Primary ONE English Assignment

[Busymom]

SAHM_TAN:

I think that it's important for pre-school education to be made compulsory. This is in view that primary education standard is getting higher.

I am with you 200% on this.

If there is anything that needs to be tackled immediately, this is one of them.

[fightingmom]

Funz:

Imami:

[quote=\"oxyleo\"]
Imami - meaning there were actually kids at four who could make it? Wow! wouldn't that mean standards have moved yet again? Just wondering. I am not against high standards. We benefit from them, but if we were to just compare what kids in P1 and 2 do now vs nursery and kindy, are we seeing an acceleration toward what P1 and 2 kids are doing? Is your 4 year old already learning the times table? :yikes:

Thanks for sharing!

:rotflmao: :rotflmao:

No, not doing multiplications yet but doing addition sums that go beyond 100 (e.g. 38+21+43) and subtraction sums within 100 without ‘borrowing’ (e.g. 55-14 where the ones in 55 is greater than the ones in 14, i.e. no need to borrow from the tens in 55).

I may be silly, but I am not too happy to realise that my child (only four!) is doing such things… I remembered reading somewhere that kids only learn how to do math sums around 5? Why is my child taught 38 + 21 + 43 now? He’s not even four and a half years old! And the ‘write, show and tell’ – my child apparently cannot write (looking at his written work you will agree… He was made to write 4 paragraphs. The only saving grace is he can ‘show’ and ‘tell’. The teacher had only praises for his presentation but shook her head on the written bits.

I think I need to adjust my expectation….. to meet the teachers’….
:sad:

This is ridiculous. Show and tell by all means. Even draw and tell. But to write independantly and 4 para! That is asking too much of a 4yr old. Not to forget you will have quite a few of them who are only 3+yrs old. They are still considered toddlers in some countries!

The recommended curriculum for math is for children to grasp the number concepts within 20 by end K2. Once a child has a strong grasp of the number concepts within 20, they will not have any problems going beyond that even to 100s and 1000s. When we say number concepts we are referring to number bonds, more then, less then, what comes before, what comes after, ordinal numbers, tens and ones, counting in 2s, 5s and 10s.

If your child can cope and is enjoying the current curriculum of that preschool, by all means continue. But if you see him struggling, instead of adjusting your expectations to that of his teacher, you should start scouting around for one that does a more holistic development. He is only 4yrs old!

I cannot express how shocked I am. And to think that there is a preschool that advocates that.[/quote]Food for thought:

All these \"accelerated\" learning - could that be one of the reasons why some kids feel bored and restless in school or at home since they have been taught in kindy already ?

[Busymom]

limlim:

Busymom:

Limlim


As for your question whether a P1 is able to write a field report, my answer is yes, some would be able to do it even without enrichment, especially if they are good in the language or have been reading widely.

You mentioned \"some\".

Should school cater to \"some\" or the masses? did they raised the bar too far?

I said \"some\" because I don't have a sample size to tell you confidently either way. I can only say \"some\" base on what my DD and other friends' children are able to do.

[limlim]

Sun_2010:

limlim:

learning journey?


don't be notti lah..

Me ? notti !

Just joking lah.. no offense I guess those notti ones will get it.. :evil:

Sun_2010:

limlim:

[quote=\"Sun_2010\"]
The current fashion in KSP is if one do not empathize with the \"pain\" of others, then one one is an elitist , who deserves to be bashed , right?

No. But it would be better if members focus on the merit/demerit of the argument and respond accordingly, rather then dismissing other's comment/contribution and sharing as \"rubbish\" or something to that effect, w/o justification.

Agree . The basic courtesy is MIA now a days. I hope I have not been a part of that .If I have then I sincerely apologize. There is no excuse.

This is in general, not specific to your post but to ksp posts that I have read in the recent times.

It is ok to put down your problems and ponder to solutions, trends. We are hear to share our experiences, view and understand what others prespectives. But to make sweeping statements with very little datapoints, again and again. is gets a little irritating.
[/quote]ok.. I understand that teacher may have been hurt.. That, is my bad.. for some of my post/comment may be too \"crude\".. no excuses.. I have to look into that..

I just want to say.. when we share our experiences (maybe isolated ones, not representative of general), it may be viewed as sweeping statements.

For e.g. \"Why don't teachers test what they teach\", maybe viewed as accusing all teachers of doing that. But, the intention of the poster may be \"Why not adopt concrete measures to ensure that such things do Not happen\"?

