Sunday 26 February 2012

Learning Vocabulary the fun and easy way

I think my entire family has no affinity for languages. In the PSLE, all my three kids had scored A* for Mathematics and Science, but only A for English and A for Chinese (with the exception of Lim Min, who had scored an A* for Chinese). Even now at high schools, languages have always been their Achilles' heels.

For me, whenever I am reading newspapers, books or Internet news, I will have my iPad beside me so that I can check the meaning of any unfamiliar words from Dictionary.com. It is quite common that I will forget the meaning of certain words that I have come across before, and have to recheck the meaning, again and again.

Early this month, I chanced upon 'Vocabulary Cartoons' on Amazon and bought the following books.




Including shipping and handling charges, I paid a total of US$31.62 (about S$40) for both books. I made the order on 9 Feb and received the books on 22 Feb.

In Vocabulary Cartoons, word associations and visual images are provided to make learning easy and entertaining. There is an old Chinese proverb, 百闻不如一见, meaning "a picture is worth a thousand words". Good mnemonic images (the more bizarre and ridiculous, the better) can be retained for a long time in our memory. Years from now, whenever we see a word from the books, odds are the cartoon of that word will appear in our mind's eye in a flash.

Below is a sample page:
My kids and I are now reading the books. Hopefully, after going through both books, our English vocabulary will improve by leaps and bounds. :)

Friday 17 February 2012

1st Raffles Invitational Mathematical Olympiad (RIMO)

The inaugural biennial Raffles Invitational Mathematical Olympiad (RIMO) was organised by RI, and held from 7 to 10 February 2012.

I was trying to google for more information about RIMO, such as the number of participants, countries participated, local schools participated and winners list, but could not find any RI website that captured the information. There is also no mention of the competition in any local media (this is quite expected .. as the sports fratenity usually receives much, much more coverage than the academic competitions). Interestingly, I found the RIMO event widely publicised in the Filipino media, and even the President's spokesman congratulated their team during a press briefing, which can be seen below:

Official Gazette - The Presidential Spokesperson on the success of four Filipino students in the Raffles Invitational Mathematical Olympiad, February 13, 2012
Manila Bulletin Newspaper - Filipinos Shine In Math Olympiad
Inquirer News - 4 medals for Philippines in math Olympiad in Singapore
Rappler - Palace lauds math whiz kids' feat in Singapore
Asian Journal, The Filipino-American Community Newspaper - Filipino high-school students honored for their success in Raffles-Invitational Mathematical Olympiad

From the Filipino newslinks (this is ironical, isn't it, that I found information about RIMO not from local newslinks or from RI website), I gathered that aside from the Philippines, China and host Singapore, also represented at RIMO were Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand. And from among the 100 contestants (total 25 teams), 10 won gold medals, 20 bagged silver, 30 got bronze, and 15 obtained honorable mention. Filipino students have won 1 Silver and 3 Bronze.

Where are the gold medalists? NUS High has sent a team for the competition and won 3 Gold. I think one China team has also won 3 Gold, another China team 1 Gold and Indonesia team 1 Gold.

Gold medalists - photo taken from NUS High website.

Sunday 12 February 2012

本地顶尖学生数学程度高

This is posted by LJ's mum.

联合早报三年前的报道。

获学校家长重视 数学奥林匹克赛培训班受欢迎
王珏琪 (11-02-2009)

新加坡数学学会提供的数据显示,该会举办的新加坡中学低年级数学奥林匹克比赛,参加学生在去年达4775人,比2005年增加了966人;中学高年级奥林匹克比赛的参赛者也增加,去年达3348人,比2005年时增加了167人。

数学奥林匹克赛带动商机

这股数学奥林匹克比赛风,也吹到了学校。国大数理中学每年为小学生举行数学奥林匹克竞赛,参加人数从2006年的2558人,增至去年的4172人,增幅约六成。补习中心和出版商都看准了这样的商机。

Simply Smart Education Centre补习中心开办的数学奥林匹克班,报读的小学生2003年仅有三四名,去年增加到约有20名,去年则有约10名中学生修读这课程。该补习中心的合伙人兼教师陈可鸣(35岁)指出,有的家长因为孩子没有被选入数学奥林匹克赛培训校队,把孩子送到补习中心上培训班,一旦孩子的数学能力提高了,就请补习中心写推荐信给学校,让孩子进入校队。

