Intellect or Age Peer?
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I can't help linking this thread to the one about how Singaporean students lack drive. Say, the GEP started in 1984 - for P4 students was it? Let's just assume it is. This means by now, the earliest children who have gone through the existence of this system would be about 38 years old now - already working, and possibly in the peak or climbing their way up. From what I've observed around, this age group still seem pretty \"kut latt\" - hardworking.
Usually when a new policy/system has just begun, you don't see immediate changes in people/ society. I'm not a sociologist, but assuming by the 10th year, people would have gained enough information, adjusted themselves, or their children would have come of age to enter the new system for it to have any impact - or what I call 'twisted effect' (results not initially intended for)
So 38 minus 10, the kids would be about 28 years of age. Let's give it a period of another 5 years down - Age 23 to 28. They will be working adults, maybe, gone through army, yes, some maybe still be pursuing higher studies perhaps? Or graduating soon... Is this the age group that we see has less drive? How is their working attitude? Ok, now that I am touching on the topic of 'drive', maybe I should also post on the other thread..
If you wish to talk about GEP/other education related, please continue here. And if you wish to write about 'drive', please write in the other thread:http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31534&p=703483#p703483
Ok, I must also say at this point that I am not blaming the GEP for causing the lack of drive in students, or that our education system is the only reason for lack of drive. I am trying to point out the fact that GEP may result in parental drive that ends up in lack of drive in students. -
concern2:
You mean only GEP kids lack drive? :? :? :?
Ok, I must also say at this point that I am not blaming the GEP for causing the lack of drive in students, or that our education system is the only reason for lack of drive. I am trying to point out the fact that GEP may result in parental drive that ends up in lack of drive in students. -
ksi:
You mean only GEP kids lack drive? :? :? :?concern2:
Ok, I must also say at this point that I am not blaming the GEP for causing the lack of drive in students, or that our education system is the only reason for lack of drive. I am trying to point out the fact that GEP may result in parental drive that ends up in lack of drive in students.
Ok, this one also not what I mean.
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2ppaamm:
Read more about Hikkikomori here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori
Take care of the little ones, a pressurizing education system can cause a lot of harm. Well meaning parents, under the pressure of the system, may also be the source of such a phenomenon.
For my case, I believe my children were saved by acceleration, which gave them confidence, hope, and escape from a system that does not forgive, that does not satisfy, that does not understand, pitching friends against friends. Radically accelerating my kids, I deliberately choose to not chase after A's, I gave my kids a totally different yardstick, themselves.
Honestly, because I read, research and talk to so many people about education, I get really scared of stuff like these (Hikkikomori) and having seen so many recluse from RI, GEP, etc etc, from as young as Sec 1, I wonder if anyone from the education ministry is ever as worried as any parent. These things never surface in our press. But I know so many personally. Sometimes I wonder if I had not rescued my kids and accelerated them, what would have happened?
I am concerned to hear that acceleration is a solution to get away from a pressurizing education system. Did I understand wrongly? -
concern2:
You mean only GEP kids lack drive? :? :? :?ksi:
[quote=\"concern2\"]
Ok, I must also say at this point that I am not blaming the GEP for causing the lack of drive in students, or that our education system is the only reason for lack of drive. I am trying to point out the fact that GEP may result in parental drive that ends up in lack of drive in students. Ok, this one also not what I mean.[/quote]Can you please elaborate what does the line in bold mean? :? :?
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ksi:
Can you please elaborate what does the line in bold mean? :? :?[/quote]Not to forget, there is much 'spill-over' effect from the GEP system (e.g. parents overdriving their kids to the limits to be one of the η²Ύθ±, and the GEP system itself has also evolved over the years too - for better or for worse, still unknown.concern2:
[quote=\"ksi\"]
You mean only GEP kids lack drive? :? :? :? Ok, this one also not what I mean.
Perhaps, I would think, a further exploration on this topic would be - are over-driven parents/relavant parties (including schools, teachers) resulting in the lack of drive in students? -
ksi:
Interesting point.2ppaamm:
Read more about Hikkikomori here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori
Take care of the little ones, a pressurizing education system can cause a lot of harm. Well meaning parents, under the pressure of the system, may also be the source of such a phenomenon.
For my case, I believe my children were saved by acceleration, which gave them confidence, hope, and escape from a system that does not forgive, that does not satisfy, that does not understand, pitching friends against friends. Radically accelerating my kids, I deliberately choose to not chase after A's, I gave my kids a totally different yardstick, themselves.
