Is GEP really necessary?
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My child was in a HA (High Achiever) class in P3 and I did not send him for any GEP prep course. Later on in the year, he told me that many of his classmates went for prep courses, and out of the kids who went to GEP in his class, at least half attended prep courses. Other than 1 kid who is recognised as definitely gifted, the others are regular HA kids who neither scored better in NSW EL test nor challenging Maths Qns than my son or other HA kids who are the top few in class. In the end, my child was identified as High Ability (top 1.5-5%) and is in an intermingling class this yr. Acc to sch, GEP is top 1.5% and for High Ability, Sch cannot tell us if our kid is 1.51% or 4.99%!
I was a firm believer that one should not send kids for any GEP training as this may work against the kid later on in his/her learning journey. But, the reality proves otherwise, many parents sent their kids for training and therefore, it is no longer fairplay. I am not doubting that some hot-housed kids might enter GEP anyway without training, BUT, for similar calibre kids, it would definitely make a difference if one is exposed to such questions (esp GA which can be trained) compared to another who has not. One parent has a Korean friend whose kid was trained and entered GEP this yr. Acc to this kid, the questions were similar to what he was taught in the GEP prep sch!
Now, I understand why even a senior staff in the sch sent her child to GEP prep course (only discovered at the end of last year) against the preaching of MOE not to train kids.
Perhaps, MOE should look into changing the format of test in order to screen out the really gifted ones. -
Nebbermind:
From wat I understand, even for GEPpers to apply for DSA ...there is still not guaranteed CO.. It still depends on the child's performance.. There r till cases of kids who dun get CO from all these 9 centers. If CO are so easily obtained by GEPpers, then maybe that will make me a less worried mom..
Because of this DSA thing, some schools (maybe not RI/HCI level) do give a bye and CO to these kids for the fact that they r GEPPERS.drickymummy:
Mommies n daddies,
Correct me if I m still in a dreaming state..
May I know what short cuts did MOE gave to the GEPpers?
Also, the T-score for GEP to get the EESIS is alot lower than mainstream.
Perhaps I shd not have use 'short cut'...'advantage' wld be better, ya? When I was typing, I was thinking like GEP can somehow cut queue....*LOL* or maybe I just think of the worst scenarios always...
As for the EESIS thingy, I m not so sure abt that ... -
The attraction is the small class size, and meeting other kids with similar interests. But from what I gather here, it seems that GEP no longer serves the gifted kids with their many quirks and uneven development, but the HA kids. I have been told by mothers whose kids went through it that GEP doesn’t truly stretch the kids for creative thinking, which is what they excel in; rather, it is taking high-level syllabus and packaging it for younger kids. It would take a certain kind of teacher to handle and understand these children, I feel, especially for boys who question authorities more and tend to go off on their oddball quests.
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Edureach:
Its all in the parents' mind and perception. Nothing prestigious really.[/quote]Mmm... Didn't really think of GEP as something prestigious leh :skeptical: .. Always tot that it is just a different learning journey that's all. Just like the gifted classes in international schs.. They r just additional classes with some interesting learning process to enhance the learning journey of these kids lor.. It is no big a deal really..if one gets in, then enjoy the program lor..if not, just be it lor...isn't it supposed to be that way? :scratchhead:
...so that would be the top __ percent har? :? Getting more and more prestigious liao :rubhands:concern2:
[quote=\"Edureach\"]For the benefit of all chosen for this programme, the actual number shld first be reduced to 200-250 pupils max. Undivided attention can than be given to the selected ones.
The above suggestion can help to significantly reduce those who are planning to attend the prep classes and may even ensure that more bona fide ones are chosen.
But in anyway, if a course r sch is 'made' prestigious, it is just as cos adults like parents n enrichment centers push it that way.. To these young kids, there shd be nothing more than a different way of learning ... Why not just leave them to enjoy the course... Especially those who got in without prep class....at least until moe decides to remove the whole program lor.. as for those who got in thru prep classes ... It is just their parents choice.. Nothing we can do abt it... Unless moe step in to say no such classes allowed anymore lor..
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Heard that some GEP centres do give additional ‘enrichment’ lesson to selected students from the HA classes to prepare them for GEP. Is this true and is it considered hothousing as well??
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ksmummy:
Heard that some GEP centres do give additional 'enrichment' lesson to selected students from the HA classes to prepare them for GEP. Is this true and is it considered hothousing as well??
and would that be the most popular co-ed pri school in SG?? :evil: -
BeContented:
Problem is....statistics will not be accurate. There are many who will not admit esp. when it's not anonymous.
