Raffles Institution (Year 1-4)
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Fluffy:
Honestly, there is no need for you to feel sad. If you know your circumstances and the reasons why, don't worry about what people perceive generally. The fact remains that majority are not in your situation hence there are peers in the school who would want to \"lament\" about that fact as they faced immense pressure. I was on the receiving end of hearing such a comment from a young kid in that school but my message to him was, not to be affected by what others were doing. You need to know his strength and your child needs to believe in himself....as per my message to the boy.It is so sad to hear students and parents making judgement on other children about their intelligence level and the need to engage tutors despite being in a top school.
There is a parent from RI who had to engage tutors for almost all the subjects for their son because this boy is a special needs child and although his intelligence level is high but he is not able to follow through the school lessons due to his disability. Unfortunately, many people like to criticise without understanding the child's background. The parent was very unhappy as their son was periodically mocked by his classmates.
My son is also a Special Needs student with executive function disorder, Irlen Syndrom and APD although many psychologist, teachers and tutors who know him well understand his potential and abilities. He has to work harder than anybody else. I do not feel a need to explain his disability but have also receive many criticism for his \"fake\" intelligence level. I do not expect high academic performance level from my son as I believe as long as he achieve average result and has a well balance school life, is happy and gets along well with his classmates and friends, he will go far in his own way. My son is by nature non-competitive, easily contented and good temper. He gets along well with his classmates and seniors. I only wants him to have good memories of his school life in RI. -
Fluffy:
Hi Fluffy
My son is also a Special Needs student with executive function disorder, Irlen Syndrom and APD although many psychologist, teachers and tutors who know him well understand his potential and abilities. He has to work harder than anybody else. I do not feel a need to explain his disability but have also receive many criticism for his \"fake\" intelligence level. I do not expect high academic performance level from my son as I believe as long as he achieve average result and has a well balance school life, is happy and gets along well with his classmates and friends, he will go far in his own way. My son is by nature non-competitive, easily contented and good temper. He gets along well with his classmates and seniors. I only wants him to have good memories of his school life in RI.
Hats off to you and yr son! It is already difficult for a special needs child to go through a mainstream secondary school in Singapore, what more the rigorous education at RI. The fact that your son works very hard speaks very well of him. He has the true spirit of the Rafflesian, and he should hold his head high among them! All the best to you and yr son. Regards. -
kohjl:
Dear kohjl,Dharma:
Hi kohjl,
I understand that your older son is doing RA for 2 subjects in RI. Will appreciate your kind advise on some of my queries below.
How is the level of difficulty as compared to the rest of the subjects in RP? Is the workload very much more for RA? I understand that there are additional topics covered under RA. Does that mean that he sits for 2 exams per subject instead of 1? Is it compulsory to do SMP if one is selected for Science/Maths RA?
Thanking you in advance.
Hi Dharma
As requested, I’ve asked my son (now Year 4, RI) to give his take on your questions. I’ve also asked him to give an intro as to what RA (Raffles Academy) is about.
So here below are the unedited comments from my son (not to be mistaken for his P6 brother kohjl Jr who is now called PlasmaStorm in this forum.):
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Preamble:
In secondary 2, RI students can choose to try for the RA programme, a programme designed to stretch the capacity and thinking skills of students with a high aptitude in a particular subject. Students that apply for the subject have to have a minimum of 3.60 GPA (ie, above 70 marks on average for all subjects), as well as being in the top 15% of the cohort in that particular subject. This also means that the subject that you want to offer naturally has to be of at least a 4.0 grade (ie, greater than 80 marks). The subjects that you can choose to offer an RA for are biology, physics, chemistry, maths, geography, history and literature, up to a maximum of two RA subjects of any combination.
After meeting the basic criteria, you have to sit for a selection test and go for an interview with a teacher. If you pass both of these sections, you will be invited to join that subject’s RA. You can choose to try out for as many RAs as you like as long as you meet the criteria, but even if you are accepted for all, you will eventually be only allowed to take two.
Hope that helps.
Thank you very much for your sharing . I think all these informations are really precious and will help to clear the doubts of many students cum parents . Sincerely appreciated.
I have a few more questions that need you and your boy's help:
May I know if the child needs to prepare for the selection cum interview ? Does the child need to be a real expert (already reading way ahead of school about that subject personally ) in it before being selected? And may I know which subjects are your boy doing for his RA ? :oops: Just curious
Thanking you and your boy in advance. And have a nice day -
edanson:
Hi edanson
Dear kohjl,
Thank you very much for your sharing . I think all these informations are really precious and will help to clear the doubts of many students cum parents . Sincerely appreciated.
I have a few more questions that need you and your boy's help:
May I know if the child needs to prepare for the selection cum interview ? Does the child need to be a real expert (already reading way ahead of school about that subject personally ) in it before being selected? And may I know which subjects are your boy doing for his RA ? :oops: Just curious
Thanking you and your boy in advance. And have a nice day
My son's unedited comments are below as requested. Hope they adequately answer your queries.
Regards.
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There is no need to \"prepare\" for the selection test or the interview, although it ALWAYS HELPS (hint hint) to read up more on the subject you are interested in. The student does not need to be reading way ahead of the school syllabus, but he definitely needs to have a strong interest in the subject as well as a natural talent in that subject.
