ACTC\" post_id=\"1942489\" time=\"1571651208\" user_id=\"60583:Dear ACTC,I can empathise your feeling. I have 3 DCs currently on IP route. DD1 got to appeal to get into one of the top girl school when she missed the COP by 1. After struggling for the first semester, she coped well and truly enjoyed the 4 years there before moving to Bishan to join the Y5. My DS2 was a completely different story, struggled through sec 1 and turned from cheerful boy to a depressed one. Had to cope with his school refusal which had never occur to me the medical field for school refusal comes under IMH. With medication he managed to pass his sec 2 and every year until now has to keep a watchful eye over his mental well being. Even though he is likely to pass his promo to Y5, still I am worried of the relapse and not sure if I should wean off his medication.mummyv\" post_id=\"1942408\" time=\"1571640533\" user_id=\"60584:It’s never an easy decision between Ip and O. I “sold” the ip choice to my dd years ago and regretted my choice. My thinking was oversimplified - without the o level pressure there will be more emphasis on holistic learning without the exam pressure. I was also aspirational, hoping DD will learn to be a self-motivated, independent learner. It was a mismatch of learning styles. I forgot the pressure she faced being in the top class in her primary school, her need to be constantly “taught” and monitored. The IP route was for her an ardous path with yearly promos turning into yearly mini “O” levels. The environment did not help, failing in IP means being “seen” as a failure. Going poly after IP year 4 another \"failure\" It was demoralising trying to keep up where the rest could do so effortlessly. It took much effort to keep conversations open, to support her decision to continue on the IP route when it was apparent the more structured O level route or poly route would have been better. It also took a lot of bolstering to shore up self confidence and to change the narrow view that IP is academically superior and the preferred pathway. The plus side is the IP culture where studying hard is a given and playing hard in their CCA is also a given. In the end, it’s the child’s personality and the parent’s resources that will be the differentiator in whichever path to take. No one path is better or worse and like all paths, no path should be set in stone. It’s a journey. Eventually all paths lead to Rome.
My DS3 had performed consistently well in primary school and entered the same school as DS2 with T-score of 26x. Never had I expected him to falter like his brother. Again with medication to manage his anxiety, he is doing ok but will show task avoidance behaviour when face with pressure. And his is not a unique case and according to him, about 15% of his classmates somehow face problem in some subjects including math which almost all of them had scored A* in PSLE. Some can cope with setback well, others will exhibit behaviours such as absenteeism, addiction to gadgets and games, and not submitting homework etc. For sec 2, the boys who are not coping well will be worried of moving to the structured IP class in sec 3 which is gearing for O level exam in sec 4.
My takeaway from the IP experience so far is for parents to know your child well. If there is hint that your child has anxiety, task avoidance issue and not self motivated, IP route is definitely not suitable. PSLE performance is also not an absolute predictor of how well your child will cope.
Thank u for sharing your story and experience. It shows us the real struggles / stress which some students are facing in IP / school...
I pray all is well for you and your kids. May God gives them strength in everything that they do and fill their hearts with His peace & joy.
