Intellect or Age Peer?

[HopeandSorrows]

2ppaamm:

If your child can cope with higher level work, would you do whatever you know/can to accelerate him, or stick to the current education system and let him learn with his peers?


Curious what our mummies and daddies think. If you would do something different from the school syllabus, what would that be?

If my son is so smart, I will be glad to quit my job and nurture him. It's every mummy and daddy's dreams!

[concern2]

I can't help linking this thread to the one about how Singaporean students lack drive. Say, the GEP started in 1984 - for P4 students was it? Let's just assume it is. This means by now, the earliest children who have gone through the existence of this system would be about 38 years old now - already working, and possibly in the peak or climbing their way up. From what I've observed around, this age group still seem pretty \"kut latt\" - hardworking.


Usually when a new policy/system has just begun, you don't see immediate changes in people/ society. I'm not a sociologist, but assuming by the 10th year, people would have gained enough information, adjusted themselves, or their children would have come of age to enter the new system for it to have any impact - or what I call 'twisted effect' (results not initially intended for)

So 38 minus 10, the kids would be about 28 years of age. Let's give it a period of another 5 years down - Age 23 to 28. They will be working adults, maybe, gone through army, yes, some maybe still be pursuing higher studies perhaps? Or graduating soon... Is this the age group that we see has less drive? How is their working attitude? Ok, now that I am touching on the topic of 'drive', maybe I should also post on the other thread..

If you wish to talk about GEP/other education related, please continue here. And if you wish to write about 'drive', please write in the other thread:http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31534&p=703483#p703483

Ok, I must also say at this point that I am not blaming the GEP for causing the lack of drive in students, or that our education system is the only reason for lack of drive. I am trying to point out the fact that GEP may result in parental drive that ends up in lack of drive in students.

[corneyAmber]

concern2:

Ok, I must also say at this point that I am not blaming the GEP for causing the lack of drive in students, or that our education system is the only reason for lack of drive. I am trying to point out the fact that GEP may result in parental drive that ends up in lack of drive in students.

You mean only GEP kids lack drive? :? :? :?

[concern2]

ksi:

concern2:

Ok, I must also say at this point that I am not blaming the GEP for causing the lack of drive in students, or that our education system is the only reason for lack of drive. I am trying to point out the fact that GEP may result in parental drive that ends up in lack of drive in students.

You mean only GEP kids lack drive? :? :? :?

Ok, this one also not what I mean.

[corneyAmber]

2ppaamm:

Read more about Hikkikomori here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori

Take care of the little ones, a pressurizing education system can cause a lot of harm. Well meaning parents, under the pressure of the system, may also be the source of such a phenomenon.

For my case, I believe my children were saved by acceleration, which gave them confidence, hope, and escape from a system that does not forgive, that does not satisfy, that does not understand, pitching friends against friends. Radically accelerating my kids, I deliberately choose to not chase after A's, I gave my kids a totally different yardstick, themselves.

Honestly, because I read, research and talk to so many people about education, I get really scared of stuff like these (Hikkikomori) and having seen so many recluse from RI, GEP, etc etc, from as young as Sec 1, I wonder if anyone from the education ministry is ever as worried as any parent. These things never surface in our press. But I know so many personally. Sometimes I wonder if I had not rescued my kids and accelerated them, what would have happened?

I am concerned to hear that acceleration is a solution to get away from a pressurizing education system. Did I understand wrongly?

[corneyAmber]

concern2:

ksi:

[quote=\"concern2\"]

Ok, I must also say at this point that I am not blaming the GEP for causing the lack of drive in students, or that our education system is the only reason for lack of drive. I am trying to point out the fact that GEP may result in parental drive that ends up in lack of drive in students.

You mean only GEP kids lack drive? :? :? :?

Ok, this one also not what I mean.[/quote]Can you please elaborate what does the line in bold mean? :? :?

[concern2]

ksi:

concern2:

[quote=\"ksi\"]
You mean only GEP kids lack drive? :? :? :?

Ok, this one also not what I mean.

Can you please elaborate what does the line in bold mean? :? :?[/quote]Not to forget, there is much 'spill-over' effect from the GEP system (e.g. parents overdriving their kids to the limits to be one of the 精英, and the GEP system itself has also evolved over the years too - for better or for worse, still unknown.

Perhaps, I would think, a further exploration on this topic would be - are over-driven parents/relavant parties (including schools, teachers) resulting in the lack of drive in students?

[concern2]

ksi:

2ppaamm:

Read more about Hikkikomori here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori

Take care of the little ones, a pressurizing education system can cause a lot of harm. Well meaning parents, under the pressure of the system, may also be the source of such a phenomenon.

For my case, I believe my children were saved by acceleration, which gave them confidence, hope, and escape from a system that does not forgive, that does not satisfy, that does not understand, pitching friends against friends. Radically accelerating my kids, I deliberately choose to not chase after A's, I gave my kids a totally different yardstick, themselves.

Honestly, because I read, research and talk to so many people about education, I get really scared of stuff like these (Hikkikomori) and having seen so many recluse from RI, GEP, etc etc, from as young as Sec 1, I wonder if anyone from the education ministry is ever as worried as any parent. These things never surface in our press. But I know so many personally. Sometimes I wonder if I had not rescued my kids and accelerated them, what would have happened?

I am concerned to hear that acceleration is a solution to get away from a pressurizing education system. Did I understand wrongly?

Interesting point.

[corneyAmber]

concern2:

ksi:

[quote=\"concern2\"]

Can you please elaborate what does the line in bold mean? :? :?

Not to forget, there is much 'spill-over' effect from the GEP system (e.g. parents overdriving their kids to the limits to be one of the 精英, and the GEP system itself has also evolved over the years too - for better or for worse, still unknown.

Perhaps I would think a further exploration on this topic would be - are over-driven parents/relavant parties (including schools, teachers) resulting in the lack of drive in students?

[/quote]But GEP kids only constitutes to 1% of a cohort, I am sure the lack of drive Singaporeans are not such a small sample size. I believe the issue is bigger than than the contribution of the over-drive GEP parents.

[concern2]

ksi:

But GEP kids only constitutes to 1% of a cohort, I am sure the lack of drive Singaporeans are not such a small sample size. I believe the issue is bigger than than the contribution of the over-drive GEP parents.

I agree. One thing I need to point out is that not only GEP parents are over-driven. I have so far only been considering education-related issues since the article touched on what the Minister of Education said. What do you have in mind, ksi? Perhaps can enlighten us too?