Secondary School Selection 2012

[Chenonceau]

jtoh:

janet_lee88:

I fail to understand why an intelligent kid who scored 270+ for PSLE has prob coping with IP. If he still requires tuition at Sec 1, then is this going to go for 6 years? This is scary.

Lots of reasons, not just because tuition was his crutch.

- burnout, from studying too hard at PSLE and enjoying his new-found freedom a little too much.
- you can do well at PSLE if you work hard and have a good memory. At secondary school, you're required to analyse, critique, find your own resources, do independent resourcing and learning etc. Students who have been dependent on schools and parents to give them all the necessary resources (in other words spoonfeeding) will have a harder time adjusting.
- the introduction of humanity subjects like history, geography and history takes a bit of adjusting for the more science/math-oriented student.
- teenage rebellion and angst setting in.
- for some students used to being a top dog in their primary school, going to a top secondary school is a shock to their system as they realize they're but merely average or below average in a sea of top students. Some give up trying bec they can no longer be #1.

I very much like this post. It is succinct and gives a comprehensive treatment of why high PSLE scorers can do rather badly in IP. I've seen it happen too for all of the reasons given her EXCEPT the transition to history etc... that one, I've not seen (but doesn't mean it doesn't exist). More often than not, those I've seen do badly because of the reason in red.

[jedamum]

so best opt for dual track?

[Chenonceau]

jedamum:

so best opt for dual track?

What is dual track please?

[jedamum]

Chenonceau:

jedamum:

so best opt for dual track?

What is dual track please?

i mean dual track schools,. schools offering both Olevel and IP stream.

[Chenonceau]

jedamum:

Chenonceau:

[quote=\"jedamum\"]so best opt for dual track?

What is dual track please?

i mean dual track schools,. schools offering both Olevel and IP stream. [/quote]I dunno leh... I can't really advise because I dunno you and your child well enough. I can only share my own personal choice (which may not be the best choice for others since we all evolve in different situations and have different personalities and have kids with different personalities). Personally, I teach my kids how to learn on their own as they move through primary school. By secondary school, I let them go.

Whether they can make it to IP or not is irrelevant. I wanna have my own life back to do the things I wanna do (which don't involve my kids) by the time they're in Sec 1. Even if they do 'O' levels, independent study skills are useful. If they do make it to IP, then no worries at all.

But it is a personal choice and shouldn't be taken as the only RIGHT choice. There are downsides though because my son has recently told me that he wanna move out and go it alone...http://petunialee.blogspot.sg/2012/10/little-boy-wanna-move-out.html

It's true what they say about being careful what you ask for. You might just get it in a form that makes you uncomfortable. I keep lamenting I don't have a life and I wish I can have my life back. Lo and behold, my son decides he wanna move out!!

[watmekiasu]

phtthp:

220 is still very far away from ... 250

Exactly !

If it is only 220, I would put my feet up and relax now.

[janet88]

watmekiasu:

phtthp:

220 is still very far away from ... 250

Exactly !

If it is only 220, I would put my feet up and relax now.

For my daughter, I have one less worry bcos she has affiliated sec...but 220 is risky too if not strong in languages. She will need to get at least 4 As. I will worry about that 4 years later. Now have to strengthen her English in the meantime.

[BeContented]

janet_lee88:

watmekiasu:

[quote=\"phtthp\"]220 is still very far away from ... 250

Exactly !

If it is only 220, I would put my feet up and relax now.

For my daughter, I have one less worry bcos she has affiliated sec...but 220 is risky too if not strong in languages. She will need to get at least 4 As. I will worry about that 4 years later. Now have to strengthen her English in the meantime.[/quote]Hello Janet, think reading your posts will get many people stressed up :scared:
Based on your postings,
250 = minimum 2A* + 2A
220 = at least 4A

IMO, I dun think 220 is at least 4A (your expectation perhaps).
Maybe parents who have gone through PSLE can help to clarify so that new PSLE-to-be parents do not get the wrong perception and esp. those who are more average will not get all worked up unnecessarily.

[jedamum]

my understanding is also 220 need 4As.

my husband is different cohort as me, but he got 3As plus 1A* donkey years ago, but lower aggregate score than my 4As.

[alng]

I am not trying to scare anyone here.


If a student gets average score for all the 4 subjects, his/her T-score will be exactly 200. If the average of 4 subjects is 75% (which I doubt for some subjects like Maths), then one really needs 4A to get a T score of 200!