Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

We arrived in Malaysia by bus on Wednesday. The drive was quite pretty. We alighted at the bus station, and well, who can judge anyplace by the bus station? We are hoping to grow into the city. We enjoy the architecture and the tall buildings.

Foot is supposedly the best way to see the town, so on Thursday and Friday, off we went. Let's just say our lives have flashed before our eyes numerous times. The sidewalks themselves are more than precarious even without the buses and cars zooming past--regardless of the color on the lights. They start and stop randomly and make mountain hiking look like a breeze. Mix in motorcycles everywhere, especially sidewalks and medians, and it makes for excitement to say the least. Jaywalking is essential and often we are forced into the game of "chicken." However, we do feel that we've seen a lot of sights this way.

Chinatown was fun for a walk-through. Really good fruit and all kinds of amazing DVDs, Tiffany, Prada, and such there. "Genuine imitation!" We settled for some shirts instead.

We looked for software for our mac, but it is definitely a PC kind of place. The prices were actually a little higher than online in the US. Check out this electronic, techno, gadget/gizmo mall.

Petronas towers were the tallest buildings in the world for a while. The architecture is quite stunning. Its design is based on an Islamic symbol. A lot of the architecture has Muslim influence and makes for beautiful buildings and a really neat feel.Side note--Some one emailed a question about Christian houses of worship. Numerous churches were scattered everywhere in Singapore, and we noticed a lot of Methodist and Baptist. There was a Catholic Cathedral, but we never made it by there. We did see the oldest Catholic church for Indians in Singapore. They were not invited to attend mass in the church located in what in now the Colonial District, so they built their own on the outskirts of what now is Little India. It looked just like a small Catholic church you would find in Houston Heights. The only noticeable difference was the statue of Mary wearing fresh flowers as the Indians do and the worshipers were dressed in saris. The Baptist churches were in all sorts of smaller buildings without much adornment, as they tend to be in Houston.We have only seen two Christian churches here in KL as it is predominately Muslim. Islam came here peacefully as early as the 13th century.

We have found Malay food to have a lot of meat in it, but there is some of the best Indian food we've had as well as Thai. Our favorite stop has been the reflexology row for treatments on our feet. It was a darn good 1/2 hour foot massage, and it couldn't have come at a better time than at the end of a long day. Our dogs were barkin'!

KL Pix

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Adios Singapore

Part of our grant was to do cultural exploration and immersion in other parts of Southeast Asia, so we must bid Singapore adieu. We had our last meeting Tuesday morning and then raced to the Singapore Zoological Gardens that afternoon. It was honestly the best zoo we have ever seen, and better than any we could imagine. There is a big emphasis on conservation and the animals all have very large outdoor areas (instead of pens). Supposedly, they have the highest rate of births of captive animals which is an indicator of how content the animals are. One of the polar bears was born at the zoo, the only polar bear born in the tropics. Some highlights were a pygmy hippo born on the 4th of July, a polar bear feeding, and petting a kangaroo. The elephants and their trainers also put on a cirque de soleil (ish) show--could not be missed. Rumor has it that the night safari is a must, but sadly we had to go back to our hotel to pack. Next time perhaps?

Zoo pix

On Wednesday, we took a bus to Kuala Lumpur. It was a beautiful drive. We are settled into our hotel and are exploring the city. We'll let you know what we find. . . View Post

Schools

The physical structure of the all the schools is similar, yet intriguing. They are quite mammoth by our standards, but are set up very well. They are both indoors and outdoors and are centered around large courtyards, amphitheaters, and play areas. The classrooms are arranged to get maximum air flow and have numerous powerful fans. They really are quite comfortable especially considering it is quite hot and humid. You don't notice them being outdoors except for the noise coming from the playgrounds and surrounding areas. There are air conditioned parts such as the office, the teacher work rooms, and the largest gymnasium.

