Networking Group - JCs General
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Kimkar\" post_id=\"2100302\" time=\"1678110326\" user_id=\"36967:
This JC is very on that type,
I am not sure of other JC (but not for sec sch i thk) but my elder DD's JC prepares slides for the whole cohort after every CT and after mid yr n EOY exam. It will indicate each class' mean RP, class ranking, no of students in each class attaining 3H2 & GP passes. At the same time, there are also other slides showing each subjects' performance in % by grades (A, B,...E, S, U). So the students are well informed of their standing after each CT or exam. This is actually very informative for the students to gauge their performance and do whatever is necessary to raise the rank.
share lots of useful info to her students. Very good ! -
bbbay\" post_id=\"2100205\" time=\"1678062363\" user_id=\"175278:
It would be helpful if MOE can also share the rationale behind these changes and yes the the statistics and study they did if there is any. But it will be tricky, unable to admit that how it has been done for so long, eg mid yr exam, was not correct.
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.
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.
Hearing the parents here, i have better appreciation of what can be improved is to have a check in middle of year but not a scare, for our tweens and teens to know it's time to buck up. Comes in form of a mock with no bearing in final result to know what to expect at EOY. How about giving the students past yr EOY papers to do in class under same timed conditions? But would teachers need to mark the papers? Measure across cohort is not necessary then? Going through the questions and allowing students to understand if they needed to manage their time better would be more helpful. Anything else? -
phtthp\" post_id=\"2100315\" time=\"1678131149\" user_id=\"35251:
You are a great mum! I feel inadequate through your sharing. Your children are blessed.
My sharing below
refer (apply) to a typical O-level Secondary school, not an IP school.
Because
IP school students bypassed O-level, so structure of their Weighted Assessments, differ.
=======================
1) For Sec 4 level alone,
your kid Secondary school's
exam format will follow O-level style.
Different school, different stroke !
Some schools don't even bother to conduct any mid-year (May) exam, at Sec 4 level for their students.
But,
for those more hardworking schools who do happen to conduct one,
the extent they testing which topics (chapters), also differ.
No fixed rule.
Example
Some schools are hardworking.
So, for Sec 4 level mid-year (May month) exam,
1a) some schools
may test
just only the
Sec 4 topics been taught in both (Term 1 + Term 2)
up to the end of April 20xx,
if let's say we assume that
the mid year exam is held on 3 May,
ie.
held right after Labor's day on 1 May (public holiday)
Because schools should not test what haven't been taught yet, to students.
OR
1b) other Secondary schools may test
the entire Sec 3 syllabus that had already been taught in the previous year
Plus
Test only those Sec 4 Term 2 topics that were also been covered,
but omit out
testing Sec 4 Term 1 topics
because these had already been tested before,
in the earlier Sec 4 Term 1 exam (mid-February).
==========================
1c) when come to Sec 4 Prelim (August month),
then,
schools will
test the entire O-level syllabus, for that subject.
=========================
2) for JC (2) level alone,
If the JC happen to conduct a mid-year exam (May),
then
the format will follow closely to actual A-level exam format.
But which H2 subject topics to test, will again differ, for each JC.
Yes, choosing the right school is so difficult. These days teachers use tech, hardly speak in class, get kids to self mark, how to know which kids need help if they dont mark papers? Hardly any compo writing in a year, how to improve writing skills. How kids can improve comprehension skills if no one take time to slowly dissect the text? These are my observations from sharing around.
All the best to the coming O level, and A level in time. -
00skyblue00\" post_id=\"2100324\" time=\"1678147043\" user_id=\"143605:
I know it can be scary for many people the doing away of that check point from the mid year exam. But how I see it schools will still be administering small assessments now and then? Those are still check points, isn’t it? Small assessments could also be treated seriously. It doesn’t mean not labelled with the word “exam” mean inconsequential. Isn’t it better to flag under performing students out as early as term 1, instead of only after mid year exam under the current system? The key to me is bite size fixing for under performing students, right from term 1. I don’t see it being stressed earlier. I focus more on the fact it is bite size fixing and done earlier.
It would be helpful if MOE can also share the rationale behind these changes and yes the the statistics and study they did if there is any. But it will be tricky, unable to admit that how it has been done for so long, eg mid yr exam, was not correct.
Hearing the parents here, i have better appreciation of what can be improved is to have a check in middle of year but not a scare, for our tweens and teens to know it's time to buckle up. Comes in form of a mock with no bearing in final result to know what to expect at EOY. How about giving the students past yr EOY papers to do in class under same timed conditions? But would teachers need to mark the papers? Measure across cohort is not necessary then? Going through the questions and allowing students to understand if they needed to manage their time better would be more helpful. Anything else?
My suggestion It may be good if we can re tune our mindset, to see significance in small things and not only in big wording, like “exam”. I think those can do that may feel there are more leeway for themselves. -
phtthp\" post_id=\"2100314\" time=\"1678129433\" user_id=\"35251:
I think we have to see what reference point we are taking from for a 53/100 score.
