P1 workload
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Heyya guys,
I gotta agree with winth..
Children who have CA and SA tend to fare
better cos they're more prepared for the big
exams.
My kiddie's sch no CA as well.
Then came SA1 straight away mid of the year.
Parents have no grounds to base their expectations
on their children. Nor do they know whether their
children are \"really\" prepared. For stay-home-
parents, we can supplement their study time with
relevant assessments and activities to ensure no
SA stress when it comes. After school and before
school care helps for working parents. For children
cared for by grandparents, can ask children to do
up a couple of assessments that parents will check
and follow up with them.
Schools with CA has gradual progress for parents to
observe what their children can do or needs improvement
in,and since the small tests like CA has prepared the
children and parents of the exam nature, when it comes
to SA both parties are more prepared.
My kiddie's school though no CA, the form teacher hands
out mock test papers for the children to do in school and
at home. When in school, the form teacher practises the
one and a half hour time frame (for example) for Maths
Paper 2, simulating a real exam situation so that in a way
helps a bit and we're grateful for. Parents can observe the
exam format as well through this kinda effort.
When such mock test papers are given for homework, me
and hubs reinforce the time frame observation too and gauge
if kiddie can finish the paper on time.... AND must have time
to check their answers. Thats also important.
For Maths paper, always encourage working to be done.
Even if answer is not exactly accurate, marks are given
for workings and those little diagram drawings that the
children do by the side.
As for P1 homework this is what school gave in the first month.
>Spelling list for whole term English and Mother Tongue
>One page homework from school activity books
(commencing from third week onwards)
>One page Mother Tongue worksheet homework
(commencing from third week onwards)
>One problem a day booklet for Maths
>Colouring activities related to first term topics.
Just for sharing sake, i received many requests from parents
after SA (like a stream of it!) for Phonics for their P1 kiddies
after receiving results from their SA1 exam. They claimed they
were informed or they just realised that their children cannot
read. Or can read but not fluent enuf. Or can totally read but
doesn't understand hence unable to do exam efficiently.
As usually classes for Reading Programme are for N2 K1 and K2,
i usually acceed to one-to -one or two in a group if they're from
same school or are siblings. These older children hardly benefit
following a younger age-group class.
Once they're more efficient in their reading, i add in Creative
Writing with their Reading programme to ensure they can cope
with their P1 workload.
A handful of parents also complain that the child has not benefitted
from project work or learn through play based curriculum, cause
the child was weak in their subjects as it is. And if told to learn on
their own, it is not helping child improve academically at all.
Opinions do vary. Agreed.
Whatever it is, parents MUST make effort to help provide gd foundation
for their children to ensure they're prepared for Primary 1 education.
In current academic context, there is no way any parent can leave
it simply to the school to teach. Parents still have to monitor their
children development from the first school their child attends.
Cos some childcares only babysit and does not have curriculum to
prepare for Primary 1. Hence, when pre-school shopping big question
to ask is, by K2 what would my child have learnt in your centre, and
would you be able to affirm that what has been taught will make my
child ready to enter Primary 1, cos my purpose of sending to a child
care centre is reali because both parents work full-time...
Just sharing my thoughts, k.
Cheers. -
BTW how do u ppl know whether ur kids school having CA or SA? I dont even know whether mine has or not!
Homework wise, nil, except for spelling and hanyu pinyin lists. And mine is elite school. -
Luanee:
Luanee,BTW how do u ppl know whether ur kids school having CA or SA? I dont even know whether mine has or not!
i explored the school's website and refer to their Calendar of Events for 2008 to see if CAs are required for P1s. -
Heyya Luanee,
P1 orientation for parents they do inform.
If they don't parents can also ask.
Likewise with jedamum, my kiddies school
also has the calendar of activities for parents
to view to keep up with the on-goings of the
school.
Mebbe, since your child is in elite school no need
for homework... perhaps.
Aniwaes, if school doesn't give homework...
Parents can give. -
luanee
You didn’t ask me before?? cfm no CA from P1 to 6.
jedamum/luanee
when I was sch hunting for P1 registration last yr, having no CA is one of my criteria. My son’s sch has CA from P3 but today I found out from sch website that this is first yr for P3 & 4 to abolish CA (2009 P5 has CA2). Last yr pilot to replace CA with regular assessment. I guess maybe my son when in P3, should be same, no more CA. -
caroline3sg:
Ha caroline no, this concept of CA and SA only came up to me recently when I see the other mummies' posts, hee..luanee
You didn't ask me before?? cfm no CA from P1 to 6. -
Actually the key is that you need to test the child in a timed environment. Kids who have not been in a CA environment tend to feel very relaxed and do not know that results/bands are given to the child, which subsequently they get graded like how we parents know it.
Schools are now abolishing CAs and it seems common.
Actually I thought that was an excuse for giving the teachers more lax time. -
winth
I don’t agree with your statement "Kids who have not been in a CA environment tend to feel very relaxed and do not know that results/bands are given to the child".
Schs without CA has topical tests instead. Though they are not counted towards final marks in report book, they give parents and child an idea how much they have grasped the topic, then we oursellves zoom into area of weakness for revision for SA. On the topical test, there would be indication of class average & highest mark. So we know where we stand.
luanee, take note that average mark is not medium or high+low/no. but the mark obtained by the majority.
To me, sch with CA are indeed stressing the parents and kids. It is like every 2 mths or so, there are formal tests/exams. There is no time to cover others that are outside text (ie text’s content/syllabus are not enough to tackle exams) and slowly digest/practise weak topics. -
Luanee:
Were informed thru school's announcement letter.BTW how do u ppl know whether ur kids school having CA or SA? I dont even know whether mine has or not!
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SMILEY:
Got to know during P1 Parents' Orientation.
Were informed thru school's announcement letter.Luanee:
BTW how do u ppl know whether ur kids school having CA or SA? I dont even know whether mine has or not!
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