Is our primary school education that tough?
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This is also because Singapore is an "asian" society, so naturally we create soulless zombie-robots. Typical confucian crap.
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Originally posted by M the name:
PSLE? PLEASE...
I CAN'T
TAKE IT
ANY MORE
One boy turns hysterical after being hothoused for PSLE for a year. Others refuse to go to school, suffer from insomnia or cut themselves to cope with Primary 6 stress
REPORT: FOO JIE YING
ON WEEKDAYS, he stayed up late to complete his homework and past-year exam papers.
On weekends, the Primary 6 student would be whisked off to other non-academic classes.
This was his schedule to prepare for the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE).
Dozing off on car rides was his way of catching up
on sleep.This went on for nearly a year, before the boy broke down and went hysterical, said psychologist Daniel Koh.
It was only then that the 12-year-old's parents realised that they had pushed him over the edge.
By then, it was too late.
Every child reacts differently to exam stress, said Dr Ken Ung, a senior consultant at Adam Road Medical Centre.
It could be in the form of unexplained insomnia, stomachaches, and headaches. In more extreme cases, it could drive children to cutting and scratching themselves, he said.
Yesterday, The New Paper reported that a Pri 6 boy apparently wrote a letter saying he was stressed out by the coming PSLE exam before he went missing for three days.
The boy was found on Thursday and reunited with his family.
Mrs Bernadette Lim, 43, admits to giving her son too much stress when he was in Pri 6 last year.
She arranged for a tutor for every subject that year although he did not have any problems with his school work.
"He was always an above-average student," said the housewife.
"But I wanted him to do better to get into a top school."
Only when he refused to go to school did she realise that something was wrong.
Now, instead of engaging tutors for her son on her terms she checks with him regularly to make sure he is coping well in school.
While stress is inevitable when it comes to major exams like the PSLE, child psychiatrist Brian Yeo said parents shall be conscious the message they are sending to their children.
"Some parents unconsciously stress our their children With their thoughts, actions and behaviour," he said.
One such instance is comparing the child with other children.
"You may not overtly say so, but the child is affected."
Singapore Children's Society's youth services director,
Dr Carol 'Balhetchet, said parents need to manage their expectations.She cited an example of a boy who did well enough in PSLE to get to a secondary school that was slightly above average.
His parents, however, wanted him to retake his PSLE so that he could get into a top schooL
"I think that's very unfair," said Dr Balhetchet.
Tinkle Frieqd Helpline Coordinator Goh Ii Shan came across a mother who cried when her son got an aggregate of251 for PSLE.
"She was expecting him to obtain much higher marks, so 251 was considered low to her," said Ms Goh.
She noted, however, that such parents are in the minority.
Different perspective
To help parents battle this stress, Dr Yeo tries to show them a different perspective when it comes to exams like the PSLE.
"While it is important to do well in school, at the end of the day, PSLE is a bridge to the child's next stage in life," said Dr Yeo.
"It is okay so long as you can do sufficiently well to enter the next stage."
To make sure children do not burn out under exam stress, Dr Ung emphasises the importance of balance.
"Stress comes when balance is lost. If the kid is working hard, he or she should be allowed down time to play hard and relax," he said
Dr Balhetchet agrees. She saw no point in depriving children of the freedom to do what they want.
"We might as well put our children in little prisons, give them books and put in some food," she said.
CALL FOR HELP
Singapore
Children's Society
Tinkle Friend:
1800-274-4788
Weekdays:
9.30am-11.30am,
2.30pm-5.30pm
Samaritans of
Singapore (SOS):
1800-221-4444
(24 hours)
Youth Line:
6336-3434
Weekdays,
8.30am-6pmNews, The New Paper, Saturday, August 18 2012, Pg 2-3
PSLE should be abolished. It's way too stressful for the kid. They are just 12 years old! -
MOE should be dissolved also.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFP0yLKtk2g&feature=b-cat-autos
look at just how harsh is the teacher
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the difference in education in the western country and the asia ones, is just like the difference between left wing and right wing in political scenes.
There is no way to change this. Its just the different belief in the parents.
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Originally posted by I.imba:
the difference in education in the western country and the asia ones, is just like the difference between left wing and right wing in political scenes.
