2012 PSLE Discussions and Strategy
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BeContented:
That boy mentioned was consistently #1 in his cohort (neighborhood Sch) for years. But come PSLE only 24x, while the other top few students >250/260. So it was a shock to many. Hence I realised, most important is still the child, tutors are not always better than teachers unless the really good ones. But how many really good ones are out there....honestly I dun know, so cannot comment.
Ohhh... I misunderstood... 24X is the t-score!! Yeah... that must have been a shock. Yeah... tutors are not necessarily better than T. That's why DS has no tuition. I just have to work a bit harder to ensure that he stays motivated and that he has access to good learning resources. -
There should be always a balance of PLAY and STUDY even though there is PSLE next year. 休息是为了走更长远的路。
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just888:
There should be always a balance of PLAY and STUDY even though there is PSLE next year. 休息是为了走更长远的路。
Yes, now we are warming up everyday. With my son, I have to learn how to 'fly a kite'...when to go easy and when to pull string tighter. Which is why I had to seek advice of mummies who have been through this emotional roller coaster. Actual 'marathon' is few days in Sep/Oct but build up is crucial yet cannot burn him. :nailbite: -
I had a friend who once told me this…it happened when his daughter entered JC . They attended the open house was impressed so they picked that JC. But in the first year, they realised that the school could not deliver as presented. His daughter did badly and nearly failed. It devastated her but he told her not to worry. Instead they did some checking around and he hired her some of the best tutors and she aced her ‘A’ levels. So I’ll always remember his advise. If the schools can’t produce the results just look elsewhere and no need to waste time.
What I do feel is really important - Don’t burn out the kids. Burn-out takes a long time to recover even with therapy.
Kids need pressure but they need to be happy. -
Sometimes, I feel a bit crazy when I see those topics under assessment books. Because there are too many flashy books that tempt me into buying them. After buying and receiving some assessment books, feel that I indeed have too much and wonder will my children be able to finish all. It also makes me lost track in getting which one for my children to do at a particular time. :?
I think something is wrong and I realised that it is actually what my children are weak in and concentrate on those areas and getting the right level for them as some are too easy while others are too difficult.
So getting the right books and focus on those makes me wake up from my greediness. :stupid:
Also, I agreed with \"insider\" that children concentration is not long like us adults so don't expect them to sit down for a long time to do the tasks assign by us parents. :siam:
Currently, I only asked them to do one topic or 5 to ten pages a day. The rest of the day, they just play, watch tv, play the piano and do housework. They help me with washing dishes, sweeping floor, handling the laundry and looking after their baby sister while I cook. :please:
Just a sharing. -
Sorry. I kapo come into here. My children are not heading for PSLE in 2012 yet. :torchme:
Yes, Work Smart and Play Hard. This I told my kids: all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. :sick: -
Hi alng!
You are too kind; this forum is testimony to lots of parents being "hands-on" with their kids while juggling multiple roles. A round of applause to all please!
I just want to encourage those parents who are thinking of whether they should be more involved with their children’s PSLE journeys that you really should because you really can make a significant difference and the rewards can extend to far beyond a better T-score. -
psle2011mum:
I so agree with you!! Helping my son through his PSLE journey translated into a closer relationship between us. But... I think this may vary from parent to parent. Our journey is full of hugs and kisses, and celebrations of small achievements. I suppose that if one is not careful, the journey may actually degenerate into yelling matches too. :nailbite:
I just want to encourage those parents who are thinking of whether they should be more involved with their children's PSLE journeys that you really should because you really can make a significant difference and the rewards can extend to far beyond a better T-score. -
[Editor's note: Post selected for http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/my-psle-journey-my-daughter]
Before you read the rest of this post, please note this Caveat : Every child and every parent is different; it doesn't work the same way for everyone, but for what it may be worth to other parents, the following are some lessons I learnt in my journey with DD in 2011.
