National Junior College (Junior High)

[phankao]

moonee:

dd is entering Sec1... any idea whats the Dsa COP for NJ, my CO is the standard letter , no score idicated for express entry.
What scare me most is if dd does nt keep up with the schs GA... (something) she will be thrown out of NJ, and transfered to another sch.
Shes not frm Gep so I dnt know whether that will make a difference in NJ.
Dd told me she will hv a mentor n she likes the curriculum. Im looking at the academic part cos frm primary to sec. especially IP is a greap big jump.
and life will not be like in normal sec schs whereby theres remedial etc

BTW, How are the tutors, do they help guide the weaker students.? Tks

Should be 200 for express stream.

You mean keep above the required GPA? If she's diligent, should be able to. My boy, now Sec 3, also not from GEP. LOL. Most of the kids in NJC are not from GEP.

The teachers are all available for consultation. She can approach them to arrange. THe \"mentor'? Are you referring to the Personal Mentor(PM)? That is just the Class' Form teacher lah. Just another term. Every class has 1 or 2 PMs. Class size is smaller - about 25 maximum, so more attention per student. The teachers usually know most of the students as a result.

[panickymum]

phankao:

moonee:

dd is entering Sec1... any idea whats the Dsa COP for NJ, my CO is the standard letter , no score idicated for express entry.
What scare me most is if dd does nt keep up with the schs GA... (something) she will be thrown out of NJ, and transfered to another sch.
Shes not frm Gep so I dnt know whether that will make a difference in NJ.
Dd told me she will hv a mentor n she likes the curriculum. Im looking at the academic part cos frm primary to sec. especially IP is a greap big jump.
and life will not be like in normal sec schs whereby theres remedial etc

BTW, How are the tutors, do they help guide the weaker students.? Tks

Should be 200 for express stream.

You mean keep above the required GPA? If she's diligent, should be able to. My boy, now Sec 3, also not from GEP. LOL. Most of the kids in NJC are not from GEP.

The teachers are all available for consultation. She can approach them to arrange. THe \"mentor'? Are you referring to the Personal Mentor(PM)? That is just the Class' Form teacher lah. Just another term. Every class has 1 or 2 PMs. Class size is smaller - about 25 maximum, so more attention per student. The teachers usually know most of the students as a result.

Monee, my dd is also going in thru DSA . I also have the same concerns. Thank you phankao for enlightening me . So are all year 1 students able to cope without tution ?
How about the Chinese and higher Chinese ? Is it tough ?

[phankao]

panickymum:

phankao:

Should be 200 for express stream.

You mean keep above the required GPA? If she's diligent, should be able to. My boy, now Sec 3, also not from GEP. LOL. Most of the kids in NJC are not from GEP.

The teachers are all available for consultation. She can approach them to arrange. THe \"mentor'? Are you referring to the Personal Mentor(PM)? That is just the Class' Form teacher lah. Just another term. Every class has 1 or 2 PMs. Class size is smaller - about 25 maximum, so more attention per student. The teachers usually know most of the students as a result.

Monee, my dd is also going in thru DSA . I also have the same concerns. Thank you phankao for enlightening me . So are all year 1 students able to cope without tution ?
How about the Chinese and higher Chinese ? Is it tough ?

I think by 2nd or 3rd term, Math and Chinese are \"banded\". As in, they will go to their respective classes - that has been identified for their \"band\" of math/chinese instead of doing together with their whole class.

I don't know if all year 1s & 2s don't have tuition. I'm certain that students do have tuition. I just don't know how they find tuition suitable to cater for NJC's syllabus, unless it's 1-to-1 tutor.

My boy very busy with CCA and elective and outside CCA as well, so doesn't have time for tuition. Except for Chinese which he has 1-to-1 at home. Not sure if it's helping him or not or it's just like a safety crutch that he clings to. Chinese is definitely not his forte.

[Dnls_mum]

panickymum:

phankao:

Monee, my dd is also going in thru DSA . I also have the same concerns. Thank you phankao for enlightening me . So are all year 1 students able to cope without tution ?
How about the Chinese and higher Chinese ? Is it tough ?

I think by 2nd or 3rd term, Math and Chinese are \"banded\". As in, they will go to their respective classes - that has been identified for their \"band\" of math/chinese instead of doing together with their whole class.

I don't know if all year 1s & 2s don't have tuition. I'm certain that students do have tuition. I just don't know how they find tuition suitable to cater for NJC's syllabus, unless it's 1-to-1 tutor.

My boy very busy with CCA and elective and outside CCA as well, so doesn't have time for tuition. Except for Chinese which he has 1-to-1 at home. Not sure if it's helping him or not or it's just like a safety crutch that he clings to. Chinese is definitely not his forte.

My DS also only have Chinese tuition. He is also coping well. Don't worry lah. Just let them enjoy their secondary school. DS sure is having a lot of fun and gaining independence

[panickymum]

Thank you ! Hope she can cope and at the same times enjoy the Independence . She is looking forward to the secondary life .

