2015 PSLE Discussion and Strategies

[Sun_2010]

slmkhoo:

Snowbaby:

[quote=\"Funz\"]For kiddos, they know it is their own responsibility to remember their own homework, tests, spelling, etc. It is also their responsibility to show me whatever memos the school send back. I will not go through their bags for them. If they forget anything, they face the music themselves.

However for my case, it turned out to be the opposite. I'm the one facing the music not ds cos whenever he didn't do his homework or forgot to bring his book, his teacher will call me up and complained to me that ds din do this and that....and I will have to apologize and say that I will check on him and will make sure he will hand in all his work by tomorrow....So, u see..it becomes my job! And I'm the one facing the teacher!!! :yikes:

Why do you apologize? I wouldn't! It has happened to me before (when my daughter was in P2), and even then I told the teacher that it was my daughter's job to keep track of her homework, not mine. I told the teacher to scold my daughter, and I reinforced it at home. I refuse to accept blame for what is NOT my job. I only give general reminder daily that they need to make sure to check their homework is done. And it only needs to happen a couple of times before the child realises that she will not be bailed out by me for forgetfulness. Same for the 'remember at bedtime' homework - I still make them go to sleep at the normal time, and they will have to face the teacher or find some time to scribble the work to hand in. Not my problem![/quote]slmkoo :salute:
I did email my Ds teacher telling her a little about DS ( she had asked all parents), and mentioned to her about instilling a sense of responsibility in him. Also letting her know , he is a little playful and forgetful , but I would rather he learn independence than me compensate his forgetfulness.

But I doubt if I would have courage to tell her that if a teacher asked me specifically to check on my child as he has been forgetting things constantly.

[sharonkhoo]

Sun_2010:

But I doubt if I would have courage to tell her that if a teacher asked me specifically to check on my child as he has been forgetting things constantly.

I think if the child is really worse than the norm, or has a learning disability, I would do more. In fact, this daughter I mentioned does have a learning disability, which is why I do the 'daily announcement'. But as long as I feel she is capable of managing, I am as hands-off as possible. I would rather she get scolded and learn earlier than be bailed out me and be dependent longer. I just tell the teachers how I am doing things at home, and so far they accept it.

[Funz]

ponyo:

I tried reinforcing the bedtime even when she forgets but DD will still crawl out of bed to do her work. I will tell her \"see, you reap what you sow... \"


I don't check her bag for hw now. she just gets nagging and screeching from me each time she forgets her work. so far, her teachers have not called me (touch wood) as they will deal directly with her whenever she turns in work late. but lesson seems to have fallen on deaf ears...
just this morning she said, \"mum, i think i have amnesia...\" :slapshead:

DD did forget her homework and suddenly remembered at bedtime before. I refuse to let her get up to do. But DH countered my decision which got me really mad with him. So that time DD got away with forgetting her homework.

It happened again and this time, DH was overseas so DD was not allowed out of bed to do her work. She rushed through it when she reached school. Lucky for her those that she forgot were simple worksheets that takes her only 10mins to complete. But after this 2nd time, she kinda learned her lesson and we did not have any such issues.

[buds]

ponyo, your DD is so cute with the amnesia trick she tried to pull on you. It's an original.


Snowbaby, :hugs:… I know how some teachers can really just get to you. In your scenario/case, I read it as you are damned if you do and damned if you don't. :stupid: The teacher in actuality ain't that effective which explains why she was probably not able to get your DS moving in tandem with her expectations of a student, that she had to just drag you into the equation as well.

I do not have solutions. But I may have suggestions you may wanna consider.

Each day, before the child eats lunch or showers (whichever they do first in your home)… Have this practice of declaring. Yes, like those white card days when entering JB..

Have the child take out all notes that requires your attention..
Have the child take out all forms that require your signature..
Have the child declare and stack neatly all the homework for the day..

If the child has a homework notebook or pupil diary that has the homework input for the day, take that out as well for that is the checklist of things to do for the day.

Don't do it for them. Don't you go digging in that muck for these stuff. Either they declare all that, or don't eat. :evil:

Doing this will help them (and perhaps you too) to plan how the day will map out. Depending on the amount of workload given for the day. Depending on the mommy-assignments you have planned as reinforcement.

