NUS High School of Mathematics and Science (Diploma)

[BabyRR]

Cool nurse & lucid

Thank you vm for your sharing.
Can I ask what is your nephew’s & DS (respectively) feedback on the non maths & science aspects of school? Language, humanities, cca aspects? Just wondering if it’s too early for kid to pursue such a specialised path?

[tankee]

While the school focused on Maths and Science, they allow students to take up major in other subjects, including Eng Lit, History, Geography, Arts, Economics, Music etc.


https://www.nushigh.edu.sg/academic-curriculum/nus-high-school-diploma

Very little lesson time in Mother Tongue per week as compared to other subjects.

Many CCA choices and students are active in CCA. Students can propose and set up new CCA.

[abhcbl]

BabyRR\" post_id=\"1981857\" time=\"1592843535\" user_id=\"18548:

Cool nurse & lucid
Thank you vm for your sharing.
Can I ask what is your nephew's & DS (respectively) feedback on the non maths & science aspects of school? Language, humanities, cca aspects? Just wondering if it's too early for kid to pursue such a specialised path?

Hi BabyRR,

From what I see from DS journey in the school, the school is all about pursuing their interest and passion, and not scare of trying new things. Therefore, when it comes to CCA or humanities, the program is very different. For example, students could join a sport CCA without even prior participation of that sport. I think it is very good for students who want to try or just enjoy the sports, vs students who like wants to go after medals in national level sports event. For humanities, DS is doing music ... I feel that the program is very interesting and promote a lot of creativity ... they go for concerts, write about the concerts and design promotion brochure for the concerts, composing and write songs in addition to the standard stuff like music theory and music history. I was surprised that the resource available for music was good.

[lucid]

BabyRR\" post_id=\"1981857\" time=\"1592843535\" user_id=\"18548:

Cool nurse & lucid
Thank you vm for your sharing.
Can I ask what is your nephew's & DS (respectively) feedback on the non maths & science aspects of school? Language, humanities, cca aspects? Just wondering if it's too early for kid to pursue such a specialised path?

We had similar concerns. DS was definitely more left brained dominant since young. However, he liked creative writing. We checked the school open houses, consulted current students , parents and decided to go with the boy’s wishes i.e. place DSA NUSHigh as first choice over RI and the IB schools.
I even consulted my ex-principal whom I will chance into during her exercise mornings after her retirement from RGP(!). As a wise and informed educator, she pointed out to me that I should not worry that I have to place the kid out of his comfort zone (left brain - math and science ) to spur him into humanes/arts etc. She shared that it may actually be a better option to keep the kid in his comfort zone so he is then motivated to explore alternatives!

We have never regretted our decison as this is what truly happens. Kid signed up for Creative Writing interest group on his own accord and he now likes to read history books after interacting with well read classmates.

Bear in mind that kids who make it through NUSHigh selection are already high ability kids in some sense. They can do and excel if they do put their minds to it. I would say that their COMPARATIVE strength may be Math and Science ;but this does not mean that they are weaker competitively on languages/humanes/art/music on a stand-alone basis.

What then this implies will be that if the kids are able and willing, then they can be phenomenal when stretched further on non-Math /Science pursuits.

Also, given the small cohort and the attention given , you will see standards of excellence for the NUSH kids who then choose to major in the Humanes, Art or Music.
Case in point - NUSH kids who then go on to read Law /PPE and even Social Sciences in the top Universities.
I also to share that there are similar situations with SOTA (where my nephew has graduated from IB). He had classmates who realised that they loved Sciences despite being one of the top visual arts students. These SOTA students had offers from MIT and Yale to read science domains upon IB graduation.

We parents agonise a lot of whether we are short circuiting / bull dozing an optimal path for our kids.
Life is funny and unpredictable sometimes and what I have realised too is that everything will fall in place as long as the kids are happy and maintain their passion to learn. If they are good and want it enough then, I have no doubt NUSH has the resources and culture to stretch them every which potential!

This applies to CCA too as NUSH will have to opportunity to learn, participate and contribute to the CCA unlike cut throat mega IP schools who will only prequalify them in to win medals.

[Ruhemut]

:goodpost:

lucid\" post_id=\"1982317\" time=\"1593087767\" user_id=\"14312:

BabyRR\" post_id=\"1981857\" time=\"1592843535\" user_id=\"18548:

Cool nurse & lucid
Thank you vm for your sharing.
Can I ask what is your nephew's & DS (respectively) feedback on the non maths & science aspects of school? Language, humanities, cca aspects? Just wondering if it's too early for kid to pursue such a specialised path?

We had similar concerns. DS was definitely more left brained dominant since young. However, he liked creative writing. We checked the school open houses, consulted current students , parents and decided to go with the boy’s wishes i.e. place DSA NUSHigh as first choice over RI and the IB schools.
I even consulted my ex-principal whom I will chance into during her exercise mornings after her retirement from RGP(!). As a wise and informed educator, she pointed out to me that I should not worry that I have to place the kid out of his comfort zone (left brain - math and science ) to spur him into humanes/arts etc. She shared that it may actually be a better option to keep the kid in his comfort zone so he is then motivated to explore alternatives!

We have never regretted our decison as this is what truly happens. Kid signed up for Creative Writing interest group on his own accord and he now likes to read history books after interacting with well read classmates.

