Review time spent on CCAs

[Jman888]

Review time spent on CCAs

Published on Mar 24, 2014, Straits Times Forum Letter

IN RECENT years, I have observed that students are spending increasingly longer hours in school for scheduled lessons and co-curricular activities (CCAs).

While I agree that CCAs are an important aspect of our students' education, it is perhaps time to review the amount of time students spend on this pursuit.

My daughter studies at an independent secondary school. She is required to stay back after school for her CCA three days a week, each time for up to four hours.

If there are forthcoming performances or competitions, she may need to stay back on additional days for practice.

Many of her schoolmates who take public transport wake up as early as 5.30am to make it in time for school at 7.20am.

Lessons end around 1.30pm and, following lunch, CCA starts at 2.30pm and ends at 6.30pm.

Taking public transport home sets them back by another one to 11/2 hours and some manage to reach home only after 8pm.

Following a quick dinner and wash-up, they start on their heavy homework load or revisions after 9pm. By the time they go to bed, it is way past midnight or 1am.

They wake up a few hours later at 5.30am, with barely five hours of sleep, to start another long, tiring day.

Most of us are aware of the long-term health risks of sleep deprivation.

While these students are young now and thus seemingly able to withstand such long hours of activities, they will suffer the ill effects later on in life.

In their quest to excel in not only academics but also CCAs, some schools may have imposed gruelling hours on students.

In the process, students, and the teachers who stay back for equally long hours, get caught up in a system that drains them mentally and physically.

The primary purpose of CCA is to develop the interests and talents of students; winning accolades is secondary and this should not be done at the expense of students' health.

I urge the Ministry of Education and the Health Promotion Board to look into this issue.

Perhaps a good starting point would be for the authorities to set a maximum CCA time limit, say nine hours a week, and mandate that all school activities should end by 5.30pm each day.

Left to their own discretion, schools may impose differing CCA standards, which students have no choice but to adhere to.

Lee Hui Ling (Madam)

 

 

 

 

what is your thought of this concern mother?

 

did CCA form the best part your school life? or do you think the parents are over protective?

 

 

[Sosaria]

Bo pian... the letter writer already stated "independent secondary school" - which means some CCAs may be quite 'high key' and expected to bring in some prizes.

 

These CCAs will be requiring lots of practice sessions and they go about it very seriously.

 

I know that for such CCA, even in the midst of school events, e.g. camp at other venues, external events, etc. - the students involved in the CCA even get bussed back for the CCA practice! And then back to re-join the original activity! No joke. I'm talking primary school here.

 

The CCAs that are 'high key' are usually those involving performance, e.g. music-related, or sports.

 

Parents have a choice: if they think the kid can't cope, then just concentrate on studies and choose a milder CCA. Nobody is forcing them actually.

 

Letter writer also states: "The primary purpose of CCA is to develop the interests and talents of students; winning accolades is secondary ....." Yeah, yeah, nice fairy-tale...

Edited March 24, 2014 by Sosaria

[Jman888]

are schools taking the competition of these CCA too seriously?

 

actually i rather kids spend time outside than they spend in computer playing games or watch korean drama (if they have too much time without any cca).

 

 

 

i love the reply from one reader....

 

don't know what issue MOE or HPB has to look into. it is your child's life, not your life. if you want to manage it, talk to your child. don't go shoot arrow to someone else to handle it. that's bad parenting!

1. you should know the consequences of staying 1 1/2 hours away from the school. furthermore, if it's a sec sch, you should have been calculative enough to choose properly during post-PSLE.

2. certain schools are tasked with niche areas that they have to uphold. so if you know that your child has interest in this niche area, you better let yourself AND your child know of the cause and consequences of going into it.

3. if you are not supportive of your child taking part in any competition, better talk to your child first. if you are not supportive of your child having an all-rounded balanced life, go ahead and write a letter to the teacher-in-charge or HOD or Principal, to reject your child from any grueling competition training or long CCA hours in school.

I can also turn this around and ask: if you know your child likes math puzzles, science experiments, likes reading and writing stories, would you tell your child to not spend so much time on those too, because you'd rather see your child go out and play more?

just because it's your child, does not mean everyone other child is the same. just because you want to child to excel academically, and live healthily, does not mean you have to deprive your child of their interest forcefully.

 

 

 

Parents have a choice: if they think the kid can't cope, then just concentrate on studies and choose a milder CCA. Nobody is forcing them actually.

 

 

i know like join the library as librarian

[Sosaria]

are schools taking the competition of these CCA too seriously?

 

actually i rather kids spend time outside than they spend in computer playing games or watch korean drama (if they have too much time without any cca).

 

 

 

i love the reply from one reader....

 

 

 

 

 

i know like join the library as librarian

 

 

Purposely arrange to be on duty with librarians Forced to spend some time together weekly...

Edited March 24, 2014 by Sosaria

[Ender]

If don't spent time on CCA, they will spent time loitering around shopping centre. Kids don't go straight home after school, especially those in the upper sec.

[Mockngbrd]

They screwed up when they made count as part of their results. Totally missed the point liao.

[Carnoob]

No. 1 question I would ask: if she is really concern for her child, why did she send her to a school so far away? Just because it is an independent school? If my kid is in a school near to home, I will not be concerned with CCA and how much time it takes.

 

No 2 question on my mind, if school CCA's achievement is not important or school results is not important then why are parents looking for independent school? So it brings about another irony in our Singapore education system.

 

We excel with results, e.g. best in maths, best in spelling. All these achievements come with time sacrificed for training. And to achieve good grades, students had to stay behind for extra classes. These are school's faults? I say it is the Kiasu parents fault.

 

We push the school to produce results, we push the school to show us what they are capable of.

