GEP 2012 - Screening & Selection
-
I just wanted to post this here - about my experiences in the GEP, if anybody would read it.
I graduated from GEP 2 years ago, and it has been a journey. Some journey. Vastly different than what I would expect, but nevertheless I grew so much that sometimes, looking back, I would wonder - "How was that myself?"
I came from a really neighborhood primary school, and my year I was the only child to qualify. Going to GEP was definitely a great transition, and I did badly on many of the "first" things. I failed my first English composition. I fell below average on many, many other projects. But being a child, I picked myself up. And it got better; as time passed by the gap in standard at first noticeable between those from better schools as compared to those from true neighborhood schools lessened. I started to find my place there, and even though I am an extreme introvert who finds it difficult to make friends - I settled down after a year. And it was also there that I found my interest in Math, and there is definitely a different league there compared to my old neighborhood primary school, and my opportunities, training and competition results - all exponentially greater. I was also surrounded by amazing friends, but in my view they only led me to develop myself. I had friends who were amazing polygots, who were definitely talented at writing - and they led me to develop a love for the language, even if I wasn’t necessarily as great at it as them.
GEP was a journey, a journey getting better every year. Not in the sense that I was any more happy, because as children we have a gift for being happy that remains untarnished even in the worst of challenges. I find that in many cases it is the adults who hold the pessimistic view, and it influences us. My parents were extremely encouraging, and I handled the workload project by project. Everybody could do it - I would do it - we complained, but we also accepted and embraced - we learned a new life but there’s nothing bad about new. It’s just different, and it brings us to different places. For me, it has brought me a new set of possibilities that would never have been possible before. In the neighborhood school I was from, few make it to the top schools every year. In my GEP school, almost everybody does, and I did too; almost everybody had that same spark, spirit, brilliance that you are humbled, and yet you grow along with them. I do not see myself as anything extraordinary, or gifted. I was a normal child, who loved reading, puzzles, hated homework, and possibly had a more complicated than usual mode of thinking. I was doing well in the mainstream, not like the geniuses who dropped out of school. But it is different in this sense of doing well, because now you are at the top of the system and you see a far different world.
The GEP is different. We had more projects, many more of those, but these projects I hated I soon grew to love and cherish as one of the finer ways to learn. We had far fewer worksheets, practices, and studying (for PSLE). A worthy trade-off, to me. The thing is, I would not have been less happy in my old school probably. It is just a different dimension to that happiness that builds us - built me - because I saw a world of excellence that I never could have. It is called a journey specifically because we cannot see the end; if we know what is to come we will have learnt nothing, and we fail by definition. Instead I call it a journey because it changes people. And it is difficult. I learnt. That’s why it is a journey.
Different people have different takes on journey. Some come out better, some worse. But the possibility of not doing well exists any where, and if you are so risk-averse as to cite this as a reason - I wonder greatly about the rest of life. Journeys are not gambles, not in that sense. Journeys you can control, and journeys you view through your own lenses. And journeys bring you to some place new. Maybe it is not as obvious to those previously from good schools. But for me it did. It gave me a different path, a path I grew to love, without which I may not be where I am today.
Different people take different journeys. Some make it to top schools after their PSLE, they join us, and we welcome them. But do not discount them or us, because we all make the journey - the transition was easier for us than them, but we made the journey, already.
I wouldn’t say that GEP was an easy journey, or that it was better or worse or I was happier or more stressed. I’m not - we’re not. We’re children, so adaptable. Only looking back could I have wondered - "how did I do that?", because when you’re a child and everybody does it you never account for the possibility that you can’t. You dream, you’re innocent, you’re optimistic. It is a brilliant time for a journey, to enrich your life.
This is a particularly long ramble. I cannot say that it is well written, or has a focus. Especially because my journey - our journey - holds too much to be logically written. But in short - is it easy? no. Is it worth it anyway? yes, to me, and everybody I have met so far in the program. -
a child:
Excellent Post. :goodpost:I just wanted to post this here - about my experiences in the GEP, if anybody would read it.
I graduated from GEP 2 years ago, and it has been a journey. Some journey. Vastly different than what I would expect, but nevertheless I grew so much that sometimes, looking back, I would wonder - \"How was that myself?\"
I came from a really neighborhood primary school, and my year I was the only child to qualify. Going to GEP was definitely a great transition, and I did badly on many of the \"first\" things. I failed my first English composition. I fell below average on many, many other projects. But being a child, I picked myself up. And it got better; as time passed by the gap in standard at first noticeable between those from better schools as compared to those from true neighborhood schools lessened. I started to find my place there, and even though I am an extreme introvert who finds it difficult to make friends - I settled down after a year. And it was also there that I found my interest in Math, and there is definitely a different league there compared to my old neighborhood primary school, and my opportunities, training and competition results - all exponentially greater. I was also surrounded by amazing friends, but in my view they only led me to develop myself. I had friends who were amazing polygots, who were definitely talented at writing - and they led me to develop a love for the language, even if I wasn't necessarily as great at it as them.
