2012 PSLE Discussions and Strategy

[janet88]

Hi isetan,

Thanks for your encouragement.
I heard from friends PSLE is tough…it’s only when I am sitting in the boat that I understand TRULY what they mean. The frustrating thing is I feel so pek chek and helpless. When son comes back from school, it’s either worksheets or past year paper. Teach the kids how to answer comprehension questions lah…or else vocab, grammar etc. TEACH.

[alng]

Hi, anyone remember if 2011 PSLE papers were easy, manageable or difficult? Is there any truth that if one year paper is tough, the following year paper is likely to be easy? TIA!

[jtoh]

alng:

Hi, anyone remember if 2011 PSLE papers were easy, manageable or difficult? Is there any truth that if one year paper is tough, the following year paper is likely to be easy? TIA!

I think 2011 was an easy year. No exceptionally tough papers. 2009 was a killer year especially for Math. 2008 was also an easy year. 2010 too I think. It was a trend that an easy year would be followed by a tough year, wit 2008/2009/2010. But 2011 was easy so that kind of threw that trend out the window.

[janet88]

mummy of three:

Same, the syllabus is out of hand and changing too fast, I just pay the tutor and make her be in charge of everything, so far so good, hope she won’t cancel during PSLE year :xedfingers:

I 'parked' my son in the care of tutors.
Son told me his Math teacher has asked him (several times) what his tutor's methods are. I am disgusted :rant: What right does he have to do that ? What the hell is he doing in class then ?

[mummy so kiasu]

jtoh:

alng:

Hi, anyone remember if 2011 PSLE papers were easy, manageable or difficult? Is there any truth that if one year paper is tough, the following year paper is likely to be easy? TIA!

I think 2011 was an easy year. No exceptionally tough papers. 2009 was a killer year especially for Math. 2008 was also an easy year. 2010 too I think. It was a trend that an easy year would be followed by a tough year, wit 2008/2009/2010. But 2011 was easy so that kind of threw that trend out the window.

Since 2010 & 2011 were easy. Our dragon babies might be having difficult papers this year. :slapshead:

[mummy so kiasu]

janet_lee88:

mummy of three:

Same, the syllabus is out of hand and changing too fast, I just pay the tutor and make her be in charge of everything, so far so good, hope she won’t cancel during PSLE year :xedfingers:

I 'parked' my son in the care of tutors.
Son told me his Math teacher has asked him (several times) what his tutor's methods are. I am disgusted :rant: What right does he have to do that ? What the hell is he doing in class then ?

Does his Math teacher ask the other students as well? Most kids have tuition nowadays, even those in the top classes. School teachers & tutors sometime teach different methods for Math. Exam usually accept all the different methods.

[alng]

jtoh:

I think 2011 was an easy year. No exceptionally tough papers. 2009 was a killer year especially for Math. 2008 was also an easy year. 2010 too I think. It was a trend that an easy year would be followed by a tough year, wit 2008/2009/2010. But 2011 was easy so that kind of threw that trend out the window.

Thanks jtoh. Could the easy papers in 2010 and 2011 due to the outcry of parents in 2009? I somewhat remember that there were many parents who wrote to forum page over the math paper. Was that year 2009?

So this year papers are likely to be tougher than last year but I do not think they would kill.

[jtoh]

alng:

jtoh:

I think 2011 was an easy year. No exceptionally tough papers. 2009 was a killer year especially for Math. 2008 was also an easy year. 2010 too I think. It was a trend that an easy year would be followed by a tough year, wit 2008/2009/2010. But 2011 was easy so that kind of threw that trend out the window.

Thanks jtoh. Could the easy papers in 2010 and 2011 due to the outcry of parents in 2009? I somewhat remember that there were many parents who wrote to forum page over the math paper. Was that year 2009?

So this year papers are likely to be tougher than last year but I do not think they would kill.

Yes, 2009 was the year of the killer Math paper which resulted in many a sobbing child and raised a hue and cry among parents. The HCL and Science papers weren't that easy either. Previous years when there were killer Math or Science papers the following year would be easy, partly I suspect due to parents' complaints. Partly also I suspect kids the following year are better prepared by teachers, tutors and parents for fear of another killer paper. So if you're better prepared the paper might not seem as tough?

I think this year will be a tougher year than 2011 but it won't be super tough.

[mummy so kiasu]

alng:

jtoh:

I think 2011 was an easy year. No exceptionally tough papers. 2009 was a killer year especially for Math. 2008 was also an easy year. 2010 too I think. It was a trend that an easy year would be followed by a tough year, wit 2008/2009/2010. But 2011 was easy so that kind of threw that trend out the window.

Thanks jtoh. Could the easy papers in 2010 and 2011 due to the outcry of parents in 2009? I somewhat remember that there were many parents who wrote to forum page over the math paper. Was that year 2009?

So this year papers are likely to be tougher than last year but I do not think they would kill.

Might not be bad to have tougher papers. The T score tend to be higher & the passing marks tend to be lower (due to moderation) for years with tougher papers

[Augmum]

jtoh:

alng:

Thanks jtoh. Could the easy papers in 2010 and 2011 due to the outcry of parents in 2009? I somewhat remember that there were many parents who wrote to forum page over the math paper. Was that year 2009?

So this year papers are likely to be tougher than last year but I do not think they would kill.

Yes, 2009 was the year of the killer Math paper which resulted in many a sobbing child and raised a hue and cry among parents. The HCL and Science papers weren't that easy either. Previous years when there were killer Math or Science papers the following year would be easy, partly I suspect due to parents' complaints. Partly also I suspect kids the following year are better prepared by teachers, tutors and parents for fear of another killer paper. So if you're better prepared the paper might not seem as tough?

I think this year will be a tougher year than 2011 but it won't be super tough.

Yes Jtoh, the 2009 PSLE, i would also say that BOTH the Maths and Science werent easy ....
Usually, pple used to say that if the Maths paper is tough, then the Science paper will be easy,
But not the case as in yr 2009....( our poor kids!!!)

My guess is that since for the past 2 yrs,
there have not been public complaints fr parents via media abt the psle papers,
this yr would be tougher than the previous 2 yrs....
But not too worry, as the t- score is a relative score to the whole cohort performance...