We conducted a few free P1 preparation classes this week. Here are two frequently asked questions about Study Room.
1. Question:
The children love the classes. They want to return for more classes. However, while fun is good, will there be too much fun and too little studying?
Answer:
We keep classes fun, especially for lower-primary classes because children’s attention spans are short and we don’t want them to dread coming for extra classes, especially after long days in schools.
There’s definitely work besides the fun.
In P1, there’s writing weekly and our goal is for the child to be able to write independently in four months. We engage them to start writing about things they like in term 1, move on to one-picture composition in term 2 and finally in term 3, we progress to a four-picture composition which is the standard for P2 students. Phrases are taught, there are guiding questions and spelling to expose them to new phrases.
In the second half of the lesson, we build the foundation by focusing on grammar. Comprehension exercises are often given as this tends to be a weakness for most students.
For Maths, we make sure they understand before we move on to the next topic. We use practical day-to-day items to get them to relate to the topics taught.When learning about volume, we get them to fill actual jugs and watch the level of the water. When they don’t understand a word problem, we teach them how to digest it in simple English.
2. Question:
Are you teaching according to MOE guidelines?
Answer:
Definitely! I cannot emphasise this enough.
The delivery is special/fun/interesting but we adhere strictly to the MOE guidelines.
For English where every school may have a different curriculum, we focus on the necessary grammar rules. We scour past year exam papers to find the most common questions asked and prepare kids for them. We teach comprehension techniques to get them ready for the exams.
For Chinese and Maths where there’s a fixed textbook, we follow the syllabus closely. In fact, we usually finish the syllabus by the end of term 3, followed by intensive revision of the year-end examinations. Phrases taught in the Chinese text will be explained in detail to the child.
Our slogan is “More than curriculum.” This means we cover the curriculum and want to also guide them in what’s outside the syllabus. For instance, in Science, we conduct a lot of experiments, in English we expose them to current affairs. We also want to give them a great learning experience. However, at the end of the day, the school syllabus is still our core as we need to prepare them for the exams.
P.S. of course, if you have other questions after attending our class, you can talk to me or text me!