(2001) calling all 2001 babies

[zhen49]

Lim,
I'm going to your kid's school later for registration...my boy keep reminding me to register in the 'Robotics' school. He said he is very excited.

I on the other hand, is pretty impressed by last year's psle results...hope they can maintain this standard.
For blogging...do you intend to teach your boy typing first? Cos the train of thoughts may be broken by the time they found the correct key to type out the words. JMO.

 

[maggielhg]

Hi, Lim

Just wondering would it be better to ask your son to write his own journal rather than type in the blog? I've heard feedback from other parents and teachers that it will be better to encourage them to write, rather than type, especially at their age so that they can practice their 'handwriting' + as fz mentioned, unless they are proficient with keyboard typing, they will not be able to put across their thoughts effectively...just some of my thoughts on this

 

[mangotree]

Any of you staying in Toa Payoh and kids studying in Pei Chun Public School?

 

[biyan]

I intend to start slow. He knows how to place his fingers on the keyboard, but still alphabet by alphabet. I will have to blog with him, "write" with him. Problem - it is time consuming. I am treating it as a fashionable creative writing session. I hope to guide him through internet to identify the dos and don'ts eg. cannot take picture of his birdie to post on web, use proper language etc. As for the handwriting training, I am glad that I have already addressed this with my son. He now takes pride in his handwriting (both English and Chinese).

fz,
Nice to know that I will soon have a Lianhuarian parent to gossip on-line.

 

[zhen49]

Lim,
Ya...senior.

 

[biyan]

Fz,
Lianhua is a dark-horse. There are good things happening, improvements in place. But honestly,in our neighborhood there are some children not as privilege as ours, there are also a number of foreign students plus the school is very compassionate, so at the end of the day it is really hard to predict the overall standard.

 

[zhen49]

Lim,
Actually it is your commitment to the school (as part of the PSG) that impressed me.
Compassion and openness to feedback is also one of the few criteria, i look for in a school too.
Yes, I believe my kid is one of the privileged few as I do supplement his learning at home.
My boy is currently studying in a pcf across the road, so i guess he has no problem socialising with kids from all walks of life.

I hope that the teachers and students are motivated by last year's results to keep up the good work, just as I do.

 

[biyan]

Well, there is just so much / little that we as parents can do, the real break-through have to come from the children.

 

[zhen49]

Lim,
yes i agree.
So..is it true that they have 'streaming' at end of P1? I also read that they have a 'numeracy test' during orientation or start of school.
We registered just now... one staff is kind enough to let us do a quick walk around the school.

 

[biyan]

At orientation, there is a very simple 2+2=4 test to sift out those who need special care eg. additional afternoon tuition classes. Don't need to worry about it. Then, there will be streaming into 3 level Chinese classes after 3 months to sift out one top Chinese class, two or three middle class and the last for those weak ones. At the end of P1, they will shift out a DIAMOND class to be given special attention aiming to score 270 points and above in PSLE. Over the next 5 years the DIAMONDS may fall out to other precious stone classes if they are not shiny enough. Other precious stones are loved all the same - a lady principal.

 

[zhen49]

Lim,
Thanks for the valuable information.

 

[ah_peng]

Just like to find out, is your son/daughter in P1 given homework to do every day? At least every other day? My daughter's P1 teacher says she doesn't believe in homework. The school will start homework only in P2. So my "lucky" daughter gets to play day after day at home. I have to "interfere" to make her do assessment books. Is this good or bad??? Just don't think children should be playing whole day long.....

 

[worry28297]

pretty princess
My son do hv homework everyday... I think diff sch diff teaching method since ur daughter's teacher said that, its could be hv her own way/method of teaching.. I dun think is bad to give her assessment books to do at least when she reach P2 she wont feel so stress..

 

[zeemimi]

pretty princess

actually in schools in Australia, UK, US, they don't have much or any homework to do. Everything is done in school. So when the kids come home, it is really play and relax time for them.

Personally i like that too. Work is really work and play is really play time.

Unfortunately it is not so in Spore. Homework becomes an integral part of a school kid so much so that when there isn't any homework, we feel that something is wrong.

Some schools i know don't give h/w at P1-P3. But they can't afford to do that cos the child has to sit for PSLE at the end of P6 like all other P6. So P4 onwards the school start loading them with h/w.

The kids have a long way to go in education. Think letting them play at P1 is fine. Most kids adapt pretty easily.

 

[biyan]

Dear ZMM,

The problem is the no homework does not = no exam. The exams are such that children need more practice to score. If they do not workout at home during regular days, their grades will suffer.

 

[michelle.nglh]

Hi mummies,
long time din come in here n chat.
I feel so sad abt my son. His form teacher always write comments abt him didn't hand in his hmework on time. I don't knw whether he's daydreaming or talking to his fren or watever as I'm not there. His teacher always told me to remind him but I always told him to hand in his hmework in the following day. Few days later, teacher will still write again. I really don't knw wat to do.

Recently another complain from teachers telling me tat he's not attentive in class. Aiyo! How ah?

