GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 08:56:55 GMT

Nebbermind — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 08:56:55 GMT

linden2000:

Agree though sometimes it's hard to tell whether it's a good fit unless the kid gives it a try. Only on hindsight can we tell for sure. In the meantime, we can only try to do our best to achieve the best fit and hope for the best.

But for the case I mentioned, who wld have thought...Gep n NYPS...HCI wld have seemed a perfect fit....

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 08:48:18 GMT

Nebbermind — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 08:48:18 GMT

linden2000:
Nebbermind:

Some just cannot fit into certain school system. Knew of this kid...probably GEP and HCL...went to HCI (think it was still chinese high before the rebranded). Did ok in Yr1...but HCL went downhill from Yr2...affect his other subjects performance too. Left HCI without a proper cert at Yr4 (?) and went to UK to do high school and uni. Last heard he was doing very well, with scholarship etc and double degree....

So sometimes not doing well academically may be just coz cannot fit into certain culture/system...and they are no less intelligent.
But this kid is lucky to have parents who can afford to send him overseas. Unfortunately for the rest of us who can't afford it, our kids will not have the luxury of a 'backup' system. :sad:

But that's a fact of life...
Well, those who is caught in the same situation will have to adopt a roundabout route, I guess, and still get into a local uni.
Anyway, my point is that just coz someone suddenly failed to perform, we should not be too quick to brand them fake GEPpers or IPpers.

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 06:52:08 GMT

notsokiasu mum — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 06:52:08 GMT

I have a relative who was also GEP and HCI who scraped through the years and finished A levels with results that could not get him anywhere in the local universities. However he did well for his SAT and managed to get into a good American uni.

Some GEP students, especially boys are usually smart but not the most hardworking. Thus some end up with low scores for PSLE. There is usually about 5-10% GEP students in mainstream secondary schools with school based gifted programme and they mainly score between 240-250 for PSLE.

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 06:39:19 GMT

linden2000 — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 06:39:19 GMT

slmkhoo:
linden2000:
[quote=\"Nebbermind\"]
Some just cannot fit into certain school system. Knew of this kid...probably GEP and HCL...went to HCI (think it was still chinese high before the rebranded). Did ok in Yr1...but HCL went downhill from Yr2...affect his other subjects performance too. Left HCI without a proper cert at Yr4 (?) and went to UK to do high school and uni. Last heard he was doing very well, with scholarship etc and double degree....

So sometimes not doing well academically may be just coz cannot fit into certain culture/system...and they are no less intelligent.
But this kid is lucky to have parents who can afford to send him overseas. Unfortunately for the rest of us who can't afford it, our kids will not have the luxury of a 'backup' system. :sad:

Which is why we need to take a good look at the child-school 'fit' and not just select the 'best' school available.[/quote]Agree though sometimes it's hard to tell whether it's a good fit unless the kid gives it a try. Only on hindsight can we tell for sure. In the meantime, we can only try to do our best to achieve the best fit and hope for the best.

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 06:26:45 GMT

linden2000 — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 06:26:45 GMT

Nebbermind:

Some just cannot fit into certain school system. Knew of this kid...probably GEP and HCL...went to HCI (think it was still chinese high before the rebranded). Did ok in Yr1...but HCL went downhill from Yr2...affect his other subjects performance too. Left HCI without a proper cert at Yr4 (?) and went to UK to do high school and uni. Last heard he was doing very well, with scholarship etc and double degree....

So sometimes not doing well academically may be just coz cannot fit into certain culture/system...and they are no less intelligent.

But this kid is lucky to have parents who can afford to send him overseas. Unfortunately for the rest of us who can't afford it, our kids will not have the luxury of a 'backup' system. :sad:

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 06:04:19 GMT

ooioo — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 06:04:19 GMT

Nebbermind:
ningy:
I happened to bump into an old classmate aft 20 yrs ! We were updating each other with and he told me his GEP son got only 246 in his PSLE a few yrs ago; so they opted for a neighbourhood sec sch but before S1 posting he got a call fr ??? and his son was offered a place in one IP sch (they didn't even put any IP sch in his 6 choices) ! Dunno if I have hearing problem or he's \"bragging\" or he himself got mental problems but he claimed his son is now in an IP sch (struggling though) ; dunno if his story is true - i didn't see his son - so cannot confirm....

