School Examinations Too Difficult

[moomel]

Having said all this though, I do recognize that teachers are trying their best. Some are. Some have resigned to the fate that they’re job is to finish the syllabus and that’s it.


Some teachers are passionate and impact lives. I recognize their achievements esp when kids come home and tell their parents that they admire their teacher.

But many kids are lost in the system. Some are too under-advantaged to have personal tutors. Some parents go to tuition centres where the many to one ratio occurs again.

I’m glad my brood of 15 tutees are under my care.

[janet88]

moomel:

Some teachers are passionate and impact lives. I recognize their achievements esp when kids come home and tell their parents that they admire their teacher.


But many kids are lost in the system. Some are too under-advantaged to have personal tutors. Some parents go to tuition centres where the many to one ratio occurs again.

There are still passionate and dedicated ones. This is very true.
My younger one loves school and her teachers very much. They show concern and teach the class to the best they can.

When kids attend tuition centres, there are several in a class...again, like what you mentioned, it's no different from going to school. Not every child has advantage to attend tuition and when they meet with many to one ratio again, the child learns next to nothing.

[Mychildren]

janet_lee88:

moomel:

Some teachers are passionate and impact lives. I recognize their achievements esp when kids come home and tell their parents that they admire their teacher.


But many kids are lost in the system. Some are too under-advantaged to have personal tutors. Some parents go to tuition centres where the many to one ratio occurs again.

There are still passionate and dedicated ones. This is very true.
My younger one loves school and her teachers very much. They show concern and teach the class to the best they can.

When kids attend tuition centres, there are several in a class...again, like what you mentioned, it's no different from going to school. Not every child has advantage to attend tuition and when they meet with many to one ratio again, the child learns next to nothing.

That's why I prefer to coach my children myself instead of sending them for tuition. Save $$ and get to know first hand what my children really don't understand and target on the right areas to work with them correctly & efficiently. Of course, I must also do some work myself (reading up and understanding before I can coach.)

But its indeed tiring and time consuming. However, I still have the passion to coach them so maybe this is the motivation force behind me!

[moomel]

Yes I think that’s a very good move Mychildren. It took me a year to familiarise myself with the subjects. Even now, I’m still learning about it.


Its good for parents to learn the syllabus along with their children. It keeps the neurons firing. Also, ifyou are a stay at hm parent, then you can potentially give tuition to other kids, when yours have grown up.

[jedamum]

I am very hands on in coaching my boy from p1. This year no stamina. Although I only do bits of chinese and science paper 2, I see myself getting lazy and tired when I have to coach my ds2 and spend time with him on top of coaching ds1. And sometimes I free he not free and vice versa. Now time also tight, by the time he reaches home from school activities, it’s my cooking time and his homework time. Even if he dismisses on time, after his lunch and rest time, it , ds2 then reaches home and I be busy with his tea break and piano pract. Then after tthat, they decide they miss each other and start chatting random stuff. Then time flies and I need to prep dinner. Afterhis dinner , I have to have dinner with my husband who reaches home late. By the time I finish dinner- and dishes, it’s ds2’s bedtime. So I hardly have time for ds1 although I sahm. Weekends is tuition and grandparents visit day. No much time for me to coach him. My expectations of my ds1 is such that I now expects him to take initiative to try his best to self learn or approach teachers, tutors for help. He no longer discuss math with me as he deemed that I know nothing which is true. Sigh.

[bebe]

Jeda, exactly. I hv decided to outsource teaching to the sch n tuition centers this time. No time, no energy n no chemistry (my kids starting to find me a nag).. I rather spend time chauffeuring them to classes, helping tutors to monitor their progress etc. That is enough to keep me sane for the moment until the Exam comes...

[osim]

I used to follow very closely for my 1st one. He has gone to sec school and quite independent so no need my help anymore. When he has problem, he makes appointment with his teachers for extra lesson. I find that I have no more stamina to help 2nd one with the same rigor. So I mostly leave her to swim on her own. I now prefer to give more attention to their emotional and physical needs. Also, about time to focus back on DH and pay more attention to his well being. Somehow, it works better for everyone at home this way. It’s really not easy being a caregiver… So many aspects to take care of. It’s no wonder, women prefer to work and outsource

[janet88]

bebe:

I rather spend time chauffeuring them to classes, helping tutors to monitor their progress etc. That is enough to keep me sane for the moment until the Exam comes...

I focused on older one since P1...had a maid to look after the younger one. Had lots of energy and time to do so. Though I've outsourced teaching for older one, I still have monitor them when they are doing tuition hw. My tutors also update me on their progress after every lesson. Don't know if I will have same energy to do this when younger one takes PSLE...this year is plain crazy.

[usa-sing-1]

I’m not entirely sure how exams work here in Singapore, but when I went to school in the US, if the class average for an exam was particularly low, the entire class was graded "on a curve" for that exam. For example, if the class scored a 60% average on the exam, a certain number of points were added to everyone’s score to bring the entire class average up to an acceptable level (such as 70% or 75%). Do they do something similar in Singapore schools?


Note: where I went to school, any grade below 60% was considered failing…and "average" was considered 70-79%

[moomel]

Hi USA SIng,


For O levels they draw a bell curve and award the grades according to the performance of the cohort. So does PSLE and A level.

During regular school days, the grades are what you see if what you get .