2012 PSLE Discussions and Strategy
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a child:
:goodpost:In many many ways I'm absolutely unqualified to write because I have never experienced such a great set-back, and I probably will never be as strong. Humans are such fragile creatures. My heart goes out to you in a crisis - I am not a mother, and I will not be for long. I am a child, but being a member of this human population I have watched from afar how people have struggled, and many times they have won.
There have been so many success stories. There have been so many of these recounted in the thread. Ultimately, they represent only a small percentage of all who head in, disappointed, but nevertheless they represent some hope, some chance. I know many family friends, who were never great paper wise. Some have only a high school diploma, but many are now doing better than those who have the university degrees - money wise, job satisfaction wise. I have a cousin, in China, who did badly for his gaokao and ended up in an extremely subpar university in a rural area far from home, with extremely harsh conditions. He managed to get out with a double major and first class honors, and found a job that usually did not hire from that area. I have a family friend in the US, who did not get into all the universities he applied to that year. He took a gap year, saw the real world, worked, volunteered, he practiced piano, and did charity shows, taught other children the instrument - very successfully. He took courses at the community college, he took control of his life. He got into 5/7 colleges when he applied next. Because humans are all people with a heart, soul, and mind, and whatever we can achieve is great.
In Singapore, a lot is dictated by the education system and its exams. But as humans, we are not creatures to be shut in such cages or to follow meekly; if our only skill is to game this system we are doomed. So what if you graduate from law or medical school? It will be meaningless if not for the meaning we give to it. This is a life. We have a carefully planned plan of entering schools whose COPs we meet. But beyond that mere formality, the thing is, what do we do with such a chance?
Remember that school is but a part of life. To many they would say that it is life, and for those I am very sorry. The world is large, unbound, limitless. There are so many ways to success. We have books, libraries, online courses (like EPGY, also for uni courses - edx, coursera), to teach, so that we can learn. We do not need to depend on schools to give us that competition training - we can do it, if we want to. If you like Math - go ahead. Service learning, also, many schools would emphasize that relentlessly, but real service comes from the heart and your own hands - it's something you create on your own, when you go out into the community. I know that even in the real world you are sometimes labelled by the school you come from, but to me it always fades through time. Life is yet long. There is still so much you can do, there is still so much hope, so much life for you to live. Never give up.
And while things sometimes fade, that shock, into a mere numb reality, other things, like that painful wound, that grief, never fully do, not that fast. In the next few years as you labor, some children may never bear to face their old school again - but when you grow up, when this goes over, you will look back, and you will smile.
Life is full of ups and downs. Past the first stage, the denial, the immense, numbing grief, should be action. Do not grieve as if your child had suffered a major, paralyzing illness. Your child is fine, and whole, and he has just experienced - life. Life is painful. But it is also beautiful, and it gives chances. Be creative, plan your next step, path, and do not ever feel that your child is worse than others, or that his chances are subpar. If he wants additional stimulus, there is a billion places to find it other than school. That follows for extracurriculars. It takes effort, but it can be done. And when it's done, especially because of the long road you have travelled, it is more rewarding than ever.
I'm not sure if this is comforting at all - I hope it is, though I'm not qualified in any way to write this - I have never, not yet, experienced such pain. But I write as a fellow human being - you are all great parents, great people. I'm wishing you and your children all the best for the future. Keep on updating us. Whether or not we're posting, we're reading, and we're sending silent cheers ahead. And we're always here supporting you, even if it's only virtually.
Let the tears flow, because you will feel better (hopefully). But also look ahead. And try your best to do all that you can - all that you can do now, with your children, to make that brighter future for them. -
ruohoo97:
No. You have to wait for the posting to be out first before you can appeal. Without being posted, you won't know if you already have a place at the school of your choice, neither would the principal, so how can you appeal to the school without knowing where you are posted?fifiyeo:
How to appeal to schools? Before posting results or after the results are released on 19 Dec??? HELP!
You should go to school of your choice NOW. Don't wait for posting date. Some school website gives form for appeal; some need to go down personally fill the form and fee (?) (not sure). Anyway, you should do it NOW!
The SOP, as I understand, is:
1) put the school of your choice as the first option
2) wait for posting
3) report to the school you are posted to
4) appeal to the school of choice
You must put the school you want as the first choice. If not, no chance at all. -
rains:
No. You have to wait for the posting to be out first before you can appeal. Without being posted, you won't know if you already have a place at the school of your choice, neither would the principal, so how can you appeal to the school without knowing where you are posted?ruohoo97:
[quote=\"fifiyeo\"]How to appeal to schools? Before posting results or after the results are released on 19 Dec??? HELP!
You should go to school of your choice NOW. Don't wait for posting date. Some school website gives form for appeal; some need to go down personally fill the form and fee (?) (not sure). Anyway, you should do it NOW!
The SOP, as I understand, is:
1) put the school of your choice as the first option
2) wait for posting
3) report to the school you are posted to
4) appeal to the school of choice
You must put the school you want as the first choice. If not, no chance at all.[/quote]I fully agree with Rain. yes, you should certainly put your choice of school at the first choice. But for those who know that they have little chance to be posted by PSLE score, appeal is another revenue. It will certainly help to be ready.
