2011 PSLE Discussions and Strategy
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Mum1113:
Mrs Wong - your advise of 1 paper/week for one Math subject only I suppose . What is your advise for all the other 3 subjects to complete in a month ? Poor kid already pile up with school hw during weekdays and tuition hw during weekends.[/quote]No, it is for all subjects. They come to me for EMS and their Chinese tutor is my friend.
Hi Mrs Wong,Tinkerbelle:
[quote=\"mrswongtuition\"]For T1 in P6, it's good to focus on the new topics: algebra, speed, circles.
What I'm doing with my students now: Going through the above topics and revisiting percentage, ratio and fraction.
They are starting off with CA1 papers from top schools (1 paper a week).
By end term 1, I would have completed teaching all the topics and we will start more intensive work by starting on challenging problem sums for P6 topics.
By June holidays, it will be intensive Q&A. They try, they ask, I clarify.
Usually by end July, my students will finish their stash of past year exam papers and I'll dig out different challenging questions or revisit certain 'techniques' or 'topics' which they have problems with.
After that, it will just be enough work to keep momentum going.
All the best!
Regards,
Mrs Wong
http://www.mwtuition.com.sg
thelittleonesinmylife.blogspot.com
Thanks so much for sharing about your preparation for your P6 students. Will try to get DD to start on her past year papers. Like you mentioned, 1 paper/week.
Yes, I've also heard from friends that speed and area of circles are tough topics in P6, so I will encourage DD to focus on these new topics as well as revisit her %, fractions & ratios topics. Thanks. :lol:
I encourage students to PLAN THEIR TIME WELL.
For my students, I normally encourage this:
Weekdays: Focus on school homework. Once complete, try to do exam papers (if can't finish the whole paper, at least 1 section of the paper).
Weekends: Set aside 2-3 hours a day to finish up the exam papers.
Tuition should comprise of practice papers -> Your kid's tutors don't give them papers to practise? Or they give them in other forms (compiled worksheets)?
My students normally finish the other work (trying new questions/techniques) during lesson, so most of their homework is exam paper (1 per week) and probably around 5 pages of homework per subject.
On top of that, they have to write a compo a week and finish compre OE, compre cloze, S&T, etc.
So far my students all managed to manage their time well with guidance.
You have to teach them to manage their time. And also teach them to plan/spread out their work.
When I assign homework, I normally will show them how to split up the
work so it becomse manageable.
If your child's time is totally occupied by enrichments/tuition, then it's time to rethink your strategy. I personally believe in only have 1 enrichment/tuition class PER DAY. Nothing more (they can't absorb).
With 1 enrichment/tuition class per day, it is definitely manageable. Even my lazy students managed to finish their schoolwork on top of tuition work. And sometimes, they give me a nice surprise by finishing more work than I expected.
& she still have piano classes and Chinese tuition. She comes to me 4 times a week!
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Hi Mrs wong,
Just would like to clarify.
Are you completing teaching your students on math, circles, speed and algebra and has done all challenging questions in the new topics and doing together with the CA paper hand in hand?
After Completing the topic on the above, we should also crystalise the concept via doing more on the topical right?
Rgds
Leannemrswongtuition:
No, it is for all subjects. They come to me for EMS and their Chinese tutor is my friend.
Mrs Wong - your advise of 1 paper/week for one Math subject only I suppose . What is your advise for all the other 3 subjects to complete in a month ? Poor kid already pile up with school hw during weekdays and tuition hw during weekends.Mum1113:
[quote=\"Tinkerbelle\"]Hi Mrs Wong,
Thanks so much for sharing about your preparation for your P6 students. Will try to get DD to start on her past year papers. Like you mentioned, 1 paper/week.
Yes, I've also heard from friends that speed and area of circles are tough topics in P6, so I will encourage DD to focus on these new topics as well as revisit her %, fractions & ratios topics. Thanks. :lol:
I encourage students to PLAN THEIR TIME WELL.
For my students, I normally encourage this:
Weekdays: Focus on school homework. Once complete, try to do exam papers (if can't finish the whole paper, at least 1 section of the paper).
Weekends: Set aside 2-3 hours a day to finish up the exam papers.
Tuition should comprise of practice papers -> Your kid's tutors don't give them papers to practise? Or they give them in other forms (compiled worksheets)?
My students normally finish the other work (trying new questions/techniques) during lesson, so most of their homework is exam paper (1 per week) and probably around 5 pages of homework per subject.
On top of that, they have to write a compo a week and finish compre OE, compre cloze, S&T, etc.
So far my students all managed to manage their time well with guidance.
You have to teach them to manage their time. And also teach them to plan/spread out their work.
When I assign homework, I normally will show them how to split up the
work so it becomse manageable.
