GEP 2010 - Screening & Selection

[jtoh]

I was talking to someone who’s child cried and cried for days when she found out she didn’t get into GEP. I feel sad for the child because obviously the parent must have impressed upon the child that GEP was very important and that she had to get in. It didn’t help that the parent was telling everyone before the results that her child was top of the class and was sure to get in. Imagine the pressure on the poor child. So parents, remember, please don’t transmit your desires onto your child. Let them take things naturally.

[aqeqiq]

phankao:

In all likelihood, a child that has been prepared for the GEP tests would just have been exposed to the concepts. The instructor cannot take the tests for them. If they get in, it just means they did have the aptitude to understand and assimilate! So I think they would have no problems adapting to GEP courses. In fact, there are GEP kids who got thru to GEP on their own accord that struggle too! I know from experience from my elder boy's time - his classes were combined with GEP bc he was in one such class from p4.

Yup, that aligns with my thoughts that exposure could increase the child's chance of getting into gep but actually getting in (with exposure) depends on the ability among other factors. Yup, some who got in without training could still struggle with certain aspects of the programme. Gep programme is not a \"one size fits all\" one. My remarks were reflections on myself, ie whether I should have done something.

[aqeqiq]

comfy:

Hi, aqeqiq, your dd able to pass round1, consider very good already. When my dd passed round1, I was very pleased and happy for her. To me, that is already an achievement. Like you said your dd show a lack of interest in math, so she might not enjoy the tuition if you sent her. But on the other hand, if she want to go for it and determine to do well then it will be a different story. Yes, it is important that the child know what she/he is getting into (GEP prog). I have told my dd that she has to prepare for perhaps a more challenging Math. So I will wait and see what is this GEP programme about and experience for myself whether it is worth or not for my dd to attend.

Thank you, Comfy, you are very \"comforting\". :lol:

All the best to your dd and if she and you decide to go ahead with gep, hope she will enjoy it!

[aqeqiq]

jtoh:

I was talking to someone who's child cried and cried for days when she found out she didn't get into GEP. I feel sad for the child because obviously the parent must have impressed upon the child that GEP was very important and that she had to get in. It didn't help that the parent was telling everyone before the results that her child was top of the class and was sure to get in. Imagine the pressure on the poor child. So parents, remember, please don't transmit your desires onto your child. Let them take things naturally.

Hello jtoh, my daughter was sad for about 2 days and then back to normal. Thank goodness for my hubby who has a balanced attitude towards education. Hope that little girl can get over it without hurting her self confidence.

[AppleCrumble]

aqeqiq:

AppleCrumble, I agree with you as to the above but \"what if's\" and \"maybe\" questions do sometimes crop up in my mind especially when I know people who prepared their children who got in. My child is in a highly competitive school

Hi, aqeqiq.

Can understand your 'wondering'. Every parent understandably wants the best for his child. Since you mentioned that your child is in a highly competitive school, I suppose that she is facing quite a fair bit of pressure everyday from school. This is a common scenario for kids who are in such kind of environment.

As parents, I feel that we can help 'ease' the school pressure by being our kids' cheerleaders and encouragers. Think it will make a world of difference to our children if we parents are able to send them a message that they are loved as they are rather than what they can do or achieve.

My DH and I have often shared with our kids that they don't have to be the best but they must do their best in whatever task they have been given. Once it is established that their best effort has been put in, we will accept whatever result is, good or bad. Parent's acceptance and approval has significant impact in our kids' lives.

[comfy]

aqeqiq:

comfy:

Hi, aqeqiq, your dd able to pass round1, consider very good already. When my dd passed round1, I was very pleased and happy for her. To me, that is already an achievement. Like you said your dd show a lack of interest in math, so she might not enjoy the tuition if you sent her. But on the other hand, if she want to go for it and determine to do well then it will be a different story. Yes, it is important that the child know what she/he is getting into (GEP prog). I have told my dd that she has to prepare for perhaps a more challenging Math. So I will wait and see what is this GEP programme about and experience for myself whether it is worth or not for my dd to attend.

