Tag: MOE

Primary 5 Student Harbour Racist Sentiments Towards Minorities

How do you react to racism from a P5 child?

this is a convo that occurred at the very beginning of class. I teach creative writing to three classes of P5 students on Mondays. This was during my first class today, in fact, just an hour ago. I have been teaching these kids for half a year now.

girl: teacher are you singaporean? as in are you from India or are you from Singapore?
me: what do you think?
girl: I don’t know but I think you are from India
me: why?
girl: but if I say why then I can be sued
me: it’s okay, you can just say it
girl: cos your skin very dark so you must be from India
me: no such thing, there is a huge spectrum of skin colours. and do I ask you if you are born in China or singapore?
girl: but I’m not so fair like ppl in China
me: what? have you been to China?
girl: no.
me: I lived in China for a month, I can tell you for certain not all Chinese there are very fair.
girl: teacher you know just now when I was walking to class I was walking behind you
me: yes I realised, why you never say hi?
girl: I didn’t know it was you, you usually wear dress and then today you got braid. teacher you like braid ah?
me: I just felt like it today, why?
girl: just now got so many Indians at the busstop, so smelly you know, and then their hair already curly they go tie braid then so ugly, I hate it when my mother ties braid for me, after she tie I quickly take out and comb it straight again

You see this is a class of 9 kids. by this point of the convo we are 10 min into class time. I need time to cover the syllabus plus they need time to complete their essays in class. also, I refuse to combat racism with any equivalent racist stereotypes. I also have a very silent 8 other kids listening to this convo. what to I do? I don’t utter another word and begin the lesson.

I’ve run through the worksheet and they are now writing their essays. and I’m sitting here feeling annoyed, angry, sad, and incapable (of nipping racism in the bud).

And the one rare day I decide to dress down, I get closeted by racial stereotypes. and what are this girl’s parents teaching her? or not teaching her? I feel like I’m in primary school all over again dealing with and experiencing racism.

Teachers out there, parents also, how would you deal with this?

‪#‎feelinglikeatotalnoob‬
‪#‎ughhh‬

If you read the comment thread of this post, you would come across a particularly brilliant suggestion (among many good ones) by Hemma Balakrishnan. and I took her advice. let me update you on how this story ends.

After collecting their essays, I had 5 min left before I had to dismiss them. I drew a table on the board with 4 columns – Chinese, Malays, Indians, Others.

me: so this is a pretty fun activity, tell me what you think all Indians or Malays or Chinese are like
student: ang moh where?
student: others la
student: teacher I know why you doing this, cos of what she say just now right so the columns were filled up. We completed Indians first – black, braids, smelly. then Malays – men wear skirts, lazy. then Chinese.

student: white!

student: no la where got white.

After this there were no responses. They just looked at me blankly with nothing to fill in for the Chinese column

student: Chinese are nice!

me: (chuckling) wah for everyone else you said bad stuff and when it’s about you, you are nice?

me: okay since there are no non-Chinese here maybe you guys have never heard of these things but lemme tell you a few things ppl say about all Chinese. greedy. don’t shower in the mornings.

student: but teacher I shower in the mornings!

So here, I go on to explain how if what is in the Chinese column is not true, why would any other stereotype in the other columns be true. We went through each stereotype listed, debunking them. Specifically for the stereotype about Indians being black, I did not say something along the lines of “not all Indians are black”, rather I went on to say that there is nothing wrong with being black. students were mostly nodding their heads in agreement with me as we moved along each stereotype. For the Indians are smelly stereotype, apart from the fact that it isn’t true, I also spoke about how construction workers might be smelly but that’s only because they work so hard to build our houses and they are paid so little so they cannot afford to buy deodorant or perfume. also, everyone naturally has body odour after you hit puberty, it’s about how well you manage it by wearing deodorant etc.

It was such a ‘ting!’ moment for all the kids and the particular girl who had passed the remarks looked rather defiant but didn’t really say anything because all her classmates agreed with me. It was an amazing teachable moment.

Thank you so much Hemma and everyone else on this comment thread!

I will continue to monitor this particular girl and if I realise that she still harbors racist sentiments, i’ll speak to her parents. but things should be all good again a huge huge thank you! so glad I posted this on Facebook. you all played a part in turning my day around and enabling me to nip racism in the bud

Authored by: Jayasutha Samuthiran

September 18, 2014
Pre-schoolers Speak Mixing of English and Mandarin Have Better Grasps of Languages

SINGAPORE: Parents and teachers tend to frown upon children speaking a mix of English and Mandarin, but a study done on pre-schoolers here has found that such a habit does not necessarily reflect a weaker command of either language.

