zac's mum\" post_id=\"1913531\" time=\"1559755263\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=1913531 time=1559755263 user_id=53606]

wesley15\" post_id=\"1913513\" time=\"1559734717\" user_id=\"77094:

My frank opinion: you may hope for a better-set SA2 paper (and even action it by speaking to his Math teacher + the Math HOD if you haven’t yet).

But...whether or not they care to take your opinion is unknown. You have better control if you simply teach your child to handle more difficult questions (assume the worst). After all, when it comes to PSLE, how do we as parents control the way the papers are set? Cannot right?

My DS school did indeed prepare the kids for their SA1, firstly by teaching them how to handle higher order questions, then by giving them worksheets to practice. Then by giving them 2-3 mock exams (called review papers) during lesson time, all in the season leading up to SA1. Maybe the teachers are more responsible.

Even if your child’s school does not do this, you can do this at home too. I let my child practise on other schools’ SA1 papers. The most difficult ones like NYPS papers will have many higher order thinking questions. If he doesn’t know how to answer them, I take the chance to teach him how to think thru them step by step. There is a logical way to work thru them. (Of course, it does help my job a lot when the teacher also gives them extra training and tips in school). Be patient, it may take some time but you still have several months to go before SA2. Jia you!

Thanks zac’s mum. The teacher is formerly a Sec sch teacher, just joined Pri Sch. 2 practice papers were given but he lacks the experience to train the students in a systematic way. A stack of heuristic questions worksheet were only given 3 days before the exam. The header of the worksheet suggest that they should be given out spread over the weeks in Term 1 and 2.

I agree it’s really teacher dependent. And I also cannot help thinking that if this system requires parents to step in to coach or find someone else to coach their kids, at the end of the day, the credits do not go to the school nor their teachers. School teachers are helpless in leveling up their students, then why set such tough papers?

I understand I cannot beat the system. I can only bent to the system so .... we will Jia You!

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts.

My son’s school P3 Math Mid year exam paper was over tested, too demanding and not well balanced. (SA1 30% SA2 70%)


Personally I found 28% higher order questions in the paper.
Demanding questions: 2marks questions required more than 2 steps.
Too many Heuristics skills tested compared to PSLE. Namely work backwards, guess and check and model internal transfer. Not only too many were tested, these skills are repeated in various questions resulting in double penalizing students who cannot do them.

These has caused undue stress to my child and ourselves as parents. Coaching my child through his mistakes in this exam made me realized that they are not ready for these questions at Mid Year.

The school’s math exam is going against the grains of MOE direction. Eventually the students will lose their joy of learning.

I hope they can relook at their strategies and set a well balanced paper for SA2.

Any advice?

Hi all, anyone also found their 2019 P3 Math Mid year exam paper over tested, too demanding and not well balanced?


Personally I found 28% higher order questions in the paper.
Demanding questions: 2marks questions required more than 2 steps.
Too many Heuristics skills tested compared to PSLE. Namely work backwards, guess and check and model internal transfer. Not only too many were tested, these skills are repeated in various questions resulting in double penalizing students who cannot do them.

These has caused undue stress to my child and ourselves as parents. Coaching my child through his mistakes in this exam made me realized that they are not ready for these questions at Mid Year.

The school’s math exam is going against the grains of MOE direction. Eventually the students will lose their joy of learning.

I hope they can relook at their strategies and set a well balanced paper at the end of the year.

Any parents from Pei Ying felt the way for this exam?