Coping with Primary 1

[Sun_2010]

Funz:

For DD no surprise test. At the start of the year there is the full year timetable as a guide. It goes in terms of weeks. They will indicate, term x week x show and tell or performance task or eng/math/MT tests. They will also tell us if the test is graded and what % it constitutes in their finals.


At the beginning of the year/semester, I know cos I will transcribe all these dates into DDs handbook. As the year progress, I don't even track anymore as, for DD, it has become part and parcel of her school curriculum. I check the papers when she brings them home and will go through with her areas that she is unclear. So far, not much problems.

I like this system as I paces the kids better. Rather then go on and on with the syllabus then cram 3mths of work into 1 test. And by then if there are areas of weakness, really must play catch up.

Same here for DS school except for mother tongue . Sometimes he forgets when the tests are but it is all based on what he is taught so it is ok. Each test is between 5-30% for that semester, so is fine if he doesnt do very well in one. Mostly i know of his tests when he brings the paper home for signature. For me stress levels are much lower this way.

[Pen88n]

Sun_2010:

Funz:

For DD no surprise test. At the start of the year there is the full year timetable as a guide. It goes in terms of weeks. They will indicate, term x week x show and tell or performance task or eng/math/MT tests. They will also tell us if the test is graded and what % it constitutes in their finals.


At the beginning of the year/semester, I know cos I will transcribe all these dates into DDs handbook. As the year progress, I don't even track anymore as, for DD, it has become part and parcel of her school curriculum. I check the papers when she brings them home and will go through with her areas that she is unclear. So far, not much problems.

I like this system as I paces the kids better. Rather then go on and on with the syllabus then cram 3mths of work into 1 test. And by then if there are areas of weakness, really must play catch up.

Same here for DS school except for mother tongue . Sometimes he forgets when the tests are but it is all based on what he is taught so it is ok. Each test is between 5-30% for that semester, so is fine if he doesnt do very well in one. Mostly i know of his tests when he brings the paper home for signature. For me stress levels are much lower this way.

DD school give out timetable quarterly and details nearer the CA / SA period. In fact, usually the week before the topical test, teacher will make them do some practice paper, and the unit test materials will be given to them to bring home to read over the weekend. She will then revise herself (no need for us to revise with her), and based on the topics, I think she can handle. Not perfect 100%, but mistakes are due to carelessness, so we know that she is not having concept / understanding problem.

[janet88]

Yong HL:

phtthp:

since P1 do away with exams, so up to Teacher to spring surprise tests on kids anytime, without them knowing.


I prefer the P1 exams, at least you're mentally prepared to help yr children ... not these sudden surprise tests.

Totally agree! i do not see the rationale of taking away exams when P6 is still all about exams! this education system sucks.
my daughter also do not have the so called CA/SA..That so-called logic about helping P1/2s to adjust to school is pure crap.
And these mini marks constitute grading in report books

Fine...no CA/SA but those tests which is 30% blah blah blah is still stressing the parents and the kids.

Those marks are recorded in progress file.

[LOLMum]

saw "i not stupid" on tv recently. brought back memories of how hard i was pushing dd and almost turned into a total xiang yun’s character.


relationship bwtween dd and i were not great and luckily dh, my parents and family members were able to step in to help sort things out. it took a while for me to let go but am glad i did.

now dd is really really enjoying school (except for the no end projects) and ds too.

ds is in p1 too and i am still learning and helping both of us to cope with the school expectation of its p1 students.

[laughingcat]

wow! LOLMUM, that’s amazing. I will need to learn more from you as I tend to be a control freak.

Sometime my DS1 will remind me that he is doing fine and me to relax. Sometime i find it so difficult to let go.

[LOLMum]

laughingcat:

wow! LOLMUM, that's amazing. I will need to learn more from you as I tend to be a control freak.

Sometime my DS1 will remind me that he is doing fine and me to relax. Sometime i find it so difficult to let go.

haha, i am still learning.

a bit of control is still necessary like making sure they do their homework and revision. but when it comes to marks, i close both eyes now. if not, i would turn into xiang yun's character again.

it is not easy to let go at first especially when dd was then my one and only child. i worried about her getting bad grades, not getting into good class, not getting into good secondary school, not able to get a good job etc and these turned me into a monster at home. i cried after our fights.

with dh and family members' help, (luckily i dont need to see a dr), and with God's love, i was able to let go. very tough period.

