GEP 2012 - Screening & Selection
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mwchua:
Its the mommy thing to worry whether we have done our bestest each and everytime for each and everything.
Hmm sorry sorry.....I didn't mean anything.....It's just that when I read the postings here, and realizing that my girl is not having similar amount of exposure which many of her peers might have before taking the test, I really feel very very guilty.....Funz:
mwchua, your girl cleared the screening round leh. How can that be considered grossly behind the curve?
My dd did not even clear the screening round. In that case, where does that leave her?
It really prompts me to reflect if I have done my part as a parent, not sending her to all the required classes and yet expect her to do reasonably well, knowing the high standard of her school and her cohort???
I feel like
In a convoluted way I realise that not giving it all to my kids is also one of the good things I do for my kids. Letting my children know that I have some limitations and if they really want to go ahead they have to find it within them to learn is also an invaluable leson for them. Yes, they are small and precisely why it is the right time to learn.
Many kids with lot of classes and exposure still do not get into GEP. And some kids without any of those do. So chill.
IMHO, please treat getting into this program as a bonus. If can, then great - a different and less travelled path. If not then great, the assurance of the good old path. -
mwchua:
Hmm sorry sorry.....I didn't mean anything.....It's just that when I read the postings here, and realizing that my girl is not having similar amount of exposure which many of her peers might have before taking the test, I really feel very very guilty.....Funz:
mwchua, your girl cleared the screening round leh. How can that be considered grossly behind the curve?
My dd did not even clear the screening round. In that case, where does that leave her?
It really prompts me to reflect if I have done my part as a parent, not sending her to all the required classes and yet expect her to do reasonably well, knowing the high standard of her school and her cohort???
I feel like
I sounded offended ah? Then my turn to say sorry. I am not at all. Never intended for dd to go GEP. Even if she clears all. I know her well enough. She may have the smarts but she is not an independent worker and not one who will push herself to excel. She has the good can already no need to be excellent kind of attitude. :faint:
Just trying to get some perspective here. Should your dd clear both and make it through, you know that she is definitely of that calibre, not through drilling and grilling or special prep, etc. She is the real deal. Doesn't matter that you have not thought to prepare her. What matters now is to support her when needed. -
I took the GEP screening test in 1984 immediately after my PSLE. Had I made in, I would have been the 2nd batch of GEP student in the history of Singapore.
But I was confirmed to be not gifted by MOE.
At that time, there were only 2 classes for boys and 2 classes for girls in RI and RGS respectively. I did not pass the GEP screening test, but nevertheless was fortunate enough to be in the poor man’s school which was an apt description of myself at that time.
I had interaction with the GEP students through combined 2nd language classes. My impression has been - very talkative, very noisy as a class, and some of them like to talk to themselves. But as far as I know, almost all of them are very successful now.
My advice to parents are - If your children are selected into GEP, let them have a go at it. During my time, in Sec 3, there are only 2 classes of medicine classes and almost all of them come from the GEP classes of Sec 1 and 2. So, if you turn down the invitation for GEP, and finally your son still gets admitted into RI, the path of your son could well be different from that of the gifted one. -
errr.. I'm not too sure if they are really happy with the GEP program or they are very happy to have \"GEP\" dc. :skeptical: :evil: I knew some who were involved in their dc's works n they re not really enjoying n were very stressed-up too till P6. P6 is the magic year when all GEPper parents r suddenly relieved when their dc received CO from top school. Nevertheless, the small class size did help especially in English language as the teacher can give close-coaching, mark composition in details and give comments to improve and also some other project works (with many revisions). Strange that many parents kept saying that their GEP kids hate drilling and repetitive but they are happy with many drafts that their dc would have to do (draft 1, draft 2, draft..) for their project works and composition (isn't this repetitive and drilling too? :? )
BTW, Chen, I read your Our SG Conversation. I wonder if you had bought up the issue of big class-size (If they dont see a need to have small class-size, then why 20-25 students for GEPpers?), poor teaching materials n incompetent teachers? Why can't they reduce the class-side to 25 students per class and giving out the GEP teaching materials to mainstreams since they are using tax payer's money to create those good teaching materials and should have shared those good teaching materials with all students which may benefit the large population. Also, the primary teacher should be specialized in 1 subject (not teaching many subjects) -- These are just my opinion to help those in mainstreams. With all these benefits to be GEPpers, many parents r trying their best (with spending a bomb and taking efforts) to help their dc to get in the narrow entrance of \"GEP\" path.
Sometime, I think stress in SG educational system is resulted from the GEP program. Some spill-overed GEP materials to mainstreams in GEP schools creates competitive advantages to those lucky mainstreamers in those GEP schools. This has stressed up many parents in non-GEP schools when their children failed to do as well as these lucky mainstreamers and hence signed up all sort of tuition to help their children. What's wrong with sharing those GEP materials? Make those GEP materials accessible to all students. Those who can afford tuition, they are still OK but how about those from the humble families? They are deprived!
Teachers are setting tougher and tougher questions for exams as there are more and more children (with the help from tuition) are able to do tough question. As a result, more and more children will sign up for tuition (sadly, high ability children are not spared now). We are just creating a bad vicious cycles to deprive children from having childhood. :imdrowning:Chenonceau:
On the whole... parents of GEP-pers tend to be happier with the educational system than parents of non-GEPpers? Given that GEP-pers form only 1% of the total cohort, they cannot be funding the tuition industry's bottom-line all by themselves. The bulk of tuition industry's customers come from mainstream... largely because classes are too large for individual attention... and learning resources are scarce... and since each school is in charge of its own curriculum, you can get REALLY LOUSY curriculum depending on the school you are in. GEP branch at MOE does GEP curriculum and so there is some quality assurance.[quhttp://http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/posting.php?mode=quote&f=72&p=879782#ote=%22pokemon\"]
Dats my sentiment too!Lock:
So, what wld be the choice?
To go to GEP (if selected) but hv to fall back on tuition to remain in 85-90% std or remain in mainstream where there's no need to hv tuition and still can achieve 85-90% in mainstream.
Don't diss the GEP if your child has a chance to get in. Classes are smaller. Curriculum is engaging. For some kids who are really really HUNGRY for intellectual stimulation, GEP is a necessity. You would do your child a disservice to deny him access. There really are some kids who thirst to learn esoteric obscure knowledge that GEP gives exposure too. If your child falls into this category, don't deny him the chance to have some fun just because you have some prejudices... or other parents through hearsay... have built your prejudices.
No harm to try... and if your child hates it for some reason, then go back to mainstream? Of course, people will gossip about this GEPper who couldn't make it blah blah blah... but those are only words (and only reflect poorly on whomever said it). If your child has been selected, don't let mere words prevent you and your child from foregoing an opportunity to access high quality teaching and a fun curriculum. Try it for yourself... don't depend on hearsay and make preconceived assumptions.[/quote] -
Hi I'm new to this site so pls pardon me.
I'm not new to GEP cos I was the first batch to take GEP back in 1983 and had zero clue about what it entailed. According to my grandmama, who had left this world, I made it to the final round and was offered a place in some top sch, but did not go for we were too poor to afford the transportation etc. I cannot check back if she was telling the truth but I definitely know I did make it thro first or 2nd round, don't know how many rounds there were, haha! I only vaguely recall helping my teacher to flip the pgs while she was marking the round1 papers, and alas! I scored only 1 mark for some pgs!
I have a vivid memory for my childhood, and I remembered I was sweating doing those papers. I was always a top student in sch but those papers were beyond me! Luckily I was born in the 70s and so the parents didn't care much about my performAnce, heng ah! If my grandma was telling the truth and she did not allow me to go RGPS, then it is heaven sent that I went to a not as academic but still top 10 sch of my era. after that I met my husband and we are so happy tog now!
All I'm trying to say is, if your kid can make it, then congrats! If not, pls, pls do not deny them of what they may be capable of! They have a long way to go, and we are all loving parents, we know what they are capable of and what they love. both my elders make it thro round 1, at the test centers at round 2, I always tell them to
have fun, of can't do, draw your fav cartoon! Parent asked me how u prepare them, I said, I sharpen their 2B pencils
Love your kids for who they are, they only have one childhood! -
If 1st batch, then it was even more stringent…like the top 0.25%?
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pecalis:
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.
Hope that yr ds do well in his psle and get into his desired sec sch.
All the best. -
Sun_2010:
IMHO, please treat getting into this program as a bonus. If can, then great - a different and less travelled path. If not then great, the assurance of the good old path.
Sun, :goodpost: Agree ... getting into GEP or not, parents and students should adopt this positive mindset! -
After reading through the post, I began to see how much emphasis we are putting in our DC education especially when it comes to GEP.
In my DD class (top class), there were a couple of students who did not sit for the initial GEP test, infact this kids usually score high marks during CA and SA but wondered why they did not sit for the test.
They cud hv been selected if they hv sat for the test, however their parents did not want the kids to hv unnecessary stress.
Not sure it’s good/bad, or r we depriving the kids potential. There were some kids in my DD class who sat for the test, but purposely took their own sweet time to do the test and left out 1 to 2 pages. When my DD told me that they are not interested to change sch, thus did it on purpose.
Just thinking maybe there r some real GEP students out there, but not been discovered?? -
mum03:
Yes, my ds was also telling me after the 1st round, a classmate told him he anyhow do so will not be selected thus no need to chg school. He end up did not get thru the 1st round and was so happy :evil: . His math result is very good in class.After reading through the post, I began to see how much emphasis we are putting in our DC education especially when it comes to GEP.
In my DD class (top class), there were a couple of students who did not sit for the initial GEP test, infact this kids usually score high marks during CA and SA but wondered why they did not sit for the test.
They cud hv been selected if they hv sat for the test, however their parents did not want the kids to hv unnecessary stress.
Not sure it's good/bad, or r we depriving the kids potential. There were some kids in my DD class who sat for the test, but purposely took their own sweet time to do the test and left out 1 to 2 pages. When my DD told me that they are not interested to change sch, thus did it on purpose.
Just thinking maybe there r some real GEP students out there, but not been discovered??
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