Networking Group - JCs General
-
00skyblue00\" post_id=\"2099949\" time=\"1677972798\" user_id=\"143605:
I understand where you're coming from and I agree that there's no one size fits all. That's why we should guide our kids (of varying abilities) the importance of setting reasonable, individualised goals for themselves. For instance, I will never tell my kid to aim for top 3 in class (and we both know he won't touch the top 3 even if he studies 7 days a week). And if by fluke, he makes top 3, then what next? Aim for top 2, top 1? It's never-ending and rather pointless.
But not all children are the same. We parents most will wish to have our kids in top x%, get into RI, take up leadership roles, 10 extra subjects, get RA, and claim a few scholarships. Face challenges with grit and emerge as a \"success\" case.
But the reality is that for that fraction of x%, we may be sacrificing how many other children who are just not the same types of species. These top kids can still pursue their goals even if we are lowering the bar. They can still build a stronger character from their own urges rather than an external bar if they wishes to do so. Not saying to groom a gen of strawberries children by lowering the bar. Some kids just have to have their own free time. But they are not goofing around. Could be they are seeking their own purpose. Part and parcel of finding their own identity and growing up.
I find it more beneficial if let's say he finds it interesting to streamline business processes thru the effective deployment of IT/AI (just as an eg). Then his goal should be to score well enough in A-Level to qualify for comp sci, and be prepared to continue to upgrade himself in that field after graduation. This kind of goals is both reasonable and achievable for kids of all abilities. -
In the past, with mid yr exam in eg lower sec and upp sec, what score range would call for alert? 50-60? What would be a safe score? 70?
So if sec students score badly eg. 60, what would parents normally do? Send kid for tuition from Jun holidays onwards?
If curriculum is for whole year, how do we expect student to perform in mid yr? Score 60 and shld improve by year end to 70 without tuition? Or remain at 60 by year end without tuition?
In the past, was mid year exam the main source of stress which led to many depression? Trying to rationalise why moe choose to remove mid yr exam. -
00skyblue00\" post_id=\"2100194\" time=\"1678028467\" user_id=\"143605:
1)
In the past, with mid yr exam in eg lower sec and upp sec, what score range would call for alert? 50-60? What would be a safe score? 70?
So if sec students score badly eg. 60, what would parents normally do? Send kid for tuition from Jun holidays onwards?
If curriculum is for whole year, how do we expect student to perform in mid yr? Score 60 and shld improve by year end to 70 without tuition? Or remain at 60 by year end without tuition?
In the past, was mid year exam the main source of stress which led to many depression? Trying to rationalise why moe choose to remove mid yr exam.
From Secondary 1 onwards,
any examinable subject that compute your L1R5, and if the individual subject were to fall into
B4, C5, C6 range -
then,
the red light alarm signal automatically is turned on, flickering.
The class Form Tr / subject Teachers will tell their students to ... buck up.
If gotten a B4, don't improve to B3, then if not careful, the next round tests (exam) can possibly slip or spiral downwards into a ... C5.
So,
all Sec 1 students in Trimester 1 onwards, already know what to expect, since they have already been briefed by Teachers in school.
Why, from Trimester 1 onwards ?
Because
Sec 1 Term 2 already conducted
WA (Weighted Assessments), isn't it ?
And
Sec 1 students will get back their marked WA2 scripts / test results, for every of their examinable 7 or 8 subjects, which they had sat for.
So,
from Sec 1 onwards,
once start Secondary school life, students already know
what exactly constitute
( A1 to F9 ) score range, per single L1R5 examinable subject.
00skyblue00,
Do u have a child in Secondary school ? If Yes, u can ask them what's (A1 to F9). Your child will know.
2)
You mentioned, trying to rationalise
Why remove mid year exam ?
Because
Students from as young as Primary 5 onwards, some of them, have sadly ended up in tragedy. If u google, newspaper reports in the past on this, will surface. One of these unfortunate tragedy happened in Maha Bodhi primary school before, at P5.
Another sad tragedy was from River Valley High, an IP school.
After this incident,
the ex (former) Principal from River Valley couldn't take it anymore, hence requested to get out of this school.
