All About GEP

[TREX8]

Tks for the response - took abit of guilt feeling off me, especially after I've gotten DD her favourite lunch and ice-cream.


verykiasu_2010: I've checked with DD casually regarding her choice of book. Reason? \"Oh, it's the book that is nearest to me\" :x Ha ha. next time I will make sure I leave Chinese books all over the house.

Sun_2010: Yeap, I agree with the bit \"both you and she need to chill\" and the \"you\" in bold is not lost to me. Yes, I find that sometimes I am the source of stress to her.

jtoh: Yah, it seems that different GEP centres have different homework level. Life is certainly not exciting over at DD's centre.

Actually what got me vexed is also what DD commented on Monday (before the CNY break). When picking her up, she said some teachers have assigned worksheets to be completed over the break. On Tues when sending her to school, she said to expect more homework to be given. We went away for CNY, packing along her worksheets ...

This brought back a sense of dejavu, something that we experienced when she was in P3. Looking back, P3 was the worst year (unless this year manage to beat it) for DD.

P1 and P2, mixed ability class, pace is manageable and that's little expectations on the teachers. When they were first streamed in P3, all the top kids from each P2 class were placed together. The expectations on the teachers were so great. Loads of homework were given (sheets after sheets of heuristics math problem etc), including online homework.

She would frequently walk towards me at the end of the day complaining of headache and alot of homework. When I reminded her to look forward to the weekend, or holidays, she will say that \"surely will load with lots of homework\" and she was right... I even had to declare homework free days during holidays and bring her to the library to do nothing but read. If she could, she would lost herself in reading and day dreaming.

When she got into GEP, P4 and P5 were busy but she was happy busy and was engaged. It was no longer repeatedly doing the same stuff over and over again. She would keenly share with us what she has learnt and always enthusiastic about her projects or research assignments. And she actually has time to read, something which she found difficult to do in P3.

Unfortunately, I am starting to see signs of P3 year again, especially when she gets loads of worksheets and revision papers for English and Math... The only consolation was that for P3, it was all the way up to Nov SA2 whereas for PSLE, it would end in Aug...

That's why I asked whether is there anything exciting to look forward to for P6 GEP...

Sorry for yet another long post...

jtoh:

TREX8:

There I was, lamenting that DD's P6 GEP life seems boring with little projects and assignments, but yesterday, when I saw her 'relaxing' on the sofa reading her kid brother's story book last night, I just blew my top :oops:

Is this the \"mood swings\" that a P6 mummy is supposed to feel? My rational mind tells me that the correct thing to do is to focus on P6SA1, go for DSA, the chiong for PSLE. And definitely, I know my DD performs better when not under high stress. However, the other part of me is also very kancheong as I know DD has the potential to do well and sometimes, wondering whether am I shortchanging her by not stretching her more...

I supposed I lost my top because DD came back with a below expectation score for CL (I have yet to see the script so yet to know what went wrong) and the cumulation of stuff that fellow PSLE parents whom I interact with have been sharing (sending for PSLE prep, doing assessments etc and this is over and above the tons of homework and supp classes that the best mainstream classes are already attending).

So when I saw dear DD lying there, seemingly so 'bochap' (I suppose if she had picked up a more \"cheem\" book or a Chinese book to read, I probably would be able to keep my cool... ), I just lost it!

Now felt so bad, hence ventilate here. So sorry, fellow KSP forummers for offloading this here. Will get her a nice lunch and say sorry... Maybe will also teach her to get out of my way and appear busy when mum's in one of those dilemma moods - especially after getting off the phone with one of those well-meaning mummies ...

TREX8, you're very funny and I mean that in a good way. :lol: I think as parents we all go through the same anxieties - worry if our kids are too stressed, worry if they look like they're not making good use of their time. And I know what you mean by getting ganchiong after talking on the phone with a well-meaning mum. You start wondering if you're doing enough to push your kid.

I think as parents, one of the most important roles we can take is not to stress our kids out. I think the school will stress them out in time to come.