[moonee]

phankao:

moonee:

dd is entering Sec1... any idea whats the Dsa COP for NJ, my CO is the standard letter , no score idicated for express entry.
What scare me most is if dd does nt keep up with the schs GA... (something) she will be thrown out of NJ, and transfered to another sch.
Shes not frm Gep so I dnt know whether that will make a difference in NJ.
Dd told me she will hv a mentor n she likes the curriculum. Im looking at the academic part cos frm primary to sec. especially IP is a greap big jump.
and life will not be like in normal sec schs whereby theres remedial etc

BTW, How are the tutors, do they help guide the weaker students.? Tks

Should be 200 for express stream.

You mean keep above the required GPA? If she's diligent, should be able to. My boy, now Sec 3, also not from GEP. LOL. Most of the kids in NJC are not from GEP.

The teachers are all available for consultation. She can approach them to arrange. THe \"mentor'? Are you referring to the Personal Mentor(PM)? That is just the Class' Form teacher lah. Just another term. Every class has 1 or 2 PMs. Class size is smaller - about 25 maximum, so more attention per student. The teachers usually know most of the students as a result.

Thanks for replying, now I get a clearer picture about the \"Mentor\"
DD did mention about having a mentor when I asked her what if she could not handle certain subjects so she mentioned theres a mentor to approach, I guess thats what she meant. (thought was like in Primary 1, having a buddy to guide them)

Yes, its GPA i was referring to, dd knows quite alot about whats going on in NJ but does nt want to elaborate when i ask her so thats why Im here.
she only mentioned point system for academics etc,, I understand if she fall below the GPA then can kiss Nj goodbye. Sorry for my ignorance but does NJ review the GPA after a few months or after a year?

[moonee]

The teachers are all available for consultation. She can approach them to arrange. THe "mentor’? Are you referring to the Personal Mentor(PM)? That is just the Class’ Form teacher lah. Just another term. Every class has 1 or 2 PMs. Class size is smaller - about 25 maximum, so more attention per student. The teachers usually know most of the students as a result.[/quote]


Monee, my dd is also going in thru DSA . I also have the same concerns. Thank you phankao for enlightening me . So are all year 1 students able to cope without tution ?
How about the Chinese and higher Chinese ? Is it tough ?[/quote]

Hi Panickymum, yes i noticed ur postings too. I guess as mothers we are kancheong. Acutually dd was offered another CO that offers the "dual track" so I wanted to know more about NJ. DD has her mind set on NJC since P4. I knew that they had a different programme but didnt know it was accelarated … just afraid she many not be able to cope cos life in secondary especially in a JC environment is a far cry frm primary sch.

[phtthp]

parents with hindsight, or whose children had gone through or had completed 6 years @NJC \"IP\" A level curriculum -

can kindly share in what way(s) :-

i)
how is her curriculum being acclerated or how different is she, compared to other programme like RGSS / RI, NYGH / HCI IP curriculum ?

ii)
acclerated in ALL subjects for Chemistry, Physics, Bio, Maths, Economics or only in certain particular subject(s) ?

iii)
any particular area(s) to look out for ?

iv)
any particular unique strength that NJC has or possess, compared to other JC ?

Thank you for kind info; much appreciated.

[Jennifer]

Mama Mania:

Yesterday had a talk with my DD maths' teacher. I was informed that the last Maths paper wasn't too difficult. DD's teacher is proactive, she talked to those who did badly or very badly the reason why they could not do the paper. General feedback was not enough time for this group of students who did not do well.


Whilst going through each and every question with them, she felt that they had forgotten things taught early this year and that maybe they revised only the later topics learnt. But this test covered the year's work.

Some were tired out cos of boarding.

I am of course disappointed that my DD did not do well, but with her coping with boarding, doing her laundry at past 10 pm as her laundry was rejected, ironing her uniform there (whereas at home the helper irons her clothes), attending prep lessons, house meetings, stressed waking up daily (as opposed to us mointoring her and waking her up if she is at home), sleeping past 11 pm daily there, and Maths being her weak subject, what can I say..... and yes, their Maths is not something of that being taught or covered in mainstream schools, so says the teacher.

Take everything that has happened as a learning process. With these unexpected events, you will see your child matures and becomes more independent, a trait that will serve her well in adulthood.

IMO maths is built upon each year's work. What is taught last year becomes the foundation of this year's work. If your child did not understand last year work, then there is a problem that needs urgent solution.

I know that a centre at Bt Timah Plaza has a tutor who used to teach Maths in NJC as a lecturer many years ago and a centre at Clementi Mall which claims they have a few Maths teachers who taught in NJC. You might want to check them out.

[Jennifer]

phtthp:

parents with hindsight, or whose children had gone through or had completed 6 years @NJC \"IP\" A level curriculum -

can kindly share in what way(s) :-

iii)
any particular area(s) to look out for ?

iv)
any particular unique strength that NJC has or possess, compared to other JC ?

Thank you for kind info; much appreciated.

I think the boarding programme is really helpful and the small cohort allows each student to shine.