All About GEP
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My school did not do that either. A random teacher was sent to distribute the letters who asked some of the kids out of the classroom to give them a letter who simply told them to pass to their parents and not to show it to their friends.
I am not sure if it is just luck that my son was selected, as he is struggling a lot with Chinese. Even in the unlikely event that he will get selected a month later, I will not dare send him into GEP given that he cannot even pass Chinese. I am definitely going to drop HCL by P5 or the earliest I am allowed to drop it. -
It was done very quietly at DD’s school. Form teacher basically just walked around the class early in the morning and put the notifications on the children’s tables and informed the children to give it to their parents. Very matter of fact with no fanfare, just like any notification. Actually if really need to be so discreet then just inform via PG yah? But I think at this age we can surely and supportively help them deal with disappointment, and to show grace and truly be glad for others.
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ChiefKiasu\" post_id=\"2042767\" time=\"1634552842\" user_id=\"3:
In reality, the MOE is unlikely to cancel or even amend the name of the GEP programme in short term and what we can do is to minimise the negative impact on those so called \"ungifted\" kids.
Seriously, I think we as parents should not read to much into these announcements. Essentially it is just a announcement of a group of people who \"passed\" certain criteria. I'm not sure if we should even use the word \"passed\".
The unfortunate thing is, the way the whole GEP is run (mechanically, every year), sets the expectation that all those that go through the tests as \"gifted\". That a certain proportion of the student population is \"gifted\", every single year. That is simply, hogwash. We have had the GEP for like 37 odd years. Going by this thinking, being awashed with \"talents\", we should be brimming with geniuses and Einsteins by now, since the oldest GEPper is 47 by now.
I will leave it to you to judge if we can identify any Singaporean Einstein now.
I am not trying to put down the program. Rather, I think the program is useful as it gives more exposure to people with higher academic ability, so they won't be too bored with the tedium of passing Singapore exams. But the name of the program is the biggest sticking point to me. Don't call the program \"gifted\", because it derides everyone else as \"ungifted\".
Different ways of notifying the \"passed\" one have been discussed here. Just ask yourselves which way of announcement you prefer if your kids are one of those \"ungifted\" one. -
Oh dear… sorry to hear about this. Is it possible to for him to take mainstream CL if he gets into GEP?
san20sg\" post_id=\"2042787\" time=\"1634563884\" user_id=\"76391:
My school did not do that either. A random teacher was sent to distribute the letters who asked some of the kids out of the classroom to give them a letter who simply told them to pass to their parents and not to show it to their friends.
I am not sure if it is just luck that my son was selected, as he is struggling a lot with Chinese. Even in the unlikely event that he will get selected a month later, I will not dare send him into GEP given that he cannot even pass Chinese. I am definitely going to drop HCL by P5 or the earliest I am allowed to drop it. -
san20sg\" post_id=\"2042787\" time=\"1634563884\" user_id=\"76391:
Being selected is not luck. The test does not test proficiency in Chinese. This is my main complain of gep too.
My school did not do that either. A random teacher was sent to distribute the letters who asked some of the kids out of the classroom to give them a letter who simply told them to pass to their parents and not to show it to their friends.
I am not sure if it is just luck that my son was selected, as he is struggling a lot with Chinese. Even in the unlikely event that he will get selected a month later, I will not dare send him into GEP given that he cannot even pass Chinese. I am definitely going to drop HCL by P5 or the earliest I am allowed to drop it.
Maybe you should consider a GEP school with normal chi eg ACS etc if your son is selected. Dh was the first batch to be selected for the program and was struggling in a SAP pri school near his home. He was so happy to go to the gep school an hour away and said that was the best decision he made as a 9 yr old. It made all the difference in his learning from that point on.
No doubt the standard of chi is higher at gep level and my son also struggled with it at the higher gep level in primary school as we are Chi illiterate family but he is still doing higher chinese in secondary level. Hopefully, your son will meet a teacher who will inspire him in Chinese.
I dont doubt the selection test especially if you did not hothouse him or send him for training in Maths and Eng. He will enjoy the programme. To do well for PSLE, that's a different story as that require you to do well in all 4 subjects. -
chunda\" post_id=\"2042687\" time=\"1634476267\" user_id=\"92879:
Did anyone read this letter in the straits times and have any thoughts on it?
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-relook-need-to-hand-gep-results-to-pupils-in-class
I am sure some children were disappointed but I heard that at my sons school some of the kids congratulated the ones who got through to the other round. Perhaps it says more about the kids at that particular school.
As a child I recall people who did well in national competitions got a mention in assembly and it was seen as something to be proud of not something to be secretive about.
When I first read this article, my thought was, nowadays parents really like to complain about anything. :slapshead:
How would a 9 year old know much about GEP screening if their parent had not been telling or expecting them to get into the programme. More and more are sending their children for classes to ‘prepare’ them for this screening test, which actually defeats the purpose of the test.
The programme really challenge their thinking and there are just some kids who needs that in order to help them do better in their studies. If these kids remain in the mainstream, they may not do as well, they just need that stretching.
However if a child had been ‘trained’ to answer the questions for the selection tests, once in the programme they may start to struggle and get really stressed up. So what I am trying to say is, going for the GEP test is a good exposure for our children, that was what I told mine. Just go and try for fun. If it’s not meant to be, it’s fine. Less stress and projects. If it’s meant to be, then enjoy the programme while in it. Those who needs it will really find the programme interesting and challenging, but those in it for the sake of ‘Gifted’ label, please change your mindset and stop giving the wrong idea and stress to these 9 year olds. It’s how and what you tell your child so that they can react positively when receive the news.
Cheers and for those who are going to round 2, have fun and enjoy the challenging questions :rahrah: :imcool: -
I am really very vexed with his Chinese and do not know how to help him. He also does not have a good learning attitude in school. Though he is not the naughty kind and is very quiet, all teachers have sent feedback that he is very disinterested in learning and has problems focusing in school and easily distracted. His grades for other subjects may be slightly above average only, but not fantastic. The only thing is that he can get almost perfect scores in science but that is the only subject that I do not have to worry about.
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san20sg\" post_id=\"2042881\" time=\"1634644628\" user_id=\"76391:
Can get a tutor to teach him Chinese?
I am really very vexed with his Chinese and do not know how to help him. He also does not have a good learning attitude in school. Though he is not the naughty kind and is very quiet, all teachers have sent feedback that he is very disinterested in learning and has problems focusing in school and easily distracted. His grades for other subjects may be slightly above average only, but not fantastic. The only thing is that he can get almost perfect scores in science but that is the only subject that I do not have to worry about. -
I have already tried DAS chinese and another tutor without avail.
Think he makes his dislike of the language very obvious. He likes only science but you cannot choose what you like or don’t like to study unfortunately. -
san20sg\" post_id=\"2042954\" time=\"1634701500\" user_id=\"76391:
I know a child who was in the Gep (bad at Chinese), he eventually went to SST (DSA).
I have already tried DAS chinese and another tutor without avail.
Think he makes his dislike of the language very obvious. He likes only science but you cannot choose what you like or don't like to study unfortunately.
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