PSLE math exam has roughly 60% of the marks allocated to word problems (problem sums). My son is confident with roughly half of these word problems (including the less wordy geometry and charts). I looked at the other half — the tough problems.  I would say most of the “tough” word problems are contrived —

• they are tractable with equations but my son has not learnt equations.
• their presentation and construction is unnatural. In real life, no reasonable person would play silly games by hiding some information and asking you to guess. When I read the first half of a typical “tough” word problem I could predict what they are hiding !

Majority of these tough problems require pattern recognition (PR). Part of this PR is reusable abstract thinking skill, but the other part of pattern recognition is not really math skill but an exam-taking technique.  This technique is 雕虫小技, not a foundation skill needed in further math learning. Strength and training in this technique doesn’t enhance a student’s capacity for abstract, logical or mathematical problem solving.

Assuming my analysis so far is not overly biased or incomplete, I would say that this kind of exam-taking technique is the wrong priority, wrong focus for a parent.

Whenever I lose my cool and become anxious about my son, half the times are due to these tough word problems — wrong priority!

— accept the weakness

Repeatedly I declared that I can accept the long term prospect of a mediocre boy, and I can accept if dabao remains weak on exam-taking techniques.

His current weakness (perceived or actual) in wordy problem is related to the long-term prospect and the “exam-taking” … so could I accept it with REAL peace?

— average kids can’t get it.
Apparently, only one student in his class is comfortable with the wordy problems. Sounds like everyone else is afraid and anxious about wordy problems. This says a lot about the quality and effectiveness of this education