If your child's time is totally occupied by enrichments/tuition, then it's time to rethink your strategy. I personally believe in only have 1 enrichment/tuition class PER DAY. Nothing more (they can't absorb).
With 1 enrichment/tuition class per day, it is definitely manageable. Even my lazy students managed to finish their schoolwork on top of tuition work. And sometimes, they give me a nice surprise by finishing more work than I expected. & she still have piano classes and Chinese tuition. She comes to me 4 times a week![/quote]
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Leanne:
As I've already completed the topics required for CA practice papers in DEC 2010 and we've also completed the challenging questions for topics covered in Dec 2010, I've start them on CA papers to get their gear up and most schools are having CA1 immediately after CNY or 1 week after CNY. Doing the CA papers will also review and revise the topics learnt.Hi Mrs wong,
Just would like to clarify.
Are you completing teaching your students on math, circles, speed and algebra and has done all challenging questions in the new topics and doing together with the CA paper hand in hand?
After Completing the topic on the above, we should also crystalise the concept via doing more on the topical right?
Rgds
Leanne
Also, as I teach, I always give topical practices, so there's no need to do extra topical practices? Sorry I don't really understand what you mean.
My teaching style is that when I teach a new topic, I will teach the basic concepts, then let them try simple questions to ensure that they understand the basics. That is already a topical practice but a simple format.
Then, I will add on the application and process questions after the basics are taught. This is where some manipulation of the basics comes in.
Again, it is another topical practice, but now, a slightly higher level.
Followed by the challenging questions which again, is a topical practice.
Once a topic is completed, I will give a topical test (20 - 50 marks depending on the topic) to test if they truly understand the topic before moving on to the next topic. And my 'passing mark' for my topical test is 90%. If not, I will re-teach and print additional worksheets to reinforce the concept. -
Hi Mrs Wong,
Thanks for the tips.
I think am slow already, only managed to complete the syllubus and finished the challenging questions.I yet to touch on SA papers though.
Cheers
Leannemrswongtuition:
As I've already completed the topics required for CA practice papers in DEC 2010 and we've also completed the challenging questions for topics covered in Dec 2010, I've start them on CA papers to get their gear up and most schools are having CA1 immediately after CNY or 1 week after CNY. Doing the CA papers will also review and revise the topics learnt.Leanne:
Hi Mrs wong,
Just would like to clarify.
Are you completing teaching your students on math, circles, speed and algebra and has done all challenging questions in the new topics and doing together with the CA paper hand in hand?
After Completing the topic on the above, we should also crystalise the concept via doing more on the topical right?
Rgds
Leanne
Also, as I teach, I always give topical practices, so there's no need to do extra topical practices? Sorry I don't really understand what you mean.
My teaching style is that when I teach a new topic, I will teach the basic concepts, then let them try simple questions to ensure that they understand the basics. That is already a topical practice but a simple format.
Then, I will add on the application and process questions after the basics are taught. This is where some manipulation of the basics comes in.
Again, it is another topical practice, but now, a slightly higher level.
Followed by the challenging questions which again, is a topical practice.
Once a topic is completed, I will give a topical test (20 - 50 marks depending on the topic) to test if they truly understand the topic before moving on to the next topic. And my 'passing mark' for my topical test is 90%. If not, I will re-teach and print additional worksheets to reinforce the concept. -
Tinkerbelle:
Wow. That's madness. 4 subjects x 2 = 8 set of papers if we excluded HCL and paper 1 for EL and CL.
Oh dear...students doing 2 practice papers per subject per day last year. Given by their school :faint: :faint:mrswongtuition:
Be prepared that schoolwork will intensify as PSLE approaches.
I recall my students doing 2 practice papers per subject per day last year. Given by their school. So I did not ask them to do exam papers but went through challenging questions instead.
If your child's school is giving a lot of work, then zoom straight to the weak/problem areas.
Ok, will focus on DD's weak areas due to time constraints....Thanks for the tip.
That will require approx. 15.5 hours (Time set for per respective paper) to complete this 8 sets of papers and left 8.5 hours for sleeping, break, lunch, dinner and traveling time etc. Tyre will flat very soon!!! -
Brenda10:
Wow. That's madness. 4 subjects x 2 = 8 set of papers if we excluded HCL and paper 1 for EL and CL.
Oh dear...students doing 2 practice papers per subject per day last year. Given by their school :faint: :faint:Tinkerbelle:
[quote=\"mrswongtuition\"]Be prepared that schoolwork will intensify as PSLE approaches.
I recall my students doing 2 practice papers per subject per day last year. Given by their school. So I did not ask them to do exam papers but went through challenging questions instead.
If your child's school is giving a lot of work, then zoom straight to the weak/problem areas.
Ok, will focus on DD's weak areas due to time constraints....Thanks for the tip.
