IB vs GCSE exam

matthewdad

For those local IB school such as V, do you expect they can speak fluent english ? I doubt if there are Englaih native speaking classmate to communicate..
For your information, DBS, SPSS ..etc is consider to have IBD in the future. However it is much more difficult to secure a place than local IB school.

原文章由 christf 於 08-5-19 18:02 發表
I think top tier local schools can only meet your first criterion but not the rest.

Even for your first criterion, it depends on your expectation and I don't think top tier local schools can help bu ...

[ 本文章最後由 matthewdad 於 08-5-19 20:19 編輯 ]

mattsmum

阿胡, understand you already went through both systems and even down the road to university, cna you enlighten us more on this issue?

中天英

冇錯, 以前歐洲既教育體係, 係以中學教通識, 預科開始專門化, 大學就更加專門, 目標係大學一畢業, 就可以投身入所選既職業之中。

但係呢個理念, 响現今世界, 已經不合事宜; 因為而家知識更加得太快, 好多响大學階段所學倒既專門知識, 以經唔夠用, 應付唔倒未來幾十年既需求。

所以而家歐洲國家既大學, 已經有共識, 要改革大學体制, First Degree主攻通識, 專門化訓練就要讀Second Degree先至有。

呢種改變令到歐式体制, 更接美國体制。

咁樣一變, 好處大家都明白, 但係需要政府比多好多錢出黎先得, 因為由以往一個degree, 變成兩個, 由3/4年, 變成5/6年, 所以唔係好多歐洲大學, 而家可以afford得起去改變。

反而, 好多以前跟隨英制大學既國家, 以經改緊; 例如University of Melborne, 係澳洲最好既大學, 已經改制, First Degree讀通識, 如果要讀Medicine, Law, Archi 咁, 要Second Degree先有; 就算香港既長期競爭對手  -  星加坡, 同樣比英國統治左好耐, 兩年前, NUS已經成立左一所新既醫學院, 學生要讀完First Degree, 先至可以申請入讀。

就算大學專門化極為犀害既中國大陸, 都認識倒大學通識教育既重要; 中國最好既北京大學, 正推行"元培計劃" , 入讀既學生, 頭兩年冇主修, 主要讀通識, 第三年先揀主修。

原文章由 christf 於 08-5-19 17:30 發表
I think there is no right or wrong answers.  The education belief is quite different apart between European countries and the US.

Unlike the European countries, in the US, some curriculums like Law a ...

iamfine

All the schools which do a third language use it it as a marketing tool to attract more applicants because a third language is not necessary for university admission.

Both GCE and IB suck because both are nnot flexible enough to deal with specific needs of some students.  For examples, some want to specialise in sports or music.

hysterical

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/5156108.stm

阿胡

mattsmum,

香港教育五花八門, 各位家長對自己的孩子的要求不一, 很難以一概全.

下面, 我只是從我多年來我自己的孩子及其他朋友的孩子經驗, 談談而已.

我對孩子的希望是: (1) 進入美國最好的大學之一; (2) 英文為他們的第一語言; (3)中文可以達到小學畢業的簡單讀寫程度.   但說實話, 個個孩子要做到這三條, 我自己都不能保證.

如果上面三點不是你所想要的, 請不要讀下去. 哈哈. 因為讀下去真是可能會讓你不開心. (就是上面三點都是你想要的, 也可能會不開心.)
要想較順利地進入美國最好的大學, 英文為他們的第一語言可能是必須的. 我不是說如果英文是第二語言沒有可能, 但孩子真是要是出類拔萃.  大陸13億人每年出這樣的孩子也不多, 不會超過200個. 我自認我自己的孩子做不到. 想從香港的主流學校(local schools)畢業而進入美國最好的大學, 不是沒有可能, 但很不容易. 所以, 如果想孩子讀美國最好的大學, 選擇讀香港的主流學校, 是不合適的. 讀香港的主流學校的最大好處是便宜, 但犧牲的是孩子讀好大學的機會.

