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

[Mr.025413Clumsy]

tinker_bell\" post_id=\"2075316\" time=\"1658291861\" user_id=\"194652:

Saw this being shared in the parent groupchats when discussing about advanced workshops / enrichment that promises to prepare kids aiming to score AL1 in the PSLE.

https://www.drpeh.com/super-gifted-clinic/super-gifted-science-workshop-for-psle-students/

Would it really be necessary to for primary school students to learn selected Secondary 1, 2 and 4 Science topics related to the PSLE, in order to aim for an AL1 in PSLE science?

I've heard before that some of the topics being tested in the PSLE are better appreciated once the student has done some Sec work. I'm not sure how far along in Sec, i.e. up to Sec 4 as you mentioned, but I believe that there's some truth to it. It's not that you need Sec education to score in PSLE but like many things in life, we understand and appreciate the basics better after we've seen what lies ahead.

That said, I think it's a bit much to say that it is necessary. MOE can be unfair but I'd prefer to say that if our kids are familiar with the PSLE syllabus through and through, there's no need to rely on Sec work to score. Any extra benefit might be outweighed by spending more time to better understand the PSLE work and just going over PYQs.

[tinker_bell]

floppy\" post_id=\"2075317\" time=\"1658292060\" user_id=\"97579:

I think the answer to your question is so plainly obvious that we should at least try to answer it in more than one word.

No.

Yes! I was thinking how could it be that MOE will test science concepts, beyond the primary syllabus, for the PSLE science exam? Won't be fair to the other students right?

But then there are a number of parents in the group chat who are fervent believers of advancing their children into learning secondary topics to prep for the PSLE. They said it worked for their elder kids. In fact some advocate for primary school kids to learn secondary sch math algebra, which will make solving those tough questions so much easier.

But why then would MOE require primary students to learn model if algebra is so effective? Anyway not sure about MOE's stand on usage of algebra in the PSLE. I know technically its allowed but not sure if the individual markers will accept algebra type workings in the PSLE.

Sorry for rambling. Typing on phone. LOL

[sushi88]

tinker_bell\" post_id=\"2075316\" time=\"1658291861\" user_id=\"194652:

Saw this being shared in the parent groupchats when discussing about advanced workshops / enrichment that promises to prepare kids aiming to score AL1 in the PSLE.

https://www.drpeh.com/super-gifted-clinic/super-gifted-science-workshop-for-psle-students/

Would it really be necessary to for primary school students to learn selected Secondary 1, 2 and 4 Science topics related to the PSLE, in order to aim for an AL1 in PSLE science?

This kind of advertisement is just so gimmicky. This just kills the giftedness if one is really gifted. Super gifted just learn stuff on their own, you can't stop them and they would know more than you know what they know. They probably also know more than the teachers and they do not necessarily score well in exams because they probably know more than the prescribed answer key.

[manorway]

You do not need to know Sec Science to score AL1. All my kids got A* in PSLE Science without tuition and I am really not that great in Science either. I definitely cannot remember a thing about my Sec science and my kids didn’t know anything too when they were P6. I had to read up the guide books and assessment books answer sheets. I don’t think their Sc teachers were good either at P6. Maybe only 1 kid had a really strict Sc teacher who did not accept nonsense. We just worked very hard.

[sharonkhoo]

tinker_bell\" post_id=\"2075322\" time=\"1658292489\" user_id=\"194652:

Yes! I was thinking how could it be that MOE will test science concepts, beyond the primary syllabus, for the PSLE science exam? Won't be fair to the other students right?

But then there are a number of parents in the group chat who are fervent believers of advancing their children into learning secondary topics to prep for the PSLE. They said it worked for their elder kids. In fact some advocate for primary school kids to learn secondary sch math algebra, which will make solving those tough questions so much easier.

But why then would MOE require primary students to learn model if algebra is so effective? Anyway not sure about MOE's stand on usage of algebra in the PSLE. I know technically its allowed but not sure if the individual markers will accept algebra type workings in the PSLE.

