane, the headmaster of the independent school in Belrose, which came sixth overall in a ranking of NSW primary schools based on results from NAPLAN tests, said the students also studied philosophy and meditation.'

Extract from the Sydney Morning Herald

Quotable Quote

IMAGINATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN KNOWLEDGE
KNOWLEDGE IS LIMITED,
IMAGINATION ENCIRCLES THE WORLD.

Albert Einstein

How good is our education system

Almost all countries have some mission statements on Education. The article following is an intent put out by The US President, Barack Obama on the outcome of his educational policy.
I have chosen to put this statement on the blog because it so happens that education is my calling.
Australia has also made big strides in its education programme through the introduction of early childhood education and the implementation of the teaching of languages in schools to name just two areas.
What I am driving at is the importance of education in the preparation of our young for the tasks ahead in all areas of life. It is not enough to just say 'copy the Chinese or the Jews to show improvement' as one politician put it. It involves a lot of energy put in by the students guided by well trained educators.
What is the quality of the programmes that help to prepare our children for higher education not just in the main cities but also throughout the nation. Do we have well trained teachers in the various fields, do we have proper facilities to help with the acquisition of knowledge such as science and language labs especially in the primary and lower secondary areas of the country?
Do we leave out subjects, for example languages, simply because the children have difficulty in coping with their learning?
How often has the government done its homework to improve its education policy?
Something to think about for the purpose of nation building.

Where do we stand

Ihaveb The Current Situation

At this defining moment in our history, preparing our children to compete in the global economy is one of the most urgent challenges we face. We need to stop paying lip service to public education, and start holding communities, administrators, teachers, parents and students accountable. We will prepare the next generation for success in college and the workforce, ensuring that American children lead the world once again in creativity and achievement.

The SolutionImprove K-12 schooling:

• We will recruit an army of new teachers and develop innovative ways to reward teachers who are doing a great job, and we will reform No Child Left Behind so that we are supporting schools that need improvement, rather than punishing them.

• Expand access to higher education:

  After graduating high school, all Americans should be prepared to attend at least one year of job training or higher education to better equip our workforce for the 21st century economy. We will continue to make higher education more affordable by expanding Pell Grants and initiating new tax credits to make sure any young person who works hard and desires a college education can access it.

• Make sure our children are prepared for kindergarten:

  One of the most critical times to influence learning in a child's life is the period before he or she reaches kindergarten. We will invest in early childhood education, by dramatically expanding Head Start and other programs to ensure that all of our young children are ready to enter kindergarten.

Counter

The counter on your left was introduced last week. It's starting date was 19th September 2009. Don't be surprised if the number indicated is low. It should increase as more and more people take peeps at the blog from now on.

You are never late to continue sending your articles.

Bill

Negotiation begins................

Dear Ron,

Your suggestion to include a visit to Kulim for our of group of 'geriatric tourists' is a great idea! I am sure that a tour to our old schools will bring back
wonderful memories (and tears). It will be hilarious when we all front up in the same T shirts!! Perhaps lets get some publicity - let the local papers know about our visit. Then Kulim will really have woken up and remember this return of her 'children' for long time!!

The Kulim Club is possibly an appropriate venue for our lunch - I am sure Cheah Kok Poh would be able to arrange that.

Kind regards.



On Wed Aug 5 1:55 , Ron Heng sent:

Teddy,

I like the t-shirt idea. I will talk to Aaron this week-end. We get the t-shirts printed in Malaysia. It is cheaper and in any case the t-shirts in Aus are mostly made in China.
We are going to smell if we wear the same t-shirt for 3 days. We can give each one 1 t-shirt as part of the function cost but make extra t-shirts available for sale. We can take orders when we get responses of intent to attend to ensure that we get printed the right quantity and sizes.

What do you think of the idea of organising a lunch in Kulim?. We can hire a bus to take us there from Penang for the lunch and include a quick tour of Kulim. Perhaps we can organise with the headmasters of St Pat, St Anne and SBS for a quick tour of the schools. Just imagine all these oldies turning up in Kulim and the schools all dressed in the same t-shirts. Kulim will remember us for a long long time.

Talk again soon,
Ron

The blog is starting to regain momentum

Stewart,

I will be staying on�after the reunion, but I don't have any plans about what I will do.
I have thought of going to China from KL for a week or 2. If you have any suggestions of
prolonging our reunion with visits to Kulim etc. I will be in that. Actually Teddy and I did
just that in April this year and it was very enjoyable. I can be tempted to do it again. I
am so busy now watching the grass grow so I guess it does not take much to make me extend my
stay. Maybe I will find an unfortunate Aussie girl to come with me since you lot will have
your spouses with you.

Cheers,
Ron

__************************************

Dear Julie, Teddy, Dave and Ron,

Its all so exciting for me receiving emails about the RU52 - 01.10.10!� Thanks guys - I can
see this joint reunion becoming
so very special and heart warming.� Experiencing it together in Penang with all its ambience
is certainly most appropriate.� Keep up all your good work - much appreciated by one and
all. ��

Seeing all of you guys again from our last St. Patricks Reunion, especially Dave Li (it
seemed to me like you just bopped in quickly and left us the last time!) would be great.�
Meeting up with Julie (you showed me around KL at year 2000?) and Grace Choong and ?Tet Shin
(my Kulim neighbours I haven't seen since I left for Perth in 1963!) would be absolutely
fantastic.� Love to meet up again with my scout Patrol Leader Kok Poh who was such a
lifewire at our last reunion.� Ron, do you have plans of extending this next reunion to
Kulim with a group of takers?� I'll definitely be counted this time! ��

Lately, I have been quite busy being a diligent grandad to my two girls - I have four grand
kids, all below 4 years old!� But I can still be of help to you guys.� I am excited that I
will make a trip to KL/ Penang in November or/and February when I hope
to catch up with Teddy and Dave.

Kind regards
Stewart

*********************************

On Fri Jul 31 9:10 , "Teddy Dielenberg" sent:

Dave,
>Thanks for the info and you really are a motivator, since you guys got me started to
work on it, it keeps me ticking and
>I probably will go to Penang sometime after Christmas and will get my contacts to
negotiate them as well for
>in January 2010. As far as the list for Then we have to work on the girls through some
of those �
>known contacts, such as Yew Hoon, Grace, Mee Siew �and others, Grace and Mee Siew will
probably be able to contact those older girls, Julie Wong, Lucy and Yew Hoon on
>the younger ones, Forget about those under 60s they will be too young to join our group,
except for Amy , OK , as we leave her to Stewart to handle. I already had a word with
>Cheah Kok Poh and he is also excited and when he is down in KL in August we are going to
meet up and discuss about it. Will keep you all informed ���
>Teddy ����
>The G-Hotel is not only close to the action but it is a nice hotel. We can book some of
the places there for dinners brother, Lin can get in touch with him, we will do all that in
December, will let you know the date

******************************

>�
>Dear Teddy,
>
>This RU52 joint thing really go me excited although it is over a year from now
hehehe.....
>
>About those colors you know the SPS is Green, White and Red (IF my memory dont fail
me)..Convent St.Anne Kulim, Dark Blue, White and Red. SBS Kulim Dark Blue, Yellow and Sultan
Hamid Colledge, Black, Red and White.....
>
>Hey Ted when r you coming to Penang to do that scouting huh? pls inform me too (well in
advance..who knows i may join you too hehehe).
>
>Dave, THEtree man 
>
>PS: remember it is the G HOTEL that is close to everything not Gurney Hotel. 
>