Overseas visitors tour Oak Park school
By Sophia Fischer sfischer@theacorn.com

Medea Creek Middle School students and staff welcomed two guests from Singapore, the first to ever officially visit from another country, according to Principal Laurel Ford.

Two representatives from the Singapore Ministry of Education toured Medea Creek on Tues., March 20, observed classes and spoke with students and teachers.

Tracy Yong, Singapore curriculum planning officer in English language, and Ng Foong Meng, curriculum planning officer in home economics, also met with Ford and Oak Park Superintendent Tony Knight to discuss the district's technology, art and health programs. Students welcomed the women with a banner that included a welcome message in Chinese.

"We want to see how we can adopt some of your ideas," Yong said.

As a "Schools to Watch" facility, Medea Creek often receives visitors who come to view its program. Medea Creek is one of 87 high-performing middle schools nationwide that have earned the distinction. The Singapore officials, attending an education conference in Anaheim, came across the Schools to Watch program online and contacted the California representative to arrange the tour of several Southern California middle schools, including Medea.

The Singapore officials shared information about their educational system, which they described as much stricter than the American version. Corporal punishment is used for boys but only after all other discipline measures have been attempted.

"We were expecting more rowdiness in the classrooms here," Yong said. "But we are seeing students sitting and listening to the teacher."

Singapore does not have middle schools. Students are divided into two levels, one serving kindergarten through eighth grades, the other ninth through 12th grades.

Even Singapore's school buildings are different from many on California campuses, encompassing large four- to sevenstory structures. Technology is incorporated into each Singapore classroom through wireless networks, projectors and laptops for students.

"A few years ago technology was the main focus, but it is now shifting away. We are now using technology as a tool instead, not as the main focus," Foong Meng said.

A typical school day in Singapore begins at 7:20 a.m., ending at 1:30 p.m. for primary grades and at 3 for secondary students. Vacations include one week in September, six weeks in November/December, one week in March and the month of June.

Schools offer extracurricular activities such as dance, band and chess on scheduled days after school. All students learn English, and all instruction is in English. Students also learn a secondary language, usually their native language based on their race.

"The government doesn't want to appear to favor one group over another, so students learn English the moment they enter school," Yong said.

The visitors were very impressed by what they learned and saw at Medea, according to Dr. Irvin Howard, director of the California Schools to Watch program. Howard arranged the visit to Medea as well as tours of three other top middle schools in Northridge, Rowland Heights and San Clemente.

Yong and Foong Meng told Howard they were impressed by students' politeness, selfconfidence and active participation in the classroom; the high level of classroom and campus interaction between children and staff; and the classroom management and discipline techniques that do not involve the use of a cane, as in Singapore.

"I could go on and on about the praise they had for our schools," Howard said.

"They took back many ideas they hope to share with the minister of education including the need for art, music and other elective opportunities in middle grade classes; the need to move to professional learning communities and teaming; more healthdirected physical education classes; more integration and differentiation; and finally the need to support teachers in a more positive manner," he said.