Hi all,

I agree with Fairy to a certain extent about genes…i’ve seen it at work in the kids on my husband’s side…all are superb in math and with no tuition and nearly all except one in the GEP prog and were in n’hood schools. My own two? One hates math and is strong in languages while the other’s like her cousins, math scientist but kinda wooden in languages. So, i’m pushing like mad for math to one and languages to the other and meeting resistance all the time.
I don’t think those brilliant students are really left on their own. Their parents do keep close communications with them.
I agree with Clare too, cos I see my own brother’s kid, who’s had no pressure at all from his engineer father and chartered accountant mum, just crossing borderline in P1.He’s quite the zombie. Now they are panicking and asking around for tuition cos both, I think, don’t know how to teach. I guess the key is practice and corrections and more practice. My nephew was too used to an idle life with the tv and toys all the time…so now is the painful rehabilitation process. He cries everytime his parents want to do work with him. I feel sorry for him but i guess that’s life in Singapore.
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Hi there, I'm a new member of Kiasu Parents. I chanced upon this site while searching for the latest PSLE results.

Anyway, about the IP programme, it is such that students are given tons of assignments to do. I guess the objective is that in doing the endess research. they will absorb and assimilate the information. It's all very independent and very similar to varsity style of writing thesis.
As in all schools and in my child's IP school, there are teachers who are good instructors and there are those who couldn't be bothered whether they are effective or not. The important thing is parents need to give feedback to the admin on their grouses or concerns.
I think in a unisex school, girls will face more social problems fitting in. A fair amount of bullying based on financial and racial status and physical appearances goes on all the time and are often vicious. This is where the form teachers come in to control and do counselling but very few do that now.
For the boys, it's a lot of alpha male aka cavemen behaviour as they try to out-ego one another through bragging. Bullying is likely physical but not as vicious. An ACS(I) boy in mainstream studies told me that the teachers sayang the IB boys and treat the mainstream ones as if they were morons. What it means i leave it to you to consider.
Oops, I have digressed abit...all in all, the IP programme is pretty heavy because it is accelerated learning and students are expected to continue to perform all the time.
Do go to schools and check out the school environment and see how the students (many of them are always around) behave.
Those who may want to appeal should be warned that some school interviewers are really harsh and it is common to find students coming out in tears. For the interviews, be prepared, confident and maybe alittle brash.