Secondary 2 Streaming

[nms1]

MerlionInGermany\" post_id=\"2040575\" time=\"1633319650\" user_id=\"2964:

sweetbaby\" post_id=\"2040572\" time=\"1633319245\" user_id=\"16633:

Geography or History? Please share your views. Child has little interest in both and effort to put in are same for both subjects. Thank you.

If effort required for both is equal, and (lack of) interest in both is equal, then it can be really hard to choose. But then again, I think upper sec history is quite different from lower sec history, so effort and interest in upper sec history may or may not be the same for upper sec geo. Am I making sense?

Yes, Upper Sec is WW1 and WW2 history so probably more interesting to most students than the Singapore history that they cover in lower sec.

[Dino]

chika2021\" post_id=\"2040178\" time=\"1633091200\" user_id=\"195200:

My recommendation is to avoid Triple Science + Higher Art.

Triple Science combi already minimally implies the following subjects:

English
Mother Tongue
E Math
A Math
SS/Humanities Elective
Pure Physics
Pure Chemistry
Pure Biology

That is already a whopping 8 subjects. 3 pure sciences + 2 math is already very time consuming (assuming you are hoping your child excels in all of them). Higher Art is a coursework subject and requires a lot of time after school to complete their submission. Coupled with the huge amount of homework for the other subjects + CCA (taking up leadership positions in Sec 3) + rest time (don't want to go crazy!), unless your child is a very gifted student, she might end up sleep-deprived and stressed out.

But somehow it is still the wishlist of kids to take triple science. At least that is what I have heard so far from other friends who say their kids aiming triple science. Maybe its the prestige or wanting to avoid another humanities. Aiya end of the day, be it black cat or white cat, so long the kid enjoys and can do well, that is the most impt.......

[sweetbaby]

[/quote]


If effort required for both is equal, and (lack of) interest in both is equal, then it can be really hard to choose. But then again, I think upper sec history is quite different from lower sec history, so effort and interest in upper sec history may or may not be the same for upper sec geo. Am I making sense?
[/quote]


Good point. I’ll get him to explore upper sec history and geo topics and skills needed. Thank you.

[sweetbaby]

nms1\" post_id=\"2040576\" time=\"1633319858\" user_id=\"13601:

MerlionInGermany\" post_id=\"2040575\" time=\"1633319650\" user_id=\"2964:

[quote=sweetbaby post_id=2040572 time=1633319245 user_id=16633]Geography or History? Please share your views. Child has little interest in both and effort to put in are same for both subjects. Thank you.

If effort required for both is equal, and (lack of) interest in both is equal, then it can be really hard to choose. But then again, I think upper sec history is quite different from lower sec history, so effort and interest in upper sec history may or may not be the same for upper sec geo. Am I making sense?

Yes, Upper Sec is WW1 and WW2 history so probably more interesting to most students than the Singapore history that they cover in lower sec.[/quote]True. Should be a popular topic among boys. He always thought he'll do Geo. But he really struggled this year. Somehow cant manage to write the answers as required. Similar to history too.

[phtthp]

sweetbaby\" post_id=\"2040572\" time=\"1633319245\" user_id=\"16633:

Geography or History? Please share your views. Child has little interest in both and effort to put in are same for both subjects. Thank you.

can ask your Year 2 son to

1) enter Popular bookshop, sit down, flip through

- the textbooks used for History and Geog, based on this year Sec 3 recommended RI booklist used in his school

- some Assessment books used for Upper Sec (History and Geog),

- browse through some Year 4 past year papers on Upper Sec (History and Geog), can be from his school or from other IP Secondary schools (Hwa Chong, National JC, Temasek JC, Dunman High, etc).

After gone through all these, based on how he feel + his own interests, decide whether is Geog or History that he wants to pursue. After all, after flipped through all these textbooks / Assessment books / past year 4 papers, he more or less would already have some idea what Upper Sec (History and Geog) entail, and what he himself as a student will need to go through in the coming two years ahead. Let him analyse, let him think through himself, which subject he prefer, and let him bear responsibility in making the ultimate decision

[SG_KP1]

If you take History in Sec 3 and Sec 4, is it easy to switch back to Geography in A Levels (and vice versa)? Or, are you kind of stuck for the next four years with whichever one you chose? I.e. use Sec 1 and Sec 2 to figure out which one you like/can score in. I guess Econ is the other main contrasting subject option at A Levels for the science stream kids.

[MerlionInGermany]

SG_KP1\" post_id=\"2040607\" time=\"1633328881\" user_id=\"188234:

If you take History in Sec 3 and Sec 4, is it easy to switch back to Geography in A Levels (and vice versa)? Or, are you kind of stuck for the next four years with whichever one you chose? I.e. use Sec 1 and Sec 2 to figure out which one you like/can score in. I guess Econ is the other main contrasting subject option at A Levels for the science stream kids.

You are just stuck with it for 2 years — your sec 3 year and your sec 4 year.

[SG_KP1]

MerlionInGermany\" post_id=\"2040609\" time=\"1633329424\" user_id=\"2964:

SG_KP1\" post_id=\"2040607\" time=\"1633328881\" user_id=\"188234:

If you take History in Sec 3 and Sec 4, is it easy to switch back to Geography in A Levels (and vice versa)? Or, are you kind of stuck for the next four years with whichever one you chose? I.e. use Sec 1 and Sec 2 to figure out which one you like/can score in. I guess Econ is the other main contrasting subject option at A Levels for the science stream kids.

You are just stuck with it for 2 years — your sec 3 year and your sec 4 year.

Got it. I didn't know if what you learn in Sec 3 & Sec 4 is needed (or extremely helpful) for the corresponding A Level class. I guess not as cumulative as math or sciences.

[sweetbaby]

phtthp\" post_id=\"2040605\" time=\"1633326554\" user_id=\"35251:

sweetbaby\" post_id=\"2040572\" time=\"1633319245\" user_id=\"16633:

Geography or History? Please share your views. Child has little interest in both and effort to put in are same for both subjects. Thank you.

can ask your Year 2 son to

1) enter Popular bookshop, sit down, flip through

- the textbooks used for History and Geog, based on this year Sec 3 recommended RI booklist used in his school

- some Assessment books used for Upper Sec (History and Geog),

- browse through some Year 4 past year papers on Upper Sec (History and Geog), can be from his school or from other IP Secondary schools (Hwa Chong, National JC, Temasek JC, Dunman High, etc).

After gone through all these, based on how he feel + his own interests, decide whether is Geog or History that he wants to pursue. After all, after flipped through all these textbooks / Assessment books / past year 4 papers, he more or less would already have some idea what Upper Sec (History and Geog) entail, and what he himself as a student will need to go through in the coming two years ahead. Let him analyse, let him think through himself, which subject he prefer, and let him bear responsibility in making the ultimate decision

Thank you for the helpful sharing. Will do. Especially the part about the exam papers.

[kiasudad1]

Hi there!


My dd is in Sec 2 IP heading for Sec 3 next year. She is likely going to qualify for Triple Sci (9 subj), but is thinking of doing Double Sci, Double Humanities instead (8 subj). Is it important to take Physics at Upper Sec? Will not taking Physics limit her future options a lot?

Thanks to all the experienced parents!