Comments on: Education: Crazy Week for Singaporean Students – an American Comments http://maltzajava.net/2010/01/culture-singaporean-education/ Tue, 29 Jun 2010 21:05:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: maltzajava http://maltzajava.net/2010/01/culture-singaporean-education/#comment-512 maltzajava Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:44:30 +0000 http://maltzajava.net/?p=2725#comment-512 That does sound similar, and I would not be surprised if it is the same in many other countries (I have heard similar stories about published test results in England, for example). The super-private nature of grades seems to be an American thing. I am not sure why, but I am guessing you could come up with a short list of reasons - from privacy to concern for hurt feelings - to explain why it is. Of course, people still have an idea of how you/others did, it is just not as open and detailed as it is here. That does sound similar, and I would not be surprised if it is the same in many other countries (I have heard similar stories about published test results in England, for example).

The super-private nature of grades seems to be an American thing. I am not sure why, but I am guessing you could come up with a short list of reasons – from privacy to concern for hurt feelings – to explain why it is. Of course, people still have an idea of how you/others did, it is just not as open and detailed as it is here.

]]> By: Wenhao http://maltzajava.net/2010/01/culture-singaporean-education/#comment-511 Wenhao Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:39:12 +0000 http://maltzajava.net/?p=2725#comment-511 I can't help wondering how dissimilar the Singaporean system is from the Chinese one, at least in terms of the (over)attention given to test results. My high school years were associated with rankings. My parents would receive notes of my ranking in class and school by test results of 3 required subjects, of 3+1 optional, and 3+1+2 general each semester. After the gaokao, we immediately knew who scored the highest in Shanghai, in Beijing, in every other single Province. They then became the stars in commercials in supplementary nutrient products (with stuff that supposedly makes you smarter). If China is a multi-racial country like Singapore, I bet it would do exactly the same thing. I can’t help wondering how dissimilar the Singaporean system is from the Chinese one, at least in terms of the (over)attention given to test results. My high school years were associated with rankings. My parents would receive notes of my ranking in class and school by test results of 3 required subjects, of 3+1 optional, and 3+1+2 general each semester. After the gaokao, we immediately knew who scored the highest in Shanghai, in Beijing, in every other single Province. They then became the stars in commercials in supplementary nutrient products (with stuff that supposedly makes you smarter). If China is a multi-racial country like Singapore, I bet it would do exactly the same thing.

]]>