Primary School – Different Teachers Needed

Primary School counts as one of my most cherished times in my first 21 years of life. I was well-liked by teachers and peers alike, either because of my courteous ways or my mathematical prowess. While PSLE must have stressed many out, I am thankful for a nurturing environment that allowed me to excel without any undue pressures. The teachers who have made the greatest impact on me came in my primary school.

This blessing is why I have never bothered looking back, to uncover flaws in the system that can be corrected. The big ones – P4 streaming and PSLE T-scores – have been suitably addressed with my minimal attention. Are there still flaws? Certainly. I read this letter by former teacher Amanda Tan Pheck Choo, published in Today (Voices section) on 5/5/2014, and I went ‘Oh yes, this is an issue.’

Not all teachers are equal. I recall, from years back, the Ministry Of Education (MOE)’s desire to recruit more with high-level qualifications to improve teaching standards in primary schools. Amanda questions this assumption. Most primary school teachers are expected to be generalists – to teach multiple subjects – when most graduates at tertiary levels have learnt to specialize. There is a mismatch of expertise. One question is, should we change the criteria for recruitment?

So… you want me to teach Civics & Moral Education?

That would not be meritocratic; how would a degree holder feel getting bypassed for a Primary School job? Amanda is wise enough to give no mention to this idea. Instead, she questions the training in place. She points out that National Institute of Education (NIE)’s pre-service training only “looks into pedagogy and classroom management. It is assumed that teachers who have undergone this training can teach.”

Before we look at training deficiencies, let’s first list the expectations we have of every Primary School teacher:

Moral: Inculcate proper values
Social: Develop social skills
Creative: Give room for exploration
Academic: Help excel in studies

These expectations apply to all educators, but most of all primary school teachers. With these in mind, NIE’s focus on pedagogy and classroom management are most justified. Academic concerns should be dealt with by individual schools. It is important, because each student should be given the tools to excel – without tuition – as long as they put in due diligence. It will be an injustice if a student struggled with examinations due to the inadequacies of the teacher.

Amanda offers 2 suggestions. One, “implement internal tests to assess the suitability of teachers to teach a particular subject.” While this seems straightforward, schools may be reluctant to carry this out. If a teacher is found to lack requisite knowledge, does the school give him/her the same pay for less work? Does the school need to hire another teacher? Unless a training framework is already in place, more incentive will be required to initiate such a process in schools.

Teachers take tests too??

Two, “introduce mentor teachers who can review and train beginner teachers in specific content.” This is a good idea. Yet should such teachers continue to perform the same teaching duties as the rest? Teaching both students and unequipped teachers may be too demanding. After all, many join primary schools as teachers out of a passion for kids’ development. “Mentor teachers”, as Amanda terms it, detract from this motivation. This is not an issue of money, but one of time and commitment. Few might be willing.

To address this, there can be a differentiated job; one that mirrors the general role that music teachers or school counsellors play. Apart from training and testing other teachers, these “mentor teachers” can use their expertise as grooming tutors – for students with high academic potential – and take the lead on curriculum enhancement. This more detached role will ensure that regular form teachers retain the authority they need to guide their pupils on all matters. Such a job will also attract different kinds of candidates who can best address the concerns that Amanda raised.

We need to redefine the roles of primary school teachers.

Links to original images are attached. Courtesy of Google Images.