JC1 STUDENT FARE BADLY DURING YEAR END EXAM-WHAT'S NEXT??
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Hi Equinox
What does your gal want to study at Singapore Poly? If it is something she is passionate about, then let her do it. She could do very well in something she likes and still go to university. NUS, NTU or SMU are not the only universities she can go to. There are so many foreign universities as well (but choose the recognised ones).
I can assure you that companies in Singapore hire foreign grads and reward them based on job performance, not whether they come from local uni or how well they did at school.
I think it’s more important to let her understand her career choice (by her choice of course), than to look at which uni she can go to (which is quite a narrow mindset IMHO).
If she’s already quite decided on leaving the JC, then I don’t think she will mentally want to do well in the 2nd year even if you forced her. It may waste more time instead.
That’s why it is important to have a good talk with her and understand what she wants to do as a career. Well, if she realises that she could earn more money as a lawyer, then she may buck up and ‘cheong’ for her A levels. But if she views her passion in for eg, Optometry, as more important than money, then let her chase her dreams.
I wished my parents could have had this career talk with me when I was a kid. I sort of fell into my career by chance… but luckily it’s something I don’t mind doing and pays relatively well. -
BTW, don’t ever force kids to go a certain route just becoz you think it’s the traditional route. It could backfire in the most unfortunate way.
I have had peers who became a little mental (talking to himself all the time) as their parents forced them to study study study. One ex-colleague jumped to his death and later we found out he felt a lot of pressure while studying at the local uni and it manifested into depression. -
if you did badly in JC1 promo exam and got retained, is it advisable to repeat JC1 ? please give your views with regards to the pros and cons… thks!
also, how to motivate one to do well when retained in JC1? -
lobo:
if you did badly in JC1 promo exam and got retained, is it advisable to repeat JC1 ? please give your views with regards to the pros and cons... thks!
also, how to motivate one to do well when retained in JC1?
If you had been slacking during jc-1, you will then need to pay attention during lectures and tutorials. Work very very hard, stay low profile and give up whatever exco position you are currently holding if any. Academics is still primary and just meet the bare minimun for cca as you have fallen behind. You may also need to source for external help as situation warrants it. The purpose of jc education is to enter unis.
However, if you had put in hardwork last year, you will need to reconsider whether an applied education in poly is more suitable for you. -
autumnbronze:
Insider,insider:
弟弟：妈妈，对不起。
妈妈：记得无论考到怎样的成绩，你还是我的宝贝儿子！
弟弟：谢谢你，妈妈[/size]
Your post kinda touched me.
Your kids are so fortunate to have a mummi like you :celebrate:
If and when I am ever in your shoes one day, I hope I will be able to rationalize as well as you
Don't mean to be rude.
It's easier to be cool & calm about our children's academic results when we are in a position to provide them with alternative routes. In Insider's case as well as another forumner, they are fully aware and prepared that their kids had only to meet the minimum requirements to graduate in thier course of study, after which they will be flown off to some overseas universities (many of which have a much less rigourous curriculum) to continue with their tertiary education, knowing that when they're back home from their overseas education, they will still be ranked pari pasu (at least) with the local grads in the working world.
Nobody cares about your PSLE/O's/A's or Poly results (except in civil service, i think) when you're in the working world. What's more critical is whether you are a U-GRADUATE. Just look at the employment ads put up, desired candidates are either 'at least a Diploma' or 'at least a Uni-degree'. Take 2 candidates of the same age, one with a Diploma, the other an overseas (non-Ivy league) degree. The one with the diploma was one of the top PSLE scorers in his cohort, had good grades in his O levels but opted to pursue his education in the Poly due to financial constraints. The one with the overseas degree had very average scores in his PSLE or Os or As. Do the employers care? No, as far as the hirer is concerned, one is a grad, the other is not. This categorisation will go on to affect thier starting pay, increments, compensation scheme, ranks & etc and impacts one's career path for life.
Does Performance count? Paper counts more!
