School Examinations Too Difficult
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Heuristics are mental shortcuts to resolving a thinking problem. You normally develop these short cuts through high volume experience with a certain type of problem. For example, a chess grandmaster would have developed a set of heuristics that allows him to quickly process complex problems posed by various chessboard configurations because he has played and won thousands of games.
The high standards of the PSLE do not give children enough time to develop these heuristics on their own... powered by high volume practice (hard work) and raw IQ (talent). Hence, these heuristics are TAUGHT in order to boost our children's thinking capacity vis-a-vis certain types of problem sums.
The dangers of heuristics are clear. Heuristics can lead to errors of judgment because they are mental shortcuts. Research in psychology documents many types of erroneous judgment related to heuristics. In PSLE Math, a child with a rock solid Math foundation can boost his performance after being taught heuristics... However, a child with a poor foundation, has not developed a good sense of numbers to protect him from making erroneous judgment. He may thus mis-apply heuristics. -
Chenonceau:
I agree; some try to teach the heuristics as \"methods\", give them names and teach the kids to memorise when to use them. Tweak the question somewhat and the kids fail to see that they can use the same heuristics...Heuristics are mental shortcuts to resolving a thinking problem. You normally develop these short cuts through high volume experience with a certain type of problem. For example, a chess grandmaster would have developed a set of heuristics that allows him to quickly process complex problems posed by various chessboard configurations because he has played and won thousands of games.
The high standards of the PSLE do not give children enough time to develop these heuristics on their own... powered by high volume practice (hard work) and raw IQ (talent). Hence, these heuristics are TAUGHT in order to boost our children's thinking capacity vis-a-vis certain types of problem sums.
The dangers of heuristics are clear. Heuristics can lead to errors of judgment because they are mental shortcuts. Research in psychology documents many types of erroneous judgment related to heuristics. In PSLE Math, a child with a rock solid Math foundation can boost his performance after being taught heuristics... However, a child with a poor foundation, has not developed a good sense of numbers to protect him from making erroneous judgment. He may thus mis-apply heuristics.
DD faced this problem initially and because Mummy was poor in Math and was also not good at \"spotting\" which \"method\" to apply. Mummy then went with her strength - languages and simply showed DD the methods without confining her to only use this method for this type of question and that method for the other type of question. We read each problem sum and asked ourselves \" What does this sentence tell me?\", \" Can I write a mathematical statement from this sentence?\". We went through alot of questions [ this was my back-log clearing method -- when I had too much to mark and was back logged, I'd set DD Math papers which were much faster to mark]. This 2 pronged approach worked wonders for DD who is not intuitive where numbers are concerned.
The double reward this brought was that when the grades came in, DD started to believe she was \"good in Math\" and tried harder, and was largely unfazed by \"challenging questions\". -
psle2011mum:
Agree with you totally about helping a child to decipher the language as the first step to understanding. Like you, I'm very bad with Math, and now helping DS and DD purely from my strength in the English Language and believe it or not, using my logical skills honed from studying Philosophy!!! I agree that the heuristics or whatever method these Maths gurus want to call it, can cause more confusion to the child if the child cannot unpack the semantics & syntax. Some test papers have such confusing syntax that there are so many ways of interpreting it. Many Maths test paper setters are not effective in English and therefore when they set the problem sums, they may not even be conscious about how much confusion they cause to the poor children. How often I've heard this common refrain from parents - are they testing Maths concepts or English comprehension?
I agree; some try to teach the heuristics as \"methods\", give them names and teach the kids to memorise when to use them. Tweak the question somewhat and the kids fail to see that they can use the same heuristics...Chenonceau:
Heuristics are mental shortcuts to resolving a thinking problem. You normally develop these short cuts through high volume experience with a certain type of problem. For example, a chess grandmaster would have developed a set of heuristics that allows him to quickly process complex problems posed by various chessboard configurations because he has played and won thousands of games.
The high standards of the PSLE do not give children enough time to develop these heuristics on their own... powered by high volume practice (hard work) and raw IQ (talent). Hence, these heuristics are TAUGHT in order to boost our children's thinking capacity vis-a-vis certain types of problem sums.
The dangers of heuristics are clear. Heuristics can lead to errors of judgment because they are mental shortcuts. Research in psychology documents many types of erroneous judgment related to heuristics. In PSLE Math, a child with a rock solid Math foundation can boost his performance after being taught heuristics... However, a child with a poor foundation, has not developed a good sense of numbers to protect him from making erroneous judgment. He may thus mis-apply heuristics.
DD faced this problem initially and because Mummy was poor in Math and was also not good at \"spotting\" which \"method\" to apply. Mummy then went with her strength - languages and simply showed DD the methods without confining her to only use this method for this type of question and that method for the other type of question. We read each problem sum and asked ourselves \" What does this sentence tell me?\", \" Can I write a mathematical statement from this sentence?\". We went through alot of questions [ this was my back-log clearing method -- when I had too much to mark and was back logged, I'd set DD Math papers which were much faster to mark]. This 2 pronged approach worked wonders for DD who is not intuitive where numbers are concerned.