[TREX8]

Hi vlim, DD also received the assignment for Math - is it called \"alternative math assessment\"? At least, it sounds more interesting than worksheets/revision papers


DD's busy, but the \"brain numbing\" worksheet drilling kind of busy. Sometimes, I feel that kids need to have time to reflect on their mistakes before giving the next one. If there is no time to reflect and analyse what went wrong, how to improve?

vlim:

Hi Trex8, mine still busy lah...Just receive another assignment list for Maths subject. :faint: ...and my ds said to me last night :' mummy stress lah...'....
I also feel stress and pity him and can't sleep well last night

[vlim]

TREX8:

Hi vlim, DD also received the assignment for Math - is it called \"alternative math assessment\"? At least, it sounds more interesting than worksheets/revision papers


DD's busy, but the \"brain numbing\" worksheet drilling kind of busy. Sometimes, I feel that kids need to have time to reflect on their mistakes before giving the next one. If there is no time to reflect and analyse what went wrong, how to improve?

vlim:

Hi Trex8, mine still busy lah...Just receive another assignment list for Maths subject. :faint: ...and my ds said to me last night :' mummy stress lah...'....
I also feel stress and pity him and can't sleep well last night

hi Trex8,
Ya the maths assignment is called the alternative maths assessment. Which topic is your dd choosing? My ds is choosing the pick's theorem. My ds has just finished his show and tell script to be presented tomorrow...so one assignment down :dancing: ...next would be the ERP thingy... :roll:

[vlim]

deleted

[TREX8]

Not sure which topic is DD choosing. She said that they are not allowed to bring the list of topics home and supposed to just look through and do some background research before deciding. Think they have until next week to decide.


Her first ERP is done and submitted. But she didn't have any show and tell assignment - is ths part of English?

vlim:

hi Trex8,
Ya the maths assignment is called the alternative maths assessment. Which topic is your dd choosing? My ds is choosing the pick's theorem. My ds has just finished his show and tell script to be presented tomorrow...so one assignment down :dancing: ...next would be the ERP thingy... :roll:

[vlim]

TREX8:

Not sure which topic is DD choosing. She said that they are not allowed to bring the list of topics home and supposed to just look through and do some background research before deciding. Think they have until next week to decide.


Her first ERP is done and submitted. But she didn't have any show and tell assignment - is ths part of English?

vlim:

hi Trex8,
Ya the maths assignment is called the alternative maths assessment. Which topic is your dd choosing? My ds is choosing the pick's theorem. My ds has just finished his show and tell script to be presented tomorrow...so one assignment down :dancing: ...next would be the ERP thingy... :roll:

ya show and tell is part of English assignment..maybe she will have it later

[thmejlfm]

Hi!


My DD is first year GEP. So, a lot of things I still not very sure.

At the moment, she seem like still quite free. Had started her first project, the 2D Family Tree.

Would like to check with the parents here. We intend to buy a laptop for our DD, as promised. But, worried that in future, the school might require them to have certain software in their computer. Will there be the case?

Some of my friends said that don’t buy now, may be later the school will ask them to buy together with some software require in school.

Please advise. Thank you

[vlim]

for my side..they only require powerpoint for presentation purposes at time plus microsoft words for typing of write up for English and Social Studies assignments...

And also go internet google search for some research...

[TREX8]

vlim:

for my side..they only require powerpoint for presentation purposes at time plus microsoft words for typing of write up for English and Social Studies assignments...

And also go internet google search for some research...

same here. DD's in Pri 6 now. So far, no mention of downloading or requirement for any particular software. Just the usual word processing software, presentation software and internet access for research.

BTW, vlim, DD has opted for something about statistics for her alternative math assignment.

[TwaTau]

thmejlfm:

Hi!


My DD is first year GEP. So, a lot of things I still not very sure.

At the moment, she seem like still quite free. Had started her first project, the 2D Family Tree.

Would like to check with the parents here. We intend to buy a laptop for our DD, as promised. But, worried that in future, the school might require them to have certain software in their computer. Will there be the case?

Some of my friends said that don't buy now, may be later the school will ask them to buy together with some software require in school.

Please advise. Thank you

Just the standard PC will do, with MS office suite, student version is good enough. It should come with powerpoint, word. You will need to get internet access, to do research and a email account which they can communicate with their classmates, for those group project. No special software require.