EDUCATION - KEEPING THEM HONEST

Selective Schools

The Sydney Morning Herald had another article today in relation to Selective Schools http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/big-gap-in-selective-school-entry-marks/2005/11/27/1133026350278.html .

It didn't surprise me that there was such a huge gap in scores between James Ruse and Smith Hills High School at Woolongong.   What is really interesting to see is the percentage of Asian students in both schools, James Ruse wins hands down.   Don't get me wrong, I am not blaming the Asians, its not their fault that the Department of Education has set up a Selective System that compliments their culture.  There is one thing for sure, Asians are not stupid,  they are motivated and ambitious and they are not going to sit and wait.   

It seems to me that it is about time there was some serious debate about the affects of coaching for the Selective Schools test as I know for a fact being very highly intellectually gifted and a consistent high achiever and even if the comprehensive system is incapable of meeting your identified needs as a highly gifted child it  is not enough to secure you a place if those marks on testing day are not higher than all the other students sitting the test.  Even if those marks on that fateful day do not represent any of your achievements in all your years of education!

Selective Schools are not for gifted students, they are for high achieving students and in order to achieve  highly you need to be taught.   That is a fact.

13,000 children sit for a Selective school place yet only 3,000 get the opportunity -  how unfair is that.  There is no way in the world that you can say that those 3,000 that were offered placement were the most gifted.  They were just the best prepared or those that were "in the know".

Tomorrow our matter is being put before the Administrative Decisions Tribunal.   See here is the other problem with Selective School placement, I have evidence that shows that the marks are capable of being manipulated and in circumstances like that it makes the whole thing  farce.

NESB in Selective Schools

Today there is an article in the Sydney Morning Herald  - Sweeping Chinese revolution http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/chinese-revolution-sweeps-sydney-schools/2005/11/25/1132703380784.html

This is an issue that has bothered me for years.    The Department of Education has set up a selective system that compliments certain cultures and gives them unfair educational and financial advantage and really it needs to be stopped.    Coaching and practicing for the test does make all the difference when applying for Selective School placement, don't let the Department of Education try to convince you otherwise.  They, of all people, should know that studying, learning and practicing makes a positive difference to ability and outcomes. 

Professor Vinson was right when he said that they should cut down on Selective Schools and only keep a certain number of them.  These selective schools should be for 'Public School' students only that are intellectually gifted and who require a differentiated curriculum in order to cater for their needs.  Students that are okay with the same curriculum as others their age should be educated in comprehensive schools.   If the Department of Education after having students in their care for 7 years cannot identify the students that are intellectually gifted, then there is the  major problem with the system! 

There should be a Selective School in each region to cater for those that the comprehensive system cannot cater for within the regions.  The rest of students should go to their local school and all schools should be set up to cater for those that are more motivated, less motivated, more capable and less capable in the different subject areas.

Imagine all the money that could be saved not having to pay for all that testing, and imagine how much money would be saved not having to ferry so many students around to Selective Schools.  This money could be put back into Education.   

Selective Schools Testing

Well as many of you know, I have a problem with Selective Schools. Because the system chooses students on the basis of tests of ability it ensures that those that are in the better learning environment have greater advantage.

In the Information Bulletin in relation to Selective School year 7 entry 2005 it said:

Preparing students for the test:

The Selective High School test is a secure test and papers are unavailable for scrutiny before or after the test session.  In general, academic research does not indicate that coaching or practice will significantly improve the results of the students on ability tests such as the Selective High School test.   

In the Selective High School :  Year 7 Placement Procedures in 2004 to 2005 it said:

Re-applying

Parents or caregivers should be advised that the selection committee, in determining academic merit, can consider whether or not students who took the Selective High School test in the previous year have gained undue benefit form their experience with the test.

In the Information Bulletin in relation to Opportunity Class for entry in 2005 it said:

Preparing students for the test:

Since the test is designed to measure ability, rather than knowledge of the curriculum, coaching or practice is unlikely to help very much.

In my sons Appeal Analysis of our Appeal that was prepared by the Selective Schools unit for the Appeals panel in relation to my son in part it said:

“SSU:   The grounds are not strong.  IQ tests measure intellectual potential not academic achievement.   The student is not necessarily gifted in ways that result in academic talent. 

The grounds relating to the test marks are similarly not strong.   The Department does not believe that coaching makes much difference to the results of the students taking the Selective High School test.”

In my sons appeal we submitted two different IQ tests that both put his IQ over 150.  He had spent two years in Opportunity class and thrived there and consistantly functioned highly in the State.  He was unsuccessful even on Appeal!

I requested to view the Selective Schools tests under the FOI Act and was given supervised access to the documents in what they called a “secure environment”.   I had to agree not to discuss any of the questions in the test which seems to be absolutely stupid given that they never use those questions again.   Of course,  I am not going to breach my agreement but I will say this.    The questions are so hard and for many the answers so ambiguous that it is ridiculous.   Those that have been shown strategies on how to deal with these types of questions are at a distinct advantage because there is no way that you would come across these types of questions in everyday life or in school.  Of course when we went to see the tests we were unable to view the original answer sheet as although we requested that it be set aside under FOI, the answer sheet was destroyed on the day that the matter was for planning meeting at the Adminstrative Decisions Tribunal so we were only given access to the Department of Educations computer printout that we allege has been changed.

Ability is not something that you are born with it is something that is developed.

I have a serious problem with academic research that in general shows that practicing, learning and putting time and effort into something will not make a significant positive difference to outcomes.  It amazes me that praticing similar type questions where you are shown how to answer them (coaching) is said to not make much of a difference yet having done the test the year before, even though you have no idea what you got right or wrong, could be said to have given you an unfair advantage.