HELP FOR SCIENCE

[jenchua]

How should i help my girl in her Pr3 Science. thanks

[NIEtrainedTEACHER]

Hi Jen,


Well, to begin Science is a subject where you need to remember a substantial amount of facts and concepts. My students used to have a difficult time doing this.

I usually advocate a 3 steps approach,

1. Draw out a topical concept map. This would help you child in terms of remembering the key words to the particular concepts.

2. Immediately after the concept map is done, practice with MCQ questions first. This would allow the concept to sink in without the stress of writing out sentences. The more your child performs this, the more the concept will sink in. Remember, just do this topically do not mix topics.

3. Review the concepts again and then practice with the open ended questions. The best would be with questions that has a set up for them to study. Once again, the more the better.

After the 3 steps have been achieved, move on to the next topic. Prior to the termly assessment, review the topics again. You may also ask you child to redo the earlier practices as this allow the concepts to be refreshed in the mind.

Regards

[jenchua]

Thank you for your advise. Are you currently giving home tution too? Thank you.

[NIEtrainedTEACHER]

You’re welcome.


I am now a private tutor. I left the teaching service after realising that the focus of the school, not the education system, is getting blurred.

To me, I think as a teacher, school glory and what not is secondary. The children in my care should be the primary focus, if not the only focus.

Since leaving the service, my beliefs and my work has now come in tandem and at the end of the day, I could see the child really benefiting from it and blooming. That is the best remuneration for an educator.

Regards

[Pita]

Hi NIEtrainedTEACHER,


Welcome, I’m new in KSP too.

May I know where is your centre? Are you teaching only Science there? Could you PM me if it’s inconvenient to publish the info?? Thanks much.

[Pita]

Hi ,


Just read the other thread, saw your answers to my qns, thanks.

[NIEtrainedTEACHER]

Hi Pita,


No problem.

Regards.

[kaydenbrown]

Showing physical experiments and linking it to something that exists in real life is always useful.

for example, when teaching concepts on matter, it is good to show the things that are in the house and relate it to the content.

[mrswongtuition]

NIEtrainedTEACHER:

Hi Jen,


Well, to begin Science is a subject where you need to remember a substantial amount of facts and concepts. My students used to have a difficult time doing this.

I usually advocate a 3 steps approach,

1. Draw out a topical concept map. This would help you child in terms of remembering the key words to the particular concepts.

2. Immediately after the concept map is done, practice with MCQ questions first. This would allow the concept to sink in without the stress of writing out sentences. The more your child performs this, the more the concept will sink in. Remember, just do this topically do not mix topics.

3. Review the concepts again and then practice with the open ended questions. The best would be with questions that has a set up for them to study. Once again, the more the better.

After the 3 steps have been achieved, move on to the next topic. Prior to the termly assessment, review the topics again. You may also ask you child to redo the earlier practices as this allow the concepts to be refreshed in the mind.

Regards

I've been using this method for very long & it's really very effective, be it for tuition or in school. I see better results when I dedicate 1 whole lesson to drawing effective concept maps/mindmaps.

However, there are some parents who do not understand the purpose of the mindmap (to them it's just a piece of messy writing plus a waste of time) & I've met resistant parents who ask me to stop using that method with their children.

& I've also met children who are resistant to doing up a mindmap & I had to entice them with coloured pens, stickers with relevant pictures, coloured printouts (glue them onto the concept map), etc. & I've seen kids who do not want to write at all, so I type out the info in short bits, print out on coloured paper & make them cut & paste the info accordingly.

But there's long term benefits to this method. I've taught quite a few students this method & they are now in sec sch & still in contact. They have used the same method, applied to different subjects in sec sch & managed to do well. It's a lifelong skill & kids who are able to exposed to this usually prefer this method of revising.

[kaydenbrown]

Looks like Tony Buzan was indeed one of the best thinkers of this generation… his mindmaps are one of the most effective learning tools.


For me I like 3-D mindmaps. I sometimes get my students to use actual paper cards and link them in all directions using straws or metal wires.