School of Science and Technology

[phankao]

kwcllf:

Also, every students there uses a laptop (compulsory). My wife colleague said she and her husband don't know whether she is doing homework or play computer games or in social media.

This is giving them a big headache.

I am not saying all students are like that, but the potential problem is there, especially when the school wants to be so tech-savvy and homework, etc given via online.

This is nothing new in schools these days. My elder Sec 4 boy from an IP school (not premier school, hor) has lots of projects, and lots of his project discussions are on Online Messaging, they do research online, and his Whatsapp Message discussion groups are blinking furiously by the second! I wonder now if he regrets switching to the hand-me-down iPhone from his dad recently (before that, he was using \"Not-Smart\" Phone... the last one still doing so among his friends *hehe*). Oh, and teachers send them emails, and even gives comments on their essays, etc in their emails, reports, etc, and assignments are given on the school's online portal.

For my younger Sec 2 boy (in an O-level school), lots of their notes and assignments are given on the school's online portal. There's no textbooks for Math. Again, the whole package for the Math Curriculum is purchased by us, and made available online.

Yeah, so it's hard to say when they are doing personal stuff and when they are doing schoolwork. Very hard to draw the line too. I mean, if you are discussing your projects on FB messaging and sending files(powerpoint slides, posters, word documents, xcel files, etc, etc) while working live on the files while discussing via Emails and whatever other method - as long as it's online , it's likely they also mix social messaging amongst all that!

I think it's so stressful to be kids these days. They really have to be so good at multi-tasking! If not, message OVERLOAD!

[your3rdi]

kwcllf:

lurline:

Hi, any feedback/ update from the parents of SST students?


ds is interested to try DSA for this school but this school is too far from our place and have to do O' levels.

How are the students doing so far? The first batch of Students taking O'level is next year right?

Think the first batch takes 'O' Levels this year.

But I heard the school in dire need to buck up. Seemed like many of them ill-prepared for the exam. My wife's colleague has a daugther there. Her report book, in the words of her mother \"a sea of red\".

Heard also many problems in the school from other sources. A blessing in disguise my DS did not manage to get in via DSA last year.

My son is in sst first year and he is enjoying his time there. I don't see how a child with red marks is the school's fault.

Their tests are tough, and they also cover o levels questions in year one.

Why need to buck up? What measures r u using?

[your3rdi]

kwcllf:

This may be true. They are very hands on in their approach.


But academically, it seems their students are not very well-prepared. Heard that they have may temporary teachers seconded from MOE, which further exacerbate their problems.

My wife's colleague said when she went for her daughter's meet-the-teacher session last year, she was told that IF her daughter worked hard, MAYBE can get into St Andrew's JC......that is a big IF and MAYBE.

Also, every students there uses a laptop (compulsory). My wife colleague said she and her husband don't know whether she is doing homework or play computer games or in social media.

This is giving them a big headache.

I am not saying all students are like that, but the potential problem is there, especially when the school wants to be so tech-savvy and homework, etc given via online.

I wonder if my son is attending the same school!?!

The vp is still the same. My son now wants to be an engineer and has his sights on NTU.

They do spot checks on their laptops, has good relationship with parents.

Maybe your wife friend doesn't want you or your wife to feel dejected. Parents are kiasu, they won't want to tell u good stuff.

I won't say much here, but I have only good things to say about sst.

[kwcllf]

your3rdi:

kwcllf:

This may be true. They are very hands on in their approach.


But academically, it seems their students are not very well-prepared. Heard that they have may temporary teachers seconded from MOE, which further exacerbate their problems.

My wife's colleague said when she went for her daughter's meet-the-teacher session last year, she was told that IF her daughter worked hard, MAYBE can get into St Andrew's JC......that is a big IF and MAYBE.

Also, every students there uses a laptop (compulsory). My wife colleague said she and her husband don't know whether she is doing homework or play computer games or in social media.

This is giving them a big headache.

I am not saying all students are like that, but the potential problem is there, especially when the school wants to be so tech-savvy and homework, etc given via online.

I wonder if my son is attending the same school!?!

The vp is still the same. My son now wants to be an engineer and has his sights on NTU.

They do spot checks on their laptops, has good relationship with parents.

Maybe your wife friend doesn't want you or your wife to feel dejected. Parents are kiasu, they won't want to tell u good stuff.

I won't say much here, but I have only good things to say about sst.

Great that your son is enjoying the school. Hopes the SST can fulfill his aspiration to be an engineer.