Sadly, money does buy advantages and privilidges that is not available to All & Sundry. -
Fairy
Your post is constructive and you have painted a realistic picture. Take a look at the grade profile of undergrads pursuing business admin courses in our local unis vs-a vs top Aussie unis. The latter top unis are so easy to get in. -
EQUINOX:
My girl did badly in her JC 1 final exam. She has a good raw score of 9 in her 'O\" levels, went to a good JC and find that she couldn't cope - \"culture /learning shock\" I think! Did badly but not so bad that the school is prepared to push her up. She is so demotivated and demoralished by the marking system. She has worked so so hard but could barely pass 50% in all her 3 X H2 subjects. Now she is contemplating going to the Singapore Polytechnic to start afresh. But I think it is a waste because it is like picking an easy way out whereas she thinks she has no stamina to go & fight. What can I do to convince her otherwise? She still has Nov & Dec to brush up her work before school reopen for JC2 and she has spent so much time on project work as well. Sigh!
I don't think you need to convince her of anything. Lay down the pros and cons of carrying on with JC and moving on to Poly (be impartial), and let her decide. At 17, she should be able to make a sound d ecision. Regardless of her choice, please give her your full support. Don't get trap in a situation where she listens to you, but ultimately still can't measure up and her confidence takes a further beating. If that happens, she will always put the blame on you because you are the one making her do something she didn't think she can handle.
Just my two cents. -
insider:
Dear Insider,Fairy:
Does Performance count? Paper counts more!
Sadly, money does buy advantages and privilidges that is not available to All & Sundry.
I know where you are coming from.
Whether I have the means or not, I don't see my eldest son can be competing in his favour (in terms of 'happiness index') in our local system, esp in tertiary levels. He can be trained to be a service person or a chef (another of his interest) in SHATEC or a mechanic from ITE if he couldn't make it to the poly.
An overseas degree is a bonus for him. With a basic poly cert (if he can graduate eventually, he still has to move on almost solely by himself), I have sort of completed my basic responsibility as a parent for him. He should be able to live decently with that qualification in Singapore.
A degree, if one can get it, it's good. Else, life still will be as good as long as one is contented with whatever he or she has in hands and makes the most out of life...
Basically I don't live my kids' lives, I can only try to give them my firm belief of Life is Beautiful regardless of what circumstances one is in... (eat abalone ok, eat bread also ok...)
It is actually quite obvious to me that my eldest son will have a better life than his sister in the future though chances are my eldest daughter maybe able to make much more than him. His cheerful disposition and taking-thing-easy nature will allow him to face life's inevitable nonesense more smoothly subsequently as he grows further. My eldest daughter is a bit too serious with aspirations and a sense of responsibility and that I actually take as a 'flaw' in her towards a higher 'happiness index'. The belief that 'Good Enough is Enough' brings joy while the belief that 'Good Enough is never Enough' brings unnecessary sufferings.
PS: Fairy, I know you don't mean anything bad. Just for sharing purposes only. Think for my whole life, I have been learning to master the 'Art of Contentment' and I take it as something very important that I have to rub such 'counting of blessings' belief to my kids. This EQ (or Ah Q? hahaha...) to me is the key route to Happiness and Life Fulfillment. I tend to eliminate the many 'what-ifs' kind of fears in me pertaining to the thoughts of my kids' future coz honestly I think each should be able to live well (and hopefully can find meanings in their lives and be able to contribute back to the society).
PS2: I am very confident that I can force groom my eldest son to a straight As child if I choose to embark him on a tuition journey from young (similarly I can do that to my current P2 son if I want to). But a sterling academic record is never never how I see how kids should spend their prime years with clutches...
Appreciate your heartfelt sharing. I, too, subscribe to the belief in Contentment being a source of Happiness rather than the blind persuit of Materialism and Excellence for feeding one's Ego and Vanity. In the choices and decisions Í had made in my life to date, it has been my guiding principle. Have I regretted? No. However, there's a consequence and responsibility resulting from courses of action taken on the basis of such believe.
