All About GEP

[syshi]

Faun:

syshi,


Thanks for DI website. It was very useful. DD very keen and had signed up for audition, apparently quite a number were keen. DI looks interesting to me too. Heard they have to complete project by Apr, I think the appraisal is in May, according to the website. Is the one done here by the GE branch has any affiliation with the one in the DI website.

Any P5 parent here have kids done DI, please share the experience.

Understand that those teams made it to the next stage will have to compete in US. By that time will need to cough up SGD3000 (airfare?,expenses?,etc)
All DI will still refer back to US DI and whoever participated will be 'DI Alumni' and they'll have more opportunity as 'DI Alumny'

Anyway what I like is the challenge they have to solve... Too bad DS not selected

[comfy]

Hi thmejlfm,

I can empathize with you as I am in the same boat as you. Being a girl, dd does has her doubt and concern. She has strong feeling with their friends (she calls them her club buddies). She, too, says that she is also very sad to leave her friends. I advise her to think positively, still can keep intouch thru email, holidays, phone-chatting, birthday party etc. Singapore is so small, can visit each other. Any of her classmates selected for GEP?
If yes, then can comfort her with that and able to see them in the briefing session. She will not be alone. Like someone mentioned earlier, don't think too much, just go to the briefing with a open heart as for me, I tell dd is that God has blessed her with this, so go and take a look and decide. Me, too, have not have an easy sleep and having being asking around more on whether the subjects will be too tough for her. So far, the comment/suggestion is : Just give it a try. And I am very much comforted by cluelessmom's post/reply. :celebrate: together!

[thmejlfm]

Does your girll take any other lesson outside, such as piano, ballet?

How many days a week that she had to stay back late in school? Did she take any CCA?

I am lazy to refer back to the forum, may I know which school your girl go? I am just afraid that my DD will be very tired.

Rosyth and Tao Nan which one is better? Sorry, I have to ask this kind of question. Really, really very tired or should say 'stress'.

cluelessmama:

thmejlfm:

Hi, after reading all the forum regarding GEP, still quite worried. Last night, tried to talk to my dd. She cried n cried non-stop. She kept on saying that if she knew had to change school, she will not agreed to take the test. And we also promised her that we will not changed the school. But, now.??

Saw her cried, i was so heart pain. Last night, i can't sleep.

Afraid after changed school, she can't cope. She will start blaming on us. Before that she kept on saying she can look after her sis next year. Now, if change, she can't. I know all these are minor problem. But, can see that she so sad n disappointed. Becos we broke the promise.

Really thought of letting her stay at the present school. I am sure sure kana scold by a lot of people. Got this chance n still don't want to take.

I am also worried that if my dd take the GEP, she has to stop her kumon, ballet n piano. She after getting her sa2 result, she told me that she would like to take out the science tution class.

Today, she looked so sad. Really don't feel good. My dh said let her decide after this sat briefing.

Just wondering, is there any parent regretted after letting your child go for gep?

Last year, I have to convince both my kid and dh that kid should try out the GEP till the very last moment. Kid shed buckets after buckets of tears. The main reason for kid's resistance was that she wanted to remain in the same school with her friends. However, she was intrigued by the programme after the briefing.

Before the submission, we went to talk with her principal to get the reassurance that they would take her back if she was to quit GEP. We also talked to her form teacher whom later talk to my kid about why it was beneficial for her to join GEP. Also, we promised kid that we would take back to her old schools regularly to meet up with her friends. (Till now, she still go back regularly.)

Looking at how well she has adapted to GEP, I'm glad that I have listened to the advice of parents from this forum and that I have persisted in my persuasion. I asked kid the other day if she still want to return to the mainstream - she said:\" No way, I like the GEP.\" :lol:

[thmejlfm]

Glad to receive your reply.


Now, my feeling is want her to change and also don’t want to change. confused!! I also like my DD quite sentimental.

I want her to learn at the normal pace. Don’t want to stress her. And she had planned a lot of things to do with her sister in their school next year. I felt so bad if she changed. My DD2 was so disappointed, kept asking me why jie jie have to change school.

But, if she wants to change after the briefing. I will support her.

So, your girl also carried on with the Ballet and Piano, can cope? Did you girl take any CCA? By the way, which school does your girl go to?

If my DD choose Rosyth, then my DD2 will not change school. But, for Tao Nan, then, I have to change. Logistic problem.






I agree. Leave the decision to your girl and support her, no matter what is the final decision. To thrive in the program, it is important that she is happy. The curriculum can be challenging and to go in with resentment, it does not bode well and she will be miserable for the next three years.

As for ballet and piano, it is not a given that she must drop either or both. My DD takes both ballet and piano as well. To be honest, I tried to get her to give them up. But she said they are her form of relaxation. How can I argue with that? Again talk to your DD and respect her decision.

As for DD2, I had the same problem as you after DD1 decided to take up the offer. I decided not to change school for DD2 (now in P2) as her current school is affiliated to a good secondary section, which DD1’s new school is not. It is a logistic nightmare. But do weigh the pros and cons, and talk to DD2, especially if she is very close to DD1. If you do decide to change schools, it should be no prob at all cos I know of siblings who switched schools.[/quote]

[Nebbermind]

I remember last yr someone said that certain schools do entertain the transfer of siblings to GEP school. It’s one qn u can raise with the favoured school during the briefing

[thmejlfm]

So, your girl also got selected.


Yesterday, my DD was so quiet, never mention anything about GEP.
Yes, her class total 5 students were selected. 3 of them want to go Rosyth and one go Nanyang. All of them said don't want to change, but, parent want them to go.

I want to know whether this GEP will help her in the future or not. I don't want after 3 stressful years, and secondary school they cancel this program.

I experienced it before myself long long time ago. The govt planned for it, then found that cannot work. And just cancelled it, my class just wasted half a year doing nothing, just to wait for sec 1 to start.

or GEP is it just to let the second child to go in to the better school? or the girl can benefit of going in the secondary school easily?

comfy:

Hi thmejlfm,
I can empathize with you as I am in the same boat as you. Being a girl, dd does has her doubt and concern. She has strong feeling with their friends (she calls them her club buddies). She, too, says that she is also very sad to leave her friends. I advise her to think positively, still can keep intouch thru email, holidays, phone-chatting, birthday party etc. Singapore is so small, can visit each other. Any of her classmates selected for GEP?
If yes, then can comfort her with that and able to see them in the briefing session. She will not be alone. Like someone mentioned earlier, don't think too much, just go to the briefing with a open heart as for me, I tell dd is that God has blessed her with this, so go and take a look and decide. Me, too, have not have an easy sleep and having being asking around more on whether the subjects will be too tough for her. So far, the comment/suggestion is : Just give it a try. And I am very much comforted by cluelessmom's post/reply. :celebrate: together!

[blur-daddy]

Nebbermind:

I remember last yr someone said that certain schools do entertain the transfer of siblings to GEP school. It's one qn u can raise with the favoured school during the briefing

Hi. I asked the question about sibling transfer last year when I transfered DS1 over, and the response is that IT SHOULD BE OK... as space should be ok for P2 and P3 i.e. they have some leeway to squeeze... as compared to P1 whereby folks go via balloting etc.

I decided to hold back DS2 transfer last year as both school P2 still in afternoon session... and I bear with the logistic nightmare. For this year, when I asked, the school told me to fill up the form, and submit the DS2 results and any 'special' skill he has... ya... his special skill is happy-go-lucky and forgetfulness. Good in xbox360 games and got a good and kind nature... Will see how the school response then.

So, if u don't do it together with the one going to GEP as a whole package transfer, be prepared it is not guarentee for subsequent year hor.

[trileets]

As others have said, go for the briefing. Things may suddenly chage after the briefing and you can voice your concern about your younger 1 over there. I'm sure they will understand and do something to help you.


I'm also going there with an open mind. Hopefully, I'll be more convinced that it will be the right choice for my DS. :celebrate:

[blur-daddy]

thmejlfm:

I want to know whether this GEP will help her in the future or not. I don't want after 3 stressful years, and secondary school they cancel this program.

Hi thmejlfm, it will help in term of her learning and skill-set pick up e.g. how to go about doing research etc... and topics are deeper and expose to more other challenging programs. This will stretch the kid further in their learning.

As for posting to sec school, they do take GEP kid into consideration in their selection... e.g. RI criteria already ask whether the kid is in GEP? But that doesn't means he/she can relax on PSLE, still must work hard hor. Just GEP looks good in their portfolio when submit for DSA. Depend on which secondary school, the kid can continue SBGE or IP etc. program...

Ultimately, I don't think it is a waste... the exposure for 3 years in upper primary will benefit the kid already.

[MotherHen]

thmejlfm:

Glad to receive your reply.


Now, my feeling is want her to change and also don't want to change. confused!! I also like my DD quite sentimental.

I want her to learn at the normal pace. Don't want to stress her. And she had planned a lot of things to do with her sister in their school next year. I felt so bad if she changed. My DD2 was so disappointed, kept asking me why jie jie have to change school.

But, if she wants to change after the briefing. I will support her.

So, your girl also carried on with the Ballet and Piano, can cope? Did you girl take any CCA? By the way, which school does your girl go to?

If my DD choose Rosyth, then my DD2 will not change school. But, for Tao Nan, then, I have to change. Logistic problem.

[/quote]


Haha... There were a few times that she did not even touch the piano for the whole week. I try not to bug her too much tho. It can be tiring, not only for her, but also for us as parents. When she stays up late, so do we. But kids are resilient and amazingly, they will find a way to cope.

And if your DD does decide to take up the offer, encourage her to keep in touch with her old friends. She will not be losing her friends but rather, gaining a new set of friends.

We (both DD and I) do not regret the decision to take up GEP. It's not easy but I believe the skills learned will stand her in good stead in future.

BTW, my DD is in RGPS.[/u]