Comparing Math Enrichment Programmes

[Imami]

jkids:

hi I really need help!


can you recommend an enrichment centre? he is weak in maths, others subjects like eng and mother tongue r ok. recently he failed his maths, got 27/70 his 1st fail! he is only in p2 and its juz a neighbour sch. but I think the math std is not easy but still, some of his classmates can do better, like scoring 50/70.

he seems to have prob understanding the math q or concept, esp prob sums. what goes wrong, I really duno. we need to explain a few times, but sometime he still dun get it. he only has eng tuition but we intend to withdraw him fr eng class and enrol him for math class. we cant afford 2 tution in more than 1 subject.

can you recommend? I saw a few like cma , mind matter, mind stretcher...but dun really noe which is a better one... really need testimonial from you parents!

hi jkids,

Don't panic. This is one of those moments when we as parents need to think deeper in order to decide the most effective (and efficient) course of action to take.

Do you hv a chance to speak to the teacher on your son's result? I think it is definitely worth the effort to find out more on the teacher's view on the poor scores. It may save u the time trying to crack your head deciding what's the problem.

If you were to write out the equation (from the problem sum), can your son do the sums? If no, then work on the basics.

 If yes, then the arithmetic part is ok. And then it is likely that the prob is understanding the language used in the problem sum. U get what I mean, sometimes it's the way the problem sum is worded?

Is there no way to tighten the belts further just so that the kid can go for another tuition/enrichment class? Lower primary is typically not an issue for most kids. To fail at p2, may signal a weak foundation which should be strengthened as soon as possible. Learning math... If I can describe it this way - is like operating a  running train. You need to always keep on track. The moment it steer off the track, chances are it is very hard to go back on track.

Then again, this is the first test that he fails. There maybe other factors (non academic related) contributing to the poor scores. Which brings back my earlier point - u need to think what is the prob.

To share my view in respond to your request on recommending math enrichment schools, I think you can drop cma out of the equation. Cma is into abacus and working on the whole brain. Not exactly primary school math. Being weaker in math concept and/or problem sum, in my opinion, is not something attending cma lessons can help. I am not too sure of mind matter, haven't heard much about it.

Heard a little of just education. Only two feedbacks from my friends but they praise just education. I heard just education publishes its own books/assessment books. Worth checking out.

As for mind stretcher, a mix of review. U may want to go thru the thread on mind stretchers. At one time I was considering it, after combing thru all the whole thread, I decided it is not worth considering even when the only branch I am thinking of is bishan branch. I heard that bishan is the hq and is one of the few which maintain high standards among all the branches. One thing to note - the class size is big. In my opinion, kids who are weaker in math may be better off in smaller classes so that the teachers can focus better.

[Champion]

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Steadyberry:

Hi champion


Can u pls share a bit more on their teaching or materials? Are they paced at a slighly higher level? Are the worksheets/materials used in the ctr the same as the just Ed assessment books sold in popular? Sorry for asking so many que & thx in adv for yr reply.

P4 Maths worksheets
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[yanmi14]

Hi, any recommendation for tuition centre or home tutor around sembawang area for P5 Maths and English.


Thanks a lot

[yanmi14]

hi, can anyone help for P5 maths Mind Stretcher better or Just Education better at Sembawang?


Thanks alot.

[jkids]

hi champion n imami


i would love to have the best of both worlds and that is to let him go for eng class and in addition, the math class. unless i go for home tuition, it woud mean everyones 'weekends are burnt, and i duno if he can take it. weekdays is out for tuition, coz in the day, my kid is with scc. evening time we fetch him fr my family house and by the time we reach home, it can be 8+ or 9+. sat, he and another kid go to eng class. so to save time, i may need to have ano tution class on the same day? if i arrange it on a sun, it could mean we cannot have a family day free of studies. and i saw a few who says about just education, the nearest branch is not near to the eng class's location. so we need to travel 2 stations away to attend another class.

does jus education follow moe syallbus closely? i want a syllabus whereby it help him to understand the questions he will do in sch. i saw some enrichment's class syballus,it is really out of the scope.

my kid reminds me of myself. maybe he takes after me. ha. when i was young, even though i was attentive in class, when it comes to doing assessment, there are many times i tot i know what the teacher taught me, but still, i couldnt do the assessment. i juz find those questions \"hard\". i juz cant explain y i didnt knwo how to do. juz have no concept nor understand the qustion. i always think that if u are intelligent, u can grap the concepts very well.

from his test i saw yesterday. will post more if i have the time.
eg:
what is the height of the classroom door?
a. 4m
b. 4 cm
c. 2cm
d. 2m

is this hard? not really if kids know the measurement. my kid knows the measurement but yet he choose (c). i rather he choose the wrong ans(b). the correct and is (d).

q: what does 4 in \"417\" represent?
his ans is 17. the correct ans is 400. i have taught him these b4. y didnt he know?

q: 412+248?
instead of 660, he write 558.

i am really not a professional. i may have teach him wrongly all the while.

