NO tuition success stories to share?
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soup:
In the market, there are many preschools offering play-based learning, but to varying degree. You should check out the school curriculum for N2, K1 and K2 group. And with that info, maybe you can ask some of the experts in this forum (there is another thread on preschool curriculum) for their opinion. As for other kids who have enrichments on weekends, could it be that they are weak in certain areas, e.g. Mandarin? I'm just offering some possibilities here. On the other hand, for K1 kids to still wander around during lesson time, I too would be concerned. Are those special needs children, perhaps?
The principal of the more \"academic\" school told me that children who attend her preschool will probably not need extra tuition to prepare for Pri 1. Something that sounds so attractive. Whereas I spoke to some parents of older kids at the present playschool, they said that their kids need to attend extra tuition on weekends. I really hope don't need to have to do that.
I would prefer that he attends a preschool that he enjoys. But at the same time I won't want him to go to Pri 1 not ready to compete with other kids who had a more \"academic\" education. If only I can be sure that play-based learning does work out in the long run... :roll:
Well, you don't really have to go from one extreme to another extreme. There should be something in the middle that strikes a better balance.
Just my 2 cents. -
ChiefKiasu:
Dear Chief,[Dear Fluffy, while many parents (myself included) would love to have a child as driven as your daughter, you must try to get your daughter to understand that the reasons for wanting to succeed. It sounds like she is so competitive and focused that the means to an end becomes the end itself. Does she understand what the GEP is really for, or does she think that getting into the GEP is the only way she can catch up with her elder brother, or to succeed in life?
It is also good that you believe that being successful is being to accept and learn from failure. In my humble opinion, this is the most important concept that you must impress on your daughter.
It took her a long time before she understood that the meaning of GEP and she can be successful if she puts in effort and is passionate about her aspiration. With the recent debates on ST Forum on GEP, I am quite surprised many parents still have skewed opinions about the program even after so many clarification by MOE, past/current students and parents. GEP students comes from all walks of life and family background. Some students have tuition and other no help. Some do well while others don't. However, over the years from feedback from friends and fellow and ex-GEP parents, there is 1 very significant characteristic of majority of GEP. They love to read and can be described as almost obsessed in reading. The reading materials ranges from fiction to non-fiction such as autobiography, encyclopedia, science magazines, technical journals etc.
My son is a good example whereby he loves books from the age of 3 months. We started with fabric books and followed by all sorts of hard paperback from 1 year. Both my husband and I used to work long hours, our helper just leave my son to look at the books when she cleaned the house and cook. Guess what! My son chewed on the books instead. We noticed he was obsessed with reading when he started nursery. Before that, he loved to watch Lion King repeatedly more than 5 times each day for 6 months and stood watching cars by the window for another 6 months counting cars and adding the numbers on the number plates of each car. He read all Harry Potter books from age 8 and repeated each book more that 20 times. In P5, he repeatedly read Lee Kuan Yew's both volume of biography every day for 6 months. He is very obsessed and focus in reading. He does not perform very well in school with almost daily complaints from teachers. Why? Because he either handed up his work or project late or never done. We wanted to pull him out of GEP but school and MOE said not advisable. Why? Because we discovered only 2nd half of P5, he is a Special Needs Child which requires special arrangement during lesson and needs alot of academic support. He is better off in a class of 25 students with more attention from teachers. His grades improved end of P5 and P6. Till now in Sec 1, he is just an average student in his class and many non GEP students results are better than him. But I learn to accept my son as who is and only work to support him whenever I can. My only prayer is that he will pick up Life Skills as he grows up and can live as an independent adult.
What I am trying to emphasize is please do not generalise GEP students. Every students are gifted its own discipline be it academic, sports, music, arts etc. GEP students are not the best of the best in my opinion. MOE has their set of criteria which defines Giftedness. We parents should look at our own children and believe they are gifted too in their own way. If we don't support our children, who will? Suport means be there for them physically and emotionally, provide them academic help if needed, let them explore new interests within our means. When they are young, make sure we KIASU PARENTS are there to guide and control them. When they are teenager, we KIASU PARENTS have to stand back and be prepared to release some control because no amount of control can stop your children from doing what they want to do. Only the values they cultivated since young, love and concern from parents can help to ensure they walk the right path.
I always remind my daughter she is gifted in both mummy and daddy's eyes and we believe she will achieve whatever her goals if she puts her heart and soul to it. -
Fluffy:
... With the recent debates on ST Forum on GEP, I am quite surprised many parents still have skewed opinions about the program even after so many clarification by MOE, past/current students and parents...
Fluffy, you are indeed an enlightened parent, and your kids are very fortunate to have you to guide them. I think your son is truly gifted which makes the GEP so useful for him. And I'm happy that your daughter is now able to understand the purpose of the GEP beyond the idea that it represents the \"top 1% of students in Singapore\". -
It fascinates me as to what tuition is all about. I have been pondering over it and would like to share my thoughts.
Most parents equate poor results to lack of knowledge, which is true. However, they ventured no further and concluded that more knowledge is the way to good results which leads them to tuition. They overlooked the fact that if a container is closed, we can't put anything into it.
Therefore, tuition works like a miracle if a child is \"willing and able\" to learn. I heard of \"super tutors\" conducting entrance test to decide if a child qualifies. Perhaps this ensure that the results from their centre will be exemplary. Though I do not subscribed to such practices, these centres should still be credited for the child's success. They do provide \"good assessment practices\" which they had compiled over the years. (so grab and photocopy the questions/notes from these centres
) These group of tutors benefited mostly the rich. Their students are usually from the top schools who are tuitioning for A's (not to pass).
The main/normal group of tutors operates just like schools. So it only provides extra lessons. For kids who are slow learner but willing, such form of tuition do help because they provide extra revisions
The last group of tutors is the real \"super tutors\" who teaches purely out of interest. They should be called \"personal coach\". They befriended their students, understood their nature and concerns and tried to open their minds to learning. They touch the students by their actions, concern and patience. Most of the times, the wayward kids studied not for themselves but their tutors. Unfortunately, this group of tutor is rare. If you happen to know one, it's a blessing.
Kids need a coach more than a teacher and the best persons to be their coaches are none other than their parents. -
atutor, you are really amazing! I have never seen anyone putting it this way, and I can’t agree with you more.
I send both my boys to the first kind of enrichment centres and I am their personal coach myself. It was quite easy to find the key to open the container for my elder son. However, even though my younger son is doing better in terms of grades in school, we are still searching for the key. We told him that he is like a box of treasure, we need to work with him to find the key to open it. I am making progress, he is P5 now. -
Thanks all for your inputs. Haha still in dilemma but probably would still give play-based learning a try for the time being. Would post my future queries on this in another more suitable thread.
Cheers. :celebrate: -
atutor2001
Well said and I cannot agree with you more....
cheersatutor2001:
It fascinates me as to what tuition is all about. I have been pondering over it and would like to share my thoughts.
Most parents equate poor results to lack of knowledge, which is true. However, they ventured no further and concluded that more knowledge is the way to good results which leads them to tuition. They overlooked the fact that if a container is closed, we can't put anything into it.
Therefore, tuition works like a miracle if a child is \"willing and able\" to learn. I heard of \"super tutors\" conducting entrance test to decide if a child qualifies. Perhaps this ensure that the results from their centre will be exemplary. Though I do not subscribed to such practices, these centres should still be credited for the child's success. They do provide \"good assessment practices\" which they had compiled over the years. (so grab and photocopy the questions/notes from these centres ) These group of tutors benefited mostly the rich. Their students are usually from the top schools who are tuitioning for A's (not to pass).