These factors probably helped DD achieve EESIS (in no particular order):
a) Being a Reader - the love for reading extends well beyond helping in English; it is the language of understanding [and therefore mastering] for Math and Science too; start the child reading early and watch the rewards multiply
b) Being a girl - sits still better,earlier and for longer; writes more neatly; willing to memorise by rote; willing to practice and re-practice; - all \"advantages\" in our particular education system
c) Being in a strong parent-child relationship - this is necessary so that the journey doesn't become one of a battle of wills - the willingness to accept teaching and correction from a parent will help in the many tough spots along the journey
d) Being sold on the idea of \"deferred gratification\" - we taught this early on [read about this by googling \" Stanford Marshmallow Experiment (1972) by Prof Walter Mischel] and had to recall this lesson countless times throughout the PSLE journey because it was a 12 month marathon for us; and while as adults we may be more \"used\" to it, kids have probably not personally experienced something close
e) Having Good Resources - a lot of time and effort was spent assembling good resources; we were well beyond the \"why can't the textbooks be better\" and the indignation of \" how can they test what they don't teach\" by the time DD was in P4, so our main focus in DD's P5 year was to get the best resources we could and thereafter sort them all out by end of DD's P5 year. If this meant me taking lessons as a parent, I did; if this meant me \"re-writing\" the textbook, I did. I'll share more for each subject's resources in a separate post.
f) Getting your hands dirty - I had to motivate by example; \"Monkey see - monkey do\" -- so while I dictated the work, I worked along side - correcting, working out the answers DD couldn't, researching the answers for Science especially; re-writing the compos if they had been terribly done (so that there was some standard to aspire to); there was really no time to do my own work during this time, so I squeezed my urgent work into the times when DD was in school or asleep
g) Not being attached to the TV or other gadgets - DD played in the park, read and slept in her \"downtime\"; she had no time for TV because of my work schedule and had no access to computers and i-anythings along the PSLE journey
Conclusion: I wouldn't have done it any other way; we learnt so many lessons together, chief amongst them was that DD saw for herself the value of keeping at something even though it was difficult ; I now see a more mature child in her who probably still sighs at the challenges ahead but thereafter will square her shoulders and \"dig right in\" to get the job done without complaint.
It's hard but not impossible -- I believe many parents [especially those participating and silently reading in this forum] are well capable of it; so what are you waiting for? Be that involved parent for your PSLE child; you won't regret the time and effort spent! -
psle2011mum:
:goodpost: This is SUCH a very good post!! I've taken the liberty to highlight some portions because I wanna link some people to this post. Please write more.Before you read the rest of this post, please note this Caveat : Every child and every parent is different; it doesn't work the same way for everyone, but for what it may be worth to other parents, the following are some lessons I learnt in my journey with DD in 2011.
These factors probably helped DD achieve EESIS (in no particular order):
a) Being a Reader - the love for reading extends well beyond helping in English; it is the language of understanding [and therefore mastering] for Math and Science too; start the child reading early and watch the rewards multiply
b) Being a girl - sits still better,earlier and for longer; writes more neatly; willing to memorise by rote; willing to practice and re-practice; - all \"advantages\" in our particular education system
c) Being in a strong parent-child relationship - this is necessary so that the journey doesn't become one of a battle of wills - the willingness to accept teaching and correction from a parent will help in the many tough spots along the journey
d) Being sold on the idea of \"deferred gratification\" - we taught this early on [read about this by googling \" Stanford Marshmallow Experiment (1972) by Prof Walter Mischel] and had to recall this lesson countless times throughout the PSLE journey because it was a 12 month marathon for us; and while as adults we may be more \"used\" to it, kids have probably not personally experienced something close
e) Having Good Resources - a lot of time and effort was spent assembling good resources; we were well beyond the \"why can't the textbooks be better\" and the indignation of \" how can they test what they don't teach\" by the time DD was in P4, so our main focus in DD's P5 year was to get the best resources we could and thereafter sort them all out by end of DD's P5 year. If this meant me taking lessons as a parent, I did; if this meant me \"re-writing\" the textbook, I did. I'll share more for each subject's resources in a separate post.
f) Getting your hands dirty - I had to motivate by example; \"Monkey see - monkey do\" -- so while I dictated the work, I worked along side - correcting, working out the answers DD couldn't, researching the answers for Science especially; re-writing the compos if they had been terribly done (so that there was some standard to aspire to); there was really no time to do my own work during this time, so I squeezed my urgent work into the times when DD was in school or asleep
g) Not being attached to the TV or other gadgets - DD played in the park, read and slept in her \"downtime\"; she had no time for TV because of my work schedule and had no access to computers and i-anythings along the PSLE journey
Conclusion: I wouldn't have done it any other way; we learnt so many lessons together, chief amongst them was that DD saw for herself the value of keeping at something even though it was difficult ; I now see a more mature child in her who probably still sighs at the challenges ahead but thereafter will square her shoulders and \"dig right in\" to get the job done without complaint.
It's hard but not impossible -- I believe many parents [especially those participating and silently reading in this forum] are well capable of it; so what are you waiting for? Be that involved parent for your PSLE child; you won't regret the time and effort spent!
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