sunnymumsy:

congrats to all mums and P6s! hope the results will be good!

beanbear:

SAHM_TAN:

Do you encounter cases whereby comprehension of passage is dependent on General knowledge? Thanks

So far, in most passages I've encountered in school exam papers do not require you to have an wide general knowledge but it helps for you to fully appreciate what the passage is talking about. Once DS did a passage on Alfred Nobel and he didn't know who he was but the passage gave information about how the prize came about, who the first winners were and if you read closely enough, a child can infer that this Nobel prize is a very prestigious prize.

A well-set paper should not require a child to have had general knowledge in order to answer the questions. To mine for meanings, it certainly helps to have general knowledge.

The last question in OE comprehension is often about expression of feelings or analysing the character of a person. DS often find it difficult because he can't relate with those feelings being associated with the passage. He needs to vicariously experience these things and then extrapolate what might be the feelings. That type of question can be unfair to a child because many children have limited life experiences and a child is usually not yet mature enough to extrapolate what kind of feelings he ought to feel, right? For that kind of questions, I often \"train\" DS to have a pool of feelings that you would associate with different scenarios.

SAHM_TAN:

Do you encounter cases whereby comprehension of passage is dependent on General knowledge? Thanks

beanbear:

pirate:

[quote=\"beanbear\"]One critical skill eg in English comprehension is mining for meaning.

Can some kind soul explain to a clueless person like me what is mining for meaning? Is it similar to 有边读边 没边乱仙 ? :scratchhead:

pirate:

beanbear:

One critical skill eg in English comprehension is mining for meaning.

Can some kind soul explain to a clueless person like me what is mining for meaning? Is it similar to 有边读边 没边乱仙 ? :scratchhead:

KSP:

someone forwarded this to me...


another message from a parent on \"about Singapore Education System\"


In reality, these classes are perceived as a class for the slow and stupid, students are given the impression that once they ended up in these classes, they are losers. In this case it greatly damage their self esteem. Those end up in these classes, they feel inferior and those outside look at them as failures. Is this what MOE wanted in the first place? No, but this is reality. Already my P4 son consistently tells me he does not want to end up in foundation class as it is for children who fail. All his friends feel this way too. Does not matter if I tell him it\"s a class to help not to brand. These group of academically weaker children will feel segregated, isolated from young age.

KSP:

The academically better ones will think they are one class higher just because they are good in studies. What is most concerning is those who are academically better are most likely to end up to be policy makers, how can they make good polices that have consideration and compassion for all if they never mix with the weaker ones at all.

KSP:

PUT THEM IN THE SAME CLASS BUT PROVIDE HELP FOR THE WEAKER ONES. THOSE WHO ARE BRILLIANT CAN BE PULLED OUT TOO FOR CERTAIN SPECIAL LESSONS TO PURSUE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE BUT LET THEM ALL STAY IN THE SAME CLASS WEAK OR GIFTED FOR GENERAL SUBJECTS LIKE SOCIAL STUDIES, PE, MUSIC, ART, SO THAT THERE IS COMMUNICATION, BONDING AND LEARNING AMONG ALL.

KSP:

It may sound very dfficult to implement but it is the right thing to do. Long time ago there was no classifying, but we still have many outstanding leaders and ministers, not just briiliant academically but in humility. These are results of them having the chance to mix with all class and all tyes of people from young.

Nebbermind:

Chenonceau:

I ummm... dun think we are talking about the same things. Nebbermind speaks of GEP. I know very little about the GEP. Maybe GEP parents expect enrichment? Me, in mainstream, I dun expect the schools to enrich. I expect schools to teach the skills they test.

If I'm not wrong, the Parent1 has a P1 and not a GEP school.

Nebbermind:

Recently I came across 2 comments from diff parents.

