All the best to parents of PSLE candidates

[Sosaria]

2 hours ago, firefly20 said:

I tot converting from T-score to AL is better as the brackets are wider so parents don’t need to fret over every mark. 
 

Many kids got good PSLE scores aided by tuitions (including mine) and as I look back, I’m not sure how much of this is truly meritocratic. 

When there is no T-score, all kinds of external extras will be brought in to differentiate the students. That means even more weightage on CCAs and other achievements that inevitably mean the lower SES kids will be further disadvantaged. Excelling in CCA needs training and training classes need money. Pay for coach, equipment etc.

At least in a meritocratic academic system, all a kid has to do is either be intelligent or study hard. No swim class, ballet class or music lesson matters. Purely exam based.

Back in the 80s it was common to see some kids from blue-collar family background, with parents that only speak dialect or mother tongue, still make it to brand-name sec school and JC based on performance in national exams.

Nowadays this is rare.

Edited September 6, 2020 by Sosaria

[Chongster]

28 minutes ago, Sosaria said:

When there is no T-score, all kinds of external extras will be brought in to differentiate the students. That means even more weightage on CCAs and other achievements that inevitably mean the lower SES kids will be further disadvantaged. Excelling in CCA needs training and training classes need money. Pay for coach, equipment etc.

At least in a meritocratic academic system, all a kid has to do is either be intelligent or study hard. No swim class, ballet class or music lesson matters. Purely exam based.

Back in the 80s it was common to see some kids from blue-collar family background, with parents that only speak dialect or mother tongue, still make it to brand-name sec school and JC based on performance in national exams.

Nowadays this is rare.

i thought it will be tikam based.  no T-score, and if 2 students have the same grades are opting for the same school, it is down to a computer generated draw.  DSA will still be there ,but presumably is for a minority of truly talented student.  Like must really national swimmer level, not Swimsafer Gold then can DSA in.

I do think defining merit more than academic results and  no T-score is the right direction of travel and will put a broader base of students in each school, but OYK really should stay around to see it through. now you change the top guy again, god knows how he looks at these things.

 

 

[Wind30]

9 hours ago, Sosaria said:

When there is no T-score, all kinds of external extras will be brought in to differentiate the students. That means even more weightage on CCAs and other achievements that inevitably mean the lower SES kids will be further disadvantaged. Excelling in CCA needs training and training classes need money. Pay for coach, equipment etc.

At least in a meritocratic academic system, all a kid has to do is either be intelligent or study hard. No swim class, ballet class or music lesson matters. Purely exam based.

Back in the 80s it was common to see some kids from blue-collar family background, with parents that only speak dialect or mother tongue, still make it to brand-name sec school and JC based on performance in national exams.

Nowadays this is rare.

I am against the no T-score thing and also against DSA. Just keep it to one EXAM PSLE... 

DSA, CCA is heavily biased for the well to do...

now the competition is much tougher than it was in the 80s... 

I always wondered if I can tutor a poor family kid and get the kid into GEP... 

[Wind30]

10 hours ago, firefly20 said:

Sci is always the tricky one - need to answer correctly based on the narrow PSLE definition of keywords and all. 
 

TLL eng is good if one is attuned to the learning (re academically-inclined enough to understand the lessons as they are pitched at the top tier). This is true even for sec sch level as I’ve a relative studying there.  
 

Heard it’s hard luck for those in GEP nowadays. In the past, it was much easier for this group of students to DSA into their choice school. Nowadays that’s no longer the case. One good thing to come out of this is that kids will now only join this prg for the learning opportunities and not for the DSA benefits. 

All the best to her PSLE. Any good DSA outcomes?

DSA results are not out yet... but I doubt she will do well as she got not much "extra" stuff. We just try for RGS and Nayang Girls. Thinking if we should try for St Nicks but I doubt we will accept even if offered.

During my time, GEP is direct entry to RI...

Nowadays, GEP is just 3 years... it is much less of a deal. The only good thing is to study with other "GEP" kids. That is the point of trying to get to RGS. 

 

[Unfazed]

Tuition to help one to pass ok.

But tuition to get into GEP means one is not so gifted already.

[firefly20]

On 9/6/2020 at 11:47 PM, Sosaria said:

When there is no T-score, all kinds of external extras will be brought in to differentiate the students. That means even more weightage on CCAs and other achievements that inevitably mean the lower SES kids will be further disadvantaged. Excelling in CCA needs training and training classes need money. Pay for coach, equipment etc.

At least in a meritocratic academic system, all a kid has to do is either be intelligent or study hard. No swim class, ballet class or music lesson matters. Purely exam based.

Back in the 80s it was common to see some kids from blue-collar family background, with parents that only speak dialect or mother tongue, still make it to brand-name sec school and JC based on performance in national exams.

Nowadays this is rare.

For your 1st para, I think you are talking about DSA. As far as I know, DSA is the same now and for next year when AL replaces T-score. But I agree with you that DSA (especially for the popular sch) is skewed towards those well-heeled.  Imagine using golf, table tennis or swimming for DSA, w/o hiring external coaches, it’s highly challenging for successful DSA to popular schools. 
 

I understand the aim of replacing T-score with AL is to encourage the spread of top students across a band of sch instead of congregating within a few sch. Mabbe it’s not such a bad thing in the long run. Will need to see how this pans out. 

[firefly20]

On 9/7/2020 at 12:28 AM, Chongster said:

i thought it will be tikam based.  no T-score, and if 2 students have the same grades are opting for the same school, it is down to a computer generated draw.  DSA will still be there ,but presumably is for a minority of truly talented student.  Like must really national swimmer level, not Swimsafer Gold then can DSA in.

