Exam Preparation

[Steadyberry]

Hi ammonite


I wish I can be in lalaland like you. But I just can’t help it. The recent ca1 gave parents a shock. Ave mark for the whole cohort dropped to less than 60 for all subjects. This is only P3. I wonder whether the kids will fail by end of this year. My ds is not affected by this ca1 but am worried for him so better start sa1 prep now.

[metz]

TheAnswer:

metz:

[quote=\"TheAnswer\"]

To be honest, the upper primary Maths standard is shocking now. The questions are grossly tough. You will be surprised to find students who received only 25 marks for their P6 SA1. I am trying to avoid such scenarios.

My sister has also been stressing on that repeatedly. As far as she can, she would want to avoid such scenarios too.

Thanks for your sharing. Currently, my niece stays with her grandmother during the weekdays and goes home only during the weekends. (My sister will drop by to spend some time with her kids though.)

Metz,

How old are your kids? How old are your sister's kids?[/quote]She has one in K2 and another toddler turning 2 soon. I am worried her tutoring experience with weaker students might have a negative impact on her and her kids. Furthermore, my niece will be attending a branded primary school next year. Hopefully, things will turn out like yours when my niece returns to stay with her parents next year.

Mine P2 and P4.

[ammonite]

Steadyberry:

Hi ammonite


I wish I can be in lalaland like you. But I just can't help it. The recent ca1 gave parents a shock. Ave mark for the whole cohort dropped to less than 60 for all subjects. This is only P3. I wonder whether the kids will fail by end of this year. My ds is not affected by this ca1 but am worried for him so better start sa1 prep now.

I guess in your shoes,I will look through the paper to see if it is realistically pitched. After all it is the entire cohort suffering together, and cannot be that they are all so bad right? I have relatives in branded and non branded schools and they are a sounding board for me. Last yr ds was given some tough maths homework, but upon checking I found out that even some p3 kids can't do them. I showed him the method but did not agonize over it. So chill lah. I only care if he is being properly prepared for PSLE, and for that, at this level, is all about good basics eg grammar instead of creative writing. Solid time tables, instead of fancy models.

[sharonkhoo]

ammonite:

I only care if he is being properly prepared for PSLE, and for that, at this level, is all about good basics eg grammar instead of creative writing. Solid time tables, instead of fancy models.

I believe at working steadily through the year, clearing up difficulties on the way, and being disciplined and organised in making sure things don't get overlooked. I tell my kids that they should be prepared to be tested on what they have covered at any time, and not only work when they know a test or exam is coming. Of course I did help them make a revision plan towards exams when they were in Pr school, but it was just setting aside some time a day to do a bit of extra review or practice. When in lower Pr, that could be just 30 mins a day, building up to maybe 2 hrs in upper Pr and later. I count school homework as part of revision as well, especially when the teacher gives past papers as homework. My kids are teens now, so revision is something I leave to them to plan for themselves. I just ask them if they have started revising and if they need help. My younger daughter did PSLE a couple of years ago, and except for the weekends that fell in the middle of prelims and the PSLE, she actually did have free weekends all year. She is admittedly a strong student and well-disciplined, so when she says she doesn't need to revise, I take her at her word.

[TheAnswer]

For parents who are interested to help your child to improve their English creative writing, I suggest you take a look at the following books in popular.


1. Quick Reference to Creative Writing
2. Thematic Creative Writing
3. Conquer English Creative Writing

There are themes in the first and second book which you can use as a guide line.

Every week I will select a theme and coach DS.

1. Brainstorm together (Lead, Guide and Encourage the child to list down phrases that he already knows)

2. Do a flash back of relevant phrases (ie superlatives, adjectives, synonyms, phrasal verbs etc)

3. Mindmaps (who, what, when, where, how) Let the child create his own story first. Let him know that you value his ideas.

4. Improve the storyline together

5. Before he writes his story, I will provide a model essay for him to read so that it can help him boost his ideas even further. He can use the phrases inside the essay.
I usually suggest that he underlines those phrases in the model essay.

6. New words are listed in his vocabulary book and he will learn their meanings and do sentence construction.

[jedamum]

TheAnswer,

Thanks for sharing!
i did have 'creative writing' session with ds1 when he was in lower primary nearing exam period, before we outsourced during mid primary. was very on ah...every week also do revision for different subjects. reap the benefits of regular revision, no doubt about it.
now for ds2, i no steam* already. :faint: all outsource :oops: and when he free, shooed him to go read books...

p/s:* last time stayed with ILs, so no need to do so much housework! :siam: :oops:

[TheAnswer]

I only have 1 DS. Still have some steam left. I do not teach tuition on Tuesday. Need to recuperate and rest well. It has been a tiring week.

[TheAnswer]

metz:

She has one in K2 and another toddler turning 2 soon. I am worried her tutoring experience with weaker students might have a negative impact on her and her kids. Furthermore, my niece will be attending a branded primary school next year. Hopefully, things will turn out like yours when my niece returns to stay with her parents next year.

Mine P2 and P4.

K2 doesn't really need much coaching. At that age, DS was mostly playing. He only did 2-3 pages of Jumbo Series on every weekday. I started coaching him P1 syllabus from September onwards.

[Giggler1]

Hi, sounds like most of your kids’ foundation are strong so don’t need to spend too much time on revision.


My dd’s foundation is weak so on weekdays she has to do her school homework and we only have weekends for revision and learn spelling & ting xie. No time for leisure at all.

[TheAnswer]

Giggler1:

Hi, sounds like most of your kids' foundation are strong so don't need to spend too much time on revision.


My dd's foundation is weak so on weekdays she has to do her school homework and we only have weekends for revision and learn spelling & ting xie. No time for leisure at all.

How old is your DD?