Choosing and Evaluating Primary Schools

[Funz]

janet88:

Nebbermind:

[quote=\"janet88\"] here are teachers who try...this one is true...but with such a big class, how to make sure the kids truly understand before the period ends? for those who understand, they are able to survive...for those who do not, then who will make sure they do? in the end, tuition is still needed.

Well, there are step-by-step examples in the textbooks for the kids to revisit after school.

math textbook is hardly used...most of the time daughter leaves it in school because steps inside are only able to teach section A and B but not section C challenging word problem sums.

I know this is going to be never ending.[/quote]I think your expectation of textbooks need to be adjusted. Textbooks are there for information about the concepts to be covered. Basically the foundation and building blocks. For problem sums, you need to apply the concepts. Textbooks can only show some examples but it will not be able to tell you how to apply the concepts learned in every possible scenario.

The textbook is already there for the kids to go through on their own, there is no need for the teacher to go through everything in the text. I would prefer my kids' teachers to go through with them stuff not found in the textbook.

[janet88]

Funz:

The textbook is already there for the kids to go through on their own, there is no need for the teacher to go through everything in the text. I would prefer my kids' teachers to go through with them stuff not found in the textbook.

if reliance on tuition is to be reduced, then teachers have to teach the students concepts to handle those challenging word problems. my girl can handle section A & B...but the killer ones in section C are the big ticket questions...daughter has tuition to learn concepts in order to handle the challenging questions in school exams.

[MrsKiasu]

Nebbermind:

lee_yl:

Well, there are step-by-step examples in the textbooks for the kids to revisit after school.

But many parents complain that school Science textbooks are useless leh :siam:

I was referring to Math.

Lower primary Math is OK. Upper primary is built upon what is learnt in the current year plus previous years.
In schools, there's no time to revisit whatever one did in previous years. If you get 70% (math) in P3, it shows that you lack at least 30% competency. If you carry that forward to P4, you will definitely gonna suffer! That's why many claim the jump in difficulty for Math is great every subsequent year...coz many bring with them a backlog of competency issues.
Your P4 cher will not have the time to help you...so the only possible help will be external.

As for Science, I also think it's not enough to tackle those PSLE qns!! They have to improve it so that the end result will be less dependent on how the chers deliver their lessons.[/quote]

Thanks NBM, I like the 'get 70%=lack of 30% competency' example..

[Funz]

janet88:

Funz:

The textbook is already there for the kids to go through on their own, there is no need for the teacher to go through everything in the text. I would prefer my kids' teachers to go through with them stuff not found in the textbook.

if reliance on tuition is to be reduced, then teachers have to teach the students concepts to handle those challenging word problems. my girl can handle section A & B...but the killer ones in section C are the big ticket questions...daughter has tuition to learn concepts in order to handle the challenging questions in school exams.

You mean from P1 till now your girl in P5, all her teachers have not been teaching problem sums or been exposing the students to problem sums?

Problems sums is applying concepts learned. It is not a whole new concept altogether. Tactics to handle problem sums yes, eg, highlight key words, take note of how many parts there are to the sum, beware of words like between, among, before, after, etc. but what concepts are you talking about in problem sums?

[Nebbermind]

Funz:

janet88:

math textbook is hardly used...most of the time daughter leaves it in school because steps inside are only able to teach section A and B but not section C challenging word problem sums.


I know this is going to be never ending.

I think your expectation of textbooks need to be adjusted. Textbooks are there for information about the concepts to be covered. Basically the foundation and building blocks. For problem sums, you need to apply the concepts. Textbooks can only show some examples but it will not be able to tell you how to apply the concepts learned in every possible scenario.

The textbook is already there for the kids to go through on their own, there is no need for the teacher to go through everything in the text. I would prefer my kids' teachers to go through with them stuff not found in the textbook.

Exactly! In the early years, they will teach you how to use a screwdriver, hammer, drill etc.
In P4, they will tell you \"Go and hang this picture\". You have to figure out what tools to use.
In P5/6, they will just tell you \"Go and install this aircon compressor\". Besides the tools, you also need know the mechanical loading, the power rating etc. You cannot just follow blindly. There's a lot more brainwork but the basic skills are essentially the same.

[janet88]

sorry…my math knowledge is limited. don’t know how to explain to you either. what I do know is daughter needs the tutor to help her pass the section c.

[Nebbermind]

MrsKiasu:

Thanks NBM, I like the 'get 70%=lack of 30% competency' example..

Actually, if they could re-do and get those 30% correctly after the exams, it's still OK.
But if still could not, even with open-book, then better to look for a tutor instead letting it become backlog.

[saralamaghathy]

We are staying boon Tiong road , Like to enroll my daughter in Zhangde primary. Like to hear feedback from parents ?

[janet88]

saralamaghathy:

We are staying boon Tiong road , Like to enroll my daughter in Zhangde primary. Like to hear feedback from parents ?

Sibling staying at boon tiong...tasked me to check out Alexandra primary, gan eng seng (just across the road)...but I was also thinking of CHIJ kellock. Where is zhang de located?

[Champion]

janet88:

saralamaghathy:

We are staying boon Tiong road , Like to enroll my daughter in Zhangde primary. Like to hear feedback from parents ?

Sibling staying at boon tiong...tasked me to check out Alexandra primary, gan eng seng (just across the road)...but I was also thinking of CHIJ kellock. Where is zhang de located?

http://www.zhangdepri.moe.edu.sg/contact_details.html

51, Jalan Membina, Singapore 169485