Teach Less, Learn More

[Brenda10]

Chenonceau:

Brenda10:

For us, after some hard work last year and thing is getting more smooth and easier this year

I am holding on to that thought, and talking to my son... right now, we don't see the light at end of tunnel, but knowing that it's there and we will soon see it is something that encourages both of us.

We will persevere.

Yes. :rahrah: :celebrate:

[janet88]

Hi Chenonceau,

I need to let down my hair too…trying to pace myself and not burn out before SA1…40% of whole year’s work. Orals in 2 weeks’ time.

Wrote email to P1 daughter’s teacher about CL spelling twice a week…time-table given out on 1st day of school is like CL Spelling on Wed, EL spelling on Fri. My dear gal needs 2 days to learn and if days are inconsistent, it’s as good as doing nothing but learning spelling the whole week. I plan her schedule in a way that certain days for grammar, vocab, maths etc…but quite impossible to follow that now.

Sorry for all the ranting…don’t know how to cut myself into 2.

[Chenonceau]

janet_lee88:

Hi Chenonceau,

I need to let down my hair too...trying to pace myself and not burn out before SA1...40% of whole year's work. Orals in 2 weeks' time.

Wrote email to P1 daughter's teacher about CL spelling twice a week...time-table given out on 1st day of school is like CL Spelling on Wed, EL spelling on Fri. My dear gal needs 2 days to learn and if days are inconsistent, it's as good as doing nothing but learning spelling the whole week. I plan her schedule in a way that certain days for grammar, vocab, maths etc...but quite impossible to follow that now.

Sorry for all the ranting...don't know how to cut myself into 2.

Oh my! I had forgotten you have TWO!! I only have one and I complain so much!! Yeah... the plans always get disrupted because of this or that... or a whole pile of easy homework.

When this is done, I won't HAVE hair.

[Chenonceau]

Brenda10:

Chenonceau:

[quote=\"Brenda10\"]For us, after some hard work last year and thing is getting more smooth and easier this year

I am holding on to that thought, and talking to my son... right now, we don't see the light at end of tunnel, but knowing that it's there and we will soon see it is something that encourages both of us.

We will persevere.

Yes. :rahrah: :celebrate:[/quote] :snuggles:

[Chenonceau]

tisha:

Chenonceau:

[quote=\"tisha\"]So many pages of argument and counter argument from insider and chenonceau :shock: No time to even read, need to prepare DS for SA1. Hopefully will read liesurely after SA1. :imanisland:

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeze dun waste time reading it. It wasn't at all educational or helpful to anyone... and I made an undignified spectacle of myself right through.The only thing I am proud of was the apology and that was at the end. I should actually have apologized earlier.

Now, can we go back to goofing around? I need to goof around with someone 'cos I am still stressed by SA1.

The brighter side of things though... is that I have made it to Brown Belt. That's a little closer to Grandmaster :lol: .

Don't be so hard on yourself. It's OK to let down your hair once in a while.

And :celebrate: on getting closer to Grandmaster title.[/quote] :snuggles:

[Chenonceau]

janet_lee88:

Brenda10:

[quote=\"janet_lee88\"]Thanks for your assurance...honestly, I hope my son's school will be spending time to ramp up the kids for PSLE...till now, I am rather pissed with son's FT as she doesn't encourage the kids to be pro-active...she tells them to 'shhh' :x

Hi Janet
Think all school would do the same thing when they are in P6 lah.
Last year, my nephew's school also have prepared them too.

Like EL, school will also start given worksheets by batches on training specific components like S&T, Grammer, fill in the bland etc

So ignore the FT teacher's comments and just encourage your ds to move on.

I told son that...forget about what she said, keep quiet and talk only when necessary...it's very disappointing that his FT is so discouraging. Can only hope and pray his P6 teachers are more motivating.[/quote]See lah... how to do practise cognitive skills required by syllabus in school when Teachers only want kids to listen? I'm upset with my son's FT too. We really loved his last year's teacher. Anyone compared to her is just so... pale in the comparison. She was really lovely... always encouraging and affectionate, fierce and loving in turn. Not only my son loved her. I loved her too.