On the contrary, the study — which saw the participation of 51 pre-schoolers aged between five-and-a-half and six-and-a-half years old — found that children switch between these languages because they have the linguistic capacity to do so. In fact, those who switch between English and Mandarin more frequently were found to have a better command of the latter language.

Assistant Professor Yow Wei Quin from the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), who conducted the study, said many parents and teachers discouraged children from switching between these languages, which she called “code-switching”.

“Code-switching is a pretty common thing that Singaporeans do and there are people, parents and those whom I have worked with — teachers and pre-school principals — who say that code-switching, code-mixing seems pretty bad,” said Asst Prof Yow, who will present her findings at the Ministry of Education’s Mother Tongue Languages Symposium this Saturday.

However, upon noting that there was a dearth of research to prove that code-switching is bad, she set out to discover more, within the context of Singapore. Over the course of nine months, Asst Prof Yow and her research team studied the way the children spoke during free play, language lessons, meals and group project time at two pre-schools. These children shared similar family profiles, with parents whose average highest education was a university degree and who spoke more English than Mandarin at home.

To test their English receptive vocabulary, Asst Prof Yow and her team used the internationally-recognised Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, where children were required to identify the picture that depicts the word being read to them. To measure their competencies in both spontaneous English and Mandarin speech, they considered the number of unique word types used, the mean length and complexity, some aspects of grammar and complexity of their sentences.

The team found that the children “code-switched” 14 per cent of the time, but this did not affect their English language skills. Those who switched between English and Mandarin more frequently displayed better Mandarin vocabulary and expressed themselves better in the language.

The findings suggest that code-switching gives children the opportunity to speak Mandarin. “The children are not pressured to think that they must speak in a full Mandarin sentence. Whatever they know, they will just use (it),” she said.

Asst Prof Yow hopes that with the findings, parents would not discourage their children from code-switching. However, she said it is important that parents continue to use full sentences in one language. Acknowledging the limitations of her study, she said she was considering an expansion of her research to include a study into the impact of switching between other mother tongue languages and measuring language competencies through the analysis of syntax, for example.

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/using-two-languages-in/1322760.html

YOUTUBE: youtube.com/user/rilek1corner

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/rilek1corner

TWITTER: twitter.com/Rilek1Corner

WEBSITE: rilek1corner.com

EMAIL: [email protected]

FEEDBACK: CONTACT RILEK1CORNER

August 21, 2014
Sekolah Larang Pakai Hijab Pada Sambutan Hari Kebangsaan Walaupun Tidak Beruniform

Assalamu’alaikum…. haaaahhh…. hari ni saya nak luahkan perasaan sedih… Hari ni adalah hari sambutan hari kebangsaan singapura (sengaja xmo letak caps) di semua sekolah.

So, hari ini semua pelajar boleh pakai fesyen apa sahaja asalkan merah dan putih. So anak saya pakai lah T shirt merah dan putih berserta seluar panjang putih dan tudung putih. Masa assembly, ada satu teacher cina tu, suruh dia bukak tudung dgn alasan tudung tak dibenarkan di sekolah.

Persoalannya, saya faham, tudung is not part of the school uniform. Anak saya tak pakai school uniform pun… baju luar… merah dan putih… Free Fashion…. tahun lepas pun sama tapi tak ada masalah pun… form teacher pun tak suruh bukak…

Saya dah email pada sch principal mintak teacher ni difahamkan … saya tanya sekali.. ni teacher ada masalah ke dengan Malay Muslim…

Saya harap perkara ni dapat diselesaikan dengan tenang… saya cuma curhat je di sini… tak paham ah bangsa mereka ni… Free Fashion pun nak control ke???

The sch name is Zhenghua Primary… En Zainal MP dah bantu saya speak to VP. VP was not aware of this… saya reply, saya tak kisah lah kalau sekolah tu bagi surat, bagitau dgn parents no head gears is allowed. ok fine… anak saya pakai uniform je kalau gitu kan… mcm nurse … saya dulu pun gitu, gi sekolah bertudung sampai sekolah bukak lah pakai uniform… tak der masalah pun… saja je teacher bangang agaknya.

VP baru call… dia apologize.. kisahnya sebenar, this Mdm Teng Litan ni, waktu she demanded my daughter to take off her tudung, ada satu lagi teacher intervene asking her to refer to Mr Faisal sbb Mr Faisal ni is the in charge of the Muslim Affair student kt sklh tu… but she did not do that… so bila MP called to inform the school, she peng story kata, she tak demand cuma request je… i snubbed back la… kalau request, suara tak kan tegas garang sampai budak tu takut lalu bukak tudung… I asked the VP, so if Insyirah did not take off her tudung, will Mdm Teng take disciplinary action against her? That was the implication she gave to my daughter… The VP apologize banyak banyak kali.