Thank you, Comfy, you are very \"comforting\". :lol:

All the best to your dd and if she and you decide to go ahead with gep, hope she will enjoy it!

:thankyou:

[AppleCrumble]

comfy:

AppleCrumble, your little chick dancing away is very distracting to me. Eyes keep on wandering to it. Oh, finally manage to concentrate and finish reading your reply, YES, I agree absolutely. I don't know what Phankao mean by training, is it exposing them is same as training them? Give the child all sort of books like IQ, puzzles etc to read or play, does that consider as \"training\".

Hi, comfy.

Sorry that my 'a-go-go' chick is distracting you. But I find it rather cute and thus decide to use it as my avatar. The 'seeking' mode is also a reminder to me to be 'ever seeking and learning about life'.

Allow me to share a bit about my kid who is in GEP. From as young as 2, my DD showed a keen love for puzzles and Lego. She would also choose books that have mazes, puzzles or mysteries that have clues to solve. DH would often bring DD to the library or bookshops and allowed her to have a free rein to choose whatever books that she would like to read or explore further. Very often than not, DD would be bringing back home books of the same nature. When she was older and started on computer and handheld games, she would again be choosing games of the same genre.

As shown, the 'training' and 'exposure' came from DD herself. Think if a kid is interested in something, he/she will find a way to learn more about it. Guess some kids are just more into a subject than others.

[tweety17]

Hi Comfy,


have sent you a pm regarding the books. Hope to hear from you soon. Thks :lol:

[phankao]

AppleCrumble:

Allow me to share a bit about my kid who is in GEP. From as young as 2, my DD showed a keen love for puzzles and Lego. She would also choose books that have mazes, puzzles or mysteries that have clues to solve. DH would often bring DD to the library or bookshops and allowed her to have a free rein to choose whatever books that she would like to read or explore further. Very often than not, DD would be bringing back home books of the same nature. When she was older and started on computer and handheld games, she would again be choosing games of the same genre.:

LOL - my ds1 also loved such when he was 2yo. He loved building such complex lego structures, and sometimes in the opposite direction before he overturned it to complete - I failed to understand how a 2 to 3yo could have such imagination. And later he went into deconstructing toy cars. But then he didn't get into GEP. And unlike what some parents shared in the earlier threads, he didn't think anything further about it. He totally enjoyed his p4 year nevertheless bc he was in a combined class with gep. I still remember him happily running to me on the last day of school and saying \"mommy, i got in the best class!\" - gee, i didn't even know that was the best class. But we took him out of that programme in p5 bc we didn't think it was appropriate for him to continue with HCL.

So also having a problem-solving nature in their choice of games & books may not also result in them getting through the GEP screening. Maybe my son didn't get exposure to the GEP type questions, lah. haha! :lol: But I do know that he has no problem with abstract-type questions. So maybe it was language, which he is poor in.

[comfy]

AppleCrumble:

Hi, comfy.

Sorry that my 'a-go-go' chick is distracting you. But I find it rather cute and thus decide to use it as my avatar. The 'seeking' mode is also a reminder to me to be 'ever seeking and learning about life'.

Allow me to share a bit about my kid who is in GEP. From as young as 2, my DD showed a keen love for puzzles and Lego. She would also choose books that have mazes, puzzles or mysteries that have clues to solve. DH would often bring DD to the library or bookshops and allowed her to have a free rein to choose whatever books that she would like to read or explore further. Very often than not, DD would be bringing back home books of the same nature. When she was older and started on computer and handheld games, she would again be choosing games of the same genre.

As shown, the 'training' and 'exposure' came from DD herself. Think if a kid is interested in something, he/she will find a way to learn more about it. Guess some kids are just more into a subject than others.

It is ok, I think I am getting use to this hyper active 'ah-go-go' chick. Does your dd like to read? and read alot? Somehow I am curious that someone who likes to play computer and handheld games can have time for other things. I read or hear from someone that it is better not to expose to such things as an young age it would interfere with their learning or lost interest in other things. (get addicted to it)