Is GEP really necessary?

[simple2005]

verykiasu2010:

can't run away from the normal distribution of kids' talent or abilities or 'giftedness'


good thing that MOE Tay Eng Soon recognised it earlier on to provide differentiated learning for the kids

must every GEP-labelled kid score right at the top ? GEP is not about scoring in PSLE exam. If it is about scoring, then just hire a personal coach to prepare and drill for PSLE will do, no need to be so troublesome

It is about enriched curriculum stretching the intellectual ability of the kids. Never about exam. It is also not about grooming an Issac Newton or Thomas Edison or Einstein or Galileo .... it is about not stifling them in their intellectual curiosity based on the normal curriculum

A good summary from VK2010.

The gifted children in general terms are one who have higher abilities in specific areas, and/or in general, are able to pick up advanced concepts quickly. In many cases, mainstream way of learning through drilling/assessment books etc do not suit them, and perhaps they are repulsive to them. But having such abilities does not mean they will get the best results in school, the idea is to have a program where they can learn through their abilities, and the program is such that it will likely not suit other children, who benefits more from the mainstream teaching/study methods.

These children are sometimes also termed to have asynchronous development, meaning they have much high ability in certain areas, but normal in others. So for example, some are mature in understanding complex mathematical concepts, but struggle to come to terms with sharing, just like other children. The program is to not stifle their ability to absorb while they exhibit it so young, but also to manage their growth in other areas. In many cases, these children could be more difficult to handle, they can debate with advanced skills of logic and language, on the most trivial childish topics.

For a lack of a better term, GEP is also a 'special needs' program for young children coming to terms with their advanced ability which is not aligned with their development based on age.

It's probably also true that as they grow, the mainstream children do catch up, and perhaps be on par, or better then the GEP peers, that is possible. But the key (at least to me) is to manage the 'inbalance' while they are young.

This is purely my own personal views. Not a right or wrong, I'm still coming to understand how the program can help the child grow.

Cheers.

[smurf]

but this will result in parents putting their children into those GEP-preparation class…to ‘force’ their kids to be GEP-ers. can’t blame them, its rat race after all.


if u r gifted, you are gifted, why need preparation class?

[2ppaamm]

simple2005:

verykiasu2010:

can't run away from the normal distribution of kids' talent or abilities or 'giftedness'


good thing that MOE Tay Eng Soon recognised it earlier on to provide differentiated learning for the kids

must every GEP-labelled kid score right at the top ? GEP is not about scoring in PSLE exam. If it is about scoring, then just hire a personal coach to prepare and drill for PSLE will do, no need to be so troublesome

It is about enriched curriculum stretching the intellectual ability of the kids. Never about exam. It is also not about grooming an Issac Newton or Thomas Edison or Einstein or Galileo .... it is about not stifling them in their intellectual curiosity based on the normal curriculum

A good summary from VK2010.

The gifted children in general terms are one who have higher abilities in specific areas, and/or in general, are able to pick up advanced concepts quickly. In many cases, mainstream way of learning through drilling/assessment books etc do not suit them, and perhaps they are repulsive to them. But having such abilities does not mean they will get the best results in school, the idea is to have a program where they can learn through their abilities, and the program is such that it will likely not suit other children, who benefits more from the mainstream teaching/study methods.

These children are sometimes also termed to have asynchronous development, meaning they have much high ability in certain areas, but normal in others. So for example, some are mature in understanding complex mathematical concepts, but struggle to come to terms with sharing, just like other children. The program is to not stifle their ability to absorb while they exhibit it so young, but also to manage their growth in other areas. In many cases, these children could be more difficult to handle, they can debate with advanced skills of logic and language, on the most trivial childish topics.

For a lack of a better term, GEP is also a 'special needs' program for young children coming to terms with their advanced ability which is not aligned with their development based on age.

It's probably also true that as they grow, the mainstream children do catch up, and perhaps be on par, or better then the GEP peers, that is possible. But the key (at least to me) is to manage the 'inbalance' while they are young.

This is purely my own personal views. Not a right or wrong, I'm still coming to understand how the program can help the child grow.

Cheers.

This is a great post and summarizes what I thought GEP is supposed to be as well. Unfortunately, it seems to have shifted over the years since1984. It has come down to (again) KPIs. The students are measured by not only their academic abilities, but also their attitude. Normally, a student who is not compliant or behaves differently from expectation is termed as having 'bad attitude'. In fact, this attitude thingy is so vague, anything seems to fall into that. Including the parents not 'obedient' to school suggestions.

If the child fails in this attitude department, they are booted out of GEP, and asked to return a neighbourhood school, or wherever their original school was. Where is the understanding that these children are different again?

This is even more dangerous than the normal mainstream. Where at worst, the students are reprimanded or suspended. They are never made to feel they are unwanted or are not good enough for school.

I am worried that at this young age, these children, (especially that they are gifted) have to go through such traumatic experiences. And because they are gifted and more sensitive, these experiences amplify.

I also tend to agree gifted are special needs as well. Unfortunately, the world does not think so. Many automatically assume gifted = everything also can. Wrong. These kids need guidance in different department. Until the teachers/educators/GEP understands this, the GEP program is merely an elitist system, made to identify the gifted and high ability at the end of P3, and then boot out those who really need help to integrate their differences into the society, keeping those who can do well in any environment in the system.

