邊間大學愉快學習，活動教學，又唔谷?

chunyatmama

Difficult in and easy out is not bad at all.  Afterall, Us are teaching us how to learn but not really teaching, apart from some technicall degrees.  At least, I think some subjects in HKU are like this.  Yet, I am from "old school" and may be out dated @@

chunyatmama

ANChan59 發表於 12-9-26 11:03
回復 Yanamami 的帖子

You read my mind.

Haha, I mainly read those sub-forums and will automatically screen those "interesting" questions out

chunyatmama

Last night, I talked to my hubby about this topic.  Both of us are U graduates.  He graduated from the U in US and I graduated from HKU.  Both of us agreed that in the old days, most of the parents were not really care about how and what we were studying.  As long as we were on the right track, they were fine.  Now, being a parent is such a challenging task.  We got to be their friends; their education consultant; career development counsellor, etc.  

chunyatmama

ANChan59 發表於 12-9-27 10:02
回復 chunyatmama 的帖子

Match maker, financial adviser, fire fighter........ Finally, Monster or He ...

haha, that's why the second part of the conversation with my hubby was how to strike a balance and avoid to be a Monster or Helicopter parent

chunyatmama

回復 Shootastar 的帖子

We actually keep reviewing our ways in raising our kids.  As said, they are really young (just one at 5 and one at 3).  We always discuss about the good and bad examples like those fighting on the starting line, coaching those at three to do spelling and those good parents how to hint their kids to review their lives and set targets when they are still young....

I am sure you will agree that there is no strict formular.  We keep reviewing and reminding ourselves.  You know what my hubby was a naughty kid when he was young.  He failed two times in HKCEE.  He started all over his life when he went to US for high school which changed his whole life.  Thus, he has strong view on local education system.  And he knows what the naughty kids are thinking

chunyatmama

回復 kingmama 的帖子

This is a boring story actually.

He was labelled as a bad kid when he was young as just liked to play and play with bad academic result.  Actually, he was not bad but just playful.  He was not interested in studying as he could not cope with the syllabus.  The local education system is just about quick and quick plus memorise everything.  If the foundation is not good, one cannot build anything on.  The tolerance or assistant provided under the local education system for slow / slower learner is not sufficient.  While his parents are very traditional, i.e. scold and beating him very often because he was playful.  

The more he lagged behind, the more he was not interested in studying, go on and so on......  Actually, he has a clear mind that he loves taking pictures and drawing.  His friends were bad guys but he knew that he could not like those guys.

After he failed two times in HKCEE, he moved to San Fran to start all over again from High School (there is another interesting story behind), the teachers and the education system there did provide him help.  He went to US with 26 alphabets and "he is", "she is" and nothing more.  However, due to the caring teachers and the assists provided he picked up all English in just a year!  

There are too many stories in between.  Anyway, he is an Architect by now and I would say his English is far better than mine.  Also, his analytical power is very high.

chunyatmama

There is one thing he always remind my sisters.  Don't keep scolding the kids.  The more you scold to the kid, the more the kid will shut their ears.  Be consist in all kinds of incidents.

chunyatmama

回復 chunyatmama 的帖子

so as my hubby too.  He studied 5 secondary schools

chunyatmama

Shootastar 發表於 12-9-27 11:20
回復 chunyatmama 的帖子

In his view what is the thinking of the naughty kid? How does the naughty k ...

Hi Shootastar, my hubby's answers to your questions are as follows.  He gives his opinion with respect to a very young kid.  I am asking for his view if the subject kid is a teenager in deed.

1) In his view what is the thinking of the naughty kid?
Naughty kids are generally taught by their parents, of course, unintentionally. Kids were born as a plain white paper. They love to observe, learn, act and react. While schools are responsible for teaching them mainly knowledge, parents are mostly responsible to teach their kids the rules and righteousness, and they are solely responsible for their kids' behavior. Kids' behaviors could easily reflect the values of their parents.
                                                            
2) Rebellious?
Not necessarily! If there is no right or wrong but the adult is forcing the kid to do somethings just to satisfy the adult's own ego, then the adult is the problem.  However, if the kid keeps ignoring the teaching/guidance and insists wrong doings, then he is naughty.

3) Not follow the rules?
That's depended on what rules. If the parents believe that it is okay for their kids to play in a restaurant like at a playground, then there is no rules to them. Parents should give them freedom within boundaries.

4) Not attentive?
It is natural for kids to be inattentive when they are little, but the parents should guide them to be more attentive; otherwise, they will be naughty students in the eyes of a teacher. BTW, kids are very attentive to interesting subject matters. ( Note by Chunyatmama: this is one of the way my hubby start all over again to learn English by reading magazine in English with topics that he interested to, e.g. magazine about cars, cameras, etc.)

5) Like to challenge the authority?
It depends on how the parents see authority and Chinese's traditional value of respect. Western parents want their kids to treat them like friends, then there is no authority to them.  I believe in traditional chinese value of respect to teachers and parents, kids who challenge this would be considered as naughty to me, expected in the case stated in item 2.