I also mentioned that kalau tak mo bagi pakai head gear, then tulis surat clearly state that no head gears are allowed. Saya akan suruh anak saya pakai uniform je… lagipun saya cakap, head gears utk anak saya tu, sbb kan dia suka fesyen bertudung… tak der kena mengena dgn agama pun… saya galakkan je lah.. lagipun dah kebetulan satu tuntutan agama… so tak payahlah saya nak nasihat kan dia suruh pakai tudung kan…

Sumber: Nur Aisyah

YOUTUBE: youtube.com/user/rilek1corner

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/rilek1corner

TWITTER: twitter.com/Rilek1Corner

WEBSITE: rilek1corner.com

EMAIL: [email protected]

FEEDBACK: CONTACT RILEK1CORNER

August 8, 2014
Part-Time Sales Muslimah Discriminated Due to Hijab

I am a teacher. I am an employee of the Ministry of Education. I am a a civil servant. I am a Muslim. I don the tudung and I am proud to be all of the above mentioned. As a teacher, an educator, everyday I teach my pupils life lessons. Trying my best to instill values in them, so that they will grow up to become a respectable, responsible and kind member of the society. I teach all of them equally no matter their race, religion and nationality. I resognate our government’s belief of living in harmony as a cohesive society despite our differences. I have never been treated indifferently because of the piece of cloth I choose to wear over my head. I believe I am not stereotyped by my outfit, religion or skin colour. Rather, by my mannerisms in the way I interact with society.

Today, I am appalled, angered, disgusted, devastated. I could go on, but I would rather not. In this month of Ramadan, my younger sister a part-time employee from PUMA was treated in a prejudiced, biased manner just because of the cloth she wears over her head.

She was sent to ISETAN located at Wisma Atria to help mend the PUMA section in the ISETAN outlet due to a lack of manpower. An hour later two ISETAN managers approached another staff at PUMA and conversed in Mandarin while throwing dirty looks at my sister and made hand signals indicating the headscarf she was wearing. She was then approached by the PUMA staff and was informed that she had to leave the premises as she was wearing a headscarf and should not be working there. Fine, I CAN tolerate that.

Next, they called a PUMA manager in a nearby outlet saying that manpower or not my sister had to leave, not once acknowledging my sister’s presence or even having the decency to speak to her directly. As though she was a fly on the wall and the only thing they saw was her head scarf. Fine, I WILL tolerate that. Headscarf or no headscarf, some people are just incapable of respecting others, much less understanding anything seemingly different from what they are accustomed to in their small, small world.

As my sister was making her way out of the store. She was stopped and told to leave through the service exit and proceed to the security guard post to have her bag checked. Now that is the last straw.

People are afraid of anything that is different. They are uncertain and may not be accepting. However appalled I am that such a stigma still exists in Singapore today, I can still accept the fact that some people are still living with a mindset of a backwards society. Everyone’s different right?

But to make an assumption that a person wearing a tudung does not have morals and will most likely shoplift is an atrocity. Ironic even, do you know the amount of faith one must have to don the tudung? The physical challenges like the weather is one of many things to overcome before making a commitment to wear the tudung forever. Not to mention the emotional, mental and social challenges brought upon by people like the 2 managers from ISETAN.
My sister left the store crying and heading straight home after being treated so unjustly and in such an inhumane manner. How ironic, and here I thought being in the customer service line would have taught you to be sincere, kind and not biased towards a person’s physical appearence.

In this fasting month, let me educate you a little about people who wear tudung. We are normal people, under this scary, scary tudung is a normal person, 2 eyes, 1 nose and a personality that you may even grow to like if you try to get to know us.

You did not have the courtesy to address my sister directly. Well here’s a direct message to you managers of ISETAN:

Firsly, I hope you don’t treat your tudung-wearing customers the way you treat your tudung-wearing staff. You know checking all of their bags everytime they leave the store. Secondly, good customer service comes from the heart and is sincere, going the extra mile and treating customers with respect and kindness without judging their physical appearance. You reflected none of that, I suggest you reconsider your career before any customer catches a whiff of you real personality.

Finally, you owe my sister an apology. It would be good, if you can throw in some dignity and self-worth in your apology because God knows she lost a basketful of those when she walked out the service exit of your store Isetan Singapore.

Authored by Zafirah Edwards

EDITOR’S NOTE

Here’s an update.

