Hwa Chong Institution (High School)
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Tetsujin:
Thanks for the validation, Tetsujin. I thought knowing Bahasa would be a great help when he goes on shoestring budget travel round the region. Maybe can even haggle for better prices!TravelMummy:
Thinking about what third language option to advise ds to apply for. He is going to be sec1 next year. Am thinking of a practical option like Bahasa Melayu rather than French or Japanese as which many kids drop after 1-2 years. Understand that the lessons are conducted in school so he doesn't have to travel far either. Do many kids normally take up this option; are there exams for this and is it easy to drop at will if ds realizes subsequently that he is no longer keen? Appreciate any advice. Thanks!
Great choice! Why, all our neighbouring countries like Malaysia and Indonesia use this language! Both my kids took Japanese, my elder daughter went all the way to O levels and scored an A, but due to non frequent use, have lost most of the language. My son, who went to HCI drop out after 2 months due to his CCA. I have been encouraging parents to have their kids take kids take Bahasa Melayu, of course with lots of resistance because most see it as \"not as glamorous\" a 3rd Language! As for your other questions, need parents whose kids are still in HCI to answer, my son is already in Uni, so I am not so updated with their teaching systems.
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Do students that remain in IP take HMTL at O level?
What is the minimum grade to get exemption for yr 5-6?
Parents of children who were weaker in Chinese before joining HCI, please share your experience on how your child managed to cope and improve in HCI. Thanks a million! -
Hi i can answer one of your questions cos i asked the same at HCI yesterday.
You need to get at least B4 for HMT to get an exemption for yr 5-6. -
lexis:
Thanks lexis....my DS has to work towards it no matter what!! Stress!Hi i can answer one of your questions cos i asked the same at HCI yesterday.
You need to get at least B4 for HMT to get an exemption for yr 5-6.
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Hi! For those who have gotten hold of the Year 1 booklist, can you kindly list them if possible? Many thanks!
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I posted the list of sec 1 books to give away. Just to update, the books are already taken within 10 mins of my posting. Thank you for the interest.
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Hi HCI parents, students
With two more days to submit S1 posting, my son and I still thinking should we put HCI as the first choice. With 260+2 score, we think he should stand a good chance to get in HCI. However, the concerns are:
•\tBeing non-gep student himself, does it make one person feel like ‘second class citizen’ as understand those gep/dsa students would end up in iSparks consortium. So much talk about iSparks and so much talk about good resources/elite students in iSparks. In other words, those students in the other three consortiums, do they think or feel that there is different treatment and makes the students feel that they are less important or taught with less emphasis?
•\tHeard that teachers’ teaching style are very different, that is homework given and answers provided. However, solutions to the answers are not taught. Left to the students to figure out the solutions? So call independent learning, is this true? Ends up many students require tuition to guide them, is this true?
As like many parents out there, we hope the child enjoy learning and not stressed out too much. Again knowing IP route would certainly mean certain level of stress is already there, meaning the child should also have the expectations/intention to face the stress.
Hope to hear some advise from parents or students in this school, many thanks. -
Mum1113:
Mum1113,Hi HCI parents, students
With two more days to submit S1 posting, my son and I still thinking should we put HCI as the first choice. With 260+2 score, we think he should stand a good chance to get in HCI. However, the concerns are:
•\tBeing non-gep student himself, does it make one person feel like ‘second class citizen’ as understand those gep/dsa students would end up in iSparks consortium. So much talk about iSparks and so much talk about good resources/elite students in iSparks. In other words, those students in the other three consortiums, do they think or feel that there is different treatment and makes the students feel that they are less important or taught with less emphasis?
•\tHeard that teachers’ teaching style are very different, that is homework given and answers provided. However, solutions to the answers are not taught. Left to the students to figure out the solutions? So call independent learning, is this true? Ends up many students require tuition to guide them, is this true?
As like many parents out there, we hope the child enjoy learning and not stressed out too much. Again knowing IP route would certainly mean certain level of stress is already there, meaning the child should also have the expectations/intention to face the stress.
Hope to hear some advise from parents or students in this school, many thanks.
Congratulation to your DS for his excellent results.
Given what we read recently about the struggle of some students, I don't dare to tell you your boy will definitely be happy in HCI. But I hope my sharing will be useful to you in some way:
1. I have 2 boys in HCI, both were from mainstream. They never felt like 2nd class citizens in non-iSpark consortium. In fact, the Consortium system is very good in our opinion. They have Consortium Director/AD looking after the kids and they don't feel lost in a big school with 15 classes just in Sec1. For Sec 1/2, it is true the teaching pace and content for iSpark is faster/more compared to other consortiums. However by end of Sec 2, they can choose to go into the various programmes with different focus and different pace depending on both their results and personal preferences. By the time they are in Upper Sec, there isn't much different between GEP or mainstream kids from my observation.
2. About teachers providing answers but not solutions, I have never heard of this. From my own boys' experiences, I can say most teachers are very good and dedicated, beyond our expectation actually. On the other hand, it is also true that the pace is fast and it is demanding as you would expect from one of the top schools in SG.
3. About the need for tuition. There are students without tuition and there are also some with tuition. My impression is that the extent of tuition they have is less than P5/P6 period. But this is just gut feel, I don't have any statistics to confirm.
4. My boys enjoy themselves very much in HCI and we have seen very positive holistic development in both of them. Of course, this is just a sample of 2 and every child is different and may have a different experience/feeling even if they are put in the same environment.
All the best to you choosing the right school for your DS! -
Wonderm, your reply is wonderful (like your nick :)… it is comforting to know as it adds assurance to the dilemma we have. Every parent knows it’s so important to place the right choice for their kid, hence so much speculation on the COP this year. It’s going to be interesting day on 20th Dec (posting day).
Appreciate your sharing and glad both your boys enjoy the school. My son has kind of set his heart and mind by now…….great to have advise from parents like yourself. -
When will the new term start? Jan 2nd?
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