Last Weeks of 2012

My little Baby X turned 6 last week and my elder reached double digit age 4 months ago. Congratulations to you both!! I can't believe (for the nth time) how fast you have grown.

There has been not been much time to pause and reflect on how they have changed though. The last week leading up to XX's birthday has been extremely busy. We decided to indulge in a birthday party for him this year and invited 8 of his friends to a 2-hour session of Laser Tag games. This is a fun game using laser guns and tagging opponents with laser beams. The participants wear special vests that records how many times you hit someone and have been hit. On top of making the birthday cake, which has become a tradition since we moved to Oz, I also decided to self-cater the party food as I don't think the party food provided outside are of value and nutrition. The kids had a great time, even the girls, whom I was worried initially may not like the predominantly boys game. 

The kids checking their "hit" scores after the game on the tv screen.

The partying did not end there. In the middle of the week, on the eve of his birthday, it was XX's Tae Kwon Do grading day. He went after a full day of school for the grading session. It was a hot day that day and I was pretty exhausted myself just driving them around. I expected him to pass but it seemed he did very well as well. When the results were out this week, XX came in 2nd overall best score amongst all the Orange belt gradings. Well done my little one! The next day, on the actual day of his birthday, I decided on impulse to bake a batch of cupcakes for his class. Although he didn't ask for it, I know he was really happy to have his class sing him a birthday song. 

On the weekend, KK also got to go for his grading this time round. After having missed the last 2 rounds because he wasn't ready, we were very relieved when he performed well to pass and get his Blue belt 2nd stripe. In fact, he got the 2nd best score amongst the blue belt 2nd stripe gradings as well and the instructors said he performed beyond expectations. I'm very proud of you too, KK!

A very exhausted 6 year old on his birthday

Soon the year will be coming to an end. The children has begun taking back the pieces of work they've done over the past year as the teachers started clearing up the classrooms for the next year. Reports and portfolios are back. The summer holidays will begin next week and we are getting ready for our planned break in the country with friends. What an exciting and fantastic way to wrap up the year! Like I said, there's no time to pause and reflect, we're well and truly aging rapidly!! 

My birthday wish is.....

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to everyone!!

Sorry, you don't have my support

This is a copy of the letter I wrote to my children's school principal regarding the teachers' industrial action. Sorry, I'm not supporting their demands.

Dear 

It is with deep regret and disappointment that I am writing this letter to you. This is in response to the letter many parents received a few days ago by AEU outside the school gate. Since it was signed from “the staff” of Seabrook Primary School, I have no idea who else to reply to except to the head of the school. Please convey my message to all the staff concerned.

Since my arrival in Victoria 4 and a half years ago, I have only sent my children to public schools. I have had great respect for the Australian teachers and readily appreciates their style of teaching as different from what we had back home. However the recent dispute between the teachers and our government has marred my impression. Their actions and now, inactions, through their union AEU, have directly shown me what kind of “poor” attitude and “lack of” work ethics they have.

During the last two strikes, full day or half, I had taken it in my stride but this did not mean that I agreed with it and the way it was done. You might think it did not have much impact on me since I am a stay-at-home mom but what about many other mothers who had to scramble for alternative childcare arrangements. The kids thought it good that they were having a ‘free’ holiday but seriously, this kind of disruption, where they stay at home being restless when they could have gained some enrichment at school cannot be good for them. So the statement in the letter ‘None of these bans affect the fundamental learning of the children at Seabrook and most do not impact on students or families at all…” is a lie. Stop trying to justify your actions!

Now the teachers are even going so far as to not give any comments on the individual school reports. I’m sorry, isn’t this just another example of how selfish and thoughtless the teachers can be in Victoria? Teachers claimed they want to “develop an employment agreement…that will provide for the continued quality education for all students in Victoria.” (as stated in AEU’s letter) but is this how you are getting it? By “DISRUPTING the continuity” and by a “NO QUALITY” report? By sacrificing the kids and sabotaging the welfare of the students that they are supposed to educate? What kind of maturity and example are they demonstrating to our children? We ask our kids to stop throwing tantrums and threatening to get their way, can the teachers listen too?

I have no issues with the teachers getting a fairer pay but from what I see, what the teachers want from the government is not exactly fair.

No introduction of performance pay. Everyone that works for someone knows that they are being measured by their performance, unless that someone is your father or mother. Why should lousy and lazy teachers (don’t tell me there are none) be paid the same as an excellent one? If that’s the case, what incentive is there to become a good teacher? What incentive is there for good teachers to stay in a public school? Perhaps some teachers are fearful that they will not be up to the mark when tested and are hiding behind the cloak of “equality” but I believe policies that encourage individual good performance will bring about a total better performance as a whole.

Experiments have shown that in a class of students where test scores were combined and averaged, the overall average score dropped over time. The theory is simple, over time smarter kids realised there is no incentive to work harder to get high scores since their marks will be ‘lowered’ anyway after averaging. And the weaker students will have no incentive to study hard too since their marks will be “higher” anyway after averaging. The teachers’ demand to have no performance discrimination can only be detrimental  to public school standards.

Reduction in face-to-face teaching hours. How can that be beneficial to our kids? Isn’t face-to-face teaching the fundamental role of the teachers? Compared to many other professions and occupations, teachers get their school holidays and many other occasions of ‘student free’ days to get their relaxation, upgrading time needed. If they honestly believe that their working time is too long, the door is always open for them to find a better job.

So I’m sorry but I’m not in support of the teachers’ actions as I don’t see any benefits and only more harm to public schooling and all our school children of Victoria. Already Australian education standards are nothing to boast about. Please ask them to seek their redress and iron out their conflict with their employer (the government) in a more reconciliatory and reasonable way, without compromising the long term benefits and welfare of our kids and in a way that better reflect the values and principles of the sacred calling of their profession.

Thank you so much for your time.

Yours sincerely,