Preparing kids for P5 in 2011
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linden2000:
Son brought back his written papers yesterday for verification.Glad to chance upon this thread becos ds is in p5 too n has just flung maths n Chinese. Failing Chinese or borderline pass was a regular feature but now even maths :roll: Sigh.
DS says the paper seemed difficult when he was doing it but now that teacher has gone through, he found the questions doable. I am actually at a loss how to help him. I did make him practise past year SA1 exam papers n gone through them after marking but that didn't seem to have helped. So during the hols, should we be practising more papers to work on speed and accuracy or is doing these papers killing his interest in maths n hence the deterioration in marks? :?
For Chinese, killer section is compre OE, 'wan2 cheng2 dui4 hua', 'duan3 wen2 tian2 kong1'.
As for Math...hubby can't do...waiting for teacher to go through mistakes and copy answer to re-work on them. The Section A on speed & accuracy just passed at 23/40.
English...synthesis and compre OE...Need to take out P6 Eng to start working on them.
:imdrowning: :?: -
I have been an ‘ostrich’ since the fever of SA1 started 3 weeks ago.
Before this fever, I was anxiously looking through the different threads especially for the P5 related threads. I realised that the more I read, the more I got worried and felt that I had not done enough to push my DS to his full potential. I should give him other school papers to practice. I should make sure that he revised at least 3 hours a day. I should …. Thousand of ‘should’ running through my mind. Finally, I told myself - Enough is enough, I am quiting this ‘system’ and let MY nature takes its cause. Had been avoiding this forum since 3 weeks ago and only started to visit yesterday…
I admire Chenonceau for having no study since the beginning of May. I am the last-minute mummy but still punctured 2 days before the final paper. I tried very hard to push but don’t seem to be very successful. DS still got to do his routine of TV, computer play and soccer time, with the mere addition of an hour of revision/study before SA1. The results have been released except for Chinese and as expected, there was general drop by 10+ marks for all subjects, except Maths. But DS was very happy with his results, as comparatively, his results were good as compared to the whole level. This is my biggest concern as being in a neighbourhood school, I am not sure how his school papers faired as compared to other schools as we have not tried any other school papers since P1. I have yet to see any of his papers and am meeting his form teacher only end next week when she is back from her medical leave since term 3.
Frankly, I am anxious about his performance because DS wants to score well in PSLE.
Everyday, there were 2 contradicting voices in my mind.
The kiasu me - ‘Today he should do 10 pages of work for 2 subjects’.
The care-free me - ‘No, let him rest and relax…’
The kiasu me - ‘No, he can do much better. If he does not work hard now, he would miss the glory of having excellent PSLE results and the chance of going to top 4 schools’.
The care-free me - ‘What so big deal about the top 4 schools? Aren’t your boy in neighbourhood school now and he is doing well?
The kiasu me - ‘But he can score 260 and above if he works hard…’
The care-free me - “At the expense of his soccer time, computer time, reading, playing with the sisters/neighbours/friends, CCA? Is that worth it?’
The kiasu me - “Yeah, he can then go to top school and skip the ‘O’ Level…”
The care-free me - ‘If he is going to the top school, he may be the bottom of 10% of the cohort in view of those 270 and above and those with GEP training. He might be worst of in terms of confidence and self esteem’.
The kiasu me - ‘But all other parents are pushing their kid to do their best…their kids are doing hours of revision and worksheets. His friends are going for tuition. It would be a disadvantage for him for not having the exposure’.
The care-free me – ‘do you want to have a happy child or academicallly smart by stressful child?’
‘but…’
‘then….’
:
:
Finally, the care-free me asked, ‘What if you were going to lose your kid tomorrow due to some mishap? Would you regret for not giving him a quality childhood ?’
There is when the kiasu-me give in…
Even till today, I still struggle in between – to be kiasu or to be care-free.
Whenever I came to this forum, my kiasuism kicked in and I would push DS to do a lot more revision. I found myself comparing more and more and could not stop feeling that I did not do enough to push DS.
Just curious, do any of you feel the same? -
[quote=\"Champion]
I had a chance to speak to an educator 2 weeks ago and she also told me the same thing, \"reading doesn't do much if the child is not doing anything with it e.g. not identifying new words, not checking meaning. Worse if the child does not know why and what he/she is reading!\" :nailbite: :shock:
At that moment, I was speechless! I always feel that my DD1 is reading quite extensively but she isn't writing very well in her compo in school. Can you share with us what are the type of books your girl is reading and how to you help her?
:thankyou: :hugs:[/quote]
Reading is actually a passive process. Just like we make a glance at the library books at the bookshelf but could not recall what books we have come across. Conscious effort must be made to identify the good phrases and writing them down and using it in the compo writing. Getting the kids to read is easy but getting them to do the extra is so difficult. To the extent, I read some of the chinese books myself, copy down good phrases and relate to them when they are reading those books.
I asked myself - am I the one studying or they are? :siao: -
HappyFaye:
I DO I DO :imanangel: :evil: :imanangel: :evil:
Frankly, I am anxious about his performance because DS wants to score well in PSLE.
Everyday, there were 2 contradicting voices in my mind.
The kiasu me - 'Today he should do 10 pages of work for 2 subjects'.
The care-free me - 'No, let him rest and relax…'
'but…'
'then….'
:
:
Finally, the care-free me asked, 'What if you were going to lose your kid tomorrow due to some mishap? Would you regret for not giving him a quality childhood ?'
There is when the kiasu-me give in…
Even till today, I still struggle in between – to be kiasu or to be care-free.
