All About GEP
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If a child is gifted, the gift must have come from God.
It is inborn and therefore FOC...
I don't think we need to pay a single cent to attain the gift.
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sharonsharon:
...My son is going to take the GEP test paper. But our family financial situation restrained him from attending any GEP course,which might cost more than $2000...
Dear sharonsharon, a key reason why we started KiasuParents.com is to show parents that if they think they need to spend thousands of dollars on preparing their children for GEP, then they have missed the entire point about what GEP and being Kiasu is all about.
Being Kiasu is really about being an effective parent, to give our best efforts in guiding our children to be the best of what they can be. Every child is gifted, but not in the same way. The GEP would have us believe that gifted children must be exceptionally superior in English (linguistic) and Math (logic), which, of course, is a very narrow and functional way of labelling children. Its goal is to identify such children so that they can receive proper attention and education to maximize their potential.
For the GEP selection process to work, it is necessary children not be artificially trained to be exam smart and pass the selection tests. Indeed, given enough time and hard work, any bright kid can be trained to get into GEP classes, which is a point exploited by people who provide GEP preparatory courses. While some of these people really believe they are providing a service to parents and kids, most are driven by profit motives. Regardless, their very existence and the fact that they are able to command a following is troubling, and points to an inherent failure of the GEP to achieve its primary objectives. Children that are truly gifted may be denied a chance to enter the program, while those that were artificially trained will suffer in the program.
It is unfortunate that a number of parents see the GEP as an elite programme (no thanks to policies that were adopted to give those in the programme easier entry into better schools), and they will continue to try all means to get their kids into the programme without worrying about the consequences. We can only hope that parents become more rational about the whole thing, that it will be their children who have to live with the decisions that their parents make. Do we really want our children to get into the GEP \"accidentally\", and suffer because they are really not who the programme is targeted at? Is it not better for us to identify what our children are good at and encourage them to grow their competencies around their true giftedness? -
Do not believe in the so-called GEP screening test preparation class. They will not guarantee you that your child will get into GEP anyway. It is just someone created to help himself make money out from Kiasu parents. I came across a parent sent her daughter to such training but in the end the daughter also did not get into GEP class. She stayed in mainstream high ability class and did well enough in her PSLE and still got into the top IP gilrls school. Her mother wasted a lot of money by sending her for such class.
Under the current MOE GEP branch policy, a lot of parents takes it as a short cut to get into IP school at lower PLSE T-Score and guarantee scholarship, therefore find ways trying to help their kids get into it. The GEP parents majority also help up in doing projects works for their kids. Most GEP students have one parent not working but holdingng their hands to get through this programme. It has become no rational behind it besides the benefits to secondary school mentioned above. Feel this system needs to be revamped by MOE. -
Dear SharonSharon, I am flabbergasted, speechless, shocked…when I read your appeal for sample test papers. Alao please, for the sake of your child’s self-esteem, do not throw money into these unscrupulous programmes claiming to train children for the GEP tests. All that ChiefKiasu said is absolutely correct.
GEP is no walk in the park. Just like the Sports Sch and the Arts Sch are for kids gifted AND passionate in these areas, the GEP is to cater for kids who relish the challenge of specific academic pursuits, which the mainstream curriculum is unable to provide. If a bright child is trained to successfully pass the GEP selection tests, will he feel he deserves this chance? Will he be happy with the daily rigours of GEP? And more importantly, a more deserving child in lesser financial circumstances will be deprived of a place.
Word of advice- For Linguistics, instil in your child a passion for literature (and i don’t mean the Mr Midnight sort), wordgames/puzzles like scrabble, upwords, boggle etc, puns and wordplay, limericks etc.
For Maths - If your child enjoys mental math stimulation, make available as many types of maths puzzles as possible. Also, books like murderous maths series and the number devil by hans magnus enzeberger are good reads for children passionate about math.
All the above will cost you next to nothing because all are available at our wonderfully well stocked public libraries. -
Dear all:
Thanks for you care and kindness. Actually, i also have no idea why i suddenly post that for GEP paper although only happened in Aug this year.
Honestly speaking,I never send my boy to any tuition but he is a very self-displined boy and manage to be the top of class for the past 2 year.I heard that some of wealth family send their kid to GEP course although the kid might not be gifted ,but still get into GEP .Sometimes I just felt a bit unfair for my boy, to us, GEP test is totally blind for us. We knew nothing about it.I am not intend to send my boy to GEP school, just want him to at least know some types of the questions,maybe just 2 questions from math and english at least ,so that we could understand what gep like.
I canno afford to send my son for any GEP course.I just want one or two quesions for him to take a look.ai,maybe because people pay huge amount of it, not willing to share.anyway, thanks for all kindess from all of you. -
Hi
You may want to check out this thread for samples of questions .. if that's what you need. Those questions are from the 2nd round of screening test.
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=45
Do take note of the following pointers in the GEP notification letter for the screening test from MOE.
\"The Screening Test questions are usually more difficult than those in school examination papers. Your child should not be unduly worried if he/she cannot answer all the questions.We strongly urge you not to place undue pressure on your child to study for the test.\" -
Hi Sharon,
Be happy that your kid is doing well and you should be proud of him. Like the rest of the parents said. Read more and do the basic well is more than enough. You seems like wanting to enrol your kid in if you are financially more independant. But did you think of the other aspect, if he didnt do well in the class, how would he feel, pressured? sad? How about your feeling towards him and the money paid out? You will perhaps think, others are so smart, mine… Why make yourself going through the stress.
Since your kid is smart enough to make you proud!!! -
sharonsharon:
Hi sharonsharon,
Dear all:
Thanks for you care and kindness. Actually, i also have no idea why i suddenly post that for GEP paper although only happened in Aug this year.
Honestly speaking,I never send my boy to any tuition but he is a very self-displined boy and manage to be the top of class for the past 2 year.I heard that some of wealth family send their kid to GEP course although the kid might not be gifted ,but still get into GEP .Sometimes I just felt a bit unfair for my boy, to us, GEP test is totally blind for us. We knew nothing about it.I am not intend to send my boy to GEP school, just want him to at least know some types of the questions,maybe just 2 questions from math and english at least ,so that we could understand what gep like.
I canno afford to send my son for any GEP course.I just want one or two quesions for him to take a look.ai,maybe because people pay huge amount of it, not willing to share.anyway, thanks for all kindess from all of you.
The GEP questions used to be MCQ but last year the questions are 50% MCQ and 50% long questions. -
kiasulang:
Hi Kiasulang,
Hi sharonsharon,
The GEP questions used to be MCQ but last year the questions are 50% MCQ and 50% long questions.
Could share further as in which subject you are referring to and whether first round or second round? And what type of long question for example.
Thank you. -
[Moderator's note: Topics merged.]
Hi,
May I should we help to revise GEP's subjects.
ok to leave them alone?
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