Saturday, October 08, 2005
Sorry I've not been around for the past week...
On the whole, this week has been very... well, eventful. :D I've also been rather busy with work, and most days, by the time I get home, I'm too tired and not really keen to be doing much.
Working life... sigh...
Anyway...
There was an interesting article in the Today papers, friday edition. Apparrently, the primary six kids found the PSLE Maths paper tough:
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/76809.asp
I think the entire thing is really silly. If the complaint was over the examinable issues, for example, there were algebra questions in the paper, when the kids haven't covered that, then fine, go ahead, cry, complain etc.
But the issue was about the questions being worded differently, not being straight-forward enough.
One of the teachers said it so well. She said that it was probably because there weren't routine questions, so the kids didn't know what to do.
I remember for my O-levels... so many of my classmates did the Ten-Year Series not because they wanted the practice. Rather, they wanted to be able to memorise the answers. You see, most times, the questions would be worded in the same manner.. one year the question could involve something like "Mary bought 10 eggs and gave away 2", and the following year it'll be "Mary bought 10 chickens and gave away 2". So the structure, sentence format etc, were all the same. Hence, if you'll memorise the answers, you should be able to just vomit all of that out on paper for your exam, and get that A.
But the problem was this: if my classmates were posed a question that involved, "Billy sold 10 sweets and bought back 2", they'll be at a total loss because they didn't really understand the concept of addition and subtraction in the first place.
And I think that was what happened with this year's PSLE Maths paper. Our kids have been taught to be exam-smart, and not smart-smart. So when faced with a question written in a different manner, they are at a total loss.
Of course granted, I have not seen the paper, so perhaps it was really really difficult, and it covered unfamiliar topics (as much as I doubt it). --- I had to put that one-liner in lest I get called a heartless bitch or something.
But really... I think it is important that parents don't just start complaining and complaining... I hope it'll help them realise, we need to get our kids thinking more.
Perhaps this incident would have helped everyone realise that we cannot just teach our kids to memorise answers. Questions should not be routine; if they are worded differently, that'll just help them exercise their brain more and make them think, "hmm... what does it mean?"
It'll be good if we can nurture people who'll not spend their lives going around, pointing at the grass and going, "grass is green! grass is green!" It'll be good if they are able to exercise their brains a little more and go "I know I was taught that grass is green. But is it really? What if it was painted green? Or... how can I be sure that what I see before me is really there? Do we just see what we choose to see? Or is everything an illusion? Are we in a Matrix???" *suspense music plays on*
You get the picture...
In case you're wondering, I never did bother to memorise those structured answers from the Ten-Year Series for my O's.
I studied my textbooks and notes more.
And I think I did quite well.... *pats self on back*
How many kids you know could jump 2 grades in less than one month for their Pure Physics and Pure Chemistry? *big grin*
On the whole, this week has been very... well, eventful. :D I've also been rather busy with work, and most days, by the time I get home, I'm too tired and not really keen to be doing much.
Working life... sigh...
Anyway...
There was an interesting article in the Today papers, friday edition. Apparrently, the primary six kids found the PSLE Maths paper tough:
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/76809.asp
I think the entire thing is really silly. If the complaint was over the examinable issues, for example, there were algebra questions in the paper, when the kids haven't covered that, then fine, go ahead, cry, complain etc.
But the issue was about the questions being worded differently, not being straight-forward enough.
One of the teachers said it so well. She said that it was probably because there weren't routine questions, so the kids didn't know what to do.
I remember for my O-levels... so many of my classmates did the Ten-Year Series not because they wanted the practice. Rather, they wanted to be able to memorise the answers. You see, most times, the questions would be worded in the same manner.. one year the question could involve something like "Mary bought 10 eggs and gave away 2", and the following year it'll be "Mary bought 10 chickens and gave away 2". So the structure, sentence format etc, were all the same. Hence, if you'll memorise the answers, you should be able to just vomit all of that out on paper for your exam, and get that A.
But the problem was this: if my classmates were posed a question that involved, "Billy sold 10 sweets and bought back 2", they'll be at a total loss because they didn't really understand the concept of addition and subtraction in the first place.
And I think that was what happened with this year's PSLE Maths paper. Our kids have been taught to be exam-smart, and not smart-smart. So when faced with a question written in a different manner, they are at a total loss.
Of course granted, I have not seen the paper, so perhaps it was really really difficult, and it covered unfamiliar topics (as much as I doubt it). --- I had to put that one-liner in lest I get called a heartless bitch or something.
But really... I think it is important that parents don't just start complaining and complaining... I hope it'll help them realise, we need to get our kids thinking more.
Perhaps this incident would have helped everyone realise that we cannot just teach our kids to memorise answers. Questions should not be routine; if they are worded differently, that'll just help them exercise their brain more and make them think, "hmm... what does it mean?"
It'll be good if we can nurture people who'll not spend their lives going around, pointing at the grass and going, "grass is green! grass is green!" It'll be good if they are able to exercise their brains a little more and go "I know I was taught that grass is green. But is it really? What if it was painted green? Or... how can I be sure that what I see before me is really there? Do we just see what we choose to see? Or is everything an illusion? Are we in a Matrix???" *suspense music plays on*
You get the picture...
In case you're wondering, I never did bother to memorise those structured answers from the Ten-Year Series for my O's.
I studied my textbooks and notes more.
And I think I did quite well.... *pats self on back*
How many kids you know could jump 2 grades in less than one month for their Pure Physics and Pure Chemistry? *big grin*