When entering a school, they all have guard gates with usually two attendants. They assist you in finding the office and checking in. The staff are very professional and courteous. Immediately upon entering, there are usually core values that the school has adopted prominently displayed around. These can include honesty, respect, risk, integrity, synergy, leadership, etc. These really come into play for the entire community. These are integral to the school and the classes then create classroom rules that uphold these big core values. They show up again in the hallways, other rooms, etc. There is student work all around, but it tends to be in banners or framed art pieces rather than bulletin boards.


The classrooms have quite a few desks in them as the class size is 40-43 for the A, B, and C classes, but it reduces to 30 - 33 for the "average" classes. The children stay in the room and the teachers switch. P1 and P2 have the same teacher all day, but they start departmentalization around P3. The exact logistics appear to depend upon the team and teachers, etc. They certainly do not have the classroom resources that we take for granted. The rooms are very tidy and the kids are in charge of keeping track of all the materials and stacks of papers since the teachers move in and out.

Since the teachers may not be stationed in one classroom, they have what they call a staff room. It looks like a typical cubicle office. They wouldn't let us take pictures because they were worried that it was too messy. PLEASE! (there was definite clutter, but you could tell folks were working). It seems to be really good for collaboration and for sharing resources. Being in such close proximity would really improve our teamwork so you didn't have to hunt somebody down.

The kids have a lot more physical freedom in the schools than we are used to seeing in the US. They can walk from class to recess or lunch by themselves and do quite well. Parenthetically, they get a half hour a day for recess on top of PE. The schools are ranked based not only of academics, but also physical fitness. There were only four restrooms in a school for over 1000 children, but, you know it by now, they were spotless.

There are lots of areas in the school that are green--a garden, a spice garden, and usually some other area. There were big outdoor theaters, play areas, courtyards, and other things. A couple of schools had a climbing wall, one had a museum, they all had art rooms, music rooms, computer labs, and science labs (all of which they come to with their teachers). They all had counseling rooms and some even had a teacher counselor.

The desks are arranged in groups of two or four to promote interaction. We noticed that a lot of the classrooms also have tables outside in the hall. There are usually student groups working at these or peer tutoring going on. The students all seem on task (as much as to be expected) while out there. Cooperation is greatly encouraged.

Each of the schools have very specific uniform requirements. We started to notice that even the socks had the school logo. The students also have paper with the school logo. There are also flags and banners around with the school logo and also Singapore. There is a lot of national pride.

The kids usually arrive at school by 7a. They have silent reading for 15 minutes or a half hour. It is also a time for peer tutoring for those kids that are "average" or struggling. The cafeterias look to have 4 or 5 different stalls selling items. There is plenty of choice for the different diet requirements of the students. The school day officially ends at 1:30, but most kids are there until around 4p. That is when tutoring happens, as well as most extracurricular activities. When asked about homework, everybody replied, "a lot." While teachers really try to coordinate, students do have a big workload at home. (that is also the only discipline problem mentioned, but we'll post about that a different time. . .)

We didn't tour any, but we saw (walking around, on the train, and on the bus) a TON of International Schools as well as "mega" high schools. These were absolutely humongous and seemed more like community colleges. We also noticed that there were kids in school uniforms each day of the week. Even if school was not in session, they were involved in activities. See more school pictures.

-Marie View Post

Singapore Orchid Garden

Singapore has beautiful public parks, and the finest example might be the National Botanical Gardens. It's a huge park with sculpture gardens, ponds, and lots of wild plants. This being Singapore, it's also incredibly well maintained.

Inside the Botanical Garden is the National Orchid Gardens. The orchid is the national flower and a important symbol for Singapore. They say it's the world's largest collection of orchids. It was basically just a bunch of pretty flowers, but it is one of my favorite places. There is a wide variety of shapes, colors, and scents. We took way too many pictures, but here is a small sample.

