Mdm Lee, with 20 years of primary school teaching experience, told over 100 workshop attendees: "Science is perhaps easier to relate to than mathematics; for example, as living beings, we all respire," with reference to the biological process of respiration. Another example: the process of photosynthesis in plants all around us.
She said that as children increase in their appreciation of science as part of their life, this understanding helps to foster greater observational skills - a key requirement for the learning of science.
Understand the process skills tested in questions
Held at the Serangoon Garden Country Club on 14 March, the 3-hour workshop included simple fun activities that related to science process skills of observation (using the senses), comparing, making hypotheses, drawing inferences, predicting, among others.
A parent, Mr Koh Li Teck said that he was there to pick up tips which he could use to teach his kids on how to respond correctly to science questions on process skills.
To meet such concerns, trainer Mdm Lee explained the various concepts and process skills being tested in questions and provided guidance for formulating valid responses. While acknowledging that children's different knowledge levels can result in answers of different complexity, she underscored the need for answers to use simple words, be specific and to the point. She used sample questions extensively to illustrate these points.
One parent asked about the best way to guide children to answer questions given the limited time in examinations.
Mdm Lee said: "Learn the concepts first noting the process skills involved. One way to facilitate this learning is by using concept maps. Then follow up by using assessment tools, selecting suitable ones in the market." She also noted that a good practice tool included past year examination papers.
Enthusiastic parent reactions
Ms Elaine Loh heard of the science workshop from an onSponge contact. "I wanted to hear about tackling process skills questions from an expert like Mdm Lee."
Ms Loh had earlier bought onSponge ThinkingMath products which she described as "just what I needed for my kids, containing a consolidated set of strategies to excel at PSLE". Her son is a P6 student at SAJS.
Parent Ms Isabel Lim was there with her daughter. Ms Lim got to hear of the workshop from onSponge after having earlier bought the ThinkingMath books.
"I liked Mdm Lee's use of sample questions to explain how to answer process skills questions," said another parent Ms Mona Leong.
Other parents wanted to know when onSponge ThinkingScience materials will be available. An onSponge spokesman said that these were "in the works".
Parent attendees had more questions for the trainer. Due to a lack of time, Mdm Lee requested them to be posted in the ThinkingScience@onSponge forum, noting that sometimes certain answers required more discussion time on the concepts involved. The forum would allow for a more convenient sharing of the discussion leading to the answers.
Why the workshop
An onSponge spokesman said that the workshop was to help parents to be more aware of the issues involved for answering primary science questions on process skills.
"Such an awareness would help concerned parents to become better facilitators for their kids' learning of science and tackling science examination questions. More parent workshops are being planned."
Refering to Mdm Lee's request for parents to post any further workshop-related questions in the online forum, the spokesman indicated that a special forum will be created for workshop attendees who submitted their post-workshop feedback forms, and attendees will be informed via email when it is ready.
Noting parents' desire for further tips and information on how to better coach their children in science, trainer Mdm Lee said: "I understand that these are important needs. While I'm not an authority, I feel that I'm in an advantaged position by virtue of background and experience to offer parents help in guiding their children in their science learning journey."
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