2013 PSLE Discussions and Strategy

[clay569]

happyheart:

ngl2010:

[quote=\"happyheart\"]Ng12010,

Wow!..you can work out the answers... :salute: I like to do it too but I am a Maths Idiot. :rahrah: Yes, we are going away third week of June,that is why I have been chasing Both DS to complete their work by week 2. I find myself a nag because I have to keep reminding them or the two of them will play non-stop! Haiyo...P6 DS is not productive with Maths hw leh.. also no stamina to do so many in one day. P3 DS is a 'victim' because I cannot let him be idle whenever DS1 is working...so DS2 also work :evil:

I love Maths :love: I am an idiot in other subjects. Your DS2 so poor thing... Your DS1 no need to go to school for supplementary lesson mah?

I 'conditioned' DS2 to work hard, esp for Maths since we are having so much Maths problems with DS1. My DS2 is quite competitive in nature..scared lost to his friends and go to last class, so it work well for him :evil:
DS2 need not go back until last week.[/quote]
Am around too...

Likewise, DD is also in P3. I'm thankful that she not only does not mind doing some work, she tries to do well. I hope her motivation and enthusiasm rub off on DS.

[janet88]

This June holiday, let the kids chill a little…come July, schools will start pumping harder. For kids taking PSLE this year, next time this year, you will be breathing easier. My son told me he was stressed out starting June 2012…as well as Sep 1 week. Until now, the nightmare of PSLE preparation is still etched in his mind.

[sharonkhoo]

Goodluck8:

Hi, ngl2010


When answering science question, the kid must assume that the marker know nothing, not even a single knowledge. Sometime, i went through the answer with my DD, she will urge with me that dont need to state as it is common sense. But i told her, the marker and I do not have any. Example : fish breathe oxygen through its gill. But she miss out 'the dissolved oxygen in the water'. Another example she just made yesterday: Less competition of food with organism A, thus organism A population will increase. She missed out ' There will be more food for organism A'.

Hope this help.

I found that it was more helpful to tell my child \"the examiner wants you to show that you know xxx\", the \"xxx\" being the key points of that topic or the logical reasoning she followed. Based on the notes and guides, the child should be aware what those key points are. Telling the child that the examiner knows nothing could (for the literal-minded) also mean having to say that a fish is creature that lives in water with scales, gills etc, and that oxygen is a gas etc.

[Nebbermind]

Goodluck8:

My DD started to be very rebellious this year. It is very tough to concentrate to prepare for PSLE when her mood changes so often. And it is even tough to communicate with her. Even a very small remark on her daily behaviour will also upset her. Is it girl tend to be grown up much faster than boys, so tends to reach the rebellious stage much more early than boys?

I thought she sounded more like a boy, who, most of the time would settle on a more shoddy piece of work and are less meticulous, thus ignoring the finer details.

[ngl2010]

Goodluck8:

Hi, ngl2010


When answering science question, the kid must assume that the marker know nothing, not even a single knowledge. Sometime, i went through the answer with my DD, she will urge with me that dont need to state as it is common sense. But i told her, the marker and I do not have any. Example : fish breathe oxygen through its gill. But she miss out 'the dissolved oxygen in the water'. Another example she just made yesterday: Less competition of food with organism A, thus organism A population will increase. She missed out ' There will be more food for organism A'.

Hope this help.

Hi Goodluck8,

From the fish example, it looks like there are 2 concepts tested in 1 question while the organism A is 1 concept. Am I right? How to distinguish whether it is 2 concepts question or 1 concept question?

[ngl2010]

slmkhoo:

Goodluck8:

Hi, ngl2010


When answering science question, the kid must assume that the marker know nothing, not even a single knowledge. Sometime, i went through the answer with my DD, she will urge with me that dont need to state as it is common sense. But i told her, the marker and I do not have any. Example : fish breathe oxygen through its gill. But she miss out 'the dissolved oxygen in the water'. Another example she just made yesterday: Less competition of food with organism A, thus organism A population will increase. She missed out ' There will be more food for organism A'.

Hope this help.

I found that it was more helpful to tell my child \"the examiner wants you to show that you know xxx\", the \"xxx\" being the key points of that topic or the logical reasoning she followed. Based on the notes and guides, the child should be aware what those key points are. Telling the child that the examiner knows nothing could (for the literal-minded) also mean having to say that a fish is creature that lives in water with scales, gills etc, and that oxygen is a gas etc.

