ramgee:

...

If any of the experienced parents can share the format of the round 2 format/content, it would be useful too.

Thanks!

The experienced parents will probably say it's not necessary to know the format

I reckon the type of some of the questions are typically of the format whereby they give an example with solutions for a set of questions, and the child will answer the questions based on their understanding and deduction.

Cheers.

Melodies:

Just a thought. If one is illiterate and has never attended any maths course, do u think he/she will b selected for gep program. The answer is obvious, right? I do not agree totally that gep is more about natural ability. I think some knowledges r still required for the selection.

Your point is noted, though as I said, it's 'more' about the natural ability, not 'all', of course the person have to have some knowledge to begin with. These are children already in school, one would assume they have already been taught something (so no point mentioning), and learnt in classes, but the classes were not geared towards GEP.

We put the children in school/classes to receive an education, expect them to do well in studies, or do the best they can.

My point is more about the parental expectation of getting into GEP. That part let the child show themselves.

pek.taxi:

At least in my case, i am interested enough to join this GEP forum and my son is only interested in his cartoons and iphone games. imo, most 9 year-old kids (except for some) would not even know what GEP is really about to be interested. however, they are well aware of their parents expectations of them.

Doing well in what they do/study, could be an expectation from a parent.

But I would think that a child being selected into the GEP program should not be an 'expectation' from a parent. It's more about a natural ability, rather than a trained skill and knowledge. So should leave it to the child to show what they are capable of in this case.

My own thoughts.


1. Be glad to see that your child is resourceful enough to improvise with scraps he can find Nurture that positive aspect.

2. Instead of telling him 'you cannot do this' or 'you shouldn't do that'... how about trying another approach. Actually do the role play with him and pretend to be another super hero and play with him and develop a superhero story.

To understand his thinking, when the opportunity comes in your story that you have to 'fly' or some stunt, just ask... hmm... do you think we can really fly? And listen to his answer. And work from there. Maybe come with an alternative, and run with your imagination.

Work the logic in, instead of 'teaching' and 'telling'. With enough chances, they will develop a logical way of thinking themselves, instead of having to listen to adults' advice.

The boy will also appreciate that you're interested in their games.

Disclaimer, this is what I personally think, I'm just a person who likes to be silly with the kids sometimes.

Cheers.

Melodies:

I thought it is quite common nowadays. No? Back to back tuition classes everyday and some are conducted at home. Am I putting my girl in the wrong school? Am I living in a different era as u? :?

simple2005:

[quote=\"Melodies\"]6 tuition is outdated now, some of them have 10 tuition (one for every language subject, two compo and two orals, 2 sciences and 2 maths with 1 based on syllabus and another for GEP ).

Estimated cost is $2.5K exuding music, dance, swimming, tennis, golf, taekwondo:yikes:

Frankly, I've never even heard of something to that extent... :siao:

[/quote]10 tuition sounds really extreme to me. And not counting those extra sports/arts classes. Hope not everyone goes to that extent. :nailbite:

ruohoo97:

Melodies:

6 tuition is outdated now, some of them have 10 tuition (one for every language subject, two compo and two orals, 2 sciences and 2 maths with 1 based on syllabus and another for GEP ).


Estimated cost is $2.5K exuding music, dance, swimming, tennis, golf, taekwondo:yikes:

goodness. how does the poor child live?

Frankly, I've never even heard of something to that extent... :siao:

2ppaamm:

simple2005:

wah... I like this cute graphic


http://photos1.fotosearch.com/bthumb/CSP/CSP990/k10169050.jpg\">

Been a while since I last posted here, so much have been said, need to catch up, try not to get this thread locked hor...

Cheers.

Like this cartoon! But I didn't tackle anyone leh, how come you blow whistle?

Alamak... i just say I like this graphic lah... don't read too much into the picture.

Cheers.

wah... I like this cute graphic


http://photos1.fotosearch.com/bthumb/CSP/CSP990/k10169050.jpg\">

Been a while since I last posted here, so much have been said, need to catch up, try not to get this thread locked hor...

Cheers.

2ppaamm:

verykiasu2010:

[quote=\"2ppaamm\"]


Plus a scholarship for the rest of your secondary school years, plus all the benefits you get, plus the cohort you mix with, plus the branding. Sure is the rest of your life for some poor families who cannot afford this kind of education.

O, plus better DSA chance into a good sec school.

Imagine a child gifted in English ONLY from a poor family. He will have no opportunities to go to a good sec school, deprived of a GEP class he deserves. I have one such case. Fortunately, he was identified in 1996 (P4). He could not afford an IP education without that GEP scholarship. Imagine, this same person nearly had no tertiary education. And, guess what. He is gifted, so gifted in humanities and write so well that he is rare...

IP only started in year 2004, and EESIS is not restricted to GEP only

Ok, not IP schol. School which school fees was $200+ then. Independent school?

I'll share a little about what he said.

He told me he felt out of place all these years in GEP because he was gifted in Humanities and not Science and Math. It exasperated the teachers, he could not cope at all with those subjects. But wow, his humanities was like really fantastic. So his teachers had wanted him to drop out of GEP at secondary school because of his science /maths subjects. However, he comes from a very poor family, and if they were to remove him from GEP, he would have to go to a neighbourhood school, because the school fees in his school was $200+, and his family could not afford that. So he remained in GEP until Sec 4.

This student then went and signed on with SAF after A levels. He returned to school after his contract to finish his tertiary education after he earned enough to put himself through university.

As true as it can get. [/quote]I know of a somewhat similar case.

In your case written here, the teachers wanted him to drop out, but he had a choice to decide that he didn't want to drop out and continue with the GEP program? So I reckon that the GEP program allowed him the choice, or did the review committee decided he was worth the effort to be kept in based on his ability in humanities subjects.

Cheers.

verykiasu2010:

can't run away from the normal distribution of kids' talent or abilities or 'giftedness'


good thing that MOE Tay Eng Soon recognised it earlier on to provide differentiated learning for the kids

must every GEP-labelled kid score right at the top ? GEP is not about scoring in PSLE exam. If it is about scoring, then just hire a personal coach to prepare and drill for PSLE will do, no need to be so troublesome

It is about enriched curriculum stretching the intellectual ability of the kids. Never about exam. It is also not about grooming an Issac Newton or Thomas Edison or Einstein or Galileo .... it is about not stifling them in their intellectual curiosity based on the normal curriculum

A good summary from VK2010.

The gifted children in general terms are one who have higher abilities in specific areas, and/or in general, are able to pick up advanced concepts quickly. In many cases, mainstream way of learning through drilling/assessment books etc do not suit them, and perhaps they are repulsive to them. But having such abilities does not mean they will get the best results in school, the idea is to have a program where they can learn through their abilities, and the program is such that it will likely not suit other children, who benefits more from the mainstream teaching/study methods.

These children are sometimes also termed to have asynchronous development, meaning they have much high ability in certain areas, but normal in others. So for example, some are mature in understanding complex mathematical concepts, but struggle to come to terms with sharing, just like other children. The program is to not stifle their ability to absorb while they exhibit it so young, but also to manage their growth in other areas. In many cases, these children could be more difficult to handle, they can debate with advanced skills of logic and language, on the most trivial childish topics.

For a lack of a better term, GEP is also a 'special needs' program for young children coming to terms with their advanced ability which is not aligned with their development based on age.

It's probably also true that as they grow, the mainstream children do catch up, and perhaps be on par, or better then the GEP peers, that is possible. But the key (at least to me) is to manage the 'inbalance' while they are young.

This is purely my own personal views. Not a right or wrong, I'm still coming to understand how the program can help the child grow.

Cheers.