 

Anyway, I'm a non-believer that achievers are those with good results, only those from "good" schools can be successful.

 

THESE ARE ILLUSIONS TO CREATE ELITISM.

 

 

 

[Benarsenal]

Last time in sec sch, me and my friends join a 'token' CCA (in my case was badminton), then we pakat with the teacher to give us the points at end of year.

 

Now all so serious, for what? I really pity school kids nowadays. So much stress and pressure.

[TVT]

What kind of CCA stretch till 6.30pm? I tot most CCA ends at mid afternoon the most.... The CCA teacher also stay so late meh?

 

Could it be the student himself/herself stayed back after CCA class to do homework or go library or something...?

[Jman888]

What kind of CCA stretch till 6.30pm? I tot most CCA ends at mid afternoon the most.... The CCA teacher also stay so late meh?

 

Could it be the student himself/herself stayed back after CCA class to do homework or go library or something...?

 

 

most cca now outsource to outside trainer or coach lah, teacher no need to stay back one.

Edited March 24, 2014 by Jman888

[Sabian]

If the writer feels his kid should spend less time, then he has to talk to his kid and arrive at a decision to opt for a less time consuming CCA?

 

Why suggest a blanket change that will affect every other kids?

 

If the CCA is something the kid really likes to participate in, then there has to be a trade off made somewhere for other activities in the kid's time that are deemed less important compared to the CCA.

[Benarsenal]

What kind of CCA stretch till 6.30pm? I tot most CCA ends at mid afternoon the most.... The CCA teacher also stay so late meh?

 

Could it be the student himself/herself stayed back after CCA class to do homework or go library or something...?

 

Nonsense la.

 

Sec school already end 1-2pm. Some have extra remedial lessons after that also. CCA after that might start 3-4pm or later.

 

In my time CCA have to come back on Saturday some more.

[Loki]

What kind of CCA stretch till 6.30pm? I tot most CCA ends at mid afternoon the most.... The CCA teacher also stay so late meh?

 

Could it be the student himself/herself stayed back after CCA class to do homework or go library or something...?

 

I live 5 mins from my kids' school. One of my kids' CCA is guitar and it's twice a week, from 2.30 to 5.30 pm. But most of the time, it ends only at about 6.15 pm.

 

When preparing for school concert (not even SYF), she had to go in on Saturdays from 8.30 am till 5.30 pm. Whole day.

 

But I am not complaining. First, she really enjoys playing the guitar. Between homework/revision when she takes a break, she will play on her guitar to relax. Second, she wants to become a comm member for the CCA. So, she goes around to socialise with her juniors and seniors and make friends and "solicit" support for votes etc. These are important life skills that no one can teach her and she "learnt" on her own purely because of her passion for the CCA.

[Jman888]

But I am not complaining. First, she really enjoys playing the guitar. Between homework/revision when she takes a break, she will play on her guitar to relax. Second, she wants to become a comm member for the CCA. So, she goes around to socialise with her juniors and seniors and make friends and "solicit" support for votes etc. These are important life skills that no one can teach her and she "learnt" on her own purely because of her passion for the CCA.

 

 

the activity itself is one thing, other effect or skills learn from the CCA is something they gain or could learn and use in the future.

If the writer feels his kid should spend less time, then he has to talk to his kid and arrive at a decision to opt for a less time consuming CCA?

 

Why suggest a blanket change that will affect every other kids?

 

If the CCA is something the kid really likes to participate in, then there has to be a trade off made somewhere for other activities in the kid's time that are deemed less important compared to the CCA.

 

 

parents never ask the kid if he enjoy the cca or not and come to conclusion that it is hurting the kid, unless the kid lie to her and skip cca to do something else, if not why he is willing to put in so much time.

[Nlatio]

are schools taking the competition of these CCA too seriously?

 

 

 

Ya, in fact too seriously..... CCA is suppose to let the kiddo develop other areas... not just study and study.... but some school treat CCA as a National Competition and expect the kiddo to play like a PRO...... you dont farking join for fun..... you go for competition... you farking better WIN.....

[Roh96]

I feel the mummy is over reacting by taking this issue to MOE. If she has a concern, she should at least try work it out between her and the school, and not attempting to seek MOE for a blanket policy.

 

On the other hand, the DSA route opened a door for many parents to push their kids for this route. Among my network of friends and relatives, I am seeing a few liao. They send their kids for additional sports like Table Tennis, signing them for competitions, all in the hope that they will be poached by coach to enter 'popular' school thru DSA.

[Jman888]

I feel the mummy is over reacting by taking this issue to MOE. If she has a concern, she should at least try work it out between her and the school, and not attempting to seek MOE for a blanket policy.

 

On the other hand, the DSA route opened a door for many parents to push their kids for this route. Among my network of friends and relatives, I am seeing a few liao. They send their kids for additional sports like Table Tennis, signing them for competitions, all in the hope that they will be poached by coach to enter 'popular' school thru DSA.

 

 

for table tennis, i thought they 'recruit' student from overseas?

 

Ya, in fact too seriously..... CCA is suppose to let the kiddo develop other areas... not just study and study.... but some school treat CCA as a National Competition and expect the kiddo to play like a PRO...... you dont farking join for fun..... you go for competition... you farking better WIN.....

 

 

only the elite schools want to fight hard to maintain their ranking, the other school can enjoy what they are doing with less pressure, cannot say no pressure cos they will have the wrong attitude toward the thing they do.

[RadX]

are schools taking the competition of these CCA too seriously?

 

actually i rather kids spend time outside than they spend in computer playing games or watch korean drama (if they have too much time without any cca).

 

 

 

i love the reply from one reader....

 

 

 

 

 

i know like join the library as librarian

 

 

u book sperm...i mean worm