I beleived any schools using computers for lessons alot will have some measures in place to monitor abuse. But there is so much a school can do.

Also, by the way, my wife and I don't feel dejected AT ALL, especially after hearing all the negative things. If you don't feel this way, all the best to you.

Oh Yes, if any students don't do well, it may or may not be the fault of the school. But when I heard from my wife's colleague that many of them had failed, and badly, not just my wife's colleague's daugther, then there should be a cause for concern.

Since your DS is not in the same cohort, that doesn't mean the problems are/were not there. And perhaps, after the debacle, they have wised up....and that can only be good for your DS or all other students attending that school.

[your3rdi]

In today’s world, all the kids carry some sort of devices, tablets, smart phones, wii, nintendo…mobile devices. Most times they are brainwashed into becoming zombies. Playing games, games, games…


In SST and in some schools, they have managed to change the "world" for their Students, instead of these devices becoming devices of ENTERTAINMENT, it becomes a LEARNING DEVICE.

This is A HUGE difference. Is your PC at home for gaming or for learning? For working? Or for business?

SST LDs are not only for class learning, they have to do a lot of stuff that we do in the boardroom today. Presentations, blogging, discussions, audio and visual.

The kids at RV, SST…etc now view their devices differently which will play well for their future as they differentiate themselves from the zombies in the trains, restaurants I see today playing all those games and watching all those korean dramas.

Kids as young as 2 years old watching iPad movies while their parents eat!?!

***********************************

This is the FAILURE of Singaporean society now, your child fails and you blame the school. Your car doesn’t start, you blame the car maker, you are late and stuck in peak hour jam, you blame the government.

The failure of the school would be seen during the O’levels results. Not, the preliminary. If you have friends in top JCs, while I was in second tier. Many of them scored pretty badly, but end up with 4As distinctions…this is a norm in their schools.

I am concerned with how FAR my DS can be pushed. I want him to be pushed to his limits, to know that there are things way beyond his capabilities. If that can make him explore the unknowns and NOT fear difficult problems then I think SST has achieved what I hope for my son.

I don’t want my son to score As for his school exams and then become mediocre members of society. I want him to do badly in school exams, BUT score distinctions in National exams and then always think to himself "I am not really that good, there are so much I don’t know…"

Instead of the "normal" Singaporean who do well in School, and then score As for O, A levels, ok for NUS and then come out to be a zombie of Singapore. Because they think they know it all.

[kwcllf]

Of course, no one wants our DC to be a "mediocre member of society". But the baseline is still on academic achievements for many…call it kiasuism if you like. Given the calls to do away with exams like PSLE and focussed on more broadbased assessments, even the the MOE acknowledge that academic results are still one of the most important criteria, if not the most.


Of course, I don’t expect everyone to agree with this.

But at least, what our DC is supposed to achieve in schools, we hope they can achieve the best results. How they are going to develop into a "useful member" of society, then that is another contentious subject.

I have never intended to talk bad about SST. One forumner asked for feedback and I shared what I know. But, if anyone thinks otherwise and think that their DC are having a great time in SST, I wish them well in their education journey.

[sunshine_89]

My DS has been selected for the second phase of SST selection process and has to attend a selection camp on 27th July. I believe this round involves a group project. Appreciate any further information you can share about the SST selection camp, will be helpful to know what to expect. What kind of group work did the selection camp involve in previous years? Any idea about the kind of topics involved? Is the group work followed by a personal interview? Thanks in advance.

[AJAJ]

My Son has been selected for the second phase of SST selection process and has to attend a selection camp. Anyone knows what activity was there last year for this selection camp and what preparation we need to do


Thanks :thankyou:

[AJAJ]

any feedback on the selection activity at SST and how are the long term prospect at SST as compared to NUS high

[walterp]

AJAJ:

any feedback on the selection activity at SST and how are the long term prospect at SST as compared to NUS high

cannot compared like apple and Orange.

At end of Y4, SST like typical mainstream secondary sch -take \"O\" level proceed to JC/Polytechnic education

At end of Y4 for NUSH, the standards as far as subject/curriculum is equivalent to or surpassed \"A\" level in some areas for 3 Sciences and advanced Mathematics after all it is a specialized Maths n science School. At end of y4 some students would also have completed modules like computing , economics, Geography , History etc as arts or electives subjects. Better students also take Olympiads in 3 sciences n Informatics. NUSH student don't take \"O\" or \"A\" level national exam.

So the amount of sweats and toils are different for 4 years.