When kids reach P3, I always hear parents complaining. "Why band? Isn't this sterotyping the children? The 'faster ones' in one class and the 'slower ones' in another class?" It isn't happening only in my girls' school but in most schools in Singapore. And most of the time, the parents who complains have kids in the lower tier class (just like those parents who complain about the primary school registration process are the disadvantaged ones who can't register their kids in the sought-after schools) they slam the system and ask the Principal to abolish the whole thing.
Some parents in mei-mei's class haven't had the slightest idea yet. So I shall wait for the next In-Conversation with Principal.
So, is it necessary to band the children into classes? I have two girls with different strengths, so if I say YES I'm disadvantaging the lil' one. Che-che's forte is Math, she's able to process fast and see things in a wider perspective. As for the lil' one, she's too naive - believe every word you say. Even if I tell her I picked her up from the rubbish dump, she would believe me.
Teaching lil' one - I finish my sentence, she still looks at me blurly. I use other examples or methods, she don't understand. Needless to say, I usually lose my patience and flare up.
Math + she + me = worst combination
As it is, I'm only handling one kid at a time and I can't take it. Can you imagine the poor teacher being thrown into a class of mixed ability?
Needless to say too, the faster ones are pushed to the maximum,the slower ones are given just the minimum. Materials given in girls' school are different. Assigning of homeworks had always been thrown to us since P3.
All I hope is the lil' one, by miracle, will be put into the same tier as her sister.
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