Express or Normal stream
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EN:
The criteria has changed. It's now EMB3 -> English, Maths & best 3 subject must be lesser or equal to 19 to qualify for S5 (take 'O' levels).Can I know is it difficult for normal student after N level, to be promoted to sec 5 and proceed to sit for O level?
What's the criteria?
It's best for the child to work hard & try to get a lateral transfer in S1/S2.
For this year, my school has 10 students who were offered to transfer from S2NA to S3E next year. Out of 77 students. For S1NA to S2E, I think there's 12 of them being offered to transfer. This is out of 81 students. -
atutor2001, mrswongtuition, thanks for the valuable information.
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EN:
Thank schellen. I'm helping out my sister as my niece is waiting for her PSLE result. This aunty got to help out to weigh pros and cons of selecting which school. So will be looking through the secondary school section forum prematurely.
Hi EN
If your niece can qualify for Express please do not hesitate to opt for it. Don't bother too much about the school. The environment in most Normal stream classes just doesn't permit a kid to study even if he/she wants to.
Regards -
atutor2001:
FYI, if the child is in express stream but a 'lousy' class, the studying environment is equally bad. Serious.EN:
Thank schellen. I'm helping out my sister as my niece is waiting for her PSLE result. This aunty got to help out to weigh pros and cons of selecting which school. So will be looking through the secondary school section forum prematurely.
Hi EN
If your niece can qualify for Express please do not hesitate to opt for it. Don't bother too much about the school. The environment in most Normal stream classes just doesn't permit a kid to study even if he/she wants to.
Regards
BUT, once in express, as long as family support is there & the child is willing to work hard, don't have to worry much about the quality of the school. -
atutor2001
The environment of normal class is that bad??
St. Margaret’s, Bukit Panjang Govt High, Fairfield Methodist etc all have normal class.
For those 188 to 198, they can choose these schools as opposed to eg Kent Ridge Express class.
Don’t you think the former is better?
mrswongtuition, what is your take? -
caroline3sg:
Personally I only know 3 stories which is enough to frighten me :atutor2001
The environment of normal class is that bad??
St. Margaret's, Bukit Panjang Govt High, Fairfield Methodist etc all have normal class.
For those 188 to 198, they can choose these schools as opposed to eg Kent Ridge Express class.
Don't you think the former is better?
mrswongtuition, what is your take?
1. A very intelligent boy went to St And. Normal - end up in Boys Home in Sec 2
2. A Girl got into trouble in school and parents help to change school. The old schoolmates went to her new school to beat her up in full view of her new classmates.
3. Boy who wanted to study couldn't hear what the (male) teacher was explaining because the others behind were playing cards - I don't blame the teacher, if you ever meet these boys you will understand his predicament.
What we have seen on TV show has happened somewhere in real life. That is why I salute those teachers who teach Normal classes. It takes great love to tolerate these kids.
Regards -
mrswongtuition:
I was in a comparatively lousy express class. True, the environment wasn't conducive for learning. My classmates played one practical joke on a teacher and we were condemned as 'the class that plays practical jokes on teachers' since the class was already identified as 'naughty' and 'does not want to study' by most teachers.FYI, if the child is in express stream but a 'lousy' class, the studying environment is equally bad. Serious.
BUT, once in express, as long as family support is there & the child is willing to work hard, don't have to worry much about the quality of the school.
What I've benefitted from the stream was that it exposed me to the content that's appropriate for O levels for those 4 years. I didn't feel the need to do a big jump to adjust myself to the O level content.
I agree that a supportive family and the attitude to learn is more important when you're in an express class, even if the class is a lousy express class. I remember failing my Maths constantly in Sec 4. That very morning before I went for my Maths paper, my elder sister, out of the blue, quickly taught me how to answer a few popular Maths questions and thank God they all came out. And I managed to scrape through with a pass.
In normal stream, even if you want to study hard, the odds are against you. Your classmates are more likely to not want to study and the pace is much slower. There is a need to do a huge jump at the O level year in terms of content, which I think is not appropriate since it's a crucial year and everything is going at an accelerated pace.
