Parents, not enrichment centres, are key to result
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tutormum:
:siam: The question is how to build a strong foundation for the children? I hope I'm not offending anybody but there's a serious flaw in the way Maths is taught in schools. Most of my students have problems understanding the basic concepts, not to mention moving on to heuristics. :siam: How do most schools teach fractions - numerators and denominators? How about X more than Y is _______? Z is ______ less than X? When they see problem sums in lower primary, they would have 'switch off' already reason being that they find it very difficult. I've throughout the years devised my own methods of teaching and even have students at the verge of failing in P3 getting above 90 for P4. My methods are designed in such a way that the children find it very easy to understand the concepts and drawing models step by step. By the time they take their PSLE, even very weak students who really do not have a talent in Maths (yes, you need talent as well) manage to get a decent pass cos at least they applied what insider has mentioned earlier - i.e. memorising - which is the last resort.
Precisely this is the group that would dash for tuition cos there is no choice if what is taught in school simply is not getting through. And this is the group that is of concern if it is growing in size. MOE needs to study what is contributing to this problem eg:
1. Math language skills? I used to have these scholastics books I bought from a friend which I innocently let my child read for pleasure. In hindsight, perhaps these books helped my child understand the language of Math better. I only browsed those books but I vaguely remember they are written in Math language. Maybe should get the children to read such books to get it into their system.
2. Is Timeline to learn certain concepts realistic?
How much time is required on average for the mastery of certain Math skills? Are the children given enough time to learn them or we rush because we try to do many more things to make the education look holistic? Also, all children enter P1 with different background....
3. Foundation for Basic Computation Skills Missing?
4. Not enjoying the lesson?
Why?
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Funz:
I want the 2 of you to teach ME! Then I can teach my kids.
I oso want you to teach mine leh... just paiseh to ask only!!!!Chenonceau:
[quote=\"ksi\"]
By the way, did you notice sth up there......
Just to share a lighter moment with you about my experience, I get PM asking me to teach their children.....of course it is joking but at the end of the day, we know every parent is concerned about this issue after our debate....
.[/quote]You gotta be kidding Funz.....I am still learning...
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I really wish someone from MOE (of course with some kind of authority)reads this thread and give feedback to higher authorities.
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Chenonceau:
Like I tell Funz, I am still learning as a parent....you are your child's best teacher in every sense.
I oso want you to teach mine leh... just paiseh to ask only!!!!
Yeah... I know the debate has made the issue salient to many parents. That's why I thought I should write a proper integration post. Unfortunately, we have not had much representation from parents who work and who have no time to teach their kids, so the perspective may still be incomplete.
Yes.. I noticed the streaming. Chose not to respond because seriously, my brain works by taking in new perspectives, and I CHANGE my mind as new pesrpectives come in... At present, I have no entrenched position on streaming. What I wrote... I wrote as questions to stimulate thought and push the boundaries. I haven't thought through streaming properly so I dun really have anything sensible to say. I have questions more than objections.
I do have an entrenched position on textbooks, however.
As for streaming, there is no standardization on how the schools deal with their best classes. It is really quite different from schools to schools though all the intent is common, to stretch their potential. Probably this is where the disparity comes about in terms of how much the children know as additional knowledge. My thought is even if MOE standardises the practices, would schools stop doing more to stretch their children just to stay on the PSLE chart or would parents stop doing more to stretch their children to get onto the PSLE chart? I don't know.... -
ksi:
The issue bears thinking about... I really have no very strong objections at present against streaming because as someone who teaches adults, I am familiar with the challenges of managing a disparate class.
Like I tell Funz, I am still learning as a parent....you are your child's best teacher in every sense.Chenonceau:
I oso want you to teach mine leh... just paiseh to ask only!!!!
Yeah... I know the debate has made the issue salient to many parents. That's why I thought I should write a proper integration post. Unfortunately, we have not had much representation from parents who work and who have no time to teach their kids, so the perspective may still be incomplete.
Yes.. I noticed the streaming. Chose not to respond because seriously, my brain works by taking in new perspectives, and I CHANGE my mind as new pesrpectives come in... At present, I have no entrenched position on streaming. What I wrote... I wrote as questions to stimulate thought and push the boundaries. I haven't thought through streaming properly so I dun really have anything sensible to say. I have questions more than objections.
I do have an entrenched position on textbooks, however.
As for streaming, there is no standardization on how the schools deal with their best classes. It is really quite different from schools to schools though all the intent is common, to stretch their potential. Probably this is where the disparity comes about in terms of how much the children know as additional knowledge. My thought is even if MOE standardises the practices, would schools stop doing more to stretch their children just to stay on the PSLE chart or would parents stop doing more to stretch their children to get onto the PSLE chart? I don't know....
But I do feel that some contingencies in the form of better documentation of scholastic material would go some way in tempering some of the negative effects of streaming - building linkages between streams so kids who can and want to, can stretch themselves... without Mommy having to hunt high and low for material. I would have been happy with just a bibliography... or even NLB resources earmarked as useful stretch material for PSLE.
The best teachers are those who don't stop learning.