6) What is his view on local education system?
Hong Kong inherits a British system based on levels. Traditional local schools mostly emphasize academic achievement of only three main subjects, namely Chinese, English and Mathematics. Students who could even marginally pass, may be, two of these main subjects would be promoted to the next level. However, these students may still have difficulties on other subjects, and their performance could only get worst because they were promoted without a solid foundation. Besides, traditional local schools are too rely on model answers, which would only kill creativities.
On the hand, I prefer the American education system which is based on subjects. Even a student is promoted to the next grade, he/she would still have to retake the failed subject until he/she could pass it. Besides, the teachers often stimulate different ways of thinking and discussion in class. I believe that's why the US leads in innovation.

chunyatmama

Yanamami 發表於 12-9-27 22:35
很多都說在英讀中學(較正規, 沒US那么無王管), 再到US讀大學最好. 取其所長. 你認為呢?

Haha, to me, if possible, I would like to have my kids study in UK for undergraduate and go to US for post graduate.  If they can finish their secondary school here in HK.  Otherwise, your suggestion is also acceptable to me.  I do not like too much freedom and the value system in US.  Though my hubby has second though.

chunyatmama

Just obtained the permission from my hubby to write about him.  (Actually, I have written about him already)

As said, his parents are just like other traditional local ones.  They were busy for their works rather than the children's education.  When he was in P.6, he picked a Secondary School randomly.  He was given a Band 5 2-storey shopping arcade like Secondary School.  He stayed in that school for about two weeks.  

Then he was successfully switched to his 2nd school which was a Band 1 school near Yaumatie.  When he was in form 2, there was once he was scolded by a male teacher for talking in the class.  My hubby was angry as he had not.  Thus, he kicked the teacher@@  He was then expelled by the school.  

Then he switched to his 3rd maybe band 3 to band 5 school to complete his junior secondary.  He was then switched to his 4th school near Sham Shui Po.  I guess it was a band 3-5 school at that time.  At the school, he was still very playful and not interested in studying.  He made a lot of friends.  Some were bad, really bad, and some were good.  He reminded himself that he should not follow the bad guys even if they play together.  I think he was mature in this aspect.  Those friends from this school are still his best friends by now despite most of them are not well educated.  

After taken two times HKCEE, he failed in most of the subjects, except Chi and Maths.  His brother at this time was preparing to go to San Francisco to continue the high school.  My hubby asked himself what he should do.  His strength is taking photos and drawings (while her family supported him nothing).  Yet, he did not want to have his career just with these two skills.  He asked for his parents if he could go to US with his brother to further study.  The answer was……..

chunyatmama

Just back from a meeting

The 2nd part of the story:

His mother said if he could manage to obtain an approval from the embassy for which no one would help him (in fact, I guess his parents was lazy and not really care if he managed to get the approval : P), he could join his brother.  So, my hubby sought all information and went to apply for the student visa.  I guess there were not many agents or consultants offered assistants to students who want to study overseas.  

When he arrived the embassy, a Chinese ambassador met him and commented that his academic result was far too bad and he did not think my hubby could manage.  Thus, he rejected his application.  Not knowing that one being rejected could not apply for the 2nd time, my hubby did not believe in faith and applied again.  Strangely, the embassy did not know this was his 2nd time to apply and arranged another ambassador to meet him.  For this time, it was an American lady.  My hubby presented sincerely with his limited English (remember he knew only 26 alphabets and some simple English only) to talk to the lady.  The lady was moved by him and granted him the chance to go to US with his brother to start all over again.

Thus, he started his 5th secondary school in US.  This was his turning point that he realized he could not waste this chance and thus he studied all subjects seriously.  The high school in SF offered students like my hubby a supplementary English Foundation class.  My hubby said his teacher was wonderful.  His English improved a lot.  His brother even said he could chase back all the time wasted in HK and his English standard becomes very good since then.

Afterward, he chose to Study Architecture in US with minor subject of photography.

Boring story, huh?  I strike out some details in between and to make it not so bored.

chunyatmama

Yanamami 發表於 12-9-28 11:15
Not boring at all! It's actually so very inspiring.  He had such courage to go for a 2nd time meetin ...

In addition, there is a lesson to learn from as a parent.  My hubby's parents provided him with not much help but just scold and beating because 1. they have no knowledge and 2. they do not believe he can achieve something good owing that his academic result was bad.  They even do not believe that my hubby was a honour student in the high school.  Even if my hubby's aunt in US told my hubby's parents about this =='

chunyatmama

回復 annie40 的帖子

Thank you very much.  Knowing my hubby's story, I love him even more.  He deserves more love but just his parents do not understand him.  He was such a good kid with strong mind.  When he is focused, he can do things good.  It applies in his old days and present.

chunyatmama

vic.pretty 發表於 13-3-12 18:37
不如去外國啦, 點計都無香港讀得咁幸苦, 又多假期. 我囡在英國讀緊, 不過佢都話好辛苦, 可能美國會舒服些.  ...

In recent years, I discussed with a few parents who with their children leaving HK to study aboard, one in UK for Law and one In US Chicago for Business.  The is no short cut.  Their children needed to work very hard to fight for an offer.  After accepted by their favaourite U, they still need to study very hard till the middle of the night every night.  Anywhere you can find an easy life?  I can't think of any.  

Being a parent, our role is to nuture, faciliate or assist our children to build up strong mind to set their own target, understand what they are doing and the correct value system, no matter the children are going to study aboard or in HK.