2012 PSLE Discussions and Strategy
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Nebbermind:
Yes, I agree with you. We should not demoralise our children at this crucial time.
When attempting other schools' papers, one has to be very careful coz the level of difficulty may be very high. May have negative effect on the kids if they get a low score doing those papers. But if use mostly for revision purpose, without the 'scoring', I think it's OK.SAHM_TAN:
I will only experience PSLE \"hell\" 5 years later but can't help to peep into this thread.
I'm trying to understand. I did 10yrs series to prepare for my exams, I think it was A levels. Doing other schools' and past yrs exam papers, is it something like 10 yrs series? If it is I found it useful when I was doing mine becos I have to apply what I've learned. I figured by now the teachers have covered all the syllabus? -
Bedoktutor:
I agree that doing past year papers is critical in exposing kids to different types of questions. The key concepts are the same but the child needs to look at each type of question and identify what's the concept being tested and then decide what method will be useful.
Doing past year papers of various schools expose the pupils to various types of questions.
Most teachers (if not all) will go through the tougher questions in class and hopefully these pupils learn along the way.
(but whether these pupils understand or not is another issue)
At this time of the year of a P6, most schools are already practising full sets of exam papers, not topical worksheets.
I do 2 kinds of work with DS.
One type of work is topical-based to target his weakness and gaps in understanding. Doing one particular concept over and over again will plug the gaps. The other type of work I do with DS is Exam-paper type of revision is to practise time-management, exam strategies and exposure to different types of question-phrasing.
I've noticed that DS school expose to full exam papers but because they review the solutions/answers by getting the students to mark their own paper, the teachers are actually not aware of what gaps the students are still having. This en masse approach gets lots of practice and saves time but as long as each student's specific gaps are not plugged, the same mistakes will be repeated at the next exam paper practice. Giving answers doesn't help the child understand why he made the mistake in the first place. I reflect together with DS whenever he makes a mistake so that he is able to articulate for himself where he went wrong and what he'll do differently next time. Of course, I'm not saying Teachers at school should do that because it's really not feasible for 40 students in a class. But if the teachers at least take a look at all the papers after the students have marked and have a sense of where many pupils are making mistakes, then take an extra step to plug the gaps in understanding or in methodology or whatever that's needed, I think that will be better. -
alng:
I'm not so concerned about whether a method is short or long. I've been emphasizing to DS to become critically aware of his thinking. When he's doing maths, I've asked him to make explicit his thinking by writing down what he's looking for. For eg DS often makes mistakes like Total Value of Bags vs Total Number of Bags. Hence if DS is trying to find Total value, then write down the words \"Total Value of Bags\" to make explicit his thinking. He \"tags\" each step of his working so that he can \"see\" his own thinking. Sometimes, he gets lost by the time he's one the 3 step, not knowing what he wants to do next or he's gone into a wrong direction. For smarter kids, their visual strength is very strong. They can visualise in their heads and they have good memory so they are tracking as they are working. But for kids who often make \"careless\" mistakes, we need to find out what's the difficulty and teach them specific strategies to counteract the so-called carelessness.janet_lee88:
Son showed me the question and the answer he was told to copy in class. Told hubby about this...he told me now is NOT the time to learn anything new...or else sure get confused...even if the method is shorter but it's dangerous using it as he could miss a step.
On shorter methods, some teachers and parents think that shorter methods are better. This is why some discourage the use of guess and check method. However, I have learnt from Dr Yeap Ban Har, the principal of Marshall Cavendish Institute and an expert in teaching Maths, that if a child uses a particular method at the first instinct, it is most likely that that is the correct method and he will get the correct answer even though that method is a longer method like guess and check. So we should not discourage the child from using a method that comes naturally to him.
The other good strategy I've also used in Maths is to get DS to quote formula and write it down. It may seem time-wasting. For eg if it's a volume sum, write down V=L x B x H. DS says already know it in his head but when he starts working out the simultaneous equation, he gets mixed up. The moment he started to quote formula first, then substitute the numbers inside the formula, the mistakes are reduced. -
beanbear:
These are indeed great strategies, beanbear !
I'm not so concerned about whether a method is short or long. I've been emphasizing to DS to become critically aware of his thinking. When he's doing maths, I've asked him to make explicit his thinking by writing down what he's looking for. For eg DS often makes mistakes like Total Value of Bags vs Total Number of Bags. Hence if DS is trying to find Total value, then write down the words \"Total Value of Bags\" to make explicit his thinking. He \"tags\" each step of his working so that he can \"see\" his own thinking. Sometimes, he gets lost by the time he's one the 3 step, not knowing what he wants to do next or he's gone into a wrong direction. For smarter kids, their visual strength is very strong. They can visualise in their heads and they have good memory so they are tracking as they are working. But for kids who often make \"careless\" mistakes, we need to find out what's the difficulty and teach them specific strategies to counteract the so-called carelessness.
The other good strategy I've also used in Maths is to get DS to quote formula and write it down. It may seem time-wasting. For eg if it's a volume sum, write down V=L x B x H. DS says already know it in his head but when he starts working out the simultaneous equation, he gets mixed up. The moment he started to quote formula first, then substitute the numbers inside the formula, the mistakes are reduced.
