Standard 4 workload

My girl is in Standard 4 this year. She’s got a brand new school bag to carry her books to and from school. She used her old one for three years. Not bad considering the weight it had to carry and the way she dragged it up and down the stairs. Bumpity. Bump. Bump!

My girl is fond of taking her books to and from school. She does not like to leave her books in her desk like most other kids do because she is afraid she may forget to bring work home.

She has 10 sometimes 11 periods of lessons in a day. Some of the lessons are double lessons i.e. back to back periods for a subject. She may have up to 6 textbooks and workbooks to carry for 1 subject. Then there are the exercise books. Each subject may have 3 or more exercise books.  Some teachers tell them which books to bring on which day. For those which don’t, she will bring all of her books in a given day.

In standard 3, she had to study the three languages, Chinese, Malay and English plus Maths and Science and Moral besides Art and Physical Education. This year she has 3 new subjects. They are Kajian Tempatan, Kemahiran Hidup and Pendidikan Sivik dan Kewarganegaraan. She tells me she has to carry 6 more books for these 3 subjects.

Then there is the Maths and Science in English books. Last year she was handed the books, then told to return them and later was given the books again. Altogether, another 6 books. She will now learn Maths and Science in English AND Chinese for a while longer. Her class teacher will teach her Maths and Science in English ‘when she has the time’.

That’s it then. Good luck school bag. I hope you can withstand the extra weight and burden this year. Good Luck dear girl. I hope you can take the extra lessons in stride. Good  Luck teacher, I hope you will not be too stressed up and take it on the kids. Good Luck Parents, I hope you won’t have more white hair guiding your kids.