2011 PSLE Discussions and Strategy

[mrswongtuition]

For T1 in P6, it's good to focus on the new topics: algebra, speed, circles.


What I'm doing with my students now: Going through the above topics and revisiting percentage, ratio and fraction.

They are starting off with CA1 papers from top schools (1 paper a week).

By end term 1, I would have completed teaching all the topics and we will start more intensive work by starting on challenging problem sums for P6 topics.

By June holidays, it will be intensive Q&A. They try, they ask, I clarify.
Usually by end July, my students will finish their stash of past year exam papers and I'll dig out different challenging questions or revisit certain 'techniques' or 'topics' which they have problems with.

After that, it will just be enough work to keep momentum going.

All the best!

Regards,
Mrs Wong
http://www.mwtuition.com.sg
thelittleonesinmylife.blogspot.com

[Tinkerbelle]

Lynn2:

HiTinkerbelle


I would think so.So far, dd just had topical tests, basically test for every subject after indiv topic is being taught.The test are not told in advance.

Actually, if the kids \"run too fast\"now, may not have extra energy later on.That is just one cent of my thoughts.I know some parents are already pushing the kids as if tomolo is PSLE.

Hi Lynn2,

Know what you mean...I'm also concern that the sch work is too intensive and DD will be burned out before the marathon ends. So far, DD is quite busy so I haven't really had a chance to do anything with her.

[mrswongtuition]

Be prepared that schoolwork will intensify as PSLE approaches.

I recall my students doing 2 practice papers per subject per day last year. Given by their school. So I did not ask them to do exam papers but went through challenging questions instead.

If your child's school is giving a lot of work, then zoom straight to the weak/problem areas.

[Tinkerbelle]

mrswongtuition:

For T1 in P6, it's good to focus on the new topics: algebra, speed, circles.


What I'm doing with my students now: Going through the above topics and revisiting percentage, ratio and fraction.

They are starting off with CA1 papers from top schools (1 paper a week).

By end term 1, I would have completed teaching all the topics and we will start more intensive work by starting on challenging problem sums for P6 topics.

By June holidays, it will be intensive Q&A. They try, they ask, I clarify.
Usually by end July, my students will finish their stash of past year exam papers and I'll dig out different challenging questions or revisit certain 'techniques' or 'topics' which they have problems with.

After that, it will just be enough work to keep momentum going.

All the best!

Regards,
Mrs Wong
http://www.mwtuition.com.sg
thelittleonesinmylife.blogspot.com

Hi Mrs Wong,

Thanks so much for sharing about your preparation for your P6 students. Will try to get DD to start on her past year papers. Like you mentioned, 1 paper/week.

Yes, I've also heard from friends that speed and area of circles are tough topics in P6, so I will encourage DD to focus on these new topics as well as revisit her %, fractions & ratios topics. Thanks. :lol:

[Tinkerbelle]

mrswongtuition:

Be prepared that schoolwork will intensify as PSLE approaches.

I recall my students doing 2 practice papers per subject per day last year. Given by their school. So I did not ask them to do exam papers but went through challenging questions instead.

If your child's school is giving a lot of work, then zoom straight to the weak/problem areas.

Oh dear...students doing 2 practice papers per subject per day last year. Given by their school :faint: :faint:

Ok, will focus on DD's weak areas due to time constraints....Thanks for the tip.

[Mum1113]

Tinkerbelle:

mrswongtuition:

For T1 in P6, it's good to focus on the new topics: algebra, speed, circles.


What I'm doing with my students now: Going through the above topics and revisiting percentage, ratio and fraction.

They are starting off with CA1 papers from top schools (1 paper a week).

By end term 1, I would have completed teaching all the topics and we will start more intensive work by starting on challenging problem sums for P6 topics.

By June holidays, it will be intensive Q&A. They try, they ask, I clarify.
Usually by end July, my students will finish their stash of past year exam papers and I'll dig out different challenging questions or revisit certain 'techniques' or 'topics' which they have problems with.

After that, it will just be enough work to keep momentum going.

All the best!

Regards,
Mrs Wong
http://www.mwtuition.com.sg
thelittleonesinmylife.blogspot.com

Hi Mrs Wong,

Thanks so much for sharing about your preparation for your P6 students. Will try to get DD to start on her past year papers. Like you mentioned, 1 paper/week.

