All About GEP

[ChiefKiasu]

...May I should we help to revise GEP's subjects.

ok to leave them alone?

Hi millan, how to help them revise when you don't even know what kind of questions they will be asking? And if you do the extra bit by signing your kid up for the many GEP preparatory classes out there, ask yourself if you are really helping your child hone his gifted abilities, or if you doing it because you think it is good for him to be in the GEP.

Most Singaporean parents are educated enough to know if their kids are really gifted in languages and math. If we think our child is gifted and sign him/her up for the preparatory classes, would we not be wasting our money since they should be able to do well themselves in the tests? If we think our child is bright but not gifted, why would we be trying to get him/her into a program for gifted children?

That's why, to me, preparing a child for GEP doesn't make any sense at all.

[millan]

...May I should we help to revise GEP's subjects.

ok to leave them alone?

Hi millan, how to help them revise when you don't even know what kind of questions they will be asking? And if you do the extra bit by signing your kid up for the many GEP preparatory classes out there, ask yourself if you are really helping your child hone his gifted abilities, or if you doing it because you think it is good for him to be in the GEP.

Most Singaporean parents are educated enough to know if their kids are really gifted in languages and math. If we think our child is gifted and sign him/her up for the preparatory classes, would we not be wasting our money since they should be able to do well themselves in the tests? If we think our child is bright but not gifted, why would we be trying to get him/her into a program for gifted children?

That's why, to me, preparing a child for GEP doesn't make any sense at all.

Hi,

It is true that I really dun know what they are tested, which is why I'm not sure what to do with him. I am educated but i really yet to see how he is so called gifted. So far, he seems ok with his work and is happy abt the curriculum, tho there are times he is stuck and that is when we step in to help.

My colleague, whose son is alo GEP, advised me to buy P5 assessment book for him,which I am not sure if this is ok, as his syllabus is kind of weird kind.

I dun believe in training to enter GEP but looking on more of how to help them. you can be gifted, in chinese saying, genius can be born (xian tian) but they need to hou tian....

I would be glad that I can just leave him alone. I'm am just concerned that I am not doing my part as a parent to help him..

t

[ChiefKiasu]

... I am educated but i really yet to see how he is so called gifted. So far, he seems ok with his work and is happy abt the curriculum, tho there are times he is stuck and that is when we step in to help...

Actually, my post is not meant as criticism to your request, but really an answer to your question of how to help your child revise for GEP. Assuming that is your objective, the most logical answer is to sign your child up with the "professionals" who have, no doubt, a deep understanding of GEP questions and kids who are bright enough can definitely be trained to be exam smart. I have also no doubt that a number of kids currently in GEP have gone through some of these courses. I then tried to explain why going this route doesn't make a lot of sense, and why leaving your child alone is the best approach.

If you wish, a quick way of testing whether your kid is gifted or not is to go to Popular bookstore and buy one of those Math Olympiad test books for P4 and see if your kid has any problems answering them. If he/she can do so without much help from you, then he is pretty much there.

[millan]

... I am educated but i really yet to see how he is so called gifted. So far, he seems ok with his work and is happy abt the curriculum, tho there are times he is stuck and that is when we step in to help...

Actually, my post is not meant as criticism to your request, but really an answer to your question of how to help your child revise for GEP. Assuming that is your objective, the most logical answer is to sign your child up with the "professionals" who have, no doubt, a deep understanding of GEP questions and kids who are bright enough can definitely be trained to be exam smart. I have also no doubt that a number of kids currently in GEP have gone through some of these courses. I then tried to explain why going this route doesn't make a lot of sense, and why leaving your child alone is the best approach.

If you wish, a quick way of testing whether your kid is gifted or not is to go to Popular bookstore and buy one of those Math Olympiad test books for P4 and see if your kid has any problems answering them. If he/she can do so without much help from you, then he is pretty much there.

Hi,

I dun take it as a criticism.. This is a discussion and trying to gather experiences.

Oh can test like that?

ok thks..

[cluelessmom]

Hi Milan,

Think there's a bit of confusion here.... or maybe I m the one who's confused.... The question is whether he shld get more help now tat he is already in GEP and not whether he shld get help to get into GEP rt?

[ChiefKiasu]

Hi Milan,

Think there's a bit of confusion here.... or maybe I m the one who's confused.... The question is whether he shld get more help now tat he is already in GEP and not whether he shld get help to get into GEP rt?

Good point, cluelessmom... guess I might be really clueless today. I had assumed it was the latter case. millan, can you clarify?

[millan]

Hi Milan,

Think there's a bit of confusion here.... or maybe I m the one who's confused.... The question is whether he shld get more help now tat he is already in GEP and not whether he shld get help to get into GEP rt?

