MOMMY CLUB - Yr 2007 P1's (Yr2000 Millennium & Dragon Babies)

Hi ET and Lim, thanks for sharing. I always wanted to buy other schools exam paper for my DD to try. However, never did it cos it is quite expensive. Now, with this links I can try to print out some for my DD. Thanks!!

Wen, my DD's school does not have the NSW test. Without this, does it mean that she will have a lower chance to enter a GOOD secondary school? Oh yes, does CCA have any impact too?

Rains, try to bond with your DD. My relationship with my DD was not good too. She tends to tell her daddy a lot of things but none to me. I felt so upset. Luckly, things improved after I spent more time with her. I'm using the SOFT approach now!!!

Jess, my younger one know how to swim already. But his mum still cannot
kao_frustrated.gif
Now, I'm the only one in the family that still cannot swim
kao_cry.gif
 


HI Rimilyn,
It's a good exposure to let my boy try out other schools' exam format. However, I select some of the schools like Ai Tong, Pei Chun, Nanyang for Chinese and MGS, RGPS for English & Maths.
 
Hi mommies,

u all can try out this website as well where they sell 'mock up' CA & SA papers. Just like u buy assessments to your kids. It's not very ex.

www.testpapers.com.sg

Just also to check out whether your kids' schools do have books fairs. mine seem to have books fair now & then.. my kids will then paster me to buy for them...and always i need to get at least 2 coz i got 2 girls
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ET,
I dont know if my son's school pesters the kids to buy books, but my son is asking me to give him money for something else again. I told him not to waste $$$.

Mummies,
I have asked my hubby to print out P3 2007 exam papers, so that maybe next yr dont need to buy.
 
<font color="ff6000">Janet,</font>
1 question. y u print the P3 instead of P2? Cannot next yr then print? u mean the papers will later discontinue after a few show?

i show my DH the link. he said: HUH?? How come? Real or not? really fm those schs? i told him i dont know.
 
VQ, i can confirm the P1 paper for Henry Park from misskoh website is indeed from the school. The other website doesn't have 2007 papers so can't verify.
 
Really surprised that such websites exist. I think those people selling the exam papers at $35-$40 for 3 subjects will loose a lot of biz.

Mummies, just wondering how much homework do your children get on average in a week? Mine has hardly any except for some Chinese worksheets occasionally.
 
I am also very curious to read from the website http://test-paper.info. that they are a group of volunteer educators with links to Ministry of Education managing the website ??? I didn’t want to post further question because I worry if ask too much, some authority will come shut down the site. I also notice that most school exam papers do not print warning note on copy right so I guess it is ok for now.
 
Jess, my daughter only brought back 2 worksheets since day 1. According to her teachers, if the pupil able to finish her work in school, there will be no homework. However, her english and maths file only have about 8 to 9 worksheets each. So it's about 1 worksheet each week PLUS the activity books. Very little right!!
 
Rimilyn,
Is your child from neighbourhood school? My son is from neighbourhood school and I find the teachers a little laid back. Luckily I am a SAHM and I can afford to monitor my son more closely. If I am still working full time, I think I will be very worried for him. Like it or not, they will eventually have to compete with other students from schools who are more "on".....
 
HI VQ,
Firstly I'm KS. Next yr, if the site still exists, then it will be showing 2007 papers, but what I asked my hubby to print are the 2006 papers, so that I can let my son practise those areas he is weak in.

Jess,
My son doesnt have much homework sometimes. Like yourself, I am glad I am a SAHM, so I can draw up a time-table to revise his subjects with him b4 the exam time-table is released. Since this year's June holidays are brought forward, I guess his SA1 should be early too. Looks like the Labour Day public holiday will really be a day we parents will spent labouring over his revision.
 
hi all,

My daughter doesn't like to read..and this has definitely affected her english...any recommendations of any particular authors or series that would be interesting for this level???.......
 
Hi Belladona,
My son likes this book called Geronimo Stilton...about some mouse. Honestly I havent read it b4, but I find that it's rather thin and this doesnt help to build up his stamina to do a Maths paper.
 
