School Ranking by Felicia & Leandra

Assignment 2 : school league tables 'encourage the selling of souls' - Felicia Yee & Leandra Nair 4B

Summarise some of the arguments the author raises against UK School league tables.
The author states that schools are turned from centres of learning into marketing enterprises seeking instant results. Although testing is indeed an essential way of gauging attainment, it is abused when the results are used for comparative purposes with no explanation, where the test becomes the driving force in teaching and inhibits the process of learning. It is also where teachers encourage adhering to a prescribed body of knowledge, often without hesitation or deviation. The league tables encourage students to accept that education is about passing exams and that nothing else counts. It also encourages parents to look for schools that get results, however short term they may be.

Do you agree with the author that schools should not be ranked? How are these ideas reflected in your society? Provide reasons for your answer in one paragraph, with reference to a specific argument in the article, within 200 – 250 words.
I agree that schools should not be ranked. Ranking of schools will firstly push every school to pressurize their students to achieve the best results academically in order for the school to be among the top ranks.(PT) Therefore, the school would drive each student to perform well and attain excellent results in tests, which may result in rote memorisation and spoon-feeding of knowledge. Not only is this useless as students will not retain what they learnt, but in the long-term, it causes students to be overly stressed in an attempt to cram as much information in their head as possible (Expl). In an article by the Ministry of Education, "These include abolishing the nearly decade-old system of banding secondary schools based on their academic results, which has led to keen and sometimes unhealthy competition among schools. Some awards which schools currently get from the ministry for academic achievements will also be scrapped." (Evid) This shows that the government is trying to move the focus of schools away from academic achievements and more on the holistic aspect. The government recognises the adverse effects of a ranking system and hence has abolished it. (Eval) Schools are trying to develop students whollistically with activities such as an Arts Festival week, leadership camps, sports programs and so on (Evid). Thus in Singapore, the focus of schools has shifted from academic ranking to ensuring students get a well-rounded and fulfilling education that allows them to pursue their different interests. (Eval & Link)

Assignment 4 : Felicia Yee (4B) and Leandra Nair (4B)

Summarise from Paragraphs 2-4 why ecological modernism believes that technology is the solution to environmental problems in about 100 words.

Ecological modernization believes that harnessing innovation and entrepreneurship can save the planet, and while modernists are still all for being environmentally friendly, they are all for making use of nuclear energy, genetically modified crops, urbanisation and geoengineering to help solve the problem of climate change. They state that they embrace these technologies to give nature room, to allow nature to rest while we are able to narrow our human activity through more efficient technology. With technology, more land can be freed up, and modernists want to cut the links between mankind and nature, and restore large spaces of habitats and reintroduce species that once lived in those habitats.

READER RESPONSE QN: Do you think technology is going to help Mankind solve all environmental problems? Your response should be between 200 and 250 words.

I do not think that technology is going to help Mankind solve all environmental problems as it might lead to other problems, and might cause the sustainability of the industry to decrease. For example, one of the biggest technological innovations in aquaculture and fishing in the last half century has led to a near total breakdown of all saltwater fisheries worldwide. Instead of increasing the stocks and providing greater resource management, it has done the exact opposite. In this case, technology has not made life easier for the fish, but has made life easier for the fishermen. With mile long nets, city-sized drag lines, sonar fish-finders and huge commercial harvesting boats, the stocks have been reduced to the point where they could be reaching total collapse. This shows that even though technology can indeed solve some environmental problems, it could lead to more problems in the same industry. With technology, there is decreased sustainability as well, when there is an increased rate at which the fishermen catch the types of fish they catch, what will happen to the other organisms that feed on the fish or the organisms that the fishes feed on? There will be an imbalance in the ecosystem and the ecosystem might not be able to sustain itself any longer. Therefore, I do not think that technology can solve all environmental problems as it will inevitably lead to other problems, and affect the sustainability of the industry as well.

Assignment 3: Can Genetically modified food feed the world? (Felicia Yee and Leandra 4B)

SUMMARY

There are many benefits of producing genetically modified food but one of the main ones is its ability to help alleviate world hunger. The growth of genetically modified food is the fastest growth segment in agriculture and much of the crops can be used for animal feed and biofuel, as well as feed the masses through processed foods sold in America and Asia. Genetically modified food are also cheaper to grow, increase yields and has a longer shelf life. The genetically modified traits make the plants and animals more resistant to disease, and can grow more robustly in different conditions, reducing costs and thus providing economic benefits to food producers that help companies rake in profits.