Good point, cluelessmom... guess I might be really clueless today. I had assumed it was the latter case. millan, can you clarify?

Yah, he is in already... he he he ,sorry, that I dun sound clear, no wonder Chief Kiasu is so 'negative' abt being trained to get into GEP. Me too, I dun advocate to be trained to get in, it might do harm to the kid.

thks , cluseless mom, u actually got lots of clue.. ha ha ha

[naggo-nitemare]

Hi Millan. I too face the same situation as u. My son is now in P5 GEP. For english, I find the P6 justenglish clinic series assessment books 6a n 6b useful as warm-ups for any sort of upcoming tests n to keep in tune with next year's PSLE format. He'll do a couple of pages here n there each week, if he finds the time. I help by reminding him of his deadlines for reviews, write-ups, drafts, also get bks tt are on the reading lists.

For math, nothing much we can do too. But i came across this bk Maths Olympiad (advanced) published by SAP. He enjoys solving the problems n the topics are v in-line with GEP curriculum. Go check it out at Popular bkstore.

As the science topics are not taught in the same sequence, I buy the p6 science assessment bks that go by topics so tt nearing test dates, he can do some warm-up. But i think the reading material given to him by the sch n experiments conducted during the classes are gd enough, provided he pays full attention n puts in his best for daily work n projects.

Ultimately, just like in the mainstream, attitude towards daily hmwk n projects is the key. Corrections must be done properly. Then we pray like mad tt our kids have these 4 ingredients till they graduate : Discipline, motivation, passion, perseverance.

[Rosie]

Hi Milan, I have the same sentiment as you. Still yet to discover the giftedness in my daughter whose in P4. She does not excel in English and the subject she dislikes most is Maths. Her favourite pastime is watching TV (OTTO). Just can't understand how she cleared all those test and got into GEP. She's also pretty weak in Chinese.
During the GEP briefing, parents were told to believe in their kids ability hence I've been taking quite a laid-back approach to her studies. Occasionally, I'll help in printing/cutting some pictures for her school projects and her daddy will help him in Math when requested. According to my hubby, some of the questions were really tough.
Just yesterday, she needed help for her maths and she mentioned to daddy that teacher told the class what they are covering were supposedly P5 syllabus. I was quite puzzled and disturbed by it cos' my understanding of the programme is that it is not one of accerlerated learning (learning in advance), but one that provides students with opportunities to explore their current (P4) syllabus with more depth. Perhaps the latter (indepth learning) can only be achieved with the former (learning in advance) in place.
Milan, if this is the case, perhaps P5 assessment books may help your son. But given the tonnes of work these students are tasked to do, I just can't bring myself to load my girl with more work (she still needs her TV and play time).

[millan]

Hi Milan, I have the same sentiment as you. Still yet to discover the giftedness in my daughter whose in P4. She does not excel in English and the subject she dislikes most is Maths. Her favourite pastime is watching TV (OTTO). Just can't understand how she cleared all those test and got into GEP. She's also pretty weak in Chinese.
During the GEP briefing, parents were told to believe in their kids ability hence I've been taking quite a laid-back approach to her studies. Occasionally, I'll help in printing/cutting some pictures for her school projects and her daddy will help him in Math when requested. According to my hubby, some of the questions were really tough.
Just yesterday, she needed help for her maths and she mentioned to daddy that teacher told the class what they are covering were supposedly P5 syllabus. I was quite puzzled and disturbed by it cos' my understanding of the programme is that it is not one of accerlerated learning (learning in advance), but one that provides students with opportunities to explore their current (P4) syllabus with more depth. Perhaps the latter (indepth learning) can only be achieved with the former (learning in advance) in place.
Milan, if this is the case, perhaps P5 assessment books may help your son. But given the tonnes of work these students are tasked to do, I just can't bring myself to load my girl with more work (she still needs her TV and play time).

Hi Rosie,

Your girl also went in this yr? I did not closely monitor my son, we step in when he is stuck. His syllabus actually does not look like P5, the angle is very different , more like analytical and thinking. They learn Roman numbering and 'Manyan' which I dun see how it help them. Really out of the box kind. We really dun figure out what is it (Manyan) but he can see it leh. Very funny. So far his work load seems ok, not heavy, just than hours is longer.

When he was selected, we actually ask ourselves: is selection correct anot,?cos we never thot he will be , it is just for his experience. We actually have more faith in his elder brother but he did not get in.

Maybe we shld tell ourselves: the experts have chosen them, so we shld have faith in them. I guess as parents, we would always want to help them in every possible way. Do keep in touch, such that we cld help to look see look see you working?