PM Says new Stat Board to oversee pre-school education

[Busymom]

Nebbermind:

Busymom:

[quote=\"Nebbermind\"]If you really wanna expose the kids to social interaction, then childcare is probably the better bet.

Agreed!

Especially for girls, it was really quite a challenge when they are at the K1/K2 level :roll:

I only know that my girl was a cry-baby for the 1st half year in CC....there after, she slowly slowly became the DaJie...hahahaha!!![/quote]You are lucky then. Girls are more petty and at times, very cliquish.

[Funz]

Numbers up to 20, that is all the kids need to cover by the end of K2. Sounds like it is too simple right? What we are trying to achieve is for kids to have a good grasp of number concepts for numbers up to 20.


That means not just being able to rote count to 20 but understand values of numbers up to 20. Eg, 0 means there is nothing and 10 means there are 10 piece/units of that item. Not just being able to add 1+1=2 or 2-1=1 but understand more than and less than. Not just be able to recite 1-20 but know what comes before or what comes after. Able to spell numbers 1-20. Understand ordinal numbers, 1st ,2nd, 3rd, etc. Understand, odd and even numbers, count in 2s, 5s, 10s. Understand what is ones and what is tens. Number bonds. Patterning and shapes. Time and money and simple fractions, whole, 1/2 and 1/4.

For kids who are more advanced, teachers can scaffold them. Play more complex number games with them. Give them basic sudoku puzzles.

And guess what, all these need not be done in a whiteboard, worksheet, method. It is taught through activities. Cookery, project work, games, experiments, art, music and movement, gym time, etc.

Sometimes I wish the primary schools can adopt some preschool methods in their teaching, especially in the lower primary.

[Nebbermind]

Funz:

Numbers up to 20, that is all the kids need to cover by the end of K2. Sounds like it is too simple right? What we are trying to achieve is for kids to have a good grasp of number concepts for numbers up to 20.


That means not just being able to rote count to 20 but understand values of numbers up to 20. Eg, 0 means there is nothing and 10 means there are 10 piece/units of that item. Not just being able to add 1+1=2 or 2-1=1 but understand more than and less than. Not just be able to recite 1-20 but know what comes before or what comes after. Able to spell numbers 1-20. Understand ordinal numbers, 1st ,2nd, 3rd, etc. Understand, odd and even numbers, count in 2s, 5s, 10s. Understand what is ones and what is tens. Number bonds. Patterning and shapes. Time and money and simple fractions, whole, 1/2 and 1/4.

For kids who are more advanced, teachers can scaffold them. Play more complex number games with them. Give them basic sudoku puzzles.

And guess what, all these need not be done in a whiteboard, worksheet, method. It is taught through activities. Cookery, project work, games, experiments, art, music and movement, gym time, etc.

Sometimes I wish the primary schools can adopt some preschool methods in their teaching, especially in the lower primary.

If you provide all these activities in K1/2, how much would that cost the parents?

[nms1]

Funz:

Numbers up to 20, that is all the kids need to cover by the end of K2. Sounds like it is too simple right? What we are trying to achieve is for kids to have a good grasp of number concepts for numbers up to 20.


That means not just being able to rote count to 20 but understand values of numbers up to 20. Eg, 0 means there is nothing and 10 means there are 10 piece/units of that item. Not just being able to add 1+1=2 or 2-1=1 but understand more than and less than. Not just be able to recite 1-20 but know what comes before or what comes after. Able to spell numbers 1-20. Understand ordinal numbers, 1st ,2nd, 3rd, etc. Understand, odd and even numbers, count in 2s, 5s, 10s. Understand what is ones and what is tens. Number bonds. Patterning and shapes. Time and money and simple fractions, whole, 1/2 and 1/4.

For kids who are more advanced, teachers can scaffold them. Play more complex number games with them. Give them basic sudoku puzzles.

And guess what, all these need not be done in a whiteboard, worksheet, method. It is taught through activities. Cookery, project work, games, experiments, art, music and movement, gym time, etc.

Sometimes I wish the primary schools can adopt some preschool methods in their teaching, especially in the lower primary.

Funz is right to say that many pre-schools will cover some of the things listed above but most of this will be covered again in primary school so the children are not expected to fully understand all of this by the end of K2. It is more a case of exposure and starting them on understanding the concepts.

My daughter didn't cover money or fractions in K2 and in fact they are only introduced in P2 not even P1. They have done quite a few hands-on activities in P1 & P2 such as using shapes, pretending to buy things with toy money, filling bottles and containers with water/sand to understand volume. Some of their \"holistic\" maths tests in P1 and P2 have been hands-on activities not pen & paper.

[Funz]

Nebbermind:

Funz:

Numbers up to 20, that is all the kids need to cover by the end of K2. Sounds like it is too simple right? What we are trying to achieve is for kids to have a good grasp of number concepts for numbers up to 20.