That will require approx. 15.5 hours (Time set for per respective paper) to complete this 8 sets of papers and left 8.5 hours for sleeping, break, lunch, dinner and traveling time etc. Tyre will flat very soon!!![/quote]My students 'zoomed through' the MCQ and short answer questions. Then focused on the OE questions.
And during that period of time, I kept getting SMSes to help them with this question and that question (thankful for the iPhone cos they will send MMS to me).
The problem with school teachers is that different subjects teachers often do not coordinate their homework and sometimes, they all give a lot of homework on the same day! -
Brenda10:
Wow. That's madness. 4 subjects x 2 = 8 set of papers if we excluded HCL and paper 1 for EL and CL.
Oh dear...students doing 2 practice papers per subject per day last year. Given by their school :faint: :faint:Tinkerbelle:
[quote=\"mrswongtuition\"]Be prepared that schoolwork will intensify as PSLE approaches.
I recall my students doing 2 practice papers per subject per day last year. Given by their school. So I did not ask them to do exam papers but went through challenging questions instead.
If your child's school is giving a lot of work, then zoom straight to the weak/problem areas.
Ok, will focus on DD's weak areas due to time constraints....Thanks for the tip.
That will require approx. 15.5 hours (Time set for per respective paper) to complete this 8 sets of papers and left 8.5 hours for sleeping, break, lunch, dinner and traveling time etc. Tyre will flat very soon!!![/quote]Agree with you, Brenda. It is madness in its extreme form :lol:
This is a sure recipe for disaster :!: I don't think this can last for more than a couple of days. surely there will be very poor attendance in school.
What is impt quality or quantity? -
tisha:
Agree with you, Brenda. It is madness in its extreme form :lol:
Wow. That's madness. 4 subjects x 2 = 8 set of papers if we excluded HCL and paper 1 for EL and CL.Brenda10:
[quote=\"Tinkerbelle\"]
Oh dear...students doing 2 practice papers per subject per day last year. Given by their school :faint: :faint:
Ok, will focus on DD's weak areas due to time constraints....Thanks for the tip.
That will require approx. 15.5 hours (Time set for per respective paper) to complete this 8 sets of papers and left 8.5 hours for sleeping, break, lunch, dinner and traveling time etc. Tyre will flat very soon!!!
This is a sure recipe for disaster :!: I don't think this can last for more than a couple of days. surely there will be very poor attendance in school.
What is impt quality or quantity?[/quote]This situation comes in because the teachers did not spread out the work evenly throughout the year.
If the kids consistently did practice papers along the way, there'll not be so many to be given to them at the last minute.
QUALITY is more important. How many school teachers will actually go through all the practice papers done?
Honestly, I (as a tutor) had to go through the papers with my students because their teacher simply flashed the answers and asked them to copy. No explanation given.
Only certain schools/teachers with good time management went through all the difficult questions with proper explanation. -
mrswongtuition:
I have a young cousin who got only about 4-5hrs of sleep (if lucky) but most of the time, only about 3hrs+! She told me that some of her classmates and school mates worse, they usually had about 2-3hrs of sleep DAILY!
The problem with school teachers is that different subjects teachers often do not coordinate their homework and sometimes, they all give a lot of homework on the same day!
Why? Because their teachers gave them tons and tons, piles and piles of past years papers, top school papers and practise papers to do DAILY!
My auntie even asked me if I can help to email to the school to complain! Imagine, the children are already spending 10 over hours in school everyday and by evening when they reached home, they still do not get to rest, not even to sit properly and to enjoy their dinner but to rush through everything and they got to start doing their homework already!
But the very next day my aunt told me not to send the email first because her dd, my cousin had a talk with her teachers and the teachers had lessen their work load SLIGHTLY after that.
Gosh, I can never imagine and believe that this is true if I did not hear it from my own aunt ad cousin.
I never agree that by doing so much will definitely help the student to excel in their psle. Rest and health are also very important!
Quantity does not equal to quality or flying colour results!!!
A bunch of crazy, ultra super crazy, kiasu teachers! None of us here can out beat these teachers. They are definitely the Kiasu Champion! Poor kids. -
Teachers are in a very difficult position. If they don’t give past yr paper or not enough homework, the parents complain and the principal will go after the teachers. If they give too much homework or past yr papers, the parents also complain. When they ask the students to stay back for remedial or to have extra lessons during sch holidays, the parents complain. If they don’t , the parents complained that the teachers are unconcerned and lazy. It is impossible to ask the different subject teachers to coordinate to give homework to students, teachers are already so over-loaded with work,please don’t give them another headache, ie, to coordinate the homework given. The more the students practise, the more they gain. Sometimes, it may not be possible to go thru all the papers, the weaker students can approach the tr privately for help. Don’t blame the teachers for students not having enough sleep or rest. It is the highly competitive system, teachers also don’t have enough sleep or rest.
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