Any Updates As To When PSLE T-Scores Will Be Scrapped?

[janet88]

superkiasudad:

I just hope that with all the time they took to tweak the system, it better be enough for our younger children to truly enjoy and appreciate education.

at p6, i don't know of a better way to enjoy education because down the road, these kids will be doing past year exam papers.
sometimes just thinking of it makes me burnt out mentally, but i can't afford to.

[Joy of Learning 111]

I think there is an over-emphasis on viewing assessment as the main culprit. No doubt assessment is something that has to be addressed. However, in my opinion, education would be more enjoyable if the breadth of the curriculum at the primary level was widened.


For instance, I would like to see children taught Philosophy (P4C). I have seen the spark of intellectual curiosity lit when I teach Philosophy. Such intellectual curiosity has positive spin-offs in the mainstream subjects: critical thinking and language skills underpin what an education is about.

[hello77]

With the Singaporean mindset, change will take a horribly long time. Also, it cannot be denied that some children out there still prefer academia over other more "holistic" aspects of life, think lawyers, doctors, scientists. The banding must not be too general as well, and even for more "holistic" items, there has to be a reinforcement of banding in these areas too such that they can identify which secondary schools suit them better.


Looking forward to more updates.

[darwinkoh]

janet88:

superkiasudad:

Well, was hoping that my son will be able to enjoy the fruits of this new holistic approach, but alas, looks like it's just not meant to be.

i don't think our kids are fortunate to experience any change this year.

I personally dun really like the change. Theoretically it seems less emphasis on points rather than grades. However to be allocated a particular grade, points will be used. Thus it can be really unfortunately for someone to rated differently just because he missed a point to be classified as a higher grade. E.g. someone who got these marks in his 4 subjects... 99, 99, 99, 89.. will be rated lower than one who get 90, 90, 90, 90. That is the new system reward someone who is very good in all subjects and punished someone who is less than very good in one subject despite that he is excellent is the other 3.

[superkiasudad]

Changes to PSLE grading: What could be in store?


PUBLISHED APR 3, 2016, 5:00 AM SGT

Last year, then Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said that changes to how the Primary School Leaving Examination is graded may be revealed this year. This could happen as early as this week, when the ministry presents its budget and plans for 2016. The Sunday Times looks at what these changes could be and what they mean.

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/changes-to-psle-grading-what-could-be-in-store

[lee_yl]

superkiasudad:

Changes to PSLE grading: What could be in store?


PUBLISHED APR 3, 2016, 5:00 AM SGT

Last year, then Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said that changes to how the Primary School Leaving Examination is graded may be revealed this year. This could happen as early as this week, when the ministry presents its budget and plans for 2016. The Sunday Times looks at what these changes could be and what they mean.

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/changes-to-psle-grading-what-could-be-in-store

Now I won't aim for 4 A* but I aim for 4 A1s. Any difference? If it's still about cohort ranking to get into one's choice of secondary schools, with or without the aggregate score, the competitive pressure will still be there.

The article mentioned that to differentiate between students with the same grade, one possible way is to look at the leadership position in CCAs or other achievements like public-speaking, piano/violin/art achievements, community work etc. To me, these sound like adding more stress to a child preparing for PSLE? While preparing for PSLE, they must now make sure they prepare a thick portfolio on non-academic achievements.

I am keen to know how they differentiate children with high and low 4A1s when it comes to selecting top schools like RI. How MOE explain why one group of 4A1s gets selected and not the other group. If your neighbor's child scored 4A1s and got into RI/HCI but yours with 4A1s got posted to a 2nd tier secondary school, how many parents can swallow it? Will the selection process be less transparent?

\"Educators agree there is no perfect system\" if the new system is not better than the current one, then why change? So that that next MOE minister has something in the pipeline to do?

[MyPillow]

Same feel n sentiments as leeyl


I get confused.dun make a 11/ 12 yo child to go thru so much assessments.
enjoy life long learning should be introduced. Dun chg if the new system is not
Transparent to most .

Wish us better luck till Mdm MOE reveals …

[superkiasudad]

lee_yl:

superkiasudad:

Changes to PSLE grading: What could be in store?


PUBLISHED APR 3, 2016, 5:00 AM SGT

Last year, then Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said that changes to how the Primary School Leaving Examination is graded may be revealed this year. This could happen as early as this week, when the ministry presents its budget and plans for 2016. The Sunday Times looks at what these changes could be and what they mean.

