Thoughts of the Learning Jouney.

After attending through the Learning Journey as conducted by Mr. Lit, I was really shocked and envious of Winchester College in terms of their classroom sizes between them and Singapore. The classroom sizes of Winchester College was amazingly a 10 : 1 teacher - students ratio and the "largest" size is only 15: 1. Comparing the class size into Singapore's local context, the teacher : students ratio is, 40 :1. Which makes us ponder..., "Are we really touching every child's mind and soul?"

I could almost visualise myself teaching in a class of 10. Every child's behaviour, every child's movement and I, the teacher, will be able to know them more easily and apply appropriate strategies into managing the classroom better. I could even use new thought of strategies into teaching lessons whereas it would not be as as "advantageous" as teaching in a class of 40. By saying this sentence, I don't mean it's impossible to use new strategies in a class of 40, it's just that i felt it's harder and the impact made on students will be reduced.

However, it is understandable for our Government to put class sizes to 40 pupils. There is always a demand for teachers and i have observed that the turn-over rate for teachers is high. This could well be the very reason that class sizes has not been reduced. On the other hand, MOE has been coming up with new policies like "Teach less, Learn More", "SEED" programmes as well as "Innovation and Enterprise". All of these mentioned helps teachers to engage students into a more student-centered learning environment, e.g. by using ICT or engaging the use of learning centers in classrooms.

Overall, i feel that as a teacher, constant changes in always around us; be it school changes, or policy changes. All we have to do is to accept the "change", and "change" ourselves accordingly and learn as much possible and apply the skills necessary whenever we can.