[janet88]

Hi Chenonceau,

I know it's not easy to be a teacher now, but I expect compassion...and not being rude or sarcastic to the kids. Am I expecting too much ?
Encouraging and motivating...fortunately my son's CL teacher is, THIS YEAR.

His FT is the communist type - I talk, you keep quiet and listen. Don't ask anything, or else I will fire you. :pokeeye:

[Chenonceau]

janet_lee88:

Hi Chenonceau,

I know it's not easy to be a teacher now, but I expect compassion...and not being rude or sarcastic to the kids. Am I expecting too much ?
Encouraging and motivating...fortunately my son's CL teacher is, THIS YEAR.

His FT is the communist type - I talk, you keep quiet and listen. Don't ask anything, or else I will fire you. :pokeeye:

That's my son's FT this year too. Last year, when Teacher frown at him, I scold him. This year when Teacher scold him, I cuddle him. The situation is so different than last year.

[janet88]

HI Chenonceau,

That’s why there is this phrase ‘mummy’s boy’…I am guilty of that too. Idiotic FT. How would she feel if her kids were told to shut up by their teachers ? Bet she will complain all the way. :x

[rocklee]

In the past, I don’t believe in pre-teaching my kids, in particular Maths, for two reasons. Firstly, it is the child’s responsibility to sit up and pay attention in class and ask the teacher if he is unclear. Secondly, I am afraid what I teach may be different from the teacher and thus will confuse the child more. So I only guide my child whenever there is a need. I don’t really check his homework as I am fine with mistakes as long as he learns from them. This method worked fine from P1 to P3. Son did not achieve excellent results as in above 90. But I am satisfied that he stayed in the range of the 80s.


This year, son was allocated to a high band class with a lot of high flyers. Form Teacher was very result-oriented. Naturally son suffers a lot under her care as she expects all subjects to be band 1. So when son didn’t do very well (by her standard) during a class test for Maths, he was shamed in front of the whole class. FT will also constantly remind son that his work is getting worse. FT teacher threatened to drop him out of the class if he does not improve or she will inform mummy. Son felt hurt and lost confidence in the subject. This negative effect spilled over to English and Science as the same teacher is teaching. I went through his previous work and ruled out the fact that he did not pay attention in class as most of the past worksheets, he was able to complete without much problem. He handed in all his homework on time. So I could only conclude that he did not understand the topic well because even after he did his corrections and I tested him again, he did not understand. As FT was not approachable, son dared not ask questions for fear he would be embarrassed again. To make matter worse, his classmates weren’t helpful. Whenever, he asked them for help, they either gave him a frown or asked him to shut up. As a result, he made even more mistakes. However, FT would only remind him how many mistakes he had made instead of finding out why he made the mistakes. Son is not a slow learner, neither is he a quick learner. He just needs a little time for topics that he is unfamiliar with and a few more practices. Unfortunately, FT does not allow him this extra learning time and simply judge him as a poor learner. As a matter of fact, I met the FT during the PTC. She mumbled to herself throughout the meeting and I wondered how son could hear what she taught during class? After discussing with him, we decided that we could no longer rely on the teacher, we just have to “kao zi ji”.

So here I am, pre-teaching him the topics ahead of the teacher so that he has more time to digest and can understand the topics better when teacher teaches. So far I think he has improved his understanding and made less mistakes. I am fine if one day the teacher decided to drop him out of this class. To me, having a patient and caring teacher is far more important than being in a top class. It is also important that a child mustn’t lose confidence in what he is doing. That is why parent support plays an important role in our children’s education.

I hope parents here do not get unduly stressed if your child did not do well in CAs or SAs. Most importantly is to analyse the WHY and then work on the HOW to improve. What is done cannot be undone and it is a waste of time if one keeps dwelling on it. We all have to be positive looking so that our children can have the will and confidence to excel.

All the best to parents and kids for the upcoming SAs!