<font color="ff0000">biyan,</font>
I do blogging for my kids. Can share yours?

 

[worry28297]

Hi Batman
I think children at this age tend to forget things easily... like my son also same as urs, he always forget to pass up his homework, no matter how many times i remind him he sure forget. One day he told me that today hv homework and the book is inside his sch bag. When i search his bag, i didnt find his homework book ended up he pass it up early and he forgot that... ;( I always tease him " U need to drink "PIG BRAIN SOUP" he looks so scare and tell me he dun want to drink!!!" hahaha

 

[sj_ong]

Hi Mummies

My girl is in P1 this year too. Wondering if your kids join any school CCA? I thought of using swimming as a CCA for my girl but the school does not have it as a CCA. According to the swim coach, they can write a letter for that. Any comments?

Wondering if your children's school has computer lesson? I thought it was nice that my girl's school has it for once a week. Sorry... Very suaku... not sure if others have or not.

Seems like most of our kids have homework... Haiz... Not easy being a student nowadays....

batman = SnowQueen
You blog for your kids too?

I blog for my kids too! Would you like to share? WE can PM each other.

Lim
My girl blog too but not often and I kept it private coz still decorating her blog I don't push her to do it, only when she feels like typing.

 

[worry28297]

Hi LZmommy
Agreed with u, not easy being a student nowaday... My son school do hv computer lesson but they only teach them to use it when they reach P3/4.. as for CCA at this moment my son do not hv any, i think when they reach P4 onwards they hv to choose either one... Is ur gal having exam soon? My son is having his CA2 exam this month and i'm stress dunno how to coach him?

 

[michelle.nglh]

LZmommy,
I have PM you just now.

For CCA, my son's sch do have swimming but only for P3. But now he's already on swimming training since he's 5 yo.

 

[biyan]

Ideally, if schools do not load homework, parents can encourage children to pursue general learning interests at their desired speed. I wish I have time to bring my son outdoors, to the zoo, nature parks... to the science centre, guide him read newspaper, internet...Now I imagine I will do all these if I am a SAHM but I have no plan for that yet.

As for blog, to "blog with" not "blog for" my son is very time consuming... and difficult to catch on.

 

[biyan]

What's PM ?

 

[michelle.nglh]

biyan,
It's Private message.

I tried PM you but you don't accept PM.
Can you give me your blog link?

 

[sj_ong]

Fion

Thanks for your reply

My girl does not have CA2, only SA2 coming in Oct. What I normally do is ask her to do assessment books. Whatever topic the school is covering now, I will go through with her.

SnowQueen
I have PM you my blog addy

My girl started about the same time too. Back then, it was more like child's play. Now that I have changed her swim coach, the coach wants her to do competitive swim which she is interested.

 

[worry28297]

LZmommy
Good for your gal... at least she wont feels stressful studying... my son each term hv an exam dunno is good or bad to him... Perhaps his sch is more kiasu type

 

[hippo2002]

Hi mommies

when would the child be required to take CCA?

Is CCA compulsory or optional?

if that CCA is not available in school (eg. gymnastics), can we take private lessons &amp; still count towards one CCA?


Thanks for your advice

 

[worry28297]

Hi sleepy resolutions
From wat i've understand, if the sch do hv CCA they will want every of the students to take part and i dun think they allow student to take up private lessons as counted in their CCA categories. This is wat i think but is all depend on the school policy. Perhaps u make a call and find out from ur child sch??

 

[biyan]

Dear SnowQueen,

Thanks for reminding, I just activated my PM link, now can PM already. I am so blurrr.

 

[mangotree]

Fion

What school is your son attending? My son has CA2 next week too. I am equally stressed as you but kids dont feel anything. haha.

 

[worry28297]

auntiemoi
He studying at Canberra Primary School situated at Sembawang..today he hv English listening compre &amp; writting expression... and his main paper will start next wk too..

Ya lor, my son dun feel anything.. I asked him before, ur exam is round the corner did u afraid.. cos i see u playing rather than studying... He said "mummy of course i'm afraid... but next moment, he play with his transformer toys!!!! Sigh... Based on our times, we so scared and keep doing revision... nowsaday their times are so much diff from us..

 

[wahwah]

Hi Fion,
My boy is also in Canberra Pri. How do you find the school? Any idea how your boy's teacher teaches them compo writing? All that my boy has done was 3 pieces of compo writing, 1 done at home, 1 copied from the board and 1 done on his own. What about your son?

Think I am equally stressed...

 

[biyan]

Listening compre and written expression for CA ??! That's too much! Isn't CA just a form of test? Full exam for CA? That is very stressful. Just imagine in 2 months time there cames SA2. My P1 son is enjoying his 2 days school holiday, he said no homework today, only work tomorrow.

 

[worry28297]

Wahwah
My boy currently in P1, so for compo they didn't give much... normally they do it in the class.. Ur boy currently in which level?

