Book Read: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia)
From this story, I learned about the danger of gluttony. In this story, Edmund gets attracted by the Turkish Delight that the White Witch (evil) gave him when he first stepped into Narnia. Edmund did not care when he hands over his brother and sisters to a woman whom he knows deep down is a dangerous witch. In my opinion, it is always important that we remember our moral values as once we stat doing something and like it, it is difficult to stop. Therefore, we must try our best not to fall into temptation.
The 2 main characters in this story, Aslan and the White Witch, have very contrasting personalities. The Witch is merciless, cruel and power-hungry and myopic The Witch claims the throne of Narnia by brute force. She enchants the land so it is always winter and never Christmas and so that the poor Narnians have no hope. The Witch sways many Narnians to her side out of fear or lust for power, so that the Narnians are divided and are completely terrified. However, Aslan is completely different. Aslan's amazing love for the Narnia people is demonstrated when Aslan sacrifices his own life to save Edmund. Aslan is quiet, patient and has foresight Although the Witch can use magic to gain power, she does not have the vision or the character of Aslan. Aslan is confident that his power is greater than the Witch's strength, but Aslan never shows bravery and is willing to die to save Narnia.
I think that the climax of the story is when Aslan becomes alive again after being killed by the witch. It gives the Narnians new found hope and after that they go on and win the war.
I think the author intended the book to be read by children. It is an allegory of Jesus Christ’s life and he wanted to show a new perspective from this story.
Showing posts with label Homework. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homework. Show all posts
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Oliver Twist Book Review
Book Read: Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
In this story, Oliver, the protagonist acts in a way I would probably never do in his circumstances. When he first saw the two boys steal the handkerchief from Mr. Brownlow, he was horrified. Even though if he continued doing that, he would be able to have food and water for his survival in the hands of Fagin, he placed moral virtue above all that and ran away. I would probably have in this scenario just gone along with the flow. This is even more astonishing as Oliver was a boy who had lived in poverty all his life. Another example is when he was on a robbery mission, he decided to try and risk his life and alert the family he was robbing.
The author wrote this story in 1839 and therefore the conditions then are very different from that of the present. In those days, the poor could just live on the streets and the poverty cycle for that group of people would continue for generations to come. However, today, the government of countries and cities better off like London, where this story is based, the poor are given adequate food and lodging, while the young are able to go to school and get an education.
The climax of this story to me is the part when Nancy gets killed by Sikes. I feel that this is the climax as out of all the crimes that occurred in this book, this is probably the worst of them all. Also, after this incident, all starts to go wrong for the “bad guys”.
I feel that the title of this book is good as it gives readers a good picture of what the whole story is about. It is of course about the life of Oliver Twist from birth to the time he is adopted by Mr. Brownlow.
In this story, Oliver, the protagonist acts in a way I would probably never do in his circumstances. When he first saw the two boys steal the handkerchief from Mr. Brownlow, he was horrified. Even though if he continued doing that, he would be able to have food and water for his survival in the hands of Fagin, he placed moral virtue above all that and ran away. I would probably have in this scenario just gone along with the flow. This is even more astonishing as Oliver was a boy who had lived in poverty all his life. Another example is when he was on a robbery mission, he decided to try and risk his life and alert the family he was robbing.
The author wrote this story in 1839 and therefore the conditions then are very different from that of the present. In those days, the poor could just live on the streets and the poverty cycle for that group of people would continue for generations to come. However, today, the government of countries and cities better off like London, where this story is based, the poor are given adequate food and lodging, while the young are able to go to school and get an education.
The climax of this story to me is the part when Nancy gets killed by Sikes. I feel that this is the climax as out of all the crimes that occurred in this book, this is probably the worst of them all. Also, after this incident, all starts to go wrong for the “bad guys”.
I feel that the title of this book is good as it gives readers a good picture of what the whole story is about. It is of course about the life of Oliver Twist from birth to the time he is adopted by Mr. Brownlow.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Should you be rewarded for your efforts in school?
The answer for me is a definite “Yes”. All people alike love receiving rewards. Why should students be exempted?
Let us look at why people love receiving rewards. It makes them feel that their work is appreciated and that their efforts have paid off. It will also motivate them to work even harder.