<font color="0077aa">Hi Janet,</font>
My DD loves Geronimo Stilton too!!! She has a few Enid Blytons but she do not like to read them at all! Headache!! Maybe she is back off by the thickness of the books!! haha..
 
Jess, you are right! My daughter is studying in a neighbourhood school. Her teachers are more concern about the emotional part of the pupils rather than academic. Sometimes, I wonder if she is studying in those "ON" school, can she cope?

Oh! I need help from mummies again. How can I print the exam papers without keep on log in to the site? Each time after I printed one set of paper, I will click the FILE CLOSED button, then it will return to YAHOO web. Then, I need to open the test paper web again to print the next set of paper. It's rather troublesome. Any shortcut for it? Thanks!
 
My son loves Geronimo Stilton's books too. I think he has read about 70% of the entire series. The books are quite interesting with facts on Science and Geography. I usually get them from SANS bookshop so that I can sell them back after he finished reading them. Now he has ventured on to read other books on dragons, knights, castles etc...He also loves non-fiction books on various topics. I am so glad that he is beginning to read more widely except that I have not been able to get him to read Chinese books...
 
On the topic of reading, I also have problem trying to get my 7 yr old to get hook on reading independently. Recently bought 4 graphic novels of Totally Spies and the effect is he can read it on MRT, while waiting for meal, in toilet….It is just like how he would play computer game. It is much better to read, even comics than to play computer games. The problem with dragons &amp; knights – such books are singular and not in series. There is one series I found in the library, on King Author and his knights of the round table, my boy loved it but he finished the 6 or 7 in the series and no more. Now he is trying to read Zac Power, about a 10 yr old spy boy, but it is wordy, difficult to catch on.

Jess, where is SANS bookshop? Is it a chain store?
 
Does anyone have a child who reads both English and Chinese books independently at this age (7 / 8)? It is very difficult to get children interested in Chinese books, simple books have childish topics, and interesting books have too many difficult words. When in the library I try to choose those written by Singapore authors but, they are so limited. Does anyone have Chinese books with local authors to get away or sell second hand? Now I am just trying to get my son to watch cartoon network in Chinese, imagine his favorite Ben 10 speak Chinese!
 
Lim,
SANS is a chain bookstore which rents second hand books But books must be returned within a month. The books are quite well maintained and you can keep them if you wish.
He managed to find 2 series on dragons - Dragon Detective Agency and Dragon Slayer Academy - from the library. I also agree that reading is a very good habit to develop and it also keeps him out of mischief in school!
 
Ok..still trying to find some books that my daugher will likke. so is this geronimno Stilton books available in the library?..

But i also agree that for neighboourhood schools, the pace is slower.. i think maybe it's because some of her classmates do not have additional support at home (e.g. parents coaching etc). I also question the teacher why no homework brought back. but she prefers to have the students finish the work in school. but the worksheets are also pretty simple.
 
Hi Lim,
My son is crazy over Ben 10 and Power Rangers too. How I wish these 2 cartoons are available in Chinese. His tutor lent him some Chinese cartoons to watch, but he turned the TV volume to 'mute' and watched the cartoons.

Hi Belladona,
My son is in a neighbourhood school, but not exactly one which is slow-paced. For his CA, the tests started 2 weeks after the dates of the CA were released.
 
Belladona,
My sister-in-law said she had seen Geronimo's books in Bishan library before but I have not seen them in Toa Payoh library. The series is quite popular among children, so probably not easy to find in public libraries.

My boy's teacher said the same thing about homework.... I suppose more homework also means more work for teachers....
 
I have also seen Geronimo's books in Bishan library during last school holidays BUT those books were very OLD.

Like others, my daughter also doesn't like to read chinese books. Looks like most of the neighbourhood school teachers think the same
happy.gif
 
Dear Janet,

I have been considering to cut starhub cable TV until my son discovered the dual language function on cartoon network channel. He is regretting his discovery because now the agreement is - he has to watch Ben 10 in Chinese if he wants to watch it at all.
 