Some just cannot fit into certain school system. Knew of this kid...probably GEP and HCL...went to HCI (think it was still chinese high before the rebranded). Did ok in Yr1...but HCL went downhill from Yr2...affect his other subjects performance too. Left HCI without a proper cert at Yr4 (?) and went to UK to do high school and uni. Last heard he was doing very well, with scholarship etc and double degree....

So sometimes not doing well academically may be just coz cannot fit into certain culture/system...and they are no less intelligent.

:goodpost:

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 03:14:43 GMT

Nebbermind — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 03:14:43 GMT

ningy:
I happened to bump into an old classmate aft 20 yrs ! We were updating each other with and he told me his GEP son got only 246 in his PSLE a few yrs ago; so they opted for a neighbourhood sec sch but before S1 posting he got a call fr ??? and his son was offered a place in one IP sch (they didn't even put any IP sch in his 6 choices) ! Dunno if I have hearing problem or he's \"bragging\" or he himself got mental problems but he claimed his son is now in an IP sch (struggling though) ; dunno if his story is true - i didn't see his son - so cannot confirm....

Some just cannot fit into certain school system. Knew of this kid...probably GEP and HCL...went to HCI (think it was still chinese high before the rebranded). Did ok in Yr1...but HCL went downhill from Yr2...affect his other subjects performance too. Left HCI without a proper cert at Yr4 (?) and went to UK to do high school and uni. Last heard he was doing very well, with scholarship etc and double degree....

So sometimes not doing well academically may be just coz cannot fit into certain culture/system...and they are no less intelligent.

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 02:57:53 GMT

SAHM_TAN — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 02:57:53 GMT

I thought parents are given a consent form to indicate if they consent for their kids to go thru the test? I guess at that point parents will know there's such a thing GEP, to understand what's it's all about is another matter, to care what's GEP is all about is also another matter

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 02:45:36 GMT

Dreamgear — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 02:45:36 GMT

octoberbaby:
This is not the only forumer who thinks GEP should get into NYS or RGS.

I also think all the time GEPpers are intelligent students. How do we get this picture from? From MOE who draw a 'rosy' picture to tell in layman terms that GEPpers are 'tian cai ban'.

Stand in front of the school gate and asked some homestay mothers or foreign mothers in neighbourhood schools. Ask them whether they know what is GEP. Some don't even know such class existed. Some only know 'tian cai ban'.

246 is not intelligent? do you know how difficult is it to get into MGS or SCGS? If people dont underest the technical terms, is it wrong for MOE to lay it down in simplified terms? isn't it better than being ignorant?

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 02:17:34 GMT

Nebbermind — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 02:17:34 GMT

I didn’t know what is GEP until my kid went for the screening too.

Must everyone know?

There are about 500 GEPpers every year. Assuming there are around 200 pri schools, that means an average of 2~3 will be selected from each school. But we all know that some schools will have more, anything from 10~30, so most ‘other’ schools will probably have no more than 1~2 kids selected.

So if the kid isn’t among the top 10~20 in school, I guess the parents will also not be too bothered.

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Sun, 02 Dec 2012 15:10:16 GMT

octoberbaby — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 15:10:16 GMT

This is not the only forumer who thinks GEP should get into NYS or RGS.

I also think all the time GEPpers are intelligent students. How do we get this picture from? From MOE who draw a ‘rosy’ picture to tell in layman terms that GEPpers are ‘tian cai ban’.

Stand in front of the school gate and asked some homestay mothers or foreign mothers in neighbourhood schools. Ask them whether they know what is GEP. Some don’t even know such class existed. Some only know ‘tian cai ban’.

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Sun, 02 Dec 2012 14:57:44 GMT

phtthp — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 14:57:44 GMT

sally:
My hubby told me something yesterday tat I think he might has hearing problem :idea:

He colleague told him tat another colleague of theirs has a dd in GEP but now is in MGS for her secondary education.

If I'm not wrong all GEP normally went to RGS or NYG. Anyone can comfirm or share with me whether sure case happen?

MGS is a very good school.

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 05:52:13 GMT

ningy — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 05:52:13 GMT

I happened to bump into an old classmate aft 20 yrs ! We were updating each other with and he told me his GEP son got only 246 in his PSLE a few yrs ago; so they opted for a neighbourhood sec sch but before S1 posting he got a call fr ??? and his son was offered a place in one IP sch (they didn’t even put any IP sch in his 6 choices) ! Dunno if I have hearing problem or he’s "bragging" or he himself got mental problems but he claimed his son is now in an IP sch (struggling though) ; dunno if his story is true - i didn’t see his son - so cannot confirm…

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 03:06:51 GMT

peiyao — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 03:06:51 GMT

sally:
My hubby told me something yesterday tat I think he might has hearing problem :idea:

He colleague told him tat another colleague of theirs has a dd in GEP but now is in MGS for her secondary education.

