CCA in Primary School - Advice needed

[jedamum]

buds:

vfong1:

Which CCA is best go for in pri school which will help the student to go for a good sec school?

Usually the aesthetics (performing arts ie. choir, band, dance, etc)
and sports related CCAs.

it's scary how we must relate CCAs to advantage in registering for secondary schools....
shouldn't we just let the kid do the CCA if he/she enjoys them even if they are not really good in it?

[Ca3kids]

jedamum:

buds:

[quote=\"vfong1\"]Which CCA is best go for in pri school which will help the student to go for a good sec school?

Usually the aesthetics (performing arts ie. choir, band, dance, etc)
and sports related CCAs.

it's scary how we must relate CCAs to advantage in registering for secondary schools....
shouldn't we just let the kid do the CCA if he/she enjoys them even if they are not really good in it?[/quote]My kids are not in P6 yet but some stories to share.

I met a neighbour. Her daughter last year took PSLE. She say she regret to let her daughter to join too many competitions and performance organised by school CCA. Her daughter is from one of famous primary school and take up Chinese Orchestra which is famous in that school. Though the daughter in P6 which is a critical year for PSLE, but school still ask her to rehersal and take part in performance and compeition for the school.

The daughter have to practise even after school and during holiday esp near compeition time till night so that they can go competition etc. End up the school win medal and the daughter PSLE marks is only 195!. So the mother told me never think use CCA as DSA and too emphasis on it. She say she learnt the lesson and tell friends not to follow her steps. She also say when my eldes kid come to P6, should be careful not to spend much time in CCA.

I don't know is it because of CCA that really affect the kid's PSLE but we should take note of these things as not all kids can handle time and stress so well. Also don't think is good to emphasis using DSA to get to good secondary. To me, CCA or any other hobbies for kids should be something they enjoy and should not be using it as a path to obtain something

I also came across a mother. Her daughter is a ex-student from a neighbour school. The mother chose gymnastic for her and train her because of thinking to go in the top school. She is good in gymnastic and won medals for school and get a DSA to RGS. Her mother say she is worried that her daughter cannot cope in RGS as the daughter PLSE and normal school result is very average only. But because of DSA, she just let the daughter go in RGS and cross her finger.

To my view, if the kid is not strong in her subjects and foundation, even she is talented in gymnastic, how can she compete with those smart kids in that smart school? She will find very stressful.

But to parents, of course if there is a chance, should let kids to try out but if we use CCA to push kids into top secondary school through DSA and end up kids cannot catch up or perform in the top secondary school, it will be very stressout for both the kids and parents. And the kid may not do well in secondary school and O level. Normal life is already very stressful spending time on school work and tuition, don't stress on kids even in CCA

[phankao]

jedamum:

it's scary how we must relate CCAs to advantage in registering for secondary schools....
shouldn't we just let the kid do the CCA if he/she enjoys them even if they are not really good in it?

Actually THAT (interest) is why I say to let the child do the CCA if that's their interest. With a passion for it, they will tend to excel, whether it be robotics club, flying club, library, or the performing arts. If they are good, they could be a leader in that field. Better than doing something that you are targetting at just bc you see future value in it. If the child does well in that CCA, there WILL be future value in it.

My dd, did not use choir for entering sec school, but bc she loves it

[jedamum]

Ca3kids:

CCA or any other hobbies for kids should be something they enjoy and should not be using it as a path to obtain something

:celebrate:

phankao:

Actually THAT (interest) is why I say to let the child do the CCA if that's their interest. With a passion for it, they will tend to excel

:celebrate: but passion also must be equip with flair in order to excel.

[en107rn.01056yahoo.01056com.01056sg]

[quote]If his interest is not in music, then why did he ask to learn violin? Or join strings cca??[/quote]
He chose chess club as ECA & picked up very quickly in P1. Apart from playing in school, he brings the portable chess set everywhere he goes & play with anyone who wants to play with him. He has since stop going to chess club cause his objective is just to learn how to play. Not sure where the violin comes from but I do not want him to take up something halfway and stop when his mood doesn't suits him anymore.

Given the chance, the opportunity, he will want everything and he is extremely good at a number of things. As a parent, I'm there to guide him & explain that taking up everything is not possible given the time & money constraint.
[quote]Actually THAT (interest) is why I say to let the child do the CCA if that's their interest. With a passion for it, they will tend to excel, whether it be robotics club, flying club, library, or the performing arts. If they are good, they could be a leader in that field. [/quote]He has interest in various things and is very good at them. So as a parent, I am there to guide and tell him that it is not possible to have or do everything given the time and money constraint.

Ca3kids shares some good experiences.

[schellen]

usaik:

Thanks for taking time to share so much details. It does sound like there are a lot of good points in taking up performing CCA. But the commitment sure is awefully high.


Also...Your P1 dd seems to know what she wants very well.

Sorry..I think I am side tracking a bit here....Care to share what are the simple meals which you cook for your dd for school?

Well, without hard work, you can't reap such good rewards.

My DD wants too many things. I just wish she would choose something and stick with it, and hopefully, it's something she can learn from scratch cos she is already taking ballet and piano on weekends.

