Originally posted by fymk:
I know it is overdone somehow but this article was interesting . It sort of gave me a self reflection of my life.
Thought it might be interesting to hear the views of those who felt that they could have benefited and those who felt that they were cast aside in the streaming system.
For those who felt they were cast aside - did you feel that you had talent but never been nurtured or encouraged to follow through it?
An interesting read, fymk. perhaps i can share something on streaming and social engineering of people's career:
i'm one of those who hated math and science, and to compound things, i learnt to read later. but i loved languages and history. but back then, everyone said that ur worth is measured by your math and sc grade. so i had to take physics and A math. (Yux)
in sec school, i failed maths and sc all the time until i worked on it like mad. 2 hrs of compulsory math a day until i got As for O levels, then 2 weeks after the O levels, i forgot everything i rigourously practiced.
fortunately, i managed to beat the streaming borderline....by sheer hard work, not by any interest or inclination. if not i would end up sidelined.
when i went to U, i did E Lang and history, my passions, which then were frowned upon as useles subjects compared to engineering. anyway, i did relatively well without studying much because i loved what i did. this was the only time in my entire student life i got into the top 10%...guess i'm also a late bloomer; plus i got to choose what i like to do.
ended up similar to most of my engineering friends anyway - as teachers. i chose what i loved to do, they had no choice. one of them even told me that no way he could survive in engineering with the influx of Indians and Chinese engineers. and since he could not relocate with a baby in hand, he could only teach.
not only streaming, but social engineering on education also plays a part i guess...it saddens me to hear the same thing repeated by my students' parents. one girl frm my class drew beautifully and had her own fashion design portfolio but her parents said, ' forget about your passion. focus on math and science, get into science stream so u can become an engineer.'
you shoulc just see the look on her face...