Parents of 4B - this one's for you :)

Dear Parents,

Firstly, thank you for taking the time to visit the class blog. It's been some time since we corresponded and I thought the online route would be a more environmentally friendly option!

I just wanted to update you on Term 2 matters.

NAPFA
Most of our pupils have completed the 5 stations test (hurray!)
The 1.6km run has been postponed indefinitely due to bad weather and upcoming exams.

Oral
This was the 1st time our P4 pupils sat for the oral examinations in the mass oral format in the hall. Though they seemed slightly nervous, I'm sure they did the best they could. :)

SA1
The upcoming exams would of course be a major event in the school calendar for all of us.
Just a gentle reminder that the SA1 exams will be starting on this coming Wednesday (8 May 2013).

Files & Filing...

English
The English Worksheet file & English Composition file has been returned to the pupils last Friday(3 May 2013). 
Please sign on the contents page as acknowledgment that you have taken a look at their files.

There are some items that have been indicated on the contents page but are not included in the file as we will be doing them in class next week. I will return them when I have gone through them each day and I seek your cooperation to ensure that the pupils diligently file the completed work in.

On Monday, we will be doing the revised LC paper sample in class so that pupils can familiarise them with the format.
Do take note that the sample is NOT the entire paper as the pupils will still be doing the old "Picture Matching" style questions and the questions that come in the sample will be the modified sections of the REST OF THE PAPER.


Maths
As I still have some worksheets to go through, I will be returning the updated Maths files & Heuristics Books back to the pupils mid next week. I seek your kind understanding in this matter. Meanwhile, you can go through the other chapters in the file first.


Filing for EL and Maths is normally done IN CLASS at the end of every one to two units. I do this to ensure that all pupils
- take responsibility of their work and
- learn to file their things in a more organised manner &
- have the same contents in their files

Some pupils have been  refusing to file in their worksheets and tend to come to "filing sessions" with empty files each time, claiming it is kept at home. So, when they get the worksheets, they are lost as they do not have their contents page and are unable to do any productive organisation of their work. So, please help to speak to them about it. Thank you:)


How Can We Help?

As parents, I believe you have been hard at work, helping your children prepare them for their SA1 exams and I thank you for providing a conducive environment for your child.

Below are just some observations that I would like to share with you as it may help you to prepare your child.

• Handwriting. (Make it neat, dark (blue/black pen or dark pencil) and readable.)
• We all know how difficult decoding a messy piece of work is. When it comes to exams, something as basic as handwriting can affect the child's performance as it affects legibility. At times, even the child himself/herself cannot understand what they write and it causes them marks because they transfer the names of characters, numbers wrongly to the next line/step.

 

• Compositions
• Appropriate Use of Words & Phrases

Most of the pupils tend to memorise good words and phrases and use them in their compositions. Sometimes, the phrases are used incorrectly or too many phrases describing the same emotion is used

                 E.g. I was scared, frightened out of my wits and stood rooted to the ground. Fear engulfed me and my heart came out of my mouth. My heart was pounding. I was frozen in fear.

                        In actual fact, they all refer to the same emotion : fear. When they used sparingly, they have an impact. Using too many and stringing them together is just overkill!
So, sometimes less is more.
Use good phrases but sprinkle them lightly at different parts of the composition, not lump everything together!

• Commonly Misspelt Words

Sometimes, pupils are so focused on using flowery language in their work that basic words are misspelt which affects their language component. Here are some words that are consistently spelt wrongly by pupils, do get your children to learn the right spelling of common words!

- immediately
- accidentally
- restaurant
- out of the blue (there is no "out of a sudden!" it's either "out of the blue" or "all of a sudden")
- swiftly
- terribly
- then (always mixed up with "than")
- except/accept
- injuries
- live/leave/life
- congratulated
- a lot ( It's TWO words, not one!!)
-carefully
-carelessly

• Use of  colloquial language

Using Singlish does not always mean the use of words like "lah!" or "meh!"
Using phrases such as

"I play computer."/ "I playing iPhone."
"I got do."/ "I do ready."
"You can anot?"
"I on the fan/lights/tv."/ "The manager on the lights."

are also considered incorrect.

The correct versions are:

"I play games on the computer"/ I am playing games on my iPhone"
" I have completed it./"I have done it."
"Can you do it?"
"I switched on the fan/lights/television./ "The manager turned on the lights."

The pupils always laugh when I highlight these errors in class but they still continue to use such expressions and the joke falls on them during exam marking!

• Maths

      Maths always follows just one rule : Practice and check.
      The more one practises, the more confident the person is and the concepts are also better remembered. Always get your children to verbalise their thinking when they explain to you how they get the answer. It helps them with their thought process and helps you to check for any misconceptions.

• Checking & Strategies

       In class, when we go through questions, be it in English or Maths, I always ask pupils to highlight/underline keywords and to tackle a line at a time for problem sums.
They are able to do it very well. However, once they start doing a test, all strategies taught fly out of the window and I get very clean scripts back or worse, pupils who start highlighting AFTER they have completed the paper just because they are bored, which defeats the purpose.

      I understand that some pupils are able to answer without thinking too much but with haste comes waste. Marks are always carelessly thrown away.
After each test, they always say "I was just careless." and they move on to another test, committing the same mistakes.
         Highlighting is meant to help them identify key clues/concepts/variables and also to keep them focused on task as it engages the right brain(colours) as well.
      So, if you think your child will benefit, do encourage them to use the strategies taught, not just in the work assigned but their home practices as well, so that it becomes habit and not a hassle.

• Last but not least,

It's about giving their best!
Ask them to take pride in all their work, not just exams.

Encourage them to be confident (not complacent, which is sadly a common ailment in the class;))  &

Let them take breaks to play and destress as well!


If you have actually managed to complete reading all the way to here, thank you so much!
I appreciate your efforts!
Sorry for the information overload but I thought it would be good to share with you some of the things I share with the pupils in class, so that you are aware and can help to reinforce good behaviours at home as well.

Let's continue working for the best of our children!
If you have any doubts or questions, kindly email me at
priya.endeavours@gmail.com
:)

Warmest Regards,

Ms Priya :)