Parent1 : This new (actually she has taken over for a few yrs if I remember correctly) principal not very good.
Me : What u mean? :scratchhead:
Parent1 : Oh, she only care about (academic) results and not the well being of the kids.
Me : :roll:

Parent2 : I donch like this GEP school.
Me : Why? :scratchhead:
Parent2 : Coz this school seems to be only training the kids to get good results in exams. Doesn't look very enriching as compare to xxx school. (This is her 2nd kid in GEP).

Well, sometimes life is so ironic!

Chenonceau:

I ummm... dun think we are talking about the same things. Nebbermind speaks of GEP. I know very little about the GEP. Maybe GEP parents expect enrichment? Me, in mainstream, I dun expect the schools to enrich. I expect schools to teach the skills they test.

beanbear:

One critical skill eg in English comprehension is mining for meaning.

tired mom:

As parents, naturally we would like our kids to be in a school which will enrich them both academically and non-academically.


However, as the end-point of primary school is this major-ranking exercise called PSLE, I would think the school's principal aim should be academic.

As a parent, I hope that the school teach my kids adequately in the field of academics. I would rather spend time with my kids as a parent and not a tutor, building their characters and strengthening our family bonds. But very sad, it is not happening. I spend more than 80% of time with my oldest kid as her tutor. I concur with beanbear and Chen, that I think I make a better teacher to her in many subjects, but this is NOT what I want.

KSP:

someone forwarded this to me...


another message from a parent on \"about Singapore Education System\"

I am a mother of 2 boys, one in P6 and one in P4. There are several areas of the current schooling systems that worries and frustrates me. I pray and hope you give notice to my writing and address the points I am about to raised that is happening on the ground level.

1) classifying our children into different classes like foundation, gifted, normal acad, normal tech, express class, branded school like Raffles etc.

Foundation class, normal acad, normal tech:
In theory it is MOE's good intention to put similar weaker students together to better help them.

In reality, these classes are perceived as a class for the slow and stupid, students are given the impression that once they ended up in these classes, they are losers. In this case it greatly damage their self esteem. Those end up in these classes, they feel inferior and those outside look at them as failures. Is this what MOE wanted in the first place? No, but this is reality. Already my P4 son consistently tells me he does not want to end up in foundation class as it is for children who fail. All his friends feel this way too. Does not matter if I tell him it\"s a class to help not to brand. These group of academically weaker children will feel segregated, isolated from young age.

Gifted class, Express class, top 3 classes in primary school, Raffles
When we put all who are gifted together, academically brilliant together, dose it makes them more gifted? Academically may be but humility factor? definitely no, if the intelligent ones does not mix with the weaker one, they are deprive of learning important life factors like humility, compassion, lending a helping hand the the weaker classmates, knowing there are others who are not academically inclined but equally special and important to this society.

We are know the body has many parts, the brain is not more important than the heart nor the hand than the leg, even a toe has it importance to the proper functioning of the body. I am sure you know that academic excellence does not equal a person's ability. A uneducated aunty can be the best cook ever as compare to a u grad who know nothing about cooking. Do we separate them base on their academic results from young so they will never mix and learn from each other? If we mix them, aunty can teach the u grad some cooking in return u grad can help aunty use the computer. A child who score D for math can be the one that teach the A grade math students to play spin top perfectly, A grade math student can also teach the D grade student math. In this way friendship and society will not be segregated at young age.
What we are doing to to children right now is separating and segregating them base of academic result which is a disaster. The academically weaker ones will feel inferior and unjust. The academically better ones will think they are one class higher just because they are good in studies. What is most concerning is those who are academically better are most likely to end up to be policy makers, how can they make good polices that have consideration and compassion for all if they never mix with the weaker ones at all. One can say I know how it feel to ride a bicycle, but until one rides on it, then the real experience is different from understanding from imagination or reading,

So I urge you to consider abolishing all classifying, stop schools from putting academically brilliant students in top three class, stop secondary schools from just accepting children of certain minimum grades instead mix the children give them a chance to forge friendship, learn from each other.