Whenever I came to this forum, my kiasuism kicked in and I would push DS to do a lot more revision. I found myself comparing more and more and could not stop feeling that I did not do enough to push DS.
Just curious, do any of you feel the same? -
Hi, I have a kid in sec 1 and another in p5 this year so I can understand all the anxieties mentioned.
Linden, I suggest you start by using some the recommended assessments books mentioned to reinforce the concepts. If some questions are similar, pick about 2 to let your kid try. If he gets it correct, there’s no need to do the rest and go on. If he has problem with the questions, do a few more similar ones to practice. Put a tag on these "problematic" ones so that nearer the exams, he can just go through these. Always let him go back to the previous sums which he had gotten wrong. Cover the answers and let him try again. If you are more"on", rewrite the questions changing the names and numbers so that the kid doesn’t do the sum again by memory but doing it based on his own understanding. Once he is ok with the topical sums, go on to the school papers. -
HappyFaye:
I do feel very guilty when I scold him...esp when he has slept, I look at him and ask myself, 'Why are children deprived of their childhood today ? Is it so necessary to make education so tough ?'I tried very hard to push but don’t seem to be very successful.
Everyday, there were 2 contradicting voices in my mind.
The kiasu me - 'Today he should do 10 pages of work for 2 subjects'.
The care-free me - 'No, let him rest and relax…'
The kiasu me - 'No, he can do much better. If he does not work hard now, he would miss the glory of having excellent PSLE results and the chance of going to top 4 schools'.
The care-free me - 'What so big deal about the top 4 schools? Aren’t your boy in neighbourhood school now and he is doing well?
The kiasu me - 'But he can score 260 and above if he works hard…'
The care-free me - “At the expense of his soccer time, computer time, reading, playing with the sisters/neighbours/friends, CCA? Is that worth it?'
The kiasu me - “Yeah, he can then go to top school and skip the ‘O’ Level…”
The care-free me - 'If he is going to the top school, he may be the bottom of 10% of the cohort in view of those 270 and above and those with GEP training. He might be worst of in terms of confidence and self esteem'.
I don't dare to dream of top school, bcos I know my son is not at that level...not that I'm putting him down.
The kiasu me - 'But all other parents are pushing their kid to do their best…their kids are doing hours of revision and worksheets. His friends are going for tuition. It would be a disadvantage for him for not having the exposure'.
The care-free me – 'do you want to have a happy child or academicallly smart by stressful child?'
'but…'
'then….'
:
:
Finally, the care-free me asked, 'What if you were going to lose your kid tomorrow due to some mishap? Would you regret for not giving him a quality childhood ?'
There is when the kiasu-me give in…
Even till today, I still struggle in between – to be kiasu or to be care-free.
Just curious, do any of you feel the same? -
Happyfaye… I feel this way a lot this year, in P5.
P1 to P4, not so bad. This year, I really pity him. I pulled myself into knots to preserve play day, and I allowed play days when I saw that he was really getting tired. If he resists me, I stop pushing. I push as far as he wants to go. The short-term benefits of good grades cannot destroy the long-term curiosity and thirst for learning.
We’re no longer aiming for the top schools either. I’m not willing to pay the price for TOP. -
ksmama:
Hi. Thanks for the suggestions! Have gone thru his maths paper n realized that his concepts are indeed weak. Though I've gone through similar questions before exam, under exam stress he had fumbled and forgotten how to do. Yes will definitely try out your method during the hols to reinforce concepts first before trying any more papers. Thanks again.Hi, I have a kid in sec 1 and another in p5 this year so I can understand all the anxieties mentioned.
Linden, I suggest you start by using some the recommended assessments books mentioned to reinforce the concepts. If some questions are similar, pick about 2 to let your kid try. If he gets it correct, there's no need to do the rest and go on. If he has problem with the questions, do a few more similar ones to practice. Put a tag on these \"problematic\" ones so that nearer the exams, he can just go through these. Always let him go back to the previous sums which he had gotten wrong. Cover the answers and let him try again. If you are more\"on\", rewrite the questions changing the names and numbers so that the kid doesn't do the sum again by memory but doing it based on his own understanding. Once he is ok with the topical sums, go on to the school papers. -
Also not dreaming of top school or 260 aggregate. Hoping for respectable, ie not borderline passes first and probably a second tier secondary school if possible.
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Wow...this thread is moving fast !
Indeed when I come to this forum, I feel more stressed and want to push more. But I see my poor little boy, I relax a little so I think overall effect is still good - moving ahead at our own speed. Important thing is we as parents feel that we have tried out best, the rest is really up to them.
My ds did more-or-less as CA...quite okay by my standard but Chinese is really an area we have to keep working hard on. 260 and top-school have never been my goal, DSA is not in the pipeline either. As long as he has done his best, we'll see where it takes us. Just that in this thread, we parents can share the frustrations and stress...brainstorm a bit on strategies and resouces, pat each other's back and nudge each other forward a little. It is nice to be able to network and share info with each other.
One thing I noticed, whichever area I put priority, ds will do better eg. OE compre, then the previously-ok sections will slip, so end result is the same.....*gek sim* like that Secondary school how ? :stupid: For some of the compre questions - both EL and CL - I feel the paper is set just to 'fry' the kids' brains rather than test their grasp of the language *shake head*.
We will work on half-tank mode this June. P5 has really been tough going so far
Peony - my friend sends her children to Edward Debono 6 thinking hats courses, not sure if that's the kind of thinking courses you are looking for. I don't have first hand experience to share. My initial thought is just poor children of ours this generation, so much is expected of them.
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