[coast]

Yong HL:

phtthp:

since P1 do away with exams, so up to Teacher to spring surprise tests on kids anytime, without them knowing.


I prefer the P1 exams, at least you're mentally prepared to help yr children ... not these sudden surprise tests.

Totally agree! i do not see the rationale of taking away exams when P6 is still all about exams! this education system sucks.
my daughter also do not have the so called CA/SA.. but she has tests \"which happens to fall on the same upper primary CA/SA week\". No advance notice was given. Surprise tests! when parents get to know it, too late... And these mini marks constitute grading in report books.
i tink its a total crap :mad:

And these mini marks constitute grading in report books

I am supportive of taking away P1 & P2 exams. For my ds's school, there are mini-tests (about 4 to 6 per Term for each core subject) so I will be able to gauge his competency in various areas (oral, reading, show & tell, comprehension, ... etc). Unlike CA/SA, we do not have to spend time on revision for topics that were taught months ago. He just need to spend a little bit of his time for each test. Majority of his time outside school are spent on non-academic activities that he enjoys (sports, playing, reading, music, …). They are still 6 - 7 years old kids and should enjoy their childhood.

[nms1]

coast:

Yong HL:

[quote=\"phtthp\"]since P1 do away with exams, so up to Teacher to spring surprise tests on kids anytime, without them knowing.


I prefer the P1 exams, at least you're mentally prepared to help yr children ... not these sudden surprise tests.

Totally agree! i do not see the rationale of taking away exams when P6 is still all about exams! this education system sucks.
my daughter also do not have the so called CA/SA.. but she has tests \"which happens to fall on the same upper primary CA/SA week\". No advance notice was given. Surprise tests! when parents get to know it, too late... And these mini marks constitute grading in report books.
i tink its a total crap :mad:

And these mini marks constitute grading in report books

I am supportive of taking away P1 & P2 exams. For my ds's school, there are mini-tests (about 4 to 6 per Term for each core subject) so I will be able to gauge his competency in various areas (oral, reading, show & tell, comprehension, ... etc). Unlike CA/SA, we do not have to spend time on revision for topics that were taught months ago. He just need to spend a little bit of his time for each test. Majority of his time outside school are spent on non-academic activities that he enjoys (sports, playing, reading, music, …). They are still 6 - 7 years old kids and should enjoy their childhood.[/quote] :goodpost: This is the point - the tests are there to see what our children do & don't know and address that, not as some kind of competition or comparison, not to see how high you can score. They are the means to an end (i.e. helping us & the teachers to help our children) not the end in itself....at least until PSLE!

[worriedmumz]

I also like the no exam system now for P1s and 2s. My kids are less stressed and I take their mini test results are a gauge to how well they are learning. But when I look at the good school papers, they seem to be of a very different standard from that of my kids’ schools so I get a bit afraid when I compare papers or look at assessment books. Because finally my kids are going to sit for the same PSLE as all those kids who have had ‘harder’ papers or still had exams in P1 and 2 to prepare them. So for now the no exam thing is working for me but in the long run, I am not so sure.

[zeemimi]

worriedmumz:

I also like the no exam system now for P1s and 2s. My kids are less stressed and I take their mini test results are a gauge to how well they are learning. But when I look at the good school papers, they seem to be of a very different standard from that of my kids' schools so I get a bit afraid when I compare papers or look at assessment books. Because finally my kids are going to sit for the same PSLE as all those kids who have had 'harder' papers or still had exams in P1 and 2 to prepare them. So for now the no exam thing is working for me but in the long run, I am not so sure.

imho, this no-exam-thing for P1s and P2s are not really reaping long term benefits because when these kids get to P3, they are thrown into the exisiting system of CAs and SAs. It's just akin to throwing them into the CA-SA system 2 years later. So you can see very clearly at P3 if the kid is going to float or :imdrowning: