Gifted Education Programme

[Sosaria]

Being in GEP is still an advantage combined with good academic results when it comes to DSA. Think of it as something extra, in a group of students with similarly good psle results.

 

The workload in GEP is more and tougher but if the child pulls thru it, they will have gained some ability to handle pressure (the buzzword now is "resilience"), handle failures and setbacks (the standard set for tests is higher), and be self driven in their studies.

 

It's true that psle remains the tricky part. GEP students only prep for it from P6 onwards. Of course being gifted, prepping from P4 will kill them with boredom!

[Solar]

 

 

if you dun feel comfortable of him coping or the GEP school is too far, opt out.

 

My wife niece was selected to go Tao Nan, she opt out yet able to make it to RGS & NYSG after the PSLE.

A bro just praised my old post and I read again your reply to me back then.

 

Yes.. opted him out. He's now doing rather well in RI.

His year 1 exam, he beat those previously from gifted schools and is among the top few in math

[Newbie26]

Thanks for sharing the link

 

Nice viewpoint and summary of key issues in the article

 

Practically every year, the debate on relevance of GEP programme surfaces, and the other debate on whether one should train for the

 

selection.

 

As authors has pointed out, the almost "automatic" entry through DSA used to be a major plus point but with new DSA criteria, the advantage for those in GEP is much less now

 

The key issue is whether the programme will be useful for the very smart kids. Based on online feedback over the years, it does appear the broad challenging programme does cater to the needs for the vast majority of students

 

No programme is perfect, and so does the selection test. The selection will probably capture the majority of the very smart students who excel in english and math. However, not everyone selected are strong in both and not forgetting in PSLE, there is the chinese language in the equation.

 

My own view is that perhaps the term "Gifted" may not be the best to ascribe the programme because it may give students or parents the wrong perception of premature academic achievement or may give unnecessary pressure on those who are struggling inside the programme.

 

As many have highlighted "Giftedness" can be in different domains, and in a sense in each yearly cohort, there are only a handful of "truly gifted" kids in the math and english domains, these few individuals are intrinsically way way ahead of their peers of similar biological age and probably should be managed differently.

 

The vast majority of the 500 kids are very bright high ability kids and likely little different from the next top 1000-2000 kids who did not get selected, and these top 3-5% high ability kids generally will do well in any programme whether in mainstream or in gifted programme.

 

So if we can  coin or perceive the programme as a sort of Primary school Special Enrichment Programme and if resources are available,

 

allow most schools to create a class or two for their better students who wish to  opt for them, then it will help raise all ships in our education

 

system.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do parents in general still wish for their children to be selected for the GEP? 

Based on the facebook article below, it appears gep kids are under intensive academic pressure and a heavy workload. Also, there is no longer preferential treatment for gep kids during DSA selection plus they still need to take the PSLE together with the rest. 

 

So at the end of the day, is the GEP still relevant?

https://www.facebook.com/nicklebee.tutors/posts/2220488207978531

 

[Pratakosong]

Thanks for sharing the link

 

Nice viewpoint and summary of key issues in the article

 

Practically every year, the debate on relevance of GEP programme surfaces, and the other debate on whether one should train for the

 

selection.

 

As authors has pointed out, the almost "automatic" entry through DSA used to be a major plus point but with new DSA criteria, the advantage for those in GEP is much less now

 

The key issue is whether the programme will be useful for the very smart kids. Based on online feedback over the years, it does appear the broad challenging programme does cater to the needs for the vast majority of students

 

No programme is perfect, and so does the selection test. The selection will probably capture the majority of the very smart students who excel in english and math. However, not everyone selected are strong in both and not forgetting in PSLE, there is the chinese language in the equation.

 

My own view is that perhaps the term "Gifted" may not be the best to ascribe the programme because it may give students or parents the wrong perception of premature academic achievement or may give unnecessary pressure on those who are struggling inside the programme.

 

As many have highlighted "Giftedness" can be in different domains, and in a sense in each yearly cohort, there are only a handful of "truly gifted" kids in the math and english domains, these few individuals are intrinsically way way ahead of their peers of similar biological age and probably should be managed differently.

 

The vast majority of the 500 kids are very bright high ability kids and likely little different from the next top 1000-2000 kids who did not get selected, and these top 3-5% high ability kids generally will do well in any programme whether in mainstream or in gifted programme.

 

So if we can  coin or perceive the programme as a sort of Primary school Special Enrichment Programme and if resources are available,

 

allow most schools to create a class or two for their better students who wish to  opt for them, then it will help raise all ships in our education

 

system.

 

Agreed! From what i have previously heard, the FB article does give a good overview of the gep and what life inside is like.

 

I believe most schools do have 1 or 2 high ability classes where they provide more enrichment stuff out of the curriculum. And in some gep schools, they let the high ability classes attend talks or do projects together with the gep classes.

[Pratakosong]

i think if my child is able to get into GEP and that he/she is showing signs of boredom with the normal curriculum, i would enter them.

If they are comfortable in the normal curriculum/current school, i may not.

 

@silver_blade i believe, also didn't let his dg enter GEP.

 

I agree with this too. No point for the kid to go gep unless the kid is obviously bored by the school work and way ahead of his cohort.

[DACH]

Heard @dach was from the gifted program

See what has it done to him.. scary..

 

Fake news.

 

No such thing as gifted program in my era. 

I untill prembree want onlii...

Edited August 18, 2018 by DACH

[Sosaria]

Hope that parents don't get the wrong idea that GEP is a paved road to prestigious scholarships and high paying jobs. How many mini-stars are GEP alumni?

 

In fact quite a number of GEP alumni eventually end up in teaching service to handle the next generation of GEP. They are best suited for the job.