#LifeBeyondGrades Is Changing Singapore With 'Grades Are Not Everything'

By christinelai on 17 Sep 2018

Children can feel depressed too. But worse, they cannot express how they feel and they find other means to release their emotions. Often, children disguise stress and sadness with silence, smiles, anger or draw/sleep excessively. School is stressful and let's face it. Many are of us can't handle Primary 6 math problems now. This hashtag #lifebeyondgrades are making rounds with people sharing their own story of how PSLE/grades do not define who they are today.

Photo from CHIJ KELLOCK

Sadly, apart from students, there are also cases of teachers who committed suicide. A group of parents launched a campaign "Life Beyond Grades" last Friday(14 Sep) in the hope of helping students know that life is more important and grades are not everything.

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The national rhetoric on education is truly shifting: “If academic excellence and going to university remains the only pathway to success, Singaporeans will end up artificially narrowing themselves, says the Education Minister” ?? ???? Click the link in our profile to see the video and connect to the story in @straits_times #lifebeyondgrades #futureready

A post shared by We are Parents (@lifebeyondgrades) on May 6, 2018 at 6:54am PDT

There is a startling rise in the number of students who took their own lives over grades.

Local celebrities and other famous personalities are speaking up and rooting for students to take it easy academically and not be overly stressed.

Jamie Yeo, a radio deejay, scored 263 for PSLE. It has been a journey for her but she advocates play and a healthy balance for children. Jamie said, "so I happily went to Poly and did Mass Comm. And now, I could not be more grateful for the education I received."

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This is my PSLE score. Sure, I might have done well but many hours of play were sacrificed for it. The score and the sec school I went to didn’t really matter. I had to move to America at the end of the Sec 1 year and that’s where my real education began. Going to school there taught me the confidence to speak up and be heard. We were taught to question everything. Even the occasional racism taught me useful life lessons. When I came back to Singapore at age 17, no way was I gonna sit through A-levels. I couldn’t get into university here as my American high school diploma was not recognized, so I happily went to Poly and did Mass Comm. And now, I could not be more grateful for the education I received. I see now that everything I do for a living, from presenting in videos and on TV/Radio to emceeing events, has benefited from that very culture of speaking up. There is life beyond grades! . . @lifebeyondgrades is an initiative started by a group of parents concerned with the rising rates of depression in our children. It’s based on the premise that the results we got at age 12 do not define us or determine our future. Together, we aim to raise children who live their life to the fullest, happy and successful, understanding that there is life beyond grades. . . If you believe in #LifeBeyondGrades, share a photo of yourself with your PSLE score and tell your story. More parents and children need to hear it. Maybe it might remind children going through PSLE that no matter what their score will be, their life ahead is full of potential and possibilities! . . . @lifebeyondgrades #lifebeyondgrades #morethananumber

A post shared by Jamie Yeo (@iamjamieyeo) on Sep 13, 2018 at 8:26pm PDT

Local celeb, Carole Lin scored 235 for PSLE. Carole owns her own business now and she said, "I am living life not because of grades but because of grit & values. I am not insinuating that we shouldn't care about studies or grades. I just hope parents can SHOW their child: Do your best at school & in everything. Focus on what matters to you and be passionate about it."

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@lifebeyondgrades - It is a parent-led initiative to raise awareness on the increasing pressure & academic stress on our kids... Here I share my PSLE score & if 235 defined me... I know, these numbers were not ideal to many but to me that’s a WOW for what I put in. Did I struggle in the system? No. Neither did my siblings & niece. They did well. How? Just because we are motivated individuals. We were given the freedom to study & PLAY/EXPLORE at our own pace. We were held responsible for our actions which helped us understand ourselves better & focus on what mattered to us. Did these numbers define me? Nothing too impactful since I was fortunate enough to have the freedom to go for what I am passionate about with core values instilled in me. Surely, I had my share of battles from the harsh realities of life & unwanted discrimination in our society. However, I never failed to find alternatives to get life going great again. Today, I run a promising enterprise. It’s called Motherhood. My office is anywhere that’ll inspire me & my kid. I get to explore my passion on the science of child & health development. I share creative ideas with my husband for his business. I ✅off my list on having a happy family, traveling to dream destinations & pursuing an acting career. I am living life not because of grades but because of grit & values. I am not insinuating that we shouldn’t care about studies or grades. I just hope parents can SHOW their child: Do your best at school & in everything. Focus on what matters to you and be passionate about it. It’s you & your drive for a constructive life that will define & impact your future. With this post, I sincerely want parents & society to understand that it’s time to evolve. Shift our mindset & perception on capabilities & success. Every kid learns & thrives differently. Offer the kids space to express themselves, nurture their core/strengths & prepare them for a career based on qualities. I also hope we can tweak the education system to strive for more balance & alternatives that’ll set our kids up for a future of a whole new paradigm. #lifebeyondgrades #morethananumber #marimekkosg More??in comment section:

A post shared by Carole Lin (@carolelinxiaopei) on Sep 14, 2018 at 11:34am PDT

Elim Chew, founder of the old 77 street and now, restaurant "I'm Kim" shared her story of how she turned her 'F' in schools into bigger and better Fs that defined her successful career.

