All About GEP

[sleepy]

jtoh:

sleepy:

Hi GEP parents


When your kids were in P2 & P3, how's their ICAS Maths & English results? Obtain high distinctions (top 1%)?

Yes.

musette:

My dd had high distinctions for Eng, Math & Science in P3. This year in P4, she only took English (this school only asked them to take Eng) and she scored high D.

jtoh, musette
Thanks for sharing


Hi parents with kids in GEP
Appreciate your advice too :please:

[MrsSeah]

eve74sg:

My DD school still have not announce the students who are selected for 1st round. Maybe none of them get thru?

Which school is that? My dd school also never announce. :? Don't know is it no one get in. mmm...

[eve74sg]

MrsSeah:

eve74sg:

My DD school still have not announce the students who are selected for 1st round. Maybe none of them get thru?

Which school is that? My dd school also never announce. :? Don't know is it no one get in. mmm...

Its Hong Wen school

[sunflowermom]

AppleCrumble:

jtoh:

I agree with you wholeheartedly that parents should not train their kids for the GEP selections tests because GEP isn't meant for the trainable. An above-average student can stay in mainstream and do extremely well there, topping the cohort all through P4-6, have a major boost in his confidence and still do very well. There's no need to force your child into GEP and have him suffer for 3 years and lose his confidence while struggling through the syllabus.

There are no parents with last laughs here. If your child is placed in the right learning environment for his ability and potential, both parent and child will be laughing. Different strokes for different folks.

:goodpost:

Agree with jtoh. GEP does have its merits, especially for those young kids who thrive on a more rigorous curriculum.

Parents with P3 kids going for Round 2 Selection Test, please do NOT train your P3 child for it, if you would like to see a happy child for the next 3 years. It's the last 3 years of their precious childhood before they become teenagers.

:lol:

My DS is in P5 GEP this year. He did not go through any training or tuition. However, he was selected into the programme (unexpectedly). Of course we were elated as everyone told us that he is truly gifted since he was not being trained. However, the nightmares started after he gets into the programme. Almost 80% of his friends attend enrichment classes (at least 1 subject), therefore they perform very well in the CT and EOY. Whereas my DS who was from a neighbourhood school, has a hard time catching up with those who were being trained as early as P1. These students had already learned whatever the school teachers teach, it was like revision for them and they even tell the teachers that they have attempted those questions in the enrichment centre. Within 6 months in the programme, my DS requested that I send him for classes as he felt left out and demoralised. We can only afford to send him to the nearby tuition centres which are not too exensive but they turned out to be not helping.
So parents, i do not know whether my DS is gifted or not as now he is one of the weakest in his school. He is not particularly weak or strong in any subject. We can only support him and try our best to guide him along.
I hope parents whose kids are going for the round 2 and wished that their kids can get into the GE, be prepared that the programme is tough (but a very good learning curve) and very challenging. Do not think that GEP sure good, so die die also must get in.

[Zann]

sleepy:

Hi GEP parents


When your kids were in P2 & P3, how's their ICAS Maths & English results? Obtain high distinctions (top 1%)?

Thanks for sharing :lol:

This year ds school has 3 P4 ICAS medal winners (suppose top the score in Singapore) and they are all from GEP. English, Maths and Computer Skill.

[aqeqiq]

I'm impressed. You actually read through all 175 pages. :lol: Just a minor note, getting into GEP doesn't mean that you're grounded in the basics. It means that you have the intellectual capability to take the rigours of the demanding programme. The programme is demanding but very interesting and enjoyable for the ones who made it in on their own two feet. For those who hot-housed their way in, it is a terrible struggle. Great that you've got the right attitude.[/quote]


Hi jtoh. Yes, when someone gets into gep, there is a presumption that the child has the intellectual capacity to handle the program (unless actually don't have but trained and got in). I missed out that important ingredient in my sleepy state. Yes, read all pages to understand what goes on in the program in case dd gets in. Ahh..the sacrifices we parents make...

[aqeqiq]

sunflowermom:

AppleCrumble:

[quote=\"jtoh\"]
I agree with you wholeheartedly that parents should not train their kids for the GEP selections tests because GEP isn't meant for the trainable. An above-average student can stay in mainstream and do extremely well there, topping the cohort all through P4-6, have a major boost in his confidence and still do very well. There's no need to force your child into GEP and have him suffer for 3 years and lose his confidence while struggling through the syllabus.

There are no parents with last laughs here. If your child is placed in the right learning environment for his ability and potential, both parent and child will be laughing. Different strokes for different folks.

:goodpost:

Agree with jtoh. GEP does have its merits, especially for those young kids who thrive on a more rigorous curriculum.