As mentioned earlier,
there are LAZY Secondary schools around.
Don't be so impressed by Principal standing on the stage on O level announcement released results dates,
flashing onto the overhead projector in the school hall in front of students collecting results that day, statistics like what 90+ % passes, for subject X. These data don't mean much.
Why ?
Example
Let's say,
a pupil scored 53 upon 100, for O-level (Elementary Maths).
So, is this considered a Pass or Fail in E-Maths ?
Of course, \"Pass\" lah !
Where got fail Maths ?
But, next question come -
is 53 upon 100, a good score or a poor score ?
Answer : such a weak score !
Never mind about this weak score.
Because
does it still constitute towards the 90%+ Passes, in subject E-Maths ?
Yes, of course !
because 53 upon 100, is still a \"Pass\" mah !
Yet,
how many parents here would want their child to score 53 upon 100, for their E-Maths ?
If a student always fails, then I would say 53/100 is a good improvement, we cannot see 53/100 as an absolute score.
You probably only see and know kids who produce stellar results all the time. I can however share with you that I celebrate score 53/100. Can we call it a weak score? I won't because relative to the child, this is the best score ever if the child fails most of the time. Of course if a child is always scoring 70+, then 53 becomes a weak score if it happens. Albeit there is a benchmark that 70+ and above suggests good competency, we cannot think everyone is academically inclined and that does not mean that they are not smart. There are smartness in many areas and academics is only one of them. To me, the academically-inclined could be the top 10% perhaps with more options, but the rest in the academic journey learn time management, discipline, interaction and many other things that can equip them to excel in their own areas as an adult later. Nothing is lost in this learning journey and the end goal need not be just an academic pursuit as the world needs many types of skills.
Schools and MOE operate for all types of children, the objective is to provide them an education that can best help them discover themselves and move forward as a useful adult, not necessarily in the field of academics.
I am not promoting mediocrity either and know the importance of academic excellence. Just saying we can celebrate academic excellence at the top 10% level, we can also celebrate everyone who passes as that is also significant effort put in to stay afloat for those who really need to try very hard. -
bbbay\" post_id=\"2100331\" time=\"1678150819\" user_id=\"175278:
So far, my experience with weighted assessments / small assessments is that it is not reflective of child's test/exam prep, because many of the small assessments can be hands on task, group projects, take home assignments, or a format completely different from a regular pen and paper test/exam. I don't mind if the small assessments are a smaller or shorter test/exam - for example, chinese test with one compre instead of two etc. Removing mid year exams is fine if there is some reassurance that the smaller weighted assignments are robust in identifying areas of weaknesses and help prepare kids for exams. Otherwise, it's back to tuition centres again for many students/families.
I know it can be scary for many people the doing away of that check point from the mid year exam. But how I see it schools will still be administering small assessments now and then? Those are still check points, isn’t it? Small assessments could also be treated seriously. It doesn’t mean not labelled with the word “exam” mean inconsequential. Isn’t it better to flag under performing students out as early as term 1, instead of only after mid year exam under the current system? The key to me is bite size fixing for under performing students, right from term 1. I don’t see it being stressed earlier. I focus more on the fact it is bite size fixing and done earlier.
My suggestion It may be good if we can re tune our mindset, to see significance in small things and not only in big wording, like “exam”. I think those can do that may feel there are more leeway for themselves. -
00skyblue00\" post_id=\"2100324\" time=\"1678147043\" user_id=\"143605:
It would be helpful if MOE can also share the rationale behind these changes and yes the the statistics and study they did if there is any. But it will be tricky, unable to admit that how it has been done for so long, eg mid yr exam, was not correct.
Hearing the parents here, i have better appreciation of what can be improved is to have a check in middle of year but not a scare, for our tweens and teens to know it's time to buck up. Comes in form of a mock with no bearing in final result to know what to expect at EOY. How about giving the students past yr EOY papers to do in class under same timed conditions? But would teachers need to mark the papers? Measure across cohort is not necessary then? Going through the questions and allowing students to understand if they needed to manage their time better would be more helpful. Anything else?doodbug\" post_id=\"2100347\" time=\"1678159212\" user_id=\"13281:
So far, my experience with weighted assessments / small assessments is that it is not reflective of child's test/exam prep, because many of the small assessments can be hands on task, group projects, take home assignments, or a format completely different from a regular pen and paper test/exam. I don't mind if the small assessments are a smaller or shorter test/exam - for example, chinese test with one compre instead of two etc. Removing mid year exams is fine if there is some reassurance that the smaller weighted assignments are robust in identifying areas of weaknesses and help prepare kids for exams. Otherwise, it's back to tuition centres again for many students/families.
We may have the answers to many of our queries from this press release:
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/mid-year-exams-all-primary-and-secondary-school-levels-will-be-removed-2023-moe-2544051
It appeared there was a deliberate/carefully planned experimentations for years, that paved the way to what we are seeing now. The non important levels were selected first for the experimentation of removing mid year exams (from 2019). I supposed MOE is pragmatic to the fact it may not work out well:
“Speaking in Parliament during his ministry’s Committee of Supply debate, Mr Chan noted that mid-year examinations for Primary 3 and 5 and Secondary 1 and 3 students have been removed over the last few years. “
And the assessed outcomes of those years of experiments are positive:
“We saw the positive impact. Schools and teachers can better pace and deepen students’ learning,” he said.”