As mental stress is on the rise,
MOE try to reduce stress for teenagers in academic studies. Hence, removed mid year exam & substituted by byte sized, manageable 2 to 3 chapters / topics tests called Termly WA (Weighted Assessments)
Example
=======
For Sec 1 Term2 Lower Secondary,
maybe test only Total 3 chapters, for Sec 1 subject called General Science -
Tests, possibly include :-
1) Cells , the Basic Unit of Life
( one chapter or Topic, taken from the Biology section )
This topic, \"Cells\" is not new.
Students have studied before at P6, in PSLE Science.
2) the Ray model of Light
( one chapter or Topic, taken from the Physics section )
Again, this topic \"Light\" is also not new.
Students have studied before, in PSLE Science last time.
3) Model of Matter - Atoms & Molecule
( one chapter or Topic, taken from the Chemistry section )
So,
are the mini byte sized tests more manageable, easier to handle now ?
Only tests 2 or 3 chapters,
and start off by testing with familiar topics like (Cells + Light),
something which u are familiar with, because had studied before in primary school at P6,
so as to
ease u in gradually,
into Secondary 1 school life. -
00skyblu00,
Do u know why
anything B4 and below, the red light is flickering ?
Because
L1R5, is based on Total how many subjects ? 6, is the answer
Imagine.
If every subject on average score a B3, (ie. 3 X 6 subjects), Total, what’s the L1R5 ? 18, right ?
Is 18 very close to 20, the Cut off point pre-requisite for admission into Junior Colleges ? Yes, very close ! So,
try not to get any B4 and below
Imagine.
If every subject on average score a B4, (ie 4 X 6 subjects), Total, what’s your L1R5 ? 24, right ?
With 24, can still enter JC ?
Cannot !
have to go Polytechnic, instead.
=======================
For students who take Total 7 subjects at O-level -
then,
the #7 subject is the backup, emergency subject.
In case, one or more of the other balance (remaining) 6 subjects didn’t do well in,
then, the 7th (backup) subject will come in timely, handy & useful.
Those of u taking exactly 6 subjects, risky ! If unfortunately don’t do well in any of the 6, have nothing to fall back upon. No insurance, covered.
===========================
Likewise,
for the new A-level implementing from 2026 onwards, with "maximum 70 points",
many JC1 students will still continue to take 4H2,
in case don’t do well in all 3H2,
then the 4th H2 subject will serve as a backup / emergency subject, to improve your points, towards max. 70
So, of course, this 4th H2 subject, one has to choose prudently.
What’s the point of choosing a "having lots of fun fun, playful type of H2 subject " when in the end, doesn’t really help much in improving your A-level score, towards final 70 points, right ?
Of course,
on the other hand,
if u are very confident in advance at the start or beginning of JC1 Trimester 1
in scoring a perfect string of 3As in your 3 H2 subjects actual A-level exam,
then
no need to take any 4th H2.
But, how many students fall into this such high level of confidence ?
Perhaps,
there are such a handful (number) of IP students from JCs ( RI + Hwa Chong ), confident enough.
But for the rest of us,
how many are confident enough, of scoring perfect 3As, at A level ? -
![](\"https://i.imgur.com/3gOME3Z.jpg\")
https://i.imgur.com/3gOME3Z.jpg\">
-
00skyblue00\" post_id=\"2100194\" time=\"1678028467\" user_id=\"143605:
I suspect, instead of going thru 2 periods of stress (mid and final exams), reduce it to only 1 time in the final exam. I also suspect MOE could have some statistics showing mid year exam results have no bearing on the learning outcomes MOE want to achieve/implement.
In the past, with mid yr exam in eg lower sec and upp sec, what score range would call for alert? 50-60? What would be a safe score? 70?
So if sec students score badly eg. 60, what would parents normally do? Send kid for tuition from Jun holidays onwards?
If curriculum is for whole year, how do we expect student to perform in mid yr? Score 60 and shld improve by year end to 70 without tuition? Or remain at 60 by year end without tuition?
In the past, was mid year exam the main source of stress which led to many depression? Trying to rationalise why moe choose to remove mid yr exam.
Think IP, no O level exam. Free up time for explorations. And the removal of mid year exam for others secondary schools and primary schools could be a scale down version of the IP curriculum.
Presume we can trust the government has some sort of plan, to equip our students with more 21st century skills or something. And maybe, our students academics performance on international stage is already more than good enough for so long-, so scaling back students efforts into those areas and divert them elsewhere to learn other skills. Maybe, government finding is, breakthrough technologies discovery also requires skill set other than academics prowess.