From my knowledge, the Singapore government gives out quite a few awards each year to those who did well academically, in sports and aesthetically. However, this does not cater to everyone.
Some students may be trying very hard but cannot make the mark both academically and aesthetically. However, they are not rewarded and may just give up. To remind these students that they are just as important as anyone else, they also should be rewarded.
I feel that achievements need not be big to be rewarded. In my old primary school, they had this thing called the “five-mark challenge” where pupils improve by five marks each time for each subject. If they achieve this in two or more subjects, they are rewarded. This strategy has worked and has really helped to pull up the grades of some students especially those in the weaker classes in the school.
Therefore, I feel that it is a “win-win” situation if students are rewarded for their efforts in school.
Let us look at why people love receiving rewards. It makes them feel that their work is appreciated and that their efforts have paid off. It will also motivate them to work even harder.
From my knowledge, the Singapore government gives out quite a few awards each year to those who did well academically, in sports and aesthetically. However, this does not cater to everyone.
Some students may be trying very hard but cannot make the mark both academically and aesthetically. However, they are not rewarded and may just give up. To remind these students that they are just as important as anyone else, they also should be rewarded.
I feel that achievements need not be big to be rewarded. In my old primary school, they had this thing called the “five-mark challenge” where pupils improve by five marks each time for each subject. If they achieve this in two or more subjects, they are rewarded. This strategy has worked and has really helped to pull up the grades of some students especially those in the weaker classes in the school.
Therefore, I feel that it is a “win-win” situation if students are rewarded for their efforts in school.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
What is Beauty?
To me, there are two kinds of beauty. The first kind is outer beauty and the second kind is inner beauty.
What most people see as beauty is outer beauty. Outer beauty is the nice hair you have, the beautiful face and the wonderful body shape a person has. I agree that this is a form of beauty but I feel that the other kind of beauty is more important.
The other kind of beauty is a person’s character. For example, a person’s kindness towards something else is a form of beauty in itself.
In my opinion, many people only care about their outer beauty. This can be seen in the way some people go about their life. Many people dream to become celebrities and stars so that they can be seen by others as beautiful. I feel that this is very vain but from what I see this will carry on happening for a very long time.
A person who only sees a person’s outer beauty is a very silly person. It is for that reason that many people who marry celebrities often divorce soon after. It is because many of them only see the celebrities’ outer beauty and his/her character.
In conclusion, I feel that people should really think about what they define as beauty.
What most people see as beauty is outer beauty. Outer beauty is the nice hair you have, the beautiful face and the wonderful body shape a person has. I agree that this is a form of beauty but I feel that the other kind of beauty is more important.
The other kind of beauty is a person’s character. For example, a person’s kindness towards something else is a form of beauty in itself.
In my opinion, many people only care about their outer beauty. This can be seen in the way some people go about their life. Many people dream to become celebrities and stars so that they can be seen by others as beautiful. I feel that this is very vain but from what I see this will carry on happening for a very long time.
A person who only sees a person’s outer beauty is a very silly person. It is for that reason that many people who marry celebrities often divorce soon after. It is because many of them only see the celebrities’ outer beauty and his/her character.
In conclusion, I feel that people should really think about what they define as beauty.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Should you criticise people or the opinions they have?
This is a difficult question because as human beings none of us like to be criticized. However, without criticism, a person will never be able to improve from their current state.
Let me give you an example. Let’s say a student hands in a composition and the teacher just puts a tick at the end of the composition indicating that he/she has read it. The student will just continue writing compositions of the same standard and will never improve.
First, let us look at why people do not want to be criticized. The reason is that they will “lose face” or in other words be humiliated. Everyone on Earth has his/her own pride.
Therefore, I feel that people should critcise others but do it in a polite manner. A person who says “I feel that your play can be improved by designing better costumes” comes across much better than a person who says “The costumes were very lousy!”
A person will probably be more willing to accept the first person’s criticism as it sounds more like advice than the second one which is pure criticism even though both mean the same thing.
My final stand is criticise all you like but do it properly.
Let me give you an example. Let’s say a student hands in a composition and the teacher just puts a tick at the end of the composition indicating that he/she has read it. The student will just continue writing compositions of the same standard and will never improve.
First, let us look at why people do not want to be criticized. The reason is that they will “lose face” or in other words be humiliated. Everyone on Earth has his/her own pride.