PUT THEM IN THE SAME CLASS BUT PROVIDE HELP FOR THE WEAKER ONES. THOSE WHO ARE BRILLIANT CAN BE PULLED OUT TOO FOR CERTAIN SPECIAL LESSONS TO PURSUE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE BUT LET THEM ALL STAY IN THE SAME CLASS WEAK OR GIFTED FOR GENERAL SUBJECTS LIKE SOCIAL STUDIES, PE, MUSIC, ART, SO THAT THERE IS COMMUNICATION, BONDING AND LEARNING AMONG ALL. THERE IS ONE TEACHER BUT MANY CLASSMATES, ACADEMIALLY BRILLIANT CLASSMATES CAN HELP TO TEACH THE ACADEMICALLY WEAKER CLASSMATES, WHERE THE BETTER ONES LEARN TO BE KIND, PATIENT AND HAVE COMPASSION AND THE WEARKER ONES LEARN THAT THERE IS HELP WHEN NEEDED AND THEIR BETTER CLASSMATES ARE ALWAYS THERE FOR THEM.

It may sound very dfficult to implement but it is the right thing to do. Long time ago there was no classifying, but we still have many outstanding leaders and ministers, not just briiliant academically but in humility. These are results of them having the chance to mix with all class and all tyes of people from young.

2) PSLE and T- score

Minister Heng, by now I am sure you have receive and know the tremendous stress of this exam. The root of the cause are the streaming, branding of school and the T - Score system.
I have already touch on the first two, The last area is T-Score.
Entering a secondary school should be solely based on whether the child has grasp the subject at a satisfactory level. How the child perform in the test should not be compared with the whole cohort. Using T-Score only causes unnecesarry compettion and great stress on all. It does not matter if it's a grade A or B or C, as long as the child pass the test of competancy, he or she should be allow to go to a secondary school regardless of how the others are faring. The current T - score is based on national standard where if A child is having two tuition and getting better score, B child also need to catch up so that B child can catch up with the national standard. This is root of the rat race. If all rats trains 10 hours a day, x rat have also needed to train hour unless it wants to fall behing which result in failure. Let the children run without competing, does not matter how many hours other children practice, each child need only practice at a pace that he can pass the compentancy test without having to compete. As long as his or her grade shows they can handle secondard school, they can progress regardless of how the rest perform. If there are parents of children keen for rat race, let them take a seperate test but not the standard test.

Minister Heng, many children lost their childhood due to the current system spending all their childhood going for tuitions and doing homework. My children are slightly better as they have a stay at home mum who can teach them and spare them from tuition and supplimentary classes, even with this, I can see them struggling to cope. Their classmates are in worst situation where besides school, supplimentary class they attend tuitions. Minister Heng, recently, if I remember correctly it was mentioned that MOE will ensure school will not set unrealistic questions, I told my P6 son that don't worry PSLE math will be fine as Minister Heng has advised not to set unrealistic questions now, PSLE math exam is out, my son was disappointed. We have yet again let the children down, some crying while doing the paper, some totally lost in the paper and many dishearted. The world thinks that our children are very blessed. Material wise yes but emotionally they are definetly the poorest. What is of a child if mum and dad have little or no time with them, free time is a rare, homework and tuition take up almost all of their childhood. The children are young, they can not voice up like we do. They can only obey whatever given to them at this young age.

Minister Heng, you are carrying the hope and burden of our generation of children. You are in the position to give them their chldhood back. We have human rights, what about children's right. No child labour is allow but are not making our children not just labour but slave to the system we created? The little children can not voice out, but you can hear them, just look around many are suffering. I am just a stay at home mum and can only help my children, a step further is to speak up, give suggestions, and hope for the best. You are different, you are in the position with the power and the resouces to implement a life of difference to many. May God bless you with wisdom, strength and assistance to change the life of the children in Singapore. Give the children their rights to be a child, not a studying machine. Many will be grateful to you.