My gal also likes to read Geronimo's books! I thought it's a 'boy's book'! I'm not very keen to buy them for her becos I just don't like the idea that it's associated with boys. But Enid Blyton remains her favourite, probably because of the magical elements in them. She likes the idea of elves and pixies.

Actually, I'm also not very keen to get her to read Chinese books. I always have this belief that no two languages can be equally strong. And I certainly do not want her Mandarin to be better than her English and 'erode' her English standard. I know my theory is weird but I always believe that as Chinese, Mandarin comes easy to us becos it's in our blood but English is acquired becos it's a foreign language after all. But recently, I realised that my kid only has 1 pathetic Chinese book which she could bring to school for silent reading, which she has been taking to school for the past one year. I think I'll stock up a few more so that I don't look so 'racist'.

belladona,
Does your daughter like princess and fairy stuff? Mine used to like this series called The Tiara Club - about girls who like to dress princessy and going to parties I think. But I only bought one for her. And she's often fascinated by books with pretty fairies pictures on the cover. You might want to target at what she likes and try to entice her with books that contain the particular elements.

Jess and Rimilyn,
Neighbourhood schools are not so focused on academic becos usually the parents are also not. The parents from my school never scream at me over academic stuff, but alot on other unimportant things. I used to have a parent who complained to the principal becos he didn't want to buy the art textbook - it's more expensive than the core subjects' textbooks.

Subsequently, the teachers have little support from these parents also. It's difficult to get the kids to do any homework at all becos they are often returned undone. They are just waiting for the teachers to provide answers on the board so that they can copy. And you're lucky if the book or worksheet ever comes back in full strength - usually only the best class sees that happening. I myself also rarely give homework unless I'm really really pressing for time. I really don't want to get angry over lost workbooks or worksheets when I already have lost reply slips, acknowledgement slips, edusave forms and consent forms to deal with. I spent as much as one hour just chasing after forms and spelling books which I get them to ask their parents to sign. It's simply a waste of time and energy.
 
HI Lim,
Wow Ben 10 in Chinese. That's wonderful news for us parents. HaHaHa.

Hi Rains,
It's definitely not easy being a teacher...so much admin work to be done on top of the marking of books. My son is in Pei Hwa and the teachers are very 'on' where homework is concerned. Homework and worksheets must be completed and handed in on time, or else the child gets reprimanded. No wonder more teachers are seeing psychiatrists now. It's madness and I pity teachers.
 
went to buy one Geronimo book and she finished a few chapters..but with me beside her..she wasn't too excited about it..anyway..yes i think i saw these titles as popular fiction in the library as well about the tiara club and rainbow magic.

she then told me that most of her classmates also reading this book..

rains..haha..sounds very much like what my dd teacher did hint about too..about returning of books etc...from the teacher's perspective ..

That's why i stated to have more difficult, challenging worksheets/homework for the class when asked for parent's comments on the school last year.

what's ben 10?
 
Rains, I think this "neighbourhood school syndrome" is worrying. If these children don't have much support from their parents and teachers, they will have some difficulty catching up with other children and the gap will widen as time passes.....

Belladona, Ben 10 is a cartoon series which probably appeals more to boys. I think they just started showing the series on Kids Central though it is on pay TV for quite a while.
 
Rains,
It's scary when children in neighbourhood schools are slack in their homework. How will they cope as they go on to upper primary ? Parents now play a part in their children's schoolwork, cannot leave anything to the teachers. Teachers now are hard-pressed for time and stressed.
 
Janet,
Unfortunately, in some instances, these parents are unable to teach the children either because they do not have enough knowledge or they are often not at home. Those who are very weak probably get help under the LSP. But those average ones won't get extra help to stretch their potential.... and they are probably the majority.
 
My P1 son just got his exam timetable, can anyone share the test format of English / Chinese paper ONE. I know paper TWO will be the normal grammar, vocab, comprehension etc. Listening compre and oral is straight forward but will paper one be essay writing for P1?
 
Jess,
It's tough to teach our own kids...just now, my son drove me nuts when I was coaching him in his composition. For myself, I couldnt afford to get tutors for all 3 subjects, so have to give him Chinese tuition once a week and teach the other 2 myself. My son is an average student.

