Exam Preparation

[TheAnswer]

metz:

TheAnswer:

Mini test, CA and SA exams are just terminology. No matter what percentage they hold we should still have consistent revision. I dislike backlog of work. I will clear them before they become an eyesore. Guess its an occupational hazard.

Talking about occupational hazard, is it common for tutors to be unduly worried about their own kids' academics?

My sis is also a full-time tutor tutoring primary and secondary school students. Because of her understanding how difficult primary Math can be, she seems to be driving her child a little too hard. She coaches her kid herself (on weekends only), no tuition too. To a certain extent, we feel that it is a little unhealthy the expectation she has of her kid. But she claims that it is just occupational hazard, as she has seen far too many cases.

Can you share how you maintain a balance in coaching your kid yourself? I would like to see if another perspective could help my sister and niece. But if you are uncomfortable with sharing, it's really fine.

To be honest, the upper primary Maths standard is shocking now. The questions are grossly tough. You will be surprised to find students who received only 25 marks for their P6 SA1. I am trying to avoid such scenarios.

For now I do not worry about my son's exams. In fact recently he told me that the test papers (SA1 top school papers) I gave him were rather easy. Secretly I was pretty happy when he told me that

Though we have a schedule, I'm flexible to change it when I see that he is tired or plainly not interested. Somedays, he would rather read storybooks than do English creative writing. I can see from his face when he is reluctant to get any work done. On such days, I allow him to read his story books and tell me the stories. He loves to tell stories :imcool: He will also ask me the meaning of the unknown words. I find that he actually increases his vocab in that way.

For Maths, there are days where he is annoyed with model drawing and will ask to do questions on other topics. I have no issues with that. On days when he is in good mood, he can do a good number of problem sums.

For Chinese, he rarely complains as it is his favourite subject.

My son does not do any academic work on public holidays and weekends.
DS enjoys his weekends and public holidays.
He goes swimming and shopping. DS also enjoys fixing jigsaw puzzles and Lego. Weekends are basically free and easy. We also visit the library every week. He usually finish reading the books very fast. We also watch movies regularly. We do not have rigid plans for the weekends.

[Love Clouds]

As a working mum, I can’t coach my DD2 during weekdays. I can only ask her to do a few pages of assessment (more pages if exam is near) if there is no sch hwk on that day. After that, she can play whatever she likes which motivates her. Then on Sat, I’ll mark and go through the mistakes. I’ll set a few more similar questions to those mistakes and test her understanding. Sunday will be a family day, so all including myself can relax!

[ammonite]

Steadyberry:

ammonite:

[quote=\"TheAnswer\"]No one is preparing for SA1 yet? :?

I don't even know when SA1 is. ds1 is only in P3, never had a real test before. Maybe we are still in lala land. But I think consistent work is more important.

My ds1 is also in p3 but I am already stressed out myself. What do you mean never had a real test before? How about last year sa1 and the recent ca1? For the recent ca1, it is 10% of the final mark. Whereas sa1 is 25%.

Anyway, my ds is not very strong in maths. So I had started to tear out maths sa1 papers from different assessment books for him to do. He is extremely lazy so I do not get him to complete every single page in assessment books. I also picked some questions from the P3 maths Q&A thread for him to do.[/quote]His school has no SA1 for P2, and no CA1 for P3.

His only tests were end of year papers last year, and those are hardly challenging at P2. I feel it was more for the kids to gain experience and to learn to be more careful.

Btw my son is not a top scorer. He is only in the second best class. I don't get him to practice much so he makes lots of careless mistakes and he had handwriting issues. I only check on his concepts. The only area I work on with him is Chinese and we do not follow the textbook strictly.

must add that he has no conceptual problem with Math and Science so far, so not much for me to do. I don't believe in teaching creative writing too early, so again, nothing for me to do. His oral has always been his strong point, so the date doesn't matter.

[metz]

TheAnswer:

To be honest, the upper primary Maths standard is shocking now. The questions are grossly tough. You will be surprised to find students who received only 25 marks for their P6 SA1. I am trying to avoid such scenarios.

My sister has also been stressing on that repeatedly. As far as she can, she would want to avoid such scenarios too.

Thanks for your sharing. Currently, my niece stays with her grandmother during the weekdays and goes home only during the weekends. (My sister will drop by to spend some time with her kids though.)

[TheAnswer]

metz:

TheAnswer:

To be honest, the upper primary Maths standard is shocking now. The questions are grossly tough. You will be surprised to find students who received only 25 marks for their P6 SA1. I am trying to avoid such scenarios.

