WHY do children “walk to school and run home” in a figurative manner of speech? It is because the home offers them much excitement and fun.
The children have access to the latest gadgets and technology that provide hours of entertainment and amusement.
The school, on the other hand, is mundane and “sleep-inducing”, as revealed in a survey a few years ago on classroom teaching.
The scenario in primary school classrooms is devoid of fun and play activity. Chalk and talk, textbooks, workbooks and worksheets are the order of the day.
Primary schoolchildren are playful and love fun activities.
English language teaching has always been considered as difficult and boring because of the stereotype lessons and a syllabus that is dry and dull.
The report, “Pupils learn English the fun way” (NST, March 27), had 50 primary schoolchildren in Raub in a two-hour NST Niexus workshop learning English the fun way.
Students meaningful, exciting lessons away from the “chalk and talk”.
Schools should organise more field trips, real-life experiences and self-initiated programmes to make learning fun
Teachers have a lot of responsibilities and are unable to carry out their core business of teaching effectively.
They are bogged down by paperwork and clerical duties.
The class size also makes it difficult for teachers to carry out activity-based learning. Teachers have to handle 30 to 45 pupils in a small classroom.
Examinations are the biggest factor that takes the fun out of learning. Teachers are hard-pressed for time as they have to complete the syllabus and get the children prepared for examinations.
If we are serious about making schools exciting and fun for children, we have to revamp the education system and make it less examination-oriented.
By Samuel Yesuiah, Seremban, Negri Sembilan
Source: New Straits Times Letters to the Editors 27 April 2012