He/She may be referring to some isolated cases.. but, however isolated, it happened. So, can we adopt measures to ELIMINATE bad or undesirable practices? That, is the intention.

The good teachers may feel injustices bcoz unwarranted accusations are hurled at them (as they view it).. But, in reality, the accusation is at isolated cases and the intention is wipe out bad practices. It is not the intention to insult good teachers.

of coz, the way to phrase could be done better, and in this aspect, I may be lacking, but I try to improve.

[Busymom]

limlim:

FQW:

limlim,
If this is a show-and-tell rather than a graded CW exercise, I'm afraid your survey is not valid liao [bcos some early voters may mistakenly assumed that it's CW assignment]. So I guess I should refrain from voting until you confirm.

Let's say it is a show and tell.

Now, the content of the show and tell, is done by student or parent?

As I mentioned, parental help is expected. So, nowadays, it is the \"in\" thing to give parents homework?

What about kids whose parents are unable to guide?

Engage tuition or enrichment?

Again, my question. Was the bar raised too far?

Should the school cater to the masses or some privileged individuals?

What fuelled the tuition phenomenon?

If this is show and tell, yes, I think schools expect parents to be involved. Not necessarily that parents must write the script. I made my DD write her chinese show and tell this year (not easy as we speak English at home). Maybe she will lose out in terms of contents, but I feel it is a step in the right direction. The parental involvement that schools expect is for the child to practise speaking aloud at home infront of an audience. There are usually one or two rounds of practice in school, but if parents could get their children to practise more at home, it definitely benefits the child, putting aside the marks.

[SAHM_TAN]

I wonder how to start the idea, a note to MCYS to ask them to make pre-school edu compulsory and for them to work with MOE?

[Busymom]

SAHM_TAN:

Let me share. This is how my school prepare the P1 for show and tell.


1. They organise speech and drama classes once a wk for the P1s, in Eng and Mandarin. This is paid for from Edusave.
I think in my DD's school, this is only optional and outside curriculum time.

2. There's a reflection kind of writing that the students will do once a particular Stellar storybook is done. This goes about helping them to write content for S&T later.
Don't think they do this all the time.

3. There are S&T practise rounds for P1s and teachers will give feedback to the students as well as the parents.
Yes, we had feedback from the practice rounds as well.

4. I also know of cases whereby students who need extra practise are given extra practise with the teacher to target the weaker areas.
Not sure about this though.

I'm sharing this to show that kids are not necessary thrown into the deep end. I'm showing a case whereby a school is trying to give the kid a chance. That it's a learning journey for the kids.

I still think pre-school education should be made compulsory and elements of show&tell must be included because it takes more than a yr to help an extrovert child to excel in S&T. MCYS and MOE should really work more closely with each other.

[Busymom]

SAHM_TAN:

I wonder how to start the idea, a note to MCYS to ask them to make pre-school edu compulsory and for them to work with MOE?

Write on MCYS facebook page?

Any ideas, other parents?

[Busymom]

limlim:

Say, the posted sample is a \"Show and Tell\".

If the kid without any external help produces a blank page.. I wonder how he/she will be graded for \"Show and Tell\"..

Yeah.. My kids stare at the paper and wrote nothing.. if I did nothing..

How about those families who are unable to do anything.. (Not English educated etc..)?

Ah...... tuition.. anyone? :evil:

I heard from my DD that some of her classmates who did not do well for their show and tell (the actual graded one, not the practice round), they were told to practise at home again and will be tested the next day or the day after. That was in P1.

[Busymom]

wonderm:

In this case, it is clear that parents are expected to help as the paper is addressed to the parents. It is meant as preparation for the \"show and tell\" in school - as the first few lines indicated. It is also optional to bring along items during the \"show and tell\".

Parents don't need to be too worried about it being assessment, since MOE has stopped examination at P1 level, right? Even if a grade is given, the children won't be too concerned if their parents don't take it too seriously.

It is true that very few kids are able to handle homework and school assessment completely on their own at lower primary level. At higher primary level, I also think not many students can do very well and excel in PSLE if they are left with only the teaching of school teachers. Luckily, they become independent and can do well on their own when they enter Sec school.

I see many parents here have young children at the lower primary school level. Just want to share my experience and observation since my boys have gone through the journey. All the best to everyone and your little ones!

:goodpost:

I actually miss out that the letter was addressed to parents. :salute:

I think I'm not the only one... :siam: