NO tuition success stories to share?
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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 :?: -
Fluffy:
:goodpost: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. -
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