Primary 3 marks the turning point for students as they progress from foundational years to key growth years.
This monumental milestone requires students to actively keep up with the speed in which the curriculum will be taught, master component-based skills and hone learning abilities.
Naturally, the step-up from P2 to P3 can be challenging for both parent and child to manage if they are not well prepared.
We recently spoke about the difficulties of coping with P3 and how other parents can ease their child smoothly into the transition with local celebrity, Jamie Yeo, whose nine-year-old daughter, Alysia, is nearing the end of P3.
When Alysia stepped into P3 at the start of this year, both mother and daughter faced many challenges in coping with the transition.
Jamie discovered that there were some astonishing academic and personal developments brought about from her daughter entering P3 that she and Alysia both learned and greatly benefited from.
She would like to share her five top tips on P3 preparation in hopes that other parents will find it valuable and applicable to their own children and home dynamic. We have further supplemented her tips with some ways that you can adapt her advice for your child.
I try to spend as much time with Alysia as possible and support her in her studies whenever I can. And yet, as I have my own responsibilities and commitments, I find it equally important for her to manage her own learning activities and study sessions.
We started by setting her goals for the day and by identifying the tasks on hand. After a short while, Alysia got the hang of it and started managing her own tasks by herself. Training Alysia to study by herself has been a huge turning point for both of us.
Simply by asking: “What do you need today to accomplish your homework?” or “How are you going to solve this?” can teach your child to figure things out by himself or herself and slowly build his or her confidence towards his or her own ability to accomplish tasks with little assistance from you.
Related: Ways To Raise Kids Who Love To Learn: Part One and Part Two
When I noticed that my daughter was struggling with certain subjects, I decided to get help in the form of professional tutoring before the academic strain worsened and Alysia got even more lost in her studies.
After researching and enquiring about the top enrichment centres in Singapore, I decided to enrol Alysia in The Learning Lab. I have heard about The Learning Lab (TLL) for years, and most of the feedback from fellow parents have been extremely positive.
Despite sending Alysia to TLL, I do closely keep track of Alysia's progress and constantly check in with her about how she feels towards school and TLL, ensuring that she still feels supported by me.
Look for an enrichment centre which creates curriculum materials that closely follows the Singapore MOE syllabus but also injects fun into learning.
This is so that your child can learn the relevant information to excel academically in school while also look forward to attending lessons where he or she will be more inclined to pay attention in class.
TLL tailors its own fun and unique curriculum materials in accordance to the MOE syllabus to boost students’ academic performance. Our curriculum is specially crafted to make classes fun and enjoyable, which over time, inculcates a passion for learning in students.
Aside from helping students achieve their desired grades, TLL’s holistic teaching and learning model also teaches children many valuable life skills and lessons. We believe that it is important for children to learn how to socialise and work in a team, as this skill is crucial for their future in the working world.
Though TLL’s classes are conducted as a group tuition style, each class is capped at 13 students. So your child gets the exposure to working and communicating with peers and learning from their academic mistakes, but at the same time, your child’s teacher is able to give him or her the adequate attention and tune into his or her unique learning style.
I encourage my daughter to do a little studying or reading each day, even on Sundays, even if it's just for half an hour. I think this helps her build a healthy learning practice without putting too much strain on her.
Short study periods allow children to find a balance between work and play, which are equally important for their developing brains and personality.
Spaced out learning apparently allows the brain to absorb and retain information at the speed at which neurons naturally process input.
You can set study times for your child of up to 45 minutes then go for breaks before picking up study time again. Allow him or her to completely disconnect from the studies during breaks so as not to feel subliminal pressure, which can be counterproductive to his or her memory.
Science is so interesting! Especially when there are no tests attached to it. I introduced Alysia to some light scientific activities and observations before she hit Primary 3, and we had some fun!
I think Science is important because it is relevant to our everyday lives and it also helps children understand the natural world.
Start exploring the world of science, even if your son or daughter hasn't already started science in school.
Turn your child into a little scientist by conducting some DIY home experiments. Apart from being a fun activity for the family, these experiments have observable results that help illustrate concepts for your child’s understanding.
Reinforcing that these experiments showcase scientific findings will help fuel your child’s curiosity and interest in the subject too.
Download these 3 fun and easy Science experiments and bond with your child at home. All you need are some materials you can find around the house, a couple of towels (because things could get messy) and a good sense of fun.
Alysia and I learned that composition writing for English and Chinese gets tougher in Primary 3. To supplement her writing skills, I encouraged Alysia to read and read and read, so that she can pick up new vocabulary and gain exposure to a wide range of ideas.
After which, I will test Alysia by asking her to summarise the story in her own words. Having already scanned through the book prior to letting her read it, I would know whether she truly understands the gist of the story.
Children may lapse into the bad habit of reading without fully understanding what is written. If you wish for your child to improve on his or her creative writing skills, it is crucial to know that he or she grasps the key messages in a story.
You can follow Jamie’s method in discussing the story with your child after he or she is done with the book. When your child shares his or her opinions and observations on the characters’ developments and plot with you, it improves his or her conversational skills. It also strengthens the bond between you and your child.
Reading not only expands children’s vocabulary and grammar, it also tickles their creativity and imagination!
As Primary 3 draws to a close for Alysia, both Jamie and her daughter are looking forward to the next year where there will be exciting challenges and lessons waiting for both of them to conquer together.
The teachers at TLL will continue to strive to be a source of support to guide Jamie, Alysia and the rest of our students through the new academic year together.
The Learning Lab is now at locations. Find a location that suits your needs.
If you have any questions about our range of programmes or class schedules, you may contact us at 6733 8711 or drop us an email at enquiry@thelearninglab.com.sg.