I do think defining merit more than academic results and  no T-score is the right direction of travel and will put a broader base of students in each school, but OYK really should stay around to see it through. now you change the top guy again, god knows how he looks at these things.

 

 

I agree with you. Just that there’s something magically about that 3-digit number.  Lol

[firefly20]

On 9/7/2020 at 9:16 AM, Wind30 said:

I am against the no T-score thing and also against DSA. Just keep it to one EXAM PSLE... 

DSA, CCA is heavily biased for the well to do...

now the competition is much tougher than it was in the 80s... 

I always wondered if I can tutor a poor family kid and get the kid into GEP... 

By and large, with the capping of DSA advantages for GEP students, ‘coaching’ a kid to get into GEP where he might struggle to cope with the fast pace environment would really be counter-productive. 
 

Furthermore what I understood from friends with GEP kids is that the primary focus isn’t 100% on PSLE prep. Later on if a kid ‘forced‘ into GEP couldn’t cope well in the curriculum, and then do mediocrely for PSLE, it’ll really be a double whammy. 

[Mason016]

Wow! Another year, another cohort. All the best for the kids taking the writen exam in October!! 

[firefly20]

On 9/7/2020 at 9:21 AM, Wind30 said:

DSA results are not out yet... but I doubt she will do well as she got not much "extra" stuff. We just try for RGS and Nayang Girls. Thinking if we should try for St Nicks but I doubt we will accept even if offered.

During my time, GEP is direct entry to RI...

Nowadays, GEP is just 3 years... it is much less of a deal. The only good thing is to study with other "GEP" kids. That is the point of trying to get to RGS. 

 

From what I understand,  HCI/NYGH still have specific classes where they group GEP students who high scoring PSLE students. 
 

RI & RGS used the have the same arrangement, but they now just spread the GEP students among the classes. 

[chronicvroom]

Cold Sweat for the kids. Parents jiayou!

[Wind30]

Failed on Dsa... most her friends in Gep succeeded though but they had impressive portfolio like school debate team, president of cca. My kid got nothing, just brownie member and oratorical club member. 
I think cca performance is very important in Dsa

Edited September 8, 2020 by Wind30

[Sosaria]

11 hours ago, firefly20 said:

 

Furthermore what I understood from friends with GEP kids is that the primary focus isn’t 100% on PSLE prep. Later on if a kid ‘forced‘ into GEP couldn’t cope well in the curriculum, and then do mediocrely for PSLE, it’ll really be a double whammy. 

Correct. The GEP syllabus in P4 and P5 is meant to stretch the students. Even up to early part of P6. The GEP students only hunker down to drill for PSLE a few months of P6.

Considered fast learners, and it would really "kill" them with boredom if they had to "drill" with PSLE questions starting from P4, then P5

Although I somewhat disagree. The type of questions asked in PSLE is different style from GEP, and no matter what, the GEP students must still get used to the format. Cannot be overconfident.

[Weez911]

My son is very good at creating Youtube videos. Can he qualify for DSA/IP? 

Does father's HCI alumni help in the son's application for DSA/IP into HCI?

Paiseh for the noob question - my son is P6 next year. He is not GEP, but he is top 3-5 in his level. Top in English and Science in P2, P3, and P4. Prefect. Weak in chinese though but still manage to get into higher chinese. No CCA. His biggest hobby is spending time playing Roblox, watching TikTok and YT, and messaging on Discord. iPad is his best friend.

Edited September 9, 2020 by Weez911

[Roh96]

5 hours ago, Wind30 said:

Failed on Dsa... most her friends in Gep succeeded though but they had impressive portfolio like school debate team, president of cca. My kid got nothing, just brownie member and oratorical club member. 
I think cca performance is very important in Dsa

Tell your daughter don't feel depressed. Work hard for the exam and enter her choice school using score.

[Chongster]

3 hours ago, Weez911 said:

My son is very good at creating Youtube videos. Can he qualify for DSA/IP? 

Does father's HCI alumni help in the son's application for DSA/IP into HCI?

Paiseh for the noob question - my son is P6 next year. He is not GEP, but he is top 3-5 in his level. Top in English and Science in P2, P3, and P4. Prefect. Weak in chinese though but still manage to get into higher chinese. No CCA. His biggest hobby is spending time playing Roblox, watching TikTok and YT, and messaging on Discord. iPad is his best friend.

Very Good at YouTube videos can quit school already.  Millionaire by 15 next time get honorary degree is the same 

[Weez911]

13 minutes ago, Chongster said:

Very Good at YouTube videos can quit school already.  Millionaire by 15 next time get honorary degree is the same 

I believe in education. YT and education need not be mutually exclusive.

[firefly20]

11 hours ago, Weez911 said:

My son is very good at creating Youtube videos. Can he qualify for DSA/IP? 

Does father's HCI alumni help in the son's application for DSA/IP into HCI?

Paiseh for the noob question - my son is P6 next year. He is not GEP, but he is top 3-5 in his level. Top in English and Science in P2, P3, and P4. Prefect. Weak in chinese though but still manage to get into higher chinese. No CCA. His biggest hobby is spending time playing Roblox, watching TikTok and YT, and messaging on Discord. iPad is his best friend.

There is a DSA category called Infocomm & Robotics offered by many schools which involves some coding but as far as I know, none for video creation or editing. Actually if he's top 3-5 in his sch and maintains his std in P6, he should be able to obtain a good AL score and enter his choice sch via the S1 posting which may be more flexible compared to DSA.