GEP 2012 - Screening & Selection
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Ragamuffin shinobi:
Why do you say that tuition centres focus only on the child remembering the steps and not guiding them? Are ALL tuition centres like that or are you over generalising?
Not that I can resist, child did not do well in academic, however, have always believed that one should not depend on tuition to do well. When do we need to stop child from having tuition? Importantly is to cultivate the thinking process and learning, they need to enjoy their childhood. What happens when you drill a child? Will child be able to response well when she come across a problem that she has never encountered? Will she know what to do? If the tuition centre focus on child to remember the steps instead of guiding her or reasoning wih her why the steps need to be done, I do not see any advantage except in term of academic grades.baobei:
[quote=\"monmon31\"]
U r v strong to resist the urge to send your kid for any lessons. All of us would hv succumbed to 'peer' pressure to a certain extent w our kiasu streak... Tats why we join the kiasuparents forum...haha
I don't think we should depend on tuition or deprive our children of their childhood but sometimes, we are not the best in coaching our kids. I couldn't help my kid in science so I sent her for class. She learnt the logic behind the lesson a lot easier and faster than I could read/understand and explain to her.
Just my two cents worth here.[/quote]I would believe that the science teacher in school would have done the basic work. If gifted, the child would be able to perform higher order thinking and ask the school teacher. Anyway, just my believe that tuition should be for children who are struggling to pass and not for children who are to be tested if they are gifted.
For example, at the same age, my bro and myself, given the same question, bro who is smarter is able to answer the question without coaching. I need to be coached to do it. The next time, when the same question is asked, I would be able to do it. To me, he is a smarter child. -
jershejos:
You should be happy that she is so keen to want to take the tests. There may be some kids who may not be interested but 'pressured' by their parents to take it because of 'face' issue.My DD is 2nd kid of mine and she's intellectually and academic better than my DS1, hence I had always wanna put her to the limit. However, through the years, I'd realised that she is not interested in scaling the limit beyond the curriculum, so I let her be. When she was selected for 2nd round, I msg my DH \"surprise, surprise\". I intend to do little preparation on the GA before the test so as to let her has some idea what it will be, but she was vomitting the day before test. Was already thinking for not letting her going but she pull herself up the night to ask me to go through the GA with her, that I know she is interested and not willing to give up her chance. DH was a little unhappy of me letting her continue with the test but I know if I do not let her taking the test, she may be sad and I may regret. Luckily she went throught 2 days and it's done!
What I wanna say is, there are some kiasuism and some none-kiasuism in various situation but parents should understand the kid's ability and interest and practice the kiasuism at their best interest!
There's no right or wrong in many case, we are human after all.
I agree with you on the practise of kaisuism and non kiasuism. We cannot deny we dont exhibit any traits..just the degree.. -
FQW:
Struggled as he has to hard work and sometimes work smart as work can really pile up, esp in P5 and P6. P4 is quite a honeymoon yr, though I personally find the Social Studies the toughest (but just need to pass. haha) He is just not mature in his line of thoughts for the commentaries, but maybe also weaker in Eng compared with math. I tried to be in the loop when he was in P4 and even took an interest in his work, esp the sc project on the solar cooker. We \"helped\" in getting the oil tin and cutting it for him and did a trial at home - not successful!
Yours is the first post I read that said your ds struggled with GEP despite the fact you didn't prep him in advance.
Very often we read things like: \"If you prep your child, he'll struggle in GEP ... and so on and so forth.\" Well, I've friends who didn't prep their kids for GEP, and their kids are struggling too.
All these made me wonder, are those prep classes as bad as they are made up to be? Is the GEP standard stretched beyond that of the average GEP candidate. Interesting food-for-thought.
When he failed his 1st math test, there was no material or practice paper to try and i had to set my own paper for him based on his mistakes. He failed due to careless mistakes and lack of practice for speed and accuracy.
When he was in P5 and P6, total hands off from us his parents - he understood and agreed that he wanted to be more independent. He struggled with his IRS project (in P5) but reluctant to let us know but came to me when he was really late for the project. He had to collect data from P4-P6 but he was intimidated by the P6 boys, who seem scary and not helpful. I spoke with his tr mentor and we were prepared for him to fail the IRS but tr said should at least hand in by completing it. In my confinement, I went with him to sch at 6.30am (for 2 days) to interview a few classes b4 assembly and we thanked those who consented with some gummies and M&Ms. He learnt to do the same for the next 2 days on his own and completed the collection of data. He realized it was not that difficult after all.
His results are not outstanding- usually in the range of 70-80. That is why we did not bother with DSA via academics, as we wanted him to enter a sec sch based on his psle results.
He struggled but I believe he enjoyed doing the math and math projects, love doing the 'extra reading material' for sc topics, enjoyed the friendship that he has made these 3 yrs, going to various birthday parties, staying back in sch to kick soccer. Just that I personally find him more argumentative - not sure if he was trained to do that in GEP - to bring his point across more strongly or just part of growing up.
Had he remained in the mainstream, I believe he would enjoy his P4-P6 as life would be a lot easier but he won't be stretched as much and maybe not as humble. -
Hi pecalis… Thanks for yr sharing. May i ask is yr ds is p6 or sec 1 this year?
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My ds is going thru the same phase as pecalis’. He is quite laid back, we have to keep reminding him abt deadlines…sigh. My ds is also more argumentative, when I nagged him to prepare for his sa2, he said PM Lee said don’t be so kancheong. Just have to wait till he gets his results, then I will start my nagging again
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PiggyLalala:
Hi pecalis... Thanks for yr sharing. May i ask is yr ds is p6 or sec 1 this year?
Hi, PiggyLalala, he's P6 this yr. -
pecalis:
Your story is similar to what I heard from friends. They didn't prep their kids, kids got into GEP by own merits, yet they struggle to cope with the workload [almost endless project after project + exams].
Struggled as he has to hard work and sometimes work smart as work can really pile up, esp in P5 and P6. P4 is quite a honeymoon yr, though I personally find the Social Studies the toughest (but just need to pass. haha) He is just not mature in his line of thoughts for the commentaries, but maybe also weaker in Eng compared with math. I tried to be in the loop when he was in P4 and even took an interest in his work, esp the sc project on the solar cooker. We \"helped\" in getting the oil tin and cutting it for him and did a trial at home - not successful!
When he failed his 1st math test, there was no material or practice paper to try and i had to set my own paper for him based on his mistakes. He failed due to careless mistakes and lack of practice for speed and accuracy.
When he was in P5 and P6, total hands off from us his parents - he understood and agreed that he wanted to be more independent. He struggled with his IRS project (in P5) but reluctant to let us know but came to me when he was really late for the project. He had to collect data from P4-P6 but he was intimidated by the P6 boys, who seem scary and not helpful. I spoke with his tr mentor and we were prepared for him to fail the IRS but tr said should at least hand in by completing it. In my confinement, I went with him to sch at 6.30am (for 2 days) to interview a few classes b4 assembly and we thanked those who consented with some gummies and M&Ms. He learnt to do the same for the next 2 days on his own and completed the collection of data. He realized it was not that difficult after all.
I simply wish to verify if this comment is accurate - \"if you prep your kids, they will struggle\" which seems to apply the opposite is true as well. A bit like the bogeyman.
That somewhat contradicted what pple told me in private [and now by you as well].
Anyway I personally doubt the effectiveness of GEP prep classes - perhaps only useful as a placebo effect. -
Your story is similar to what I heard from friends. They didn't prep their kids, kids got into GEP by own merits, yet they struggle to cope with the workload [almost endless project after project + exams].
I simply wish to verify if this comment is accurate - \"if you prep your kids, they will struggle\" which seems to apply the opposite is true as well. A bit like the bogeyman. That somewhat contradicted what pple told me in private [and now by you as well].
I agreed, Kids that didn't go thru Prep Class may struggle to cope as they didn't go thru any trainning or exposure likes those kids in the GEP prep. There will be a gap between these 2 groups of kids. This is what I am worried if my DD pass and selected as she didn't have any Prep / trainning. It will be a hard time at start. But I believe they will catch up very fast and in track . Frankly till now ,I m still not sure which is the right choice if DD selected. Stay in mainstream where she will has easier life & childhood OR in GEP where she needs to handle tons of works and stress at this age. :slapshead: -
I think the word ‘gifted’ is not an appropriate word to use for this so-called GEP. This word has definitely been blown out of proportions by most people since this programme has been implemented. Throughout the years it has added on unnecessary stress and anxieties to parents and students alike. If the child has much higher abilities in learning compared to the regular students, then he/she will make the cut for the programme and should be able to cope given his/her capabilities. MOE will not put them through what they cannot attain or endure. If that is so, then what’s the purpose of the GEP programme. Those who struggle are the ones who do not really have the cut for GEP but somehow get selected due to various reasons like going for GEP prep classes whereby you are given a headstart to advance learning or the child has done unexpectedly well for the selection test by mere guess works.
Anyway only 500 children will be selected, so the remaining 2500 children or so may be spared the ‘agony’ and ‘uncertainties’ of going through the GEP, and taking the route less travelled in the course of their education.
If your child has the cut for the GEP, by all means accept it as he /she will be a much happier child because they are created uniquely with special talents and will certainly rise up to the challenges of the GEP. It is simply because they have the capacity for greater things in life. -
Fresco:
3500 not 2500I think the word 'gifted' is not an appropriate word to use for this so-called GEP. This word has definitely been blown out of proportions by most people since this programme has been implemented. Throughout the years it has added on unnecessary stress and anxieties to parents and students alike. If the child has much higher abilities in learning compared to the regular students, then he/she will make the cut for the programme and should be able to cope given his/her capabilities. MOE will not put them through what they cannot attain or endure. If that is so, then what's the purpose of the GEP programme. Those who struggle are the ones who do not really have the cut for GEP but somehow get selected due to various reasons like going for GEP prep classes whereby you are given a headstart to advance learning or the child has done unexpectedly well for the selection test by mere guess works.
Anyway only 500 children will be selected, so the remaining 2500 children or so may be spared the 'agony' and 'uncertainties' of going through the GEP, and taking the route less travelled in the course of their education.
If your child had the cut for the GEP, by all means accept it as he /she will be a much happier child because they are created uniquely with special talents and will certainly rise up to the challenges of the GEP. It is simply because they have the capacity for greater things in life.
4000 selected in the first round
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