GEP Preparatory Program

[Rio]

[quote]What is GEP prep? I think this prep can come in many forms :-

- GEP schools who set aside some P3 students & prep them with more difficult Math questions. This was confirmed to me by a friend's DD who is in a GEP school.
- Parents who send children to Math Olympiad or Kumon classes, or buy books from Popular like Brain Math, Math Olympiad, IQ Math, etc.[/quote]I believed the above point could be true. My DD is now in P3 in a GEP/SAP school, and she is currently in one of the top 2 class in her corhort. So far, just into their 3rd weeks of school, they are filled to the brink with homework. Just this past weekend, they have 7 sets of assigments from all subjects to do. Almost every other days they will have maths quiz from teacher. Not only that, they need to come out with their own quiz questions to share with their fellow classmates. I spoke to the Maths teacher, and she expect all her students in this class to sign up for the Maths Olympiad enrichment class conducted by the school. Her reasoning is that since they are all higher ability students, we shld stretch their limit.

Would u call this a GEP prep class? It never occur to me until I spoke to another parent whose child was in the same class last year, under the same group of teachers (now he is in P4). She said that there were many students from this class (last year) who went on to GEP and TAG class. So my guess is that this could be some kind of prep class ba...

But of course I take it with a pinch of salt. I never believe in preparing a child for GEP class. If they can make it, they will. Right now, I m more concern abt my DD not finishing her work than anything else. It's always good to expose them to more learning, but must also work within a certain expectation. I just told my DD last night, if mummy continue to work with her on writing 2 pages of Chinese journal every week for the rest of the year, she need to save more money from her pocket money for me to go and dye my white hair more often liao :evil:

[Nebbermind]

ChiefKiasu:

The thread has been unlocked. Posts have been embargoed or merged into the following thread:

http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=49403

Wah! An early spring cleaning har?

[ChiefKiasu]

Nebbermind:

ChiefKiasu:

The thread has been unlocked. Posts have been embargoed or merged into the following thread:

http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=49403

Wah! An early spring cleaning har?

Depends on which year you are referring to

[LindsayL]

Really wonder what is GEP for if kids are prepared and over-loaded with lots of home work to prepare for GEP? :faint:

Unfortunately that is real life for kids in Singapore, many people, either parents, teachers in GEP schools etc are specifically preparing their kids for GEP.... Isn't GEP supposed to catch kids that are born with some special ability that is inborn and hence better than normal kids? If GEP kids in Singapore are primary stuffed and hence manage to get into GEP.... :scratchhead:
And I think GEP program is supposed to be interesting, stimulating, and allows kids to learn more and explore on their own?
Or I am wrong and instead the GEP program in Singapore are such that GEP kids are just thrown lots of lots of homework and those that can finish all and excel in exams are thus considered successful \"GEP\" kids? I thought \"GEP\" should focus more on innovativeness, creativity, taking self initiative to explore and learn on their own where there is no set depth and breadth in anything they want to learn? Oh well, may be I am wrong................. :scared:

Rio:

[quote]What is GEP prep? I think this prep can come in many forms :-
- GEP schools who set aside some P3 students & prep them with more difficult Math questions. This was confirmed to me by a friend's DD who is in a GEP school.
- Parents who send children to Math Olympiad or Kumon classes, or buy books from Popular like Brain Math, Math Olympiad, IQ Math, etc.

I believed the above point could be true. My DD is now in P3 in a GEP/SAP school, and she is currently in one of the top 2 class in her corhort. So far, just into their 3rd weeks of school, they are filled to the brink with homework. Just this past weekend, they have 7 sets of assigments from all subjects to do. Almost every other days they will have maths quiz from teacher. Not only that, they need to come out with their own quiz questions to share with their fellow classmates. I spoke to the Maths teacher, and she expect all her students in this class to sign up for the Maths Olympiad enrichment class conducted by the school. Her reasoning is that since they are all higher ability students, we shld stretch their limit.

Would u call this a GEP prep class? It never occur to me until I spoke to another parent whose child was in the same class last year, under the same group of teachers (now he is in P4). She said that there were many students from this class (last year) who went on to GEP and TAG class. So my guess is that this could be some kind of prep class ba...