GEP was a journey, a journey getting better every year. Not in the sense that I was any more happy, because as children we have a gift for being happy that remains untarnished even in the worst of challenges. I find that in many cases it is the adults who hold the pessimistic view, and it influences us. My parents were extremely encouraging, and I handled the workload project by project. Everybody could do it - I would do it - we complained, but we also accepted and embraced - we learned a new life but there's nothing bad about new. It's just different, and it brings us to different places. For me, it has brought me a new set of possibilities that would never have been possible before. In the neighborhood school I was from, few make it to the top schools every year. In my GEP school, almost everybody does, and I did too; almost everybody had that same spark, spirit, brilliance that you are humbled, and yet you grow along with them. I do not see myself as anything extraordinary, or gifted. I was a normal child, who loved reading, puzzles, hated homework, and possibly had a more complicated than usual mode of thinking. I was doing well in the mainstream, not like the geniuses who dropped out of school. But it is different in this sense of doing well, because now you are at the top of the system and you see a far different world.
The GEP is different. We had more projects, many more of those, but these projects I hated I soon grew to love and cherish as one of the finer ways to learn. We had far fewer worksheets, practices, and studying (for PSLE). A worthy trade-off, to me. The thing is, I would not have been less happy in my old school probably. It is just a different dimension to that happiness that builds us - built me - because I saw a world of excellence that I never could have. It is called a journey specifically because we cannot see the end; if we know what is to come we will have learnt nothing, and we fail by definition. Instead I call it a journey because it changes people. And it is difficult. I learnt. That's why it is a journey.
Different people have different takes on journey. Some come out better, some worse. But the possibility of not doing well exists any where, and if you are so risk-averse as to cite this as a reason - I wonder greatly about the rest of life. Journeys are not gambles, not in that sense. Journeys you can control, and journeys you view through your own lenses. And journeys bring you to some place new. Maybe it is not as obvious to those previously from good schools. But for me it did. It gave me a different path, a path I grew to love, without which I may not be where I am today.
Different people take different journeys. Some make it to top schools after their PSLE, they join us, and we welcome them. But do not discount them or us, because we all make the journey - the transition was easier for us than them, but we made the journey, already.
I wouldn't say that GEP was an easy journey, or that it was better or worse or I was happier or more stressed. I'm not - we're not. We're children, so adaptable. Only looking back could I have wondered - \"how did I do that?\", because when you're a child and everybody does it you never account for the possibility that you can't. You dream, you're innocent, you're optimistic. It is a brilliant time for a journey, to enrich your life.
This is a particularly long ramble. I cannot say that it is well written, or has a focus. Especially because my journey - our journey - holds too much to be logically written. But in short - is it easy? no. Is it worth it anyway? yes, to me, and everybody I have met so far in the program.
I like particularly the way you describe it as a journey. There is just no right and wrong ... just a journey in life. Embrace the journey. -
a child:
:goodpost:I just wanted to post this here - about my experiences in the GEP, if anybody would read it.
I graduated from GEP 2 years ago, and it has been a journey. Some journey. Vastly different than what I would expect, but nevertheless I grew so much that sometimes, looking back, I would wonder - \"How was that myself?\"
I came from a really neighborhood primary school, and my year I was the only child to qualify. Going to GEP was definitely a great transition, and I did badly on many of the \"first\" things. I failed my first English composition. I fell below average on many, many other projects. But being a child, I picked myself up. And it got better; as time passed by the gap in standard at first noticeable between those from better schools as compared to those from true neighborhood schools lessened. I started to find my place there, and even though I am an extreme introvert who finds it difficult to make friends - I settled down after a year. And it was also there that I found my interest in Math, and there is definitely a different league there compared to my old neighborhood primary school, and my opportunities, training and competition results - all exponentially greater. I was also surrounded by amazing friends, but in my view they only led me to develop myself. I had friends who were amazing polygots, who were definitely talented at writing - and they led me to develop a love for the language, even if I wasn't necessarily as great at it as them.
