deardear07:

my child's teacher once told me that children who can draw quite well tend to have higher IQs. how true is that? as in...can see that they have advanced development in terms of drawing and not simply doodling lines.


I know itz norm for children aged 3 to be able to recognize the alphabet and count (not rote count, but meaningfully) but i know itz not norm for them to write clear letters and numbers. im referring to all these for children who have not received formal 'training' but more of through observation of teachers and minimal teaching.

any comments on these?

Drawing? Really? No wonder none of our older kids are gifted. None of them, esp the boys, like drawing and certainly not colouring. They think those are the most \"wu liao\" activities to do. They'd rather be running around and playing and fighting or fixing lego stuff - generally ends up being vehicles or some sort of warcraft.

Along the same lines, our 3yo also doesn't like drawing or colouring.

parent.parent:

shalomger:

Of sheer curiosity which schools will u be opting for ur kids? We are definitely not selecting a SAP school as we don't want DS1 to struggle with HMT

:congrats: although DS did not get into the GEP but i've do some searching & just to share with you. know that GEP student have to study HMT if i'm not wrong.

Not compulsory lah. I know that in my ds' school where there are 2 GEP classes. Only 1 class does HMT. And for the other class, only a few do HMT, not all.

toxic118:

metta:

anyone has experience or heard of students using Round 1 clearance to change to a better school? what are the chances of getting a transfer and also to one of their best classes? sorry off track a bit.

thanks a mil.

I guess no harm trying at all.

Does MOE give a letter to those kids that do not get past 2nd round? My older ds had a letter and it said that altho' didn't get into GEP but getting past 1st round shows that he is within top 10% of cohort. Guess such a letter *might* help.

24hr-mum:

haha..that's why the sch nvr offer extra programmes like onsponge or math olympiad to the kids.....they know the parents will push themselves.........

What's the big deal about OnSponge?

homeworkmummy:

School bus - i paid $130 per mth both ways plus additional $20 per month for coming back late on certain days. I stay about 5km from the sch. And the sch bus does not pick u up when there are lessons (whole level) during holidays.


<snip>

On cutoff, i heard the cutoff is 225 to 230 for sec 1 2013 and slowly increase by 5 marks each yr, so by the time my younger girl reaches P6, could all be IP classes. I think for 2013, they plan to open 2 or 3 IP classes. To go into the IP class, at least 250.

Is the S$130 not market rate these days? It's all so expensive now.

225 to 230 sounds reasonable. Victoria school is only planning a very very small number for IP. Cedar should be similar? Should look at how these schools are run to compare. Also ACS(I). All not 100% IP.

homeworkmummy:

Heard that this was what they intend to propose to MOE. Probably they want to become a full IP sch eventually??

Well, in 2005 when they first put in plans for IP together with CHS, that obviously was what they proposed, but since these 2 schools have to admit affiliated students as well, they were not approved for IP since they are not independent schools like ACS(I) where they can make more decisions on their own.

However now, with the MOE approval for dual-track, no way they can just be 100% IP lah.

24hr-mum:

huh, so one day it will hit 230+15=245? and then 250? then no diff between O level and IP path

This is not possible. And St Nics will not do that bc it is designated by MOE as a dual-track school, similar to ACS(Independent). So only a percentage of students will be in the IP programme with entry points being at Sec 1 & Sec 3, while the rest of the students will do O-levels.

firefly38:

who says CHS is not a 'premier' school?

Interesting ... so how many of you applied DSA for CHS?

chamonix:

Another way is to go on YouTube and observe how other music students are doing. That might give you some ideas what to expect. Or perhaps, you can try asking your dd2's piano teacher for an honest opinion on her playing?

This is a good suggestion. Go to Youtube and search out the very same pieces that your dd is playing. Preferably find those of kids using 3/4-size or other fractional sized cellos to see how the sound production is.

phankao:

Pen88n:

Phankao, can you please advise where did you buy this bowhold buddy from in Singapore? I am thinking of getting one. Thanks

buy online lah.

By the way, I just use a pencil grip. S$2+ for packet of 6 or 8.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6134744067_57223b2502_o.jpg
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6134744067_ee50a6c906_m.jpg\">
The front grip is to guide the thumb placement, and the back grip near the screw is for the pinky finger. Personally I prefer to use only the back one to remind pinkie-placement. Easy to take off/on. The pencil grip fits my little one's slim small violin bow snugly.