Is GEP really necessary?

[corneyAmber]

ruohoo97:

Sadly, we don't have too many Da vinci today. I think our human being is de-evolution, instead evolution. :slapshead:

Because during Da vinci's time, no TV, no computer to distract him la...Modern day got Steve Job good enough already... mai tum sim...

Not so bleak la... usually so very talented people are not known when they are alive, they are better known when posthumous. If you know, da vinci live from 1452-1519. Only in 1528 then people label him as a genius until today... Best example was JS Bach....another great man for music, he was only known as great 100 years after his death...... So any conclusion this time?

[Edureach]

This year a total of 18 PSC Scholars are headed to top unis namely Oxbridge, Havard, U Pennsylvania, Yale and Stanford. Apart from traditional power houses like RI and HCI, there are three others:


ACSI- Harvard.
United College SEA- Oxford
Ngee Ann Poly- Cambridge

[atutor2001]

Kana suan like siao, so this will be my last post on this issue just to share my view.


We have been talking about mental capability but forgotten another important factor which is the \"heart\" i.e. passion.

Natural passion is key to extraordinary results. LJ is definitely a very high level HA kid. More importantly, he is passionate about math & science. I guess his parents nurture and focus on his passion and grew it. So even though he did not have the gifted elephant memory for all subjects, the constant exposure to math and science will help retain and grow his data bank in that particular area. At the end, his knowledge in math and science will way surpass any truly gifted kids who do not have his kind of passion.

In my opinion, results, are the product of mental ability and passion.

(a) Non HA kids who have the passion to do good can only produce above average results at higher level but with lots of hard work.
(b) HA kids who are passionate in doing well will produce consistent good results.
(c) HA kids who are not passionate about their study but who chiong at the last minutes will produce surprises.
(d) HA kids who are not passionate about their study and who forget to wake up will disappear.
(e) HA kids who are very passionate in specific area and are given the encouragement and freedom to grow and explore will become LJ whose results are even better than a truly gifted one.
(f) A truly gifted kid will do well even if he has no passion for certain subject as long as he felt that there is an obligation to clear it.

My ideal for GEP is to groom (e).

PS
Great guys like Leonardo to me are gifted and passionate about almost anything around him. This breed is extinct because of our materialistic world - don't waste your time if it cannot produce money.

[corneyAmber]

ruohoo97:

ksi:

[quote=\"Sun_2010\"]

LJ has good support of his sec school, so how come it becomes MOE's failure I dont see. Yes he was not talent spotted early on but once his calibre was known , he has been provided with good support.

Precisely Sun! LJ is a good example of not having to go thru the pain of doing English the GEP way and yet getting a good support in other ways to pursue his passion. I thought he was a positive example of our education support system but somehow he has been construed and made to look as a negative example for GEP screening failure. *thud* :faint:

It is so interesting, the opposite sites quote the same example to support their arguments! [/quote]Every coin has 2 sides right? You own a one-sided coin? Better keep, very valuable.

[2ppaamm]

ksi:

Sun_2010:

LJ has good support of his sec school, so how come it becomes MOE's failure I dont see. Yes he was not talent spotted early on but once his calibre was known , he has been provided with good support.

Precisely Sun! LJ is a good example of not having to go thru the pain of doing English the GEP way and yet getting a good support in other ways to pursue his passion. I thought he was a positive example of our education support system but somehow he has been construed and made to look as a negative example for GEP screening failure. *thud* :faint:

I agree that for LJ and the like, GEP would have hampered. What about an LJ with all the talent but no money and no Mathematician parents? So he deserves to be in the dump? I have many such kids, you know. Their parents have no clue what to do with them, but they are so gifted in only one area. What are their options?

[2ppaamm]

ksi:

ruohoo97:

[quote=\"ksi\"]

It is so interesting, the opposite sites quote the same example to support their arguments!

Every coin has 2 sides right? You own a one-sided coin? Better keep, very valuable.

[/quote]No one-sided coin, but the greenbacks are all one-sided. Not valuable these day, hor? Hehehe... but also must keep. :moneyflies: Now I am wondering.... how come the Americans have they notes printed this way...

[corneyAmber]

Edureach:

There's no difference in academic performance btw IP students and those who came thru O-levels route as far as A-levels results are concerned. The former includes geppers. This fact is already confirmed so no need to argue.


