Lower Primary Parents' Briefing - Principal's Address by Mrs Ming Kum 18 January 2019 - Palm View Primary School

Lower Primary Parents’ Briefing
    Principal’s Address by Mrs Ming Kum
             18 January 2019

Student-Centricity, Holistic Education
“The purpose of education must therefore be beyond
just academics. It must be to prepare our students for
life, for work and for citizenship. But life, work and
citizenship are evolving rapidly. Hence, our approaches,
programmes, and areas of emphasis must keep pace to
be relevant for the future.”
Extract from Speech by former Minister for Education, Mr Ng Chee Meng, 2016

Changes at a Glance

Changes at a Glance

Changes at a Glance

Learn for Life
“Let us prepare every child for the test of life, and not just a life of tests.”

PM Lee, National Day Rally, 2012

Learn for Life
https://youtu.be/r6cbrw-V41c

Changes aim to help our students:
• Have more time and space to deepen their learning, especially in
  the transition years (i.e. P3, P5).

• Better enjoy the process of learning and develop dispositions for
  lifelong learning.

Addressing Parents and Stakeholders’
             Concerns

How will I   • Even with the removal of mid-year
               examinations for some levels, teachers will
know about     continue to assess the students.
my child’s
             • Parents will be kept informed of the child's
progress?      progress.

Will my child be
  ready for national
  examinations?
• Even with the removal of
  mid-year examinations for
  some levels, the number
  of examinations to assess
  learning is still adequate.

Which assessments would be counted? How
are the various assessments weighted?
• Assessment serves to support students’ learning, gauge
  their progress and address learning gaps.
• There will still be assessment (class tests, performance
  tasks) and these are no different from current practices.

How will my child’s academic progress be measured
if there are completely no examinations and weighted
assessments at P1 and P2?
• Current practices to gather information about students’ learning
  through checkpoints (e.g. class discussions, in-class work,
  homework and bite-sized tests) will continue.
• The change is that these checkpoints will no longer count
  towards an overall result.
• Use of qualitative descriptors instead of marks and grades to
  report students’ learning progress in the report book (Holistic
  Development Profile).

Reporting of P1 & P2 Students’ Learning Progress in the HDP
Reflection of Learning Outcomes & Qualitative Descriptors

For illustrative               Holistic Development Profile
purposes only.                                                       Date :      6 Nov 2019
Name                :   Jane Ong                        Identification No : T0612345F
Age on 1st Jan      :   6            S/N : 5                       Course : Primary One
Class               :   P1-Respect
Form Teacher        :   Miss Tan
Co-Form Teacher     :   Miss Low
SUBJECT
MATHEMATICS
•   Understands number notations, representations and place values up to tens.     Accomplished
•   Understands the concepts of addition and subtraction, including the
                                                                                     Competent
    relationship between adding and subtracting.
•   Matches, sorts, compares and orders quantities/objects (e.g., by colour,
                                                                                     Competent
    shape, size or orientation.)
•   Adds and subtracts reliably and fluently using number facts.                    Developing

On changes to the HDP

“We will make adjustments to the
Holistic Development Profile, or more
commonly known as the report book, to
better reflect a student’s progress in
learning,     and    to    discourage
excessive peer comparison. These
adjustments will also help to reduce
test anxiety.”
             - Minister Ong Ye Kung, WPS 2018

How will my child be
selected for Edusave
Academic Awards?

    • Considers positive learning dispositions (e.g., diligence, curiosity,
      collaboration and enthusiasm), instead of academic performance.
    • Edusave Merit Bursary: P1 and P2 students who display positive
      learning dispositions consistently.
    • Good Progress Award: P2 and P3 students who have made significant
      improvement in learning dispositions.

Partnering Parents

Encourage Joy of Learning!
• not over-emphasising academic performance
• focus on your child’s learning journey, rather than
  compare them to others

Give our children the time and space to
deepen learning

Home-School Partnership
 Importance of setting structures and routines in
  place, e.g. sleeping early at night
 Encourage the formation of good habits that will lead
  to a strong foundation in Primary school e.g. reading
 Attendance is critical. Do ensure that your child
  attends school daily except when he/she is unwell.
  Doctor’s MC must be provided.

Home-School Partnership
 Students will be taught to take down their homework in
  their Student Diary. Do check your child’s diary for
  assigned work on a daily basis.
 The whiteboard in the class will reflect the subject,
  assignment & due date.
 Teachers will communicate and coordinate on the
  amount of homework to be given per day / school
  holidays.

Home-School Partnership
 Ensure that your child has a proper breakfast at
  home before coming to school. A meal break will be
  given in class after recess.

Home-School Partnership
 Inculcate responsibility and instill the right values
  from a young age. If your child forgets any item from
  home, it is fine. Do not panic. He/She can bring the
  item to school the next day. Kindly partner the school
  to develop personal responsibility in our children from
  the start. Unless the item is essential and critical, e.g.
  a pair of glasses, there is no need to bring the item
  down to school.

Home-School Partnership (Punctuality for school)
 Inculcating the value of responsibility by being punctual –
  report to school by 7.40 a.m.
 Understanding consequences
  • Late coming: arriving after 7.40 a.m.
  • After the 3rd instance of late coming, Form Teacher will call
     the parents
  • After the 6th instance of late coming, there will be School-
     Parent conferencing
  • For persistent late coming, a “Fair” conduct grade would
     be given

Home-School Partnership (School Discipline and Tone)
 The school should be a safe environment for all students to
  learn in.
 In order for the students to feel safe (physically and
  psychologically), consequences will be meted out for
  misbehaviour, including bullying, use of physical force and use
  of hurtful words/vulgarities.
 We would like to work together in strong partnership with all
  parents in order to ensure that the school remains a safe
  place for students to learn and grow.

Home-School Partnership
 Celebrate your child’s successes, both big and small.
 Provide your child with support and encouragement.
 Make time to find out about your child’s day.
 Praise your child as a kind word goes a long way!

Home-School Partnership
 Main communication channels with the school:
1. Student Diary
2. Class Teachers’ email address and direct phone
   extension number
3. PLVPS school generic email
4. MOE Parents’ Gateway App (upcoming)

WELCOME TO
PARENTS GATEWAY

Introduction
The Parents Gateway (PG) Mobile App is an initiative by
MOE to enable parents to:

 interact with the school on administrative and financial
 matters

 stay updated on school’s programme and activities.

The PG App will be implemented in all schools over the course of 2019.

Parents with two or more children, even if they are in different schools, will
 receive notifications for all their children on the same PG App.

SingPass and 2-Factor Verification (2FA) is required to access the PG
 App.

The PG App can be downloaded from Apple App Store or
 Google Play Store.
             iOS                 Android

Timeline for Onboarding Parents Gateway
Registration Phase
1 Feb to 15 Mar 2019 (Term 1)

Parents are strongly encouraged to download the PG App onto
 their mobile phones.

Parents are to perform a one-time registration process.

Transition Phase
25th March to 31st May 2019 (Term 2)

Parents will continue to receive hard-copy letters and consent
 forms through their children.

School will send out the same letters through the PG App.

Consent forms will not be sent through the PG App to avoid
 parents having to give their consent twice.

Implementation Phase
1st July 2019 onwards (Term 3)

Parents will only receive the letters and consent forms through
 the PG App.

The school will stop sending hard copy letters and consent
 forms to parents.

Support for Parents
Our school will provide:

A step-by-step guide on the school’s website.

Helpdesk support at PG_helpdesk@plvps.edu.sg.

Thank You