That's one facet of my understanding/view.

[2ppaamm]

smurf:

but this will result in parents putting their children into those GEP-preparation class...to 'force' their kids to be GEP-ers. can't blame them, its rat race after all.


if u r gifted, you are gifted, why need preparation class?

While it is impossible to train giftedness, it is totally possible to train test taking strategies and learning how to do IQ test questions.

As long as GA tests are used, it shall be trainable. Try that out with your kid if you do not believe. Buy an IQ book and work through it this year, and observe how his IQ points improve over the year, while he is exactly the same guy with the same giftedness.

[verykiasu2010]

smurf:

but this will result in parents putting their children into those GEP-preparation class...to 'force' their kids to be GEP-ers. can't blame them, its rat race after all.


if u r gifted, you are gifted, why need preparation class?

that is the parents' problem with pride

it need not \"result\" in that way, it is entirely a problem created by the parents, for the parents

nobody forces anyone to take prep class; and MOE discourages that

there are so many prostitutes standing by the roadside, is any one forced to patronise them ? (what other analogy to give ?)

[Nebbermind]

2ppaamm:

smurf:

but this will result in parents putting their children into those GEP-preparation class...to 'force' their kids to be GEP-ers. can't blame them, its rat race after all.


if u r gifted, you are gifted, why need preparation class?

While it is impossible to train giftedness, it is totally possible to train test taking strategies and learning how to do IQ test questions.

As long as GA tests are used, it shall be trainable. Try that out with your kid if you do not believe. Buy an IQ book and work through it this year, and observe how his IQ points improve over the year, while he is exactly the same guy with the same giftedness.

absolutely! I used to play sudoku...after a while, u can tackle the more difficult ones....definitely the same can be said of IQ testing....it is trainable and improve with practice.

[Edureach]

Taking prep classes…


I prefer to use another anology. An O-level grad deciding btw two routes namely jc or poly. Let’s say his results are just average B3 and not particulary strong in either science or arts. Every subject is just decent. His parents are aware that the A-level to uni is a more conventional route vs-a vs poly and decides on the former. The decision taken is without due consideration to the avalable courses offer by polys one of which might offers the student the probability of doing well and qualify for a uni place. What is likely to happen at the end of 2 yrs?

High probability - gg…

[2ppaamm]

verykiasu2010:

smurf:

but this will result in parents putting their children into those GEP-preparation class...to 'force' their kids to be GEP-ers. can't blame them, its rat race after all.


if u r gifted, you are gifted, why need preparation class?

that is the parents' problem with pride

it need not \"result\" in that way, it is entirely a problem created by the parents, for the parents

nobody forces anyone to take prep class; and MOE discourages that

there are so many prostitutes standing by the roadside, is any one forced to patronise them ? (what other analogy to give ?)

Actually parents are just like that, anything new from MOE automatically becomes a cash cow to the shadow education system.

In our discussion here, we see how this mentality has diluted the quality of GEP students we are getting. For every place one of these gifted-in-disguise take up, one more truly gifted child is robbed of a chance to get a suitable education. This might be ok if the number is small, but unfortunately, this kind of students seem to outnumber the authentically gifted ones. Not only that, because prep'd students outnumber the non-prep'd ones, they form the norm. The non-prep'd gifted students become different, outnumbered and weird. When, in reality, gifted children are supposed to be weird and that's why they are different.

Has the kiasu-ness in parents diluted the usefulness and meaning of GEP? If it is all about just academic and high ability anyway, then why not just go that way? Just lots of academic stuff lor... why must separate them and make them GEP?

[verykiasu2010]

2ppaamm:

verykiasu2010:

[quote=\"smurf\"]but this will result in parents putting their children into those GEP-preparation class...to 'force' their kids to be GEP-ers. can't blame them, its rat race after all.


if u r gifted, you are gifted, why need preparation class?

that is the parents' problem with pride

it need not \"result\" in that way, it is entirely a problem created by the parents, for the parents

nobody forces anyone to take prep class; and MOE discourages that

there are so many prostitutes standing by the roadside, is any one forced to patronise them ? (what other analogy to give ?)

Actually parents are just like that, anything new from MOE automatically becomes a cash cow to the shadow education system.

In our discussion here, we see how this mentality has diluted the quality of GEP students we are getting. For every place one of these gifted-in-disguise take up, one more truly gifted child is robbed of a chance to get a suitable education. This might be ok if the number is small, but unfortunately, this kind of students seem to outnumber the authentically gifted ones. Not only that, because prep'd students outnumber the non-prep'd ones, they form the norm. The non-prep'd gifted students become different, outnumbered and weird. When, in reality, gifted children are supposed to be weird and that's why they are different.

Has the kiasu-ness in parents diluted the usefulness and meaning of GEP? If it is all about just academic and high ability anyway, then why not just go that way? Just lots of academic stuff lor... why must separate them and make them GEP?[/quote]the root cause is with the parents

hope more parents are enlightened.

not disagreeing with you

my DS' teachers do not believe he wasn't from GEP, gave me 101 reasons why they think I deny he was from GEP :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

[Nebbermind]

2ppaamm:

but unfortunately, this kind of students seem to outnumber the authentically gifted ones.

Is this true? Not doubting u, but I totally have no feel of the qty at all. These prep class are like $(4-figure) and only short-term, right?