Therefore, I feel that people should critcise others but do it in a polite manner. A person who says “I feel that your play can be improved by designing better costumes” comes across much better than a person who says “The costumes were very lousy!”
A person will probably be more willing to accept the first person’s criticism as it sounds more like advice than the second one which is pure criticism even though both mean the same thing.
My final stand is criticise all you like but do it properly.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Will having fun make you happier than studying?
On first thought, I think I would be happier if I could have fun and not study at all. However, on the whole, I do not think I will be happy forever.
For example, after PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination), I was given the freedom to do whatever I wanted for the next 2 months. I rushed into doing all the things I had missed out on for the past 3 months while studying for the exam like playing computer games, playing Nintendo Wii, going outside to play soccer (by myself). You might think that playing soccer yourself is not fun but it actually is.
However, during the last 1 or 2 weeks, I kind of felt a bit bored with the fact that I was tired of doing those things. Then, I started studying again and it was quite interesting all the sec 1 topics. A month later, I was tired of studying again.
Therefore, I feel that there is a need to strike a balance between work and play. If you work too much, having fun will make you happy. If you have have been playing all day, you will be happy to work.
Another example is let’s say there is this person “x”. X always comes home complaining about the work he does at his workplace. One day, he loses his job and goes for many job interviews. Finally, he lands a job and comments, “I am glad I am working again." It is the same story here.
For example, after PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination), I was given the freedom to do whatever I wanted for the next 2 months. I rushed into doing all the things I had missed out on for the past 3 months while studying for the exam like playing computer games, playing Nintendo Wii, going outside to play soccer (by myself). You might think that playing soccer yourself is not fun but it actually is.
However, during the last 1 or 2 weeks, I kind of felt a bit bored with the fact that I was tired of doing those things. Then, I started studying again and it was quite interesting all the sec 1 topics. A month later, I was tired of studying again.
Therefore, I feel that there is a need to strike a balance between work and play. If you work too much, having fun will make you happy. If you have have been playing all day, you will be happy to work.
Another example is let’s say there is this person “x”. X always comes home complaining about the work he does at his workplace. One day, he loses his job and goes for many job interviews. Finally, he lands a job and comments, “I am glad I am working again." It is the same story here.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Is it your Duty to Donate to Charity?
I think it is not anyone’s duty to donate to charity. Although some people give themselves the burden that they have to donate a part of their salary to charities, my personal opinion is that people should not be forced to give to charity. Donating to charity should be from the heart.
Why must donating to charity come from the heart? Would it make a difference if a person gives the same amount of money to charity whether he is happy or not? The money is the same but the people who are the ones receiving the money will not feel good when they hear such things. To many charitable organizations especially those such as old folks home, the old folks may be very downhearted. A simple smile at them can do a lot more good to them than the things the money donated can be used for.
To me, there are many other ways of donating to charity other than donating money. Helping out at the charities is one of those ways. This can help a lot. From what I know, many charities are not lacking in funds but lacking in volunteers.
Why do people want to donate to charity? To some selfish people, all they want is to show to others how generous they are but to others, they understand for example what is like to be in need and therefore donate.
In conclusion, I feel that it is not necessary to give to charity but it goes a long way when you do.
Why must donating to charity come from the heart? Would it make a difference if a person gives the same amount of money to charity whether he is happy or not? The money is the same but the people who are the ones receiving the money will not feel good when they hear such things. To many charitable organizations especially those such as old folks home, the old folks may be very downhearted. A simple smile at them can do a lot more good to them than the things the money donated can be used for.
To me, there are many other ways of donating to charity other than donating money. Helping out at the charities is one of those ways. This can help a lot. From what I know, many charities are not lacking in funds but lacking in volunteers.
Why do people want to donate to charity? To some selfish people, all they want is to show to others how generous they are but to others, they understand for example what is like to be in need and therefore donate.
In conclusion, I feel that it is not necessary to give to charity but it goes a long way when you do.
Friday, April 10, 2009
What is Utopia?
So, what is utopia? To me, utopia is man's desire for an ideal or perfect society. Utopia is also used to express an unrealistic idea that is impossible to achieve.