Yes, I've also heard from friends that speed and area of circles are tough topics in P6, so I will encourage DD to focus on these new topics as well as revisit her %, fractions & ratios topics. Thanks. :lol:

Mrs Wong - your advise of 1 paper/week for one Math subject only I suppose . What is your advise for all the other 3 subjects to complete in a month ? Poor kid already pile up with school hw during weekdays and tuition hw during weekends.

[mrswongtuition]

Mum1113:

Tinkerbelle:

[quote=\"mrswongtuition\"]For T1 in P6, it's good to focus on the new topics: algebra, speed, circles.


What I'm doing with my students now: Going through the above topics and revisiting percentage, ratio and fraction.

They are starting off with CA1 papers from top schools (1 paper a week).

By end term 1, I would have completed teaching all the topics and we will start more intensive work by starting on challenging problem sums for P6 topics.

By June holidays, it will be intensive Q&A. They try, they ask, I clarify.
Usually by end July, my students will finish their stash of past year exam papers and I'll dig out different challenging questions or revisit certain 'techniques' or 'topics' which they have problems with.

After that, it will just be enough work to keep momentum going.

All the best!

Regards,
Mrs Wong
http://www.mwtuition.com.sg
thelittleonesinmylife.blogspot.com

Hi Mrs Wong,

Thanks so much for sharing about your preparation for your P6 students. Will try to get DD to start on her past year papers. Like you mentioned, 1 paper/week.

Yes, I've also heard from friends that speed and area of circles are tough topics in P6, so I will encourage DD to focus on these new topics as well as revisit her %, fractions & ratios topics. Thanks. :lol:

Mrs Wong - your advise of 1 paper/week for one Math subject only I suppose . What is your advise for all the other 3 subjects to complete in a month ? Poor kid already pile up with school hw during weekdays and tuition hw during weekends.[/quote]No, it is for all subjects. They come to me for EMS and their Chinese tutor is my friend.

I encourage students to PLAN THEIR TIME WELL.

For my students, I normally encourage this:
Weekdays: Focus on school homework. Once complete, try to do exam papers (if can't finish the whole paper, at least 1 section of the paper).

Weekends: Set aside 2-3 hours a day to finish up the exam papers.

Tuition should comprise of practice papers -> Your kid's tutors don't give them papers to practise? Or they give them in other forms (compiled worksheets)?

My students normally finish the other work (trying new questions/techniques) during lesson, so most of their homework is exam paper (1 per week) and probably around 5 pages of homework per subject.

On top of that, they have to write a compo a week and finish compre OE, compre cloze, S&T, etc.

So far my students all managed to manage their time well with guidance.

You have to teach them to manage their time. And also teach them to plan/spread out their work.

When I assign homework, I normally will show them how to split up the
work so it becomse manageable.


If your child's time is totally occupied by enrichments/tuition, then it's time to rethink your strategy. I personally believe in only have 1 enrichment/tuition class PER DAY. Nothing more (they can't absorb).

With 1 enrichment/tuition class per day, it is definitely manageable. Even my lazy students managed to finish their schoolwork on top of tuition work. And sometimes, they give me a nice surprise by finishing more work than I expected. & she still have piano classes and Chinese tuition. She comes to me 4 times a week!

[Leanne]

Hi Mrs wong,


Just would like to clarify.

Are you completing teaching your students on math, circles, speed and algebra and has done all challenging questions in the new topics and doing together with the CA paper hand in hand?

After Completing the topic on the above, we should also crystalise the concept via doing more on the topical right?


Rgds
Leanne

mrswongtuition:

Mum1113:

[quote=\"Tinkerbelle\"]Hi Mrs Wong,

Thanks so much for sharing about your preparation for your P6 students. Will try to get DD to start on her past year papers. Like you mentioned, 1 paper/week.

Yes, I've also heard from friends that speed and area of circles are tough topics in P6, so I will encourage DD to focus on these new topics as well as revisit her %, fractions & ratios topics. Thanks. :lol:

Mrs Wong - your advise of 1 paper/week for one Math subject only I suppose . What is your advise for all the other 3 subjects to complete in a month ? Poor kid already pile up with school hw during weekdays and tuition hw during weekends.