 

[worry28297]

Lim
In CA2 paper consist of Vocab (MCQ &amp; FIB), Grammer (MCQ &amp; FIB), Work Order, Compreh (MCQ &amp; OE)... all the paper regarless of CA1/2, SA1/2 are the same setting.... ;( but for compo i think they are now slowly give them bit by bit... so far in CA2 practice paper they dont hv... but i think compo will becoming when they reach P2 bah...

 

[biyan]

Wah !

 

[worry28297]

Hi mummies..

Comprehension
My boy yesterday he shows me his practice CA2 paper, i found out that he is very poor in compre... section. I told him to read more books to improve his english and his understand power... but still the same... How?? Any other method can recommend me?? Thanks.

 

[michelle.nglh]

biyan,
I have sent you email liao.
Can share your blog?

 

[michelle.nglh]

LZmommy,
Are u SAHM or FTWM?
Can share how u do your bento? It's really nice leh...make me so tempted to make for my kids.

 

[biyan]

Dear SnowQueen,

Started the blog but my boy not keen and we are too busy doing everything else, so blog very empty.

Fion,

I did a few open-ended compre practices with my boy, out of 5 questions, he had 1 or 2 grammar mistakes (can even forget fullstop and capital letter), 1 error in understanding the question. May end up scoring as bad as 6/10 or 5/10. I will have to try many more compre practices with him to clean up his grammar and to make sure he answers in complete sentences. As for content understanding, only extensive reading can do the trick. I find that reading non fiction helps compre while fiction helps written expression.

 

[wahwah]

Hi Fion,
My boy is also in P1. The written expression paper they sat for yesterday was something like compo writing, they were given 4 pictures, each picture comes with 3 helping words. According to my son's teacher, they are suppose to write a story base on the pictures given.

Rather worried about his grammar, reminded him to check his tenses and spelling in the compo, he has been trained to write in past tense, but he tends to forget as he writes. How about your son?

With regards to comprehension, I believe practise makes perfect, so I have been getting my boy to do comprehension exercises, try to expose him to different question type.

 

[worry28297]

Wahwah
Oh i c.. my boy is in P1 care 10, how abt ur boy? Haha perhaps we met before... Ya i also quite worried abt his grammar..esp when he do the word order, he always forgot to start with Capital letter and ended with punctuation... Sigh...

Lim/Wahwah
Thanks for sharing ur advices.. I think i've to buy those comprehension excerise for him to do...

 

[worry28297]

Wahwah
Do ur boy teacher give them CA2 Practice paper to do? Mine hv but quite difficult for him to score..

by the way, where are u staying which part of sembawnag? hahah perhaps we can meet up and discuss how to coach our sons during their exam... ;p

 

[wahwah]

Hi Fion,
My boy is in Care 9. Yah perhaps we have met at the sch gate.

He brought home both the English and Math practice papers to do last week.

I am staying opposite MRT station. What about you?

 

[worry28297]

Wahwah
Hahah my son do knows some boys from care 9. oh i c... i'm staying near the coffee shop there.. How's ur boy score for the practice paper?

 

[wahwah]

Fion,
My boy has 2 Kindergarten friends in Care 10, but they are both girls.
The teacher only returned the Math paper, he scored full marks, but that's because I checked thru the paper for him at home. If solely based on his own effort, will be ard 95 marks.

 

[worry28297]

Wahwah
Are you SAHM? Wow... good leh... no worries for you la. Ur boy did his homework well. Really his 2 Kindergarten friends in care10 wow... Good luck to your son coming exam.!!! ;p

 

[mummyto2]

Hmmm.. does any of you think that Pri 1 got alot of school holidays? Like today &amp; tmr are school holidays. Seems to me like every month got a school holiday.

I wonder if it's also like this for other primary levels?

 

[wahwah]

Hi Fion,
I am a SAHM, what abt you? My son has interest in Math, maybe its bcos he has been taking mental arithmetic classes.
One of his K2 friend is the wheelchair bound girl, if you know who she is.
My son not making good use of his time, only did one revision paper yesterday, refused to do more. Sigh...

Good luck to your son too!

Hi mummyto2,
The pri sch kids are having holidays these 2 days because of the PSLE Oral exam. Almost all the teachers are involved in the exam, so no school for the rest.
If your child is in the morning session, then no lesson during PSLE period as well, but afternoon session will not be affected cos all the papers are in the morining.
The kids' lessons will be affected again for 3 days during PSLE marking days. But its somewhere in Oct, near to SA2, so good break to prepare for exam.

 

[worry28297]

Wahwah
Yes, I'm a SAHM. I think the wheelchair bound girl is from my son class... actually wat happened to her? So sad, she's so young.... My son also the same sometimes refused to do revision paper but i always told him if u fail no present for u so he hv no choice hv to do it heehee.. I think ur son shouldn't be a problem for this round CA2. He scored well in Maths and English shouldn't be any problems.. Thanks for your wishes but i wont expected much from him la.. based on his standard.. Sigh...

 

[wahwah]

Hi Fion,
I am not too sure what happened to the girl, only know that her legs are too weak to walk. Yah, very sad...she is a nice girl too.

I believe all children have hidden potential, so don't be surprised if your child perform well in CA2.