2012 PSLE Discussions and Strategy

[beanbear]

Hi Pixiedust, I’ve told the teachers to give to DS the supplementary worksheets just like any other homework - the following day or whenever the teacher sees fit. If he can finish within the time-table I’ve set out for him, fine. So far, he’s never encountered any worksheets that he’s not able to do because he missed supplementary.


Interestingly, I found out from DS today that he’s performing better for the worksheets than other pupils in class and teachers are pleased with his performance and he’s missing more lessons than other people. Also he told me more children are falling asleep in class these days because their parents are overloading tuition on their children in addition to supplementary classes. So this is really something to think carefully.

I’m now planning even to skip certain school days because I want DS to do intensive revision at home and have lots of break time and do revision at a relaxing pace. He’s already told me these days teacher is revising P5 work for CA1. So all the more, no need to attend class.

[Snow Crystal]

beanbear:

I'm now planning even to skip certain school days because I want DS to do intensive revision at home and have lots of break time and do revision at a relaxing pace. He's already told me these days teacher is revising P5 work for CA1. So all the more, no need to attend class.

I agree that not all suppl classes are effective. Wah, you intend to part time home school :evil: you are the classic example of parents being the key to your kid's improvement, not school and not enrichment centre.

[G Tan]

pench:

anyone of you stop sending your kids to enrichment classes(like music/sports) to prepare for PSLE?

My DD still attend piano and balet lessons. Since she enjoys them and i also believe in holistic education. Se needs to have time to do enrichment that she likes. :xedfingers:

[psle2011mum]

The subject of memorising for Chinese compos was raised in another thread but I thought this was more relevant here:


DD’s 2011 Chinese teacher was a gem. Each Chinese compo done in school was taken through something like 6 lessons/stages

1. Talk the kids through the story line by pointing out the pictures and what can be observed from them

2. Taught the kids various words and phrases for the important aspects of the compo eg how to decribe the lost child’s fear; asked the kids for examples of words/phrases they could use as alternatives

3. Kids write the compo

4. Compos returned with corrected words/phrases and very often a paragraph of comments in the vein of "you could have described more about [X] or " you did not ‘Dian3 Ti2" [ roughly translating to reiterating the main point of the compo]; the teacher would also have printed out usually 2 other well written compos [ written by students in her classes] and underlined their good words and phrases AND she would have written one herself for the kids to model too

5. Kids do their corrections and hand them in for further marking

6. Where I felt DD had not written a para well eg she failed to "Dian3 Ti2" the teacher had no issues marking a new paragraph which DD had written as a second attempt

Sure, the Chinese teacher was actually "slower" in teaching the textbook lessons [ we didn’t finish the last textbook lesson till T3] but then, there are only so many hours in a day right?

Incidentally [but not coincidentally], the quality passes for Chinese was amazing for DD’s cohort - better than the English [which was already high], and this in a "Potato" school.

I do believe that memorising words and phrases for Chinese compos is helpful for Potato Kids – I don’t know of any more efficient way to compensate for not reading Chinese books.

The Mainland- Chinese Chinese teacher in lower primary was against this method of doing compo, telling me that "no credit" would be given for the "regurgitated" compos but since what she proposed [read Chinese story books] was impossible for this Potato Mum and Kid pair [ see why below in postscript], we stuck to what we could achieve - memorising words and phrases and then piecing them together.

PS 1. Impossible for us to read Chinese books because I can’t preach what I don’t practice and since the only Chinese book I ever "read’ was for a P5 book review, I didn’t even try.

PS 2. I know nothing about Chinese teaching pedagogy but my gut feel tells me that a native speaker of Chinese may not be able to fully understand the problems we Potato Kids and Parents face with the language, that we need crutches to help us become better at this language.

[Zekezachzoom]

My DS has a good Chinese teacher (a PRC) this year too. She is doing what psle211mum was describing above. She will encourage the boys to \"expand\" the story in a pix and she does it in a fun way. She breaks the class into different groups and those boys who help to contribute a good line or plot will score points for their respective group. She uses the point system not just to help the boys in their compo writing but on daily teaching too. My DS has feedback that more of his classmates are asking more questions (the boys are encouraged to challenge the teacher) in the class and by doing so, they speak more in mandarin now.


