Child Underperforms Because Tested Above Cognitive Level

[janet88]

psle2011mum:

janet_lee88


You are doing the right thing -- you are looking at your daughter as an individual and you are supporting her directly, addressing her needs - emotional, academic, character- building. You are showing her that inspite of what the system says, she has the ability to cope, thrive and blossom - she just needs to achieve this in her own way and not the system's way. She is very blessed indeed to have you alongside.

According to aerodynamic laws, the bumblebee cannot fly. Its body weight is not the right proportion to its wingspan. Ignoring these laws, the bee flies anyway. – M. Sainte-Lague

Hi psle2011mum,
Thank you for your encouragement. :hugs:
My daughter has a stubborn character and this alone convinced me that she cannot attend a school which strives on academic excellence.
It's tough coaching her bcos more time is required to refresh her mind on what was taught before we can go on to something else.
I need to push her a little but yet not too much or she will be burnt. Knowing that she is just slow in the cognitive sense gives me assurance that she is normal.

[Chenonceau]

DS has his nose in another 1.5 inch thick book - History's Great Untold Stories, Joseph Cummins. He bounced onto my bed last night and read me an excerpt.


\"One of the most extraordinary features of Mongol society (under Genghis Khan) was the annual winter hunt. It lasted as long as 3 months and was intended to train soldiers for battle and provide food for the entire army. Spread out in a line 100 miles long, the soldiers moved across the steppe, driving all animals before them. Gradually, the ends of the line closed until a circle was formed, with the animals trapped within. At a signal from Genghis Khan himself, the soldiers dismounted and attacked the animals (bears, wolves and tigers) in hand to teeth combat to the death. After facing a charging bear with only a lance and a knife, no soldier will fear human opponents.\"

Certainly, this technique worked. Those who SURVIVED would have conquered their fears. Those who died have nothing more to fear. They would have died in ignominy and shame. How would you feel if the MinDEF trained our sons with this technique? Is it not barbaric? Genghis Khan was the foremost barbarian after all...

We can see how barbaric this is because we are all very sensitive to physical bloodshed and death. Most people are less aware of psychological bloodshed and death. The system we have works. The gifted kids and the top of the top conquered the odds and go abroad to do us proud in US varsities. They are the Hordes of Genghis Khan equivalent in psychological terms - tough, resilient, confident, smart... you name it.

But what about my DS, whose psyche would have died if I had not found him, rescued and healed him? Can you expect the equivalent of Genghis Khan's Great Hunt in psychological terms? Because that is what every one of our children (minus the GEP) lives through. I know of better ways to build resilience... more controlled... less wasteful... more sophsiticated than the methods of the world's foremost barbarian butcher.

[Chenonceau]

\"One of the most extraordinary features of the Singaporean educational system (under the tyranny of the bell curve) was the 4 times a year tests/exams. Each preparation period lasts about 1.5 months and was intended to train children for the PSLE and eventually provide the economy with labour units. Spread out over a the nation's schools, students are tested beyond their cognitive levels from P1 to P6. Those whose spirits die in the attempts are labelled. In their 12th year, our society signals the children to take the PSLE. After facing PSLE with only a pen, no student will fear academic challenge. Those whose spirits died, no longer fear. Those who survived continue to conquer the world.\"


I had some fun channeling the passage below...

\"One of the most extraordinary features of Mongol society (under Genghis Khan) was the annual winter hunt. It lasted as long as 3 months and was intended to train soldiers for battle and provide food for the entire army. Spread out in a line 100 miles long, the soldiers moved across the steppe, driving all animals before them. Gradually, the ends of the line closed until a circle was formed, with the animals trapped within. At a signal from Genghis Khan himself, the soldiers dismounted and attacked the animals (bears, wolves and tigers) in hand to teeth combat to the death. After facing a charging bear with only a lance and a knife, no soldier will fear human opponents.\"

[violin_lover]

Chenonceau:

Reading today's Straits Times, I learn of an absurd phenomenon that I believe has its roots in number (1).