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/changes-to-psle-grading-what-could-be-in-store

Now I won't aim for 4 A* but I aim for 4 A1s. Any difference? If it's still about cohort ranking to get into one's choice of secondary schools, with or without the aggregate score, the competitive pressure will still be there.

The article mentioned that to differentiate between students with the same grade, one possible way is to look at the leadership position in CCAs or other achievements like public-speaking, piano/violin/art achievements, community work etc. To me, these sound like adding more stress to a child preparing for PSLE? While preparing for PSLE, they must now make sure they prepare a thick portfolio on non-academic achievements.

I am keen to know how they differentiate children with high and low 4A1s when it comes to selecting top schools like RI. How MOE explain why one group of 4A1s gets selected and not the other group. If your neighbor's child scored 4A1s and got into RI/HCI but yours with 4A1s got posted to a 2nd tier secondary school, how many parents can swallow it? Will the selection process be less transparent?

\"Educators agree there is no perfect system\" if the new system is not better than the current one, then why change? So that that next MOE minister has something in the pipeline to do?

Agreed that the academic pressure to get our children into the top schools will still be prevalent. However, i believe this is the right step to go as rather than aiming to procure a 1 mark advantage over the next student through endless tuition, the child should instead strive for content mastery over his own subject matter and get the A* or A1!

Perhaps MOE will have numerical subject grades instead (with 1 being the best and 10 being the worst) and use a point system to determine entry into the child's preferred secondary school? And i think DSA should be scrapped and instead there should be CCA/Leadership/Community Service points issued for all students that can be offset against their final PSLE grades.

That way, we can finally acknowledge that all students have their own strengths that should be recognized rather than have the DSA that is just serving a narrow segment of the population who can afford all the enrichment classes, personal sports coaches and DSA workshops.

[Ikid]

Community service ? Do we want our young ones to do community service for a 'reward' - gain points?

Should we inculcate community service as something our young ones do with passion instead?
Leadership - Some mothers may go all ways to fight for a leadership role for their kids.
CCA - Rich parents have means to engage professional coaches to improve their children's skill and hence be selected to represent their school.
So ultimately we may still go back to square 1.
Remove DSA totally then.
Top schools can have quota placement, i.e. 25% base on PSLE score, 10% - affiliation, 25% sports, 30% special talent and balance 10% for appeal cases/other cases.

[phtthp]

lee_yl:

Now I won't aim for 4 A* but I aim for 4 A1s. Any difference? If it's still about cohort ranking to get into one's choice of secondary schools, with or without the aggregate score, the competitive pressure will still be there.

The article mentioned that to differentiate between students with the same grade, one possible way is to look at the leadership position in CCAs or other achievements like public-speaking, piano/violin/art achievements, community work etc. To me, these sound like adding more stress to a child preparing for PSLE? While preparing for PSLE, they must now make sure they prepare a thick portfolio on non-academic achievements.

I am keen to know how they differentiate children with high and low 4A1s when it comes to selecting top schools like RI. How MOE explain why one group of 4A1s gets selected and not the other group. If your neighbor's child scored 4A1s and got into RI/HCI but yours with 4A1s got posted to a 2nd tier secondary school, how many parents can swallow it? Will the selection process be less transparent?

\"Educators agree there is no perfect system\" if the new system is not better than the current one, then why change? So that that next MOE minister has something in the pipeline to do?

what you've written : so true and valid

what happen next ?
we'll start to see parents queue up & ring up RI asking, how come their son fail to get in with 4A1s, whereas another friend or classmate of their son can enter RI ?
(when the Banding entry selection criteria become not Transparent, anymore to P6 parents & students)

although they call it a more holistic assessment -
parents however, in a frenzy to give their children a head start in non-academic achievement, will start sending their kindergarten kids early for public-speaking, ballet, music violin/cello/piano, Art drawing competition, Junior Sports (gymnastics, badminton, swimming, tennis, table-tennis, etc) Championship competition, what-not, etc

back to square 1 ...
rat race begin in kindergarten at K1/K2 level training, for those who can afford. Just merely change the terminology, call it a different name. Instead of calling it DSA (old word), new buz word is \"more holistic\" assessment, but mean the same