This is probably somewhat like what a communist society is. On first sight, the idea of a society wheere there is a equal distribution of goods among everyone in the society. Also, this inclubes the total abolition of money, with citizens only doing work which they enjoy and which is for the common good, leaving them with ample time for the cultivation of the arts and sciences.
However, man has always been greedy and wants to take advantage of others. In this utopian society, everyone will not or do minimal work and there will be constant argument about the distribution. Therefore, in the end the Soviet Union not working out well.
This is what happens in Animal Farm
This is probably somewhat like what a communist society is. On first sight, the idea of a society wheere there is a equal distribution of goods among everyone in the society. Also, this inclubes the total abolition of money, with citizens only doing work which they enjoy and which is for the common good, leaving them with ample time for the cultivation of the arts and sciences.
However, man has always been greedy and wants to take advantage of others. In this utopian society, everyone will not or do minimal work and there will be constant argument about the distribution. Therefore, in the end the Soviet Union not working out well.
This is what happens in Animal Farm
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Great Leaders
Many people have different perspectives on what a great leader is. To some, 
there is little difference between a good leader and a great leader. However, in my opinion, I feel there s a big gap between a good leader and a great leader.
You can see on this website http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,879377,00.html who different historians or philosophers think are the greatest leaders in history. The person I agree with most is Jean-Francois Revel, a French author who commented,"A great leader has original ideas and succeeds in having them accepted by millions or billions. These ideas can be wonderful or dreadful."
Therefore, I think one of the greatest leaders in history is Adolf Hitler. In the beginning of his life, he was a nobody who fell into poverty in Austria. He encounted many obstacles yet he is the same man who led a country to conquer almost the whole of Europe! Why is that so?
The main reason for his rise to power was the ability to "brainwash" everyone into doing what he says. In the 1933 German elections, his party managed to win the elections and its popularity rised 37% in 1 term. Despite Hiter's ideas being relatively unpopular, he managed to convince everyone to vote for him.
Eventually, he also convinced the Germans to get revenge for their defeat in World War 1 and that the Jews and communists were to blame for the defeat. One cannot understand why the Germans bought into his idea but they did due to Hitler's charisma.
The Germans built up their army and World War 2 started and eventually Germany were defeated 6 years later.
However, one cannot argue that Adolf Hitler was a great leader.
there is little difference between a good leader and a great leader. However, in my opinion, I feel there s a big gap between a good leader and a great leader.You can see on this website http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,879377,00.html who different historians or philosophers think are the greatest leaders in history. The person I agree with most is Jean-Francois Revel, a French author who commented,"A great leader has original ideas and succeeds in having them accepted by millions or billions. These ideas can be wonderful or dreadful."
Therefore, I think one of the greatest leaders in history is Adolf Hitler. In the beginning of his life, he was a nobody who fell into poverty in Austria. He encounted many obstacles yet he is the same man who led a country to conquer almost the whole of Europe! Why is that so?
The main reason for his rise to power was the ability to "brainwash" everyone into doing what he says. In the 1933 German elections, his party managed to win the elections and its popularity rised 37% in 1 term. Despite Hiter's ideas being relatively unpopular, he managed to convince everyone to vote for him.
Eventually, he also convinced the Germans to get revenge for their defeat in World War 1 and that the Jews and communists were to blame for the defeat. One cannot understand why the Germans bought into his idea but they did due to Hitler's charisma.
The Germans built up their army and World War 2 started and eventually Germany were defeated 6 years later.
However, one cannot argue that Adolf Hitler was a great leader.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Lottery
I have just completed reading through the story--"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. If you have read the story, you would have known that the content of the story is not very relevant in today's context. However, there are still a few lessons we can learn from the story which can still applies to today's world.
Let me list the themes in the story.
- The dark side of human nature.
- The danger of ritualised behaviour.
- The potential for cruelty when the individual submits to the tyranny of the status quo.
Let us take a look at the first theme. The dark side of human nature can be seen after Tessie won the lottery when Mr Summers did not spare a thought for Tessie and immediately said "Let's finish quickly". Apart from that, Mr Adams told Old Man Warner "that over in the north village they're talking about giving up the lottery". I can infer from that he is actually afraid of winning the lottery and does not support the lottery. Yet, when Tessie Hutchinson was "chosen", he "was at the front of the crowd of villagers". This is a great irony and shows that Mr Adams is only concerned about his and his family's own well-being.