I have a few friends who do have a strong interest in the subject, but are not able to cope with the coursework. They unfortunately suffer in their RA subjects as it is no fun not understanding and eventually gaining nothing from RA classes. **You have been warned.**
I am in a science RA and humanities RA. But sorry I don't really want to disclose which RAs I'm in... just in case SOME people read this. People might be able to identify me. Heh heh.
And have a nice day too. -
Fluffy:
I feel that every parent knows what's best for his kid and does his best in whatever circumstances he is in. My very gifted cousin did not get a single day of \"tuition\" but has a graduate mum who quitted her high paying job since he was one to devote all her time to groom him. Did he get more help than a child that receives an hr or so of tuition for all his subjects once a week. The opportunity cost of his mum quitting her job to groom him is much highly than engaging a tutor for each subject.It is so sad to hear students and parents making judgement on other children about their intelligence level and the need to engage tutors despite being in a top school.
There is a parent from RI who had to engage tutors for almost all the subjects for their son because this boy is a special needs child and although his intelligence level is high but he is not able to follow through the school lessons due to his disability. Unfortunately, many people like to criticise without understanding the child's background. The parent was very unhappy as their son was periodically mocked by his classmates.
My son is also a Special Needs student with executive function disorder, Irlen Syndrom and APD although many psychologist, teachers and tutors who know him well understand his potential and abilities. He has to work harder than anybody else. I do not feel a need to explain his disability but have also receive many criticism for his \"fake\" intelligence level. I do not expect high academic performance level from my son as I believe as long as he achieve average result and has a well balance school life, is happy and gets along well with his classmates and friends, he will go far in his own way. My son is by nature non-competitive, easily contented and good temper. He gets along well with his classmates and seniors. I only wants him to have good memories of his school life in RI.
I salute you and your son. Even if his results is just average in RI, it is already a great achievement and speaks greatly of his hard work and determination. Hope he is also a happy child. -
kohjl:
Sure, they definitely answered my queries. Thank you very much and please thank your boy for me.Hi edanson
My son's unedited comments are below as requested. Hope they adequately answer your queries.
Regards.
Can I also check with you if you do know of any school bus that goes to the WEST ?
Thank you. :thankyou: -
edanson:
Hi edanson
Sure, they definitely answered my queries. Thank you very much and please thank your boy for me.
Can I also check with you if you do know of any school bus that goes to the WEST ?
You are most welcome. Sorry, I do not know about school bus routes as we live quite near RI (thankfully!) and so commuting is not a problem for my son. Suggest you call the RI office as they should know.
Just to elaborate on what my son had said in his earlier post - from the parent's point of view:
Besides having an aptitude in the subject, I think it is absolutely important for your child to choose the subject that he is PASSIONATE in to do RA. Do not go for subjects merely because they are seen to be of \"better value\" in the University. When the going gets tough, passion is the key that will carry him through as he will need to do a lot of self-research and furrow his brows to understand the complicated topics taught.
My son was eligible to do RA in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths, History and Geog. He was in a dilemma whether to choose two Science RA subjects or to go for the two that he REALLY liked, ie one Science and one Humanities. I advised him to base it on interest, and that was what he did. Never regretted it, and he enjoys his RA subjects very much. I think that is why even though the workload is heavy, and the RA subjects are more indepth, he feels that he is not stressed.
All that said, edanson, from what I have read in yr past posts, your daughter is brilliant and if you are wondering whether to go for RA in yr daughter's school, then I'd say, go for it! I am sure she'll do very well in the subjects that she is passionate in.
Hope that helps. -
kohjl:
Woh weii . . . your boy is really great, he was eligible for so many subjects. Was your boy a former GEP ? Oh yes, I do understand that you have another boy right? So he will be going to RI? Is he from GEP too?
Hi edansonedanson:
Sure, they definitely answered my queries. Thank you very much and please thank your boy for me.
Can I also check with you if you do know of any school bus that goes to the WEST ?
You are most welcome. Sorry, I do not know about school bus routes as we live quite near RI (thankfully!) and so commuting is not a problem for my son. Suggest you call the RI office as they should know.
Just to elaborate on what my son had said in his earlier post - from the parent's point of view:
Besides having an aptitude in the subject, I think it is absolutely important for your child to choose the subject that he is PASSIONATE in to do RA. Do not go for subjects merely because they are seen to be of \"better value\" in the University. When the going gets tough, passion is the key that will carry him through as he will need to do a lot of self-research and furrow his brows to understand the complicated topics taught.
My son was eligible to do RA in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths, History and Geog. He was in a dilemma whether to choose two Science RA subjects or to go for the two that he REALLY liked, ie one Science and one Humanities. I advised him to base it on interest, and that was what he did. Never regretted it, and he enjoys his RA subjects very much. I think that is why even though the workload is heavy, and the RA subjects are more indepth, he feels that he is not stressed.
Hope that helps.
You are really blessed with a pair of GREAT kids . Congrats ! :celebrate: -
Hi, my son is still in p4 and hopes that he can get into RI in future. I would like to find out more abt secondary systems/syllybus/streaming or what so ever and the RA which u all have been mentioning.
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kohjl:
Did he take all the RA selection tests (+interviews, where necessary) for all the subjects mentioned above, or only those 2 that he eventually got in?
My son was eligible to do RA in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths, History and Geog. He was in a dilemma whether to choose two Science RA subjects or to go for the two that he REALLY liked, ie one Science and one Humanities.
Cheers.