GEP was a journey, a journey getting better every year. Not in the sense that I was any more happy, because as children we have a gift for being happy that remains untarnished even in the worst of challenges. I find that in many cases it is the adults who hold the pessimistic view, and it influences us. My parents were extremely encouraging, and I handled the workload project by project. Everybody could do it - I would do it - we complained, but we also accepted and embraced - we learned a new life but there's nothing bad about new. It's just different, and it brings us to different places. For me, it has brought me a new set of possibilities that would never have been possible before. In the neighborhood school I was from, few make it to the top schools every year. In my GEP school, almost everybody does, and I did too; almost everybody had that same spark, spirit, brilliance that you are humbled, and yet you grow along with them. I do not see myself as anything extraordinary, or gifted. I was a normal child, who loved reading, puzzles, hated homework, and possibly had a more complicated than usual mode of thinking. I was doing well in the mainstream, not like the geniuses who dropped out of school. But it is different in this sense of doing well, because now you are at the top of the system and you see a far different world.
The GEP is different. We had more projects, many more of those, but these projects I hated I soon grew to love and cherish as one of the finer ways to learn. We had far fewer worksheets, practices, and studying (for PSLE). A worthy trade-off, to me. The thing is, I would not have been less happy in my old school probably. It is just a different dimension to that happiness that builds us - built me - because I saw a world of excellence that I never could have. It is called a journey specifically because we cannot see the end; if we know what is to come we will have learnt nothing, and we fail by definition. Instead I call it a journey because it changes people. And it is difficult. I learnt. That's why it is a journey.
Different people have different takes on journey. Some come out better, some worse. But the possibility of not doing well exists any where, and if you are so risk-averse as to cite this as a reason - I wonder greatly about the rest of life. Journeys are not gambles, not in that sense. Journeys you can control, and journeys you view through your own lenses. And journeys bring you to some place new. Maybe it is not as obvious to those previously from good schools. But for me it did. It gave me a different path, a path I grew to love, without which I may not be where I am today.
Different people take different journeys. Some make it to top schools after their PSLE, they join us, and we welcome them. But do not discount them or us, because we all make the journey - the transition was easier for us than them, but we made the journey, already.
I wouldn't say that GEP was an easy journey, or that it was better or worse or I was happier or more stressed. I'm not - we're not. We're children, so adaptable. Only looking back could I have wondered - \"how did I do that?\", because when you're a child and everybody does it you never account for the possibility that you can't. You dream, you're innocent, you're optimistic. It is a brilliant time for a journey, to enrich your life.
This is a particularly long ramble. I cannot say that it is well written, or has a focus. Especially because my journey - our journey - holds too much to be logically written. But in short - is it easy? no. Is it worth it anyway? yes, to me, and everybody I have met so far in the program. -
a child:
:goodpost: Thank you for the wonderful insights.I just wanted to post this here - about my experiences in the GEP, if anybody would read it.
I graduated from GEP 2 years ago, and it has been a journey. Some journey. Vastly different than what I would expect, but nevertheless I grew so much that sometimes, looking back, I would wonder - \"How was that myself?\"
I came from a really neighborhood primary school, and my year I was the only child to qualify. Going to GEP was definitely a great transition, and I did badly on many of the \"first\" things. I failed my first English composition. I fell below average on many, many other projects. But being a child, I picked myself up. And it got better; as time passed by the gap in standard at first noticeable between those from better schools as compared to those from true neighborhood schools lessened. I started to find my place there, and even though I am an extreme introvert who finds it difficult to make friends - I settled down after a year. And it was also there that I found my interest in Math, and there is definitely a different league there compared to my old neighborhood primary school, and my opportunities, training and competition results - all exponentially greater. I was also surrounded by amazing friends, but in my view they only led me to develop myself. I had friends who were amazing polygots, who were definitely talented at writing - and they led me to develop a love for the language, even if I wasn't necessarily as great at it as them.
GEP was a journey, a journey getting better every year. Not in the sense that I was any more happy, because as children we have a gift for being happy that remains untarnished even in the worst of challenges. I find that in many cases it is the adults who hold the pessimistic view, and it influences us. My parents were extremely encouraging, and I handled the workload project by project. Everybody could do it - I would do it - we complained, but we also accepted and embraced - we learned a new life but there's nothing bad about new. It's just different, and it brings us to different places. For me, it has brought me a new set of possibilities that would never have been possible before. In the neighborhood school I was from, few make it to the top schools every year. In my GEP school, almost everybody does, and I did too; almost everybody had that same spark, spirit, brilliance that you are humbled, and yet you grow along with them. I do not see myself as anything extraordinary, or gifted. I was a normal child, who loved reading, puzzles, hated homework, and possibly had a more complicated than usual mode of thinking. I was doing well in the mainstream, not like the geniuses who dropped out of school. But it is different in this sense of doing well, because now you are at the top of the system and you see a far different world.