The teacher will reward the group that first reaches a certain score with McDonald delivery to the class. This works really well with the boys and I can see some significant improvement from my DS in dealing his Chinese now;)

It all sums up to a good teacher really makes a difference

[psle2011mum]

beanbear:

Hi Pixiedust, I've told the teachers to give to DS the supplementary worksheets just like any other homework - the following day or whenever the teacher sees fit. If he can finish within the time-table I've set out for him, fine. So far, he's never encountered any worksheets that he's not able to do because he missed supplementary.



Interestingly, I found out from DS today that he's performing better for the worksheets than other pupils in class and teachers are pleased with his performance and he's missing more lessons than other people. Also he told me more children are falling asleep in class these days because their parents are overloading tuition on their children in addition to supplementary classes. So this is really something to think carefully.

I'm now planning even to skip certain school days because I want DS to do intensive revision at home and have lots of break time and do revision at a relaxing pace. He's already told me these days teacher is revising P5 work for CA1. So all the more, no need to attend class.

Our experience was similar -DD didn't fall behind in any way cos we had time to teach her ahead, we had time for her to learn from her mistakes and she had time to rest and de-stress.

School had a tendency to load more homework near the exams so since we anticipated this, we \"hit the tarmac running\" from Day 1 when the homework load was light. When we needed to revise but there was homework, we assessed the homework set and if it could fit into our revision schedule we did it; if not, we did it at the next available opportunity.

You could say that I did P6 in 2011 too cos I covered every piece of homework DD did [ checked after her attempts and went through corrections with her, both school and Mummy's homework] and where I didn't have the answer sheets [eg because school kept them], I worked the answers out from scratch - so I do know the kids have ALOT ALOT to do and slow ones like Mummy here have it harder. You need to help your DCs manage all of this - there is still a long haul ahead.

Less is more so try not to get distracted [aka as tear hair out/mass panic] by the mountain of Jeremy papers on the table - if your child has attempted something, go through it thoroughly with him/her - it's unlikely you will have time to revisit this again.

You may be all your kids have in this rather insane period of their lives where everyone is pushing them to do more; if your child is already showing signs of tiredness, and undue stress, cut back; you may well find him/her doing better not worse.

When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.”
― Franklin D. Roosevelt

[pixiedust]

psle2011mum, thanks heaps for the additional tips !


beanbear, thanks again. skipping school days - I am thinking what excuse to give as ds's school requires MC or parents' letter - tell the school the truth ? I wonder how the FT will react ?

[psle2011mum]

pixiedust:

psle2011mum, thanks heaps for the additional tips !


beanbear, thanks again. skipping school days - I am thinking what excuse to give as ds's school requires MC or parents' letter - tell the school the truth ? I wonder how the FT will react ?

You're welcome!

For excuse, we told the truth -- we wrote to say\" DD is at home revising today; I will ensure that she checks with her friends tomorrow what homework she needs to do. Should you require any clarification as to the above, please do not hesitate to contact me at [ provided my contact number]\"

But I have to say, I have a 'rep\" in school for not being terribly compliant, so that made things easier for me I think.

[Zekezachzoom]

Just wonder how you guys set a revision time table for your kids. Do you set right to the detail of having which day to cover a subject chapter or just broadly into subjects? How successfully to follow the time table for revision?


I will get my DS to plan out a timetable for revision (likely after April) just want to know how feasible to follow through.

[Pony2129]

I very stressed looking at all the tension but trying to keep my cool. My boy taking his Psle this yr too CA1 will be next week. No tuition for him except math since I don’t know how to teach him. Luckily he is diligent enough to do his revisions but now I am very worried for his Chinese. It’s got really "chim" and I wonder how to help him . Anyone has good recommendation for Chinese teacher in jurong area ? Pl help !