Why are kids struggling in PSLE maths & how we can help them?

psle maths

It shouldn’t be surprising to see a kid struggle in a particular subject in today’s time. In fact, PSLE Maths is one of the subjects that most kids struggle to conceptualise as it requires logic and understanding. In short, Maths is not as easy as it seems and it’s not everyone’s forte. Although, there are some students who seem to breeze through the subject without any difficulty.

If you have kids struggling in Primary Maths, don’t despair. When it comes to Maths, there’s still hope! In this article, we’ll discuss some interesting points on why these students struggle in Math and how Global Education can help them do better without compromising on their mental health.

Here’s what you need to understand first

Unfortunately, not all children are born with a natural propensity towards Math and the ones who are successful in Math, don’t necessarily tend to be good in other subjects. Learning mathematics can be challenging, especially if the child struggles in the subject at home or school. As a result, it becomes challenging to cope with the pressure.

Here are some of the reasons why your kid is not performing well.

The questions that appear on the Final Paper

There are many kids in Singapore who faces so much pressure due to the overwhelming questions that appear on their final paper. Sometimes, it’s so overwhelming that they give up on the question in advance because it doesn’t make sense to them, leading them to have doubts about the answer despite how much practice they had.

Let us show you an example that was recently trending in Singapore. This was one of the questions that left kids trembling.

“Helen and Ivan had the same number of coins. Helen had a number of 50-cent coins and 64 20-cent coins. Helen’s coins had a total mass of 1.134kg. Ivan had a number of 50-cent coins and 104 20-cent coins.”

  1.  Who has more money in coins and by how much?
  2.  Given that each 50 cents coin is 2.7 grams more heavier than a 20 cent coin, what is the mass of ivan’s coins in kilogram

Unfortunately, this particular question turned out to be quite complicated, requiring kids to go through so many calculations and considerations that may often leave them confused and very much unsure of the correct answer. Even adults had difficulty answering this question.

The poor grades

Many parents in Singapore have high expectations of their kids performing well in their school. And that’s okay but if their kids don’t do well, he/she could be labelled a failure and it could affect their self-esteem. Moreover, some kids fear their parents for calling them out for not studying hard enough by lecturing or punishing them. These are valid factors that could lead a child to do poorly.

Whilst, some may be able to escape the pressure as their parents are generally supportive, some children just cannot cope hence causing stress and anxiety in a child.

Pushing fear onto the kids

Some may think that enforcing fear in a kid might push them to do better in life but instead, it may also do the complete opposite. Parents or teachers would warn kids that if they fail in school, they can never come back from that as others would only see them as failures. But this really discourages kids to believe in their ability to succeed.

In fact, the kids may begin to convince themselves that they aren’t good enough and this may hold them back to engage with their studies.

How Global Education in Singapore can help struggling kids?

 If your kid is struggling to perform in Math, it could be because of:

  • Fearful of the subject
  • Fear of failure
  • Not having enough practice
  • Difficulty in understanding the logic
  • Feels demotivated after a poor performance
  • Doesn’t have a great support system

But Global Education is offering an alternative solution. With our extra-curriculum program, we can help students hone their skills at problem-solving, strategic thinking, and mastering topics that are eventually covered in the PSLE. There is only so much students can learn and perform with. But with enough time to reach out to struggling students and help them cope, kids could eventually gain confidence and perform to their highest ability.

It is our goal to have a positive impact on the life of a child by taking him/her away from the stressful pressure that school life often causes.  Global Education recognizes that it is not about getting the right grades but rather, the journey. If students are having trouble with their schoolwork, we help them to boost their skills by coaching, helping them through the conceptual issues in their works.

If you are a parent looking to take your kid off the pressure and push him/her to perform well in Math, there is a great alternative in Global Education. Our dynamic, creative, and motivational teachers are truly passionate about children and truly believe that children should be encouraged to believe in themselves and their abilities. As a parent, you can see that our presence instils a safe environment for children to flourish in and gain confidence.

Reach out to us!

