Is GEP really necessary?

[toddles]

I’m sure there have been many internal studies by the GE unit in MOE… just that the findings are never made public.

[Sun_2010]

toddles:

I'm sure there have been many internal studies by the GE unit in MOE.... just that the findings are never made public.

I think so too.

The point is do they need to be made public?
Do most of us have the ability/expertise to judge the data?
I think not.

To some all GEPpers have to be successful, to some most, and to some if even 30% have greatly benefitted it is a success.

To some PSLE score is a criteria of success, to some it is not.

To me personally, the System needs tweeking. Specially the selection process such that hothousing doesnt help.

[concern2]

Sun_2010:

toddles:

I'm sure there have been many internal studies by the GE unit in MOE.... just that the findings are never made public.

I think so too.

The point is do they need to be made public?
Do most of us have the ability/expertise to judge the data?
I think not.

To some all GEPpers have to be successful, to some most, and to some if even 30% have greatly benefitted it is a success.

To some PSLE score is a criteria of success, to some it is not.

To me personally, the System needs tweeking. Specially the selection process such that hothousing doesnt help.

Perhaps it is not made public. But is it readily available in the first place, for whoever is interested to find out?

Is there a criteria on WHO is accessible to the data? What is the criteria?

You are right that everyone has their opinion of what success is. So what is MOE's gauge of success? 30%?

What HVR said struck a chord in me. How are we to know, that a hothoused kid - who enjoys attending all the lessons and doing the worksheets or whatever, is not Gifted naturally? So what IF the child has been sent to GEP preparation classes? And how are we to know, say, after we add an interview, that the child is naturally gifted or not - like what if he has selective mutism or some other forms of social anxiety that has not been identified yet which he ended up not saying a word during the interview? Then what? Go through a different test next? Or simply, \"Next!\"

I don't really have much to say, because I find that we do not have sufficient information to know enough to make any worthy contribution. Anything discussed here is much too abstract, and much to be speculated over. This is how things are like most of the time - the decisions and judgement made behind closed doors, by a few people.

[Nebbermind]

phtthp:

bec i noticed that this GEP thing had created a lot of jealousy amongst parents.

What makes GEP DIE-DIE-MUST-HAVE??

[2ppaamm]

Nebbermind:

phtthp:

bec i noticed that this GEP thing had created a lot of jealousy amongst parents.

What makes GEP DIE-DIE-MUST-HAVE??

Parents. I have 5 kids, not all went for the selection tests by their own choice (I'm not sure who went and who didn't, also not sure whose forms I signed or not signed), and one went into GEP. The ones who are fairing great are the ones who did not go to GEP, with great EQ. They all went on to uni in their teens and fair very well. The one who went to GEP is still an unknown??? As I see it, he is not very different from the ones who didn't, just an extra label, which may or may not help.

As I see it, uni students from GEP do not stand out, and I have to ask before I know who is from GEP. They do not necessarily have better skills, think better or have higher order thinking skills, they do not fair worse socially, and there's no more elitism. When others find out they are GEP, there's not much reaction. Question is... what is the fuzz all about, except the chip on the parents' shoulders for that few years?! Irony.

[2ppaamm]

concern2:

Sun_2010:

[quote=\"toddles\"]I'm sure there have been many internal studies by the GE unit in MOE.... just that the findings are never made public.

I think so too.

The point is do they need to be made public?
Do most of us have the ability/expertise to judge the data?
I think not.

To some all GEPpers have to be successful, to some most, and to some if even 30% have greatly benefitted it is a success.

To some PSLE score is a criteria of success, to some it is not.

To me personally, the System needs tweeking. Specially the selection process such that hothousing doesnt help.

Perhaps it is not made public. But is it readily available in the first place, for whoever is interested to find out?

Is there a criteria on WHO is accessible to the data? What is the criteria?

You are right that everyone has their opinion of what success is. So what is MOE's gauge of success? 30%?

What HVR said struck a chord in me. How are we to know, that a hothoused kid - who enjoys attending all the lessons and doing the worksheets or whatever, is not Gifted naturally? So what IF the child has been sent to GEP preparation classes? And how are we to know, say, after we add an interview, that the child is naturally gifted or not - like what if he has selective mutism or some other forms of social anxiety that has not been identified yet which he ended up not saying a word during the interview? Then what? Go through a different test next? Or simply, \"Next!\"

I don't really have much to say, because I find that we do not have sufficient information to know enough to make any worthy contribution. Anything discussed here is much too abstract, and much to be speculated over. This is how things are like most of the time - the decisions and judgement made behind closed doors, by a few people.[/quote]Success? As an educator, it would to help the child find his passion and develop that to the fullest. Of course. The GEP branch told me that with 25 per class, it is impossible to achieve that. I got pissed off with that remark. Even in a class of 100, we are supposed to do that?! What kind of educator do we have in our midst?