Parents with P3 kids going for Round 2 Selection Test, please do NOT train your P3 child for it, if you would like to see a happy child for the next 3 years. It's the last 3 years of their precious childhood before they become teenagers.

:lol:

My DS is in P5 GEP this year. He did not go through any training or tuition. However, he was selected into the programme (unexpectedly). Of course we were elated as everyone told us that he is truly gifted since he was not being trained. However, the nightmares started after he gets into the programme. Almost 80% of his friends attend enrichment classes (at least 1 subject), therefore they perform very well in the CT and EOY. Whereas my DS who was from a neighbourhood school, has a hard time catching up with those who were being trained as early as P1. These students had already learned whatever the school teachers teach, it was like revision for them and they even tell the teachers that they have attempted those questions in the enrichment centre. Within 6 months in the programme, my DS requested that I send him for classes as he felt left out and demoralised. We can only afford to send him to the nearby tuition centres which are not too exensive but they turned out to be not helping.
So parents, i do not know whether my DS is gifted or not as now he is one of the weakest in his school. He is not particularly weak or strong in any subject. We can only support him and try our best to guide him along.
I hope parents whose kids are going for the round 2 and wished that their kids can get into the GE, be prepared that the programme is tough (but a very good learning curve) and very challenging. Do not think that GEP sure good, so die die also must get in.[/quote]Thanks for sharing. Your post is particularly relevant at this time. But now I don't know what to hope for?!... :idea: I know! I will hope for a good fit whatever the outcome is!

[sakura_2009]

aqeqiq:

Thanks for sharing. Your post is particularly relevant at this time. But now I don't know what to hope for?!... :idea: I know! I will hope for a good fit whatever the outcome is!

Yup, just take things one at the time. If your child eventually gets selected for the GEP program, you can then seriously consider whether or not to let her take up the program.

Anyway, that's what I intend to do. Why fret now when the child is not even selected yet? Good luck to all the 4000+ kids (if all of them are eventually taking) next week! :celebrate:

[TREX8]

keroppi:

My sincere apology, TREX8.

Oops, I did that post not because I'm offended by jtoh or keroppi's posting - which reflects a typical GEP class environment where there are kids who are 'gifted' in Math and/or English. During the GEP briefing, we were told that GEP kids tend to be 'gifted' in different areas (they used a term for it, but I can't recall), though there are some who are all-rounded.

The purpose of my post is to highlight, using my DD as an example, that even gep kids who didn't undergo special training to be selected (and hence, should be considered 'gifted' by MOE's criteria) could face difficulty coping with the GEP syllabus. So those who got in through training might find it even more challenging to cope.

DD enjoys GEP as she has her strong areas - in English language and Social Studies (she frequently is amongst the top few for English and Social Studies) and finds the work stimulating and challenging.

She does spend more time on Math (doing school and LL math worksheets) but breezes through her English, Science and Social Studies projects/portfolio.

She is confident, copes well (maintaining above 80% for overall) and spends a reasonable amount of time on homework (she goes to bed between 9.30 to 10pm).

So my concern is for those who got in through training - whether will these kids be able to cope with the demands of the curriculum, and whether their self-esteem will take a beating or not. Of course, this is just my personal opinion.

[jtoh]

sunflowermom:

My DS is in P5 GEP this year. He did not go through any training or tuition. However, he was selected into the programme (unexpectedly). Of course we were elated as everyone told us that he is truly gifted since he was not being trained. However, the nightmares started after he gets into the programme. Almost 80% of his friends attend enrichment classes (at least 1 subject), therefore they perform very well in the CT and EOY. Whereas my DS who was from a neighbourhood school, has a hard time catching up with those who were being trained as early as P1. These students had already learned whatever the school teachers teach, it was like revision for them and they even tell the teachers that they have attempted those questions in the enrichment centre. Within 6 months in the programme, my DS requested that I send him for classes as he felt left out and demoralised. We can only afford to send him to the nearby tuition centres which are not too exensive but they turned out to be not helping.
So parents, i do not know whether my DS is gifted or not as now he is one of the weakest in his school. He is not particularly weak or strong in any subject. We can only support him and try our best to guide him along.
I hope parents whose kids are going for the round 2 and wished that their kids can get into the GE, be prepared that the programme is tough (but a very good learning curve) and very challenging. Do not think that GEP sure good, so die die also must get in.

Thanks for sharing. Take heart that the toughest year for GEP is in P5. Things will get less stressful and easier in P6 as the kids start preparing for PSLE in Term 3. Dare we say even boring? That's how some GEP students feel about P6.