Actually, this is a common trait among people these days. Our world is a competitive one which leads us to being self-centered and 'kia-su". Rarely do we spare a thought for others. When others fail, we not only do not sympathise with them, we actually cheer. This is a cause of concern and I feel it is about time that we change for the better. It is not necessary for us to allow others to take advantage of us but we could just help others when they are in need or support them when they are down. These simple acts would go along way to make this world a better place.
On the second point, the danger of ritualised behaviour is not a problem in Singapore as it is quite a modern country and most people think more scientifically and do not believe in such rituals (apart from Thaipusam which I will not elaborate on).
The final point is highly relevant in today's context. In today's circumstances, people are very concerned about how they appear to others both internally and externally. Therefore, people are always stick to status quo in fear of being rejected or laughed at by others. People rarely express their objections when majority of the people accept that idea or are alright with that way of life.
(Perhaps you want to listen to watch this track from High School Musical on YouTube.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIv5uwSKu88
In my opinion, this mindset seriously needs to be changed. In the story, some of the people were not happy with the lottery taking place. Mrs. Delacroix said that "there seems to be no time in between lotteries any more" and "it seems like we got through with the last one only last week". Mrs. Graves agreed when she replied, "Time sure goes fast". The men also shoed some signs of dislike for the lottery when "they stood together, away from the pile of stones". Also, Mr. Adams also talked about giving up the lottery. It can be seen that they do not believe in the ritual sacrifice having any purpose. However, they submitted to the status quo and none of them had the courage of properly protesting against the lottery taking place.
If something is not right, we should stand up and put our views forward. I am glad that my school has a PSB (Pupil Suggestion Board) on the SMB (Summary Message Board). It allows students to share their views on school policies, rules or problems they may face and how the school can rectify or improve (on) the situation. In spite of this, the problem that we face is that we are afraid to air our views in fear of objection. The only solution for this is for us to pluck up our courage and for people to be not so critical of others' ideas.
This just about sums up my feelings on how the story "The Lottery" can be relevant in today's context.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Gifted Education
Hi! I am writing this post on gifted education for my english ACE project. Please refer below for my work.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 February 2009
1000 Toa Payoh North,
Singapore 318994
The Editor
The Straits Times
Singapore Press Holdings
Dear Sir/ Mdm,
The gifted education programme was first implemented in 1984, designed for the top 1% of pupils in Singapore, identified in two rounds of tests at the end of Primary 3. The MOE (Ministry of Education) is committed to ensure that the potential of each pupil is recognized, nurtured and developed. It was recognized that there are pupils who are intellectually gifted and that there should be provisions to meet their needs.
While I understand the MOE’s initiative to hone the truly intellectually gifted, I would like to call for the current GEP programme to be reviewed. At first glance, it would appear to be a good move to challenge the truly intellectually gifted who may be bored or stifled by the regular syllabus. The GEP programme is built upon the regular syllabus where same topics on the regular school curriculum are covered in greater depth and breadth and where emphasis is on creativity and higher-order thinking skills. There are also mentorship attachments, camps and other out-of-class activities to help pupils reach their full potential.
However, a closer look raises pertinent questions regarding the advantanges of having such a programme. GEP students are told that they are the gifted elite, at a young impressionable age. However, being labelled a high-flyer at such a tender age may not be a good idea. Some develop a superiority complex feeling that the non-gifted belong to a lower class of the human race. A Primary Six GEP student wrote a letter to “Today” newspaper in 2005 openly declaring that non-GEP students were immature, and that she preferred to mix with people like herself.
Evidently, the system breeds elitism. If MOE has done away with the EM1, EM2 and EM3 system which also bred elitism and labelling, why has the gifted programme lingered? Granted that greater efforts are being made to integrate the gifted and non-gifted students in Community involvement Programmes and also partial integration in academic programmes where non-GEP and GEP students come together for some programmes (eg. Bicultural Programme in Tao Nan Primary School), nonetheless the segregation and differentiation remains. The question is why?
Also, what is the true definition of giftedness? To me, giftedness applies to many areas, not just in academics. It can be in the form of music, arts or sports. Unfortunately, in Singapore, we define giftedness purely by academic standards. Therefore, a number of parents send their children for enrichment classes to prepare for the GEP tests despite the fact that experts say that giftedness cannot be taught. Experts state that these centres, which peddle classes in the preparation of the GEP tests, are merely training kids to be 'exam smart'. Therefore, is MOE truly honing the top 1% of the cohort?
