"Spoon feeding" method??(edited)

Taken from Learning Beyond Schooling page , this morning I found this article:
Which related to my previous post "the cookie cutter"kids

UPSR shows only 5.7 pc of year sixers think critically


PUTRAJAYA, Nov 19 — The education ministry’s first Aptitude Test for Year Six students during their UPSR exams has shown that only 5.7 per cent (29,084 students) out of 509,885 pupils are skilled at problem solving and decision making, and only 34.34 per cent (175,101) in skilled thinking.


Education Director-General Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom This said today that this indicated that the children needed more training on problem-solving and decision-making.


Speaking at a press conference here today, he explained that the Aptitude Test was divided into two dimensions, namely Skilled Thinking and Problem Solving and Decision-Making .


Alimuddin said a student’s aptitude level was then categorised from Band One (lowest skilled) to Band Four (highest skilled).


The test results have found that when it comes to problem solving and decision making, the majority of Year Six students which is 47.71 per cent (243,258 students) remained in Band Two, followed by 28.24 per cent (143,971 students) in Band Three and 18.35 per cent (93,572 students) in Band One.


On the other hand, the majority of Skilled Thinking students lies in Band Three at 41.04 per cent (209,244 students), followed by 20.71 per cent (105,580 students) in Band Two and 3.91 per cent (19,960) in Band One.


The test also categorised a student’s interest into Academic, Technical and Vocational, Arts, Sports and Culture and Society, ranking them from One (primary interest) to Five (least interest).


There is a 39.31 per cent high tendency of candidates towards the academic, followed by technical and vocational (29.25 per cent), arts (19.26 per cent), culture and social (9.72 per cent) and sport (2.57 per cent). — Bernama




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


Problem solving and decisions making skill is crucial for the children education. If they can do very well in math and english, but , in real life , they can't make  a simple decision on what to draw or what to extra class to choose from, those good grades won't help much.  Speaking of which, that is why I always try to ask my girls on the "most stupid" or most simple things like what do you want to drink? what do you want to do later?
what do you want to read? That doesn't mean I will or must give whatever they asked for. But it will make them use to " choices" and "option" in life. And how important is it to make a good option in real life as adult. So they don't often choose the wrong way. ( and trust me in decision making , forcing them with cane wont help but will make it worse! Try to use cane for teenager, what they will do behind the parents back are even more scary!)


Recently, when I browsed for apartments in Shanghai, I always involve the girls. I showed them the photos, make them excited , to " see" their new " house" . And I asked " which one do you like?" that doesn't mean we will choose what they like. But it is more into the involving part, to show them that their opinions ( as silly or small is it) count! And just to keep the conversation and make them speak up their opinion. Indy said she like those with the white sofa, and big windows and jacuzzi ( it is far beyond our budget!!!) but it is nice to "dig" her interest, and listen to her opinion. Maya just said : nice! nice! I like that, and that, that, and that. Got playground ah? :P


Same thing when I prepared their birthday party, I always asked and let them look at the picture of cakes,and asked : which one do you like? what kind of cake do you want to have? Cupcake or Cake? But they didn't always get what they want. We discussed , sometimes if  the cake is big and if we do not have enough guests then I suggest them to change to smaller version or other type. Normally they are ok with it. And this is also teach them to be able to discuss and compromise with others, to be able to accept other different opinion too. To learn that sometimes they can't just get thing they way they want.


Spoon feeding method is just like forcing a kid to eat and swallow whatever the teacher prepare without the right to know or ask what is in the spoon. And like if parents don't give the children a freedom to talk, and to share their opinion.  They are not trained to ask questions, or think outside the box , and be creative. Will this do any good for our children in the future? But we as parents still can do something with the way we educate our children at home. Allow them a bit of freedom to talk, to ask, to give opinion, make decision, to teach them that they have the options in life, teach them about  the responsibility and the consequences  of their acts.