Their KPI is to make sure the finish the syllables and show off to the world the kind of awards these kids get. From those meetings, I gather these from their faces, from their remarks, from their tone. So discouraging. It is more important for them to retire with a service award. The kids? I doubt it was ever in their minds. UNLESS, there is some utility. And, they have not qualms about making this known. So sad.

[Nebbermind]

2ppaamm:

Parents. I have 5 kids, not all went for the selection tests by their own choice (I'm not sure who went and who didn't, also not sure whose forms I signed or not signed), and one went into GEP. The ones who are fairing great are the ones who did not go to GEP, with great EQ. They all went on to uni in their teens and fair very well. The one who went to GEP is still an unknown??? As I see it, he is not very different from the ones who didn't, just an extra label, which may or may not help.


As I see it, uni students from GEP do not stand out, and I have to ask before I know who is from GEP. They do not necessarily have better skills, think better or have higher order thinking skills, they do not fair worse socially, and there's no more elitism. When others find out they are GEP, there's not much reaction. Question is... what is the fuzz all about, except the chip on the parents' shoulders for that few years?! Irony.

Parents? Meaning it's like some pedigree thing? If the kid gets into GEP, it's a certification of one's good genes??!! :evil:

Other than this, I guess I can also include :

1) a easier time for DSA at some schools
2) get to transfer to some branded schools

Otherwise, it still a short term thing....just 3 yrs....like u said....What's the fuzz??!!

[2ppaamm]

Nebbermind:

Parents? Meaning it's like some pedigree thing? If the kid gets into GEP, it's a certification of one's good genes??!! :evil:

Other than this, I guess I can also include :

1) a easier time for DSA at some schools
2) get to transfer to some branded schools

Otherwise, it still a short term thing....just 3 yrs....like u said....What's the fuzz??!!

Yeah, yeah. The funny thing is, many of the GEP parents are... ahem... don't want to mention. There are some folks who are so smart, but their kids are not in GEP. I know of Deans, professors, scientists, lawyers and all, their children find it hard to get into GEP. On the contrary, many other categories (not meaning not smart har... just different categories) manage to get their kids in these days. Very often, stay-at-home-mums. Not that stay-at-home-mums are not smart. Just that those professionals got no time to grill their kids lah.

So, I'm not sure about this pedigree thingy. And I was thinking about this just last night. Wondering how come one is smarter than the other by so much?! Can't be a gene thingy, or I must have picked one up wrongly in the hospital. Hm... but he looks exactly like me. Maybe I picked up 4 wrong ones.

I begin to doubt there's such a thing called genes. The environment and upbringing makes such a big difference as well. The time with the kid, etc etc. If the child is brought up by maids, then.... er....

So, no, I don't agree GEP parents are smarter or gifted, just perhaps more kiasu and better parents. And this is no sour grapes.

Haha, in fact, I predict that in the future, if you tell people you have a GEP kid, they will look at you like you are some kind of tyrant. :siao:

[concern2]

2ppaamm:

Parents. I have 5 kids, not all went for the selection tests by their own choice (I'm not sure who went and who didn't, also not sure whose forms I signed or not signed), and one went into GEP....Question is... what is the fuzz all about, except the chip on the parents' shoulders for that few years?! Irony.

Thanks for sharing, 2ppaamm.

The general perception is that as long as a particular group of people have been singled out from the mass through some sort of test, that group has to be special. And what more can be more 'prestigious' than to have it called a 'Gifted' programme? Just for that few years is a chance worth taking. Anyway, a parent wouldn't know if anything better or worse could come out of putting his/her child through it, would he? It is only on hindsight that one can tell whether it has been worth the while - and I am sure it differs from parent to parent.

If, from the political point of view, one or two such 'talents' have been spotted, perhaps, it would already be a success. Too bad the rest didn't make it. Too bad you didn't have sufficient 'training' to score well in PSLE like those in the mainstream. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors .

[Edureach]

Just wondering why are parents here paying so much attention on this programme? Some no matter what must try to go in.?


To me this programme gives a kid a little head start that’s all.

Want to spend money attending pre programme, why not engage top tutors to prepare yr kids to score well for A-levels at yr 5 & 6 if you want them to be right ahead of their cohort.

My personal take is just relax and heck care about this programme as it doesn’t matter much anyway.