[jkids]

I saw that for "jus education", there is "2 in one- math ang eng" . i wonder if this would bring the best of both worlds for my kid? anyone can share?

[octoberbaby]

weak in maths one, think have to use one-to-one method. Group tuition won’t be able to cope as they are moving forward in a group. Some teachers may ask the kid to stay back or something like that. This is just a gesture of goodwill. How long do you think the teacher willing to do that?

[Champion]

jkids:

from his test i saw yesterday. will post more if i have the time.
eg:
what is the height of the classroom door?
a. 4m
b. 4 cm
c. 2cm
d. 2m

is this hard? not really if kids know the measurement. my kid knows the measurement but yet he choose (c). i rather he choose the wrong ans(b). the correct and is (d).

mummy jkids,
My DD2 is in P2 too so I know about this concept thing What my DD2 Maths Teacher did was giving them the measuring tape and they go around the school compound to measure - length of the basketball, height of the door, length of the table etc etc...

What I did at home - I gave the 15cm short ruler, 30cm long ruler and a measuring tape that was in the tool box. She will go round measuring things at home and then writes on the piece of recycle paper..At 1st she is also confused between cm and m and we go slow with her.

jkids:

q: what does 4 in \"417\" represent?
his ans is 17. the correct ans is 400. i have taught him these b4. y didnt he know?

This one has to go back to the foundation stage ie the \"hundredth\", the \"tenth\" and \"ones\" place...Maybe during this June holiday, reinforce with him by going through the P2A textbook and asked whether is there any particular areas he still does not understand?

jkids:

q: 412+248?
instead of 660, he write 558.

This might be pure careless mistakes - have to check did he write out the working? And maybe you can ask him to do it on a piece of paper and show it to you? This way you be able to gauge.

I am no expert in teaching Maths either but I ask how DD2 is learning in school so I will use the same technique at home.

Hope this helps

[jkids]

champion:

are you a fulltime home maker?

i am working and have 3 kids. as much as i want to give full attention to all my kids i can't . i am not sure if this is one reason why he doesnt do well. your method is interesting and something i will not tot of. many time, i juz teach him fr assessment book.

[Steadyberry]

jkids:

hi champion n imami


i would love to have the best of both worlds and that is to let him go for eng class and in addition, the math class. unless i go for home tuition, it woud mean everyones 'weekends are burnt, and i duno if he can take it. weekdays is out for tuition, coz in the day, my kid is with scc. evening time we fetch him fr my family house and by the time we reach home, it can be 8+ or 9+. sat, he and another kid go to eng class. so to save time, i may need to have ano tution class on the same day? if i arrange it on a sun, it could mean we cannot have a family day free of studies. and i saw a few who says about just education, the nearest branch is not near to the eng class's location. so we need to travel 2 stations away to attend another class.

does jus education follow moe syallbus closely? i want a syllabus whereby it
help him to understand the questions he will do in sch. i saw some enrichment's class syballus,it is really out of the scope.

my kid reminds me of myself. maybe he takes after me. ha. when i was young, even though i was attentive in class, when it comes to doing assessment, there are many times i tot i know what the teacher taught me, but still, i couldnt do the assessment. i juz find those questions \"hard\". i juz cant explain y i didnt knwo how to do. juz have no concept nor understand the qustion. i always think that if u are intelligent, u can grap the concepts very well.

from his test i saw yesterday. will post more if i have the time.
eg:
what is the height of the classroom door?
a. 4m
b. 4 cm
c. 2cm
d. 2m

is this hard? not really if kids know the measurement. my kid knows the measurement but yet he choose (c). i rather he choose the wrong ans(b). the correct and is (d).

q: what does 4 in \"417\" represent?
his ans is 17. the correct ans is 400. i have taught him these b4. y didnt he know?

q: 412+248?
instead of 660, he write 558.

i am really not a professional. i may have teach him wrongly all the while.

Hi

Got the maths paper back yest. Would like to share one of the mistakes my ds made.

Q. Write 6 thousands 4 hundreds 50 tens and 60 ones in NUMERAL.

My ds's answer is six thousand nine hundred and sixty

In total, 11 marks were deducted for his carelessness. Wondering if there is any maths enrichment that can help my ds to make lesser careless mistakes.