I supposed MOE meant examinations results are not negatively affected by removal of mid year exams from those participating levels. Thus the rolling out to all levels now.
Other indication that any new policy roll out will be after periods of careful assessment?:
“……The pilot programme will allow MOE to assess the feasibility of this approach and the level of interest among students, it said.”
Back to the removal of MYE, the periodic assessment MOE has introduced may not be what majority of us are accustomed to what constitutes learning (taking mock test etc)?:
“They use ongoing assessments to identify what students have mastered and the areas they have difficulties with. Students also focus more on their learning and less on marks.”
And the scaled down version of IP curriculum/to acquire 21st century skills?:
“Removing mid-year examinations for all primary and secondary levels frees up more time for “self-directed learning and developing 21st-century competencies”, said the Education Minister. “
MOE is constantly changing policy according to changing time. When streaming were introduced in the 80s, it was because the society faced high school dropped out rate. Streaming was introduced to keep more students in schools- create different teaching pace for different ability students so that less academically incline students were not turn off when they couldn’t follow the lessons. We have very different society now. So education policy will change and will keep changing.
And those Covid years. May have change a few focuses (whether we like it or not) and revealed some interesting/useful education facts MOE was not actively looking in those directions before. This paragraph is purely my own speculation. -
To be candid, this article itself is not sharing much, a bit generic, unfortunately, to justify the changes well.
There should be some indicators to look at from those trials:
1. Before the change, number of students having tuition for which subjects and and after the change, number of students having tuition and subjects.
2. Statements like \"better pace\" and \"deeper learning\" are not well-supported but these are quantifiable by
a. reduction in teachers on mental health issues
b. reduction in students on mental health issues
c. teachers reduced in OT work
d. increase in students doing more recreational CCA or community activities or better NAFTA results
e. reduction in disciplinary and delinquency cases
f. reduction in absence and lateness of students from school
g. if tuition numbers are status quo or reduced and bite-tests results are better than before, then learning has truly improved in schools.
These would be some indicators that could be discussed in parliamentary debates right? :scratchhead:
However, if the above examples of indicators are not exactly improved, better pace and deeper learning could well be attributed to more tuition.
I am not saying the current confirmed policy changes are not good. I am certain it has its merits to manage the heated stress previously. The article is just not providing enough. -
For those who think there is a bell curve for our national examinations, the question has been asked and replied on 9 January 2023 by SEAB:
\"Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan, Pioneer SMC
Question
To ask the Minister for Education whether there is a bell curve for the GCE O and A level examinations for all subjects to determine the final grade given.
Response
1. Our national examinations do not grade to a bell curve, but are what assessment experts describe as standards-referenced. The grades awarded reflect a candidate's level of mastery in a subject based on an absolute set of standards. They are not affected by the performance of others.
2. Statistically, test scores of a large population of students in any subject tend to fall into a normal distribution (a bell curve) due to natural variation in the level of mastery among the students.
3. The Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) ensures that examination standards are comparable year on year. This means that each examination is aligned with the syllabus objectives and learning outcomes, and consists of a balanced proportion of basic, average and challenging questions to cater to students of different abilities. This proportion is kept stable year-on-year.
4. SEAB neither 'force fits' the exam scores of students into a bell curve nor uses pre-determined proportions for grades. If there are more candidates demonstrating better quality work in an examination year, a higher percentage of them will be awarded better grades.
Wow!! Kudos SEAB. -
sushi88\" post_id=\"2100370\" time=\"1678179984\" user_id=\"100857:
I wld like to pose to sch leaders, how they can quantify and qualify that the free up time from preparing for mid yr exams, teachers are doing more quality teaching and marking sch work. Eg. From 1 compo a year to 3 compo writing a year etc.
To be candid, this article itself is not sharing much, a bit generic, unfortunately, to justify the changes well.
There should be some indicators to look at from those trials:
1. Before the change, number of students having tuition for which subjects and and after the change, number of students having tuition and subjects.
2. Statements like \"better pace\" and \"deeper learning\" are not well-supported but these are quantifiable by
a. reduction in teachers on mental health issues
b. reduction in students on mental health issues
c. teachers reduced in OT work
d. increase in students doing more recreational CCA or community activities or better NAFTA results
e. reduction in disciplinary and delinquency cases
f. reduction in absence and lateness of students from school
g. if tuition numbers are status quo or reduced and bite-tests results are better than before, then learning has truly improved in schools.
These would be some indicators that could be discussed in parliamentary debates right? :scratchhead:
However, if the above examples of indicators are not exactly improved, better pace and deeper learning could well be attributed to more tuition.
I am not saying the current confirmed policy changes are not good. I am certain it has its merits to manage the heated stress previously. The article is just not providing enough.
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