I've come across a great blog and want to share it here:


http://hedgehogcomms.blogspot.sg/2012/10/piecing-together-psle-puzzle.html

The article has really made me to ponder over my views about PSLE results. As they are calculated based on the bell curve or t-score (your relative score), I'm more convinced that this is a fairer type of assessment since it takes into account other variables (e.g. difficulty of the papers). But witnessing so many children nowadays have been stressed, pressured and even gone hysterical, I wonder if it can help to de-stress the kids if the bell curve system is removed.

The blogger has pointed out:

\"Ranking fosters competition and discourages collaboration because it becomes a race where it's about outrunning your rivals rather than performing to the best of your ability. I'd rather score an A and have my schoolmates score Bs than score an A* along with everyone else.\"

I quite agree with him on this idea that this system is actually promoting an unhealthy competition.

For myself personally, I have been discouraged and depressed very much during my school years as despite how hard I kept trying, I seldom got the grades I wanted. I guess maybe a sense of achievement or a little of satisfaction could have made my school life better and more enjoyable!

Hi everyone,


My DS is taking his PSLE next year. I have looked through his math syllabus. I realized that they hardly teach any algebra and emphasize a lot on the model method. My problem is this - while the model method is good, I feel that they take too long to solve the more complicated problem sums which can easily be solved using algebra. For example, there were a number of time my DS approached me with a math problem and I tried solving it using models because that’s the way he was taught in school, but it just took so long!! And I could have easily solved the question using algebra.

So my questions are:

1) If my DS uses algebra in PSLE to solve questions, will he be penalized? Like are the markers looking specifically for the model method?

2) Should I even teach my son the algebra method? Or will it just confuse him? Because if I were to teach him algebra, I would prefer to start now so that he has at least one year to absorb it. My theory is that since he is going to learn it in secondary one anyway so he might as well start early right? Plus, it will give him an edge in PSLE!

Thanks!!

All of us wants the best for our DS and DDs included giving them a safe and playful childhood, but most importantly a stable and secure future, especially in a country like Singapore where education is everything. To be able to fulfill the latter I believe that a good education is the key and that’s why PSLE is so important for so many of us as PSLE is one of the important steps in being able to continue the advancement in the Singaporean school system.


-So at what age should you start to prepare for PSLE?
- How often do your kids have tuitions a week? How many hours? In order to safeguard their childhood and their future.

My DS has been taken tuitions for several years already but is it really necessary (and should it be) to put your child through tuitions to pass the PLSE with a good/average+ degree? Does someone has any experience to share?

All of us wants the best for our DS and DDs included giving them a safe and playful childhood, but most importantly a stable and secure future, especially in a country like Singapore where education is everything. To be able to fulfill the latter I believe that a good education is the key and that’s why PSLE is so important for so many of us as PSLE is one of the important steps in being able to continue the advancement in the Singaporean school system.


-So at what age should you start to prepare for PSLE?
- How often do your kids have tuitions a week? How many hours? In order to safeguard their childhood and their future.

My DS has been taken tuitions for several years already but is it really necessary (and should it be) to put your child through tuitions to pass the PLSE with a good/average+ degree? Does someone has any experience to share?

I agree with limiting TV time for my children, I believe some of the TV programs are too violent and do not teach them anything useful but rather encourage them to show bad behaviour. National geographic, discovery channel are channels that teach them useful and interesting things that can help them at school.


Reading, there are plenty of books out there designed specifically for children and a wide variety for all taste (fiction, comics, science, etc) reading helps children to remember good grammar and learn new words.

I agree with limiting TV time for my children, I believe some of the TV programs are too violent and do not teach them anything useful but rather encourage them to show bad behaviour. National geographic, discovery channel are channels that teach them useful and interesting things that can help them at school.


Reading, there are plenty of books out there designed specifically for children and a wide variety for all taste (fiction, comics, science, etc) reading helps children to remember good grammar and learn new words.

Thanks for the replies guys.


Correct me if I’m wrong, in most western countries like the US, the students only take SATs at the end of high school and bam! they go to university. So, the kids there are on pretty much the same playing field all the way till they are 18 years old. Whereas in Singapore, students have to take PSLE, "O", "N", and "A" Levels before they finally reach university. It’s like just when you think it’s over, you are up against the next big exam already. It’s an exam-crazy culture.

I actually prefer the US’s education system because firstly, it is much less stressful than our education system. Secondly, it builds better self-esteem because students are not given this message that they are lousier than other students in "better" schools at a young age. I remember when I was young, I would go for inter-school competitions and when I knew I was up against a good school, my morale would already deflate a little bit. Sometimes, I give my kid a Raffles paper to do and he is like "wuh, cannot la…they are too smart for me…" My son like me, had already lost the battle even before we stepped into the battlefield.

Perhaps, this constant streaming is necessary for our country because of our limited resources. After all, we don’t have that many schools like in the US. Over there, they have about 200 plus universities. We only have 3 so far. Therefore, competition is necessary because of the low supply. Sigh.

Actually is there any food that can make one more awake? I don’t really recommend coffee of course. Caffeine is not so good for health. I remember when I did my "O" levels I used to drink orange juice or Chicken’s Essence in the morning before the exam. Gave me such a mental boost!! And of course, when I was young, I also took Cod Liver Oil. Yummy!


Anyone else gives their kids interesting food?

http://www.todayonline.com/Hotnews/EDC120927-0000144/PSLE-is-needed-in-Singapore--PM-Lee


Not a new question actually! But when I read the article about PSLE on Today and saw PM Lee's saying, I really disagree with it.

He said \"There are many points in life where you have to prove yourself and demonstrate what you can do. You don't have to get into the right school and thereafter think that you are on an escalator ... So really it's your own ability and effort you have put in, the dedication of your teachers, and then you demonstrate what you can do at the stage of your life.\"

Then my point is if you don't have to get into the right secondary school, then you will bear the possibility of not getting into high school, and in turn not even in a good university.

It is this education system (which ironically PSLE is part of) that makes students so stressful since primary school. This is an escalator for anyone who wants to reserve a seat in university.

So if PSLE is axed, would it be better?

Hi guys,


Thank you so much for the replies!

As far as I know the changes to the English PSLE format for 2013 include:

a) Pupils’ grammar mastery will be explicitly assessed under the Editing segment.
b) Pupils will now have to deal with 3 passages in the Comprehension segment as compared to 2 passages in the current format.
c) Pupils have to respond personally to the Comprehension texts
d) The essay topics require pupils to merge all aspects of their writing skills ranging from the Narrative, Descriptive, Argumentative and Discursive.

Personally, I am quite happy with the changes because I feel that this is what English is supposed to be about - application. In the past, we had to do stuff like rearranging the sentences, close passage(guess the missing word) and comprehension was basically just lifting from the passage. I didn't think all that was helpful to me at all in terms of mastering the language. At least now the education system is teaching students how to express themselves and use language as a tool for communication rather than just another subject to be practiced over and over again in assessment books.

On a side note, I am also happy that quite a number of tuition centers, well at least from what I know, are already changing their teaching methods for PSLE English. Off the top of my head, The Alternative Story tuition centre, Young Champs Eduland and Raffles EduHub have already adapted to the changes.

So besides English, have there been any changes for Math and Chinese? Because I heard something about new types of questions for Math and something about lesser emphasis in the marks for Mother Tongue, i.e. Mother Tongue results will play a smaller role in entrance to secondary schools. Is this true?