Parents, not enrichment centres, are key to result
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ksi:
Does anybody else think it strange that as non-educators, we have forced ourselves to learn so much about
I suppose when we discuss the learning of one subject in detail then we know where we are heading and why we do what we are doing. General discussions sometimes get us a bit fuzzy.
Oh we can move on to learning compo writing and why everyone needs help in it...
(1) how to do Math
(2) how to teach Math
Or is it just me?
I am learning so much from the sharing of Mommies who can teach Math. I was notorious for failing Math twice a year in secondary school. I bucked up in the last 6 months of Sec 4 and managed an A1. After that, I wrapped up everything mathematical and sent it back to the Teachers. I KNOW what simultaneous equations are but I have no idea how to solve them now. :whut: It never occurred to me to even try and learn modelling. I took one look and :siam:. DS had to manage with resource books. And he basically tells ME how he wanna learn, where he thinks his weaknesses are, and then it's my job to go find stuff.
I asked him if algebraic simultaneous equations are at all useful since so many Mommies said no need. He nodded emphatically and said that for some questions, it can gain him time. For others, no. Hence, he insisted that it was necessary. I guess I have to trust him on this like for every other aspect of his Math journey 'cos I dunno better.
The only PSLE subject I AM good at is English, and in this P5 and P6 journey, I learnt A LOT about how to teach it (much like you all learnt how to teach Math)... and how to write better compos (much like you all had to learn Model Math). Techniques that I didn't know before, I had to learn and teach them to my son.
If parents dunno how to teach or have no time, I guess the only solution is enrichment/tuition.
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Sun_2010:
:goodpost:TO just touch back on hueristics , imho teaching a child a hueristic without letting child battle the problem is doing the child a disservice.
Let the child try.
(S)he then falls back on all the tools she has. Mostly they will fail. Sometimes through tedious steps they may make it .( And at times they may stumble on it or part of it - oh what joy!). Then, only then, introduce the hueristics. let them see the beauty of it , the trouble it saves. let them explore why it works,What is it capitalising on, the constraints, the assumptions. Why other heuristics fail or are too tedious.
What the brain learns while it fails when using some methods is as important as what it learns thru the new method. Every time they learn a new method you also learn something about the old methods too. This is important beause soon they are learning more and more ways of doing the same thing . Then it becomes necessary to intutively choose the better hueristic if not the best. And do so quickly. Not much time to analyze for the best method . Of course this comes with sufficient regulated practice( not the boring brain numbing practice) and a very good understanding. The practice and understanding complement each other.
Also when faced with a new kind of problem in an exam environment, they will fall back on these hueristics, then they should also know when to exit one method and try something else. Looking at a problem from different angles ( letting go of typical approaches) is a very useful skill. And knowing when to do so is more important.
Its a long deliberate process. As the path to excellance always is.
PS- I am not sure if this will work for a child who is not motivated/interested.
PS2- This is what i try to do, but not always. Sometimes i gently nudge them ( which is ok if the interest is waning), and sometimes I have been guilty of showing the whole path without letting them yearn for the solution. Bad mommy. All in the name of \"no time\" which translates into \"no patience\" :gloomy: -
Hi Ksi,
paisei lah…i still need to learn from you mummies out there. Do you know it is a wake-up call for me when i approach the maths teacher. I didn’t realize that the mentality of the teacher that i spoke to is so different from my old school days. I would used the word to describe her teaching style "rigid" and "authoritative". -
laughingcat, your sharing is something of an eye opener for me.
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<Does anybody else think it strange that as non-educators, we have forced ourselves to learn so much about
(1) how to do Math
(2) how to teach Math
Or is it just me?> by Chenonceau
Yes, in fact what you said is correct. I started learning drawing model diagrams when my 1st DS came back from school one day and told me he don't know how to do his problem sum using model diagram.
I called up his teacher and told her is it necessary to draw and she said yes. I'm also wondering why he does not know how to do it as he is someone who pays attention in class and has no problem in school work as far as I know.
From that day onwards, I started to learn. Its like as though I am the one attending school, not only learning math but also reading composition books in order to teach my children to write compo. Further, last year, with Science, I started to read up guide books before I dare to teach them myself.
I'm not against tuition or enrichment class but I am not willing to part with my husband hard earned $$. I can used this $$ on other things instead which are more meaningful.
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laughingcat:
:faint:Yes i totally agree with you that the school must not enforce the child whatever best method they would like to adopt especially when they are in P5 and P6. I have challenged my niece's teacher on that(nicely lah). I even used the book by MOE to challenge her and that is when she stood back.
On the school acceptance on perfect score, i didn't question her teacher. Apparently was told because she used \"unorthodox\" method. I guess the teacher was sore about it. But i don't really care lah, at the end of the day i just want to brush up her skill.
Well the teacher should be pleased , her student is using indigenous method.
Happened in DDs class. The teacher check with her the logic behind her steps as she did not understand. It happens to a few others in her class too. The children use some unconventional ways to work out. the teacher when she sees a right answer but cant make out the rationale behind steps up to check it. Not that she was not knowledgeable, but just that the some kids do see thing in an alien angle.
During a maths workshop conducted by the school, this is what i gathered.The objective of PSLe maths is problem solving . so any logical method is accepted. In fact for PSLe marking each question is painstakingly solved in all possible methods with steps. Even so the teachers do come across some new solutions with correct answers by some students. I remember thinking , thank god creativity is still flourishing. -
Sun_2010:
On the perfect score......it is quite common. Back in my uni days at UK was also like that. Same thing at US uni when i took master.
strange , even maths have no perfect score... :?
From 60+ to 100 WOW!
You an set up your own enrichment centre :evil:
From 60+ to 100, all pure hard work. Concept first, looking at questions and decipher what kind of methods can be used and then down to Practise Practise Practise daily. We took 2 hrs of pure practise. My niece pushed herself to it. She is matured and she really wants to have good grades. -
Mychildren:
I oso stingy. So DS must be very independent.
I'm not against tuition or enrichment class but I am not willing to part with my husband hard earned $$. I can used this $$ on other things instead which are more meaningful. -
insider:
laughingcat:
I would used the word to describe her teaching style \"rigid\" and \"authoritative\".
In my experience, many teachers (and some parents too) are 'rigid' and 'authoritative'. Other than maths, there seems to be only one way to write compo too! Well, KPIs at work. Follow my words, only do this and that, then you will get your A/A*...
Talking about compo, i need helps too. Any threads i can follow thru? Sorry i am OT. -
laughingcat,
Read pslemum2011 article on writing compo.
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