泛太平洋出版社在2007年中到2008年中为小学生出版了五本数学奥林匹克课外书,目前售出了约9000套。总裁杨家敏答复本报询问时说,他们计划推出至少多两个相关系列的课外书。这些课外书基本上是培养学生对数学奥林匹克赛的兴趣,以及给学生尝试具挑战性的数学题目。
陈可鸣说:“有的家长要孩子参加奥林匹克培训班,也是为了帮助孩子通过中学直接收生计划,希望学校在小六会考放榜前录取孩子。”
该补习中心也到中小学开办培训班,陈可鸣发现,有的学校的目的不是为了让学生参加比赛,而是改善数学成绩,希望学生的小六会考数学成绩能从A提升到A*。

杨永耀(28岁)也看准商机,投资了5万元,去年底在宏茂桥开设了状元村补习中心。除了一般补习课程,他也开办数理奥林匹克培训班,培训班收费每1个半小时149元。
他和负责策划奥林匹克培训班的导师蔡伟康(28岁)都曾经代表新加坡参加国际化学奥林匹克赛,蔡伟康去年还是国际科学奥林匹克中学组国家队的教练之一,新加坡去年在该比赛排名第二。
杨永耀指出,他设立状元村的原因之一,也是希望从小培养学生作答数理问题的能力,例如中国学生从小学开始就进行很严谨的数理奥林匹克培训,也出版了不少有关奥林匹克的书籍,我国学生如果从小就有这方面的训练,有助于他们在国际赛中与中国、美国等强国竞争。
其中一名导师周益德(20岁)毕业自邻里学校,在高一代表本地参加国际数学奥林匹克赛的他就希望,更多不同背景的学生能有机会参加这类培训班,并获得平等参赛机会。

本地顶尖学生数学程度高

我国土生土长的顶尖学生,数学程度并不比前来本地求学的外国学生差。
新加坡数学学会副会长王金富博士受访时说,只有公民或永久居民才能代表新加坡参赛。而从中国到本地求学的学生确立的高标准,成了本地学生一种追求的目标。
我国去年在国际数学奥林匹克数学赛中排名32,2007年是第36,2006年是第27,而2005年获得历来参赛成绩最好的第14名。
也是国大数理中学校长的王金富博士受访时说,新加坡小国寡民,“我觉得我们的表现还算不错,因为这些比赛的竞争很强,有90多个国家参赛。”
他发现,近三四年,本地数学奥林匹克赛前五名的学生通常是本地人,“我可以说过了这么多年,我们最好的学生虽然不比外籍学生好,但是已经能与他们相比了”。他指出,这与10年前的情况相比,已经是很大的进步。
至于为什么参加数学学会举办的数学奥林匹克赛学生人数会增加,王金富认为,除了只颁发奖项给前面30名学生,奥林匹克赛也会颁金、银、铜牌和荣誉奖状,有助于鼓励学生继续培养他们对数学的兴趣。
他说:“在本地,我们对数学有这样的共识:就是数学很重要。家长们都希望孩子在校时就能在数学上取得很好的表现。而且,很久以来,数学和科学在小学和中学里都是必修科目,家长知道孩子需要有很稳固的数学和科学基础。”

通过比赛发掘有天赋学生

新加坡中学低年级奥林匹克比赛近来还吸引了小学生参加。王博士指出有一名学生在小学六年级的时候就参加了该竞赛,还获得第八名,最后被国大数理中学发掘,目前在该校就读。他中一就加入了国家队,相信是有史以来年级最轻的数学奥林匹克国家队成员。
王金富说:“他在小学并没有接受正统的(数学奥林匹克)训练通过这种比赛,你就能不时发掘有天赋的学生。因此我们举办的奥林匹克赛培养了学生的兴趣,也帮助我们寻找有天赋的学生。”
不过,他强调:“在比赛中获得好成绩,并不是终点。给学生参加比赛的目的应该是培养对数学的兴趣,和栽培这些数学天才。”例如,有不少参加数学学会奥林匹克赛的学生,虽然没有获得金牌,但是仍然继续到大学修读数学科。
“每个国家必须在不同领域有一定数量的人才。让我们感到庆幸的是,还有这批人对数学保持兴趣,追求到他们可以达到的最高点。当他们回国服务时,无论是当数学家或教育家,都是国家的栋梁。”
王博士劝请家长,对于孩子的要求不应该过高,不应该一味要求孩子在比赛中获得奖牌,重要的是让孩子自然发展数学能力和对数学的兴趣。

