:oops: Gosh! heard that nobody wanted to study engineering nowadays and there are ample vacancies for engineering courses now.


During my time which is abt 2 decades ago, the faculty that I was in is one of the most popular after medicine and law courses for application.

tuition_czar:

An engineering babe, most excellent.

Hi tuition_czar, no, I'm not a mathematics teacher. Thought I like Maths. I majored in Engineering in uni.

tuition_czar:

@Melodies: you must be a mathematics teacher.

Hi,


Got it! Thanks!

Regards,

optimistforum:

Melodies, I have posted you a PM.

Hi Hokkiengirl,


How old are the 2 older one? can understand Hokkien and speak some Hokkiean too. It is very uncommon nowadays.

hokkiengirl:

Dear me... what did the Apple do to him?

Ha ha probably escape from his grasp. My kid is a foodie.

Hi Optimistforum,


Where can I get the ‘English Language and Intelligence books from the UK, 50s and 60s’ books?

What are the Singaporean assessment books that you find them good ad useful? Care to share?

TIA.

Oh dear, I am hokkien too but only speak to my hubby when we don't want my girl to hear our conservation and hokkien has become a secret code between myself and my hubby! My girl does not understand Hokkien at all!


I thought that there will b no more people who can speak hokkien in 30 yrs!

GOSH! If It does happen, I'm guilty for that! My initial intention is not to burden my girl for learning additional language (Hokkien is dialect but it is totally different from Mandarin) and can't master well for English and Mandarin. :sad:

hokkiengirl:

jtoh:

Hokkiengirl, do you teach your children hokkien?

Of course! All 3 can understand very well and speak somewhat. The baby (almost two) has Hokkien dreams! He had a nightmare one night and in his semi-conscious state, muttered, 'Peng Ko! Peng Ko!' (that's 'apple' in my mother tongue)

He doesn't say 'yes' or 'no'. He says 'ai' or 'mai'. I think it's so cute!!! Gush, gush.

I'm sure I'm not alone in doing this. I'm sure there are tons of families out there who still speak to their kids in dialects. Anybody else care to share?

Happiness is a function of what you have/have achieved versus What you want/aim.


So, we need to manage the expectation of what you want/arm and what you have/have achieved. I'm trying very hard to meet the ratio to be as close as 1 but still very much below 1

FQW:

Happiness is overrated. What we should work on is contentment. If we can be contented not to follow the jones and expect our children to ace every exam, then we'll be less stressed.

Ok, now let the rotten eggs fly in my direction. :siam:

hokkiengirl:

verykiasu2010:

if the IP program and IP schools are so hopeless and useless, why then year after year the few IP schools produce the most number of A level distinctions in H2 and H3 subjects as well as getting the lion's share of all scholarships for uni courses ?

MOE states that IP school / program is meant for those who are clearly uni bound, by whichever route. The idea is to save time from O level preparation to do more meaningful stuff for the kids. It does not mean IP is lower standard or less rigourous

Nope, I definitely did not say that the IP and schools are hopeless. In fact, I said that most, if not all, have good programmes. Do they stretch the kids? Yes. Do they encourage thinking out of the box? Yes. Do kids learn more intensively and in greater depth and breadth? Yes. That is the ideal situation that happens for many kids who are SUITABLE for IP to begin with.

My point is that parents must know their children and make careful choices for them before enrolling them into the IP stream. This is because it truly IS for the brightest and cream of the crop in terms of expectations and work set. Do a great many end up with scholarships and doing very well? Yes, they do. This is because they really are very bright and motivated and the IP is a great fit for their independent learning styles and inquisitive attitudes. I am talking about the group which does not fare as well because they are not as disciplined (perhaps) or may not be able to adapt to such a 'free' and ''open' style of education. There are those kids around, you know. The ones who do much better in structured environments because of their learning styles. And there are the kids who need the 'wake-up call' of not-so-good O-level results to spur them on to reach their full potential.

I have not only 'interacted' with IP students; I have taught them for in IP schools, NOT merely at tuition centres. So I have formed my opinion based on what I have seen and experienced over the years.

Maybe I gave the impression that the IP is less rigorous. If so, I do apologise. That was not what I meant. My point was that there are kids in IP who just manage a pass every year. They are not doing badly enough to get asked to leave, but they are not thriving either. And schools of course do not want to come across as heavy-handed and high-handed by suggesting that these borderline cases should change course too early on. So what happens is that those who get a lot out of the programme excel, whereas there is a group that just barely makes it. Even if the programme is wonderful, there will be those who will not be able to get a great deal of benefit of it. Nothing wrong with the programme. Not always a question of laziness. Usually an issue of a GOOD FIT.

:goodpost: :thankyou:

Very insightful info from the experienced IP teacher/tutor! Thank you

No surprise! We have bunch of unhappy/panicky parents here and trying to figure out the best way for our kids to cope with educational system here before

I beg to differ. In the very first place. All those IP schools have already accepted the cream of the top Singapore students. (I dare to say all top SG students are in IP). Of course, those bright and discipline students will do well no matter where you threw them in. There are those that are less discipline but they are bright, they may just cruise and move on to the next level, hence they are not prepared for A level.

verykiasu2010:

Chenonceau:

I don't think hokkiengirl meant to say that IP is useless. She did qualify that it is a path that works well for independent and self-motivated learners... and then she qualified that... \"Tests are mostly internal, so the student can actually cruise along in a false state of complacency even if they don't do well, as they will just move on to the next level. That is very dangerous, as it means that they are not really prepared for anything at all.\"

that is a very misleading statement. that is why I asked if they are so \"useless\" why then the IP graduates got most of the scholarships and got the most distinctions in H2 and H3 subjects, if the student can actually cruise along in a false state of complacency even if they don't do well, as they will just move on to the next level.