My sister has also been stressing on that repeatedly. As far as she can, she would want to avoid such scenarios too.

Thanks for your sharing. Currently, my niece stays with her grandmother during the weekdays and goes home only during the weekends. (My sister will drop by to spend some time with her kids though.)

Metz,
How old are your kids? How old are your sister's kids?

[Steadyberry]

Hi ammonite


I wish I can be in lalaland like you. But I just can’t help it. The recent ca1 gave parents a shock. Ave mark for the whole cohort dropped to less than 60 for all subjects. This is only P3. I wonder whether the kids will fail by end of this year. My ds is not affected by this ca1 but am worried for him so better start sa1 prep now.

[metz]

TheAnswer:

metz:

[quote=\"TheAnswer\"]

To be honest, the upper primary Maths standard is shocking now. The questions are grossly tough. You will be surprised to find students who received only 25 marks for their P6 SA1. I am trying to avoid such scenarios.

My sister has also been stressing on that repeatedly. As far as she can, she would want to avoid such scenarios too.

Thanks for your sharing. Currently, my niece stays with her grandmother during the weekdays and goes home only during the weekends. (My sister will drop by to spend some time with her kids though.)

Metz,

How old are your kids? How old are your sister's kids?[/quote]She has one in K2 and another toddler turning 2 soon. I am worried her tutoring experience with weaker students might have a negative impact on her and her kids. Furthermore, my niece will be attending a branded primary school next year. Hopefully, things will turn out like yours when my niece returns to stay with her parents next year.

Mine P2 and P4.

[ammonite]

Steadyberry:

Hi ammonite


I wish I can be in lalaland like you. But I just can't help it. The recent ca1 gave parents a shock. Ave mark for the whole cohort dropped to less than 60 for all subjects. This is only P3. I wonder whether the kids will fail by end of this year. My ds is not affected by this ca1 but am worried for him so better start sa1 prep now.

I guess in your shoes,I will look through the paper to see if it is realistically pitched. After all it is the entire cohort suffering together, and cannot be that they are all so bad right? I have relatives in branded and non branded schools and they are a sounding board for me. Last yr ds was given some tough maths homework, but upon checking I found out that even some p3 kids can't do them. I showed him the method but did not agonize over it. So chill lah. I only care if he is being properly prepared for PSLE, and for that, at this level, is all about good basics eg grammar instead of creative writing. Solid time tables, instead of fancy models.

[sharonkhoo]

ammonite:

I only care if he is being properly prepared for PSLE, and for that, at this level, is all about good basics eg grammar instead of creative writing. Solid time tables, instead of fancy models.

I believe at working steadily through the year, clearing up difficulties on the way, and being disciplined and organised in making sure things don't get overlooked. I tell my kids that they should be prepared to be tested on what they have covered at any time, and not only work when they know a test or exam is coming. Of course I did help them make a revision plan towards exams when they were in Pr school, but it was just setting aside some time a day to do a bit of extra review or practice. When in lower Pr, that could be just 30 mins a day, building up to maybe 2 hrs in upper Pr and later. I count school homework as part of revision as well, especially when the teacher gives past papers as homework. My kids are teens now, so revision is something I leave to them to plan for themselves. I just ask them if they have started revising and if they need help. My younger daughter did PSLE a couple of years ago, and except for the weekends that fell in the middle of prelims and the PSLE, she actually did have free weekends all year. She is admittedly a strong student and well-disciplined, so when she says she doesn't need to revise, I take her at her word.

[TheAnswer]

For parents who are interested to help your child to improve their English creative writing, I suggest you take a look at the following books in popular.


1. Quick Reference to Creative Writing
2. Thematic Creative Writing
3. Conquer English Creative Writing

There are themes in the first and second book which you can use as a guide line.

Every week I will select a theme and coach DS.

1. Brainstorm together (Lead, Guide and Encourage the child to list down phrases that he already knows)

2. Do a flash back of relevant phrases (ie superlatives, adjectives, synonyms, phrasal verbs etc)

3. Mindmaps (who, what, when, where, how) Let the child create his own story first. Let him know that you value his ideas.

4. Improve the storyline together

5. Before he writes his story, I will provide a model essay for him to read so that it can help him boost his ideas even further. He can use the phrases inside the essay.
I usually suggest that he underlines those phrases in the model essay.

6. New words are listed in his vocabulary book and he will learn their meanings and do sentence construction.