If I'm not wrong all GEP normally went to RGS or NYG. Anyone can comfirm or share with me whether sure case happen?

Hi Sally,

It is possible. Like my daughter case, she did not get in either school for her DSA (RGS N NYG). Therefore, she has to score good marks for her coming PSLE inorder to get into either school. She may also ended up in MGS.

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Sat, 23 May 2009 17:13:59 GMT

cnimed — Sat, 23 May 2009 17:13:59 GMT

Sunflower,

Trust me, you're not as \"bad\" as he was. For him it was not a matter of diligence or perseverance - it was all just simply IRRELEVANT. He does not strategise for grades or marks. His ego and identity were simply not tied to grades at all, but his scholarship was, and that was the only reason for him to go for exams.

He was simply, totally disorganised to the point that he did not know what was going to be tested or the test dates. And it extended to all aspects of his life, except for things that he was personally interested in. Once he disappeared for three days and nights while the rest of us walked round and round looking for him and wondering whether to call the police. When he finally appeared, he explained he was rushing his project (and he happened to be very taken by this one and decided against all common sense and mathematical calculations to build an exact replica of an 18th century theater house) and had totally lost track of time.

At the same time, his work can apparently be so good that the lecturer commented that his FOOTNOTE was better than some essays by other students.

You were living the lifestyle you wanted, he lived in outer space.

sunflower:
…no matter how smart your child is, always try to instil the virtues of diligence and perseverance in order to bring out the full potential of your child. ...I feel that high EQ is much more important.

Agreed. :celebrate:

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Sat, 23 May 2009 16:54:55 GMT

cnimed — Sat, 23 May 2009 16:54:55 GMT

kiasu_pig:

(d) They are gays (no offend intended - just happened that a couple of my so-called \"gifted\" friends turn out to be gays).

:?

No lah, he's not gay - married with a kid already. The driven high-achiever was the gay one.

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Wed, 13 May 2009 03:36:18 GMT

Fairy — Wed, 13 May 2009 03:36:18 GMT

csc:
Your husband has no hearing problem at all.

MGS offers a very balanced education - friends' daughters who are there enjoy their school life a lot. NYG might be too \"Chinese\" for some and RGS deemed too \"competitive\" and \"pressurizing\".

A number of my son's classmates actually qualified to go to HCI and RI but chose to study in RV instead. Another one went on to study in Crescent Girls' though she can opt for RGS as well.

Maybe they want to be THE BIG FISH in the pond rather than the SMALL fish in the bigger pond. Big Fish do have their priviledges, you know?

Agree. Like I've mentioned before, it's a choice. Different things matter to different people. Some prefer to feel IMPORTANT; some prefer to be in the right CLASS; some like to do things in their own pace and some thrive on challenges and victorious feeling.

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Wed, 13 May 2009 02:42:37 GMT

sunflower — Wed, 13 May 2009 02:42:37 GMT

jedamum:
sunflower:

I had loads of free time, to play, draw, watch videos, read my favourite books, learn music, exercise etc and did things that I enjoyed.
hi sunflower,
actually you are pretty fortunate (or that you have the discipline) to mix with the right company. i think most parents are worried about the type of company their kids mix with when they have too much spare time at hand.

Yes, most of my friends are the \"guai, guai\" type. I guess birds of the same kind flock together? :lol:

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Wed, 13 May 2009 02:35:23 GMT

jedamum — Wed, 13 May 2009 02:35:23 GMT

sunflower:

I had loads of free time, to play, draw, watch videos, read my favourite books, learn music, exercise etc and did things that I enjoyed.

hi sunflower,
actually you are pretty fortunate (or that you have the discipline) to mix with the right company. i think most parents are worried about the type of company their kids mix with when they have too much spare time at hand.

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Wed, 13 May 2009 02:08:25 GMT

sunflower — Wed, 13 May 2009 02:08:25 GMT

deminc:
Fairy's post reminded me of two housemates I had. One was very smart and VERY diligent. The other was gifted and scatter-brained, except for things he's interested in. They both did quite well, the first one consistently so, the second one had results ranging from top of class to failing. The first one had an exam attack plan starting two months before the day. The gifted one would find out from him what texts were supposed to be read (!!?) and spend the entire night before the exam cram-reading some of the texts - and then give up and cook breakfast. They both scored the same grade in the final exams. It was quite mind-boggling.

