One of the things I discovered when Andre hit p5 this year was that the academic leap from p4 to p5 is like an Olympic high jump event. This is also true for the transition from p2 to p3 but I felt it more keenly this time.
I think part of the reason for this is the change in format. In English, for example, the paper is now divided into two sections, with Paper 1 being the MCQ portion and Paper 2 the open-ended section. Paper 2 is where the kids tend to have more problems. Accounting for 65 marks out of a total of 95, it comprises a few challenging parts, including the open-ended cloze and the comprehension passage which now contains 10 instead of 5 questions.
For maths too, there are now two papers - Paper 1 and Paper 2, with calculators allowed for Paper 2. The issue becomes a question of speed. For Paper 1, the kids need to complete 15 MCQ and 15 short questions in 50 minutes. This translates into 3 questions for every 5 minutes. Not a lot of time, considering this doesn't even leave any time for checking.
For Chinese, I think there's only a slight difference, with two comprehension passages instead of one. Science is the only subject where the format remains the same, since the curriculum is now taught based on topics from p3-p6.
Apart from format, the difficulty level across all subject too, increases significantly. At Andre's school (and I suspect this is true for many primary schools), they start setting papers at the p6 standard for p5. This is presumably an attempt to prepare the kids early for the PSLE but for the parents and students, it's extremely stressful.
Andre just had his CA1 before the one-week holidays and it was a mini culture shock for us. The bar was raised two steps, causing many kids to stumble. I heard through the grapevine that in some classes, more than half the kids flunked the maths paper. Similarly for English. Perhaps the school wants the exam to be a wake-up call for the kids but I've always been ambivalent about this issue. Will it spur the kids to work harder or simply demoralise them? My friend, Lilian thinks the Singapore school system makes students feel stupid and parents feel inadequate.
We'll keep chugging along of course, nothing else we can do about it. But the PSLE feels like a chain around my neck - I can't wait till it's over.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
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13 comments:
I never experienced the transition from P4 to P5 to P6, maybe that was a blessing :P Cos the only format we looked at from the start was PSLE paper format.
By the way, minor correction, I don't mean Sg school system as a whole, but schools that set ridiculously hard exams (that fail half a class of smart kids) just to trip elementary level kids do make them feel stupid and make parents more anxious than necessary. Andre's school seems to be doing this, and I just don't think it's healthy.
I can't be 100% sure but where Brian went for those few months of Pri 6, the papers weren't set unrealistically hard. They were manageable. And he didn't get a mountainload of worksheets to do either, even when PSLE was approaching. It could be different in P5, but somehow I don't think that that particular school focuses that much on squeezing top PSLE results from the kids. If the kids want, they can hop over to top tuition centres to be squeezed, the school doesn't do that. I think it's a lot healthier (or less unhealthy) this way, at least kids and parents have a choice to participate in the madness or not.
Anyway, PSLE is a rite of passage for all kids. Try to keep your head above water, and rise above all these 'noise'. These kids aren't gonna fail lah aiyohhh. I would question the school and the teachers, that they are doing a pretty lousy job if half the kids are failing in an exam! No performance bonus :P Imagine if their PB depends on the kids performance in CAs and SAs, everyone will get A*!
Anyway, I know you'll do a great job getting the job done haha. You did it with LA, you can do it with Andre!! Jia you...that said, Sg education system does send shudders down my spine hehe...
Lilian: Like you, this transition is a culture shock to me cos L-A's syllabus under GEP was different (plus I never really paid attention with her lah, haha).
I also don't understand why some schools must set questions just to trip kids up, I know Brian's school was one of the more relak one. I think it's a matter of school culture. I know the SAP schools are among the most kiasu, hmm...
I love the idea of the PB depending on kids performance. Wah, suddenly all the papers will be so easy!
Thanks for the encouragement, I'm not as confident as that, but getting swept away with the madness won't help matters, so I'm trying real hard to stay zhai!
Monica, hang in there! PSLE is national exam, won't be set at such ridiculously high standard. Andre is also in time (thank God) for the new IP schools which together with existing ones cater to top 30% instead of 10%.
You are right that usually schools use such difficult exams as wake up call. IMO, the crazy standards are due to schools being measured by exam results, teachers assessed by KPIs, PSLE holds the key to IP schools, very stretched kids, more highly educated "Tiger mums" (LOL) etc.
For mainstream kids, the ultimate is PSLE. Very very few get through DSA. So set your sights on PSLE. Don't let the school exams get you down. Just encourage him. Once Andre clears his PSLE, you can officially bid PSLE bye-bye *wink*. Jia you for both of you!
SL
SL: Thanks for the encouragement! But hah, I remember Lilian and I were telling ourselves during our elder kids' PSLE year that the PSLE exams won't be so hard, then WHAM! Killer maths paper. So it's still nerve-wrecking.
I didn't realise the new IP schools will cater to top 30%, I thought it was less than that. Even then, not sure if Andre will qualify :P But still got more than a year to go, so gotta keep pushing on!
The new IP plus existing ones will cater to 30%. Current ones only cater to ard top 10%. THAT Math paper is really one-off. In any case everyone found it tough and grades were modified via bell curve. Then 2010's Math paper was lot easier than THAT killer paper.
Just to remind you that you have been a great mum and Andre needs your encouragement. Cheers to all dedicated mums!
SL
SL: yeah, that seems to be the trend with MOE. Killer paper, parents complain, MOE deny but following year super easy. Let's see what happens with this year's paper!
Thanks for your support, greatly appreciated!
Completely agree with Lilian. That's why we opted out of the system and we homeschool! This way we can plan our curriculum over 6 years, only have the PSLE in our sights and not some arbitrary re-levelling at the whim and fancy of some school board.
I also completely agree because I was a "victim" of the system myself. That's why I homeschool with a vengeance! LOL! That said, all Andre needs is a supportive mother to balance things off and to correct the "messaging". And you are all that to him! So HUGS!
Angie: Sounds like you didn't enjoy the school system at all growing up, maybe cos you went to one of those high-flying ones? I kinda enjoyed mine cos it was a middling school and it wasn't such a pressure cooker environment back then.
Kudos to you for homeschooling, it's certainly not something I'd every parent can achieve. If I did, Andre probably would be completely uneducated by now, lol! Thanks for the encouragement!
I really do not look forward to PSLE....period. LOL
qx
QX: I think you have a couple more years to wait than me? Thanks for all the many comments, missed you on the blog!
Mon, I have been tardy....sorry.. I think getting to the PSLE journey is like facing the execution day and you know when it is coming. It does not matter how prepared...it just gives me such a feeling.... Even if the results are excellent...I don't think I will feel any joy....this whole journey just seems wrong to me.....perhaps you know what I mean...
qx
QX: I know what you mean. It's preparing like crazy for an event that actually has very little meaning. Sigh...
Hi
Came across your interesting blog, and thought u may also be interested in this petition by similar concerned parents on the education system :
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/SgEd2011/petition.html
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