MOE says 15 marks of the Mathematics PSLE paper are challenging. So average students can only hope to score 85% max?

[tinker_bell]

https://www.bluetreeeducation.com/psle-questions-masterclass?


Even Bluetree education is offering enrichment to target the challenging questions appearing in the PSLE. If the kids don't receive this special training, they can kiss their AL1 and AL2 goodbye?

So how is it that MOE can claim that PSLE is not getting tougher year on year?

[SG_KP1]

tinker_bell\" post_id=\"2075136\" time=\"1658201420\" user_id=\"194652:

https://www.bluetreeeducation.com/psle-questions-masterclass?

Even Bluetree education is offering enrichment to target the challenging questions appearing in the PSLE. If the kids don't receive this special training, they can kiss their AL1 and AL2 goodbye?

So how is it that MOE can claim that PSLE is not getting tougher year on year?

If you are very very very very worried about your kid not getting AL1 or AL2 in Math, then I guess you may be on the right path. Not everyone shares your view.

Have a nice day.

Edit: there's nothing wrong with enrichment or further developing one's skills in his/her area of interest. But AL1 or AL2 for PSLE Math is not the be all and end all. Heck, some kids can even get into RI/RGS with AL3 in Math and AL1 in the other subjects. Further, there's nothing wrong with \"average,\" by definition half the people are above this level and half the people are below. MOE has indicated AL3 - AL5 is a perfectly fine score for this group of students. What does the entire cohort scoring AL1 or AL2 in Math accomplish?

[Nebbermind]

SG_KP1\" post_id=\"2075016\" time=\"1658118746\" user_id=\"188234:

I tend to agree. SEAB is not going to give them the Helen and Ivan question repackaged as \"Mary and Bob.\"

Some of these questions the computations are not hard but you need to recognize what is going on and then apply the underlying math skills. Generally, I would say if you don't see it in the first minute or two just move on and try to secure the rest of the points that are reasonable for you.

More often than not, I think the extreme swings in performance come from exam pressure and failing to manage one's emotions rather than loads and loads of difficult questions. Kids need to avoid having one or two hard questions torpedo their whole paper. But easier said than done, especially for a 12 year old.

While perhaps 70~80% of the kids may be able to bring themselves to skip such questions, I believe the top 10~20% will still put in much effort into solving it coz, i) it's a challenge to them, ii) it's a ego issue, iii) their dream school is at stake...the list goes on....

Anyway, I think they should format the maths paper such that all the challenging questions are right at the end of the paper, and that the marks allocated per question will indicate the difficulty level without spelling it out. It shouldn't be used as some kind of mind game trap by puttingt such questions midway to test the mental state of 12 yo.

[Mr.025413Clumsy]

Am I correct that even if the child is unable to fully solve one of those "killer Qs," they may still score a mark or so if their working is correct? If yes, then there’s every incentive to give it their best shot!

[coast]

Technospaz\" post_id=\"2075147\" time=\"1658205080\" user_id=\"135989:

Am I correct that even if the child is unable to fully solve one of those \"killer Qs,\" they may still score a mark or so if their working is correct? If yes, then there's every incentive to give it their best shot!

Looking at some recent PSLE past years papers, I think most (if not all) 4 and 5 marks questions were divided into smaller parts.

At least for my DS primary school and a few other schools that I know, school teachers emphasise the need to do working and they apply marking scheme (for methods and answers) for school examination papers.

https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-standard-of-this-years-psle-maths-paper-comparable-to-past-years

Challenging questions are also carefully structured into smaller parts to help most pupils attempt them, though not all pupils are expected to be able to solve all questions in the examination. Regardless of whether the question is fully completed, credit will be given for attempts that demonstrate the relevant knowledge and skills.

[Mr.025413Clumsy]

coast\" post_id=\"2075166\" time=\"1658211016\" user_id=\"38933:

Looking at some recent PSLE past years papers, I think most (if not all) 4 and 5 marks questions were divided into smaller parts.