The way their mind work was certainly very different - my hardworking housemate was very clearly intelligent and sharp and extremely driven to achieve. My gifted housemate was lost in his own world most of the time, but when he was on Planet Earth, his takes and insights on things were very different from the rest (including his lecturers), and what to us are flashes of sheer brilliance was simply common sense to him and he had no idea why the rest of us didn't see it. In words of my hardworking housemate - it's just FRUSTRATING! :lol:

Was really chuckling while reading your post…your housemate there sounded just like me…except that I’m not brilliant nor gifted (no gifted prog yet during my time). Not bragging here (although it may sound like it) but just sharing my “life” experience so you guys may understand more from the other perspective. Am sure there are many of you out there who are just like me.

Although with minimal study, I was one of the top students in the PSLE in my primary school. Could have gone to any SAP/top secondary school I like but chose one ordinary secondary school near my home because I wanted to enjoy life and didn’t want to spend too much time studying and travelling. I was actually secretly rejoicing in Sec 1 when I learnt that some people who went to SAP schools were desperately trying to memorise the thick 成语 book at 6 am in the morning while travelling in the bus. I didn’t like the fact of having to mug for tests everyday.

I had loads of free time, to play, draw, watch videos, read my favourite books, learn music, exercise etc and did things that I enjoyed. Come to “O” levels, I made the decision and eventually memorise that thick 成语 book in one or two days as I wanted to score. Eventually crossed path again with some of my pri sch classmates who chose to go to top sec schs, as we ended up in one of the top JCs. On hindsight, I sometimes did feel a tinge of regret of deciding not to go to one of those top sec schools as there were many more varieties of CCAs to choose from. :roll:

Went on to study in the university. Eventually obtained Honours in one of my degrees and emerged as a top student. I was like :shock: while some of my course mates were :x and :?. Actually, my grades did fluctuate up and down, depending on whether I studied or finished studying at the last minute.

Fairy:
The reason is because WE ARE EXERCISING A CHOICE. A choice to have more time for entertainment and relaxation, time to pursue our hobbies and interest, time for enriching our relationships with loved ones and time away from additional work and stress, all at the expense of more wealth.

Yes, I agree very much that it WAS a choice that I had made to not go to top sec schs due to the reasons cited abv.

kiasu_pig:
(d) They are gays (no offend intended - just happened that a couple of my so-called \"gifted\" friends turn out to be gays).

Kekeke...me not gay, maybe that's why I'm not gifted.

Actually, it’s really very hard to shake off my last minute habit after all these years and it’s really taking a toll on me now. I just can’t bring myself to be consistent and diligent in teaching my children, which is really FRUSTRATING! So, a piece of advice here…no matter how smart your child is, always try to instil the virtues of diligence and perseverance in order to bring out the full potential of your child. Also, I just can't understand why my DD1 takes so long to learn/study while I could just get it in a jiffy when I was a student like her!

Anyway, to succeed in life, I feel that having high IQ isn’t very important. I don’t really believe in the MENSA thingy and I never got myself tested. So what if you’re in that group, it just says that you have succeeded in attaining a certain score which supposedly is an indication of your IQ. I’ve heard of people in MENSA who are just as ordinary as you and I.

I feel that high EQ is much more important. Just like my dad, who didn’t have much education but based on his high EQ, diligence and willingness to learn, he succeeded in moving up to one of the top positions in the company during his working years.

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Wed, 13 May 2009 00:42:24 GMT

csc — Wed, 13 May 2009 00:42:24 GMT

sally:
My hubby told me something yesterday tat I think he might has hearing problem :idea:

He colleague told him tat another colleague of theirs has a dd in GEP but now is in MGS for her secondary education.

If I'm not wrong all GEP normally went to RGS or NYG. Anyone can comfirm or share with me whether sure case happen?

Your husband has no hearing problem at all.

MGS offers a very balanced education - friends' daughters who are there enjoy their school life a lot. NYG might be too \"Chinese\" for some and RGS deemed too \"competitive\" and \"pressurizing\".

A number of my son's classmates actually qualified to go to HCI and RI but chose to study in RV instead. Another one went on to study in Crescent Girls' though she can opt for RGS as well.

Maybe they want to be THE BIG FISH in the pond rather than the SMALL fish in the bigger pond. Big Fish do have their priviledges, you know?