Sorry for rambling. Typing on phone. LOL

Based on my experience with my kids, I found that there are (at least) 2 kinds of \"knowing\" - one I would call \"understanding and appreciation\", and the other \"understanding and ability to apply and express\". The 1st is more general and \"fuzzy\", and the 2nd type is what is needed for exams. Sorry I don't know the right technical terms for all this!

When I introduced ideas to my kids ahead of the school syllabus, usualy from what we observed around us, or in answer to the eternal \"why\" questions kids always throw at you, they acquired the 1st type of knowledge, and it would help them in the 2nd type BUT AT A SIMPLER LEVEL. So telling them a science or maths concept at a higher level might help them actually learn and do a question at P6 level. But it wasn't necessary, but I suppose a nice-to-have.

Some kids are ahead of their ages, and some behind. Requiring a child to achieve the 2nd type of knowledge ahead of time is quite frustrating, and makes the child frustrated too, which can turn them off that subject of make them lose self-esteem. For some concepts, learning them too far ahead of time may make them learn by rote instead of truly understanding, which will trip them up at higher levels. So while introducing advanced ideas is not necessarily bad, it can be damaging if carried too far. The model vs algebra issue is one of these - kids who are ready to understand the abstractions of algebra at P6 will find it neater than the model method; kids who are not will find it hard, learn it by rote, then realise later that they didn't understand it the first time round. I had a child who used algebra at P6 because she found it so obvious, and another who was still struggling to understand it in sec school.

[lee_yl]

floppy\" post_id=\"2075292\" time=\"1658285540\" user_id=\"97579:

Yes, exactly how self-selection bias will work.

I am still quite shocked to hear that challenging questions are marked with asterisk in PSLE maths papers nowadays.

Regardless asterisk or no asterisk, we still need to teach our children to be exam smart, move on if can’t solved, isn’t it?

Pro: It helps a segment of the population to move on and don’t get stuck at challenging questions.

Cons: It creates a psychological barrier among the average students, that they may not be able to solve these problems. It may be well meaning but it reinforces the perception that they are not as good as the GEP and HA students.

[floppy]

lee_yl\" post_id=\"2075432\" time=\"1658329024\" user_id=\"17023:

I am still quite shocked to hear that challenging questions are marked with asterisk in PSLE maths papers nowadays.

Regardless asterisk or no asterisk, we still need to teach our children to be exam smart, move on if can’t solved, isn’t it?

Pro: It helps a segment of the population to move on and don’t get stuck at challenging questions.

Cons: It creates a psychological barrier among the average students, that they may not be able to solve these problems. It may be well meaning but it reinforces the perception that they are not as good as the GEP and HA students.

I don't think there's an asterisk for challenging questions nowadays. It was a suggestion for MOE to do so for PSLE.

I think it's a dumb suggestion.

[zac's mum]

Discuss for fun:

- how many parents can solve this?
- how many of your P6s kids can solve this?
- how many of your kids could have solved this in P3 (ie. when the official textbook teaches the 5 times table & 6 times table)?

Qn: There are 24 boys in a class. The boys are sitting in 6 rows of 5. How is it possible? Draw a diagram.

[MrsKiasu]

My guess, it is a hexagon shape. 6 students shared at the 6 points. Then each row 3 pax?

[00skyblue00]

MrsKiasu\" post_id=\"2075447\" time=\"1658360440\" user_id=\"43981:

My guess, it is a hexagon shape. 6 students shared at the 6 points. Then each row 3 pax?

So clever. 6 groups of 5-1

A foreigner and family came to Sg in 2019, expat terms. Chose to enrol their kids in SG neighbourhood pri sch, in mid terms of upp pri, got in one with vacancies.

She said, SG is training kids critical thinking, ahead of other places. She never learned math modelling before too, so read up on books on her own to teach her children. If kids can pick up, it's a bonus, if not, it's great to have learnt it before sec sch process based maths.

Take away from psle experience is, the mindset we parents can play a role to help our children have.

Do or die mindset has its risk and downfall. Because psle is not the only exam they will face in life. The damage done at young age can be difficult to undo.