READER'S RESPONSE

No, I don't think genetically modified food alone can solve the problem of hunger in poor nations. In order to solve the problem of world hunger, it would require the engagement and cooperation from many countries and that might be too much to hope for. For example, one of the world's poorest countries, India, does not allow any genetically modified crops to be grown. Even though the regulators approved of the planting and sale of the crops, it was then rejected by the court with many general and emotional arguments that dominated the debate. The same thing has been happening in many other countries too like the Philippines and the bulk of sub-Saharan Africa. Without the cooperation of many countries to plant the genetically modified crops in their countries, the problem of hunger in those nations will continue on and all the benefits of genetically modified food would not be able to be enjoyed by the people in those countries. Also, most of the genetically modified crops such as corn, cotton, soy and wheat are large cash crops with the most potential for profits, and not relevant for the cultivation in poor nations. Instead, crops like cassava, sorghum and millet etc. would be more suitable to be grown in these poorer nations. Therefore, genetically modified food alone is not able to solve the problem of hunger in poor nations without their cooperation and engagement.

Assignment 2 : school league tables 'encourage the selling of souls' - Felicia Yee & Leandra Nair 4B

Summarise some of the arguments the author raises against School league tables.
The author states that schools are turned from centres of learning into marketing enterprises seeking instant results. Although testing is indeed an essential way of gauging attainment, it is abused when the results are used for comparative purposes with no explanation, where the test becomes the driving force in teaching and inhibits the process of learning. It is also where teachers encourage adhering to a prescribed body of knowledge, often without hesitation or deviation. The league tables encourage students to accept that education is about passing exams and that nothing else counts. It also encourages parents to look for schools that get results, however short term they may be.

Do you agree with the author that schools should not be ranked? How are these ideas reflected in your society? Provide reasons for your answer in one paragraph, with reference to a specific argument in the article, within 200 – 250 words.
I agree that schools should not be ranked. Ranking of schools will firstly push every school to pressurize their students to achieve the best results academically in order for the school to be among the top ranks. Therefore, the school would drive each student to perform well and attain excellent results in tests, which may result in rote memorisation and spoon-feeding of knowledge. Not only is this useless as students will not retain what they learnt, but in the long-term, it causes students to be overly stressed in an attempt to cram as much information in their head as possible. In an article by the Ministry of Education, "These include abolishing the nearly decade-old system of banding secondary schools based on their academic results, which has led to keen and sometimes unhealthy competition among schools. Some awards which schools currently get from the ministry for academic achievements will also be scrapped." This shows that the government is trying to move the focus of schools away from academic achievements and more on the holistic aspect. The government recognises the adverse effects of a ranking system and hence has abolished it. Schools are trying to develop students whollistically with activities such as an Arts Festival week, leadership camps, sports programs and so on. In Singapore, the focus of schools has shifted from academics to ensuring students get a well-rounded and fulfilling education that allows them to pursue their different interests.

Assignment 1 : Innate Talent article by Felicia (03) & Leandra (06) 4B

Summarise main agreements for and against the concept of innate talent in 100-150 words
In the twenty first century, science is uncovering the mystery behind in-born talent. People believe that innate talent is either present or not as some abilities appear earlier than they could possibly be nurtured. There are child prodigies who have amazing abilities at a very young age. Genes contribute to a person's talent as well, where some people have clear physiological differences. However, super-achievers develop different talents at different ages as talent is a set of developed skills. Talent is a set of skills that are gained. Achievement is reliant on attitude, resources and practice. Early life experience and musical exposure drastically affects the path of a very young child.

To what extent do you agree with the writer’s argument that achievement depends on attitude, resources and practice. Provide reasons for your answer in one paragraph, with reference to a specific argument in the article, within 200-250 words.
Yes, we agree that achievement depends on attitude, resources and practice. According to the article, "The reason why some people seem to be born with such extraordinary abilities is due to distinct physiological differences in their brains, which then creates the opportunity for the ability to develop, but not the ability itself to develop." This means that although they may have different brain patterns, it only gives them the opportunity to develop their talents, and not give them natural talent. For example, Kim Peek, the "real rain man" and Derek Paravicini have the "Savant Syndrome", when the brain's left hemisphere is severely damaged, therefore inviting the right hemisphere, which is responsible for things like music and art, to heavily compensate for the loss. This, says Treffert, "promotes the idea of the brain's plasticity, and the brain's ability to recruit other areas to be put to use." In order for one to develop extraordinary talents, they require firstly the right attitude. They must have the desire to be in constant pursuit of knowledge and the willingness to embrace new challenges. If one is able to have the right attitude, talent can be easily nurtured. Also, it is important to have the right resources. One must source for the essential and helpful resources that one can use to develop his talent. For example, if one wishes to learn the violin, he must know where to look for violin scores and online materials that will teach him to play. Lastly, talent takes practice. "Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability."-Roy L. Smith. In order for one to develop outstanding talents and abilities, he must first be dilligent in practicing the particular skill.