Congrats 1 A, 5 As, no A
BE AN ALL-ROUNDER: Acing an examination is not the ultimate target, but some parents view that as very important
DEAR Sara, Congratulations on doing well in your UPSR (Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah). You scored As in English. Excellent! You didn’t do badly in the other subjects either, but you could have done better.
If I were your parent, I wouldn’t be too worried. Your English is excellent, really. If you had put in a bit more effort, you could have scored As in your Bahasa Malaysia papers as well. A bit more focus and attention is all you need.
But, you need to put in the hours for Mathematics and Science. These are important subjects. I didn’t pay much attention to both when I was your age, but my interest had always been in literature and the arts.
Today’s world is very competitive. In the future, it will be even more competitive.
If parents push their children too much, they may not do well. Pushing only adds to the children’s stress. Not everyone can handle such stress. The kids may suffer and will not enjoy school.
I can understand why parents are stressed, especially those who were banking on their children to score after paying for their tuition and other support mechanisms.
I overheard a remark made by a parent yesterday: “I spent money on his tuition lessons. He had everything he wanted. Just before the exam, I bought him an iPad Mini. He should score a few As at least.”
So you see, Sara, there are parents who spent a lot of money on their children. And they hoped their children will get straight As.
These parents will be disappointed if they don’t see the string of As on the result slip.
Scoring straight As is not the ultimate target. But some parents view that as very important and set straight As as their children’s KPI (key performance index). I laughed when a parent mentioned that to his friends.
Every year, when the results are released, we get all sorts of reaction from parents, students and teachers. There are tears and cheers.
Some parents will be upset when their children fail to score. Some don’t react much when shown their children’s results. Perhaps, these parents do not see much in their children’s future. Hence, the indifference.
Some parents will take great pains to justify their actions leading to the children’s results.
Example one: “He scored 6 As. I
Pic by Muhammad Sulaiman am not surprised because I spent all my free time with him. I made sure he got the extra tutelage before the exam dates. Money well spent!”
Example two: “One A is okay. I don’t have the means to send him for tuition. But, he represents the school in football and badminton.”
But, the fact remains that no child can go far in life without encouragement from those around him. Success comes with paying attention to the details of your children’s education.
In their formative years, children need a great deal of attention. Right, Sara?
The manner in which you interact with your children is important. They will emulate your behaviour in many ways.
Show them arrogance, and they will become arrogant. Instead, show them patience and understanding. Teach them to wash their shoes, do the dishes and make their beds. Teach them to be independent and resourceful.
I dread it when I see parents who shout at their children to make them listen. It may work for a while. But soon, the children will defy them and they will lose their children.
So Sara, you should consider yourself lucky to have scored two As. Your RM100 is with me. If you had scored six As, I would be RM300 poorer. Also, not getting an A could have meant you would have gotten an earful from your parents for months.
In the new year, you need to change your study habits and lifestyle. Spending too much time on the iPad won’t help. You need to be more aware in the new year.
Exams will be tougher. Expectations will be higher. And your competitors will pass by you easily. School is to be enjoyed, not to be dreaded.
Apart from seeking As, you must try to become an all-rounder — good in class, in sports and in living skills, too.