coolit:

Hi Chloe,


I found out from a friend about a science holiday program called Survivor- they teach science adaptation using mindmaps and bring kids to botanic gardens for hands-on activities. We have signed up as we got a discount as a group. It sounds interesting and the teacher explaining the teaching strategy to me seemed committed and knowledgeable. If you are keen, I could pm you the details.

Hi Coolit, can you pm me too? tks.

Wanted to share this article about gifted children from the Gifted Development Centre in the US.


http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/What_is_Gifted/learned.htm

I found it very helpful to my understanding. Some highlights:

\" ...Parents are excellent identifiers of giftedness in their children: 84% of 1,000 children whose parents felt that they exhibited 3/4 of the traits in our Characteristics of Giftedness Scale tested in the superior or gifted range...\"

\"... Giftedness can be observed in the first three years by rapid progression through the developmental milestones. These milestones should be documented and taken seriously as evidence of giftedness...\"

\"...Brothers and sisters are usually within five or ten points in measured ability. Parents' IQ scores are often within 10 points of their children's...\"

\"...Giftedness is not elitist. It cuts across all socio-economic, ethnic and national groups (Dickinson, 1970). In every culture, there are developmentally advanced children who have greater abstract reasoning and develop at a faster rate than their age peers. ..\"

jedamum:

cakhcakh:

I never let my child study more than 30mins… On average, a child concentrate 30-45mins, after that their mind turn to switch off mode. Let the child in something else for solid 5mins. That shld do the trick.

jusmum's child will be taking PSLE in 2010; she needs to learn to concentrate for more than 45min.

Got to start somewhere, and starting in baby steps is important otherwise the change is too great to absorb for the child, so you end up with nothing but frustration.

Either try to scale up gradually, or if you find your child's optimal concentration period is 30 mins (mine still is! Even in exams, I had to take a v short breather, but it gave me a boost to work quicker so I never had any time issues), take frequent breaks like cakhcakh says. 30mins of solid focus + 5 mins of break means 86% of the child's time is spent doing good quality, focused work.

Fairy:

tony:

Actually, you need to send/fax them an IQ test report from a psychologist for kids below 14. The cost is $$$ if it's at a private practice but a lot cheaper if done at KK or NIE. We have no personal experience as my son is not keen. A friend also told me they don't have many activities for those below 12 yos because they don't have that many members in that age group. There is a game Sunday (people get together to play games) every month.

I'm not aware that they accept such external test report. Is that a new rule?

Around 500+ JMs as apposed to less than 3000 Ms. I understand there is not enough volunteers to organise activities for the juniors.

There are regular networking sessions, more for adults.

Both my kids claimed the test was easy. They both took the test at separate times. I understand it involves patterns, no words.

Fairy, at the time, I did call them. This was about 2 years ago. They asked me to fax a copy of the psych report which I didn't have. Later, I found out from a friend whose son joined on this basis about the Game Sundays, and figured it wasn't very appealing for us, so I dropped the idea.

The lady at the end of the line told me that they did conduct tests for kids before, but they'd stopped for a while. Perhaps things have changed again? Yes do call if you're interested.

nani:

Hi


Not sure is correct to post here :roll: ...Anyone can share how many GEP classes are there in ACS (P) which classes are labled as GEP and which classes are their \"TOP\" class?

MTIA

Rushing off to another party now - DS2's. GEP classes - 2. Don't think they are differentiated but then again, I'm not very clued in.

MdmKS:

A friend of mine who has kid like that : lazy to read through out his primary school year but very good in Maths. He got thru the 1st round but not the 2nd round in his GEP selection test some years back. He then got into a top IP school through DSA Maths domain. If he were to depend on PSLE result he would miss the top school cos English no good T-score got dragged down. Now in the IP programme his is English has improved a lot thru the language art programme, forced to read now mah. So I think the DSA thingy is helpful for kid like this since the GEP selection benefit kids who are not just smart but also must be good in English.

:idea: I see what you're saying. There are two sides to the coin. At least this way, the kid is not disheartened because his strength is not overwhelmed by his weakness ...

2centsworthy:

I totally agree with all of you. At the end of p6, we are asked to give feedback. I put mine in a sealed... STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL envelope... all crossed to ensure none in my school would get to read it first...


I requested that MOE re-look into the screening. I highlighted the FACT that many of these kids are being tuitioned for ALL subjects right before being selected thru p4 to p6. If they go for one subject say Maths... fine .. afterall they were selected based on Maths, English and General Ability. BUT all subjects... my goodness! I am sure some of the kids who are not in the program, can't even afford tuition, and they are doing well enough and have a life.

Some of these kids are not confident, not articulated, not well read, does not like reading (which is a norm among truly gifted kids)...

Its so interesting that someone told me that MOE die die will not admit they are wrong. So they came out with DSA to help these kids who would not perform well in PSLE to get a foot in first. Does any one know how true this is?

I read somewhere in the blog someone said that last year's batch a kid got 220. In fact, in the beginning of the year when the Asst Director GE branch came to the school for the parents teacher meeting, she told us about it and also that he actually ranked 35 during time of screening. My friend in NUS High told me he is from St Hilda's. What is going on with our education system? Is it only based on getting into the elitist group... or once you are DSA-ed then don't bother... or whatever? The message from MOE GE during the meeting was that the child has to be responsible for his education... I think parents play an important part. It is not very important to be gifted or being TOP in the school or cohort but it is so very important to have character.... the right values.

Quite shocked and saddened by your revelations. It makes a mockery of the programme. But yes, my chief disagreement is with the lower cutoff for GEP kids via DSA. What are we teaching our kids? That it's alright not to work once you \"make it\" to some elitist group? I asked MOE and their reply was \"these kids CAN make it easily, but some won't\". If they won't then they shouldn't benefit, right? What better way to make them responsible for their education - by making them live the consequences of their true efforts?

Maybe if schools impose their individual cutoffs on all kids, then a lot of the reasons for training for GEP will disappear, and this national obsession will cool down...?

I thoroughly believe in differentiated instruction for gifted kids, but I just don't buy it that we have to reinforce this idea of elitism by giving them a discount to get into top schools!

cluelessmama:

Haha. My mine, she's the \"safe n sound\" type - as long as there's one question to be pondered upon, the paper will be labelled as \"difficult\". Most of her friends said tests were easy except my kid.

My son - I didn't take what he said about the tests too seriously cos to him, everything also easy and boring. Then results come out, sometimes different story lah :x . He's super careless. But the last 1 year, he's become more competitive, try to check his own work (sometimes!), so I'm quite glad to see him push himself.

Which is also why I'm so glad he got selected. At this age, still don't want to go to school at times cos he says school is boring, can learn more by reading at home yada yada. BTW, both my sons like that, so very \"vomit blood\" sometimes. If the programme can occupy him, or wowzers, make him eager to go to school, I tio beh pio (strike lottery) already!

cluelessmama:

After tests, especially 2nd round, kid came back very happy coz the English test was an enjoyment. In kid's own words :\" There are a few long passages for my reading pleasure, so fun!\" Then, kid went on to ask : \" Since I don't need to prepare for GEP tests, can I do the same for SA2?\" - I almost fainted! :shock:

:rotflmao:

Mine said very easy but boring. Anyway, he read a lot but his English is not so good, at least if you go by marks (if go by debating and coming out with smart aleck comments, surely among top in Singapore :shock: ). Math is good, so I thought 50-50 at best.

Only Chinese. Private tuition.