There is no way to change this. Its just the different belief in the parents.
This is also the difference between creating innovators, and mass producing drones.
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Tutors gear up for PSLE English changes
Tuition centres plan more interactive classes, more parental involvement
By KEZIA TOH
and MATTHIAS CHEWWHEN you take your kids shopping, ask them to tell you why customers have to walk a fair bit in some outlets before reaching the checkout counters.
This is one way parents can help their children hone their ability to analyse situations as well as improve their spoken and written English, two cornerstones of the new upper primary English syllabus. This is one tip English tutor Mae-ann Sahai, from The Alternative Story tuition centre, will share at workshops for parents.
The Education Ministry announced on Sept 3 that it will change the way English is taught to upper primary pupils in a bid to make them speak the language more confidently and know how to use it beyond the classroom.
The change takes effect next year, starting with the 40,000 pupils in Primary 4, who will get a revised syllabus. When they sit the Primary School Leaving Examination in 2015, they will get a restructured English paper.
With the new syllabus, tuition centres said traditional ways of prepping for the exam, via assessment books and past years' test papers, will no longer be enough.
Pupils will need to raise their command of English and that will have to start at home. At The Alternative Story, this means roping in parents and placing a greater emphasis on reading - and expanding the scope of what is read.
Its director, Mr Martin Wong, said: "We would start to select and introduce good books on leadership, creativity, autobiographies and others that are suitable for children to read."
At Young Champs Eduland, operations manager Teo Chang Wee expects to roll out upper primary creative-writing classes next year, which will have pupils working in small groups to brainstorm ideas and use different voice inflections to convey meaning while presenting their work.
Raffles EduHub will run more activities that call for storytelling and role-playing via speech and drama classes, said founder Zhong Rui Wen.
With the new syllabus focusing on speaking and writing well, pupils can also expect a less exam-oriented tack from tutors.
For example, tutors can now choose from a wider range of teaching materials, said Ms Summer Toh, who started The Water Family Enrichment Centre.
"I can even take in my lunch and get pupils to talk creatively about it," she said.
Others said that to help pupils tackle the new exam format, traditional drilling methods need to be made more challenging.
This means giving fewer helping questions for composition writing, said Mrs Amy Bellars, who owns Growan Learning Centre. She plans to make pupils search for and correct misspelt words in an editing exercise.
But drilling for exams will not disappear entirely. Guiding principles, such as being able to think critically to identify main themes, are still there, said Ms Toh.
Tutors said mastering grammar and spelling are still important. No matter how the syllabus is altered, there are strategies to help pupils score, said English writing coach Adeline Yeo.
"Even with authentic response, students still have to take note of certain exam-smart techniques such as highlighting key words."
Parents said that while the new syllabus will raise standards, they also worry about whether their children can cope.
Food business owner Nancy Wong, 35, who has a son in Primary 3, fears there is only so much tutors can do now, given the new syllabus' slant. She is pinning her hopes on early preparation.
"I don't think the changes will take place overnight. There will still be children who give similar viewpoints and answers, but they can be coached."
Changes to the PSLE English paper at a glance
CONTINUOUS WRITING
• Now: Pupils pick from two questions with fixed scenarios to write a narrative essay.
• 2015: They can weave a story from pictures. For example, a pupil may get a series of three pictures and can come up with s story based on all three or just one.
OPEN-ENDED COMPREHENSION
• Now: Questions requires answers to be given in a line or two.
• 2015: Questions will be more varied and may include tables which must be filled in with facts from the passage.
LISTENING COMPREHENSION
• 2015: Questions will use more graphics compared to the existing paper.
ORAL COMMUNICATION
• Now: Pupils discuss what is shown in the picture and move on to a conversation.
• 2015: They will be give their personal response to an image linked thematically to a reading passage.