There's also no selection that's is close to 100% not to mention the word 'perfect'. In SAF the selection of future commanders is based on the following criteria:

1.Academic
2.Medical condition
3 Fitness
4.Written tests.
5.Aptitude
6.Interest
7.Commanders' appraisal
8.BMT performance
9.Peer appraisal

So if a recruit aces all the above pts but fared badly in peer appraisal, he's out. His leadership potential and character is being assesed by 14 of his section mates that live and train together. Despite being so thorough in their selection, that's no gurantee that one will make the cut in command school if he does not live up to expectations.

See how meticulous is their selection.

Bingo.

[2ppaamm]

ksi:

Edureach:

There's no difference in academic performance btw IP students and those who came thru O-levels route as far as A-levels results are concerned. The former includes geppers. This fact is already confirmed so no need to argue.


There's also no selection that's is close to 100% not to mention the word 'perfect'. In SAF the selection of future commanders is based on the following criteria:

1.Academic
2.Medical condition
3 Fitness
4.Written tests.
5.Aptitude
6.Interest
7.Commanders' appraisal
8.BMT performance
9.Peer appraisal

So if a recruit aces all the above pts but fared badly in peer appraisal, he's out. His leadership potential and character is being assesed by 14 of his section mates that live and train together. Despite being so thorough in their selection, that's no gurantee that one will make the cut in command school if he does not live up to expectations.

See how meticulous is their selection.

Bingo.

Is the program also called GEP? Are they looking for giftedness or leadership? So GEP should be looking for these criteria? Is this GEP or LEP? Going by this standard, then MEP, AEP, DSA, O levels, A levels, University Entrance, everything has to go by all these?

No lah, every selection has its purposes. GEP is to select the gifted. Period.

[verykiasu2010]

atutor2001:

Nebbermind:

If you know of someone in particular, please name and shame them. Pls donch group everyone else and kept insisting them been hot-housed.

In every cohort, we will find very nerdy GEPers working very hard 24/7 but produce only average results at A level. These are the ones that I am refering to.

It is not their fault lah. Some are simply born with super kiasu attitude, must do well type of mindset. Some have parents with that mindset and force it upon their kids. It is not a shameful thing. They are doing so because they thought it is good for their kids - though can be harmful.

Just sharing here, hoping that the selection process can be refined so that these groups can be blocked and will not be subjected to unnecessary pressure and suffering under the programme.

a child of a friend of mine did this : scoring 100% in every subject to \"shock and awe\" the classmates and teachers and to comply with mom, and the unspoken challenge :\"don't mess with me!\"...but got other \"giftedness\" - gluttony

[Sun_2010]

2ppaamm:

To be honest, no I don't completely understand. Firstly, ALL my kids are different, all of them do get the same input from me, but I do get DIFFERENT output, I understand this part. But does that mean I give more time and effort to the one whom I think can give better output? NO. I give more attention to the one who has more needs or relatively weaker. At least that is me, and nobody quarrels about this. In fact, the one who is the weakest gets attention from the rest who are better as well. Have bulk does help!

I understand , but if all your kids were the same age would you design the curriculum to suit the lowest denominator without giving guidance, direction for the others who are stronger to move on ahead. The stronger need less hand holding more abstract help , imho. Especially when very young.

2ppaamm:

Of course the system has its merits. Wait, which system doesn't? Point is, we should always look for improvement. The 40+ per class size is so outdated, it should have been thrown out. If anything, we should start with the weakest, and then move up. The weakest always need the most help.

Raising my arms and legs in agreement for the part in bold.
But I beg to differ on starting at the weakest and moving up. The gifted, very HA and the weakest first , the average who form the bulk later.

2ppaamm:

A good system does not become better by claiming so. We are not the best, and the folks in MOE ought to stop calling us that, unless they have data to prove so. So, there are many systems to study and learn from to improve ours. Giftedness is a well studied area, but none of those in MOE has bothered to learn and apply here in Singapore.

Yeah those claims - irks me as much too.
Where are the numbers that prove, why the need to claim, whay the arrogance ? :slapshead:

2ppaamm:

The reality is that a child or anybody should not bother so much about MOE's expectation, that is so transient. It is the society that we have to live in. That much I know my kids will be, whether as parents we like it or not. It is a jungle out there, learn to survive. A good education system should not only look into the needs of the country (I know this is important and priority of MOE), but there is also individual needs that we need to consider. Look, I didn't even say the latter should be the priority.

Agree .