The beauty of the system in ACS((I) is that the bulk of the IB places are offered in Yr 3 and in Yr 5. Such a system allows the following:
- a tension between what is (a place in Express) and what can be (a place in IB)
- a highly attractive goal for Express boys to work for
- the school to assess character before awarding a place in IB
The thing is, PSLE results tend to reflect parent drive. A family with money and 1 stay-at-home parent, who will push the child, can actually push up PSLE scores considerably. So, awarding places in IB or IP, based on PSLE results muddies the pool of IB candidates with children who got there because their parents made it happen. A single numerical score does not reflect the true calibre of the individual child, especially in a society where parents hothouse their children.
So, the ACS(I) way of allocating the bulk of the places for IB is more intelligent. The teaching corps within ACS(I) can get to know every boy that applies for an IB place in Yr 3. Each boy is now more than just a numerical cut off. The full person is judged for...
- integrity
- drive to learn
- academic excellence
- leadership
- sports
- social skills
The eventual decision to allocate a place to a deserving child is a decision that more accurately reflects the whole calibre of the child. No doubt, this system has its detractors. Since the decisions are complex and qualititative, instead of being distilled into a simple numerical score, many people accuse it of "unfairness." It is also more demanding on the children.
I am grateful to ACS(I) for making the entrance into its IB programme so demanding for The Son. When he entered ACS(I) Express, The Son was still a child. When he made it into IB, in Yr 3, The Son had become a man. I remember telling myself that year, that I could die in peace, knowing that The Son would still be able to thrive.
It was Yr 1 and Yr 2 that honed his mettle. He WANTED to get into IB. To deserve the place he had to grow in stature, in wisdom and in favour with God and man. In these 2 years, The Son either chose to not go to Europe with us OR, he made us stay home with him. To make time for his many CCAs and leadership commitments, he spent all of December holidays studying ahead and doing homework in advance. When the school year started, he tore out one pre-done worksheet every week, and handed it up. During the school year, he rushed from debate, to shooting, to giving disadvantaged kids tuition, to drone flying... and goodness knows what else.
He did all this just to earn that IB place.
It was impossible for me to keep track of his schedule. I hardly saw him even though we lived in the same house. He spent all of the year on edge, always needing to get things done. He was short-tempered and rude to me because he was always on edge. I learnt to stay out of his way. Don't ask. Don't know. Don't care.
Some 14 year old boys in top schools still need to report their whereabouts every hour, to their Moms, via text. Some mothers of 16 year old boys are still calling into school to fight for 2 marks in an exam.
Alexander the Great fought his first battle at age 14. By age 18, he was leading men into battle. By age 20, he was king. Charlie Soong (the father of the famous Soong Ching Ling, Soong Ai Ling and Soong May Ling) was 14 years old when he started work as a cabin boy on a ship going from China to USA. By the time he was in his late 20s, he had become Shanghai's most indispensable comprador (an agent facilitating contact between Chinese and Caucasians). By his late 30s, he was one of Shanghai's richest men. The boss of Chuan Kee braised duck started work as a hawker stall assistant at 15. By 23 yrs, he owned his own stall. He is now in his 40s, with a Michelin mention under his belt.
These men were ready to take on life, at 14.
I am truly grateful to God, and to ACS(I), for 2 defining years. Coming out of those years, at 14, The Son was mature enough to take on life. I remember telling myself that a war could come and my son would find a way to survive. I remember telling myself that if our family lost everything, my son would find a way to keep us and provide for us.
Thanks to God arranging for him to flunk out of IB by 1 point, AND the blessed ACS(I) system of holistic assessment before awarding the bulk of IB places, The son was ready to take on life at 14 yrs.
It was precisely this maturity that ensured that The Son did better at IB than many who scored much higher PSLE t-scores. So, if you are a mother of a child below P3, have the wisdom to develop soft skills, maturity and leadership before your child gets to secondary school. Then, use Sec 1 and Sec 2 as crucibles of fire to give your child mettle enough to take on life by age 15. If you want to know how, and your child is in P3 or P4, get in touch with me HERE. If your child is already in secondary school, it is too late.
A high PSLE score means nothing if your child peaks at PSLE.
This post continues from HERE.
Other Posts on Walking the Precipice Between Failure and Success
(1) The Ultimate Love Gift: Permission to Fail - Click HERE.
(2) Cambridge University - Click HERE.
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