-Morgan View Post

Comparing Curriculum

Marie and I have been spending a lot of time at schools observing lessons, talking to teachers, and looking at math textbooks and curriculum. Yesterday, we shipped a big heavy box back to the US full of math books. The book stores themselves demonstrate the big emphasis on education in Singapore. Some of the big book stores have an entire section or floor devoted to educational materials for parents to purchase to help their kids. There is an aisle for 6th grade textbooks, an aisle for 6th grade supplementary material, and another section for curriculum and syllabus guides. With all of the other grades and all of the subjects, it adds up to a lot of books. We spent time looking at the math syllabus for Singapore schools, but the textbooks give a more in-depth view of the students actually do in math class.

In general, the students in Singapore are learning the same objectives as our kids. The Singapore syllabus is based on the same NCTM-standards that we use in the US. In some areas, they are a little ahead, but these are basically the same objectives for math. When we look at the textbooks, however, we see a big gap between what students do in Singapore and ours in the US. The math problems are much more difficult and expect kids to work at a much higher level. All of the problems are multi-step and take quite a bit of time and effort to solve. When introducing a new concept the books offer a few easy questions to practice the new skill, but they quickly move ahead to tougher problems. The books are more challenging even that what our gifted and talented students use. Take a look at the picture for a sample problem and the student's solution.

A good example of the higher level and rigor of Singapore math is 6th grade and circles. Our 6th grade students in Texas are expected to find the circumference of circle using radius or diameter. We make it easier for our kids on TAKS and give them the formula as well. Students in Singapore have to find circumference and area of a circle. Not a big difference there. If you can do circumference, then area shouldn't be that much tougher. A good 6th grade teacher in Texas might introduce area of circle at the same time as circumference. Once you take a look at the textbooks, however, the difference becomes obvious. Students in Singapore are finding the circumference of circles, then quickly moving to more irregular shapes like an S or a Pac-man shape. They have to truly understand circumference beyond the basic formula and use other knowledge about parallelograms or isosceles triangles. It's the same story with area of circles. Students are given a Yin-Yang shape and asked to find the area of the shaded portion. Our 6th graders often struggle through basic circumference problems and would be lucky to get to area of circles.

There is a great gap between Singapore math and what we do in Texas. Their students are not smarter than ours, but we need to expect more from our students and more from our curriculum. It's true that Singapore parents do a lot to help their kids succeed, but there is a big difference in the schools. We hope to share more of those differences in this blog and motivate some of us in the US to address our weakness in math.

-Morgan View Post

Questions & Answers

Thank you for your questions. We will attempt to answer a few:

? Why is the city so clean?
A There are huge fines and even mandatory work calls for littering. Plus, we believe that when something is nice, perhaps folks work harder to keep it that way. There are also rubbish receptacles EVERYWHERE which makes it easier. Still, it is absolutely astounding for a city of around 4.5 million in approx 253 sq miles. People tend to be fastidious as well. Most take off their shoes before entering their homes. The couriers also leave their shoes downstairs when delivering items to upstairs apartments. The ubiquitous flip flop makes sense!

? What do folks give up to have such nice public transportation and schools?
A Well, we certainly do not know the ins and outs of taxes, percentages, laws, regulations, etc. However, there does seem to be a lot of fines and fees for licenses and such. The small fee for the subway and bus could not possibly cover the cost. However, they do make this a very livable place. The cost of owning or buying a car is much more than the US, especially the gas. We'd guess that a lot of taxes and fees go to pay for public transportation.

Singapore claims to have no natural resources, only a labor force. Singaporeans believe their survival is dependent upon great education, cooperation, and optimism. Every single person we've interviewed has referred tho these qualities. Additionally, Stephen's colleague reiterated these as well. When asked if there was any hidden racial or religious tension, he responded that there was definitely not. Perhaps they put their money into what makes that possible.

The quality of life may be seen as different by some Americans. A huge portion of Singaporeans live in subsidized housing (80%). These are like small cities, and in fact, are even named cities. They vary, but can have huge community centers, subway and bus stops, stores and restaurants, etc. They are like huge apartment or probably condominiums. The home ownership rate is among the highest in the world. As we understand it, a certain portion of your income must be saved for retirement, etc. However, you can use that money to invest in your home. Stephen's colleague, Nick, was telling us that most folks move some where else to retire because it is so expensive here.