The GEP is different. We had more projects, many more of those, but these projects I hated I soon grew to love and cherish as one of the finer ways to learn. We had far fewer worksheets, practices, and studying (for PSLE). A worthy trade-off, to me. The thing is, I would not have been less happy in my old school probably. It is just a different dimension to that happiness that builds us - built me - because I saw a world of excellence that I never could have. It is called a journey specifically because we cannot see the end; if we know what is to come we will have learnt nothing, and we fail by definition. Instead I call it a journey because it changes people. And it is difficult. I learnt. That's why it is a journey.
Different people have different takes on journey. Some come out better, some worse. But the possibility of not doing well exists any where, and if you are so risk-averse as to cite this as a reason - I wonder greatly about the rest of life. Journeys are not gambles, not in that sense. Journeys you can control, and journeys you view through your own lenses. And journeys bring you to some place new. Maybe it is not as obvious to those previously from good schools. But for me it did. It gave me a different path, a path I grew to love, without which I may not be where I am today.
Different people take different journeys. Some make it to top schools after their PSLE, they join us, and we welcome them. But do not discount them or us, because we all make the journey - the transition was easier for us than them, but we made the journey, already.
I wouldn't say that GEP was an easy journey, or that it was better or worse or I was happier or more stressed. I'm not - we're not. We're children, so adaptable. Only looking back could I have wondered - \"how did I do that?\", because when you're a child and everybody does it you never account for the possibility that you can't. You dream, you're innocent, you're optimistic. It is a brilliant time for a journey, to enrich your life.
This is a particularly long ramble. I cannot say that it is well written, or has a focus. Especially because my journey - our journey - holds too much to be logically written. But in short - is it easy? no. Is it worth it anyway? yes, to me, and everybody I have met so far in the program.
Glad that you have made it very objective. :thankyou: -
a child:
Thank you for this post, very much appreciated!I just wanted to post this here - about my experiences in the GEP, if anybody would read it.
........
This is a particularly long ramble. I cannot say that it is well written, or has a focus. Especially because my journey - our journey - holds too much to be logically written. But in short - is it easy? no. Is it worth it anyway? yes, to me, and everybody I have met so far in the program. -
porcupine12trade:
Thank you for the post. Very enlightening and insightful. As a parent, I hope my child will appreciated the GEP journey as much as you did.
Thank you for this post, very much appreciated!a child:
I just wanted to post this here - about my experiences in the GEP, if anybody would read it.
........
This is a particularly long ramble. I cannot say that it is well written, or has a focus. Especially because my journey - our journey - holds too much to be logically written. But in short - is it easy? no. Is it worth it anyway? yes, to me, and everybody I have met so far in the program. -
Just another quick thing - when the child (if he/she does) comes home failing the first few assignments, and falls below baseline the first few terms, it’s still alright. The most important thing is that he/she is not demoralized, still has that zest for learning that got them here in the first place (I believe), and is learning, improving - you’ll get there one day. My results were a consistent upward trend, 60+ in P4, 70+ in P5, and only in P6 did I achieve 80+ overall for SA1. And grades aside, I also saw myself improving so much. And I continued to improve, into secondary school and up till now, and I hope I will continue to learn new things every year beyond. That’s important, in GEP, the learning. That doesn’t mean things are alright and will right themselves though. Look at each project and all the detailed comments, go ask a teacher why you scored like you did (never ask for extra marks on the assignment - or rather usually you won’t get extra marks, more important is the learning). Read, read, and read (I could write a whole paper on why reading is so important). Take work seriously. Learn from friends. Learn, and you’ll get there. Thing is - it’s an issue, but it’s not an unsolvable issue.
Also, I know some parents are worried about stress. And yes, there is more and harder work, but three things - 1) believe in your child. Before I cam on KSP, I had no inkling that we were handling a large load. I just knew that all my friends were doing it and I did it with them - we all did it. Do not underestimate human capabilities or our capacity to adapt - our brains are far more complicated than a brain can ever understand. 2) don’t go for tuition. It increases the work and stress that might not be there. If there are problems, learn to ask the teacher, email, ask for extra time outside task. It’s an invaluable skill as you progress on, and it saves time. And money too. Everything you need is in the curriculum. Besides, the curriculum was never meant to accommodate tuition - it’s a stand-alone, independent parcel. 3) don’t have sky-high, unrealistic expectations. Learning, at least for now, is not a race. There is plenty time to race later on, in PSLE, A levels, in university, and even more so in the corporate world. For now, the most important thing is that the child grows up, is happy, learns - everything you can hope for in an education.