I, for one, have no intention to stretch my kid beyond the PSLE. He's doing secondary stuff 'cos it helps with PSLE. I can think of much more fun and exciting developmental journeys that have nothing to do with PSLE. :frustrated: :frustrated: -
Chenonceau:
Yup think further and I too have nothing against streaming, in fact, to some extent it is beneficial for both teachers and students in terms of making progress in the class. So you can say I am pro streaming but not overly granular streaming. I find it strange that your school's top class and second best class is handled differently, so granular in treatment.
The issue bears thinking about... I really have no very strong objections at present against streaming because as someone who teaches adults, I am familiar with the challenges of managing a disparate class.
But I do feel that some contingencies in the form of better documentation of scholastic material would go some way in tempering some of the negative effects of streaming - building linkages between streams so kids who can and want to, can stretch themselves... without Mommy having to hunt high and low for material. I would have been happy with just a bibliography... or even NLB resources earmarked as useful stretch material for PSLE.
The best teachers are those who don't stop learning.
Oh if I am still learning, I may deliver the wrong things...
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ksi:
I am not sure... but I rather suspect that even the top class doesn't get as much stretch as it should in class to cope with P5 work. Most in top class have tuition. Also, the PSLE results for DS' school last year dropped quite a bit. Perhaps even in best class the PSLE training is insufficient?
Yup think further and I too have nothing against streaming, in fact, to some extent it is beneficial for both teachers and students in terms of making progress in the class. So you can say I am pro streaming but not overly granular streaming. I find it strange that your school's top class and second best class is handled differently, so granular in treatment.Chenonceau:
The issue bears thinking about... I really have no very strong objections at present against streaming because as someone who teaches adults, I am familiar with the challenges of managing a disparate class.
But I do feel that some contingencies in the form of better documentation of scholastic material would go some way in tempering some of the negative effects of streaming - building linkages between streams so kids who can and want to, can stretch themselves... without Mommy having to hunt high and low for material. I would have been happy with just a bibliography... or even NLB resources earmarked as useful stretch material for PSLE.
The best teachers are those who don't stop learning.
But well... I conjecture only. Perhaps not fair to the school.
However, we already know that Piggy's GEP didn't handle heuristics... and neither did my friend's GEP. Piggy taught her son simultaneous and my friend's son did like mine - Onsponge, and went to MindStretcher regularly. So maybe even the best of the best aren't taught these stretch stuff eh? -
Chenonceau:
I am not sure... but I rather suspect that even the top class doesn't get as much stretch as it should in class to cope with P5 work. Most in top class have tuition. Also, the PSLE results for DS' school last year dropped quite a bit. Perhaps even in best class the PSLE training is insufficient?
Yup think further and I too have nothing against streaming, in fact, to some extent it is beneficial for both teachers and students in terms of making progress in the class. So you can say I am pro streaming but not overly granular streaming. I find it strange that your school's top class and second best class is handled differently, so granular in treatment.ksi:
[quote=\"Chenonceau\"]
The issue bears thinking about... I really have no very strong objections at present against streaming because as someone who teaches adults, I am familiar with the challenges of managing a disparate class.
But I do feel that some contingencies in the form of better documentation of scholastic material would go some way in tempering some of the negative effects of streaming - building linkages between streams so kids who can and want to, can stretch themselves... without Mommy having to hunt high and low for material. I would have been happy with just a bibliography... or even NLB resources earmarked as useful stretch material for PSLE.
The best teachers are those who don't stop learning.
But well... I conjecture only. Perhaps not fair to the school.
However, we already know that Piggy's GEP didn't handle heuristics... and neither did my friend's GEP. Piggy taught her son simultaneous and my friend's son did like mine - Onsponge, and went to MindStretcher regularly. So maybe even the best of the best aren't taught these stretch stuff eh?[/quote]
This is interesting.
Conclusion is children should rely on tuition/enrichment/assessment books/parents to do the exam well. ?????? -
HAPPYH:
That is why I said that even good students have to go for enrichment lor... when really if the system tests what it adequately can teach, then good students won't have to go for external help.
This is interesting.
Conclusion is children should rely on tuition/enrichment/assessment books/parents to do the exam well. ??????
BUT people want tough tests mah... so that they know which child is smarter than which. Is it so important to know which child is smarter than which to a very fine-grained detail?
You can't stop some parents from wanting to push their kids ever upwards. But the testing doesn't have to follow this crowd. If one day, enrichment reached the level where 10 year olds are doing university modules, will PSLE follow suit and test at that level? Let the crazy parents who want to develop ALL BRAIN in their kids skip levels... do university stuff... but let normal people like my DS, be normal. -
Chenonceau:
I personally feel dont need at all. But being kiasu, we also wont stop chasing each other
That is why I said that even good students have to go for enrichment lor... when really if the system tests what it adequately can teach, then good students won't have to go.HAPPYH:
This is interesting.
Conclusion is children should rely on tuition/enrichment/assessment books/parents to do the exam well. ??????
BUT people want tough tests mah... so that they know which child is smarter than which. Is it so important to know which child is smarter than which to a very fine-grained detail?
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