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When I received my first F in report book at Primary 4, maybe it set my vision for the future! I went into (F)ashion 77th Street, (F)ood - I’m kim korean BBQ and GoroGoro Steamboat and (F)astFast delivery service for your errands and (F)ilming - Elim Chew TV Changemakers series! Even with an F in my report card, I worked hard and gained as much experience as I could, so that when opportunities came knocking, I was ready for it. Nothing stops us from learning from school of hard knocks! I enjoy doing things and learning from the experience, which is why I spend so much time volunteering in as many activities and organisations as I can. This is how I gained the most experience. Until today, if I open a book to read I will still disconnect and fall asleep ?! Not all kids are academic and that’s okay. There are many paths to success, and some of the best life experiences and lessons are not from any classroom #lifebeyondgrades #morethananumber @lifebeyondgrades Share with us your interesting story & Share your PSLE scores too !!! @elimchewtv @lifebeyondgrades

A post shared by ChangeMakerSpeakerEntrepreneur (@elimchew77thstreet) on Sep 13, 2018 at 10:14pm PDT

This manager, Amelia Lin said, "As a Manager, I don't ask candidates for their academic results. No one I hired put their PSLE score on their resumes either."

"I will put my money where my mouth is - I graduated with a 196 PSLE core. Yet today, I head my company's operations in the Asia Pacific regions," she continued.

This is a success story that many of us can relate to and be inspired by.

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As a Manager, I don’t ask candidates for their academic results. No one I hired put their psle score on their resumes either. . Ms Irene Ang @flyirene once said “The learning journey is a lifelong process and some of us might develop and reach our full potential later in life.” ?????? This is exactly how I feel about myself. I went on to polytechnic and then getting a double major, with a minor, degree later. I was just a tad slower (late bloomer some may call) ? than my peers but I eventually got there too. In fact, there are many people I know who are doing better in lives now than those who scored A* in their psle. . I will put my money where my mouth is - I graduated with a 196 psle score. Yet today, I head my company’s operations in the Asia Pacific regions. ? . Remember, it is not the end-all be-all of your value. Psle does not define you. (That’s not to say you can stop studying for your exams! Wei my sons’ friends following me) ? What I am trying to say is that there are many paths to success if you persevere and do your best. So here's my little story. Hopefully relatable and little hopeful. . I urge you to join this movement and share your stories to inspire and ?????? motivate the 12yo and aim to raise kids who are happy and live life to the fullest. @lifebeyondgrades #lifebeyondgrades #morethananumber

A post shared by ⓩⓐⓒⓒ 12 ⓩⓐⓥⓥ 10 ⓩⓐⓗⓝ 4 (@happyzboys) on Sep 13, 2018 at 9:54pm PDT

Back in 2016, when a Primary 5 boy jumped to his death and the boy's mother broke down and lamented, "I only asked for 70 marks, I don't expect you to get 80 marks." It was a tragedy that shook many Singaporean parents. Every suicide case is one too many. We do our best to support our young warriors toughening it out in schools.

Share your own story of life beyond grades. Simply tag @lifebeyondgrades and #lifebeyondgrades on instagram. Make your your profile is set to public so others can read your story.

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Hello Lion Mamas! Just a couple of things we wanted to say about @lifebeyondgrades before it launches on Friday. We are not saying grades aren’t important. We are saying grades aren’t everything. Some kids are just not academic, they should all try their hardest, but should not be made to feel worthless or insecure if they don’t get that A. We aren’t saying don’t study or be excellent, we’re saying don’t let their grades define your kids. All kids are different. Yes, they should study hard, but we can also nurture their natural talents. There are so many ways in which our kids can thrive and succeed. There’s a long way yet to go - we are but one parent-led movement. We certainly encourage other parents to get involved and start their own causes and groups. Mindset shift won’t happen overnight, but we can drive this towards change, one parent at a time. Until one day we reach the tipping point. Repost @tjinlee #LifeBeyondGrades #dreambiglittleone #futureready #motherhood #sgmoms #sgkids #?? Pic @littlebigshots.sg

A post shared by We are Parents (@lifebeyondgrades) on Sep 11, 2018 at 5:43pm PDT

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