Several people have contacted the Ministry of Manpower to enquire about this case.

One of them is PAP MP Zainal bin Sapari who demanded an investigation into the matter. Steady lah!

YOUTUBE: youtube.com/user/rilek1corner

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/rilek1corner

TWITTER: twitter.com/Rilek1Corner

WEBSITE: rilek1corner.com

EMAIL: [email protected]

FEEDBACK: rilek1corner.com/hubungir1c/

July 11, 2014
Parents Should Often Listen and Communicate With Their Children

Ian Johari Monteiro

My mind is buzzing at the moment … I just had a very heart-warming moment with one of my weaker lot of pupils. During his ceramics class, he’d asked me if he needed to glaze the side of the base of his soap dish and I said yes but just a touch for otherwise the glaze would melt and stick to the kiln shelf and would have to be smashed to be removed. Later on, the external instructor came up and said he needed to remove the glaze from the side of the base. He insisted that I had instructed him to do so indignantly. He threw his glaze brush in a tantrum and kept repeating that I had asked him to do so. Had I not stepped in, he would have probably proceeded to smash the bisque wares on the table.

What happened next could only be done with the years of experience I have under my belt. Had I been 10 years younger, I would have flared up right back in his face.

I took him out of the classroom and calmed him down and asked him to relate to me what would transpired. The only thing he could tell me was (with tears streaming down his face) “Why is it no teacher ever believes me? I know I’m from the last class! I know I’m stupid but when ever I try to explain myself, no one ever believes me! I’m always at fault! But I’m not always wrong, you know!”

I could only feel one thing … that this was an emotion suppressed over a long time. He had been taking it and taking it and taking it and he finally snapped.

I looked right at him and told him, “You’re NOT stupid and never let anyone tell you otherwise. Yes, you have difficulties with your studies but I know your past, I was your form teacher for 2 years, remember? I’ve been your Art teacher for 5 years now! You told me nobody cares about your studies at home and you never get any kind of help with your work.

You just had a bad start but that doesn’t always mean you have to finish last!

Look at me. I teach Art, only Art. Other teachers look at me like I’m some kind of joke, a waste of breathable air in school. They forget that I have been a Form Teacher for 12 years before this. They think I’m stupid too, that’s why I don’t teach any major subjects.”

He blurted, “But you’re very good at what you do! You’re talented!”

“And so are you! You just haven’t found your passion yet … Art and teaching children have always been mine. I’m lucky.” I added.

What happened next was totally unexpected. He threw himself against me and hugged me tight, sobbing into my dirty apron. “Sir, you’re one of the few teachers who ever listens to me before answering. You’re not a joke, you’re very talented. I always try to do my best in your class. I’m not the best artist but you’ve never put me down about my work. I wish more adults were like you …”

I patted his shoulder, took a step back and looked him right in the face. “Sometimes, being an adult can also be very difficult. Promise me whatever difficulty you face in life, it will never make you a bad person but a better person. Now, enough already. Wash your face, freshen up and apologize to the instructor because firstly, she didn’t know of my instructions to you. Secondly, she’s not from the school and doesn’t know you very well and thirdly, be big enough to know that she is an adult and deserves your respect just as one day, you will deserve it from someone as well.” I stood there as everything I had asked him to do was carried out with a smile.

A few things ran through my head at that moment.

How many times have we, as adults, lost our temper because we had a bad day, at someone younger or even a child? Do we know what a child in Singapore has to go through these days? How many times have be brushed off a child JUST because he is a child? Have we ever listened to a child’s side of the story? Or do we immediately assume that a child is not capable of being honest or giving a true account of things? How many adults do we know of who would NOT embellish the truth to protect their own skin?

I’m just glad one child now know someone who will listen to him if he needs someone to do so.

Authored by Ian Johari Monteiro

EDITOR’S NOTE

This is such a moving story that we just have to share it. Kudos to Ian Johari Monteiro for writing this beautiful piece.

Parents should often listen to their child, pay attention to every detail, and offer your support, instead of screaming because not every child has the tendency to deal with yelling. The more you listen to your child, you will help your child to established a sense of connections with you, they will feel comfortable to express their feelings to you at anytime with no hesitation. Not saying it’s an easy process but it can be done if you only take a minute to just listen and you’ll be amaze to see how soon this child will start to have a closer relationship with you as a parent.

To those parents who are obsessed with success, here’s something you should think about from today onwards. Success can never be thought of as more important than moral values. The journey is actually more important than the destination and if no ethics were involved in the journey then the destination has no value at all. A person has to feel good about how they achieved their success in order to feel good about it.

June 9, 2014