Is GEP really necessary?

[2ppaamm]

3Boys:

Actually,

I only have one cardinal rule for my kids.

1) Be Happy

If I set too many dimensions they start to contradict each other.

That too. But it is hard to be happy unless we learn contentment. It is hard to learn contentment unless we understand ourselves and those around us. Some people pick up those skills by observation, others have to be taught. Unfortunately, not all my kids are able to pick these up by observation, some can, some cannot, so that's where I chip in and model for or teach them. Not all of us are born the same, and thank God for that, and thank God we are all equal.

Hahaha.... and fathers are different from mothers. Mothers worry a lot more. Must learn to be less anxious.

[cherryc]

Thanks 2ppaamm for sharing. I believe in 取之于社会，用之于社会 and our own version of No Child Left Behind.


In addition, hsk just said "the education policy of today cannot be divorced from the hopes and dreams for the future of Singapore and he is looking forward to active and candid contributions from Singaporeans to this national conversation ".

[Mychildren]

Hi, good morning to all!

Good & nice to hear that all of you are so positive!
:snuggles: :grphug: :hugs:

My way of parenting is to learn to respect my kids as an individual not a kid & be patient to listen to them.

The Goals that they want to reach are to be compete within themselves, not with others.

Learn to give thanks to God for everything they've and for the things they don't too.

Encourage them to share & help those who are in need.

:lovesite:

[2ppaamm]

buds:

2ppaamm:

[quote=\"ruohoo97\"]
The cream comes from milk lah!

So the cows have not come home, we got no milk, so where to get cream?

I got milk! :idea:

Hope got enuff cream for DD2 tomorrow. :rotflmao:[/quote]Can share some? I got no more already, but fortunately after feeding each kid for a year, those are precious things...

Cream does not dissolve in water, but if you blend it well enough, you can create lots of wonderful treats, from creme brulee, to custard, to quiche... to carbonara... to even cakes. It need not float, it can be blended too, and only when blended is its flavour enhanced.

[2ppaamm]

cherryc:

In addition, hsk just said \"the education policy of today cannot be divorced from the hopes and dreams for the future of Singapore and he is looking forward to active and candid contributions from Singaporeans to this national conversation \".

What is \"Singapore\" here? Government or children or Singaporeans? Singapore is different from Singaporeans, right?

Feel sad to have to say this, but this sentence is nothing but motherhood without commitment or substance, and asking us to contribute, conversation might not have action, anyway, at least as far as I know. So until I see a concrete change, I continue to look at things like this :skeptical:

[Chenonceau]

2ppaamm:

Cream does not dissolve in water, but if you blend it well enough, you can create lots of wonderful treats, from creme brulee, to custard, to quiche... to carbonara... to even cakes. It need not float, it can be blended too, and only when blended is its flavour enhanced.

Nice double entendre. Well done. Will email you my thing shortly.

[Melodies]

osim:

Melodies:

Hi OSIM, plse try to see the point of NO one here has disputed the need to have the existing GEP program and some think that the program should extend to a wider population like top 25% of the cohort. Some has very good suggestions to modify the existing GEP program to suit those GEPpers who are still bored with the GEP program and are ready for a even higher level than the existing.... .

25% :yikes: , then this is not a specialized program anymore. Many in this 25% are just hardworking and very compliant kids, the GEP is not about nurturing high achievers but to cultivate thinkers.
O, there u r. Cultivate thinkers, then shdnt use a standardized program for every gifted kid le, why? Because some geppers r very good in area a n some r good in area b. If u can cultivate geppers type a in area b which is not her/his expertise, so can cultivate the rest of the Mainstreamers. Make sense? Pls ignore all speculation n conspiracy theory for the sake of discussion.

Honestly, if GEPper ( I didn't say all but some) can't manage to perform in PSLE (which is at a lower level than GEP level) despite all the good resources and extensive materials which are pitched at the higher level.
There is something wrong with the IP program ruelamode nothing to do with producing star students in PSLE. In fact if you take science for example, the program curriculum incorporate more experiential learning, a bigger scope in the subject which at times is out of the PSLE context so how can it be to help geppers to perform well in PSLE. In fact they have so little time to do exam type questions even dd science teacher told me we have to chip in to help her do some assessment books just for the sake of exams. The exam hothousing only start after the June holidays for geppers. I want to say here that geppers suffer a lot when mainstream drill comes in. They are train to think rather to react so many problems they handle by analysis from ground up. These kids are very quick to spot ambiguities in questions, they think and infer too much for their own good in exam. Many times, it is not their problem but the problem with poor phrasing of the questions. My dd science teacher got bombarded so bad by the kids she had to ask them to stop questioning the question or they cannot answer the question Now you see why some geppers don't do as well in the PSLE but it doesn't matter, PSLE is just an exam, the beauty is in the mental training the GEP program gives..[/color]
some geppers still can do well in psle. Why le? R they given more time to 'drill'. Or they r simply brilliant? If u r geppers, r u expected to cover boarded scope n get into more depth than Mainstreamers n not saying u can skip the fundamental concepts which r thought in Mainstream. U covered more, u shd do even better in psle instead...some brilliant geppers had demonstrated that... all r basic in psle.

Up to now, I still can't understand why you need to do the drilling for your PSLE grammar/vocabs if you are already in Sec level of grammar/vocab for cloze passages. I'd think that you have not built up the necessary foundation for sec level grammar/vocabs. So, the program should allow this group of GEPers to build up their foundation. I knew that I am going to upset some parents here but I would like to highlight this so that parents are aware of this and can help their GEP ds/dd.
Thanks for your good intention. Just to clarify, in P4/P5, there is no drill or almost no grammar or vocab (this is so for my dd school). It was all about writing, expressing and reading technique. The social studies is the cornerstone of the program that develops their critical thinking skills using social issues, geography and history. In English and SS, philosophy is also incorporated sometimes depending on the teachers style. Grammar only start in P6, vocab is almost needless for geppers as they are mostly avid readers.

U see, u said the program is asking them to self-discovery n learning. I understand that they don't do teach grammar now. Since the r avid readers, why worry n they can always self learning. No?

[corneyAmber]

3Boys:

Actually,

I only have one cardinal rule for my kids.

1) Be Happy

If I set too many dimensions they start to contradict each other.

Now I am looking at the mirror?

[2ppaamm]

GEPpers at PSLE. If my son were to be sitting for PSLE this year (which he is supposed to), I'll make sure he performs. That's all, not buts, no ifs. If his results are not sterling, then he is not as good as another mainstreamer who did better. And, if I choose to ask him to focus on something else, resulting to him not performing, then it is a choice and not to be explained away. I shall have no other excuse, and neither does he. He shall then bear the consequences, including not getting into the school of his choice. We had a chance to pick our choice, and we shall bear the consequences of that choice.


If I don't teach him now about action and reaction, choices and consequences, I would have lost a fantastic opportunity.

Again, that's just me. I can fully understand how others won't agree or won't think so. I am a mother too. But you see, my sights have never been on PSLE, I don't want my children to let this exam impede their opportunities to learn and understand how the society will finally work for them. Every circumstance is a learning opportunity, we either use it, or lose it.

The caterpillar turning into a butterfly has been teaching us a very important lesson all our lives. If you help that caterpillar out of his struggle at the crucial stage of its transformation, it will not survive. I want to make sure my kids survive, and that's another reason temporal perks does not add on to us.

[limlim]

ksi:

3Boys:

Actually,

I only have one cardinal rule for my kids.

1) Be Happy

If I set too many dimensions they start to contradict each other.

Now I am looking at the mirror?

so.. which of you have gone under the knife? :evil: :evil: