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    "branded" sch vs neighbourhood sch

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    • D Offline
      dramamama70
      last edited by

      What about secondary school? Branded/elite or good neighbourhood school? I was talking to my husband last night about potential school choice for my son who’s taking his PSLE this year. Judging from his results last year and CA1 this year he might (we hope) qualify for a branded secondary school. I want my son to go to a branded sec school if he qualifies because academically he would have access to better teachers, peers etc. Of course "better" is completely subjective and those are my assumptions only.


      My husband does not agree. His main concern is he doesn’t want our kids to go to an "elite" school because it is where "elitism" breeds. He thinks if our son (or any of our kids) can do well academically, they’ll do well even in good neighbourhood schools.

      I tend to agree with him but I can’t help but feel like the plus side to going to a branded sec school is more than it’s negative side.

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      • S Offline
        sleepy
        last edited by

        My dd in a somewhat branded school. School is totally switched off le. 1 whole term I only see 1 piece of Science worksheet :!:


        And school’s motto is no streaming & no supplementary classes regardless of results, definitely following MOE’s ‘teach less’ to the core

        So parents must be prepared to ‘pay more’ to send kids to external enrichments or ‘nag more’ to get kids to do assessment books at home

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        • C Offline
          Chenonceau
          last edited by

          dramamama70:
          What about secondary school? Branded/elite or good neighbourhood school? I was talking to my husband last night about potential school choice for my son who's taking his PSLE this year. Judging from his results last year and CA1 this year he might (we hope) qualify for a branded secondary school. I want my son to go to a branded sec school if he qualifies because academically he would have access to better teachers, peers etc. Of course \"better\" is completely subjective and those are my assumptions only.


          My husband does not agree. His main concern is he doesn't want our kids to go to an \"elite\" school because it is where \"elitism\" breeds. He thinks if our son (or any of our kids) can do well academically, they'll do well even in good neighbourhood schools.

          I tend to agree with him but I can't help but feel like the plus side to going to a branded sec school is more than it's negative side.
          It is true that the kids pick up an elitist attitude. I had a tough time counterbalancing this at home. However, the kids get access to many opportunities for growth and development. Iron sharpens iron, and there is a diveristy of talent development programs because there is enough talent to pool together and teach together. There are Math, Science, Humanities acceleration programs. There are leadership programs where girls are sent to USA to attend leadership seminars... The growth opportunities are tremendous in a branded secondary school.

          I do believe that values are taught at home, even though there were moments where I positively despaired at The Daughter, asking myself what I had done wrong that she would turn out so arrogant and self-serving. In my disappointment, I had even told her that she was despicable in her self-centredness and that she was nothing but a leech and a parasite who took the best that the nation had to give, for herself, not caring a whit for others.

          It took almost all of secondary school but she SEEMS to have bloomed into a woman of grace, gentleness, humility and compassion. It took A LOT of effort though.

          All said and done, I do reckon that if the parents want to badly enough, you CAN counterbalance the effects of elitism... and teach the fruits of the spirit quite successfully.

          The teachers aren't necessarily better though. But the curriculum is strong. There are one or 2 very ambitious ones who see the girls as a passport to their own promotions... and there was one who taught NOTHING the whole year, but no one knew because the girls in that class were really very good in that subject already. No need to teach.

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          • A Offline
            Augmum
            last edited by

            Chenonceau:

            The teachers aren't necessarily better though. But the curriculum is strong. There are one or 2 very ambitious ones who see the girls as a passport to their own promotions... and there was one who taught NOTHING the whole year, but no one knew because the girls in that class were really very good in that subject already. No need to teach.
            my observation is that not necessarily ALL Good results of pupils come from the credit of Good teachers.
            pupils gain external help from tuition/enrichment. 😉

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            • C Offline
              Chenonceau
              last edited by

              sleepy:
              My dd in a somewhat branded school. School is totally switched off le. 1 whole term I only see 1 piece of Science worksheet :!:


              And school's motto is no streaming & no supplementary classes regardless of results, definitely following MOE's 'teach less' to the core

              So parents must be prepared to 'pay more' to send kids to external enrichments or 'nag more' to get kids to do assessment books at home
              Sounds like my girl's branded primary school. Wonder if same school. Haha!

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              • C Offline
                Chenonceau
                last edited by

                Augmum:
                Chenonceau:


                The teachers aren't necessarily better though. But the curriculum is strong. There are one or 2 very ambitious ones who see the girls as a passport to their own promotions... and there was one who taught NOTHING the whole year, but no one knew because the girls in that class were really very good in that subject already. No need to teach.

                my observation is that not necessarily ALL Good results of pupils come from the credit of Good teachers.
                pupils gain external help from tuition/enrichment. 😉

                Yah lor...

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                • FunzF Offline
                  Funz
                  last edited by

                  My views for secondary school. If my kids results allow them to go to a so called ‘branded’ school, I will definitely send them there. Kids who can make it to those schools are supposedly of a certain calibre so the influence from their peers in their academic pursuit will be more positive (depending on how you see it).


                  When I look at a school, academic position will weigh in first before all else. Character influence, elitism or gangsterism, yes, peers do play a part but I believe the stronger influence will always be home and upbringing.

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                  • A Offline
                    Augmum
                    last edited by

                    Chenonceau:
                    Augmum:

                    [quote=\"Chenonceau\"]
                    The teachers aren't necessarily better though. But the curriculum is strong. There are one or 2 very ambitious ones who see the girls as a passport to their own promotions... and there was one who taught NOTHING the whole year, but no one knew because the girls in that class were really very good in that subject already. No need to teach.

                    my observation is that not necessarily ALL Good results of pupils come from the credit of Good teachers.
                    pupils gain external help from tuition/enrichment. 😉

                    Yah lor...[/quote] :hi5:
                    i remembered when my gal was in primary school, (she was in one of the best class)
                    during one of the parent-teacher meetings, her FT told me
                    \"This class no need me to teach wan, all of them already know the topics well b4 i start\".
                    and the fact is that \"the most lazy teacher\" was assigned to the BEST class...... :lol: 😉

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                    • J Offline
                      jtoh
                      last edited by

                      Augmum:
                      Chenonceau:

                      [quote=\"Augmum\"]
                      my observation is that not necessarily ALL Good results of pupils come from the credit of Good teachers.
                      pupils gain external help from tuition/enrichment. 😉

                      Yah lor...

                      :hi5:
                      i remembered when my gal was in primary school, (she was in one of the best class)
                      during one of the parent-teacher meetings, her FT told me
                      \"This class no need me to teach wan, all of them already know the topics well b4 i start\".
                      and the fact is that \"the most lazy teacher\" was assigned to the BEST class...... :lol: 😉[/quote]The problem is sometimes the kids know the topics beforehand because they were taught it in tuition centres. So the teacher assumes everyone knows and doesn't teach. And the poor kids who don't have tuition struggle to cope on their own when the teacher should have been teaching.

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                      • C Offline
                        Chenonceau
                        last edited by

                        jtoh:
                        The problem is sometimes the kids know the topics beforehand because they were taught it in tuition centres. So the teacher assumes everyone knows and doesn't teach. And the poor kids who don't have tuition struggle to cope on their own when the teacher should have been teaching.



                        :goodpost:

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