I did appeal for my ds two years ago. Upon some friends' advises, we did almost as soon as we received PSLE score, it was not too earlier. In fact, we were told by school, had we waited after posting date, it would be too late. It maybe depends on schools though. All the best! -
It is no true that if you do not put the school that you are appealing in first choice the chances of getting in is ZERO. I appealed successfully to 3 schools for my DS 3 years back without even putting them as one of the 6 choices.
You should start to prepare for necessary documents for appeal. Get the school teacher to write reference letter for your kid is a first step to start and gather any documents or certs to show achievements that your DC may have either academically or CCAs. It will be helpful to know if your DC is good in one of the core CCAs offered in the school that you are appealing, in case the COP is a bit far off.
Hope this helps and the best for your appealing.rains:
No. You have to wait for the posting to be out first before you can appeal. Without being posted, you won't know if you already have a place at the school of your choice, neither would the principal, so how can you appeal to the school without knowing where you are posted?
You should go to school of your choice NOW. Don't wait for posting date. Some school website gives form for appeal; some need to go down personally fill the form and fee (?) (not sure). Anyway, you should do it NOW!ruohoo97:
[quote=\"fifiyeo\"]How to appeal to schools? Before posting results or after the results are released on 19 Dec??? HELP!
The SOP, as I understand, is:
1) put the school of your choice as the first option
2) wait for posting
3) report to the school you are posted to
4) appeal to the school of choice
You must put the school you want as the first choice. If not, no chance at all.[/quote] -
Hi Janet and Fifi Yeo,
Dont blame in yourself, you already done all the best to coach your dc. Maybe is the stress that dc were having when they done their paers. I also suspect that my dd was having stress in herself during exams. I also felt disappointed when seeing her result. Don’t give up easily! 我们是
打不死旳蟑螂! -
Last night I finally opened the school selection form to look at it. DH and I had a good laugh. It says option to take 3rd language Malay/Bahasa Indo / Arabic. Can’t even manage 4 subjects and still want to add some more load onto sec school work???!!! OMG must be mad!
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How many points away before appeal is totally a no, no???
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Fifiyeo, haha, same here, when dh opened the letter , he congratulated dd for being able to take bahasa Malayu as 3rd Lang. what a joke! We Intend to appeal not more than 3 pts
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My heart goes out to kids and parents who felt yesterday was a nightmare. I hope you will have loads of sweet dreams ahead.
I wondered how my mum felt when I scored 200odd during my time and was posted to normal. She probably heaved a sense a relief that I passed PSLE????
Was having this conversation with dh on the way home from airport. He also did not do well during PSLE....He told me he prefered playing to studying. In fact I think he was worst than me
Posted to affiliated missionary school but eventually do well to go to express during sec 2. Guess what... he actually graduated from local uni and from a popular stream..... He said when he was young... his parents would be \"nagging\"....why so and so can do well but he can't... they even prepared overseas uni funding for him as backup plan. So he was the \"black\" horse and many relatives' (including his parents') specs dropped when he rather than my sils and the cousin so and so made it to local uni....
Dh kept telling me he is happy if kids can make it to express. But I was like... yah but you need to set targets and drive them to do their best (being kiasume).Frankly I just felt that after investing $, time and effort on them consistently and they seem ok so far hopefully, they can at least do ok???? As a parent, I am just hoping that they can do better so they have a \"smoother path\" compared to me and not because of \"bragging rights\".
Seriously.... it's not the end. Maybe some of us are just late bloomers. Though the educational system is not kind to late bloomers. But with determination and hardwork, everyone has a fair chance of making it. We've heard so many success stories of kids who did well in sec school (getting awards, etc...) despite struggling in primary. While I was failing maths and science in upp primary... I started to become top 3 in class from sec 3 onwards. Yes... the route maybe alittle longer and more humps but IT'S NOT THE END. Plan for the next best route now.
I am going to face PSLE in the next 2 consecutive years so I've been following the PSLE thread. Also had a nephew who sat for PSLE this year and sil and bil were rather disappointed but not \"surprised\" as they had prepared \"for the worst\". In fact, bil told us to sms him only few days after PSLE is released because he need to manage his own emotions first. So though I was waiting for my flight back home yesterday, reading the ksp update was just too intense for me that I smsed sil. I saw his results when I was back home. Nephew got 210+. Parents was hoping for more but at least 220+ range as they have a school in mind at that range. Having \"studied\" the COP, we know that even at 220+ range, choices are \"rather limited\"....
I spoke to my kids about it this morning while catching up on KSP again when they had swimming lessons... I told them... let's continue to aim for DSA first so they can continue with their passion in band. :xedfingers: that there will be more support from MOE next year. Hopefully we can get something as that will reduce some stress/ uncertainty too for all of us. In any case, let's just continue to work and pray hard....
So parents.... sweet dreams are waiting for you ahead. Make the best decision now. -
fifiyeo:
How many points away before appeal is totally a no, no???
Through my experience, preferably within 3 points. The more gap in between, there are more people fighting for the slot. However, if you have a CCA that the school you appeal is looking for, you may stand a better chance even if the COP is a bit far off.
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