Best Regards

Nebbermind:

You are better coz of the (quality) time you spent 1-to-1 which the teacher will not be able to.

Also, u can customise you lesson according to the needs of your kid.

Shouldn't always compare mass market Giordano vs custom fitted clothing lah.

SAHM_TAN:

Nebbermind:

Recently I came across 2 comments from diff parents.


Parent1 : This new (actually she has taken over for a few yrs if I remember correctly) principal not very good.
Me : What u mean? :scratchhead:
Parent1 : Oh, she only care about (academic) results and not the well being of the kids.
Me : :roll:

Parent2 : I donch like this GEP school.
Me : Why? :scratchhead:
Parent2 : Coz this school seems to be only training the kids to get good results in exams. Doesn't look very enriching as compare to xxx school. (This is her 2nd kid in GEP).

Well, sometimes life is so ironic!

:rotflmao:

But must ask Janet, Chen and beanbear if their kids were enriched by the schools in other areas....... :siam:

tired mom:

As parents, naturally we would like our kids to be in a school which will enrich them both academically and non-academically.


However, as the end-point of primary school is this major-ranking exercise called PSLE, I would think the school's principal aim should be academic.

As a parent, I hope that the school teach my kids adequately in the field of academics. I would rather spend time with my kids as a parent and not a tutor, building their characters and strengthening our family bonds. But very sad, it is not happening. I spend more than 80% of time with my oldest kid as her tutor. I concur with beanbear and Chen, that I think I make a better teacher to her in many subjects, but this is NOT what I want.

Nebbermind:

Recently I came across 2 comments from diff parents.


Parent1 : This new (actually she has taken over for a few yrs if I remember correctly) principal not very good.
Me : What u mean? :scratchhead:
Parent1 : Oh, she only care about (academic) results and not the well being of the kids.
Me : :roll:

Parent2 : I donch like this GEP school.
Me : Why? :scratchhead:
Parent2 : Coz this school seems to be only training the kids to get good results in exams. Doesn't look very enriching as compare to xxx school. (This is her 2nd kid in GEP).

Well, sometimes life is so ironic!

beanbear:

One critical skill eg in English comprehension is mining for meaning. I don't know how it is taught to my ds at school but I knew he was definitely not picking up the skills required at school. He was scoring 4 out of 20 for school tests & regular assignments. After I taught him to ask specific questions as he read each line, and to do annotation and to interpret questions, he moved up to 14 out of 20 at the next assignment given. This is literally within 2 lessons of being TAUGHT these skills.

beanbear:

I didn't know at first how to teach my son to do better in comprehension as I was unconsciously competent as an English speaker. I always scored well in English but I didn't quite know how to teach. Obviously right? I'm a parent not a trained teacher. Seeing my child failing miserably and coming from an English speaking family and he who was reading books daily, it's only with grt frustration that I felt I had to pull up my own sleeves and teach my son. I had to attend a very expensive 2-hr workshop conducted by a teacher to teachers. How did I learn about this teacher? From another parent at ksp.

beanbear:

So what does this tell u? Teaching is either inadequate or teachers are not properly trained to teach skills needed by students. Interesting I got ds to apply the same techniques to Chinese comprehension and he was able to score almost full marks for that section when previously was was again barely passing.

beanbear:

Ive lost trust in schools to teach adequately not when they r testing the kind of skills needed to pass or do well. I now don't take chances with ds3 who is in p1. He reads even more widely than my older 2 kids, has amazing vocabulary and is in stellar prog. But I've been burnt as a parent. I tutor him myself when previously my older 2 had no tuition for English from P1-4. I've had to arm myself with a whole shelf of English grammar reference books and assessments. He reads lots and listens for hours of audio CDs. Feels like I'm now an English tutor myself. Wished I didn't need to. Because I'd rather hv my kids learn English unconsciously when they r with me, picking up vocabulary and sentence structure through our daily conversations. But this kind of induction will not b adequate to help my child pass English at p5.