At least for my DS primary school and a few other schools that I know, school teachers emphasise the need to do working and they apply marking scheme (for methods and answers) for school examination papers.

https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-standard-of-this-years-psle-maths-paper-comparable-to-past-years

Challenging questions are also carefully structured into smaller parts to help most pupils attempt them, though not all pupils are expected to be able to solve all questions in the examination. Regardless of whether the question is fully completed, credit will be given for attempts that demonstrate the relevant knowledge and skills.

Thanks. That's what we tell our DS too. Even if you cannot reach the answer, at least document your working. This gives you an opportunity to see the steps you took (which may reveal an error) and could also score marks even if the ultimate answer is wrong.

[coast]

tinker_bell\" post_id=\"2075136\" time=\"1658201420\" user_id=\"194652:

... is offering enrichment to target the challenging questions appearing in the PSLE. If the kids don't receive this special training, they can kiss their AL1 and AL2 goodbye?

So how is it that MOE can claim that PSLE is not getting tougher year on year?

Actual PSLE papers are published since 2012. Some schools will also get the P6s to do the recent 3 years' PSLE papers as practice.

You can ask your child's school teacher or check out the papers yourself.

Whether enrichment/tuition will help or not depends on each kid. I have seen a few schools with resources good enough for PSLE. Many kids who did well in these schools need not attend outside enrichment/tuition and they did equally well in PSLE (with some exceptions who did better/worse).

[Zeal mummy]

tinker_bell\" post_id=\"2075136\" time=\"1658201420\" user_id=\"194652:

https://www.bluetreeeducation.com/psle-questions-masterclass?

Even Bluetree education is offering enrichment to target the challenging questions appearing in the PSLE. If the kids don't receive this special training, they can kiss their AL1 and AL2 goodbye?

So how is it that MOE can claim that PSLE is not getting tougher year on year?

Oh, I love bluetree and these ladies are so lovely, awesome and helpful. We attended most, if not all of their complimentary webinars.. (it was a few years back, but I would attend again in a heartbeat) Please do sign up and support them!

..You do not need any special training to get Math AL1, but you do have to be diligent and dutiful in getting your mistakes corrected. Don’t stop practicing when you get it right. Practice until you can’t get it wrong. I believe the standard is more or less the same, year on year. Our expectations are however increasing..

[Zeal mummy]

Technospaz\" post_id=\"2075147\" time=\"1658205080\" user_id=\"135989:

Am I correct that even if the child is unable to fully solve one of those \"killer Qs,\" they may still score a mark or so if their working is correct? If yes, then there's every incentive to give it their best shot!

Yes, the child could still score a mark or two with the right steps, equation. Always tell them to calming break down the question into parts. Take the first equation and then the next and gradually work out the final solution.

[tinker_bell]

Zeal mummy\" post_id=\"2075221\" time=\"1658240083\" user_id=\"58173:[quote=\"Zeal mummy\" post_id=2075221 time=1658240083 user_id=58173]
Oh, I love bluetree and these ladies are so lovely, awesome and helpful. We attended most, if not all of their complimentary webinars.. (it was a few years back, but I would attend again in a heartbeat) Please do sign up and support them!

..You do not need any special training to get Math AL1, but you do have to be diligent and dutiful in getting your mistakes corrected. Don’t stop practicing when you get it right. Practice until you can’t get it wrong. I believe the standard is more or less the same, year on year. Our expectations are however increasing..[/quote]

Appreciative of your feedback! How would you compare science enrichment at Pique lab with Blue tree education?

As for not needing special training to get Math AL1, I want to think so to.

But I keep reading comments in the parent chatgroups about how it is \"necessary to start math olympiad training to do well in those higher order PSLE math qns\". I am also told that \"GEP students and those with math competition experience would have gotten exposure to these challenging question types and hence breeze through even the toughest PSLE mathematics paper\". These are actual comments I read in the group chats!