Is GEP really necessary?
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2ppaamm:
Thanks for articulating this. It's been carthartic to read your long post. The anger I've been feeling especially in these past months has been brewing with nowhere to let out. Finally, I've awakened and made a decision stop feeling angry with the system and feeling sorry for myself and my kids. I'm not going to play the game or whatever hidden agenda this government is dishing out at me. I will carve out a different path for my kids. As it is, DS1 has been showing more interest in entrepreneurship even with the PSLE going on and I've been happy to explore these questions with him. I've been having economics 101 conversations with my 12 year old and I'm enjoying these conversations about life decisions and what he wants for his career or business. I'm learning to appreciate that these conversations about long term perspectives and decisions will be more important than some of the crazy exam questions we are trying to solve.
To the average mainstreamers, the game is not over yet, there are plenty of scholarships offered by overseas institutions if you plan wisely. Search, and you will find other pathways, we are in 2012, aren't we? To those with $$$, go overseas and let your children enjoy their childhood. To kids who are not performing in the current education system, know that there is very little support, you will need to be creative to survive. Look hard, you will find opportunities, which may not be present in the system. All in all, it is an unnecessarily difficult education system to maneuver, with everyone stepping over each other.
As for DD2 who \"gifted\" (shows moments of brilliance to solving complex problems and musically talented) and yet cannot pass an exam without herculean efforts. I've finally reframed my own thinking and did what you've said, be creative and look locally and globally for solutions. We are not rich to be able send our kids to international schools or go abroad, but that will not stop me from creating a path that I believe will help my kids to thrive in their adulthood. -
Never really care much about GEP in the past. When my kids were in Pr level, I thought "Gifted" means genius. Knowing that they are no genius, I couldn’t be bother with the GEP selection tests and my kids failed happily.
However, our mind was set that the eldest must do well enough to get into the top school. It was not to show off but rather to avoid bad company. Having personally experienced bullying and fights, I do not wish my kids to be subjected to such unnecessary stress in school. Not that there are no bad hats in top school the number is much smaller. There is also the important factors of good influence and learning environment in the top schools.
We worked real hard with our eldest, to fight for a place. I have emphasized eldest because we want to set a precedence. With that, the siblings know that it can be achieved. Our theory works and the siblings followed. It became a norm and they did not feel special or proud about getting there. Instead, they thought that it was a "basic requirement".
In my earlier years, my impression of GEPers was gathered mainly through my kids. They don’t think that GEPers are smarter, except for the top few (about 3 per cohort). However, they don’t particularly like mixing with them (probably their curriculum is different and GEPers are usually very competitive.)
The recent lively discussions set me thinking about the relationship between gifted, passion, competition and GEP. Briefly, I felt that a genius is the product of a truly gifted who also possesses the "right" passion. Competition helps to accelerate learning and invention but not "discovery". The desire to win is a hidden form of passion that accelerates learning that may be mistaken to be "gifted" -
HVR:
I just find it strange. For those who are so concern about gepers enter DSA on the perceived advantage, why not someone go and ask the schools concerned why they give the 'advantage'. If they acknowledge they do give 'advantage' at all to gepers at all to begin with. After all, it is the school that decide who they want to take in. Nothing to do with MOE. Indeed, if an Independant school so wishes, they can fill their vacancy 100% via DSA and disregard PSLE altogether!
I would like to chip in my experience 2 years ago. DS from GEP and his classmate was unsuccessful with his DSA to the top 3 boys IP schools and PSLE score was 252 but he managed to gain entry into one of the DSA schools that previously rejected him after appealing, why is this possible? Isn't the sec school that admitted him has deprived the entry of another boy?! -
3G:
I understand that schools usually have fixed quota for appeal cases.HVR:
I just find it strange. For those who are so concern about gepers enter DSA on the perceived advantage, why not someone go and ask the schools concerned why they give the 'advantage'. If they acknowledge they do give 'advantage' at all to gepers at all to begin with. After all, it is the school that decide who they want to take in. Nothing to do with MOE. Indeed, if an Independant school so wishes, they can fill their vacancy 100% via DSA and disregard PSLE altogether!
I would like to chip in my experience 2 years ago. DS from GEP and his classmate was unsuccessful with his DSA to the top 3 boys IP schools and PSLE score was 252 but he managed to gain entry into one of the DSA schools that previously rejected him after appealing, why is this possible? Isn't the sec school that admitted him has deprived the entry of another boy?! -
beanbear:
:goodpost: I enjoyed reading it, because it reminded me of myself trying to carve out a niche for my oldest boy, and at that time, I was clueless as to what to do. The resources on the internet was not as comprehensive as they are today, people are not as open as today and certainly, there was no one to consult with or ask. I told the principal that my son is good at Math, and the principal told me that he has another who bunch probably better than my son, and the principal did not want to listen to what my son was doing or was capable of. Nevertheless, my son went on top the school's prelim exam, beating all students, GEP and non.
Thanks for articulating this. It's been carthartic to read your long post. The anger I've been feeling especially in these past months has been brewing with nowhere to let out. Finally, I've awakened and made a decision stop feeling angry with the system and feeling sorry for myself and my kids. I'm not going to play the game or whatever hidden agenda this government is dishing out at me. I will carve out a different path for my kids. As it is, DS1 has been showing more interest in entrepreneurship even with the PSLE going on and I've been happy to explore these questions with him. I've been having economics 101 conversations with my 12 year old and I'm enjoying these conversations about life decisions and what he wants for his career or business. I'm learning to appreciate that these conversations about long term perspectives and decisions will be more important than some of the crazy exam questions we are trying to solve.2ppaamm:
To the average mainstreamers, the game is not over yet, there are plenty of scholarships offered by overseas institutions if you plan wisely. Search, and you will find other pathways, we are in 2012, aren't we? To those with $$$, go overseas and let your children enjoy their childhood. To kids who are not performing in the current education system, know that there is very little support, you will need to be creative to survive. Look hard, you will find opportunities, which may not be present in the system. All in all, it is an unnecessarily difficult education system to maneuver, with everyone stepping over each other.
As for DD2 who \"gifted\" (shows moments of brilliance to solving complex problems and musically talented) and yet cannot pass an exam without herculean efforts. I've finally reframed my own thinking and did what you've said, be creative and look locally and globally for solutions. We are not rich to be able send our kids to international schools or go abroad, but that will not stop me from creating a path that I believe will help my kids to thrive in their adulthood.
I realized at that point that educators are not interested to nurture any talent. They were more interested in raising the mass and their own KPIs. They are still more concerned with their own school ranking and results. So, I decided I had to search out a path for my own child. I have come to believe that as long as we believe and search hard, we will find solutions, and I did. I knew at that time that I am probably the only Singaporean seeking an American alternative. In the end, my son embarked a High School program equivalent to an A level when he was P5, all on his own. I tried to tell the principal, hoping he would lend me some support. But he again brushed it aside, saying his other children are probably better. So, I learned that I have to journey on my own.
Now I know that all these - lack of support, uninterested MOE, uninterested educators all came into my life for a good reason. Because of this, I became very resilient, I diligently research institutions of interest in almost every country, searched through all possible avenues, spoken to thousands of people. I chanced upon so many options for my children, and found so many opportunities at the same time. My son is now 18, and into postgrad. I think, because of the lack of support, we managed to carve out a unique path for him. As it turned out, my other children also followed his path, all entering universities breaking records of being the youngest, and I hardly have to pay for their university degree now. A far cry from the helpless person I was a few years ago. I was determined not to be helpless.
There will always be obstacles and difficulties, but BECAUSE of the inadequacy of the system, I managed to find alternative paths for my children, and sent them to good universities and provided them opportunities beyond our own imaginations. We achieved what we never thought we could.
Some people said it is because I have very gifted children, but I say they were not even recognized or given opportunities locally, some people say they have talent, but I say they were hidden. I have learned that we can achieve whatever our minds' eyes can see. So, I hope to encourage all to just go for anything you can imagine. Whether it is an Ivy League, a scholarship, early entrant. Yes, we can make silly dreams, and our silly dreams WILL come true only if we would believe and then put that belief into action. -
2ppaamm:
:goodpost: I enjoyed reading it, because it reminded me of myself trying to carve out a niche for my oldest boy, and at that time, I was clueless as to what to do. The resources on the internet was not as comprehensive as they are today, people are not as open as today and certainly, there was no one to consult with or ask. I told the principal that my son is good at Math, and the principal told me that he has another who bunch probably better than my son, and the principal did not want to listen to what my son was doing or was capable of. Nevertheless, my son went on top the school's prelim exam, beating all students, GEP and non.