国大数理中学校长:中国数学课本有助提升水准

王金富博士希望本地学生能够参考中国出版的中学和高中数学课本。
国大数理中学校长王金富博士说:“这些课本都是由很有经验的数学教师撰写,把数学的精华都浓缩在课本里。中国有很多人在做这样的工作,他们课本里的题目有助于学生达到学习目标。”  
王博士虽然是英校生,但是热爱华族文化,也爱拉二胡,为了更深入了解华族文化,他努力提高华文程度。他相信,学生如果有学习华文的原因和动力,他们一定会学习或提升他们的华文程度。
王博士的不少中学数学课本由曾任上海复旦大学数学教授的徐家鹄推荐,他的长子王皓权十五六岁的时候就在徐家鹄教授的指导下学习数学,并认识了中国数学课本。

教育部奖学金得主:纯粹为成绩做数学会反感

王皓权(19岁)指出,他从这些课本学习到的知识,大部分能运用在奥林匹克赛,也帮助他提高数学解题的能力,但是由于课本的内容超出了他在学校上课的内容,他还是需要徐教授从旁协助。
王皓权参加了几届本地数学奥林匹克赛,中二和中四的时候获得第一名。他说,他对数学的兴趣是受父亲的影响。他是教育部奖学金得主,华侨中学校友,目前在服役,明年将到外国大学修读数学。
他说:“我从小到大都喜欢做思考题目,数学本身就非常考个人的思考能力。起初会有点困难,因为你的知识不多,但是当你越读越多,有了知识,就会上瘾、越做越多(数学题)。因为每个题目都是一个挑战,每征服一个挑战就有满足感。”
在学习数学的过程中,王皓权也曾为了准备比赛而感到不愉快。他说:“最重要的是,从学习中取得乐趣,因为当你纯粹为了成绩而做数学题时,会很反感。”

家长学生看数理奥林匹克培训班

校外奥林匹克培训班学费价格不菲,还是有学生上门。
两名来自邻里中学的好朋友沈洋和许实锐(15岁)今年一起转到直通车学校,两人都说他们是因为对科学的兴趣,想通过补习中心的物理奥林匹克培训班,获得不同科学视角,并相信既然在培训班学习较高程度的内容,校内的考试也会显得较容易应付。
两人曾代表学校参加科学比赛,沈洋说:“将来有机会,希望代表学校参加科学奥林匹克比赛,因为我觉得参加比赛对我有益,可认识更多人和学习课本外的知识。”

妈妈要孩子提升数学成绩

林淑美(35岁,家庭主妇)的长子今年小学五年级,她去年就为他报读了一家西部补习中心的数学奥林匹克培训班,学费是每10堂课440元。儿子去年的数学成绩80多分。不过,她认为儿子在数学方面有天赋,并希望儿子能够通过培训班提高数学成绩,参加全国数学奥林匹克赛,以提高通过中学直接收生计划预先被名校录取的机会。
“我嫌他太迟参加培训班,因为其他家长很早就为孩子报读了这个培训班。”
她说,她原本计划为二年级的幼子也报读这个数学奥林匹克培训班,但是学生人数太多,只能把名字登记在等候名单上。

Monday 6 February 2012

subjects in NUSHS

This is posted by LL ☺

These are the subjects/modules I am taking in NUSH, from most like to least like (or, hate).

1. Lunch/recess/break. Obviously, who doesn't like breaks?
2. Violin for Beginners (enrichment module). Dr Wong (not Ms Wong) is funny and interesting.
3. Advanced Maths Olympiad Training II (elective module on Saturday). Less boring than normal Math but so far I noticed the SMO J questions were taken from 19xx and early 200x competitions and most are trivial and would not come out in the SMO J now.
4. Basic Math Olympiad Training. I took this enrichment module to pass time as it is just before my CCA which is Gamelan (got nothing to do with gaming). Even though it is very basic, I can still learn some stuff from there.
5. Physics. More interesting than Math.
6. Math. It is easy and boring but requires common sense, so sad that I did not clear the math diagnostic test and cannot accelerate to Year 2 :(
7. Chemistry. It is science.
8. Biology. It is also science.
9. Chemical potpourri (enrichment module). It is Chemistry.
10. PE. I hate running but better than studying weird things.
11. Chinese. The teacher is loud, I think I learnt a lot more from my primary school Chinese teacher, Ms Chai.
12. English. It is hard.
13. IH. It is integrated humanities, where we are learning history and culture, which I am not interested in.

I don't think Lim Jeck is going to blog anymore although this is his blog. My mother has been trying to maintain this blog for him :( He used to blog last time.