Testing times: selective schools and tiger parents (3 Viewers)

[obliviousninja]

http://www.smh.com.au/good-weekend/testing-times-selective-schools-and-tiger-parents-20150108-12kecw

Sydney girls represent!

 

[obliviousninja]

Rachel, a lawyer, is letting her son sit the test on his own steam, without coaching. "I have an Asian friend who says, 'Bring him to college, I won't tell anyone,' " she says. "But her son got into [inner-Sydney selective] Fort Street, and had a breakdown. I've interviewed these kids for work. Are they the most intelligent? No. You ask them an unscripted question and they go to pieces."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/good-weekend/...er-parents-20150108-12kecw.html#ixzz3hds5Px6w

 

[Trebla]

I think the issue is our primary school education system. Why should kids need such heavy coaching / tutoring? It's because we learn nothing in primary. You learn to read, do basic math, basic grammar and that's pretty much it.

Maybe it's not that out of school coaching is working, but an indication our actual compulsory schooling is NOT working. And just reading the article now, they talk about that. I agree, it's crap we have to fork out money because our education system can't teach us well enough.

I think the whole education system needs a big overhaul.

I actually think that tutoring/coaching would still be around to the same extent even if we had a great education system. It's all relative, because some people just want to do better than their peers regardless of what the standard is. These days, the most successful tutoring/coaching places are those that help students get ahead, not help students catch up when they fall behind.

There are actually many aspects of the article I sadly agree with based on my own experiences. When it comes to selective test coaching it's mainly practice drills over and over again until you can basically memorise the answer. I must've done at least 50 different practice papers leading up to the real thing. It's basically like soldier training. Once you're familiar with the questions, it becomes quite predictable. It doesn't teach you how to think on your own at all (both the test and the coaching). I'm thankful for the fact that I got into a selective school and it really benefited my long term education to some extent but I just feel sorry for the kids who go through this and then aren't successful.

 

[WrittenLoveLetters]

I was/am a Selective reject, one who made it into Hornsby and was seen as a disappointment by my parents, because I was bad at the Selective test. And I definitely feel related with "Are they the most intelligent? No. You ask them an unscripted question and they go to pieces" because after my unsuccessful feat with the Selective phase, I only learn to "survive" and get ready for the HSC, I just keep doing standardised testing rather than...I don't know...doing "real life" stuff. And when I come across questions in standardised testing that I have not vigorously practised, I, like the article, just start to crumble.

Not much input, but something I wanted to support.

 

[OzKo]

I think the issue is our primary school education system. Why should kids need such heavy coaching / tutoring? It's because we learn nothing in primary. You learn to read, do basic math, basic grammar and that's pretty much it.

Maybe it's not that out of school coaching is working, but an indication our actual compulsory schooling is NOT working. And just reading the article now, they talk about that. I agree, it's crap we have to fork out money because our education system can't teach us well enough.

I think the whole education system needs a big overhaul.

Protip: They don't.

Parents will do anything to get ahead though.

When you boil it down, the market for tutoring is not driven by underachievement but an absence of confidence. If my own experience is anything to go by, the people who went to tutoring weren't incompetent, but they feared being left behind because other students went to tutoring. There's a huge amount of students who actually don't need tutoring, and they don't realise it.

 

[seremify007]

Interesting read. Given I've been through the motions- initially considered a 'failure' by my parents in primary school for not making it into James Ruse (note that back then Baulkham Hills was ranked #32) but lo and behold I turned out okay. I ended up doing some tutoring but at least for the most part, it was in areas where I needed the most extra help.

The article touches on a lot of interesting points but I think one thing which I don't see is that in the same way many schools and culturally we support and aspire to sporting achievement, a selective high school is simply one which does the same but with academic excellence. I know it does lead to some slightly different social outcomes but as my PE teacher put it to me, it's great that kids are able to be encouraged in this space without fear of being socially isolated compared to what she had seen at non selective schools.

 

[Chronost]

Going to a partially selective school: I think being able to socialise with people on both sides of the academic spectrum was really enjoyable. I didn't do any any tutoring until year 12 for Japanese, but pretty much the atmosphere was definitely abit more relaxed and I had a lot of enjoyment in class where several people were troublemakers etc.., sure it disrupted my learning, but from years 7-10 most of the learning really isn't that relevant, by the time people hit year 11 people grow up and realise what society needs them do. Granted the ones who dont realise,generally leave.

I really think parents need to realise selectives and privates are not all meets end, though if your child can get it, definitely go for it. (the networking you get from your cohort at Selective is pretty dam good for life)

 

[obliviousninja]

Tutoring was great. Great way to meet lgs. Like who dafuq cares about thr hsc. We all know the intentions of guys going to tutoring

 

[obliviousninja]

Oh yeah my story of the day/confession

I knew the secret code for the pre-uni vending machine that would give me free shit

 

[isildurrrr1]

Tutoring is nothing compared to the amount of schooling Asian kids do back home. Explains why Asian parents are so anxious to get ahead.

 

[WrittenLoveLetters]

Yeah, my international student friend is way ahead of us in Maths.
But even though I have tutoring, I don't retain a lot of things I learnt because I was always tired and done from finishing school.
So it makes tutoring ineffective for me until I start actively relearning and getting ahead

 

[isildurrrr1]

My mates from Taiwan were bottom in their math class.

Arrives in sydney, top of scots for his year. mfw.

 

[nerdasdasd]

Tutoring is nothing compared to the amount of schooling Asian kids do back home. Explains why Asian parents are so anxious to get ahead.

That's not all. The syllabus in Asia is more difficult .

We learn algebra in year 7, they learn it in year 4 or 5.

We still do basic division and multiplication in high school ...:

In year 7, I was doing 84/7....:: 12 x 9...: and in the top class mfw

 

[dan964]

That's not all. The syllabus in Asia is more difficult .
In year 7, I was doing 84/7....:: 12 x 9...: and in the top class mfw

Yep, it is terrible. You learn 'shape' algebra in about year 6 I think in Aus., and legit algebra from about late year 7.
(that said I did Year 7 maths in Year 5 for a bit)

 

[dan964]

Primary school is a bit of a joke IMO. Highschool was much better. I felt like we learned basic reading writing math skills in primary and that was it. We just wasted time right up until we got to year 7.

The biggest thing I got taught in year 6 was long division. I didn't understand it, still don't, and never have had to use it once in my life so far. I think I could have coped with algebra starting from year 5, instead of 7.

I reckon algebra in year 7 is simple enough to put into year 5

 

[SylviaB]

tiger parenting is good if you want your kids to grow up as miserable, socially retarded doctors

 

[isildurrrr1]

tiger parenting is good if you want your kids to grow up as miserable, socially retarded doctors

their face when fail UMAT due to lack of social skills.

 

[kuromusha]

Lol, the only comeback white people have is "yeah, we are lazy and have uncaring parents, but at least we are creative".

Dear white people, creativity is subjective and unquantifiable. Unlike ATAR and $$$ income.

 

[Sien]

Lol, the only comeback white people have is "yeah, we are lazy and have uncaring parents, but at least we are creative".

Dear white people, creativity is subjective and unquantifiable. Unlike ATAR and $$$ income.

but honestly if i had to choose between tiger parents and 'lazy and uncaring' parents , i would actually choose the latter. I'd rather parents who i can get along with (in a sense? ) and doesn't control me like some robot. At least white people had a happy childhood instead of no childhood.

 

[isildurrrr1]

It's all about balance. It's about pushing your kid to their fullest potential and build a sense of responsibility and work ethic. If you have a child who can score As and is just getting passes then something has to be done. If you have a kid who can score only passes that's fine too.