But of course I take it with a pinch of salt. I never believe in preparing a child for GEP class. If they can make it, they will. Right now, I m more concern abt my DD not finishing her work than anything else. It's always good to expose them to more learning, but must also work within a certain expectation. I just told my DD last night, if mummy continue to work with her on writing 2 pages of Chinese journal every week for the rest of the year, she need to save more money from her pocket money for me to go and dye my white hair more often liao :evil:[/quote]

[Just relax]

Yes GEP teaches the child new things the mainstream is not taught and are pushed to do subjecs at a higher level. GEP does not and will not prepare a child for PSLE. Do not make the mistake of thinking that by being in the GEP the child’s PSLE will be easier. GEP child in fact has to work harder than mainstream as there are many non-PSLE projects and activities so GEP child must know how to balance workload and still have time to study.


There are even some children in GEP who find the GEP easy and are bored! They already read widely and have interests that go beyond the GEP level which is usually set at about 2 years ahead of the level they are in. I know of P3 child in P4 GEP this year answering RGS P6 English prelim in 2012 (when he is 9) and scoring >90% and saying he is bored of GEP English already! And from what I understand he is not even the top in his school in P3 English. A number of his P3 friends who are in P4 GEP this year did better than him in English in the P3 English SA2.

There are also some last year P5 GEP boys who score full marks for GEP Maths paper although the paper is supposed to be tough and scoring >80 is considered excellent! How would such children find mainstream Maths? Boring? Definitely!!

[Nebbermind]

I donch think gep kids are heavily loaded with homework.


If they are always busy, it could be they just want to work harder to stay ahead of the pack, or, their parents push them for the same reason.

Not forgetting, many go for this-and-that enrichment, both academic and non, so their days are very packed.

As for project, most parents whose kids already done with gep will tell you that it's all about time management. A lot of time, the kids are given 2~3 months to complete a project it they chose to do it near the deadline.

[metz]

LindsayL:

GEP really does not prepare a child for PSLE? The answer is probably No.

The fact that some PSLE exam questions are covered in GEP and not main-stream means GEP program prepare GEP students much better than main-stream for PSLE exams.

Since when and where has this been stated as a fact? Could we please have the source of information? Is it from a post made by a forumer whose child sat for PSLE last year? If so, may I know how has it become a 'fact'? And does this 'fact' apply to all PSLE subjects across the board?

It would be most reassuring for GEP parents if that's the case. As I understand, some Geppers are attending mainstream enrichment/tuition centres so as to keep up with their mainstream counterparts.

[vlim]

Huh gep prepares the kids for 'O' and 'A' level better?!!?.... Aiyo really luan luan sian ... :rotflmao: ...

[BeContented]

vlim:

Huh gep prepares the kids for 'O' and 'A' level better?!!?.... Aiyo really luan luan sian ... :rotflmao: ...

xian de guo jiu xian lo......neng xian duo shao jiu xian lo :evil:

[iFruit]

Just relax:

..... Do not make the mistake of thinking that by being in the GEP the child's PSLE will be easier.

... I know of P3 child in P4 GEP this year answering RGS P6 English prelim in 2012 (when he is 9) and scoring >90% and saying he is bored of GEP English already! ....

...There are also some last year P5 GEP boys who score full marks for GEP Maths paper although the paper is supposed to be tough and scoring >80 is considered excellent! ...

What are you implying here? That GEP kids can ace PSLE prelim papers in P4 GEP, but find it difficult to score in PSLE in P6?

I don't think anyone rational begrudges GEP programme. The kids are bright and are our nation's talent and the best resources should be deployed to nurture them.

The question however though is, should we continue to shower these privileges in terms of DSA after PSLE and in JC admissions even at the expense of a bright non-GEP kid who has proved herself to be better than a GEP kid in the only national exam that she is even allowed to compete with GEP kids?

The argumenet is not so much about the GEP kids but about the opportunities denied to non-GEP kids once they don't make it in P3. To that extent, many feel that our education system has become unlevel playing field and is breeding elitism.