The double reward this brought was that when the grades came in, DD started to believe she was \"good in Math\" and tried harder, and was largely unfazed by \"challenging questions\". -
Math is using 'English' in a mathematical way. That 'more than/less than' thing is something I just cannot figure out. My son in P6 has given up explaining :oops: the other crazy thing is counting number of legs of 3 chickens and 5 dogs. One more thing, that question about 'how much did they have at first'....totally stumped me
Kids must have a strong command of English in order to handle the other 3 subjects. Try getting a child weak in it to understand 'keyword' for science. -
Chenonceau:
Heuristics are mental shortcuts to resolving a thinking problem. You normally develop these short cuts through high volume experience with a certain type of problem. For example, a chess grandmaster would have developed a set of heuristics that allows him to quickly process complex problems posed by various chessboard configurations because he has played and won thousands of games.
The high standards of the PSLE do not give children enough time to develop these heuristics on their own... powered by high volume practice (hard work) and raw IQ (talent). Hence, these heuristics are TAUGHT in order to boost our children's thinking capacity vis-a-vis certain types of problem sums.
The dangers of heuristics are clear. Heuristics can lead to errors of judgment because they are mental shortcuts. Research in psychology documents many types of erroneous judgment related to heuristics. In PSLE Math, a child with a rock solid Math foundation can boost his performance after being taught heuristics... However, a child with a poor foundation, has not developed a good sense of numbers to protect him from making erroneous judgment. He may thus mis-apply heuristics.
I agree. My DD is also not good in choosing the correct method although she will do if I give her clues. Still trying to figure out and not fixed yet. The way she handles some challenging sums, I really tell you - feel like vomiting blood. -
znzyzyzx:
I quote from this website http://mathlair.allfunandgames.ca/heuristics.phpActually , Until now, I still cannot understand what is Heuristic, can any kind soul explain in a layman term ? TIA.
Heuristics can be defined as the study or practice of the methods and rules of learning, discovery, and problem solving. The word heuristics can also be used to describe these methods and rules.
The Heuristics you see in the MOE syllabus and in school worksheets are ways/techniques of approaching and attacking (mathematical) problems. They are originally made popular by George Polya's \"How to solve it\".
Examples include guess-and-check, look for pattern, draw diagram, etc
Model drawing cam be considered under draw diagram.
Set up equations is also a heuristic, but discouraged in PSLE.
There's a book called \"Use of heuristics in problem solving\" at popular.
However, due to commercial marketing (since now heuristic is a buzzword), heuristics might have taken a new layer of meaning, perhaps to describe some newly invented methods (& its presentation styles) of solving some PSLE questions. -
beanbear:
Totally agree with you. This social engineering process is unconscionable. The means does not justify the ends.
Transparency of exam papers are temporary strategies I feel. We are not getting to the root of the issue. I think there is fundamentally something wrong when we try to socially engineer young children's performance via streaming at very young ages. Streaming is happening at every level of primary school; the worst being PSLE - a damaging streaming tool whose victims are young 12 year olds.coast:
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=35434
Why the need to stream or differentiate the bright from the not so bright? Why is there a need to put the brightest of the brightest within the same school compound? There is a social engineering process that's going on at the highest levels and I feel so sick by this whole thing because there are many many bright children whose psychological, emotional, physical, spiritual well-being has been sacrificed for the sake of the top 5% of society.
A revolution is needed. -
apparently, it seems that with each new change(s) introduced to MOE Maths syllabus,the PSLE questions for Maths gets ... tougher & tougher.
janet_lee88:
Maths is using 'English' in a mathematical way. the other crazy thing is counting number of legs of 3 chickens and 5 dogs. One more thing, that question about 'how much did they have at first'....totally stumped me
agree!
i was wondering why on earth they set these type of questions about # of legs of chicken / dogs ... out to confuse pupils ! :yikes:
Yes, even in reading the Maths question(s), you need to look out for tricky keywords too! -
phtthp:
Present math syllabus is tough enough...cannot comprehend why it is made tougher with heuristic. Plain :siao: yours truly here is already stupid where Math is concerned. Alamak, now it is worst !!! In the math assessment for P2, there is this 'guess and check' etc etc.apparently, it seems that with each new change(s) introduced to MOE Maths syllabus,the PSLE questions for Maths gets ... tougher & tougher.
janet_lee88:
Maths is using 'English' in a mathematical way. the other crazy thing is counting number of legs of 3 chickens and 5 dogs. One more thing, that question about 'how much did they have at first'....totally stumped me
agree!
i was wondering why on earth they set these type of questions about # of legs of chicken / dogs ... out to confuse pupils ! :yikes: -
janet_lee88:
Mummy Janet,
Present math syllabus is tough enough...cannot comprehend why it is made tougher with heuristic. Plain :siao: yours truly here is already stupid where Math is concerned. Alamak, now it is worst !!! In the math assessment for P2, there is this 'guess and check' etc etc.
:hi5: Me too ---- I am super lousy when comes to Maths and will literally :siao: and
:nailbite: and feel :snooze: :snooze: whenever My P4 Dd1 comes to me with a \"challenging / higher ability\" Maths problem sum.
Now that my DD2 has entered into the Pri School Education, I am also aware that Maths in P1 is not only 1+19 =20 but she has to know number bond that make up 20; what is 1 more than 19? ; 20 is 1 more than__? 1 less than 20 is___? what is the number more than 18 but less than 20? etc etc... This might sound very fundamental for a P1 child but if one is not strong with language, Maths can actually be a struggle for a 6 going 7 years old child
JMHO
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