Of course, an educator is different from an administrator. But which is more needed for our schools?
Is bookplate-making or a student's TV station so peculiar to those schools in China that it can't be emulated in Singapore for lack of ideas and facilities? In fact, the activity per se doesn't matter, but the initiative to boost the students' motivation does.
The essence of education lies more in activating a desire in the educated to study on their own accord.
In Singapore, waves upon waves of new policies, re-set targets, appraisals and assessments tend to make even the most competent principals feel inadequate.
Besides, a principal is judged by his executive abilities rather than his commitment to the ideal of education.
Of course we have no lack of educators highly actuated by ideals, but they hardly have the urge to break through the various restrictions. Principals and teachers alike may have lots of fresh ideas of how to do a better job, but they have yet to take an even tougher challenge and uphold the ideal of education for the benefit of their students.
Here we have a perfect education system, which provides a regular environment for normal growth. Yet our practices, on the whole, still encourage excellence and fulfilment of potentials while neglecting the balance between intelligence and character in the educated.
Education should be different from business management. If our principals can free their minds to pursue their ideals on a reasonable assumption, we can expect to see more of their cherished dreams come true.
•The author is editor of Thumbs Up , a weekly newspaper for Primary pupils. Translated by Allen Zhuang
我們的教育欠缺些什麼？
● 蔡深江
作者最近率領本年度模範華文教師訪問中國山東和北京，參觀當地的中文教學情況。這是他的感想。
最近在中國參觀了兩所學校，校長辦校的理念讓人暗自喝采。
中國也面對新生代學生不愛閱讀的問題，濟南一所國小的校長於是在學校推行製作藏書票的活動。
不但是全校各年級學生要製作藏書票，老師也必須參與製作。整個製作藏書票的活動成了學校最主要的一個工程，每一年浩浩蕩蕩舉行。
美術老師負責課後教導學生以石膏刻製版模，其他科目的老師則鼓勵學生閱讀課外書，點出製作藏書票的意義。
最後，所有師生的作品都展示出來，藏書票加上簡單的讀書報告，成了學校最漂亮的成績單，不但達到了鼓勵閱讀的目的，也巧妙地提煉了學生的美學觀念。
校長的出發點很平實，只是想通過藏書票這個古老的印刷方式，結合美的教育和閱讀習慣，讓學生通過一種更輕鬆有趣的認知過程，加強學習效果。
北京的一所中學則是讓學生成立電視台，從節目的策劃到台前幕後的大小工作都由學生負責，連擔任電視台台長的學生也是通過校長和全校師生一人一票選舉產生。
校方則提供相當有限的製作經費，以及設立簡單的攝影棚和條件不是很好的剪接後制場所。
我和負責同學在悶熱的剪接室交談，夏初的暑熱使人難受，然而我對學生們的精神十分佩服。
校長用周會放映學生拍攝製作的節目，並且讓學生公開討論，辯論解說節目的內容和製作水平。
學生在課餘時間進行攝製的相關工作，不影響他們的正課學習。
面對訪客，校長不談學生的學業成績和其他輝煌的比賽記錄，專心分享她和學生成立電視台的用心、效果以及驕傲。
我不得不將本地的教育情況帶出來比較。
※本文作者：佚名※