All About GEP

[EQmum]

This year was the most stressful year for me as compared to him. Cos I think my IQ is not up to my ds mark. I never help him to adjust his own expectation. He adjusted himself automatically. He is aware that some of his peer perform better than him and he said that he would work hard to catch up with them. Sad to said that I have yet to see him work hard. He told me that he would try again next year. :lol: That's wait and see.

However, my experience tells me that we are the one that really need to adjust our expectation. You will never see the scored of 90+ marks for all subjects any more. You must get used to it and lower down ur expectation.
No doubt there are still some kids scoring 90+ marks for some subjects. But the average lots scored an overall between 72% to 77%. Anyway, their baseline are mark at 70%. Other then the basis 4 subjects, they must also pass their social studies which will be grade in marks. So their total aggregate is 500 marks. I think you might see a slide in term 1 but they will adjust them quickly and fit into the programe. Thus you are able to see improvement in the following terms.
Let her know that the new friends she is going to meet are having the same or better grades than her. So she is not going to be in the spotlight anymore.
Hope this will help to prepare you mentally.

[cluelessmom]

So grateful for kind souls like u, EQmum here, :lol: am glad to hear that ur son is so well adjusted and comforting to knw that there's no need for me to get paranoid and start trying to load my ger wif additional enrichment classess so as to keep her grades up.... as I have always never interfered wif her studies, it will really be stressful for both of us if I were to start now.... :?

[ChiefKiasu]

cluelessmom:

So grateful for kind souls like u, EQmum here, :lol: am glad to hear that ur son is so well adjusted and comforting to knw that there's no need for me to get paranoid and start trying to load my ger wif additional enrichment classess so as to keep her grades up.... as I have always never interfered wif her studies, it will really be stressful for both of us if I were to start now.... :?

On the other hand, I would advise that you should consider sending your child to Chinese enrichment courses. Chinese is a subject that really requires constant interaction in order for us to get better. It is difficult for your child to improve by herself simply through reading. Molin or Jiang Education are very good in this area.

[cluelessmom]

Yep… am seriously considering sending her for chinese enrichment… jus check out their website, Molin is in the east and Jiang’s at Rochor Rd… we are staying at West side so I am considering the nearest option, Tien Hsia. Chief Kiasu, wat is ur take on TienHsia? Sign…my dd is already regretting her decision to opt for GEP (DUN WAN ENRICHMENT CLASS!!) … but wat to do

[tamarind]

I saw this thread about GEP in another forum. Someone who was a gepper posted comments. I find it interesting to see things from the gepper's point of view.


http://talkback.stomp.com.sg/forums/showthread.php?t=41776

[ChiefKiasu]

cluelessmom:

...Chief Kiasu, wat is ur take on TienHsia? Sign....my dd is already regretting her decision to opt for GEP (DUN WAN ENRICHMENT CLASS!!) .... but wat to do

http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416 where we have been talking about all available Chinese enrichment programmes. Some of these classes are actually quite fun. My son enjoys his Chinese idiom classes in Yuquan. Tien Hsia is also quite popular and tuned to the MOE syllabus. My son also started in Molin in September and it is very academic, but after a couple months, he finds it quite enjoyable now.

[sleepy]

take a look at this letter to Straits Time forum today


http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_305300.html

[sleepy]

I believed GEP can be trained too


if you expose the child to the style of GEP questions, tune the mind to think along that line, sure do, can be done

versus other children who only see those GEP questions for the very first time in their life during the screening, I am sure those with prior exposure will flair much better

sort of like O level 10 years series. Practice the past year papers sufficiently, grasp the way questions are set, very hard to fail your exam, right?

Having say that, I don’t agree with the method of drilling the child with GEP questions. The child may pass the screening but end up struggling. Even more demoralising if he or she is ‘banish’ back to mainstream

However, to be fairer, I believe all students should be offered a sample set of questions to minimise the ‘shock’ when they see the style of GEP questions

[cnimed]

[Moderator's note: Topics split and merged.]

sleepy:

I believed GEP can be trained too...Having say that, I don't agree with the method of drilling the child with GEP questions. The child may pass the screening but end up struggling. Even more demoralising if he or she is 'banish' back to mainstream

However, to be fairer, I believe all students should be offered a sample set of questions to minimise the 'shock' when they see the style of GEP questions

You mean train for the exam. But as you rightly pointed out, the child may still end up struggling afterwards and end up more demoralised.

As for offering a sample set of the question - I think it's more relevant if NO ONE sees the questions rather than everyone prep for it.

[cnimed]

tamarind:

I feel that the GEP seems to focus on advanced maths, english, chinese, computer. But there are so many other areas that the children can explore.


I am not impressed by what GEP offer in computer enrichment. There is so much more that the child can learn.

Yes Singapore GEP focuses much more on academic ability, and doesn't cater for underperforming gifted children. At the same time, to be fair, as to the child being able to learn much more, it all depends on the home environment and what we're comparing with. For some children whose parents don't have the time, money or cultural capital, GEP can be a very valuable gateway to higher learning. Obviously a child will be able to learn much more from a family member with specialised knowledge/skills than in school, GEP or not.

tamarind:

The purpose of this thread is about identifying children who are gifted...Like wwcookie wrote :
the recognition that these kids learn differently and therefore should be taught differently...I agree with this statement. I think that we should start teaching these kids differently long before they enter primary school.[/color]

I understand where you are coming from. I didn't see a lot on identification after a quick scan, and personally, I don't think one should try to at this age. It's more a matter of following a child's interests and providing the child with new experiences and materials for exploration, gifted or not.

Having said that, I do understand when parents are driven to seek out more information as a result of unsatisfactory learning situations, asynchronous development, or unusual sensitivities. This then lead to the gifted term, and information that pertains to gifted children.

Perhaps the problem we have is when kindergartens practise lock-step curriculum. I would agree with ability differentiation from kindergarten level onwards. But the truth is, I think no learning institution that is catering for a relatively big group can truly satisfy any child. The best situation I can think of is the mixed age play-based setting that also provides learning corners, and quiet corners. And of course, generous staffing. But THAT would definitely cost so much that it would be out of the question for most. :?