Is there a culture of over-parenting?

Remove all untidiness from life for students?

Social media comparisons: Parents, children

The 'spirit' of the new rule

Worrying culture of bypassing the system

Why teachers are not here to "service us"

Flexibility, with the "ethos of teaching"

Mr Chan's memories of teachers

Can there be respect? 

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues of the day.

Education Minister Chan Chun Seng recently announced at the Ministry of Education Schools Work Plan Seminar, how parents should communicate with teachers from now on. He said teachers are not required to share their personal phone numbers, and do not need to respond to work-related messages after school hours.

Instead, they should use official channels like their e-mail and office number when contacting parents, and respond to work-related messages after school hours only in the event of emergencies, he added.

These guidelines aim to help schools and parents work together more “positively, constructively and respectfully” while also establishing boundaries so that teachers can have “protected time” of their own. 

In this episode, Mr Chan dropped by The Usual Place to chat with host Natasha and her special co-host Jaime Ho, who is also the editor of The Straits Times.

Why is this culture the way it is for now? Or is it just down to a seemingly larger issue of over-parenting or parents being unable to go with the flow in general?

Highlights (click/tap above):

4:55 Is there a culture of over-parenting? Avoiding a 'crutch' mentality

9:50 Mr Chan on whether MOE should "over-protect, over-structure or remove all untidiness from life" for children in general

12:50 Social media impact today: The pressure of being compared, how children and also parents feel it in different ways

13:50 The 'spirit' of the new rule: why it matters, and how the culture could evolve

17:25 On the culture of bypassing the system to "get their own way"; on the case example of orientation for parents - not children - at one school

22:37 Mr Chan on why teachers in Singapore are not here to "service us"

32:40 Looking at flexibility for teachers too, while maintaining the "ethos of teaching", in a "code of conduct"; respecting teachers, their "private time" to "recharge"

36:10 Mr Chan's memories of teachers who inspired him

Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav

Host: Natasha Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: ST Video

Edited by producers: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh, Jamie Koh and Rubeen Raj

Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

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The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

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#tup #tuptr

Can there be respect? 
Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues of the day.
Education Minister Chan Chun Seng recently announced at the Ministry of Education Schools Work Plan Seminar, how parents should communicate with teachers from now on. He said teachers are not required to share their personal phone numbers, and do not need to respond to work-related messages after school hours.
Instead, they should use official channels like their e-mail and office number when contacting parents, and respond to work-related messages after school hours only in the event of emergencies, he added.
These guidelines aim to help schools and parents work together more “positively, constructively and respectfully” while also establishing boundaries so that teachers can have “protected time” of their own. 
In this episode, Mr Chan dropped by The Usual Place to chat with host Natasha and her special co-host Jaime Ho, who is also the editor of The Straits Times.
Why is this culture the way it is for now? Or is it just down to a seemingly larger issue of over-parenting or parents being unable to go with the flow in general?
Highlights (click/tap above):
4:55 Is there a culture of over-parenting? Avoiding a 'crutch' mentality
9:50 Mr Chan on whether MOE should "over-protect, over-structure or remove all untidiness from life" for children in general
12:50 Social media impact today: The pressure of being compared, how children and also parents feel it in different ways
13:50 The 'spirit' of the new rule: why it matters, and how the culture could evolve
17:25 On the culture of bypassing the system to "get their own way"; on the case example of orientation for parents - not children - at one school
22:37 Mr Chan on why teachers in Singapore are not here to "service us"
32:40 Looking at flexibility for teachers too, while maintaining the "ethos of teaching", in a "code of conduct"; respecting teachers, their "private time" to "recharge"
36:10 Mr Chan's memories of teachers who inspired him
Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: <a href="https://str.sg/8Wav" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/8Wav&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3kpYG-A3054fWIN6BhK3gg">https://str.sg/8Wav</a>
Host: Natasha Zachariah (<a href="mailto:natashaz@sph.com.sg">natashaz@sph.com.sg</a>)
Read Natasha's articles: <a href="https://str.sg/iSXm" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/iSXm&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0h2ebJeoq8Np3u_W0NyHNS">https://str.sg/iSXm</a>
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: <a href="https://str.sg/v6DN" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/v6DN&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw32U5UFQztUgEAcv8PP0zas">https://str.sg/v6DN</a>
Filmed by: ST Video
Edited by producers: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh, Jamie Koh and Rubeen Raj
Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong
Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/5nfm" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/5nfm&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3iptWDheZTbc6UWH19K9Ik">https://str.sg/5nfm</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/9ijX" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/9ijX&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1FaPmmc8vEyCxKmRadKVZo">https://str.sg/9ijX</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/cd2P" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/cd2P&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2w3xb6c1ejhhdXDpghQkBE">https://str.sg/cd2P</a>
YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/wEr7u" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/wEr7u&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3mQ12S80ZFi9MtpS0oP5Kz">https://str.sg/wEr7u</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/wvz7&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2LPvTdnzHsUwHU7VHQNXR8">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
ST Podcast website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://str.sg/stpodcasts&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw11bVm3kZchw4h57yIYmPUV">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
ST Podcasts YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/4Vwsa&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3m8aAMNJ7I1x71LUJyga7_">https://str.sg/4Vwsa</a>
---
Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: <a href="https://str.sg/icyB" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/icyB&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2Z9ol0eeLYDBOp1ky8QJVI">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/icyX&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1t-PEBbVM8Grjm7dumueld">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
#tup #tuptr

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues of the day, and finds out about what young people are talking about.

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai & Eden Soh

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues of the day, and finds out about what young people are talking about.
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai &amp; Eden Soh
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

The Usual Place

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues of the day, and finds out about what young people are talking about.

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai & Eden Soh

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues of the day, and finds out about what young people are talking about.
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai &amp; Eden Soh
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

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