What we are seeing now could be the 1st step towards those directions. MOE will assess the outcomes and decide what to do next.
These are my gut feel, my imaginations. of course, I do not have any info to back them up. -
zac's mum\" post_id=\"2100204\" time=\"1678060741\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2100204 time=1678060741 user_id=53606]
zac mom,
This chart is taken from which Secondary school ?
Your son's school ?
Because one look at your Sec 4 WA1 and WA2, look at the horizontal row (Sec 4),
15% weightage each for Term 1 and Term 2 ... is very low ! We are talking about level Sec 4, where students are sitting for O level in a few months' time, no more luxury time, because no longer at level Sec (1 to 3) anymore.
My kid's Secondary school WA is very different from your picture, shown above.
In beginning January 2023 this year, sent via Parents Gateway received notification , my kid's school for Secondary 4 level, is -
WA1 (Term 1) : 100%
WA2 (Term 2) : also 100%, same
Prelim : definitely has to 100%, because so close to actual O-level sitting timing
So folks,
take note.
Different Secondary school, different WA weightage !
Best is to refer back to your child's own Secondary school's weightage. -
phtthp\" post_id=\"2100207\" time=\"1678063457\" user_id=\"35251:
Yes my son’s school.
zac mom,
This chart is taken from which Secondary school ?
Your son's school ?
Because one look at your Sec 4 WA1 and WA2, 15% weightage each for Term 1 and Term 2 ... is very low ! We are talking about level Sec 4, where students are sitting for O level, no longer level Sec (1 to 3).
My kid's Secondary school WA is very different from your picture, shown above.
In beginning January 2023 this year, sent via Parents Gateway received notification , my kid's school for Secondary 4 level, is -
WA1 (Term 1) : 100%
WA2 (Term 2) : also 100%, same
Prelim : definitely has to 100%, because so close to actual O-level sitting timing
So folks,
take note.
Different Secondary school, different WA weightage !
Best is to refer back to your child's own Secondary school's weightage.
Every school is different. Eg i know other schools had Sec 1 Term 1 WA (ours did not, but sprung surprise class tests on them). -
zac's mum\" post_id=\"2100204\" time=\"1678060741\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2100204 time=1678060741 user_id=53606]
zac mom,
You can feedback to your son's school that for Sec 4 level,
Especially for
WA2 mid year exam, cannot be so low at 15 %.
Has to be 100%,
so that the Sec 4 students don't take mid-year lightly (only 15%). Mid year exam start after Labor's day, that week in May month. Already May !
In July, very fast 2 months later, actual Chinese Oral (O level) starts.
Example
This year, 2023, O-level pu hua Chinese Oral, starts in July (7 to 17), stretched over Total seven week-days.
Very little short time left, on the runway.
https://www.seab.gov.sg/home/examinations/important-dates-for-candidates
Thus, your kid's school must treat mid year exam seriously, not 15% like not important at all. Then, where the balance 85% go to ?
Also, feedback to your school -
Mid year (May) exam, must also remember to
conduct Science lab hands on Practical,
for Sec 4 (Physics / Chem / Bio).
Not just merely test Theory, pen and paper only.
Prelim will definitely include testing Practical lab work. But, your WA2 mid year exam, also need that. -
I feel the % given in the WAs in Sec 4 are just indicative of how many questions the paper has because whatever % is given, prelims is the ONLY 100% that will be locked in as a final result and it would be the results taken seriously when there are any glitches in the national exam for exceptional cases.
So WA 15% means it’s really bite-size tests.
WA 100% would likely mean the scope of topics tested is larger(many more questions) and may probably be close to a mid-year exam so that could possibly go against MOE’s announcement of no mid-year exam for primary to secondary from 2023 onwards.
So maybe phtthp’s school may need to alter the Sec 4 WA1 as 50% and WA2 as 50% in order not to get any potential alarm from parents who support no mid-year exam stress and zac’s mum school can increase theirs to a % that the students can stretch themselves a bit for an early revision? Just my 2 cents worth only.
Hello! It looks like you're interested in this conversation, but you don't have an account yet.
Getting fed up of having to scroll through the same posts each visit? When you register for an account, you'll always come back to exactly where you were before, and choose to be notified of new replies (either via email, or push notification). You'll also be able to save bookmarks and upvote posts to show your appreciation to other community members.
With your input, this post could be even better 💗
Register Login