Teach Less, Learn More

[Funx3]

insider:

smurf:

So you tell me leh, who's fault???

The fault lies with human's hearts...the common weakness of unable to resist herd instinct...

Maybe I can give one example and ask parents here how would you decide.

Child A - average ability, PSLE score 228 with no tuitions at all but with some coaching at home on things that he doesn't know.

Child B - average ability, tuition from P1 to P6 for all four subjects, Learning Lab included, with a total tuition fees of more than $20,000 for those 6 years, PSLE score 242.

The difference is 14 points.

Would you go the Child A's path or Child B?

I am OK with Child A of course...

ME TOO ....
Think we R Rare Breed Here ....
Or Soon To be Extinct Species?
Hee Hee ....

[Vevey]

Funx3:

insider:

[quote=\"smurf\"]

So you tell me leh, who's fault???

The fault lies with human's hearts...the common weakness of unable to resist herd instinct...

Maybe I can give one example and ask parents here how would you decide.

Child A - average ability, PSLE score 228 with no tuitions at all but with some coaching at home on things that he doesn't know.

Child B - average ability, tuition from P1 to P6 for all four subjects, Learning Lab included, with a total tuition fees of more than $20,000 for those 6 years, PSLE score 242.

The difference is 14 points.

Would you go the Child A's path or Child B?

I am OK with Child A of course...

ME TOO ....
Think we R Rare Breed Here ....
Or Soon To be Extinct Species?
Hee Hee ....
[/quote]Another dinosaur here! :lol:
DS1 told me to teach him fractions which is Term3 or 4 syllabus bcos he said his friends already knew how to do it in tution! Told him i m not tution teacher, he will learn it when the time comes. :lol:

[QuiteKSMum]

Quote: The fault lies with human's hearts...the common weakness of unable to resist herd instinct...


Maybe I can give one example and ask parents here how would you decide.

Child A - average ability, PSLE score 228 with no tuitions at all but with some coaching at home on things that he doesn't know.

Child B - average ability, tuition from P1 to P6 for all four subjects, Learning Lab included, with a total tuition fees of more than $20,000 for those 6 years, PSLE score 242.

The difference is 14 points.

Would you go the Child A's path or Child B?

I am OK with Child A of course...



Hi,

Just want to share my view :

The thing about an average child is that their T score for PSLE can fluctuate widely. The child may end up with a T score wh. does not qualify him to even average schools. Of course, there's the view that most schools in Spore are of a certain standard but when I'm dealing with my child's life, I don't want the standard, I want to him to get into a school which we have identified that meet our core criteria.

Eg. DS has a gd friend who scored 4As in last yr's PSLE, T score = 218. He couldn't get into any of the schools which his parents have shortlisted for him prior to the release of results.

Also, sometimes a child in the mainstream system may have a \"handicap\" vis-a-vis his peers. Due to his natural disadvantage, parents would want to do all they can to help them along since the system is structured for the avg masses at large.

My thinking is that if your child can function well without tuition, cope with CCAs, etc, then that's truly your blessings. But there're bound to be many who are not in this happy situation. They do not have tuition cos they want their their kids to do exceptionally well; but just well enough to go into \"decent enough\" schools.

[cantbearit2]

smurf:

You are very optimistic hor. Even if they are willing to listen, it will takes another couple of years before they change it. They must realize that it's is a wrong concept before they even want to listen.

IM not being optimistic. Juz thot we shld always keep our dreams alive. Tats e motivation to push for changes. IM always asking questions as to Y thgs muz b done tis way & tat. Some pple may start getting defensive but IM juz curious if thgs can b done in a diff way (may not b e best way). If we dun try, we will nv noe.

[cantbearit2]

Chenonceau:

It is possible that only P5 and P6 parents can understand me... The gap between exam requirements and school teaching (or lack thereof) becomes really obvious in P5 and P6.

Gee... I hope I am clear now. I seem to be tying myself into knots. :oops: :oops: :oops:

Though my DD is only in P1, i do noe whr u R coming fr.

My P3 niece failed her Math topical test tis yr (she nv failed any of her tests or exams b4). Initially her mom (my cousin-in-law) din even noe wat happen cos she studied diligently b4 her CA & went thru all the \"relevant\" topics.

When she saw e paper, she finally understood the reason. Not tat my niece is not bright, not tat she din study but the simple fact tat e questions set was more than wat was being taught to her at sch. I even ask her if it was juz 1 or 2 exceptionally tough questions but she flatly told me NO. She said she felt helpless cos she can't even explain the reason to my niece on why she failed e paper.