Best Coding Programmes and Websites for Kids to Get Started

Coding classes for teen

Technology is starting to play an increasingly dominant role in how kids interact with each other and with their parents, and it is important that kids develop the necessary skills to make their use of the technology as fun and safe as possible.

With the growing number of apps and online games targeting younger users, kids are genuinely expressing interest in them to learn and be better at it. Moreover, such knowledge will help them to adapt to new technologies that are likely to play a bigger role in their future too.

Knowing this, you probably want to know some of the best interactive coding classes for kids to help them kick start their programming journey.

Which coding classes are a good start for my kid?

There are plenty of coding classes for kids that teaches them a myriad of things such as how to make 3D models, code in HTML, PHP, Python or Java, or even download ready-made code to create animations, games, and music. Choose one that your kid is most excited to learn about!

1)  Scratch

Scratch is an open-source, simple programming language developed by the MIT media lab that is considered a must-have for a young coding enthusiast.

Here, children can learn by making their own objects and animals and then experimenting with shapes and colours to add movement. In the end, children save their work and turn it into their own programmes, movies, and games. It’s free as well!

2) Codecademy

The founders, Zach Sims and Ryan Bubinski, created a popular coding class site called Codecademy that teaches students of all ages and backgrounds how to code.

The website, which began its services in August 2011, currently has a wide variety of programming courses such as object-oriented programming, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Logo, Ruby, and more.

The website offers self-paced courses at various levels, from coding challenges to full-fledged courses that include discussion forums and exercises. The website is beautifully crafted and curated for young coding enthusiasts to learn more flamboyantly.

3) Roblox

For the young gaming enthusiast, Roblox is the best place for your kid to power his/her imagination. Since 2020, Roblox has become an international phenomenon whereby it is one of the world’s most popular platforms for playing video games, but it is more than that.

Children can use their imagination to learn how to create their own 3D worlds, in which they can create virtual avatars, pets, or play multiplayer games with their friends.

Kids could also participate or join an initiative called ‘Hour of Code’ which allows them to learn about programming and computer science for an hour.

This site is something they can look forward to!

4) Tynker

Another amazing game-based coding platform is Tynker. They help kids learn programming through making games and creating interactive stories with physical blocks, animations and the creation of their own characters.

Kids can learn by playing games, designing their own characters, or even creating their own codes. The platform also offers lessons and projects to improve their coding abilities such as robotics, creating Minecraft worlds, and basic programming languages such as JavaScript, Python, HTML and CSS.

This platform has definitely made programming fun, exciting and simple while still being informational for your kids!

5) Kahoot!

This game-based learning platform offers free, fun and entertaining games which are about problem-solving and collaboration. Your kids can learn to code in a specific domain with a specific theme or try a mix of themes such as Music, Nature, and Math. Kids could also participate in skill and challenging quizzes to win prizes and badges.

Teachers, who are searching for a quick and simple way to create interactive, gamified learning experiences, can use Kahoot to create games that are highly engaging.

6) Code.org

One of the fastest-growing online learning platforms in the world, Code.org works to make computer science and coding more accessible to students and teachers across the world.

This non-profit organisation strives to solve global educational challenges and is committed to making computer science and coding an integral part of the school curriculum.

On the Code.org platform, kids can learn how to create games, apps, websites, and more that are relevant to their daily lives through fun and accessible learning experiences. Check it out!

7) Blockly

Blockly is an incredible programme that teaches the fundamentals of coding in one of the simplest and most intuitive ways. It uses drag-and-drop blocks to guide learners through a level of a computer game, creating interactive stories, interactive characters and storytelling.

Through the platform, children can learn the basics of programming and build on what they know. They could also create projects that display their creativity and imagination in a variety of ways, and they can also work collaboratively to complete their projects.

Conclude

Coding is one of the most rapidly growing job areas in today’s world and you can be sure that many tech giants are investing in computer science education for kids. The best part is that there are many learning apps that can help kids learn about coding with just a few hours of the day to make learning fun and accessible.

It’s always great to get your kids learning about computer science at a young age too since they are curious little ones who are willing to learn about anything that excites them too.