Preparing kids for P5 in 2011

[janet88]

Hi Peony,

Thanks. A pity yours truly here is a true nutcase. I’ve asked hubby to go through it and let me know if it helps. Yet to get back to me, although I told him present schedule needs to revamp urgently.

However, I get Shaping Maths: Maths Builder every year for both my kids even though they are not using the Shaping Maths textbook in school. It’s not bad. Also get son to do Longman Maths Weekly every Friday.

[pixiedust]

Indeed, poor children.......and poor mommies. I kept telling dh I am studying much harder than my own school days.


2cents worth : Fabian Ng's PSP - agree with Peony it is good for basic maths staple. The way I see it, there is no way to cover all the exercises. We usually do 1 to 2 questions, if okay, move on to the next PSP. For selected topics, we just go straight to the review section. Any problems then go back to the related PSP.

This year I bought the new Casco Maths recommended by James Ang so I didn't get the Fabian.
However, for more exposure to variety of problems, I feel the school papers are still useful.

We will have barely 8-9 weeks before SA1 hits us ? I think about Chinese Oral and compo and I start to :scared:


Brenda - re: 笑猫日记, we have the whole set but ds has lukewarm reaction to them (I think he only read 1 or 2). I'll probably have to read together with him but there is hardly any time :stupid: Anyway, your dd read the series independently or with you ? Is there a recommended sequence or we can read any book first ?

[Brenda10]

pixiedust:

Brenda - re: 笑猫日记, we have the whole set but ds has lukewarm reaction to them (I think he only read 1 or 2). I'll probably have to read together with him but there is hardly any time :stupid: Anyway, your dd read the series independently or with you ? Is there a recommended sequence or we can read any book first ?

Hi pixedust

DD started with the 小猫出生在秘密山洞 (I think should be #8 Book) and read the other 11 books in sequence. I think it would be better to read in sequence as you will know more like how 笑猫meet his partner, how 笑猫go and look for her, how 笑猫 find the medicine for her and follow by they set up a family etc. DD read it all by herself except sometimes she would approach me for some new words or interesting words.

[janet88]

[quote=\"pixiedust\"]Indeed, poor children.......and poor mommies. I kept telling dh I am studying much harder than my own school days.

Can't agree more...don't remember studying this hard then.

2cents worth : Fabian Ng's PSP - agree with Peony it is good for basic maths staple. The way I see it, there is no way to cover all the exercises. We usually do 1 to 2 questions, if okay, move on to the next PSP. For selected topics, we just go straight to the review section. Any problems then go back to the related PSP.

We will have barely 8-9 weeks before SA1 hits us ? I think about Chinese Oral and compo and I start to :scared:

I need to relook at his time-table to see if there is any area which needs to be looked at. However, thanks for the tip on revising using Fabian's PSP.

[Peony]

I was on leave during last week's holiday & I saw my scrawny DD put on some weight and had some fun. Told her to take pics of her rosy cheeks that looked nice and rounded. Won't be long before she loses what little she put on!


Poor kids indeed.

I went crazy at the Popular sale - went 3 times as I live close by.
Verdict? Friday was the worst. So crowded that I could not go through properly.

There was no crowd on Sunday afternoon. No queue to pay!

Then went again on Sunday night after my nephew recommended the maths book with a porcupine-looking thing as a logo. Half-regretted buying... sighz. The book is usually very expensive ($30 just for the solutions). I succumbed to the hefty discount... :oops:

[janet88]

Peony:

I went crazy at the Popular sale - went 3 times as I live close by.

Verdict? Friday was the worst. So crowded that I could not go through properly.

There was no crowd on Sunday afternoon. No queue to pay!

If I had known there was no crowd on Sunday afternoon, I should have taken MRT there. Friday 10-3pm was terrible ! So frustrating couldn't get past people even though the books from different publishers were so close.

[janet88]

Hi Mummies,

I saw the SA1 time-table uploaded in school website last night...ironically realized I am short of a Maths assessment book to revise from Chap 1...with frequent visits to Popular :roll: Can anyone recommend one title which is not too easy nor difficult pls ? Thanks.

[Peony]

janet_lee88:

Hi Mummies,

I saw the SA1 time-table uploaded in school website last night...ironically realized I am short of a Maths assessment book to revise from Chap 1...with frequent visits to Popular :roll: Can anyone recommend one title which is not too easy nor difficult pls ? Thanks.

Wouldn't the shaping Maths builder do?
How about the Visible Thinking by Ammiel Wan.

Personally though, my DD uses the the Fan-Maths books to prepare for exams.

[pixiedust]

Janet, do you mean the topics whole numbers, fractions1, fractions 2 … ?

You want something to drill the whole numbers concepts ?
then followed by fractions addition/subtraction ?

Is that what you mean ?

[janet88]

Peony:

janet_lee88:

Can anyone recommend one title which is not too easy nor difficult pls ? Thanks.

Wouldn't the shaping Maths builder do?
How about the Visible Thinking by Ammiel Wan.

Personally though, my DD uses the the Fan-Maths books to prepare for exams.

Hi pixiedust/peony,
I usually get 3 Maths assessment book apart from Weekly revision...to start from Chap 1 for CA1, SA1 and SA2. I have Shaping Maths but have started for weekly revision. Didn't get Visible Thinking for P5..can any mummy pls advise Maths title for single assessment ? Thanks.