Education: General Discussion

[mellie]

Whilst I won't foolishly label and slam those from a specific educational sector ...

I will say this. My youngest went to a selective high school and in hindsight it was the worst mistake I ever made. The school became overrun with Asians and whilst I have nothing against Asians they all went to pre daily school study, post daily school study, pre uni classes etc etc. The number of English as a second language classes kept rising. They didn't socialise nor did they play the sports most Aussie kids do. It's a pressure, I think, most kids do not need. School needs to be a mix of education and fun to bring about balanced adults

Whilst some of these kids tend to get the highest scores, not because they are more intelligent but because they are forced into studying for almost all their waking hours. This isn't intelligence. Anyone can do it. It's like training monkeys and although many may get high scores they end up with absolutely no social skills, they just cannot relate to people when they step up to become doctors/dentists etc

It's called the practice effect, and the same thing happens when these coached-kids have been groomed to sit their selective schools entrance test.

Take a look at this site... it's one of many. Can all parents afford to pay for coaching, and should these otherwise ordinary albeit coached- kids be taking opportunities away from genuinely gifted students by artificially inflating their results and purchasing their way into selective schools? Should they really be there to begin with when it's clear, they aren't naturally gifted at all?

http://www.selectivetests.com.au/

To keep it real, I think they should abolish these types of entry tests, this and just force them to sit a full psychometric evaluation ie, (the WISC), or at least the mini WISC.

Whats the point in having selective schools filled with rather unremarkable students who aren't naturally gifted to begin with?

Doesn't it void the whole purpose of having a government school for Gifted students?

What we have is selective schools full of workaholic immigrants offspring, who if weren't being coached 6 days a week, would not even be there to begin with.

[mellie]

In other words, selective schools are being misused, and it's far time something was done to stop it.

Again, they are abusing the privilege, sucking the life out of something not really intended for them.

If a kids bright, they don't require preparation for a test they should pass with flying colours to begin with.

It's become a scam.

Not a privilege/honour to attend a selective high school.

[mellie]

At the end of the day, do you want a doctor who required extensive coaching to get into medicine operating on your head, or a doctor who is naturally gifted this and got there due to natural ability?

Half of them aren't naturally gifted, then when they get to uni, their degraded results lower the overall standard as uni's scale the exam results to ensure a majority pass-rate.

Half of them shouldn't even be there to begin with, this and wouldn't be if their parents hadn't purchased their HSC results.

[Neferti]

What is a gifted student?

[mellie]

What is a gifted student?

Someone who has a naturally high IQ, (above 130) this opposed to someone who has been coached to sit an entry exam, to appear brighter than they actually are.

Gifted students are generally good at a number of things, are academically gifted right across the curriculum, whereas talented students express flair in a certain area, ie sporting prowess.

See, IQ testing them would weed quite a few of them out.

But selective schools coaches and those parents in a financial position to purchase their kids entry into a selective school may not appreciate my suggestions.



See, gifted or not, some parents want little Johnny to attend a selective school.

[wog_girl]

At the end of the day, do you want a doctor who required extensive coaching to get into medicine operating on your head, or a doctor who is naturally gifted this and got there due to natural ability?

Half of them aren't naturally gifted, then when they get to uni, their degraded results lower the overall standard as uni's scale the exam results to ensure a majority pass-rate.

Half of them shouldn't even be there to begin with, this and wouldn't be if their parents hadn't purchased their HSC results.

Buying HSC results? The same could be said for every single private school student. As long as the doctor knows what they are doing, I couldn't care less if they had to be coached or not. How the hell does one get 'natural ability' to perform heart surgery? They all have to learn it.

[Neferti]

What is a gifted student?

Someone who has a naturally high IQ, (above 130) this opposed to someone who has been coached to sit an entry exam, to appear brighter than they actually are.

You mean like this?

l155.gif

[mellie]

At the end of the day, do you want a doctor who required extensive coaching to get into medicine operating on your head, or a doctor who is naturally gifted this and got there due to natural ability?

Half of them aren't naturally gifted, then when they get to uni, their degraded results lower the overall standard as uni's scale the exam results to ensure a majority pass-rate.

Half of them shouldn't even be there to begin with, this and wouldn't be if their parents hadn't purchased their HSC results.

Buying HSC results? The same could be said for every single private school student. As long as the doctor knows what they are doing, I couldn't care less if they had to be coached or not. How the hell does one get 'natural ability' to perform heart surgery? They all have to learn it.

Would you care if you knew that your GP had failed pharmacology 3 times, this and took 11 years to complete what should have been a 5-6 year degree?

Our universities are filled with re-sitters, more often than not they are international full-fee paying students wishing to seek residency upon completion of their degrees.

Sorry, but the scaling of exam results in this country, to accommodate those who shouldn't really be there is of real concern.

[mellie]

What is a gifted student?

Someone who has a naturally high IQ, (above 130) this opposed to someone who has been coached to sit an entry exam, to appear brighter than they actually are.

You mean like this?

l155.gif

Good for you Nef, I have no idea what my IQ is, as I have never been tested.

My son's been tested, ( to be grade accelerated, sitting a WISC was compulsory) ...though it wasn't when I was at school. It was left up to the teachers and principles discretion when I went through.

[wog_girl]

Would you care if you knew that your GP had failed pharmacology 3 times, this and took 11 years to complete what should have been a 5-6 year degree?

Our universities are filled with re-sitters, more often than not they are international full-fee paying students wishing to seek residency upon completion of their degrees.

Sorry, but the scaling of exam results in this country, to accommodate those who shouldn't really be there is of real concern.

That would be a concern but the average person can tell if their GP is a dud. They're quite easy to spot. I'm referring to those who passed all their courses in the expected time but required additional tutoring. Unfortunately universities have become addicted to international student fees and have turned themselves into conveyer belts rather than leaders of quality education. I've never known anyone to fail university and some were real duds.