No, it is for all subjects. They come to me for EMS and their Chinese tutor is my friend.

I encourage students to PLAN THEIR TIME WELL.

For my students, I normally encourage this:
Weekdays: Focus on school homework. Once complete, try to do exam papers (if can't finish the whole paper, at least 1 section of the paper).

Weekends: Set aside 2-3 hours a day to finish up the exam papers.

Tuition should comprise of practice papers -> Your kid's tutors don't give them papers to practise? Or they give them in other forms (compiled worksheets)?

My students normally finish the other work (trying new questions/techniques) during lesson, so most of their homework is exam paper (1 per week) and probably around 5 pages of homework per subject.

On top of that, they have to write a compo a week and finish compre OE, compre cloze, S&T, etc.

So far my students all managed to manage their time well with guidance.

You have to teach them to manage their time. And also teach them to plan/spread out their work.

When I assign homework, I normally will show them how to split up the
work so it becomse manageable.


If your child's time is totally occupied by enrichments/tuition, then it's time to rethink your strategy. I personally believe in only have 1 enrichment/tuition class PER DAY. Nothing more (they can't absorb).

With 1 enrichment/tuition class per day, it is definitely manageable. Even my lazy students managed to finish their schoolwork on top of tuition work. And sometimes, they give me a nice surprise by finishing more work than I expected. & she still have piano classes and Chinese tuition. She comes to me 4 times a week![/quote]

[mrswongtuition]

Leanne:

Hi Mrs wong,


Just would like to clarify.

Are you completing teaching your students on math, circles, speed and algebra and has done all challenging questions in the new topics and doing together with the CA paper hand in hand?

After Completing the topic on the above, we should also crystalise the concept via doing more on the topical right?


Rgds
Leanne

As I've already completed the topics required for CA practice papers in DEC 2010 and we've also completed the challenging questions for topics covered in Dec 2010, I've start them on CA papers to get their gear up and most schools are having CA1 immediately after CNY or 1 week after CNY. Doing the CA papers will also review and revise the topics learnt.

Also, as I teach, I always give topical practices, so there's no need to do extra topical practices? Sorry I don't really understand what you mean.

My teaching style is that when I teach a new topic, I will teach the basic concepts, then let them try simple questions to ensure that they understand the basics. That is already a topical practice but a simple format.
Then, I will add on the application and process questions after the basics are taught. This is where some manipulation of the basics comes in.
Again, it is another topical practice, but now, a slightly higher level.
Followed by the challenging questions which again, is a topical practice.

Once a topic is completed, I will give a topical test (20 - 50 marks depending on the topic) to test if they truly understand the topic before moving on to the next topic. And my 'passing mark' for my topical test is 90%. If not, I will re-teach and print additional worksheets to reinforce the concept.

[Leanne]

Hi Mrs Wong,


Thanks for the tips.

I think am slow already, only managed to complete the syllubus and finished the challenging questions.I yet to touch on SA papers though.


Cheers
Leanne

mrswongtuition:

Leanne:

Hi Mrs wong,

Just would like to clarify.

Are you completing teaching your students on math, circles, speed and algebra and has done all challenging questions in the new topics and doing together with the CA paper hand in hand?

After Completing the topic on the above, we should also crystalise the concept via doing more on the topical right?


Rgds
Leanne

As I've already completed the topics required for CA practice papers in DEC 2010 and we've also completed the challenging questions for topics covered in Dec 2010, I've start them on CA papers to get their gear up and most schools are having CA1 immediately after CNY or 1 week after CNY. Doing the CA papers will also review and revise the topics learnt.

Also, as I teach, I always give topical practices, so there's no need to do extra topical practices? Sorry I don't really understand what you mean.

My teaching style is that when I teach a new topic, I will teach the basic concepts, then let them try simple questions to ensure that they understand the basics. That is already a topical practice but a simple format.
Then, I will add on the application and process questions after the basics are taught. This is where some manipulation of the basics comes in.
Again, it is another topical practice, but now, a slightly higher level.
Followed by the challenging questions which again, is a topical practice.

Once a topic is completed, I will give a topical test (20 - 50 marks depending on the topic) to test if they truly understand the topic before moving on to the next topic. And my 'passing mark' for my topical test is 90%. If not, I will re-teach and print additional worksheets to reinforce the concept.