:thankyou: for sharing ! :grphug: -
beanbear:
I'm not so concerned about whether a method is short or long. I've been emphasizing to DS to become critically aware of his thinking. When he's doing maths, I've asked him to make explicit his thinking by writing down what he's looking for. For eg DS often makes mistakes like Total Value of Bags vs Total Number of Bags. Hence if DS is trying to find Total value, then write down the words \"Total Value of Bags\" to make explicit his thinking. He \"tags\" each step of his working so that he can \"see\" his own thinking. Sometimes, he gets lost by the time he's one the 3 step, not knowing what he wants to do next or he's gone into a wrong direction. For smarter kids, their visual strength is very strong. They can visualise in their heads and they have good memory so they are tracking as they are working. But for kids who often make \"careless\" mistakes, we need to find out what's the difficulty and teach them specific strategies to counteract the so-called carelessness.alng:
[quote=\"janet_lee88\"]Son showed me the question and the answer he was told to copy in class. Told hubby about this...he told me now is NOT the time to learn anything new...or else sure get confused...even if the method is shorter but it's dangerous using it as he could miss a step.
On shorter methods, some teachers and parents think that shorter methods are better. This is why some discourage the use of guess and check method. However, I have learnt from Dr Yeap Ban Har, the principal of Marshall Cavendish Institute and an expert in teaching Maths, that if a child uses a particular method at the first instinct, it is most likely that that is the correct method and he will get the correct answer even though that method is a longer method like guess and check. So we should not discourage the child from using a method that comes naturally to him.
The other good strategy I've also used in Maths is to get DS to quote formula and write it down. It may seem time-wasting. For eg if it's a volume sum, write down V=L x B x H. DS says already know it in his head but when he starts working out the simultaneous equation, he gets mixed up. The moment he started to quote formula first, then substitute the numbers inside the formula, the mistakes are reduced.[/quote]Great! My DD tends to do a lot of careless mistakes too. I also told her to go step by step and write down what she found next to the answer. It seems to be working well although time-consuming. She tends to do more mistakes in Section C. Now she is section C first followed by Section B and Section A. Seems to be ok for timebeing :xedfingers:
All the best for all PSLE pupils and mums. -
beanbear:
agree
I agree that doing past year papers is critical in exposing kids to different types of questions. The key concepts are the same but the child needs to look at each type of question and identify what's the concept being tested and then decide what method will be useful.Bedoktutor:
Doing past year papers of various schools expose the pupils to various types of questions.
Most teachers (if not all) will go through the tougher questions in class and hopefully these pupils learn along the way.
(but whether these pupils understand or not is another issue)
At this time of the year of a P6, most schools are already practising full sets of exam papers, not topical worksheets.
I do 2 kinds of work with DS.
One type of work is topical-based to target his weakness and gaps in understanding. Doing one particular concept over and over again will plug the gaps. The other type of work I do with DS is Exam-paper type of revision is to practise time-management, exam strategies and exposure to different types of question-phrasing.
I've noticed that DS school expose to full exam papers but because they review the solutions/answers by getting the students to mark their own paper, the teachers are actually not aware of what gaps the students are still having. This en masse approach gets lots of practice and saves time but as long as each student's specific gaps are not plugged, the same mistakes will be repeated at the next exam paper practice. Giving answers doesn't help the child understand why he made the mistake in the first place. I reflect together with DS whenever he makes a mistake so that he is able to articulate for himself where he went wrong and what he'll do differently next time. Of course, I'm not saying Teachers at school should do that because it's really not feasible for 40 students in a class. But if the teachers at least take a look at all the papers after the students have marked and have a sense of where many pupils are making mistakes, then take an extra step to plug the gaps in understanding or in methodology or whatever that's needed, I think that will be better. -
julialai:
My DS is taking PSLE this year. He's getting restless and bored at school. Said the teachers (all HODs) don't teach much. He just gets loads of test papers to do everyday. How to stay on top of things if I don't send him for tuition?
I thought it is a blessing to be taught by HODs. My boy's English & Science teachers are HODs. They are better & more experience comparing to his previous years teachers. HODs normally take one or two classes only.Not just his class, the other P6 classes also have loads of practice papers and past years papers to do. I think that happen to all schools. -
When teachers give past year papers to students, marking and explaining to students is more important. Like what beanbear mentioned, 'Giving answers doesn't help the child understand why he made the mistake in the first place'. Science MCQ questions require process thinking/knowledge. It's not a tikam tikam thing.
Kids have to be taught to draw the similar scenario should they be given such questions rephrased in another paper. -
janet_lee88:
Most of the teachers will flash answers,will not explain.If the kid's lucky will be able to copy the answers if not don't even have answers.This's the style now :siao:When teachers give past year papers to students, marking and explaining to students is more important. Like what beanbear mentioned, 'Giving answers doesn't help the child understand why he made the mistake in the first place'. Science MCQ questions require process thinking/knowledge. It's not a tikam tikam thing.
Kids have to be taught to draw the similar scenario should they be given such questions rephrased in another paper. -
kitty2:
They swop papers to mark. When the answer is wrong, kids will just write the correct answer beside. Then when same question is asked again, the answer given is wrong AGAIN. I do ask my boy to show me what has been done occasionally...sometimes he will ask for explanation of the question.
Most of the teachers will flash answers,will not explain.If the kid's lucky will be able to copy the answers if not don't even have answers.This's the style now :siao:janet_lee88:
When teachers give past year papers to students, marking and explaining to students is more important. Like what beanbear mentioned, 'Giving answers doesn't help the child understand why he made the mistake in the first place'. Science MCQ questions require process thinking/knowledge. It's not a tikam tikam thing.
Kids have to be taught to draw the similar scenario should they be given such questions rephrased in another paper.
My son was absent from school last week (3 days) as he caught the chill from younger daughter. When he returned home yest, he was awarded with 100 Math questions, 2 comprehension annotations + OE, 15 synthesis questions :faint:
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