Hi SlmKhoo,

I have problem understanding how to expand the explanation. In the fish explanation, the main point is about Living Things concept (I think). Should we expand the explanation about Living Things or should we write about another related concept? If other concept, which one? Because the related ones could be Water, Adaptation, Environmental Impact, etc :scratchhead: I am very confused...

[sharonkhoo]

ngl2010:

slmkhoo:

[quote=\"Goodluck8\"]Hi, ngl2010


When answering science question, the kid must assume that the marker know nothing, not even a single knowledge. Sometime, i went through the answer with my DD, she will urge with me that dont need to state as it is common sense. But i told her, the marker and I do not have any. Example : fish breathe oxygen through its gill. But she miss out 'the dissolved oxygen in the water'. Another example she just made yesterday: Less competition of food with organism A, thus organism A population will increase. She missed out ' There will be more food for organism A'.

Hope this help.

I found that it was more helpful to tell my child \"the examiner wants you to show that you know xxx\", the \"xxx\" being the key points of that topic or the logical reasoning she followed. Based on the notes and guides, the child should be aware what those key points are. Telling the child that the examiner knows nothing could (for the literal-minded) also mean having to say that a fish is creature that lives in water with scales, gills etc, and that oxygen is a gas etc.

Hi SlmKhoo,

I have problem understanding how to expand the explanation. In the fish explanation, the main point is about Living Things concept (I think). Should we expand the explanation about Living Things or should we write about another related concept? If other concept, which one? Because the related ones could be Water, Adaptation, Environmental Impact, etc :scratchhead: I am very confused...[/quote]I'm sorry, I can't help you. I didn't analyse the questions and answers in that kind of detail! We just found it reasonably obvious what the examiner wanted to see in most questions as they are all very standard. I also believe that PSLE markers are not as narrow as is made out - I think it's the teachers and tutors who make kids answer in very specific ways, sometimes too \"only one possible right answer\" than is really necessary.

[ngl2010]

slmkhoo:

ngl2010:

[quote=\"slmkhoo\"]
I found that it was more helpful to tell my child \"the examiner wants you to show that you know xxx\", the \"xxx\" being the key points of that topic or the logical reasoning she followed. Based on the notes and guides, the child should be aware what those key points are. Telling the child that the examiner knows nothing could (for the literal-minded) also mean having to say that a fish is creature that lives in water with scales, gills etc, and that oxygen is a gas etc.

Hi SlmKhoo,

I have problem understanding how to expand the explanation. In the fish explanation, the main point is about Living Things concept (I think). Should we expand the explanation about Living Things or should we write about another related concept? If other concept, which one? Because the related ones could be Water, Adaptation, Environmental Impact, etc :scratchhead: I am very confused...

I'm sorry, I can't help you. I didn't analyse the questions and answers in that kind of detail! We just found it reasonably obvious what the examiner wanted to see in most questions as they are all very standard. I also believe that PSLE markers are not as narrow as is made out - I think it's the teachers and tutors who make kids answer in very specific ways, sometimes too \"only one possible right answer\" than is really necessary.[/quote]Hi SlmKhoo,

I will ask DS to practice more papers so maybe he can see the light. I am extremely weak in Science so I don't see the obvious :oops:

Anyway, thank you for your help

[ngl2010]

Hi Goodluck8,


Thank you for the offer. I shall read many questions first as what you did before I send you pm with my questions. I heard that the answers to top school past year papers are only 80% correct. I am currently relying on a few that answers were provided by the schools themselves and not by the vendor. Is there any assessment books which answers are model answers?

[sharonkhoo]

ngl2010:

Hi SlmKhoo,


I will ask DS to practice more papers so maybe he can see the light. I am extremely weak in Science so I don't see the obvious :oops:

Anyway, thank you for your help

When my daughter was preparing for the PSLE, we didn't use many materials as we were overseas and didn't have much time to spare. We found one of the science guides (Marshall Cavendish? the orange book) fairly comprehensive in picking out the main keywords and concepts. The other useful item was a topical assessment book by Janet Sim (can't remember the title) which had detailed model answers with explanations. RGPS science papers downloaded from some of the free websites also had very detailed marking rubric. Besides that, my daughter picked up what she could from her school teacher (who wasn't a very good one, frankly). She did a no. of past papers over the 3 mths in school, and after a while, all the questions start looking roughly the same. I think teachers in school are always pointing out the keywords etc, so ask your child to pay attention in class.