All About Preparing For Primary One

[Celyw]

jeanieg:

I have a K2 girl going to P1 next year. She is currently taking I Can Read and is learning to read short stories. She can read words and short sentences by the phonics way. Next year ICR will be going into Oral Comprehension and Creative Writing, etc. Am thinking of stopping her lessons in Dec as I think P1 should be covering those topics and I also do not want to overwhelm her with too much stuff to learn.


Anyone has any experience in this to share?

hi jeanieg, same my child going P1 next year and going to complete ICR by this november so intend to stop him and see he can manage in pri school b4 deciding what enhancement he need..

[jocekoh]

Dear Parents,


My daughter will be in Primary 1 student of Ngee Ann Primary in year 2012. But the letter indicated that parents will not be allowed in the school on first day of school? Why is that so? I feel so insecured since it is a totally new & unfamiliar environment for her. I will be worried sick the whole day imagining what difficulties she will be facing in school is this normal for all primary school? anyone can advise me? Thanks

[hquek]

hi jocekoh,


Different schools, different modes. mine also the same. Parents are not allowed in the school during operational hours - recess also cannot go in.

It’s okay lah. Teachers will take care, and usually there will be a buddy system assigned. In my kid’s school, they were given catered food for first 2 weeks and also early release for recess (so they dun have to jostle with the older kids).

Let go and have assurance in the school. They have been doing this for many years, I’m sure they know what they are doing.

[Busymom]

Celyw:

momresource:

Any parents here know of schools conducting crash P1 preparation class for English/Math combined? Looking at not more than 20 lessons type... nearly fainted when my dear son was cracking his head off to give me single digit addition and subtraction questions?? Luckily he didn't use his toes to count... Btw, he doesn't have any math enrichment or Abacus knowledge.

haha you are so funny...but I think if you let him practise 1~2 assessment books, he can pick up the pace assuming his Kindergarten did teach him single digit addition and subtraction?

Actually, it is quite true. The first 2 topics are numbers and number bonds. Addition and subtraction is something that you can teach as a concept. First within ten, then within twenty. I think there is nothing wrong with using fingers to count (we all learnt that way in primary one, didn't we?)

I don't believe in doing a crash course in Math. It is better to build a strong foundation through a steady pace. If you are really concerned about his standard, can consider sending him for an assessment at places such as MPM or Enopi. They will let him try some test paper to guage the level that he can start with. From there, you can probably tell if he can start off at P1 level or mid-K2 level. The good thing about MPM is that their books are very colorful and have lots of pictures/diagrams to make doing the workbook quite fun (probably same for Enopi). Some of the questions also require a bit of thinking skills, definitely not just rote learning.

[z_lynn]

Busymom:

Celyw:

[quote=\"momresource\"]Any parents here know of schools conducting crash P1 preparation class for English/Math combined? Looking at not more than 20 lessons type... nearly fainted when my dear son was cracking his head off to give me single digit addition and subtraction questions?? Luckily he didn't use his toes to count... Btw, he doesn't have any math enrichment or Abacus knowledge.

haha you are so funny...but I think if you let him practise 1~2 assessment books, he can pick up the pace assuming his Kindergarten did teach him single digit addition and subtraction?

Actually, it is quite true. The first 2 topics are numbers and number bonds. Addition and subtraction is something that you can teach as a concept. First within ten, then within twenty. I think there is nothing wrong with using fingers to count (we all learnt that way in primary one, didn't we?)

I don't believe in doing a crash course in Math. It is better to build a strong foundation through a steady pace. If you are really concerned about his standard, can consider sending him for an assessment at places such as MPM or Enopi. They will let him try some test paper to guage the level that he can start with. From there, you can probably tell if he can start off at P1 level or mid-K2 level. The good thing about MPM is that their books are very colorful and have lots of pictures/diagrams to make doing the workbook quite fun (probably same for Enopi). Some of the questions also require a bit of thinking skills, definitely not just rote learning.[/quote]
I feel you, MomResource. Now it's almost Nov and my daughter has yet grasped the concept of addition within 10 much less number bonds and I'm sarting to panic. But, BusyMom, if what you say is true, then do you think it'd be too late for me to send my daughter for classes at MPM now?

[michyms]

z_lynn, wouldn’t it be easier if you taught her yourself? Such concepts are quite easily taught using real objects (beads, sweets etc etc). With your reinforcement, she will catch it quickly enough. For my dd (also going to P1 next year), I have been spending 30 mins daily coaching her in maths concepts through games etc. And this has definitely helped alot.

[Busymom]

michyms:

z_lynn, wouldn't it be easier if you taught her yourself? Such concepts are quite easily taught using real objects (beads, sweets etc etc). With your reinforcement, she will catch it quickly enough. For my dd (also going to P1 next year), I have been spending 30 mins daily coaching her in maths concepts through games etc. And this has definitely helped alot.

Agree with michyms about teaching addition and subtraction on your own. When DD was younger, I taught her with examples such as she has how many sweets already in her stomach, and if I give her more sweets, how many sweets would she have altogether. E.g. if there are already 3 sweets in the stomach and I give her another 5, she just have to put up her 5 fingers and count 4,5,6,7,8 to get to the answer 8. This is for addition. As for subtraction, it is a bit gross. I told her she has eaten too much and need to vomit out... After understanding the concept, it was practice and practice (very mundane.. but no choice, forced by one of her enrichment which was not even mathematics based...).

[Busymom]

z_lynn:

Busymom:

Actually, it is quite true. The first 2 topics are numbers and number bonds. Addition and subtraction is something that you can teach as a concept. First within ten, then within twenty. I think there is nothing wrong with using fingers to count (we all learnt that way in primary one, didn't we?)

I don't believe in doing a crash course in Math. It is better to build a strong foundation through a steady pace. If you are really concerned about his standard, can consider sending him for an assessment at places such as MPM or Enopi. They will let him try some test paper to guage the level that he can start with. From there, you can probably tell if he can start off at P1 level or mid-K2 level. The good thing about MPM is that their books are very colorful and have lots of pictures/diagrams to make doing the workbook quite fun (probably same for Enopi). Some of the questions also require a bit of thinking skills, definitely not just rote learning.

I feel you, MomResource. Now it's almost Nov and my daughter has yet grasped the concept of addition within 10 much less number bonds and I'm sarting to panic. But, BusyMom, if what you say is true, then do you think it'd be too late for me to send my daughter for classes at MPM now?

When I suggested MPM, I wasn't implying that they would be able to teach your child in the next couple of months the basic concept of addition and subtraction. For us, fortunately DD's preschool has laid the foundation for number bonds very well and I didn't need to do anything else. I only got her to understand the concept of addition and subtraction when she was younger as mentioned in my earlier post.

MPM and maybe enopi as well, have the assessment (free I think, but please check again) where they would tell you where your child can start off. If she doesn't have the knowledge of certain concept yet, she can start off at a level that she is suitable for and work from there (so it would be less stressful for her than to place her in certain programs that are purely age-based). I can't tell you if this would be effective as we didn't go through the earlier stages of the MPM program. Just a suggestion for you to explore.

Still, there is no need to panic... go slowly and learn at the same pace with the primary school. You have one whole year.

[michyms]

Agree with busymom, addition and subtraction is a matter of drilling and practise. After they understand the concept, they need to be able to add 5 + 3 in their heads without using fingers… As this will increase the speed at which they can do maths and getting there is all a matter of drilling, there is no short cut.

[z_lynn]

Thanks for the tips and assurance, everyone. Guess i just got to calm myself down first and go easy. And, of course, start practising with her daily…