Lim,
My son's exam timetable was released 3 days ago...next week his orals for both English &amp; Chinese will begin.
For his P1 Paper 1 (Eng/Chinese) - Chinese was 'kan4 tu2 zao4 ju4' as well as sentence forming without the pictures. But cannot remember the format for Engish paper 1.
 
Usually, the teacher needs to cater to the ability of the majority of the students in the class. If the majority of the students are average, the teacher would need to teach at average and give average homework. If there's a group of higher-ability students, it depends on the teacher's discretion to stretch them becos it also means extra work to prepare extra resources for these kids.

Most neighbourhood school teachers also reprimand the kids when they don't hand in their worksheet or book on time, but the thing is, it doesn't work. You scold them, they look at you blankly, then pretend to search in the bag for the worksheet or book when it really isn't in there. When you ask them what's there to search for? They look at you blankly again. You ask them,"So when can I have it?" They say 'Tomorrow'. Come tomorrow, and they tell you,"I don't have." or " You didn't give me." When you call up their parents, they tell you,"You talk to the sister." or "I also can't find it. Can you give him another one?" And when you give a new one, the whole episode reruns itself. It reaches a point where you feel that it's pointless to call up the parents. And you have other things to do. My life can't revolve around a worksheet. And it's worse when the kid loses his workbook, bcos you gotta remark everything all over again.

It's always nicer to have parental support - for teachers and kids themselves. I think our curriculum today is definitely harder than our times. What we used to learn at P3, our kids learn at P1. What we used to learn at secondary level, our kids learn at P5. Without parental support - difficult la.
 
Rains,
Precisely. It is a vicious effect - the parents don't do much and the teachers cannot afford the time... I suppose it all depends on whether these children are lucky/good enough to catch up later in life.

I am under the impression that most of the children in a class of 30 will be the average student since the majority of the children go to preschool these days. Otherwise, something must be drastically wrong with our preschool system. Our children are smarter now and well exposed because of the media. Our preschoolers are being taught phonics and arithmetic but we only did that in primary schools during our time. To be more exact, I don't think we are even taught phonics during our time...

I believe it is more of an attitude problem than the intelligience issue. Maybe the children are spending less time with their busy parents and hence they are not guided properly in their thinking.
 
Hi Jess,

Sorry for not replying earlier on - haven't been online for the past few days.

I don't think the preschool system is really problematic. Like what you say, most kids are taught phonics at nursery or kindergarten level. The real problem comes when parents don't send kids to kindergarten. Some kids come to primary school not knowing their abc's. In neighbourhood schools, you have as high as fifty percent of such students.

Yes, attitude plays a big part in education as well. At P5, you only know how to read 'a' and 'the', or at P6, you don't know your abc's - I find it ridiculous to blame the teachers. I know of a China girl who couldn't understand a word of English for the first 3 days when she first sat in the classroom. Her first English test was 30%, her second was 50% and her third was 70% already. I feel that our kids are also very complacent. They think they're good enough already when they are really failing.

I find it abit contrived to blame parents also altho it's true that kids at higher level stuff needs help. Last time we also don't have parents' support. The only support we got was to eat 'char kway tiao' if we didn't do well. Why nowadays we must sit next to our kids to teach them word by word?
 
Hi Rains
Wow, I didn't realise that there are so many children in neighbourhood schools who didn't go to preschools. But shouldn't these children get extra attention under LSP? And btw, how does a child who is so bad in his studies be promoted to higher level each year?

Honestly, I am not sure I will be able to teach my children personally when they are in P6, judging from the complexity of our curriculum these days.... But I am really glad that I can afford to stay at home to guide my children.
 
I have also come across a China Chinese girl during my parent volunteer reading program. She arrived in Jan for P1 studies, not knowing much English, but she is hungry for knowledge and very enthusiastic. She will definitely outshine any local “ill prepared” P1 child. What’s more, her mother not knowing a word of English attended parent volunteer meeting, (meeting was in English cos there are many non Chinese parents) also very enthusiastic. This is a single parent family out in Singapore seeking opportunities (for education, job and even love.) For our privilege children, they do not have opportunity to experience hunger.
 