[cantbearit2]

Funx3:

cantbearit2:

[quote=\"smurf\"]I think even with petition, they the garmen will not accept it. They think their policy/method or whatever you call it, is RIGHT, as usual. It's the right way to go. They will overthrow the petition for sure.


Eventually, many kids will suffer because of this kind of rat race. No childhood, no nothing. Sigh...

Tink we shld not gif up hope as yet. If we r willing to provide constructive feedback, who noes, thgs might change.

Quick Quick This Is Election Year!
Anything U Want to Feedback, Petition, etc ....
Talk to your MP Now! Sure to Have SomeOne Willing to Listen and Take up the Cause ....
[/quote]Haha....IM still waiting 4 someone to come & shake hands wif me leh....

[cantbearit2]

Brenda10:

janet_lee88:

Hi Brenda,

My brain just cannot 'accept' math no matter how I read...even for science, that chapter 'electricity' under systems makes me fall asleep. Think I have this prob called selected learning.

Hi Janet

Is also not easy for me lah. As for Science, I would get dd to read through question and answer key. I choose the simple job that is to mark the MCQ that she has done.

ladies, chum ah. I get mental block each time I do Science. how to coach DD like tat? MCQ even if I mark liao, may not be able to explain Y e ans is wrong leh....How u ladies do it???

[cantbearit2]

cimman:

I can relate with you on that one. I first noticed the problem when my kid was in P3, it is more obvious in P4. The difficulty level of the exam questions and the work problems that were done in class were of a different category. I did query the form teacher of this discrepancy, and the answer was that the school needed to seperate the exceptional students from the average ones and those difficult problems were designed to do the job.

If it was juz 1 or 2 questions, I would have understood their intentions but tats not the case for my P3 niece.

Apparently her test paper had lots of questions which can't b answered by juz studying her sch textbk or doing some math assessm books. Needless to say, she failed tat paper & it was a blow to my hardworking niece and her mom. Her mom even commented she couldn't understand how some of her classmates can get near perfect score lor. When she saw tat paper, she suddenly awaken to e fact tat more has 2b done outside of sch stipulated academic curriculum. I can't help but felt her frustration.

[cantbearit2]

insider:

My experience in teaching primary school maths.


When I first realised that primary school maths was very different from the way I learnt maths in my primary school 17 years ago, I 'grumbled' a bit about how come need to be so 'troublesome' to draw models etc to solve such simple questions, how come can't use algebra, etc. Then later I got to understand the objective is to teach mental skills via 'long cut' instead of 'short cut'. I got over the initial shock and subsequently can guide my two elder kids more 'calmly' and in a 'matter-of-factly'.

I think parents have to accept the changes and don't take it that the maths are very difficult/tough themselves first coz I think this mindset may affect their children in receiving maths in a more positive manner.

I gave my nephew tuitions on all subjects 17 years ago twice a week for about 2 hours/session. He comes from a broken family with minimal family support except me and he is an average child. He got an 'A' for his maths.

My daughter (studious) and son (ultra playful) got an A+ and an A for their PSLE maths respectively with minimal coaching from me = maths is manageable if an 'A' is an acceptable score for you and the child.

So overall maths is manageable if parents stand by to support their child (parents need to learn all about models, unit transfer, themselves first) at times of needs. All have to accept that the teaching of maths have changed and with a mindset change, the perception of it is 'difficult' will change then it will not be so difficult.

I presume this maybe a case of 'resistance to change' that makes the learning of primary school maths a chore for many (you change your mindset, maths 'suddenly' may become 'easy'...)

insider, it's not the new way of doing Maths tats putting me off. It's e whole \"teach less, learn more\" crap tats getting on my nerves. It make me feel 4d under privileged kids out there. Not being noble but as a parent, I felt frustrated 2b contributing to e no. of being a tuition nation too.

[cantbearit2]

Chenonceau:

Of course... we can do it. I have no doubt that our family can manage Math... not sure about Chinese but we will try. We help him... it can be done. But not every daddy or mommy is educated enough to pull this off.

I oso educated leh(though not top 2% lor, hee....) but definitely can't coach my DD. I noe e ans (i dun mean Science hor) but juz find it so hard to explain it to her. Some parents in KSP like Tamarind or BUDS R really gd, they can come up wif great ideas 4 teaching a certain topic but I juz dun have it wif me. I got a lot of tips fr reading their thread and am still learning how to teach. It juz make me mad to tink we have 2 do e teaching of extras. 4 parents like me, I dun even noe wats extras. I will juz b following the textbks and prob buying some assessm bks for DD to do. Follow the syllabus? yes I can do. Extras? Sorry not sure whr to begin wif.