GEP Preparatory Program

[sunflower]

Kiasucy:

BeContented:

[quote=\"nansk\"]
True. I don't know much about the way these classes are conducted, but from all my online research, a GEP class seems like a wonderful place to learn. From what I've read, the teachers treat the students with respect; almost as peers, their opinions and ideas are sought for, listened to, valued, and discussed, and they are given ample opportunity to express themselves and demonstrate their learning through various media. And all this without the parent lifting a finger or paying a single extra cent. Which parent would not want such a rich learning environment for their child?

Sometimes the GEP kids are not really kids - They have the mind of ~14yo inside a ~11yo body. Sometimes they 'challenge' the parents/teachers & one will have to really reason out with them (not so easy to handle IMO). My friend's DD same age as my gal & when both are handling issues, you can really see the difference. All of a sudden, my gal seems like real kiddy. but I think more cute & easier to handle than 'little adults'.....anyway they will grow up soon, so I rather wait a bit.

Heard the GE classes are very noisy and some have discipline problem too, fight with teachers when being punished or just walk out of classroom, but then medal winners you know when comes to competition.[/quote]Haha…perhaps it’s better to “confine” these students in the GEP classes, rather than have them create mayhem and disturb all the “guai guai” students in mainstream.

[Moonsun55]

I am 1 of those who think GEP & IP schemes with their privileges are unfair, but I also won't bother to prep them for these otherwise I will put undue stress on them & bring up a toad in the well who only know how to study & nothing else. To prep for GEP, one has to start your kids early, heard friends start as young as K1, engaging those ex-GEP teachers to coach, & they are very effective indeed!. My kids will be going overseas for their U, I already set aside about half a million $ for each of my kid for their oversea U studies. I have the benefits of overseas U studies & I can see the tremendous benefits that come with such exposure.


P/S: talked to a friend just now & was told to set aside $800k per kid because of inflation.

nansk:

Nebbermind:

So are we talking about the kids (whether coachable or not), or the selection criteria?
Anyway, I think it's difficult to have absolute fair selection criteria. Take for example psle....

You keep changing the topic to PSLE, and I am talking about prep for the GEP selection test, and whether an applicant can guage&meet the selection criteria.
What I concluded from the blog post I linked to, is that it is possible to be coached and prepared for the selection test, in Eng, Maths and General Ability. This possibility of coaching, leading to success, means that the moneyed kids have an edge. The MoE maintains that the test is not coachable, but the facts prove otherwise.

That is what people have found and that is what they aim for when they plan GEP prep for their kids. And then, of course, when their kids (whom they see as deserving of a GEP spot) don't get in, they vent here that the selection criteria are not fair/transparent.

[Nebbermind]

Kiasucy:

Heard the GE classes are very noisy and some have discipline problem too, fight with teachers when being punished or just walk out of classroom, but then medal winners you know when comes to competition.

Believe discipline problem exist everywhere and not just gep. Jus that these kids are supposed to be the cream of the crop, that's why people judge them very differently.

[Nebbermind]

Moonsun55:

I am 1 of those who think GEP & IP schemes with their privileges are unfair, but I also won't bother to prep them for these otherwise I will put undue stress on them & bring up a toad in the well who only know how to study & nothing else. To prep for GEP, one has to start your kids early, heard friends start as young as K1, engaging those ex-GEP teachers to coach, & they are very effective indeed!. My kids will be going overseas for their U, I already set aside about half a million $ for each of my kid for their oversea U studies. I have the benefits of overseas U studies & I can see the tremendous benefits that come with such exposure.


P/S: talked to a friend just now & was told to set aside $800k per kid because of inflation.

I know of one better to do friend who have no plans to be drawn into the rat race. With that kind of money saved by not sending the kids for tuition, they can easily send them to international sch such as hc intl or acs intl where they believe the kid will be able to develop their potential.

[nansk]

Nebbermind:

Kiasucy:

Heard the GE classes are very noisy and some have discipline problem too, fight with teachers when being punished or just walk out of classroom, but then medal winners you know when comes to competition.

