Hong Wen

[SAHM_TAN]

Counting down to May/Jun hols

[hquek]

Young Mum:

Hi


Would like to check with the rest of the parents out there, if I am not able to go to the school for the parent-teacher's meeting next Friday, will I still be able to collect the report book? If so, when can collect?

Thanks

Hmm, I wasn't even thinking about that. but then, if you can't make it, better to call the school - or will they pass it to your child on thursday?

[lionheart]

Being a P6 parent is tough… it is the DSA season…


Any parent taking the DSA route?

As i see it, it is no harm if the CCA offered in the Sec School matches my child’s passion… for the least, he is given a chance to purse his passion.

what do you think?

[lionheart]

P5 / P6 parents… note that the Math Dept and PSG are jointly organizing 2 x Maths Workshop. The objective of the workshop is to help parents to familiarize with the heuristic methods/approaches taught in School.


Date: 2nd June OR 30th June . Both same content.

Interested… please submit the reply slip with $5 (refreshment, materials included) by this Thursday.

[hquek]

lionheart:

Being a P6 parent is tough... it is the DSA season..


Any parent taking the DSA route?

As i see it, it is no harm if the CCA offered in the Sec School matches my child's passion.. for the least, he is given a chance to purse his passion.

what do you think?

If he goes in via CCA DSA, then he will be bound to continue in the CCA and to try win medals for school? What if he can't cope with schoolwork? in that case I think still got to die die continue with the cca leh. (saw from the dsa thread where a girl who wasn't coping with school work still had to train and win medal - after medal won, she flunked her exams and was booted from the school). I guess it depends on what the requirements of this cca is.

For me, when the time comes, if my kid is good enough, I may ask him to try for academic dsa - but certainly not cca dsa. If not, then will just leave it to fate which sec school he ends up in. I still rather he ends up in a school that fits his learning - than to go for one which he may not be good enough for, and then have his morale destroyed when he cannot cope.

(but I know your kid should be okay one lah....:-) )

[lionheart]

hquek:

lionheart:

Being a P6 parent is tough... it is the DSA season..


Any parent taking the DSA route?

As i see it, it is no harm if the CCA offered in the Sec School matches my child's passion.. for the least, he is given a chance to purse his passion.

what do you think?

If he goes in via CCA DSA, then he will be bound to continue in the CCA and to try win medals for school? What if he can't cope with schoolwork? in that case I think still got to die die continue with the cca leh. (saw from the dsa thread where a girl who wasn't coping with school work still had to train and win medal - after medal won, she flunked her exams and was booted from the school). I guess it depends on what the requirements of this cca is.

For me, when the time comes, if my kid is good enough, I may ask him to try for academic dsa - but certainly not cca dsa. If not, then will just leave it to fate which sec school he ends up in. I still rather he ends up in a school that fits his learning - than to go for one which he may not be good enough for, and then have his morale destroyed when he cannot cope.

(but I know your kid should be okay one lah....:-) )

true.. it is tactically not right to send a child to pursue CCA DSA without a good academic foundation. What other consideration?

[hquek]

For me, the fact that my kid will be bound to that one cca is a main criteria whether to go for such already. During my sec days, I was from band (and hated it) and when I went to JC (on my own merit hor), the teachers in charge were already hounding me to join band. it was partly becos of that I switched JC after the first 3 months (that and the fact that I had enough fun). When I went to the new place, again, the teachers i/c of band and also chinese orchestra mysteriously got hold of my contact and started pressurizing me to join. I promise myself never to let my kid subject to that kind of pressure. it’s scary for me to receive calls from teachers and not know how to deal with it.


Anyway, key considerations for sec school will be of course, prestige & reputation of the school (okay, I’m shallow), whether my kid can fit into that culture/thrive in that environment; but most importantly, if by that time he has developed his own mind, I will have to take that into consideration. I don’t want him to grow up into an unhappy adult becos he was ‘forced’ into a school he didn’t want.

My kid is still not keen on cca so it’s all theory for me. But if yours is and would want to develop that skill further. really no harm to try and get in - but on his merits (i still think without dsa he also can). Then can go ahead to join the cca. not happy still can escape (less pressure that way).

[SAHM_TAN]

dd1 took up cca this yr. I’ve thought about DSA. I will only consider it if dd1 has the academic prowess to excel in the school that she wants to go.


I will decide when she’s P4.

[lionheart]

Back to DSA-route vs Non DSA-route, I cite a few real life examples …


Lets put some thoughts … what are your views?

Student 1 - PSLE Score 258 (2011). School Team - Wushu. She can walk into any school with DSA but refused… both student and parents are unwilling to :bond’ with school for DSA… She enrolled for a SAP Secondary School. Since Student 1 has the right to choose her CCA(student was given 6 choices)… she chose Wushu as 5th choice as she wants to try photography, Uniform group etc… In the end, School gave her Wushu. Parent appealed… Parent was told she couldn’t make it to any of the 4 higher choices. Reason …there were better candidates…

Student 2 - PSLE Score 269 (2010). DSA: Academic ; Nerd. Pri school CCA : English Speech & Drama. Ended up in NPCC as per school CCA posting plus English Drama Club. Both parent/student 2 cursed and swear till now.

Student 3 - PSLE Score 228 (2009). CCA Soccer. DSAed Soccer into one popular boy school. Selected national U-15 squad. Student 3 is happy go lucky boy but his parent is being stressed out every exam [school not happy with the boy 's grade despite averaging b]… .

Student 4 - PSLE Score 261 (2011) CCA Calligraphy. DSA Calligraphy and Academic. both parent and child are happy (my assessment as per meet up a month ago).

Student 5 - PSLE score 242 (2008) CCA: Badminton. Failed in DSA application. But he was selected as School captain by his secondary school. Happy boy (again my assessment). However, parent had been complaining of falling grades since Sec 1. School does very little to support his O level study (parent said) but ‘compensated’ child with plenty of awards and courses… Very stressed parent since his child is determined to do well in badminton.

[hquek]

Wow, nowadays schooling is so different. Take up one cca and the child may be condemned to join that cca for rest of his life. Anyway, I’ll take my chances and leave him to be. Can’t see myself forcing him into a cca he detests.