I didn’t mean for this to be a long post - quite the opposite, in fact. But somehow I have the tendency to write extremely long posts, and thank you for bearing with me and actually reading through. -
a child, you have maturity and wisdom beyond your years. Which RAs have you selected to do?
-
a child:
Two thumbs up!I just wanted to post this here - about my experiences in the GEP, if anybody would read it.
I graduated from GEP 2 years ago, and it has been a journey. Some journey. Vastly different than what I would expect, but nevertheless I grew so much that sometimes, looking back, I would wonder - \"How was that myself?\"
I came from a really neighborhood primary school, and my year I was the only child to qualify. Going to GEP was definitely a great transition, and I did badly on many of the \"first\" things. I failed my first English composition. I fell below average on many, many other projects. But being a child, I picked myself up. And it got better; as time passed by the gap in standard at first noticeable between those from better schools as compared to those from true neighborhood schools lessened. I started to find my place there, and even though I am an extreme introvert who finds it difficult to make friends - I settled down after a year. And it was also there that I found my interest in Math, and there is definitely a different league there compared to my old neighborhood primary school, and my opportunities, training and competition results - all exponentially greater. I was also surrounded by amazing friends, but in my view they only led me to develop myself. I had friends who were amazing polygots, who were definitely talented at writing - and they led me to develop a love for the language, even if I wasn't necessarily as great at it as them.
GEP was a journey, a journey getting better every year. Not in the sense that I was any more happy, because as children we have a gift for being happy that remains untarnished even in the worst of challenges. I find that in many cases it is the adults who hold the pessimistic view, and it influences us. My parents were extremely encouraging, and I handled the workload project by project. Everybody could do it - I would do it - we complained, but we also accepted and embraced - we learned a new life but there's nothing bad about new. It's just different, and it brings us to different places. For me, it has brought me a new set of possibilities that would never have been possible before. In the neighborhood school I was from, few make it to the top schools every year. In my GEP school, almost everybody does, and I did too; almost everybody had that same spark, spirit, brilliance that you are humbled, and yet you grow along with them. I do not see myself as anything extraordinary, or gifted. I was a normal child, who loved reading, puzzles, hated homework, and possibly had a more complicated than usual mode of thinking. I was doing well in the mainstream, not like the geniuses who dropped out of school. But it is different in this sense of doing well, because now you are at the top of the system and you see a far different world.
The GEP is different. We had more projects, many more of those, but these projects I hated I soon grew to love and cherish as one of the finer ways to learn. We had far fewer worksheets, practices, and studying (for PSLE). A worthy trade-off, to me. The thing is, I would not have been less happy in my old school probably. It is just a different dimension to that happiness that builds us - built me - because I saw a world of excellence that I never could have. It is called a journey specifically because we cannot see the end; if we know what is to come we will have learnt nothing, and we fail by definition. Instead I call it a journey because it changes people. And it is difficult. I learnt. That's why it is a journey.
Different people have different takes on journey. Some come out better, some worse. But the possibility of not doing well exists any where, and if you are so risk-averse as to cite this as a reason - I wonder greatly about the rest of life. Journeys are not gambles, not in that sense. Journeys you can control, and journeys you view through your own lenses. And journeys bring you to some place new. Maybe it is not as obvious to those previously from good schools. But for me it did. It gave me a different path, a path I grew to love, without which I may not be where I am today.
Different people take different journeys. Some make it to top schools after their PSLE, they join us, and we welcome them. But do not discount them or us, because we all make the journey - the transition was easier for us than them, but we made the journey, already.
I wouldn't say that GEP was an easy journey, or that it was better or worse or I was happier or more stressed. I'm not - we're not. We're children, so adaptable. Only looking back could I have wondered - \"how did I do that?\", because when you're a child and everybody does it you never account for the possibility that you can't. You dream, you're innocent, you're optimistic. It is a brilliant time for a journey, to enrich your life.
This is a particularly long ramble. I cannot say that it is well written, or has a focus. Especially because my journey - our journey - holds too much to be logically written. But in short - is it easy? no. Is it worth it anyway? yes, to me, and everybody I have met so far in the program. -
jtoh:
a child, you have maturity and wisdom beyond your years. Which RAs have you selected to do?
Pretty much :offtopic: - but why don't you take a guess? :evil:
Hello! It looks like you're interested in this conversation, but you don't have an account yet.
Getting fed up of having to scroll through the same posts each visit? When you register for an account, you'll always come back to exactly where you were before, and choose to be notified of new replies (either via email, or push notification). You'll also be able to save bookmarks and upvote posts to show your appreciation to other community members.
With your input, this post could be even better 💗
Register Login