There is also a huge push for being polite and respectful. There are signs everywhere encouraging folks to be courteous and ways of doing that: offering a seat to those in need, saying please and thank you, toilet etiquette, crossing the street, etc. Most folks are very friendly and helpful. We've just discovered their need for personal space is not as great as ours.

Other factors that contribute to livability include no zoning for schools. You may apply to any school you wish eliminating the need to move for educational purposes. The school system is very performance based. The best students go to the best schools and are in the best classes. If you don't make the grade, someone else will take your place.

Crime is also very low. Our cab driver was telling us there is crime here, but it is not like what we are used to. Folks carry their wallets in their hands on the subway, walk anywhere at any time of night, and school-age children are always going and coming on their own.

There is little freedom of speech or the press in Singapore. Actually, there is a free speech corner where a stage is set up. If you sign up, you may speak. However, it can not call other people to act against the government, but you can voice your opinion. Firearms, drugs, and chewing gum are also not allowed. There is a smaller police presence, but there are cameras everywhere. Many crimes, including drugs, will get you hung in a short time.

It is a fun place and very livable!

-Marie & Morgan View Post

Rained Out

We took a trip yesterday to Palau Ubin, a little island northeast of the main island. We took a ferry across, and we could see Malaysia across the strait. Unfortunately, it started to rain soon after we got there. We ate and got to see the little village, but we didn't get a chance to see the rest of island. See our Palau Ubin pictures.

Today, we'll do some more school observations.

-Morgan View Post

Food

We had a question about food. Singapore claims an amazing spread! We've delved into Italian, Thai, Moroccan, Malay, Southern Indian, Northern Indian, Singaporean, Indonesian, seafood, Arab, and lots of Chinese (including Chinese for breakfast). I think the only food we haven't tried is McDonalds, KFC, or Long John Silvers, all of which there are lots. Korean and Cambodian are next, but we're saving Japanese for Japan.

The truth is we've had the best food we've ever eaten and, well, also the worst. We swear we'll never touch another durian as long as we live, although it may still be haunting us. Lots of folks love this fruit whom we've affectionately named "the dumpster fruit." However, we enjoyed dragon fruit and soursop.

Vegetarian fare abounds. The Buddhist temple even offers a meal for free or donation. However, folks here seem to like imitation "meat" in their veggie food. Like so much else, we've found it to be hit or miss.

Lots of folks told us about the famous ice kachang. Similar to a giant, multi-flavored snow cone, but with treats! There are flavored jellies, gummybear-type things, beans (why not?), and fruit mixed inside. To top it off, a little cream corn. Looked cool! (Not for us) At the same stop, we thought we'd order the least appetizing thing on the menu (or that we thought we could take). The glutenous rice was scrumptious! It was simply purple rice warmed into a sticky rice with ice cream. Yum!

So far, our faves include azuki bean freeze, rockmelon, Northern Indian food, and the tea everywhere. Almost all the best stuff comes from the cheap and authentic places (but that is also where we've bombed the worst). We tried a place in Little India for lunch the other day. We weren't sure what we ordered, but it came laid out on an enormous banana leaf. We tried eating without utensils. Didn't make it very far with just our hands especially our right only. We've enjoyed everything we've tried along the river where callers try to lure you into the restaurants with hyperbole and promise. Each meal is an adventure. View Post

Monkey See Monkey Do

On our list was the Arab district. Our new hotel is within walking distance. This tidy stretch has been one of our favorites. Hearing the call to prayers and browsing all shops with beautiful fabrics, carpets, and jewelry was unforgettable.

To escape the throngs of people, we stole off to Bukit Timah a nature preserve here. The 40 hecta acre preserve has more tree species than the entire North American Continent! The jungle hiking was difficult and fun. The books promised glimpses of macaques, monkeys, swinging overhead in the trees.

