This post talks about the things I've learnt and wish to transmit to my future students
1. The bell-curve: Singapore compares you to others, always
I knew I was getting an A-, how did it become a B+? It just wasn't possible! Admittedly I'm a new addition to the History community, and to say I'm here because of my interest is to say that Santa Claus wears black, is a transsexual, and steals from your house . I'm in this course not because I aspire to be a teacher, but yes, I do love the course now. However, I'm not educated, nor gifted in History. I just happen to be much worse at Psychology. And that was because others were much smarter. The bell-curve ranked me as not so good compared to others. How is it possible to create an environment for Singapore students to embrace learning and education when it's always about the A, always about fighting against the extremely many foreign student and doing much worse because they're much better? Because they score 100 marks, 90 becomes the cut-off for A. That's Singapore, and there's nothing I can do about it, except to join in any campaign to scrap the bell-curve.
2. The "A" grade: it doesn't matter whether you're kindhearted, diligent, totally gifted in communications, or have a flair for something irrelevant
Because the truth is, "A "students are also gifted in all of the above. They've a long list of accomplishments. If say there was a guy with all As but nothing to offer, a B student stand a chance in getting a job. This is seldom the case. Because meritocracy is a system one can triumph with money and resources, the A students are generally from the top 5 JCs, the chairperson/president of clubs, and are able to afford socializing and getting help to do better. Students like to think that grades don't really matter, but it does matter, unless you're extremely exceptional and if you aren't born in Singapore. Improvements/progress aren't applauded either.
3. Happy and successful? Unlikely.
It's very difficult to be happy and successful in Singapore because to be successful one feels that one has to give up a lot. Psychologists have shown that meaningful human interactions make a person happy. I gave up lots of family and friends time just to study, and I don't do very well. The poor people in Singapore never have enough money to spend. Inflation will increase to 3.1% next year. Sign. Median income is at 1,500.