(1) Schools test way beyond what they teach.
(2) Parents enrol kids in elite tuition centres to teach the material schools test but don't teach. These centres have thus the status of 2nd Regular School since they learn stuff here that is taught nowhere else.
(3) Kids can't cope with homework given by their 2nd Regular School.
(4) Parents hire 2nd line tutors to help kids with homework from their 2nd regular school.

How did we end up here in the last 7 years? Where will this bring us? http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_765952.html

The result of \"Teach less, learn more\". Guess the school teachers need to strictly follow this \"instruction\" .....if school teachers are \"forced\" to teach less.... we have no choice but to turn to tuition. Amazingly, the person who came out of this idea was rewarded handsomely..... at the expense of the parents

[keroppi]

Chenonceau:

\"One of the most extraordinary features of the Singaporean educational system (under the tyranny of the bell curve) was the 4 times a year tests/exams. Each preparation period lasts about 1.5 months and was intended to train children for the PSLE and eventually provide the economy with labour units. \"

I really hate this. Wish the schools spend less time preparing the kids for tests/exams and really teach the students.

[janet88]

insider:

janet_lee88:

So that's why parents look to enrichment centres for kids to learn more so that when teachers ask questions in school, they know how to reply. Teachers get the impression that the kids are above standard and thus teach faster.

You may consider transferring her to another school with a more sane mentality to have a longer term 'solution' for your girl; otherwise by P5 time, you may see more hair falling off and your child in a sad state of confusion.

Hi insider,
If I had put my daughter in the same school as my older child, there will definitely be a 'sick' difference. It is a great blessing she is in her present school where she has caring teachers who believe in small group teaching (aka remedial). She doesn't have 默写...I am taking it slow and easy with her.
Every child is different and that's so very true. So as parents, we cannot use a method-for-all to coach. I am glad I am a SAHM...or there is no way I can possibly coach her at her pace.

However, thank you for your advice. I appreciate it.

[Chenonceau]

How did we end up here in the last 7 years? Where will this bring us? http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_765952.html

[violin_lover]

psle2011mum:

Labelling -- if I had believed all the labels others sought to stick me with, I'd be a timid, socially challenged JC dropout.



I was terribly crushed in JC when every week's AT showed a single digit score - regardless of whether it was out of 50 or 100. Self doubt crept in. The Civics Tutor [aka Form Teacher] pulled me out, asked me what I wanted to do in life and laughed when I replied. I did not fit in that school, and if you just looked at my grades and academic performance then, I wasn't going to make it to uni even.

I read with concern how kids/parents are told by schools/teachers that their kids are \"slow\", \"under achieving\", \"not making the grade\", \" not keeping up with the rest of the class\". True, some kids do have pre-existing issues but I do think a whole bunch of them are nowhere underperforming but are likely to be crushed by the labelling.

Trust your parental instincts, you know your child best -- be less ready to accept the labels given by the system and look at your child instead. If the label doesn't gel with what you know about your child, be free to reject it and as they said in WWII - \"Keep calm and carry on \"

“If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do well matters very much.” -Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Every week AT? Are you from NJC

[try]

psle2011mum:

GEP brings S3 level down to P6; HAKs can quite easily cope with Sec 1 & 2 Math [ ie boderline A1s] using their P6 knowledge- that's my gut feel about where the 'above cognitive level testing\" in primary school hits.

I did relief teaching at a \"Band 3\" secondary school with PSLE score range from around 22X to 24X, averaging 23X. There was once I taught Sec 1 math in April to a 5th class(they banded the students according to their PSLE scores). The students in the class told me not to teach the Sec 1 Math syllabus because they already knew them from primary school, that PSLE math is much harder and they know how to do.

[Chenonceau]

try:

psle2011mum:

GEP brings S3 level down to P6; HAKs can quite easily cope with Sec 1 & 2 Math [ ie boderline A1s] using their P6 knowledge- that's my gut feel about where the 'above cognitive level testing\" in primary school hits.

I did relief teaching at a \"Band 3\" secondary school with PSLE score range from around 22X to 24X, averaging 23X. There was once I taught Sec 1 math in April to a 5th class(they banded the students according to their PSLE scores). The students in the class told me not to teach the Sec 1 Math syllabus because they already knew them from primary school, that PSLE math is much harder and they know how to do.

Why am I not surprised?