Mid-year exams to be scrapped in all primary, secondary schools by 2023
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The idea is tests would become part of the kids’ DNA… get used to it and no more resistance and hence reduced stress.
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slmkhoo\" post_id=\"2061039\" time=\"1646809756\" user_id=\"28674:
That sounds just like me. Although my case would be (under the non-weighted assessment framework):
I think it works better for some kids than for others. In my family, 3 of us would have preferred fewer exams as we can generally just study when we have to and do reasonably well anyway.
…
Flunk, borderline, borderline…
Ace.
(Repeat)
Thus, easy for me to do well at the major exams than school’s EOY tabulation.
Too bad my schools didn’t have a most improved student award. Else I believe I’ll be in contention. -
sushi88\" post_id=\"2061044\" time=\"1646810697\" user_id=\"100857:
Not sure this is the case. I believe the vast majority of primary schools are already conducting four sets of graded/weighted (ie part of your yearly total) tests from P3 onwards (exception is P6 which has CA/WA, SA1, Prelim). It's the removal of the full mid-year exam for P4 and P6 that is the change. Now mini exam istead of full exam (P3 and P5 mid-year were whacked a couple years ago).
The idea is tests would become part of the kids' DNA.... get used to it and no more resistance and hence reduced stress. -
sushi88\" post_id=\"2061044\" time=\"1646810697\" user_id=\"100857:
Good if that can happen. Frankly, from my memories, school exams didn't cause that much stress anyway. Not that they weren't somewhat stressful, but not so debilitating. It was a twice-yearly rhythm that we just lived with. It's only in the past 20-30 yrs the school exams have become such stressful events.
The idea is tests would become part of the kids' DNA.... get used to it and no more resistance and hence reduced stress. -
As mentioned by others, any system is as stressful or stress-free as you allow it to be. The US and China have vastly different college admissions systems, but I can guarantee you the kids shooting for Harvard, Stanford, etc are under just as much stress/pressure as their counterparts targeting Tsinghua, Beida, etc (or no stress in either if the family guides them this way). All that’s been done is substitute exam results/stress for "portfolio" stress (which may be good or OK in the longrun with respect to the skills it builds).
As I mentioned, the system is whatever MOE says it is, so I guess we just do the best we can. My only question is whether fewer full exams payoff when the end game (PSLE) is still a full exam and the S1 posting system works like it does?
Or, we can all change our mindset and not care so much. That’s the other option but it won’t happen overnight… -
I recall having the mid-year (小考) and the final exam (大考) yearly thoughout my primary and secondary school years. Never had much trouble with them but then again I actually liked studying. But I vaguely remember after each year we could just “throw away” the textbooks and spring clean everything. The next year would be a whole new start (in terms of study material). I dont recall ever revisiting any previous years’ materials when I crammed for the year end.
It’s not the case in primary school now. There is the spiral approach, so every year-end SA2, they would test all the preceding years’ worth of stuff too. Until u graduate. -
slmkhoo\" post_id=\"2061049\" time=\"1646812371\" user_id=\"28674:
That's also because content has increased and level of difficulty has also increased to some extent. Some higher content brought down to learn at a younger level because the milk powder is more advanced, kids are also smarter now?
Good if that can happen. Frankly, from my memories, school exams didn't cause that much stress anyway. Not that they weren't somewhat stressful, but not so debilitating. It was a twice-yearly rhythm that we just lived with. It's only in the past 20-30 yrs the school exams have become such stressful events.
In any case, this approach is likely good if kids have no learning disabilities. If they have, it might be a tougher journey for them and they would be identified earlier in this process.
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SG_KP1\" post_id=\"2061050\" time=\"1646812737\" user_id=\"188234:
This is most likely the goal. But as in all things, it is better to do it in a balanced way. Parents still need to care, but probably to divert the care in other ways.
As mentioned by others, any system is as stressful or stress-free as you allow it to be. The US and China have vastly different college admissions systems, but I can guarantee you the kids shooting for Harvard, Stanford, etc are under just as much stress/pressure as their counterparts targeting Tsinghua, Beida, etc (or no stress in either if the family guides them this way). All that's been done is substitute exam results/stress for \"portfolio\" stress (which may be good or OK in the longrun with respect to the skills it builds).
As I mentioned, the system is whatever MOE says it is, so I guess we just do the best we can. My only question is whether fewer full exams payoff when the end game (PSLE) is still a full exam and the S1 posting system works like it does?
Or, we can all change our mindset and not care so much. That's the other option but it won't happen overnight... -
zac's mum\" post_id=\"2061051\" time=\"1646813114\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2061051 time=1646813114 user_id=53606]
Spiral learning is actually the natural way.
I recall having the mid-year (小考) and the final exam (大考) yearly thoughout my primary and secondary school years. Never had much trouble with them but then again I actually *liked* studying. But I vaguely remember after each year we could just “throw away” the textbooks and spring clean everything. The next year would be a whole new start (in terms of study material). I dont recall ever revisiting any previous years’ materials when I crammed for the year end.
It’s not the case in primary school now. There is the spiral approach, so every year-end SA2, they would test all the preceding years’ worth of stuff too. Until u graduate.[/quote] -
floppy\" post_id=\"2061047\" time=\"1646811639\" user_id=\"97579:
Hey, you sound just like me! I flunk my Physics in year 1 in Temasek JC. So I told my form teacher (also my Physics tutor) not to worry as I'll score an A for Physics during my A levels.
That sounds just like me. Although my case would be (under the non-weighted assessment framework):
Flunk, borderline, borderline…
Ace.
(Repeat)
Thus, easy for me to do well at the major exams than school’s EOY tabulation.
Too bad my schools didn’t have a most improved student award. Else I believe I’ll be in contention.
He LAUGHED at me.
Grr... so I studied and studied to prove him wrong. During Paper 1 which was multiple choice, I was giggling when I not only got the exact same questions in some past year papers, but they didn't even change the (A,B,C,D) ordering! How not to get an A?
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