All About GEP
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jtoh:
For the GEP students who are taking tuition, they do it not to enrich the GEP syllabus, but to help them cope with the GEP syllabus. I remember the GEP HOD telling the parents again and again, do not send your children for tuition. There is no need to. So long as they pay attention in class and seek clarification from their teachers if they don't understand. And I agree. Unless you're very weak in the subject, there is no need for tuition. Unfortunately some of the students and their parents are so kiasu, they insist on going for tuition despite their children already doing alright in the subject.
That is provided both school and teachers do their part. A friend's daughter had no choice but send her DD for math tuition cos her DD's class had 3 different teachers for 3 terms...one of them is a non-gep trained retired teacher. How to cope and learn effectively like this? -
jtoh:
For the GEP students who are taking tuition, they do it not to enrich the GEP syllabus, but to help them cope with the GEP syllabus. I remember the GEP HOD telling the parents again and again, do not send your children for tuition. There is no need to. So long as they pay attention in class and seek clarification from their teachers if they don't understand. And I agree. Unless you're very weak in the subject, there is no need for tuition. Unfortunately some of the students and their parents are so kiasu, they insist on going for tuition despite their children already doing alright in the subject.
That is provided both school and teachers do their part. A friend's daughter had no choice but send her DD for math tuition cos her DD's class had 3 different teachers for 3 terms...one of them is a non-gep trained retired teacher. How to cope and learn effectively like this? -
MotherHen:
To be honest, when my DD was selected (w/out any training), my first instinct was to reject the offer. True, I was proud and happy that she made it, but I have also heard so many \"horror\" stories about the program,
It does not matter what you choose, as long as you choose to steer away from the mainstream, you'll hear a lot of horror stories. I've 2 kids outside mainstream and I get 3 types of responses from parents when they know about it.
1 . Those who find me so refreshing because Of my experience in bringing up kids who are gifted and dare to be liberal enough to let them do what they love despite what others say.
2. The sour grapes who bad mouth the specialized program because they never had the choice in the first place.
3. Those who have the choice but don't dare to try because they choose the hear what they want to hear (their fears). They're not happy they don't have the courage to DO IT and start to bad-mouth the programs.
Whatever specialized program we let our kids be in, we get all kinds of unkind remarks sometimes. It's tough to be different but as the saying goes,
\"Many a great man has taken the road less travelled\"
We let our kids take the less travelled path not because of scholarship, to become great artists, pianist or sports star. We just choose to live presently by responding to their needs NOW. When a child is gifted, they suffer if they are not with their lot. this has proven to be so true because I see my kids so happy where they are, truly doing what they love and cherishing the investment that the government is putting in their talents.
So... it does not matter that gep kids are not in the scholar list. What matter is that they eventually, find their purpose in life and able to serve and contribute to the society in their own special ways. As parents, I think we owe it to them to help them find that purpose, not by teaching them to make choices base on the end itself but to help them listen to their calling and let them live it. They're after all only young once. -
TwaTau:
Thanks, I was asking chamonix where she is now...wonder how come the quotation mark for chamonix is gone ....verykiasu2010:
Hi there ! this is :offtopic: but I wish to ask what is the weather there like now ? How is it in Dec ? Many thanks !!
It is still drizzling, if you are asking for the weather in Singapore. December you will have to ask the weather man! :? -
My dd school just give out the result today. :? So late hor. My girl get into the 2nd round. My girl school is not Hong Wen.
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MrsSeah:
My dd school just give out the result today. :? So late hor. My girl get into the 2nd round. My girl school is not Hong Wen.
Congrats! So far no news yet. Maybe my dd will get back today. -
Just a thought.
GEP selection is not an IQ test, so those with high IQ might not necessary be admited based on IQ. The Government look for "gifted child" to build Singapore in the future.
As for to train or not to train? To self-train or to outsource?
Why let GEP determines our perceptions towards our children’s learning behaviour and abilities.
Always encourgae our kids to try their best and teach as much as we can so long they have the ability and capability to absorb.
If our kids can learn ahead of syllabus and understand - why not?
If our kids are coping with their current level, let’s help them to cope with it.
We should not limit, or under estimated a child learning abilities.
In fact, a lot of time, it is an issue of confident rather than understanding.
So teach away … academcially as welll as morally.
Let not the external factor restricted a child’s chance in learning. -
Faun:
:goodpost:
It's tough to be different but as the saying goes,
\"Many a great man has taken the road less travelled\"
We let our kids take the less travelled path not because of scholarship, to become great artists, pianist or sports star. We just choose to live presently by responding to their needs NOW. When a child is gifted, they suffer if they are not with their lot. this has proven to be so true because I see my kids so happy where they are, truly doing what they love and cherishing the investment that the government is putting in their talents.
So... it does not matter that gep kids are not in the scholar list. What matter is that they eventually, find their purpose in life and able to serve and contribute to the society in their own special ways. As parents, I think we owe it to them to help them find that purpose, not by teaching them to make choices base on the end itself but to help them listen to their calling and let them live it. They're after all only young once.
Being a 'blur' mummy, I did not realise DD was bored in her old school in P1 to P3, even though there were signs that she was more interested in 'non-routine' Maths questions than the standard ones. She only shared with me her 'boredom' when she joined the GEP in P4. I could tell that she was much happier in the new environment with so many exciting things happening around her, despite that the curriculum was much more demanding.
When she first started in P4 GEP, I had once asked her how she was adapting in her new school and what were the differences between her new school and old one. She replied that, in her old school, when she shared a joke, only 1 to 2 friends laughed. She felt so 'out of place' and 'wierd'. Over here, when she shared the same joke, everyone was laughing. She had finally found someone (or 'someones') who could laugh with her.
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Well said, Faun. We too came across the same comments from parents when my child opted for GEP.
Lots of sour grape comments from some people who wanted their children to be in the programme but didn’t get in. These are the ones who will give you all sorts of horror stories and tell you that GEP is no good and should be done away with.
Then there are the ones who got in but chose not to go because they were too afraid to leave their comfort zones. Some of these regret their decision and are often bitter about it. Especially when their children cannot get into their choice schools via DSA.
Sour grapes is also apparent among the students themselves. Sometimes kids from the top mainstream classes are not happy with the GEP kids and competition is very keen to outdo the GEP classes. -
jtoh:
Sour grapes is also apparent among the students themselves. Sometimes kids from the top mainstream classes are not happy with the GEP kids and competition is very keen to outdo the GEP classes.
unfortunately, this is part and parcel of life. recently caught my boy labelling the mainstreamers and only then did he tell us that the GEPpers were being 'victimised' and were called names and they just wanted their revenge.
After chatting with him, we agreed that there are still alot of nice guys in mainstream and the nasty ones are, well, the usual bunch. In fact, he told us that those mainstreamers who are doing well and in the better classes are usually the nicer ones and mix well with the GEP bunch.
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