All About SAP Schools

[tamarind]

Caroline,

I agree with you that it is the number of students with good results that count.

I am quite sad to hear about the way of teaching at top schools. I was previously from the top girl's school, 25 years ago. That time the teachers do teach, and the exam papers were set to reasonable standard.

I feel that whether it is the top school or neighbourhood school, it boils down to individual effort and the parents' attention. If we are lucky, we get good teachers, if not, we just have to depend on ourselves.

[caroline3sg]

Tamarind

It seems the current trend is that, not only examinations board, but also sch teachers set questions outside the box, stressing the kids and parents under the disguise of identifying the brightest cream of the crop. And more and more of this difficult questions appear. Even I do not know how to attempt unless some expert explain to me.

Just today, I saw one headnews, someone’s kids know to read menu at 3 yrs old.

[tamarind]

I really don't understand the need to set such difficult questions. I don't believe that it will make students work harder.


I am teaching now. During exams, I have seen students who put their heads on the table right at the beginning of the paper. Then at the end of the paper, they hand up an empty paper. Some students will just simply give up. Not every student is afraid of failing.

I know other 3 year old kids who can read better than that kid in the news today Perhaps soon there will be reports of 3 year old kids who can read Harry Potter. Such reports will only make parents push their kids even harder.

[MMM]

Just sharing that my girl is in P1 SAP school and the chinese focus is really strong. She had streaming during her SA1 and now she is supposed in the best class. In our case, she has been exposed to the language since young and she enjoys those channel 8 drama so she appears to like the language. Also, I had to attribute her performance to Molin. She attended Molin only in K2 and has since shown tremendous improvement. In fact, her school mate in Molin is also in the best chinese class as well.


But definitely I found it pretty stressful even for the parents. We had to make sure that she continues to do well. At P1, the teacher is now exposing them to P2 chinese and also the spelling list is really getting difficult.

One observation was she told me the spelling list varies between those who goes to best, average or below average. But i just feel puzzled becoz at the end of the day, they all sit for the same SA paper. So wouldn’t those child who goes to average or below average be disadvantaged by it? If the good is coping well, most likely they will continue to be good. I have a big concern becoz my 2nd child is gg to P1 next year and he is not of the same calibre at this moment.

[ChiefKiasu]

MMM:

Just sharing that my girl is in P1 SAP school and the chinese focus is really strong...

Hmm... that school sounds suspiciously like Tao Nan

[MMM]

Actually it’s MBS

[ChiefKiasu]

MMM:

Actually it's MBS

Really?... that's surprising. Didn't realize Maha Bodhi run its academics so tightly. Luckily didn't send my kid there :).

[Fettuccine]

MMM:

... At P1, the teacher is now exposing them to P2 chinese and also the spelling list is really getting difficult.

Hi MMM,

This is indeed stressful to hear. I think I'm going to borrow old P1 textbooks from my friends who are in Tao Nan and at least show my son whats gonna be in store for him when he goes to P1. MBS was one of my shortlist also, but this year is impossible. Didn't know its so tough in there.

Although we are going to just one of the neighborhood schools, I am still kiasu....

How many words are in the spelling list? Son's currently getting spelling in english and chinese once a week plus all subjects homework twice a week from his kindergarten.

What else can I do to help prepare him for P1?

[ChiefKiasu]

Fettuccine:

...What else can I do to help prepare him for P1?

Fettuccine, have you read http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=117 yet?

[MMM]

I think MBS is really tough on the chinese. On the other hand, my girl don’t really have alot of homework. She says she finishes them in class.

So far she don’t look stress/ feel stress despite that chinese is getting difficult. She seems to be enjoying her chinese class though there 37 of them and a very fierce teacher. But she is probably interested in the language. In fact, I think I am feeling more stressful than her : )

My girl typically has around 10 words in her english spelling on a weekly bassi. In fact, I don’t think it’s difficult as I thot her kinderland spelling for K2 which my son is gg through now is tougher. Eg. A snake slithers, A kangaroo hops… It’s not simple stuff like apple, orange,etc…

For P1 chinese, they typically start with hanyu pinyin so it’s good to expose them first. With Molin, my girl started with very strong in her chinese character rather than hypy but she eventually catch up. Now well into term 3 and the streaming, their weekly spelling is typical around 6 (2 worders with hypy) and then 4 long sentences (at least 10 words each). Also they get mini test from time to time. It used to be weekly when they 1st started. It stresses me out thoroughly to ensure she gets a good score,etc… consistently.

My son is gg to P1 next year. He is of a diff calibre probably being a boy. To prepare him, he has been attending kumon since beginning of the year. He is now able to count to 3000 and also do additions up to 9. Also he has been attending Molin since K1 and also phonics classes. I hope all that will help to prepare him. But again, diff child is diff. Some are self-motivated, some needs alot of pushing,etc…