In today’s world, all the kids carry some sort of devices, tablets, smart phones, wii, nintendo…mobile devices. Most times they are brainwashed into becoming zombies. Playing games, games, games…


In SST and in some schools, they have managed to change the "world" for their Students, instead of these devices becoming devices of ENTERTAINMENT, it becomes a LEARNING DEVICE.

This is A HUGE difference. Is your PC at home for gaming or for learning? For working? Or for business?

SST LDs are not only for class learning, they have to do a lot of stuff that we do in the boardroom today. Presentations, blogging, discussions, audio and visual.

The kids at RV, SST…etc now view their devices differently which will play well for their future as they differentiate themselves from the zombies in the trains, restaurants I see today playing all those games and watching all those korean dramas.

Kids as young as 2 years old watching iPad movies while their parents eat!?!

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This is the FAILURE of Singaporean society now, your child fails and you blame the school. Your car doesn’t start, you blame the car maker, you are late and stuck in peak hour jam, you blame the government.

The failure of the school would be seen during the O’levels results. Not, the preliminary. If you have friends in top JCs, while I was in second tier. Many of them scored pretty badly, but end up with 4As distinctions…this is a norm in their schools.

I am concerned with how FAR my DS can be pushed. I want him to be pushed to his limits, to know that there are things way beyond his capabilities. If that can make him explore the unknowns and NOT fear difficult problems then I think SST has achieved what I hope for my son.

I don’t want my son to score As for his school exams and then become mediocre members of society. I want him to do badly in school exams, BUT score distinctions in National exams and then always think to himself "I am not really that good, there are so much I don’t know…"

Instead of the "normal" Singaporean who do well in School, and then score As for O, A levels, ok for NUS and then come out to be a zombie of Singapore. Because they think they know it all.

kwcllf:

This may be true. They are very hands on in their approach.


But academically, it seems their students are not very well-prepared. Heard that they have may temporary teachers seconded from MOE, which further exacerbate their problems.

My wife's colleague said when she went for her daughter's meet-the-teacher session last year, she was told that IF her daughter worked hard, MAYBE can get into St Andrew's JC......that is a big IF and MAYBE.

Also, every students there uses a laptop (compulsory). My wife colleague said she and her husband don't know whether she is doing homework or play computer games or in social media.

This is giving them a big headache.

I am not saying all students are like that, but the potential problem is there, especially when the school wants to be so tech-savvy and homework, etc given via online.

I wonder if my son is attending the same school!?!

The vp is still the same. My son now wants to be an engineer and has his sights on NTU.

They do spot checks on their laptops, has good relationship with parents.

Maybe your wife friend doesn't want you or your wife to feel dejected. Parents are kiasu, they won't want to tell u good stuff.

I won't say much here, but I have only good things to say about sst.

kwcllf:

lurline:

Hi, any feedback/ update from the parents of SST students?


ds is interested to try DSA for this school but this school is too far from our place and have to do O' levels.

How are the students doing so far? The first batch of Students taking O'level is next year right?

Think the first batch takes 'O' Levels this year.

But I heard the school in dire need to buck up. Seemed like many of them ill-prepared for the exam. My wife's colleague has a daugther there. Her report book, in the words of her mother \"a sea of red\".

Heard also many problems in the school from other sources. A blessing in disguise my DS did not manage to get in via DSA last year.

My son is in sst first year and he is enjoying his time there. I don't see how a child with red marks is the school's fault.

Their tests are tough, and they also cover o levels questions in year one.

Why need to buck up? What measures r u using?

JRLam:

Hi,


Is there any parent here whose child got into SST via appeal post PSLE results?

Or anyone who has heard of such cases?

My DS passed the 1st round of DSA interview but didn't for the 2nd round. Now with PSLE result at 240+, I am wondering if he stands a chance via the appeal route?

Any advice on how to go about doing it?

Thanks alot for any advice.

http://www.sst.edu.sg/blog/news/post-psle-applications-2012/

Hope this helps

I attended the session for the Parents meeting and my DS trial class today.


It was a disturbing day at the Parents’ Q&A session. I realised that it isn’t the government that is pressurizing our kids but it is the parents that are doing the "good job".

I have a very good overall impression of the school, the VP and the Principal.

I realised that a lot of parents are not interested in having the best interest of their children at heart but rather the "pride" of the COP scores of a school.

I believe some parents believe that their kids wearing the "branded" badge is akin to them wearing it themselves. Unless a parent is an Alumni, I wonder if the pressure to put the kid to a "branded" school is some sort narcissistic adventure.

Btw ds applied for sst on his own. Filled out the online forms on his own. He only asked me to make payment.

iDad_123:

Why am I not surprised that there would be a response couched in that tone?

A strongly worded post invites a strongly worded response. :evil:

We are all concern about our kids, that's understandable. You have to be prepared for your DD to be fully immersed in a culture geared towards cultivating engineers with an entrepreneurial mindset.

A person who will have to crack his brain and roll up his sleeves. No future doctor, lawyer or banker considerations (could be but ...), is that what you want for your child? :?

I wouldn't choose SST for my younger child as he is totally different from his elder brother. So I would say the character of the child is important.

I also understand that kids may be too young to be so geared towards such a specialised school, so, I would trust my son's young mind to decide for himself. After all, he has done quite well so far and like your daughter he said that he felt \"at home\" in SST with like minded individuals during the selection activity.

Cheers mate!

Dear iDad,


I am sure there will be many on WL that will hope you reject the CO and afford a chance to others that wants a place in SST.

1. SST is like a "no choice" choice for you to get into a "branded" school. But this could be a real choice for your DD. You should not prejudice the school just because it would never be a choice for your DD if she was smart enough for RGS, NUSH…

2. SST is sterile - What did you expect it to be? It is school focused on science and technology! Maybe you expected a poly / JC type premise? They have only 600 students and at 1 time, only at most 800 students per cohort, it is a very small school focused on very specific interests.

4. SST is not holistic. Well, take a look at the school’s name "School of Science and Technology". Quite self explanatory?

Look, getting the top grades is easy to do. Lots of drills, lots of tuition, lots of goading. Being an intelligent person is different.

Einstein, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and many more had not much formal education and yet their inventions changed the course of the world.

It is a different thing comparing a person with a Computing degree and someone who actually comes up with a useful software solution even without having a degree in Computing.

Which sort of engineers do Singapore want? Many academics who are getting engineering degrees and end up working in banks? Or the real passionate engineers who would join A*Star, AMD, Apple, Intel, Oracle…to build a better technological future for everyone?

You won’t go to a Japanese restaurant and want a French cuisine, and therefore, you shouldn’t expect SST to be something you want.

Based on your criteria, any neighbourhood school would fulfill your requirement.

Dior:

My DS also did not made it, not even WL.. :sad: he was quite confident as he was the most participative one in his group during the selection and handled the 'project' well. So sad to see him disappointed...


Well, I told him work really hard now for good PSLE result so that he has more choices of school to chose from.

:congrats: to those who made it and all the best!

Jia you! PSLE is the most critical!

keltong:

My boy didn't make it...hope it does not affect his focus on PSLE. Bought a science gadget to help distract him. All the best to the rest who are still waiting.

There is another chance for Sec 3 entrance! Ask your boy to keep his spirits up and try his best for his PSLE, he may get into the other top schools if he does well!