Hi Jess,
I'm surprised that you are not aware that whether a kid fails or passes, he gets to be promoted to the next level. Do you think that all our kids in primary schools don't fail? Some kids fail from P1 to P6. At P5 or 6, they go to EM3 or similar classes to be prepared for Normal Tech, which will lead them to ITE. Usually these children are identified to be non-academic and so schools will teach them some lifeskills instead. Despite this, there are students who have to repeat at P6 becos they fail their psle.

If there's a large no. of kids who didn't attend preschools, then the teachers will devise a simpler curriculum to help them learn from scratch. LSP is meant for slow learners and it defeats the purpose if it's too big a group.

I do notice that the top psle students usually have housewife mothers. I feel that it's more of the predictability, stability and support - emotional and physical - that are more important to a child.

biyan,
The chinese mother is very brave. I would not have gone for the meeting if I knew it's conducted in English and I know not a word of it. They always say PRCs are very determined people and China will become the country with most English-speaking people in ten years' time.
 
Hi Rains,
It never occurred to me that the children gets promoted regardless of their results but come to think of it, it makes sense becos we need to keep them somewhere even if they fail. But I suppose the schools will be able to identify these kids by P3 and teach them accordingly -that's what we call "yin cai shi jiao", right?

So I hope next year, my boy will be able to get into the better class, together with other children who are more keen to do well in school. Then, hopefully, his teachers will be spared more time to teach them instead of chasing after homework and parents' signatures....

Biyan,
I think foreign students who come here to study will be more determined to succeed if they had tasted hardship in their home country, unlike most of our local children who tend to take good lives for granted.
 
hi Jess,
Our education system is on to this differentiated teaching thing - abit 'hou zhi hou jue' I thought - altho late is better than never. However, when it comes down to the school level, especially neighbourhood schools, it's tough to implement. Depending on the schools, most schools have one or two best classes, and the rest of the classes are a mixture of children of different abilities, so differentiated teaching becomes quite impossible in this kind of setting. 40 kids, 3 kinds of abilities, 1 teacher. It takes alot of time to devise different activities for different ability kids, not to mention lessons. And teachers are not appraised on the way they teach, or the kids' results they produce, so it doesn't pay off to put in so much effort in the classroom and neglect your other duties, especially when kids and parents are not cooperative or give you problems.

Yes, do try to get your child into the best class. Teachers teaching best classes have alot more time to teach the content, and beyond, becos the kids will hand in work on time, and pay attention during lesson time.
 
HI Belladona,
My son will be streamed at the end of P2. Not surprising bcos his principal is very academic focused. I hope he goes to a better class next yr, at least his classmates are more enthsiastic about studies. The teachers are telling me the class is very noisy.

Rains,
I agree with you completely. I am hoping my son will get into a better class next yr, so that teachers spend time teaching, with responsible kids who write down their homework and listen.
 
Rains, thanks for your enlightenment. I think I need to talk to more teachers to understand the current education system better....

A lot of people say that the jump from P3 to P4 is very great. I suppose that is bcos there is a lot more competition within a class especially if you are in the top class plus there will be more challenging Maths and Science topics.

Janet, just wondering how come your userid now has asterisks?
 
Can someone share your child's Chinese learning experience at Berries or other Chinese tuition class. I better start doing something about my son's Chinese language soon.
 
Biyan,

My kids are with Berries (Thomson). I think the learning environment there is quite fun and the teachers are very warm. They teach higher chinese, which is good, because it supplements what my boy learns in school which is just normal Chinese.
 
belladona,
Schools work differently. Very differently actually. But as far as I've heard and seen, most schools put children with the best results in one class to maximise their potential. Some schools start to stream for the cream of the crop at P2, some at P3.
 


mommies

I attended a workshop recently. The speaker said MOE is adopting a 'teach less, learn more' approach

I believe what this means is less spoon feeding to encourage more creative thinking

but a common complaint I heard is the teacher don't teach (teach less), then how do the pupils learn (more)?
 
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