Thanks for articulating this. It's been carthartic to read your long post. The anger I've been feeling especially in these past months has been brewing with nowhere to let out. Finally, I've awakened and made a decision stop feeling angry with the system and feeling sorry for myself and my kids. I'm not going to play the game or whatever hidden agenda this government is dishing out at me. I will carve out a different path for my kids. As it is, DS1 has been showing more interest in entrepreneurship even with the PSLE going on and I've been happy to explore these questions with him. I've been having economics 101 conversations with my 12 year old and I'm enjoying these conversations about life decisions and what he wants for his career or business. I'm learning to appreciate that these conversations about long term perspectives and decisions will be more important than some of the crazy exam questions we are trying to solve.beanbear:
[quote=\"2ppaamm\"]
To the average mainstreamers, the game is not over yet, there are plenty of scholarships offered by overseas institutions if you plan wisely. Search, and you will find other pathways, we are in 2012, aren't we? To those with $$$, go overseas and let your children enjoy their childhood. To kids who are not performing in the current education system, know that there is very little support, you will need to be creative to survive. Look hard, you will find opportunities, which may not be present in the system. All in all, it is an unnecessarily difficult education system to maneuver, with everyone stepping over each other.
As for DD2 who \"gifted\" (shows moments of brilliance to solving complex problems and musically talented) and yet cannot pass an exam without herculean efforts. I've finally reframed my own thinking and did what you've said, be creative and look locally and globally for solutions. We are not rich to be able send our kids to international schools or go abroad, but that will not stop me from creating a path that I believe will help my kids to thrive in their adulthood.
I realized at that point that educators are not interested to nurture any talent. They were more interested in raising the mass and their own KPIs. They are still more concerned with their own school ranking and results. So, I decided I had to search out a path for my own child. I have come to believe that as long as we believe and search hard, we will find solutions, and I did. I knew at that time that I am probably the only Singaporean seeking an American alternative. In the end, my son embarked a High School program equivalent to an A level when he was P5, all on his own. I tried to tell the principal, hoping he would lend me some support. But he again brushed it aside, saying his other children are probably better. So, I learned that I have to journey on my own.
Now I know that all these - lack of support, uninterested MOE, uninterested educators all came into my life for a good reason. Because of this, I became very resilient, I diligently research institutions of interest in almost every country, searched through all possible avenues, spoken to thousands of people. I chanced upon so many options for my children, and found so many opportunities at the same time. My son is now 18, and into postgrad. I think, because of the lack of support, we managed to carve out a unique path for him. As it turned out, my other children also followed his path, all entering universities breaking records of being the youngest, and I hardly have to pay for their university degree now. A far cry from the helpless person I was a few years ago. I was determined not to be helpless.
There will always be obstacles and difficulties, but BECAUSE of the inadequacy of the system, I managed to find alternative paths for my children, and sent them to good universities and provided them opportunities beyond our own imaginations. We achieved what we never thought we could.
Some people said it is because I have very gifted children, but I say they were not even recognized or given opportunities locally, some people say they have talent, but I say they were hidden. I have learned that we can achieve whatever our minds' eyes can see. So, I hope to encourage all to just go for anything you can imagine. Whether it is an Ivy League, a scholarship, early entrant, and for me, the latest one is for my 12 year old to break the record and score full marks for his standardized exam meant for 18-year-olds, he is performing well enough for me to believe he can, if so, he would have broken world record. You see, doing well for PSLE is not even something within our radar. Yes, I make silly dreams, and my silly dreams WILL come true only if I would believe and then put that belief into action.[/quote]This is not just a :goodpost: , you are really inspiring, 2ppaamm ! Understand that you are a FTWM with 5 kids ! :udawoman:
:thankyou: for your sharing ! Gonna stay up later to read more of your posts (gotta backtrack a lot ...
)
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2ppaamm:
I would not say that the GEP teachers are better. There are good ones and so so ones. But on the whole, I should say they teach well. At least ds1 会服他们。 ds1 can be difficult to deal with at times.
Just chip in here. I know of a GEP class that had a rookie Math teacher to teach English for the whole year. So now you know what I mean by comical when she didn't understand my son's vocab. :evil:Melodies:
O I hope that one of the teacher is not a trainee. My dd's school has a trainee teacher in her p1 class for a few months? What is TTLT by the way?
TIA
Many GEP parents say the GEP teachers are better. Can I ask how so, because from my experience, they are no different from the mainstream. Do they have special qualifications, training or is there a ranking system for MOE teachers and the best are sent to teach GEP? So 'better' means what? -
Eeeeeeps! Your experience sounds so traumatic. I am glad God did not see fit to test me with a gifted child, let alone 4. God’s gifts can be hard to live up to. I have learnt early in my life that being able to blend in is a joy. I don’t wish my kids to be different. To be different is to go through pain that is often hard to bear.
I want my kids in mainstream so they can learn to be like the majority. Happiness is more important than being special and thus, different and misunderstood. -
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Dear 2ppaamm,
Appreciate and like your sharing of your children's less travelled path for Singapore kids to be inspired....but...
If your GEP son is still in GEP today, will you campaign so hard against GEP? :? Just wondering....
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