I'll admit that I find the Parent-Teacher Meeting (PTM) one of the most paradoxical event started by an apparent dullard. I personally find PTM totally unnecessary and a complete waste of time. Perhaps that was why I rather not strike this lottery of getting PTM for 4 years. But my number was called.
I really feel a sense of unjust for those who frequent the meeting. What can the form teacher possibly say during the meet?
"Fail English, work harder on it, if not difficult enter Poly/JC"
"Fail so many subjects, L1R4 aggregate so high, can't enter most courses"
"You might want to consider dropping the subjects that you have been failing"
"How do you want to improve on the subjects you fared badly?"
"*Miscellaneous complaints on students' behaviour in class*"
How predictable this event works. All this questions had already been asked by my parents the day the light had shed on my examinations. And its already answered at the couch where I had a small talk with my parents. The ludicrous part was to have the questions asked again, by our teacher this time in the presence of our parents. First of all, I do agree that the teachers has the right to know why we achieve such poor grades but is it necessary for them to ask us with our parents around. Some parents have to take leave because of this and to listen the same tune being played by them days ago.
I also understand that my school is one of the really few school which only require the attendance of the pupil's parents should they fare badly for their grades. Its compulsory for most secondary schools to have the parents to turn up for a meeting with them.
Why can't the teachers arrange a time to have a conversation over the phone with the parents? Its not as if the meeting will take up to an hour or even 30 minutes. A few questions and cautions to let the parents know and that's it! I wonder how a simple thing can't even be brought to the mind of those people who are much educated than most of us.
And of course, I empathise with the teachers because I believe they also have the same ideology as me but its the school that insists on it. I bet they also feel dolt asking the those questions that parents would normally ask first. If you're a parent and your child gets such low grades, the first thing that you will do is to ask why right? The next probable question is how you're going to improve right? And the teachers are going to ask that. Horrendous.
There's some parents who will also like to meet their child's teachers perhaps as a form of formality and to understand the mentors behind their child's education. They also want to know how competent is the teacher, hence the meet. All this can be arranged at a date after the examinations or any time during curriculum hours so parents can have ample time to request for a leave from their work. I think its too impromptu to issue the form only 2 days before the meeting.
In this way, the objective is equally achieved as the teachers get to communicate with the parents and extract results to talk about via the phone. And for those parents who were so desperately to meet the teachers, they can arrange a time to meet and have sufficient time to request for a leave. Its a shame some people can't think of this brilliant idea.