Singapore Science Tuition, Teaching Students To Enjoy The Subject
Learning should always be fun. But at some point, students tend to hate a certain subject; for instance, Science. Sometimes they find it very challenging. Other times, they simply say that they just can’t build chemistry with the subject. (more…)
Jose Mujica lives in a farmhouse with his wife rather than in a luxurious house provided by the state. It is one owned by his wife and the couple continues to work on the land. He donates 90% of his USD12,000 monthly salary away to charity. Jose does not agree with the label of ‘poor’; a word which he reserves for people in rich countries who struggle to maintain their lavish lifestyles. In 2010, Jose’s personal wealth was declared at USD1,800, which is the value of his 1987 Volkswagen Beetle.
What a stark contrast to the situation in Singapore, where our per capita GDP is one of the highest in the world and our political leaders are the most well paid.
Jose Mujica: The World’s ‘poorest’ president
Everyone would have heard the myth that we utilize only 10% of our brains, and that there is massive potential for growth in intelligence. Perhaps it is the hopeful undertone that keeps us believing and perpetuating this belief, but neuro-scientists have already discovered for some time that the claim is but a myth. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, it can be seen clearly enough that more than 10% of brain cells are utilized even when the body and mind is at rest.
The more discouraging truth is that our brain cells are limited resources, and that brain cells disintegrate when their specific functions are no longer needed. It scares me into thinking that my crucial skills and abilities developed over months and years of training could be lost in a single month-long holiday. Neuro-scientists should work out the shelf-life of our brain cells and let us know what to do with this ‘brain drain’.
Full Report from BBC: Do We Only Use 10% of Our Brains?
It is hard for us to give clear directions to someone who has not seen a place as we have. To those who do not know, they need specific and almost formula-like instructions to get to a place totally new to them. However to the one giving instructions, he may experience the curse of knowledge, in which he is not able to fully grasp the ignorance of the other party. Being a tutor is not easy as simply knowing your stuff. It involves how you communicate your knowledge and how patiently you do it. Knowing the science behind the ‘curse of knowledge’ could be helpful.
Why is it so hard to give directions?
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20121106-why-we-are-so-bad-with-directions
Competition in all aspects of life is already becoming challenging by the second. A sample illustration of an area that depicts the presence of a competition is in the area of education. (more…)
Rather than the presence of several ‘smart’ genes that boost the intelligence of people, scientists are proposing that it could be the absence of ‘stupid’ genes that hamper brain development and the enhancement of intelligence. Intelligence, you may say, is not as important as people skills?
Research has pointed to intelligent people earning more, living longer, raising smarter children, feeling happier and enjoying better health. Read more about the latest in brain science:
The UK government has banned the use of calculators in tests for 11-year olds. Some critiques have lamented the policy as ‘a retrograde step’, but the government’s intention is to ensure that children are not over-reliant on calculators for basic Maths which should be done mentally. In Singapore, the use of calculators at Primary 5 and 6 levels was introduced in 2008. Some may feel that the introduction is a tat too early and that students did become slightly lazy with mental calculations. However, the first papers of tests and exams are usually set with the exclusion of the use of calculators, and should thus not interfere with students’ need to continue honing their mental and written arithmetic skills. What is your take on the issue?
Full story on BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-20259382
Below are the top 20 earning professions in Singapore, as compiled by www.salary.sg. The list is developed based on the Ministry of Manpower’s Report on Wages for 2011. The numbers do not take bonuses and profit sharing into account. The importance of leadership and people skills feature prominently in the list. You may also observe that many spots are taken by positions in the finance industry.
1. Managing director/ Chief executive officer – $29,102
2. Foreign exchange dealer/ Broker – $22,302
3.Marketing and sales representative (institutional sales of financial products) – $20,834
4. Trade broker (including oil and bunker trader) – $19,500
5. Company director – $17,142
6. Financial/ Investment adviser – $15,500
7. Chief operating officer/ General manager – $15,005
8. Commodities derivatives broker – $15,000
9. Ship broker – $15,000
10. Creative director (advertising) – $14,750
11. University lecturer – $14,000
12. Real estate agent – $13,952
13. Software and applications manager – $12,280
14. Advocate/ Solicitor – $12,213
15. Lawyer (excluding advocate and solicitor) – $10,900
16. Financial/ Insurance services manager (eg financial institution branch manager) – $10,250
17.Chemical engineer – $10,105
18. Network and communications manager – $10,024
19. IT service manager – $9,999
20. General practitioner/ physician – $9,963
Top 100 list: http://www.salary.sg/2012/top-100-jobs-in-singapore-2012/
MOM’s Report on Wages 2011: http://www.mom.gov.sg/statistics-publications/national-labour-market-information/publications/pages/report-wages-singapore11.aspx
Science is helping to create a class of super humans; humans who are able to work without tiring or breaking down. We already have access to drugs which are able to boost mental performance and wakefulness. These drugs are potent, and they were originally developed for use by dementia patients and hyperactive children. Video logs may record everything we have seen and heard, allowing us to access these memories years later when needed.
However, there are many ethical concerns behind this development and we need to consider all the possible adverse consequences. While drivers and pilots may voluntarily be taking enhancing drugs to prevent tiredness now, such prevalence may set drug-taking as a norm by employers in future. The retirement age may be pushed much further back as people are expected to work much longer as well.
Full story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20217737
According to the news, MOE may be coming up with a common Mother Tongue framework for pre-schools across Singapore. This is to address the disparity of standards in the mother tongue of pre-school students all over Singapore. While this may look like a great move, care must be taken not to have pre-school children taking difficult tests. Any case of poor performance will have parents panicking unnecessarily.
Full story: http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC121106-0000041/Pre-schools-to-have-common-Mother-Tongue-framework