Honestly, because I read, research and talk to so many people about education, I get really scared of stuff like these (Hikkikomori) and having seen so many recluse from RI, GEP, etc etc, from as young as Sec 1, I wonder if anyone from the education ministry is ever as worried as any parent. These things never surface in our press. But I know so many personally. Sometimes I wonder if I had not rescued my kids and accelerated them, what would have happened?
I am concerned to hear that acceleration is a solution to get away from a pressurizing education system. Did I understand wrongly? -
concern2:
[/quote]But GEP kids only constitutes to 1% of a cohort, I am sure the lack of drive Singaporeans are not such a small sample size. I believe the issue is bigger than than the contribution of the over-drive GEP parents.
Not to forget, there is much 'spill-over' effect from the GEP system (e.g. parents overdriving their kids to the limits to be one of the η²Ύθ±, and the GEP system itself has also evolved over the years too - for better or for worse, still unknown.ksi:
[quote=\"concern2\"]
Can you please elaborate what does the line in bold mean? :? :?
Perhaps I would think a further exploration on this topic would be - are over-driven parents/relavant parties (including schools, teachers) resulting in the lack of drive in students? -
ksi:
I agree. One thing I need to point out is that not only GEP parents are over-driven. I have so far only been considering education-related issues since the article touched on what the Minister of Education said. What do you have in mind, ksi? Perhaps can enlighten us too?
But GEP kids only constitutes to 1% of a cohort, I am sure the lack of drive Singaporeans are not such a small sample size. I believe the issue is bigger than than the contribution of the over-drive GEP parents.
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ksi:
It seems quite shocking but if you've homeschooled before, it really isn't. It may be easier to understand this from the perspective of homeschool VS school-school.2ppaamm:
Read more about Hikkikomori here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori
Take care of the little ones, a pressurizing education system can cause a lot of harm. Well meaning parents, under the pressure of the system, may also be the source of such a phenomenon.
For my case, I believe my children were saved by acceleration, which gave them confidence, hope, and escape from a system that does not forgive, that does not satisfy, that does not understand, pitching friends against friends. Radically accelerating my kids, I deliberately choose to not chase after A's, I gave my kids a totally different yardstick, themselves.
Honestly, because I read, research and talk to so many people about education, I get really scared of stuff like these (Hikkikomori) and having seen so many recluse from RI, GEP, etc etc, from as young as Sec 1, I wonder if anyone from the education ministry is ever as worried as any parent. These things never surface in our press. But I know so many personally. Sometimes I wonder if I had not rescued my kids and accelerated them, what would have happened?
I am concerned to hear that acceleration is a solution to get away from a pressurizing education system. Did I understand wrongly?
Downtime in School
When I send my son to school, I am prepared to accept slower academic progress. In school, there is down time. You wait for Teachers to come to class. You collect exercise books. You wait for Teachers to finish scolding. You wait for Teachers to finish explaining stuff you already know. There is so much downtime in school that DS makes it a point to finish all his homework in school during the scolding sessions and explanations-not-targeted-at-him sessions. We had to do this or we would never have enough time to cover the bits that help him do well (which school does not cover but still tests).
Syllabus-Centrism
School teaches around a syllabus. The kids cannot choose what they want to learn and when because everyone is taught together. In my experience with homeschooling, I allowed DS and DD to choose from a pool of topics what they wanted to do. This is not practical in school because everyone would choose different topics and it would be a nightmare for Teachers. Nonetheless, the very small act of choosing what he or she wants to learn about helps the child to focus better when learning and feeling that he/she wants to learn. The moment this attitude is in place... the acceleration happens all by itself... and you don't even need a gifted kid.
For example, we begin by covering DNA... genes and stuff with some library books and a video on forensic investigators. Somewhere in that material, there is mentioned the notion of giving DNA data to employers and insurance companies. The child asks why employers need DNA data. A discussion begins where we explore the ethics of research (this is 4th year university level material and is a precursor to a Masters by research). In this way, you accelerate the child and no one feels accelerated.
In the natural world, knowledge isn't structured into neat levels. A P4 child is quite capable of discussing ethics in research.
I am not surprised that 2ppaamm's children were saved by acceleration. Highly gifted children do not abide teaching. They wanna discover and the best Teacher is a supportive companion. And with a wise companion, such children can accelerate themselves all by themselves... and they love it.
Friction-ful VS Friction-less
Learning within the school system comes with friction... an opposing force that interferes with learning freely (downtime is one reason... feeling forced to learn is another) that requires effort on the part of the child to counter. Learning at home reduces this friction by a great deal, especially when your companion is skilled at learning companionship.
I stress on \"learning companion\" not \"teacher\".
I would never accelerate my kid through the school system (i.e., skip levels or GEP) but I can see a lot of joy in accelerating him in homeschool. Gee... I wonder if I make sense...
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