P2 Math - General Discussion

[2galsmum]

Dear all,


Have to follow closely on this link now. My girl (P1) is lacking concentration with her Mathematics…one day ok, the other day forgottan, then another day remember again, then one fine day can forget again…recently got worried as SA is coming!!! Have been following closely, seems better but still cannot relax yet!!

Hubby thinks that its too early to get private tutor. Glad that I can still seek help here! She does not have abacus when young, is it due to this??

Thks

[corneyAmber]

2galsmum:

Dear all,


Have to follow closely on this link now. My girl (P1) is lacking concentration with her Mathematics.....one day ok, the other day forgottan, then another day remember again, then one fine day can forget again......recently got worried as SA is coming!!!! Have been following closely, seems better but still cannot relax yet!!

Hubby thinks that its too early to get private tutor. Glad that I can still seek help here! She does not have abacus when young, is it due to this??

Thks

Actually abacus does not teach Math concepts, it merely teaches the technique of +, -, /, x up to large numbers. One of my mummy-friends recently lamented about the lack of Math concept in her girl who is trained in abacus. So it depends what is the inconsistencies you are referring to about your girl. If her issue is in the 4 operations mentioned above, then yes, perhaps abacus may help her or even kumon classes, repeated grilling. However, if her issue is with Math concepts(ordinal, shapes, word problems etc) and not the operations only, then perhaps MPM, Sakatomo, Enopi or Learning point, Learning Lab will touch more in those areas. At her age, private tutor will be very dry, but going for the above-mentioned classes will be more interesting in a group learning environment. Hope this helps.

[buds]

2galsmum:

Dear all,


Have to follow closely on this link now. My girl (P1) is lacking concentration with her Mathematics.....one day ok, the other day forgottan, then another day remember again, then one fine day can forget again......recently got worried as SA is coming!!!! Have been following closely, seems better but still cannot relax yet!!

Hubby thinks that its too early to get private tutor. Glad that I can still seek help here! She does not have abacus when young, is it due to this??

Thks

Mine didn't do abacus either, she's doing fine.
If she's not like seriously failing or really not understanding
concepts in school, she wouldn't need a tutor just yet... Esp
if you can chip in to look into the revision yourself. The text
books wud have examples to show how the operations & other
Math concepts wud be done in school with the teacher..

Did yer gal's school do CA1?

Just to share, my girl also the forgetful kind.
I find that kiddies with average ability like
mine, need more practise to drill the method
in... more patience to sit with her and explain
to her... keep doing the weak areas together..

My bigger concern is more on the (seriously!)
lame careless mistakes which is the main reason
for her losing precious points. When she goes thru
the papers herself, she also felt so sayang the points
just go in the drain like that. Wrong answer nevermind
ya know. Correct working all done nice and neat and
clearly showing how she arrive at the answer... Skali
at the end when need to fill the answer in the box, write
wrongly... :stupid:

So, this coming SA1... i'm pushing for more on checking of
answers upon completion... now that concepts are in place.

Have you got the info of the SA1 Maths topics to study for, 2galsmum?

[2galsmum]

Hi ks2me and buds,


Thanks for the prompt feedback. ks2me makes me less guilty for not giving her abacus! Phew.

As for my girl, I think her prob lies mainly on no numbers sense (tat’s why I tot abacus would help) and like wat buds had mentioned, careless…which results in wasted marks. The problem I have now is that when she checks her work - she can erase the correct answer filled and input a wrong answer instead (especially maths)…gosh! Now trying hard to ask her to try to check AGAIN if 2nd time checking deviate from 1st answer!

Her chinese enrichment teacher commented tat her attitude may results to her not scoring in her paper (can pass but will have wasted points) which I realise tat too when I coach her for english and maths…Those typical stubborn type who thinks that checking is not necessary until I blow my top!

She does not have CA, just mini test…dunno about her maths results, think need to check with her form teacher…As for SA topics, thanks for reminding me, will check with her teacher as well…oops, think i not kiaus enuf!

[buds]

2galsmum:

Hi ks2me and buds,


Thanks for the prompt feedback. ks2me makes me less guilty for not giving her abacus! Phew.

As for my girl, I think her prob lies mainly on no numbers sense (tat's why I tot abacus would help) and like wat buds had mentioned, careless....which results in wasted marks. The problem I have now is that when she checks her work - she can erase the correct answer filled and input a wrong answer instead (especially maths)...gosh! Now trying hard to ask her to try to check AGAIN if 2nd time checking deviate from 1st answer!!

I get this too, 2galsmum... Dun worry, with gradual practise it WILL
improve. Stuff like concepts be it for learning or checking has to be
done over time and not dumped last minute.. Not to worry, the SA1
will be manageable..