The main/normal group of tutors operates just like schools. So it only provides extra lessons. For kids who are slow learner but willing, such form of tuition do help because they provide extra revisions
The last group of tutors is the real \"super tutors\" who teaches purely out of interest. They should be called \"personal coach\". They befriended their students, understood their nature and concerns and tried to open their minds to learning. They touch the students by their actions, concern and patience. Most of the times, the wayward kids studied not for themselves but their tutors. Unfortunately, this group of tutor is rare. If you happen to know one, it's a blessing.
Kids need a coach more than a teacher and the best persons to be their coaches are none other than their parents. -
Your analysis is very thorough. One of the \"Super Tutors\" Centre must be TLL. My children used to be there for a couple of years due to my KIASUISM earlier on. Just when the centre started getting famous and news spread that its very difficult to get a place in the school, my children asked to quit. They felt mummy is wasting her money on a centre whose teachers changed so often, disappeared in the middle of lesson and hardly marked or explained the worksheets to them. Very often, answers are readily given for questions and children are told to follow specific phrases for essay writing. Perhaps there are very dedicated and super teachers in the centre but unfortunately my children did not have such good fortune.
atutor2001:
It fascinates me as to what tuition is all about. I have been pondering over it and would like to share my thoughts.
Most parents equate poor results to lack of knowledge, which is true. However, they ventured no further and concluded that more knowledge is the way to good results which leads them to tuition. They overlooked the fact that if a container is closed, we can't put anything into it.
Therefore, tuition works like a miracle if a child is \"willing and able\" to learn. I heard of \"super tutors\" conducting entrance test to decide if a child qualifies. Perhaps this ensure that the results from their centre will be exemplary. Though I do not subscribed to such practices, these centres should still be credited for the child's success. They do provide \"good assessment practices\" which they had compiled over the years. (so grab and photocopy the questions/notes from these centres ) These group of tutors benefited mostly the rich. Their students are usually from the top schools who are tuitioning for A's (not to pass).
The main/normal group of tutors operates just like schools. So it only provides extra lessons. For kids who are slow learner but willing, such form of tuition do help because they provide extra revisions
The last group of tutors is the real \"super tutors\" who teaches purely out of interest. They should be called \"personal coach\". They befriended their students, understood their nature and concerns and tried to open their minds to learning. They touch the students by their actions, concern and patience. Most of the times, the wayward kids studied not for themselves but their tutors. Unfortunately, this group of tutor is rare. If you happen to know one, it's a blessing.
Kids need a coach more than a teacher and the best persons to be their coaches are none other than their parents. -
daisyt:
This is the exact scene i experienced with my dad, all those years ago.The biggest problem now I have, is to get her to sleep on time and ignore those crazy tons of work. But it never works. Once I ask her, why are you so slow in your work, maybe you can do a bit faster and finish them fast and go to sleep. Her reply \"I am doing them carefully and properly, not slowly. You are one wierd mother, keep asking me to ignore my work and get to sleep\". Then she chased me out of her room.
Another case, I was so angry because its already 12+ and she was still doing her work. I flared up, asked her to go to bed immediately and she started to cry. She said she must finish her work and why I just simply don't understand her :roll: Am I being unreasonable just because I want her to have more sleep ? I wonder ..... :?
I never had tuition nor enrichment my whole education (unless piano lessons and swimming lessons count?), parents never stressed me with expectations, and was top 0.5% thruout. guess was blessed with self-motivation.
at one point, asked my dad for chinese tuition. parents not well-to-do, so he counter-proposed increasing my allowance instead. (of course cheaper than committing to tuition fees.) and asked me to study harder. which i did. Got A2 for higher chinese so I suppose it worked out.
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I have 2 DDs (12 and 13 years old). 13 yrs old - no tuition for all subjects except Chinese. She was the top 3% of last year PSLE. My 12 years old; has tuition since P5 for all subjects - average student.
Conclusion, depends on the maturity of the child and how he/she \"make use\" of the tutor and each lesson.
I am
that my 12 yrs old DD will do above average in her PSLE since she is putting in more effort than last year but she still cannot understand some of the key concept in Maths and Science no matter how many questions of the same she has tried :?:
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