Take a hypothetical case of say Mr. A. He loves to draw and has no inclination towards academic persuits. His parents supported his choice of interest (happiness) over studies (pratical) believing that it's more important to be happy than be competitive. Mr. A was happy, persuing his love, until he became an independent adult, cut off from his mother's apron-string. He struggles (assuming he's just an average artist) to keep afloat, to provide for his family and put bread and butter on the table. His wife and children bear the consequence of his belief and actions.
Mr. B, too has no inclination towards academic persuits, loves to draw and has parents who supported him in his interest. Mr. B is happy, persuing his love, not having to worry about his future, confident with the assurance that come what may, his parents will always be behind him.
When he enters the working world, he realised his interest does not bring home enough dough to survive. \"No worries,\" said his parents,\"take this money, set up an Arts School, hire the best Arts teachers (assuming Mr. B did not excel in his 'interest'), you can be a businessman, and still continue in your area of interest.
Mr. B became a successful businessman, owning a chain of Arts School while Mr. A is still struggling to meet ends meet and children were on financial assitance scheme at school and had barely enough pocket money to fill their stomache during recess. What a contrasting outcome for 2 people who started off with the same dream, to persue their interest.
The story may have been totally made-up by me. But, it's very real in the life stories of people around me. Hence, I do not wish my children to be overly focused on Happiness at the expense of Practicality in life. Who does not wish to persue interest and hence 'happiness'? Sometimes, we just cannot afford to.
In Maslow's Hierarchy Of Needs, there's five levels of human needs; starting from physiological, safety, social, esteem to self-actualisation needs. Giving back to society is a self-actualisation need that is difficult to achieve if one's basic needs like hunger and security are not met. -
BlueBells:
Given the scenario that if you have to repeat JC1 but do not want to proceed to Poly, would it be the better choice to try it out by repeating JC1 ?EQUINOX:
My girl did badly in her JC 1 final exam. She has a good raw score of 9 in her 'O\" levels, went to a good JC and find that she couldn't cope - \"culture /learning shock\" I think! Did badly but not so bad that the school is prepared to push her up. She is so demotivated and demoralished by the marking system. She has worked so so hard but could barely pass 50% in all her 3 X H2 subjects. Now she is contemplating going to the Singapore Polytechnic to start afresh. But I think it is a waste because it is like picking an easy way out whereas she thinks she has no stamina to go & fight. What can I do to convince her otherwise? She still has Nov & Dec to brush up her work before school reopen for JC2 and she has spent so much time on project work as well. Sigh!
I don't think you need to convince her of anything. Lay down the pros and cons of carrying on with JC and moving on to Poly (be impartial), and let her decide. At 17, she should be able to make a sound d ecision. Regardless of her choice, please give her your full support. Don't get trap in a situation where she listens to you, but ultimately still can't measure up and her confidence takes a further beating. If that happens, she will always put the blame on you because you are the one making her do something she didn't think she can handle.
Just my two cents. -
EQUINOX:
My girl did badly in her JC 1 final exam. She has a good raw score of 9 in her 'O\" levels, went to a good JC and find that she couldn't cope - \"culture /learning shock\" I think! Did badly but not so bad that the school is prepared to push her up. She is so demotivated and demoralished by the marking system. She has worked so so hard but could barely pass 50% in all her 3 X H2 subjects. Now she is contemplating going to the Singapore Polytechnic to start afresh. But I think it is a waste because it is like picking an easy way out whereas she thinks she has no stamina to go & fight. What can I do to convince her otherwise? She still has Nov & Dec to brush up her work before school reopen for JC2 and she has spent so much time on project work as well. Sigh!
Actually I think if she has been allowed to be promoted to JC2, it just means the school thinks she can do it! Why be demoralised? I do remember those times. I went to RJC back then and did poorly in JC1, but so did all my classmates, but no one was retained. WE all did reasonably well in our actual A-levels (i remember our prelims results were quite horrid too).
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