Questions also arise about the screening test conducted by the MOE for all Primary 3 students each year for entry into the GEP programme. This screening test comprises an English and Mathematics exam, followed by a General Ability paper which tests reasoning and problem-solving skills. Is giftedness confined to English, Mathematics and General Ability? Surely not.
As such, I would like to suggest a review of our education system. Children need to grow up in a holistic environment, exposed to music, art and other pursuits. Elitism should have no place in Singapore where we are to live together in peace and harmony regardless of race, language and religion, and may I add, regardless of academic ability as well.
Yours sincerely,
xxxxxx
Sources:
http://www.getformesingapore.com/previous2006/290906_primaryschoolstodoawaywithem3from2008_more.htm
http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/programmes/gifted-education-programme/development-and-growth/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gifted_Education_Programme_(Singapore)
http://www.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20071028-32642.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 February 2009
1000 Toa Payoh North,
Singapore 318994
The Editor
The Straits Times
Singapore Press Holdings
Dear Sir/ Mdm,
The gifted education programme was first implemented in 1984, designed for the top 1% of pupils in Singapore, identified in two rounds of tests at the end of Primary 3. The MOE (Ministry of Education) is committed to ensure that the potential of each pupil is recognized, nurtured and developed. It was recognized that there are pupils who are intellectually gifted and that there should be provisions to meet their needs.
While I understand the MOE’s initiative to hone the truly intellectually gifted, I would like to call for the current GEP programme to be reviewed. At first glance, it would appear to be a good move to challenge the truly intellectually gifted who may be bored or stifled by the regular syllabus. The GEP programme is built upon the regular syllabus where same topics on the regular school curriculum are covered in greater depth and breadth and where emphasis is on creativity and higher-order thinking skills. There are also mentorship attachments, camps and other out-of-class activities to help pupils reach their full potential.
However, a closer look raises pertinent questions regarding the advantanges of having such a programme. GEP students are told that they are the gifted elite, at a young impressionable age. However, being labelled a high-flyer at such a tender age may not be a good idea. Some develop a superiority complex feeling that the non-gifted belong to a lower class of the human race. A Primary Six GEP student wrote a letter to “Today” newspaper in 2005 openly declaring that non-GEP students were immature, and that she preferred to mix with people like herself.
Evidently, the system breeds elitism. If MOE has done away with the EM1, EM2 and EM3 system which also bred elitism and labelling, why has the gifted programme lingered? Granted that greater efforts are being made to integrate the gifted and non-gifted students in Community involvement Programmes and also partial integration in academic programmes where non-GEP and GEP students come together for some programmes (eg. Bicultural Programme in Tao Nan Primary School), nonetheless the segregation and differentiation remains. The question is why?
Also, what is the true definition of giftedness? To me, giftedness applies to many areas, not just in academics. It can be in the form of music, arts or sports. Unfortunately, in Singapore, we define giftedness purely by academic standards. Therefore, a number of parents send their children for enrichment classes to prepare for the GEP tests despite the fact that experts say that giftedness cannot be taught. Experts state that these centres, which peddle classes in the preparation of the GEP tests, are merely training kids to be 'exam smart'. Therefore, is MOE truly honing the top 1% of the cohort?
Questions also arise about the screening test conducted by the MOE for all Primary 3 students each year for entry into the GEP programme. This screening test comprises an English and Mathematics exam, followed by a General Ability paper which tests reasoning and problem-solving skills. Is giftedness confined to English, Mathematics and General Ability? Surely not.
As such, I would like to suggest a review of our education system. Children need to grow up in a holistic environment, exposed to music, art and other pursuits. Elitism should have no place in Singapore where we are to live together in peace and harmony regardless of race, language and religion, and may I add, regardless of academic ability as well.
Yours sincerely,
xxxxxx
Sources:
http://www.getformesingapore.com/previous2006/290906_primaryschoolstodoawaywithem3from2008_more.htm
http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/programmes/gifted-education-programme/development-and-growth/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gifted_Education_Programme_(Singapore)
http://www.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20071028-32642.html
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