Upon receiving the SA1 results and the papers, you will be able to
gauge more on her strengths and weaknesses in all areas and subjects.
Just try to cover all the topics in the list of topics to study for SA1 using
the school textbooks as revision and also provide for mock tests similar
to the school's structure... (you may reprint similar with changes to the
numbers and the children's names or items used in the questions)..

This will give sufficient preparation for the ever-happy-go-lucky children
who don't even know what good these tests will be for them. :lol: :lol:
They will just catch on the stress that you display... stay calm, focussed
and on track of what to study and look out for.

Mock papers revision will give the children a sense of time-frame.. Doing
a formal exam (marks recorded in report book) for the first time, some
children do not understand that they hafta finish attempting all the
questions within the half an hour.. so when we practise at home, try to
help them manage that time... Can explain that if exam starts at 10am,
by the time the clock turns to 11:30am, pencils down. If dunno how to
read clock, say when long hand stops at six and short hand is almost at
twelve, it is time to stop.. or just go digital.

During the home mock-exam, we should observe that the children TRY
all questions. Especially the MCQ. Guess if they have to... try not to leave
questions unanswered. When encountering difficult questions, that require
a lot of thinking time... offer option that they can attempt the next or the
easier questions first and come back to the difficult ones later on.. Again,
this has to be gradual coaching. First timers in mock tests may not come
back to the difficult questions cos not enough time or they genuinely have
trouble with it.. Try not to focus at the weakness of that immediately after
the 1st try, but more on the effort of the 1st try and offer encouragement
to them, that you will help them do better the 2nd round of practise...
preferably after a kiddie break - outdoorsy time or having a snack or
even on another day/time.

2galsmum:

Her chinese enrichment teacher commented tat her attitude may results to her not scoring in her paper (can pass but will have wasted points) which I realise tat too when I coach her for english and maths....Those typical stubborn type who thinks that checking is not necessary until I blow my top!

Yaa... they dun understand the need for tests... the need for checking...
the need to score the marks and stuff... it will take time. For mine - the
idea has sunk in, thankfully... so the effort is more willing, cos she is so
afraid to stay back in her level when everyone else get promoted up to
the next, heheheheee...

The exam-sense will come around sooner or later...

2galsmum:

She does not have CA, just mini test.....dunno about her maths results, think need to check with her form teacher........As for SA topics, thanks for reminding me, will check with her teacher as well....oops, think i not kiaus enuf!

No CA for mine too. But the daily checking of schoolwork and homework
(if any) and short daily revisions + some assessments has helped provide
the overview of what has been covered... where she needs more attention
to... and what other extra to prepare her for...

I don't totally cut TV time - but compromise to lesser TV time. Time to
play and unwind and the outdoors. Just imagine ourselves with only work
work work and no time to unwind... we would be cranky too.

[KS_me]

This is DS1 school recent math revision test. He got this wrong as he counted in the 2 units under stick B as part of B's length... I find it abit tricky though for a careless kid like him :roll:


http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV22Hvbi


http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV22HHF0

sorry for the low resolution. I've tried my best liao

[corneyAmber]

Yes Ks_me, my girl also came across such a question but it was on robots and she ignored the blocks and only counted the height of the robot. Honestly I was not sure if that was what was required until I checked the answer sheet and she was right. :lol:


In any case, I would start to post the tricky questions my girl encountered so that all P1 parents could have a feel of what are some of the unusual questions the P1 kids needed to face.

http://i724.photobucket.com/albums/ww246/ks2me/p1ribbon-1.jpg\">

The picture is not very clear because I don't have the paper with me so I took my own ribbon so it is not to exact scale.
Basically the question is if 1 box = 1 unit, what is the total length of the ribbon and pencil altogether?

My kid's answer was: 33 (Teacher's answer not sure yet cos paper has not returned yet)

What is yours?

[KSP]

If not 33 then I really don't know what other answer it can be..... :?

[san76]

ks2me:

The picture is not very clear because I don't have the paper with me so I took my own ribbon so it is not to exact scale.
Basically the question is if 1 box = 1 unit, what is the total length of the ribbon and pencil altogether?

My kid's answer was: 33 (Teacher's answer not sure yet cos paper has not returned yet)

What is yours?

Me too think it is 33, it can be correct or it can be wrong=too tricky.

Now P1/2 maths is no loner the straight forward like what we studied. School only teach the skeleton. The rest will fall back on the child's own little brainy to think.

Not an easy subject anymore. Its an IQ maths lesson. Agree?
Kids needs to be expose to all kinds of books and not only their text book. Alot of all these brain brain teaser are from magazines for kids and also website.

[corneyAmber]

KSP:

If not 33 then I really don't know what other answer it can be..... :?

The original question the ribbon was more folded so it created the feel that the length was as it was the folded length. So a possible way of looking at it would be including the folds, hence shorter.