Believe discipline problem exist everywhere and not just gep. Jus that these kids are supposed to be the cream of the crop, that's why people judge them very differently.

So you don't agree that the GEP classes are given more of a free rein?
(Fwiw, I don't believe all 11 yo GEPpers are 14 yo in terms of maturity. I am sure the majority of them are just 11 yo kids, with perhaps above-average processing power.)

[Nebbermind]

nansk:

Nebbermind:

[quote=\"Kiasucy\"]
Heard the GE classes are very noisy and some have discipline problem too, fight with teachers when being punished or just walk out of classroom, but then medal winners you know when comes to competition.

Believe discipline problem exist everywhere and not just gep. Jus that these kids are supposed to be the cream of the crop, that's why people judge them very differently.

So you don't agree that the GEP classes are given more of a free rein?
(Fwiw, I don't believe all 11 yo GEPpers are 14 yo in terms of maturity. I am sure the majority of them are just 11 yo kids, with perhaps above-average processing power.)[/quote]not sure how is having a free rein related to having discipline problem.
:scratchhead:

[CayennePepper]

nansk:

Nebbermind:

[quote=\"Kiasucy\"]
Heard the GE classes are very noisy and some have discipline problem too, fight with teachers when being punished or just walk out of classroom, but then medal winners you know when comes to competition.

Believe discipline problem exist everywhere and not just gep. Jus that these kids are supposed to be the cream of the crop, that's why people judge them very differently.

So you don't agree that the GEP classes are given more of a free rein?
(Fwiw, I don't believe all 11 yo GEPpers are 14 yo in terms of maturity. I am sure the majority of them are just 11 yo kids, with perhaps above-average processing power.)[/quote]I don't know about other classes, but my ds's teachers seem to be quite strict. They spent a good deal of time talking about class rules!

[nansk]

Nebbermind:

nansk:

[quote=\"Nebbermind\"]
quote by \"Kiasucy\":
Heard the GE classes are very noisy and some have discipline problem too, fight with teachers when being punished or just walk out of classroom
Believe discipline problem exist everywhere and not just gep.

So you don't agree that the GEP classes are given more of a free rein?
(Fwiw, I don't believe all 11 yo GEPpers are 14 yo in terms of maturity. I am sure the majority of them are just 11 yo kids, with perhaps above-average processing power.)

not sure how is having a free rein related to having discipline problem.
:scratchhead:[/quote]What I meant is that, from what I have heard, GEP teachers tolerate and/or encourage their students to speak up more, express themselves freely, move about in the classroom, etc. These activities typically will generate more noise than traditional, sit-down-and-listen-to-lecture classrooms will.
But of course, re-reading Kiasucy's post, I cannot imagine any mainstream class teacher allowing students to 'fight' or 'walk out of the classroom'. I meant that I suppose the GEPpers have more freedom of expression.

[sunflower]

nansk:

What I meant is that, from what I have heard, GEP teachers tolerate and/or encourage their students to speak up more, express themselves freely, move about in the classroom, etc. These activities typically will generate more noise than traditional, sit-down-and-listen-to-lecture classrooms will.

But of course, re-reading Kiasucy's post, I cannot imagine any mainstream class teacher allowing students to 'fight' or 'walk out of the classroom'. I meant that I suppose the GEPpers have more freedom of expression.

Err…free rein also needs the right kind of students to participate. Sometimes in a mainstream classroom, teacher asks questions but get no response from students! Everyone just stares at the teacher, either not knowing the answer, too shy/scared to answer or expecting teacher to dish out answers. How to have lively discussions like that?

[Just relax]

Yes from my discussion with GEPper parents the kids tend to be able to express an opinion and most are not shy. The GEPpers have different strengths but the majority appear to be good in Maths. A fair bit are usually good in Science and/or English but MT seems to be a difficult hurdle for quite a few.


So the GEPpers tend to be capable of speaking out.