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Tue, 12 May 2009 22:49:32 GMT

kiasu_pig — Tue, 12 May 2009 22:49:32 GMT

deminc:
Fairy's post reminded me of two housemates I had. One was very smart and VERY diligent. The other was gifted and scatter-brained, except for things he's interested in. They both did quite well, the first one consistently so, the second one had results ranging from top of class to failing. The first one had an exam attack plan starting two months before the day. The gifted one would find out from him what texts were supposed to be read (!!?) and spend the entire night before the exam cram-reading some of the texts - and then give up and cook breakfast. They both scored the same grade in the final exams. It was quite mind-boggling.

The way their mind work was certainly very different - my hardworking housemate was very clearly intelligent and sharp and extremely driven to achieve. My gifted housemate was lost in his own world most of the time, but when he was on Planet Earth, his takes and insights on things were very different from the rest (including his lecturers), and what to us are flashes of sheer brilliance was simply common sense to him and he had no idea why the rest of us didn't see it. In words of my hardworking housemate - it's just FRUSTRATING! :lol:

hey, that seem to ring a bell for me. I have these so-called \"gifted\" friends in U, whom somehow don't seem to study but exceled in studies, excelled in sports, and participated in those societies which I thought they were boring etc. They seem to be all the things in life that I (and I believed most would) desired. Then i tried to find explanations and came out with a few possibilities:-

(a) Karma - what else than to use \"Karma\" to explain the unexplainables?

(b) They look at problems from a \"holisitic\" view, enable them to see the problems at all views. While, students (like me then) only concentrate on the problem on hand.

(c) They interact with students from other faculities and same, and able to pick up solutions to problems other students had experienced and solved, without they (the gifted ones) going thru' the teething process of solving the problems from scratch.

(d) They are gays (no offend intended - just happened that a couple of my so-called \"gifted\" friends turn out to be gays).

:?

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Tue, 12 May 2009 14:37:58 GMT

cnimed — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:37:58 GMT

sally:
My hubby told me something yesterday tat I think he might has hearing problem :idea:

He colleague told him tat another colleague of theirs has a dd in GEP but now is in MGS for her secondary education.

If I'm not wrong all GEP normally went to RGS or NYG. Anyone can comfirm or share with me whether sure case happen?

why not?? Secondary school is open for all to choose, there's nothing to say that GEP must choose RGS or NYG. Maybe she wants to do music? MGS has music elective. Maybe her best friend(s) are going to MGS? Or she prefers a Christian surrounding? Maybe she doesn't take well to pressure and her family decides that a school that is less of a pressure-cooker is better for her long term growth and emotional health? There are many possible reasons.

As parents I feel we should choose schools according to our children's needs, including emotional needs, not just based on academic results. Education is a marathon, not a sprint. The child needs to be able to go the distance, and preferrably reach the end in good mental and emotional shape.

One grandmother shared with me that once she had a sudden intuition to call her overseas son in the middle of the night. When she called, her son broke down over the phone and said he was so stressed, there was so much work, so much at stake, he didn't know what to do. (She told me that all her life, her son had never cried before her. That was the one and only time, and she shuddered to think what might happen if she didn't call.) She told her son not to worry, that anything he wanted to, he can just leave everything and come back home. She said to him that all she wanted was a wholesome, healthy son, not someone who pushed himself so hard that he end up all broken. Her son calmed down, and continued with his degree, and went on to do a PhD.

In the greater scheme of life, schools are really just one small detail. We should not forget that the child should come before all the labels, be they prestigious or not.

Reply to GEP Student admit to Mainstream Secondary School on Tue, 12 May 2009 14:20:08 GMT

cnimed — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:20:08 GMT

Fairy's post reminded me of two housemates I had. One was very smart and VERY diligent. The other was gifted and scatter-brained, except for things he's interested in. They both did quite well, the first one consistently so, the second one had results ranging from top of class to failing. The first one had an exam attack plan starting two months before the day. The gifted one would find out from him what texts were supposed to be read (!!?) and spend the entire night before the exam cram-reading some of the texts - and then give up and cook breakfast. They both scored the same grade in the final exams. It was quite mind-boggling.

The way their mind work was certainly very different - my hardworking housemate was very clearly intelligent and sharp and extremely driven to achieve. My gifted housemate was lost in his own world most of the time, but when he was on Planet Earth, his takes and insights on things were very different from the rest (including his lecturers), and what to us are flashes of sheer brilliance was simply common sense to him and he had no idea why the rest of us didn't see it. In words of my hardworking housemate - it's just FRUSTRATING! :lol: