Is GEP really necessary?

[toddles]

2ppaamm:

And this is not a joke. Just having lunch with some students and they told me how they have to memorize a whole lot of standard stuff for GP, to be used in different circumstances on the paper. O goodness, I thought, there's no originality in their writing! And that's true, but that's ok, they said, all of them know that they will get that A.


Unfortunately, this is not how tertiary or the real world works. So, the school teach them to write for A levels, and not for real applications. Ironical.

that is why some academic stars bomb so badly when they start work.

[drickymummy]

phtthp:

are there parents here whose child was offered GEP, but reject and stick back to mainstream ? why are some reasons to decline offer, where you think GEP is Not necessary, even though your child is been given the opportunity ?

My son's sch has 2 kids tat choose to stay back. My sis's told me her batch had 5 tat choosed to stay back especially the smartest gal among those, her parents r both highly qualified but they dun find gep necessary. That gal went on to top the sch's psle record still. Ds went ahead with GEP after we hadlong talks abt it. While results is one factor but staying back in mainstream does not equal to good results anyway. My biggest worry is his psychological needs especially frens but he adjusted v well! We find that there is not much of a pros n cons of gg for GEP or neccessity or not. It is just a whole different way of learning from mainstream program. It is a once in a life time chance to be have different experience tats all. Cannot deny the fact that all these projects can seems a little \"mission impossible\" for a 10 yr old.. But we can still guide them ( not DO it for them!) n brainstorming with them can help bring out their thoughts too. As a mom, I do have my many worries abt his results but yet when I see him enjoying himself in this program, I tink we will just move with the flow first... The stress of project deadlines, satisfaction of seeing projects completed, learning some chiam stuff with lots of research online...then we will work hard for PSLE in 2 yrs time.. :xedfingers:

[Zann]

http://www.todayonline.com/PDFViewer/PDF/20120410/1004HNP004.pdf

[2ppaamm]

And you wonder, if someone is listening.

[Nebbermind]

ya...perhaps it's a coordinated effort to answer KSP! :evil:

[toddles]

Sim Ann’s from GEP too.

[2ppaamm]

There’s always a need for some kind of intervention for the gifted kids. But as it is, they are not the ones benefiting. I think people all know that, it is about what kind of preparation, what kind of background the family comes from. I think whether they wear white or blue, they know that too. Perhaps it is indeed time to revamp the system, so that resources are channeled to the right folks. For the high ability ones, they will excel in any classroom.

[Nebbermind]

I still believe that those who were selected mainly thru hothousing is of a very small %, probably smaller than those who are gifted and actually slipped thru.

[2ppaamm]

Most people are gifted in limited areas. hence, by changing the criteria that a kid must excel in both math and english, most truely gifted kids are already sifted out. this policy obviously suits the administrators and educators who always find it easier to teach a homogenous class. unfortunately it also means those with the highest potential to contribute with ground breaking innovations would not be identified nor nurtured. it is not a gifted program anymore. and i hv not factored in the hothousing part.

[Nebbermind]

well, on the brighter side, the prog is only for 3 yrs in pr school. So all is not lost for those who missed the boat earlier on coz it’s another game when in sec school…ok, the geppers do bring along with them some advantage but I feel that this can be easily lost if it’s not built on during the 1st 2 yrs in sec school.