If I could turn the clock back, I would certainly pay for hothousing just for the small class size alone. The problem is that the syllabus that originated in GEP trickled over to mainstream, but the teaching support and quality in mainstream could not support such a syllabus.Chenonceau:
[quote=\"KSP\"]
4. Small class of 25
Privileges which GEP parents view as no big deal may be a big deal to these parents. Some of these parents spend thousands on prep courses. They are the demand of the market and obviously feel it is necessary.
I would pay to hothouse into GEP and I would have no problems admitting to it.
:offtopic: Just sharing, I knew 2 mommies who complaint to me about their children's classmates/classmates' mother. Apparently, either claim no tuition OR refused to make known where they attend their enrichment......
I also personally met one who proudly claim that the child does not have tuition .... but later during one of our many conversations, I realised the child has been going to an aunt who coaches the child twice weekly for 2hourly sessions for the last few years. And that aunt is an ex-teacher/HOD giving tuition to others too......
Frankly I'm kinda amused.....why the need to hide?? Anyway, not my biz I guess.[/quote]My DS has no tuition. But guess what... I teach. A LOT.
Hmmmm... that's not right too because I can't do Math, can't read Chinese, know nuts about his Science. I buy the resources he needs to learn from but I still have to facilitate his learning. To me, it is as good as tuition.
I have to do it because his T can't cope. DD had no tuition till end J2. Her T could cope so I didn't have to top up with educational resources. -
Atan:
Really? Now I really feel stupid that I didn't hothouse my son. I REALLY REALLY believed the MOE line that GEP is for the truly gifted, and we would hurt our children by sending for prep course.My child was in a HA (High Achiever) class in P3 and I did not send him for any GEP prep course. Later on in the year, he told me that many of his classmates went for prep courses, and out of the kids who went to GEP in his class, at least half attended prep courses. Other than 1 kid who is recognised as definitely gifted, the others are regular HA kids who neither scored better in NSW EL test nor challenging Maths Qns than my son or other HA kids who are the top few in class. In the end, my child was identified as High Ability (top 1.5-5%) and is in an intermingling class this yr. Acc to sch, GEP is top 1.5% and for High Ability, Sch cannot tell us if our kid is 1.51% or 4.99%!
I was a firm believer that one should not send kids for any GEP training as this may work against the kid later on in his/her learning journey. But, the reality proves otherwise, many parents sent their kids for training and therefore, it is no longer fairplay. I am not doubting that some hot-housed kids might enter GEP anyway without training, BUT, for similar calibre kids, it would definitely make a difference if one is exposed to such questions (esp GA which can be trained) compared to another who has not. One parent has a Korean friend whose kid was trained and entered GEP this yr. Acc to this kid, the questions were similar to what he was taught in the GEP prep sch!
Now, I understand why even a senior staff in the sch sent her child to GEP prep course (only discovered at the end of last year) against the preaching of MOE not to train kids.
Perhaps, MOE should look into changing the format of test in order to screen out the really gifted ones.
Recently, DS' teachers have made it a point to tell me NOT to send DS for tuition (I wasn't going to anyway) BUT I do know teachers whose kids go to Learning Lab. Hmmmmmmmm... 说一套做的是另一套... -
ksmummy:
Heard that some GEP centres do give additional 'enrichment' lesson to selected students from the HA classes to prepare them for GEP. Is this true and is it considered hothousing as well??
Found this definition from about.com:
Definition:
Hothouse children are children whose parents push them into learning more quickly and earlier than is appropriate for the cognitive age of the children.
The term comes from the verb \"hothousing,\" which researchers coined to refer to parents' attempts to create a \"superbaby,\" in other words, a genius.
These parents provide every type of enrichment they can for their child, beginning in infancy. They play classical music for their infants, and may even use flashcards to prepare their infant for reading and math. When their children become toddlers, the real lessons on reading and math begin, using either flashcards or other methods of instruction.
They also provide piano or violin lessons for their children, often starting when the children are three or four and make every effort to get their children into the \"best\" preschools, which they believe are the ones that emphasize academics.
Hothouse children are often overscheduled in activities their parents believe are essential to their children's success in life.
The two keys terms in this definition are \"push\" and \"cognitive age.\" Gifted children are not generally hothouse children even though they are learning material more quickly and earlier than most children their age. However, the learning is child-centered, which means the desire to learn comes from the child, not the parent.
Gifted children can also be hothouse children if and when their parents are the ones initiating - and insisting on - the early learning. -
Chenonceau:
What led to the teachers to give such advice?!Really? Now I really feel stupid that I didn't hothouse my son. I REALLY REALLY believed the MOE line that GEP is for the truly gifted, and we would hurt our children by sending for prep course.
Recently, DS' teachers have made it a point to tell me NOT to send DS for tuition (I wasn't going to anyway) BUT I do know teachers whose kids go to Learning Lab. Hmmmmmmmm... 说一套做的是另一套...
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