That means not just being able to rote count to 20 but understand values of numbers up to 20. Eg, 0 means there is nothing and 10 means there are 10 piece/units of that item. Not just being able to add 1+1=2 or 2-1=1 but understand more than and less than. Not just be able to recite 1-20 but know what comes before or what comes after. Able to spell numbers 1-20. Understand ordinal numbers, 1st ,2nd, 3rd, etc. Understand, odd and even numbers, count in 2s, 5s, 10s. Understand what is ones and what is tens. Number bonds. Patterning and shapes. Time and money and simple fractions, whole, 1/2 and 1/4.

For kids who are more advanced, teachers can scaffold them. Play more complex number games with them. Give them basic sudoku puzzles.

And guess what, all these need not be done in a whiteboard, worksheet, method. It is taught through activities. Cookery, project work, games, experiments, art, music and movement, gym time, etc.

Sometimes I wish the primary schools can adopt some preschool methods in their teaching, especially in the lower primary.

If you provide all these activities in K1/2, how much would that cost the parents?

Sorry don't get you? You mean if I personally provide all these activities?

[Busymom]

nms1:

Funz:

Numbers up to 20, that is all the kids need to cover by the end of K2. Sounds like it is too simple right? What we are trying to achieve is for kids to have a good grasp of number concepts for numbers up to 20.


That means not just being able to rote count to 20 but understand values of numbers up to 20. Eg, 0 means there is nothing and 10 means there are 10 piece/units of that item. Not just being able to add 1+1=2 or 2-1=1 but understand more than and less than. Not just be able to recite 1-20 but know what comes before or what comes after. Able to spell numbers 1-20. Understand ordinal numbers, 1st ,2nd, 3rd, etc. Understand, odd and even numbers, count in 2s, 5s, 10s. Understand what is ones and what is tens. Number bonds. Patterning and shapes. Time and money and simple fractions, whole, 1/2 and 1/4.

For kids who are more advanced, teachers can scaffold them. Play more complex number games with them. Give them basic sudoku puzzles.

And guess what, all these need not be done in a whiteboard, worksheet, method. It is taught through activities. Cookery, project work, games, experiments, art, music and movement, gym time, etc.

Sometimes I wish the primary schools can adopt some preschool methods in their teaching, especially in the lower primary.

Funz is right to say that many pre-schools will cover some of the things listed above but most of this will be covered again in primary school so the children are not expected to fully understand all of this by the end of K2. It is more a case of exposure and starting them on understanding the concepts.

My daughter didn't cover money or fractions in K2 and in fact they are only introduced in P2 not even P1. They have done quite a few hands-on activities in P1 & P2 such as using shapes, pretending to buy things with toy money, filling bottles and containers with water/sand to understand volume. Some of their \"holistic\" maths tests in P1 and P2 have been hands-on activities not pen & paper.

For my gal, don't think fractions was covered. Money was definitely covered, yes! They were even brought out to somewhere to buy stuff with money (of course provided by parents).

Preschools are fun!

[corneyAmber]

:hi5: Busymom, no fractions and money was introduced and pne exposure was to go to a primary school's canteen to buy things. I actually did not permit that kind of outing for my kid and skipped it because they had to walk there. I think at kindy level, the road safety was a bigger issue for me. How could they expect kids to walk in alignment and with only a teacher in front and behind? So money or fractions, all not important. And now money or fractions, no problem in understanding.

[Funz]

Depends on what you mean when you say your preschools do not teach them certain things. For most parents, the main method of keeping track of what is taught and what is not taught is via the work returned, be it in the form of worksheets or art & craft pieces, etc. A lot of stuff taught to children during play and activities are not documented and parents will think those are not taught.


Time and money is usually touched on at the end of K2. This is usually in preparation for their transition to P1. As for fractions, they learn in the course of their activities, especially if there is cookery.

It is not covered to the level of what is being done in primary schools but more like 1 apple cut into 2 equal parts, each part is called 1/2. That kind of thing.

That said, like what most parents mentioned, unfortunately, different preschools, different coverage.

[Busymom]

ksi:

:hi5: Busymom, no fractions and money was introduced and pne exposure was to go to a primary school's canteen to buy things. I actually did not permit that kind of outing for my kid and skipped it because they had to walk there. I think at kindy level, the road safety was a bigger issue for me. How could they expect kids to walk in alignment and with only a teacher in front and behind? So money or fractions, all not important. And now money or fractions, no problem in understanding.

I didn't think so much back then.. just trusted the school to do what was necessary. Think mine maybe just took a walk through the park to the nearest shop...

[corneyAmber]

Busymom:

ksi:

:hi5: Busymom, no fractions and money was introduced and pne exposure was to go to a primary school's canteen to buy things. I actually did not permit that kind of outing for my kid and skipped it because they had to walk there. I think at kindy level, the road safety was a bigger issue for me. How could they expect kids to walk in alignment and with only a teacher in front and behind? So money or fractions, all not important. And now money or fractions, no problem in understanding.

I didn't think so much back then.. just trusted the school to do what was necessary. Think mine maybe just took a walk through the park to the nearest shop...

Maybe I think too much? But mine was walking on roads, park would be better.