DSA 2023

[cmeilim]

Hi fellow parents,


I walked my eldest through our family's first DSA journey two years ago. Before that, we had always viewed DSA, rightly or wrongly, with much skepticism as a 'backdoor' method for parents to game the system, and we just didn't buy into that for our children. Until a veteran educator friend who had watched my children grow up and understood their learning dispositions and interests well made us reconsider our bias and understand the true intent for DSA.

We were very fortunate that despite having no interest in DSA at all, we had been 'preparing our children for the road', to be future-ready - for my eldest since he was in P4. So despite COVID closing schools and cancelling CCAs/competitions/events etc, he had enough opportunities that he was dabbling in outside of school, for us to cobble up a full list of relevant 'achievements/projects' for his application form on the closing date itself, and subsequently for his portfolio when he was asked to submit it. Nonetheless, I recall many of our conversations in the months waiting for shortlisting results, prepping for interview, etc. We adopted a chill attitude ourselves, encouraged him to focus on his PSLE revision, checked in with him from time to time if he was still certain about DSA, made sure he truly understood the commitments that would come with the offer, if indeed he was offered.

Two years on, I am now walking a similar journey with my #2 who's in P6 this year and has exhibited an interest and aptitude for another DSA domain since he was much younger. With the benefit of hindsight, we started our conversations earlier last year, with him as well as his relevant teachers. We also did our research with a few schools that we shortlisted, emailed them to ask questions, visited their Open Houses last Nov, etc. He continued pursuing his interest and we took care not to add pressure on him about it, assuring him that he didn't need to rush to decide on his commitment until end May. As much as possible, we want the decision to be his, and we want him to weigh the pros and cons himself, with our gentle coaching. He has appreciated being given the time and space to explore and figure out what he wants and what he doesn't want. I am glad that as a family, we are going through our second DSA experience as calmly and level-headed as our first time, and that our children know that the DSA, just like the PSLE, is neither the end nor the means to an end. We have also learnt so much about our two boys through walking the journey with them.

If your family's DSA experience so far has been fraught with doubt, anxiety, worry, confusion or even stress, may I invite you to join me for a free online fireside chat on 11 May, Thu, 8,30pm where I will be sharing what I have learnt as a two-time DSA parent (once in STEM, once in Visual Art)? I will also be offering some pointers based on a child-centred approach that could be useful in helping you frame your conversations with your child, frame your/your child's thought process, and reframe your perspective about your child's long-term holistic development.

Please note the following disclaimer and disclosure:

- I will be sharing in my personal capacity as a parent (coupled with my work experience as a youth coach/mentor in education and career guidance). We regret that domain-specific questions (beyond my family's experience), school-specific and track-specific (IP/IB) questions fall outside the scope of this chat. I am not a teacher and do not represent any school or MOE. All opinions expressed will be entirely my own.

- This fireside chat will be hosted on a tuition centre's tech platform. We are coming together to do this without any commercial returns, as a form of community service to raise awareness among parents and students through sharing info and personal experience. This is our way of playing a part in helping to ease some of the DSA-induced stress and frenzy we have observed between May and September every year. I am neither affiliated with nor compensated by the tuition centre for my sharing.

If the above resonates with you, please visit https://learn.kainetik.com/24s1dsa for the programme outline and to reserve a spot for yourself and also share the link with other friends with children in upper primary levels. Some 250 parents have already signed up since registration went live yesterday late afternoon.

Thank you for your patience with this long post, and I hope to be of service to you through my sharing next Thu.

[blesseddad]

Just submitted our application.

[alixph]

Hi check if DSA sports but no NSG experience, but in the CCA for 3 years and hold CCA captain role. Will the school still consider?

[blesseddad]

alixph\" post_id=\"2107875\" time=\"1683510430\" user_id=\"111060:

Hi check if DSA sports but no NSG experience, but in the CCA for 3 years and hold CCA captain role. Will the school still consider?

If u don't submit, u sure won't know right?

[Mr.025413Clumsy]

alixph\" post_id=\"2107875\" time=\"1683510430\" user_id=\"111060:

Hi check if DSA sports but no NSG experience, but in the CCA for 3 years and hold CCA captain role. Will the school still consider?

Much depends on the sport in question. If it's a sport where there are many students (e.g. soccer, tennis, badminton etc.), then the competition is tough and NSG experience (or other awards etc.) becomes more relevant. However, if it's a more obscure sport and/or with less participation (e.g. sailing), then I think that NSG experience is not overly critical.

But I do agree that the only way to know is to submit an application. Good luck!!