讀國際學校(IS)會好一些. 但不是間間國際學校出來的學生英文都好. 香港最好的幾間是HKIS, CIS, ESF, LPC. 其他可能還有幾間, 但我不熟悉. 更多的是有些國際學校並不能幫助你的孩子進入美國最好的大學. 恕我不能列舉出來, 怕人追殺也. 哈哈.

就是我列出的上面幾間好的學校, 也都有各自的問題. 最難的問題是, 間間都不是想進就進得去的! 沒有錢當然更不用說了.  CIS明年學費漲10%, 好快一年全部開銷就會過20萬.

讀了國際學校, 對很多家長來說, 中文就變成了一個大問題. 上面幾間學校之中, CIS可能中文最好, 但小學畢業讀寫程度也不是自然而然就會有的. 在HKIS, 部分學生也可以修讀中文課. 有趣的是, 連97之前不准學生在校園裡講中文的ESF, 近年也開始有中文課. 但如果家裡不幫助, 事實上, 要學生達到小學畢業的簡單讀寫程度, 是很困難才能做到.  間間國際學校都如此, 除非是掛羊頭, 賣狗肉的國際學校. 如果問學校, 學校當然會告訴你可以達到小學畢業程度. 但是實上是只有極少數的學生可以. 哈哈.

要讀國際學校的孩子中文達到小學畢業程度, 真是有如八年抗戰. 想再好點? 只有英文降低要求一途.

如果你的孩子資質不錯, 錢不是問題, 也有足夠的時間同精力幫助孩子, 可以考慮讓孩子讀中文小學, 到小學畢業時再轉讀國際學校.  太早轉, 孩子讀不好中文; 太晚轉, 英文一定受影響.

胡說八道, 見笑了.

[ 本文章最後由 阿胡 於 08-5-20 12:15 編輯 ]

hysterical

Very wise words indeed, christf and 阿胡!

I think those criteria mentioned above certainly are major influential factors in choosing whichever curriculum or path for our children. Furthermore, our backgrounds and other experiences also play an important role in deciding which way we would like to go.

Each system has its merits, and to say that something sucks really show ones' ignorance and lack of insight.

For the sake of argument, let's say a child wants to specialise in music or sports. what's his best option?

I think it depends on how talented he is. if he is like a child prodigy, winning international competitions and drafted by the NFL/NBA, then maybe he can just be homeschooled and jumpstart his career early.

If he is just talented, then I would say a general education is still very important. Whether he's in the US, GCSE or IB, he is still required to take the basic courses in order to earn a secondary diploma. Then, he can apply to the uni of his choice. But everyone knows that even a jock needs to pass his prerequisite courses with at least a C. Even if he is the quarterback at Stanford, if he's failing his English class, he cannot play in the game.

iamfine

Bye. No fun here.  I cannot stand boring unimaginative people who can only read literally.  ( I am not referring to 阿胡)

mattsmum

thank you, 阿胡,

I agree with what you say, useful information, but how can a local school student be accepted by IS after 5 or 6 years in local school?

阿胡

原文章由 mattsmum 於 08-5-20 13:49 發表
thank you, 阿胡,

I agree with what you say, useful information, but how can a local school student be accepted by IS after 5 or 6 years in local school?

有幾種方式可以試一下, 但無一種可以保證成功: 包括

(1) CIS Year 7 會多開一班而對外招生;

(2) 先讀較容易進入的國際學校, 以後再轉學. HKIS和CIS都有不少學生會去美國讀4年boarding schools再讀大學, 到時會有不少位置空出來.

因為機會真是很小, 我都不敢再試. 所以一早就將小兒轉到ESF學校.

但結果, 就要幫他補中文. 頭痛之至, 還不一定有用.

NLai

Any one have idea where we can get the past paper of IB exam?