I'm not sure how true this is, but my husband said that Bt Panjang's normal stream is doing express classes' work becos they are capable of that. And the school wants to prepare them for O levels as early as possible, altho they still take the 5-yr route to O levels. That doesn't sound logical to me tho. If they are really so good, then make them do O levels at the 4th year lah. Do the same thing as express but do for one more year, wouldn't that make them very very good? Then all of them should be able to qualify for good JCs.
If it's my own kids, I'll still ask them to choose express, regardless of the school quality. -
Caroline, if I’m a parent making that choice, I’ll choose a neighbourhood school & get into Express.
If I’m a teacher making that choice, I’ll still make the same choice.
Have you seen NA classes? Even from ‘good’ schools, you’ll shake your head & wonder ‘WHY DO THEY BEHAVE LIKE THIS!?’. I previously taught in an autonomous school, taught kids with wide range of PSLE T-scores from 100 - 270. During MTP, the parents will tell you how angelic their kids are at home! & when you describe in detail what their kid is doing in school, you’ll see alot of faces turn RED with embarrassment or worse, turn BLACK (& some will start scolding their kids).
Atutor, I previously thought that it’ll be a miracle to be able to tolerate those kids. But from real life experience, they are not brainy but they are full of heart. They’re your ‘kampung kids’ who are caring (though sometimes quite rough) and friendly (though they can get quite vulgar). They don’t bear grudges like more intelligent kids. They seldom think of revenge or are resentful (those that are usually come from a complicated family). Although teaching them academically is very draining, it’s very rewarding when they come to you at the end of the day to say ‘Thank you’. Their results may not be perfect, but you know that their appreciation really comes from their heart.
I love interacting with them and getting to help them non-academically. Counselling them, chatting about career options, listening to their frustrations, sharing jokes, etc. What they really need is someone who can listen to them sincerely. Usually once they ‘let go’ what they need to say, they start to pick up academically. -
mrswongtuition:
Hi mrswongtuition
Atutor, I previously thought that it'll be a miracle to be able to tolerate those kids. But from real life experience, they are not brainy but they are full of heart. They're your 'kampung kids' who are caring (though sometimes quite rough) and friendly (though they can get quite vulgar). They don't bear grudges like more intelligent kids. They seldom think of revenge or are resentful (those that are usually come from a complicated family). Although teaching them academically is very draining, it's very rewarding when they come to you at the end of the day to say 'Thank you'. Their results may not be perfect, but you know that their appreciation really comes from their heart.
I love interacting with them and getting to help them non-academically. Counselling them, chatting about career options, listening to their frustrations, sharing jokes, etc. What they really need is someone who can listen to them sincerely. Usually once they 'let go' what they need to say, they start to pick up academically.
I fully agree with you that these kids can become angelic when we gain their trust. Great to know that there are caring teachers like you. Cheers! :celebrate: :celebrate: :celebrate: -
mrswongtuition:
Well said mrswongtuition. The normal kids were my friends outside of school. Yes, very caring, can be rough, friendly and vulgar. Another thing is there's no hypocrisy among them. They don't like you, they tell you off right on the face. No back stabbing, no bad mouthing.Atutor, I previously thought that it'll be a miracle to be able to tolerate those kids. But from real life experience, they are not brainy but they are full of heart. They're your 'kampung kids' who are caring (though sometimes quite rough) and friendly (though they can get quite vulgar). They don't bear grudges like more intelligent kids. They seldom think of revenge or are resentful (those that are usually come from a complicated family). Although teaching them academically is very draining, it's very rewarding when they come to you at the end of the day to say 'Thank you'. Their results may not be perfect, but you know that their appreciation really comes from their heart.
I love interacting with them and getting to help them non-academically. Counselling them, chatting about career options, listening to their frustrations, sharing jokes, etc. What they really need is someone who can listen to them sincerely. Usually once they 'let go' what they need to say, they start to pick up academically.
I agree too. If my niece is given a choice, she better be in express stream. A serious normal stream student is hard to come by.
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