I'm showing a side view of the cap, but in case you can't make out the embroidered words, they read: 25 Years of Gifted Education.
In Lesley-Anne's school, the GEP students had a day off lessons and instead, spent the time making gifts for the kids from a children's home. The p6s cross-stitched patterns on pillow cases. Yes, even the boys! Even though some of them could hardly thread a needle, they gamely did their part. I'm not sure if all the GEP schools did the same thing but I thought it was a very nice gesture and fitting way to commemorate the occasion, by giving back to the community. It's a timely reminder that those who have been blessed should seek to bless others in return.
Errr Mon... my sons know nothing about this 25th Anniversary and they did not have any celebration in their school.
ReplyDeleteThey are now wondering if their caps and water bottles have been purloined to be sold at the School Carnival!
I must say that L-A's school is so much more sincere and conscious about ensuring that their GEP children develop an EQ and give back to the community.
Both my sons are yet to do any community service project and when I asked about it at the beginning of this year during the Parent's briefing (after reading it in your blog) there were blank looks all around! Kudos to LA school and teachers!
Hah? Oh, really ah? I assumed that it was for all the GEP schools! Alamak, like that how can...
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm very glad L-A's school makes a deliberate effort to instil the spirit of community service in the kids. It's so important to have EQ apart from IQ.
Haha. Happy 25th, GEP!
ReplyDeleteDespite all the flaws in the system, I'm glad there's a fallback for the kids who need it.
my son's GEP bunch received the exact same cap n bottle in early July. No community service project was organised. The staff n kids were supposed to spend the morning celebrations at a park but all tks to H1N1, the event was scaled down to a BYO-food party in sch. LA's sch made the event even more meaningful with community svc element.
ReplyDeleteAlamak, I really thought service learning was done by all GEP schools! The GEP dept should really sit up and take note...
ReplyDeletei'm glad L-A's school did something meaningful. It gave me a little bit more faith in some of the educators around.. coz when I read today's newspapers about how 600 GEP students and staff raised $3164 for the ST School Pocket Money Fund, I was a little taken aback. Assumption I was making, was that these GEPers would have done very well in life and thus would have dugged deep into their pockets to pay it forward what society has contributed towards their own education. But alas... with a contribution rate of $5.27/person, i was like DUH???? It's really impt to cultivate that spirit of serving/giving in these GEP kids.
ReplyDeleteAnon: you're absolutely right. Not to dismiss the contribution but it did seem a little paltry. I really hope the GEP department and schools will step up efforts to instil the spirit of giving. Actually, not just for GEP kids but for all kids.
ReplyDeleteMy dd has the exact same hat and water bottle. The P5s and P4s have a different colour.
ReplyDeleteI thought service learning was very much a part of GEP. The teachers at my dd's school told us in P4 how service learning was part of the curriculum and how it's built upon each year. I'm actually very happy with how the teachers remind the students to be humble and to give back to society.
Ahhh! Finally today they bring home their waterbottles and caps! No celebration or anything of course.....duh?
ReplyDelete