Home,The Straits Times,Monday, September 10 2012, Pg B1
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Yeah, education too stressed liao
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There are too many flaws in the education system: 1. Students compete for schools. Because everyone all want to go to the same old top schools. If we make ALL schools the same standard, or at least abolish the ways we compare the schools (by releasing O level scores, by giving SAA, SEA, BPA awards, by making competition such as B div, SYF and NCC PDS) then parents will have no way of telling which school is better, and no mad rush for top schools. If you assured you CAN go to the school you want to, you dont need to push yourself to study like mad to beat the other guy. Just maybe study to get a A instead. 2. We must complete our education in <20 years. Therefore you must go to school every weekday, from 7 to 4pm, and study 7 subjects at once. Why cant MOE let students own time own target? Even if 40 then finish university, its the students own life what, why force him to work early. After all, some PhD people dont work until like 40+. 3. We must do unecessary subjects. Especally Mother Tongue. History wont help someone at all when he becomes a doctor. Bio/Chem/Physics wont help someone at all when he becomes a lawyer. AND MT DONT HELP ANYONE AT ALL UNLESS HE DO LIKE CHINA/INDIA/MALAYSIA STUDIES. Govt say this is cause students may not know what they REALLY want to be when they grow up, so be all rounder at Sec school level. Cut out all the crap and make life easier for the students. When students say he want to be a engineer at age 12, then cut out all the humans. If he cannot become enginner when he grows up, then he can go back and study humans again. Problem solved. 4.Now everyone is looking at CCA to see how "passionate" a student is about what he does. Simply if his CCA very good, got NCC seargent , band conductor or office bearer, then he is passionate. BUT The problem is, STUDENTS HAVE TO DO CCA AFTER SCHOOL. HOW TO BE PASSIONATE AND ENERGETIC WHEN YOU WASTED 3/4 of YOUR ENERGY STUDYING SHIT?And students must also balance STUDYING WITH CCA. As a result, student who CCA potentially GOOD but STUDIES not as good think I MUST STUDY HARDER, and CONCENTRATE LESS ON CCA. Solution: Turn CCA into ACA. After curricular activities. Only make students do CCA after they GRADUATE from Primary or Secondary school.
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Originally posted by 238:
There are too many flaws in the education system:
1. Students compete for schools. Because everyone all want to go to the same old top schools. If we make ALL schools the same standard, or at least abolish the ways we compare the schools (by releasing O level scores, by giving SAA, SEA, BPA awards, by making competition such as B div, SYF and NCC PDS) then parents will have no way of telling which school is better, and no mad rush for top schools. If you assured you CAN go to the school you want to, you dont need to push yourself to study like mad to beat the other guy. Just maybe study to get a A instead.
2. We must complete our education in
Why cant MOE let students own time own target? Even if 40 then finish university, its the students own life what, why force him to work early. After all, some PhD people dont work until like 40+.3. We must do unecessary subjects. Especally Mother Tongue. History wont help someone at all when he becomes a doctor. Bio/Chem/Physics wont help someone at all when he becomes a lawyer. AND MT DONT HELP ANYONE AT ALL UNLESS HE DO LIKE CHINA/INDIA/MALAYSIA STUDIES. Govt say this is cause students may not know what they REALLY want to be when they grow up, so be all rounder at Sec school level.
Cut out all the crap and make life easier for the students. When students say he want to be a engineer at age 12, then cut out all the humans. If he cannot become enginner when he grows up, then he can go back and study humans again. Problem solved.
4.Now everyone is looking at CCA to see how “passionate” a student is about what he does. Simply if his CCA very good, got NCC seargent , band conductor or office bearer, then he is passionate. BUT The problem is, STUDENTS HAVE TO DO CCA AFTER SCHOOL. HOW TO BE PASSIONATE AND ENERGETIC WHEN YOU WASTED 3/4 of YOUR ENERGY STUDYING SHIT?And students must also balance STUDYING WITH CCA. As a result, student who CCA potentially GOOD but STUDIES not as good think I MUST STUDY HARDER, and CONCENTRATE LESS ON CCA.
Solution: Turn CCA into ACA. After curricular activities. Only make students do CCA after they GRADUATE from Primary or Secondary school.
All this post shows is that our English education has failed you terribly.
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Originally posted by 238:
There are too many flaws in the education system:
1. Students compete for schools. Because everyone all want to go to the same old top schools. If we make ALL schools the same standard, or at least abolish the ways we compare the schools (by releasing O level scores, by giving SAA, SEA, BPA awards, by making competition such as B div, SYF and NCC PDS) then parents will have no way of telling which school is better, and no mad rush for top schools. If you assured you CAN go to the school you want to, you dont need to push yourself to study like mad to beat the other guy. Just maybe study to get a A instead.
