Primary school maths: A vicious circle (from TODAY May 8)

[tutormum]

kitty2:

tutormum:

Some of my P6 students from the same school came back with their Maths results. From what they told me, there's a class with only 1 passed i.e. all failed while another class only 14 passed. The saddest thing to hear was from one of my students: \"Teacher, I give up!\". I looked straight at his eyes and replied, \"I am not giving up on you yet so don't give up on yourself.\" I just took over the class last month from another teacher but I can tell that these students are not dumb. By any standard they are at least of Middle Ability but looking at their Maths results you would really think that they are of Low Ability. They are not slow or dumb for that matter cos they understand what I taught and could follow my lessons very well. I guess they may have a poor foundation and my heart goes out to them. You should see the dejection in their attitude. :sad: :sad:

Some kids who did badly will be transferred to Foundation Maths

This is normally done for P5 after their P4 streaming exams. For P6, after mid year exams, it's difficult for schools to transfer them at this stage. Moreover, if I'm not wrong, these students were doing fine (probably managed to pass though not fantastic since P5) and this particular paper was just much difficult. Even if the school thinks that these students will be better in Foundation Maths, it means that half of the cohort will qualify for foundation maths liao :siao: If the school set such killer papers to shake their students up, it has forgotten that it can backfire. Imagine how badly shaken and demoralised my student must have been to declare that he \"give up\". :gloomy: :sad: What if all failures have their ego and confidence deflated and give up? :yikes:

[kitty2]

tutormum:

kitty2:

[quote=\"tutormum\"]Some of my P6 students from the same school came back with their Maths results. From what they told me, there's a class with only 1 passed i.e. all failed while another class only 14 passed. The saddest thing to hear was from one of my students: \"Teacher, I give up!\". I looked straight at his eyes and replied, \"I am not giving up on you yet so don't give up on yourself.\" I just took over the class last month from another teacher but I can tell that these students are not dumb. By any standard they are at least of Middle Ability but looking at their Maths results you would really think that they are of Low Ability. They are not slow or dumb for that matter cos they understand what I taught and could follow my lessons very well. I guess they may have a poor foundation and my heart goes out to them. You should see the dejection in their attitude. :sad: :sad:

Some kids who did badly will be transferred to Foundation Maths

This is normally done for P5 after their P4 streaming exams. For P6, after mid year exams, it's difficult for schools to transfer them at this stage. Moreover, if I'm not wrong, these students were doing fine (probably managed to pass though not fantastic since P5) and this particular paper was just much difficult. Even if the school thinks that these students will be better in Foundation Maths, it means that half of the cohort will qualify for foundation maths liao :siao: If the school set such killer papers to shake their students up, it has forgotten that it can backfire. Imagine how badly shaken and demoralised my student must have been to declare that he \"give up\". :gloomy: :sad: What if all failures have their ego and confidence deflated and give up? :yikes:[/quote]My friend's son,P6 will be transferred to foundation Maths as he did badly.His teacher has informed him already!!!!

[KSP]

talking about foundation that is something to replace the EM3 which reminds me of the show \"I Not Stupid\" <小孩不笨>, althought this show is more than 10yrs and probably older than some of our kids here i find it very meaningful and still reflecting our mindset towards our education system... i will probably let my kid watch during this school holiday.... :rahrah:


Part 1/2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJhhaE_lm1U&feature=related

Part 2/2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYx3wQ0ZEAA&feature=related

:imsorry: :offtopic:

[matrix0405]

What is the consequence of taking Foundation Math? The child is 99% destined for NT?

[blessed777]

matrix0405:

What is the consequence of taking Foundation Math? The child is 99% destined for NT?

Do they take similar psle paper with the standard one or different one?

[znzyzyzx]

Can the school transfer them just like that , or the parents can insist on not transferring?

[Suz855]

P4 to P5 parents are given choice to choose, after p5, the school decides. As far as I know, school hesitate to offer student foundation.

[tutormum]

If the child is very poor in the subject, the school will recommend foundation cos if the child continues at the normal standard and get U grade for PSLE, he/she cannot progress to secondary school. If the child takes foundation level which is much easier (a totally different paper) and pass the subject, he/she can progress to NT and if he/she does extremely well for the other 3 subjects, he/she may even make it to NA. From my experience, the child must have done badly since lower primary and definitely cannot make it at PSLE. I have a student who passed at P4 when I taught her but her maths grade dropped to U grade from P5 till her P6 mid year exams. I don’t know what happened since her P5 cos I’ve stopped teaching her after her P4. However, after her mother sought my help when she got her P6 midyear results, I managed to help her get C for PSLE with about 3 months of intensive tuition. I also have students who were very weak and failed during their lower primary but I managed to help them get B or A for their PSLE when I tutored them during their P5 and P6 years. I have to add that these students knew that they were weak and determined to overcome their failure. How a student performs depends on many other factors also and we cannot gauge their potential based on one exam.

[Pris.011283tang]

tutormum:

If the child is very poor in the subject, the school will recommend foundation cos if the child continues at the normal standard and get U grade for PSLE, he/she cannot progress to secondary school. If the child takes foundation level which is much easier (a totally different paper) and pass the subject, he/she can progress to NT and if he/she does extremely well for the other 3 subjects, he/she may even make it to NA. From my experience, the child must have done badly since lower primary and definitely cannot make it at PSLE. I have a student who passed at P4 when I taught her but her maths grade dropped to U grade from P5 till her P6 mid year exams. I don't know what happened since her P5 cos I've stopped teaching her after her P4. However, after her mother sought my help when she got her P6 midyear results, I managed to help her get C for PSLE with about 3 months of intensive tuition. I also have students who were very weak and failed during their lower primary but I managed to help them get B or A for their PSLE when I tutored them during their P5 and P6 years. I have to add that these students knew that they were weak and determined to overcome their failure. How a student performs depends on many other factors also and we cannot gauge their potential based on one exam.

tutormum do u still take in students my ds is in pri 5 this yr

[tutormum]

Pris.tang:

tutormum:

If the child is very poor in the subject, the school will recommend foundation cos if the child continues at the normal standard and get U grade for PSLE, he/she cannot progress to secondary school. If the child takes foundation level which is much easier (a totally different paper) and pass the subject, he/she can progress to NT and if he/she does extremely well for the other 3 subjects, he/she may even make it to NA. From my experience, the child must have done badly since lower primary and definitely cannot make it at PSLE. I have a student who passed at P4 when I taught her but her maths grade dropped to U grade from P5 till her P6 mid year exams. I don't know what happened since her P5 cos I've stopped teaching her after her P4. However, after her mother sought my help when she got her P6 midyear results, I managed to help her get C for PSLE with about 3 months of intensive tuition. I also have students who were very weak and failed during their lower primary but I managed to help them get B or A for their PSLE when I tutored them during their P5 and P6 years. I have to add that these students knew that they were weak and determined to overcome their failure. How a student performs depends on many other factors also and we cannot gauge their potential based on one exam.

tutormum do u still take in students my ds is in pri 5 this yr

you got mail.