[floppy]

alixph\" post_id=\"2107875\" time=\"1683510430\" user_id=\"111060:

Hi check if DSA sports but no NSG experience, but in the CCA for 3 years and hold CCA captain role. Will the school still consider?

The answer largely depends on:
1. What sport
2. What school

Notwithstanding, why do the work for the school? Just submit and let the school decide.

[oregene]

I always hold the view that DSA can be a dangerous thing. If a student DSA into a school base on CCA alone, there is a pretty high chance that he/she will spend alot of time on the CCA, and neglect their studies. I have seen too many such cases already. The school brings the child in to win awards of the school. But at the end of the day, the student does not do well for their national exams, and wasted many years of their life.

[gigi20]

oregene\" post_id=\"2107966\" time=\"1683557027\" user_id=\"105875:

I always hold the view that DSA can be a dangerous thing. If a student DSA into a school base on CCA alone, there is a pretty high chance that he/she will spend alot of time on the CCA, and neglect their studies. I have seen too many such cases already. The school brings the child in to win awards of the school. But at the end of the day, the student does not do well for their national exams, and wasted many years of their life.

Depends on school... my daughter did not went into her sch with dsa but they all had the same amount of training sessions with those dsa students...
And if I am not wrong schools these days still do look into the academics of the kid to make sure they are not too far off from their AL to make sure they eventually can manage both cca and academics..

[gigi20]

Djazz\" post_id=\"2107762\" time=\"1683390944\" user_id=\"201598:

Hi parents, woukd like to have some advices.
DD is in sports CCA, sch clinched 4th in NSG this yr, 1st for Zonal NSG last yr. Took a couple of competitons for nothing fantastic in her personal ranking.

She has been learning ballet for many years (since 2 yrs old), received grade 4 RAD cert and will not be in time to receive grade 5 by the time of submission of DSA. She truly loves dance and wants to pursue further in sec sch and she is aiming for DHS. however, other than RAD certification, she does not has any further competitions or performances achievements. She is working on her 1 min dance video for application.

Her p5 results ain't great as she was too busy with CCA and external trainings & competitions for her sports, and was around AL15. This year her results improved greatly, but there is no WA nor mid year..

A few qns here:
1) based on the above, should she try for sports DSA as 1st option, or dance?

2) without performances or competition achievements, what are her chances to DSA into DHS dance? I had gone thru the entire chat but seems like only 1 parent brought up on dance DSA for DHS- is it a less popular choice so higher chances of being shortlisted?

3) read in this thread that DHS will first filter students out based on P5 grades. Does that mean she stands almost no chance as she scored AL15 last yr?

Thanks for all advices!

Couple of years ago, my daughter's classmate was offered a CO by DHS dance domain. Her results were average for P5, in her 70s each subject. Never try never know

[Tick16]

Djazz\" post_id=\"2107762\" time=\"1683390944\" user_id=\"201598:

Hi parents, woukd like to have some advices.
DD is in sports CCA, sch clinched 4th in NSG this yr, 1st for Zonal NSG last yr. Took a couple of competitons for nothing fantastic in her personal ranking.

She has been learning ballet for many years (since 2 yrs old), received grade 4 RAD cert and will not be in time to receive grade 5 by the time of submission of DSA. She truly loves dance and wants to pursue further in sec sch and she is aiming for DHS. however, other than RAD certification, she does not has any further competitions or performances achievements. She is working on her 1 min dance video for application.

Her p5 results ain't great as she was too busy with CCA and external trainings & competitions for her sports, and was around AL15. This year her results improved greatly, but there is no WA nor mid year..

A few qns here:
1) based on the above, should she try for sports DSA as 1st option, or dance?

2) without performances or competition achievements, what are her chances to DSA into DHS dance? I had gone thru the entire chat but seems like only 1 parent brought up on dance DSA for DHS- is it a less popular choice so higher chances of being shortlisted?

3) read in this thread that DHS will first filter students out based on P5 grades. Does that mean she stands almost no chance as she scored AL15 last yr?

Thanks for all advices!

Hihi,
If it is a school she wants, then suggest to put both domains for one school. Example: Sports + Dance in DHS.

However, she really needs to commit to 4 years of what she chooses. So decide carefully.

We wanted to put in leadership + sport back then, but end up just sport because she cant bear doing other things other than sports for the 4 years of sec school. (Sports: school was 1st in zonal. Last year there was no nationals for her sport)

Also, my daughter’s acad results were similar to yours at P5, and it got even worse for prelims (AL16) but she managed to pull through close to the school’s COP which is similar to DHS.

Dont lose hope. 💪🏻