All About GEP

[Windflower]

Joy:

GEP results is out this evening...anyone check?I miss the school opening hour but do know that my kid class has two already got in.One is send out to train type, the other one, is has a sis that is in gep.


good luck!

Hi, kiasuparents. I'm in a dilemma now as the due date for the selection of GEP school is this Thursday. May I seek your opinions and advices on which school would be a better choice for my boy? I am also keen to hear from parents of GEP children whether they enjoy this programme. Thanks in advance.

[lizawa]

Windflower:

Joy:

GEP results is out this evening...anyone check?I miss the school opening hour but do know that my kid class has two already got in.One is send out to train type, the other one, is has a sis that is in gep.


good luck!

Hi, kiasuparents. I'm in a dilemma now as the due date for the selection of GEP school is this Thursday. May I seek your opinions and advices on which school would be a better choice for my boy? I am also keen to hear from parents of GEP children whether they enjoy this programme. Thanks in advance.

GEP curriculum should be the same regardless of which school you choose for your boy. So you can look at other factors such as culture, school distance, secondary school affiliation etc. ACS will be a good choice, since there is affliation to ACS(I).

[Windflower]

lizawa:

GEP curriculum should be the same regardless of which school you choose for your boy. So you can look at other factors such as culture, school distance, secondary school affiliation etc. ACS will be a good choice, since there is affliation to ACS(I).

Thanks, lizawa. I am browsing their website now to find out more about the school. The only setback is it's a boys' school which means my younger girl can't get in.

[raysusan]

i was wondering why so many parents are talking about GEP

is it because it is the only way for their kids to get into a good school before PSLE
or it is really a good training progamme for the gifted? :?:

[corneyAmber]

It is supposed to be a good learning style for the gifted to develop them in a more appropriate way. However because of the perks that come with it like DSA program into top sec schools...it creates a further attraction for parents to think their kids can be made gifted to take this route into a good sec school. Lastly, the thought of being top 1% of the cohort is likely another reason but that is a perk for being able to boast abt it. :lol: Of course the other thing is everyone can go thru the first screening tests to qualify for the final test, that gives every parent the hope of trying.


Personally I feel that kids should be observed over a period of 3 years for their giftedness by trained teachers through some regular activities that can uncover giftedness. Or some test results that can be trend over a period of 3 years to see a consistent gift in the child. Then at P3, those recommended ones can go for a confirmation test if the number of identified kids exceeds the vacancies. Otherwise they should just all be switched to different learning style(aka GEP) to develop them properly. In this way, there is nothing the parents should try to do as preparation nor make ALL children go thru the GEP tests just to find out that they are not gifted. This would also reduce the chance of getting wrong kids into GEP or keeping the right ones out simply becos they were not in top form on test day. JMHO.

[raysusan]

ks2me:

However because of the perks that come with it like DSA program into top sec schools...it creates a further attraction for parents to think their kids can be made gifted to take this route into a good sec school.

hmmm..i see

this is one of the main reason cause i guess

[lizawa]

raysusan:

ks2me:

However because of the perks that come with it like DSA program into top sec schools...it creates a further attraction for parents to think their kids can be made gifted to take this route into a good sec school.

hmmm..i see

this is one of the main reason cause i guess

The smartest ones are the enrichment centers who have come up with such GEP preparation programmes. So we are now saying that \"giftedness\" can be trained, although schools have been telling parents not to \"prepare\" the kids for the screening cos' it will not be good if the kids get into the robust programme and cannot cope eventually. More detrimental than beneficial.

The next thing I guess will happen, change in GEP selection criteria or removing the programme totally.

[tamarind]

ks2me:

Personally I feel that kids should be observed over a period of 3 years for their giftedness by trained teachers through some regular activities that can uncover giftedness. Or some test results that can be trend over a period of 3 years to see a consistent gift in the child. Then at P3, those recommended ones can go for a confirmation test if the number of identified kids exceeds the vacancies. Otherwise they should just all be switched to different learning style(aka GEP) to develop them properly. In this way, there is nothing the parents should try to do as preparation nor make ALL children go thru the GEP tests just to find out that they are not gifted. This would also reduce the chance of getting wrong kids into GEP or keeping the right ones out simply becos they were not in top form on test day. JMHO.

I agree that the above is a better method of selection

But then again, with a class size of 30 or more, it may be difficult for the teacher to really know each student very well. So the first step is to reduce the class size !

lizawa:

The smartest ones are the enrichment centers who have come up with such GEP preparation programmes.

Today there is an article about GEP preparation schools in the Chinese newspaper Lianhe Zaobao. Some schools are charging $3000 for a 10 week session :shock:

I think I should start a business teaching bright kids to get into the GEP :lol: I got no problem teaching a P3 child Calculus :lol: Anyway the child is already very smart right ?

[lizawa]

tamarind:

Today there is an article about GEP preparation schools in the Chinese newspaper Lianhe Zaobao. Some schools are charging $3000 for a 10 week session :shock:

I think I should start a business teaching bright kids to get into the GEP :lol: I got no problem teaching a P3 child Calculus :lol: Anyway the child is already very smart right ?

Yeah, these centers also screen the child first. They normally \"guarantee\" the child to get pass the 1st round into the 2nd round, but do not \"guarantee\" the child will get into GEP. If we look at the statistics, those who get passed the 1st round are the more academically inclined children, so I think it's not difficult to do the 1st round screening.

A side note, someone was mentioning in this forum on definition of \"bright child\" vs \"gifted child\". Now we are seeing people trying all ways to train the \"bright\" to be the \"gifted\".

[corneyAmber]

I just read the LianHe ZaoBao…is Learning Lab, Learning Point and Julia Gabriel Centre for Learning GEP Prep Schools? I don’t think they are touting themselves as such. Can someone enlighten me?