2. We must complete our education in
Why cant MOE let students own time own target? Even if 40 then finish university, its the students own life what, why force him to work early. After all, some PhD people dont work until like 40+.3. We must do unecessary subjects. Especally Mother Tongue. History wont help someone at all when he becomes a doctor. Bio/Chem/Physics wont help someone at all when he becomes a lawyer. AND MT DONT HELP ANYONE AT ALL UNLESS HE DO LIKE CHINA/INDIA/MALAYSIA STUDIES. Govt say this is cause students may not know what they REALLY want to be when they grow up, so be all rounder at Sec school level.
Cut out all the crap and make life easier for the students. When students say he want to be a engineer at age 12, then cut out all the humans. If he cannot become enginner when he grows up, then he can go back and study humans again. Problem solved.
4.Now everyone is looking at CCA to see how “passionate” a student is about what he does. Simply if his CCA very good, got NCC seargent , band conductor or office bearer, then he is passionate. BUT The problem is, STUDENTS HAVE TO DO CCA AFTER SCHOOL. HOW TO BE PASSIONATE AND ENERGETIC WHEN YOU WASTED 3/4 of YOUR ENERGY STUDYING SHIT?And students must also balance STUDYING WITH CCA. As a result, student who CCA potentially GOOD but STUDIES not as good think I MUST STUDY HARDER, and CONCENTRATE LESS ON CCA.
Solution: Turn CCA into ACA. After curricular activities. Only make students do CCA after they GRADUATE from Primary or Secondary school.
1) Lol, we always have PSLE aggregrate score for secondary. The higher the aggregrate, the more desirable the school.
2) Our youth is limited, unless you very rich, parents can provide for you til you are 40.
3) It would be nice if I could get a wide range of subjects. I want to study astronomy! I love humanities subject very much. I want to major in a social science subject one day!
4) What? CCA after graduation? Nooooooooooooo! Where's my SYF medal? Where's my public performance? Must my entire school life be about studying?
Sorry, I want to live my entire secondary school life getting good grades, have a chance at public speaking( I am in the drama club), getting medals and in a lot of exciting events.
You don't have a life at school, 238.
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Hi guys, agree that education is so one-dimensional in Singapore and our children are becoming one-dimensional too. There's been so much talk recently about revamping the education (no more banding system, normal tech only schools etc) but I really hope it's not just lip service.
Just to share with you all, it is with this vision of empowering our youths to think for themselves and also to encourage them to explore all areas of of their interests and not just in studies, we've come up a digital magazine for secondary school students. It's called ClassACT. You can search for it on your iPad app store. This is our first issue, but I hope that more teenagers will step up to show
case their talents in the upcoming issues.
Thanks for the support and let me know if there's anything I can do to contribute to the Singapore education landscape.
Cheers!
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I grew up not to thank my primary school teachers but instead to hate some of them
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For those who wanted to search for Singapore Top 10 Primary Schools' Model Test Paper : http://www.student-star.com
Also do take notice that every year, Mediacorp will always have an PSLE boot camp for student who are interested in improving themselves : http://entertains.mediacorp.sg
And check Power Revision Series Workshop for PSLE from iSun Education : http://isunworld.com
Those who need help in PSLE maths could check out :
1) iCreative Maths : http://icreative-math.weebly.com
2) Great Minds : http://www.greatminds.edu.sg
3) Neuromath : http://neuromathacademy.com
4) Math Academy : http://www.mathacademysg.com
5) True Learning Centre : http://www.truelearning.com.sg
6) Learning Mastery : http://www.learningmastery.com
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its definitely is, as a tutor at times, we may take some time to answer the question not because the question is hard but the sentence strucutre of the question have some issue
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Mathematics is VERY much necessary.
It is not all about numbers of science alone. You might not include it into your future career.
Mathematics help develop logical thinking and reasoning if taught early in childhood. It develops the brain.
This is why you see so many mathematics questions similar to those in IQ test. This is actually to train the personals logical thinking similar to those in IQ test, testing your logical and reasoning conclusion.