On our last path, we were so thrilled and excited to see a group in the trees. We considered these action pix some of our best photographic accomplishments.

Little did we know that the real hot spot was the parking lot! See the rest of our pix.

Thank you for your excellent questions. There has been one regarding the food and another on the schools. We are working on those and will have those up before we leave Singapore.

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Whew! Busy Week on the Island

Sorry, we've been lax about updating the blog and pictures. We have been on the run. We have visited schools, explored Little India, been purchasing mathematical materials, dining on the river, and trying soursop (and durian, but THAT is an entirely different story).

The schools have been wonderful. In particular, Ms. Kathleen Lee of River Valley School spent so much time answering our questions and giving us tours. We have also been to Farrer Park and had a short visit at Outram Secondary School. Overall, the schools and the staff are amazing! We have been thoroughly impressed. We have just a few pictures online. It seems that so far, we have just found more questions than answers.

Our new hotel is near Bugis Street which is pretty happening. We had to move and did not make reservations early enough. Lucky for us (and everything in Chinatown is lucky), there was a cancellation and we got a great hotel for cheaper. It doesn't have that shophouse Chinatown feel, but you can actually stand BESIDE the bed. The Southeast Asia Hotel is next door to one of Singapore's oldest Buddhist temples and three doors down from a Hindu Temple. It is a grand adventure, and you can never judge at which place folks will stop.

We have learned a ton, but never enough. We spent most of this evening holed up in a bookstore trying to narrow materials down to just one basket. We are laden with many resources--hopefully they are not too difficult either. A lot of the fourth grade materials should work for Morgan's 6th graders too! It will definitely stretch all of us if we can implement things well.

We are researching our next leg--Kuala Lumpur and then off to Thailand. Our time here is flying by! We still have quite a long list of things we want to see. This area has a lot of churches, a synagogue, and the Sultan Mosque. We also have to go to the island to the north and do some hiking/exploring. The zoo is also world class with a night safari. So, it should be a busy weekend. . .

--Marie

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We have another round of pictures from the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple near our hotel and our trip to the Asian Civilizations Museum. The peaceful blend of cultures, religions, and languages in Singapore is remarkable. There is a Hindu temple, the Buddhist temple, a mosque, and a Methodist church just a short walk from our hotel in Chinatown. I love all of the food stalls and shops in Chinatown.

The trip to the Asian Civilizations Museum was another chance to see this mix of cultures. The exhibits were a collection of cultural artifacts from all over Asia. India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, West Asia (the Middle East), Thailand, and tribal cultures from Cambodia, Vietnam, Sumatra, and Borneo were are well represented. Each religion was also well documented.

You can see the influence of all of these cultures on the city of Singapore, but there hasn't always been peace and love in Singapore. Racial harmony is reinforced by law, the schools, and government propaganda. Anything that stirs up ethnic unrest is against the law. Like many other things in Singapore, strong control by the government has limited some freedoms, but there is no doubt that it has many benefits.

- Morgan View Post

Getting to know Singapore

We have been exploring the city and taking in the sights. On Saturday, we met up with Stephen, Marie's brother who is here on business, and explored Fort Canning Park. When the British (Stamford Raffles) landed, it was one of the highest points on the island. It was sacred and has history that dates back to 12th Century. We also saw the famous Raffles hotel and explored the financial district. We then had dinner along Clarke Quay and a bum boat ride along the river. It used to be a warehouse district that was cleaned up and now is a social and commercial hotspot.

The symbol for the city is the Merlion because it is the Lion City and also the City of the Sea. This is the amalgam I guess.

On Sunday, we tried to find the bird singing competition, but were too late. Instead we found a great wet market and then took the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) out to the Chinese and Japanese gardens. They were beautiful! Tomorrow is a school holiday, so we get another glorious day to explore. . .

See our latest photos!

-Marie View Post