Finally, give your child a choice of an outdoor activity to look forward to after all that is done. I believe in letting em' kids sweat it out whenever they can balance their time well. Study hard, play hard. If it is raining, let the child choose an indoor activity instead. If work is done exceptionally well, validate his efforts and give extra lurve and attention. Acknowledge how pleased you are that he did his day's routine pretty good and that you are proud of him. On the days that he doesn't, remind him those days that he did good. Reinforce the good to get to the good-er. This, i realized when i whined how disappointing DD2's efforts were, the next day or days, can be even more jialat. But when i highlight the days she did do really well, she'd be beaming to replicate those days.

Offer understanding when necessary to acknowledge some days that were stretched, ending up with him being quite exhausted (my DD does a mean 10hr sch day almost every other day!) to show him that we understand a growing person needs sufficient rest to function. ie. offer days of power naps for better concentration.

At the end of the day, just a gentle reminder to pack all things in order for the following day. This is the final call to check any other outstanding work hidden inside his bag. For my lil goatie, that would mean any other outstanding work under the books in her bag. :faint: Her stuff :slapshead: …. very giam chye wan.

[icy_mama]

buds:

.... For my lil goatie, that would mean any other outstanding work under the books in her bag. :faint: Her stuff :slapshead: …. very giam chye wan.

that sounds just like my ds. :rotflmao: alot of work all \"chewed\" up under those books. hmmm.. :idea: goats does love chewing homework too! :rotflmao:

i used to get really :frustrated: to see \"chewed\" up worksheets and spelling sheets. now that he's already in P5, and not much changes in that aspect, i had to let go. quality of work done is more important than quality of worksheets. anyway, he has to explain his crumbly worksheets to his teachers.

[bb_ mom]

Crumpled up worksheets is not the only problem. His handwriting is horrible too. Sometime, I have to erase his work and make him re-write cos I can’t decipher them. And I keep reminding him, if the teacher can’t read his handwriting, he’ll get zero.

[sharonkhoo]

bb_ mom:

Crumpled up worksheets is not the only problem. His handwriting is horrible too. Sometime, I have to erase his work and make him re-write cos I can't decipher them. And I keep reminding him, if the teacher can't read his handwriting, he'll get zero.

I gave my daughter a plastic pocket folder for all loose sheets of paper. It took a few months (a couple of years?) of constant reminders, but she got it in the end. As for handwriting, well, she has very poor fine motor skills, so I was bit more lax about handwriting and neatness as long as it was legible.

[sharonkhoo]

buds:

Each day, before the child eats lunch or showers (whichever they do first in your home)… Have this practice of declaring. Yes, like those white card days when entering JB..

...
Don't do it for them. Don't you go digging in that muck for these stuff.
...
Doing this will help them (and perhaps you too) to plan how the day will map out. Depending on the amount of workload given for the day. Depending on the mommy-assignments you have planned as reinforcement.

Finally, give your child a choice of an outdoor activity to look forward to after all that is done.
...
At the end of the day, just a gentle reminder to pack all things in order for the following day. This is the final call to check any other outstanding work hidden inside his bag.

This is pretty much exactly what I used to do when my daughter was in P1. I slowly reduced the no. of 'calls' until, by upper Pr, it was basically one 'public service announcement' a day. Persevere, and they do build up the habit over time.

[mwchua]

Maybe I am a more "heartless" mum, homework is considered as routine and if she happens to conveniently "forget" some homework, she has to bear the consequence. Now that they are in upper primary, I think this is the bare minimum a P5 should have in terms of discipline.


That said, nowadays I always end up having to "help" with some CME or Social Studies work, by printing out coloured pictures or photos.

My sheepie going for vaccination this week in school, hopefully no adverse reaction as it’s just before Chinese New Year.

Any of your kid going for jab also?

[janet88]

when son was in primary school, hubby would help him with art homework so that son has time to complete core subject…not anymore now that he is in sec school.


these 2 weeks, teachers are going easy before cny…but try not to let kids go lax or he/she will suffer after the cny long weekend.