My DH helps me to prepare them too, and preparing for 3 is easier then preparing for 1, more economical too. We give her fried rice, cream-based pastas, rice with bite-sized meat pieces, broccoli/cauliflower, peas and carrots. I cook these with instant sauces and use pre-cut veggies and microwave bags. Since the sauces already have seasoning, I don't add salt or sugar or herbs. My omelettes don't even have soy sauce as I prefer to make them with the vinegar mix that people use for sushi. Occasionally, I make her sushi or rice cakes. I try to arrange the food in interesting ways like using sushi rolls and a heart-shaped rice cake (I used a cookie cutter) to make \"I <heart> U\" for her birthday bento. She loved it. I don't give her a lot as she only eats this for recess. For lunch, she goes to BASC. (FYI, I'm a FTWM too.)

[phankao]

Ca3kids:

I met a neighbour. Her daughter last year took PSLE. She say she regret to let her daughter to join too many competitions and performance organised by school CCA. Her daughter is from one of famous primary school and take up Chinese Orchestra which is famous in that school. Though the daughter in P6 which is a critical year for PSLE, but school still ask her to rehersal and take part in performance and compeition for the school.

The daughter have to practise even after school and during holiday esp near compeition time till night so that they can go competition etc. End up the school win medal and the daughter PSLE marks is only 195!. So the mother told me never think use CCA as DSA and too emphasis on it. She say she learnt the lesson and tell friends not to follow her steps. She also say when my eldes kid come to P6, should be careful not to spend much time in CCA.

Yes, you need to monitor the child, whether the child can cope. I am so aware of the ultra-many practices since my 3 older kids are all in performing ccas and have been since year 2004. Our elder girl also did PSLE the same year as SYF2006 and barely studied but had the most fun that year!

I do think that the girl who had 195 would probably already have had a weaker foundation academically, and should have been identified by the teachers-in-charge earlier on in the year and given 1-to-1 coaching so she could cope with the increased number of practices.

I know in our children's ccas, they do that. The teacher-in-charge even tutors them in her subject when they have break time during practices or when the other sections are practising and they are \"free\" instead of allowing them to run around playing. Especially so, as their SA1s are usually just a week after the competitions end.

When my son was on prolonged absence from school due to physical injury, he was also given 1-to-1 coaching by the teachers, so why not when the child has to represent the school for competitions and miss classes or not have sufficient time for self-studying?

[Ca3kids]

phankao:

Ca3kids:

I met a neighbour. Her daughter last year took PSLE. She say she regret to let her daughter to join too many competitions and performance organised by school CCA. Her daughter is from one of famous primary school and take up Chinese Orchestra which is famous in that school. Though the daughter in P6 which is a critical year for PSLE, but school still ask her to rehersal and take part in performance and compeition for the school.

The daughter have to practise even after school and during holiday esp near compeition time till night so that they can go competition etc. End up the school win medal and the daughter PSLE marks is only 195!. So the mother told me never think use CCA as DSA and too emphasis on it. She say she learnt the lesson and tell friends not to follow her steps. She also say when my eldes kid come to P6, should be careful not to spend much time in CCA.

Yes, you need to monitor the child, whether the child can cope. I am so aware of the ultra-many practices since my 3 older kids are all in performing ccas and have been since year 2004. Our elder girl also did PSLE the same year as SYF2006 and barely studied but had the most fun that year!

I do think that the girl who had 195 would probably already have had a weaker foundation academically, and should have been identified by the teachers-in-charge earlier on in the year and given 1-to-1 coaching so she could cope with the increased number of practices.

I know in our children's ccas, they do that. The teacher-in-charge even tutors them in her subject when they have break time during practices or when the other sections are practising and they are \"free\" instead of allowing them to run around playing. Especially so, as their SA1s are usually just a week after the competitions end.

When my son was on prolonged absence from school due to physical injury, he was also given 1-to-1 coaching by the teachers, so why not when the child has to represent the school for competitions and miss classes or not have sufficient time for self-studying?

I am not very familar with that neighbour as she is not near to my block . I cannot comment much and just listen to the mother. Maybe is only one sided view. But just from her experience talk, I learnt that parents need to monitor their kids progress in study and should voice out any concern if the school really emphasis too much time on CCA.

My daughter in P5 this year. When I told her this incident of the neighbour, my daughter say that CCA head told them that the school will slow down or may stop CCA when coming close to next year PSLE which I dont know is this true or is it common to some school? Can stop CCA completely when approaching PSLE? :?

[phankao]

Ca3kids:

My daughter in P5 this year. When I told her this incident of the neighbour, my daughter say that CCA head told them that the school will slow down or may stop CCA when coming close to next year PSLE which I dont know is this true or is it common to some school? Can stop CCA completely when approaching PSLE? :?

YEs, can stop CCA completely. My boy already \"retire\". haha. Not competition year this year anyways. Most of the P6 boys didn't even appear for CCA in Jan this year already.

For my younger boy's cca - chinese orchestra, the tr-in-charge requires them to submit a copy of their report book after every CA/SA.

[Ca3kids]

phankao:

For my younger boy's cca - chinese orchestra, the tr-in-charge requires them to submit a copy of their report book after every CA/SA.

What do you mean by this? Pls enlighten me