Bear in mind that kids who make it through NUSHigh selection are already high ability kids in some sense. They can do and excel if they do put their minds to it. I would say that their COMPARATIVE strength may be Math and Science ;but this does not mean that they are weaker competitively on languages/humanes/art/music on a stand-alone basis.

What then this implies will be that if the kids are able and willing, then they can be phenomenal when stretched further on non-Math /Science pursuits.

Also, given the small cohort and the attention given , you will see standards of excellence for the NUSH kids who then choose to major in the Humanes, Art or Music.
Case in point - NUSH kids who then go on to read Law /PPE and even Social Sciences in the top Universities.
I also to share that there are similar situations with SOTA (where my nephew has graduated from IB). He had classmates who realised that they loved Sciences despite being one of the top visual arts students. These SOTA students had offers from MIT and Yale to read science domains upon IB graduation.

We parents agonise a lot of whether we are short circuiting / bull dozing an optimal path for our kids.
Life is funny and unpredictable sometimes and what I have realised too is that everything will fall in place as long as the kids are happy and maintain their passion to learn. If they are good and want it enough then, I have no doubt NUSH has the resources and culture to stretch them every which potential!

This applies to CCA too as NUSH will have to opportunity to learn, participate and contribute to the CCA unlike cut throat mega IP schools who will only prequalify them in to win medals.

[EarthQuek]

[quote]Bear in mind that kids who make it through NUSHigh selection are already high ability kids[/quote]
Totally the hard truth :salute: :salute:

On top of that it's always those who planned Roadmap to University that sail smoothly and enjoy their high school days to the fullest. Alumnus (Top NUS Graduate) hs shown interest in organizing discussing session for students and parents at UTown but plan was postponed due to COVID 19.
Will update if there is any further progress.

[BabyRR]

Thank you very much for all your sharing. Much appreciated.


Lucid, DS is exactly like how you described it => " more left brained dominant since young. However, he liked creative writing."

[lucid]

BabyRR\" post_id=\"1982436\" time=\"1593162777\" user_id=\"18548:

Thank you very much for all your sharing. Much appreciated.

Lucid, DS is exactly like how you described it => \" more left brained dominant since young. However, he liked creative writing.\"

Did yours sneer :roll: at your old tattered Enid Blyton and tell you straight in the face that he preferred NON-fiction books? I got the memo pretty early when he was in kindy.

I think NUSHigh , being not beholden to national examination curriculums, is the only high school which can embrace the exploration and experimentation out of their comfort zones. For left brain dominant kids, there is an added bonus that they can explore computational science and coding fully here.

A major difference I observe are the teachers - all subject domains.
Kids are told >50% of their teaching staffs possess a Masters or above.

The school is upfront that they recruit teachers for “ talented students “ to develop “creative and independent learners”.
“specialized nature of the NUS High School curriculum requires teachers who are able to interest their students, and motive and stretch them to greater heights. The teachers must be passionate about their subjects and the belief in a program for the highly able and are well-rounded in pedagogy ...and have the necessary traits that would provide a conducive environment for learning. The teachers would need to nurture their students both in the affective and cognitive areas. The teachers would need to understand their students’ needs and set high standards for individual excellence for their students.”

https://www.nushigh.edu.sg/about-us/careers

There seems to be an urban myth that NUSH is not strong in humanes/language domains because there is external generalisation THAT must be so if Math and Science is stronger. (Cognitive bias :nunchuk: )
Again, it comes back to Comparative strength in Math/Science (accelerated). Absolute standards in other subjects are no less competitive - in fact 1-2 yr ahead of mainstream.

For English, I see that it is taught IB /IP standard and there is project work , debate congress , creative writing etc
They start with specialisation in Geography/History/Art /Music in Y2 so Geog &History are already taught at O level standard given they are already stand alone subjects from Y2.
>80% are taking HCL too. French and Japanese are taught in house tapping on curriculum from NUS Foreign Language Dept. The kids then take the professional language competence tests to qualify for overseas studies/work visa as opposed to the GCE papers at MOELC.

So, there is nothing to worry about as long as the child is happy, motivated to build on his learning journey. The school culture, teachers and resources will float them up in to excel in whatever they wish to put their mind to.

I hope to welcome your family here soon! The culture spills over to the parent chat groups which are warm and supportive. :please:

[Ruhemut]

Dear fellow parents and warm- hearted NUSH seniors, may I know if German is taught as 3rd language in NUSH? DS has some German background and we are thinking of Swiss Uni since we lived in Switzerland before.

[lucid]

Ruhemut\" post_id=\"1982624\" time=\"1593319428\" user_id=\"162256:

Dear fellow parents and warm- hearted NUSH seniors, may I know if German is taught as 3rd language in NUSH? DS has some German background and we are thinking of Swiss Uni since we lived in Switzerland before.

As mentioned, French and Japanese is taught in-house by NUS Foreign Language Dept. Believe teachers are seconded here as the Japanese teacher received a Long service award recently..

German will be provided by the MOELC at Bishan. It is possible but may not be feasible in higher years as the child will have to journey out to Bishan. I understand the school will accommodate the timetable as far as possible , opening even an elective class for only 1-2 kids but it may be a challenge to fit around a third party like MOELC in higher years when the kids do stay in school for Long hours if they are involved in CCA , Olympiad electives etc.