forcing us to sign a contract to get into advanced english (1 Viewer)

[Dougie]

our school uses conteacts like that too, but after a wk, everyone forgets about them, esp. teachers. it was just to satisfy a higher power, the students and teachers really didn't care!

 

[mishka]

wow, i just looked up this school's website... they even have a contract to sign to enter year 11!!! is the principal an ex-solicitor or something???!!

 

[tomorrows_angel]

it seems to be fair enough... they're expecting you to uphold your end of the bargain in studying the course, and to commit to it.
You must also remember that your 2 units of english will always count towards your uai (unless you're doing 4 unit). It is in your best interests to put in the effort and get the results, which is basically what you're agreeing to there.

My brother's school (catholic) forces every new student to sign a contract, when they start in year 7, or if they come in another year, then they have to do it before they start. this is signed by both the student and their parents and relates to every aspect of school life. They must also renew and re-sign this contract before they are allowed to continue on to years 11 and 12. It goes for multiple pages... the general gist relates to school work, effort, behaviour, appearance, uniforms etc... (if they are getting a new hair style which is quite different to what they already had, they have to get it approved by the principal first. one of my bro's friends didn't do this and ended up in solitary confinement in the office for a week as punishment. all he did was get his head shaved all over, number 2!)

if they don't abide by this contract they can get suspended or expelled. yours seems to pale in comparison to this one, which governs the rest of their school lives. (and to make you think about it, their school doesn't allow any students to do advanced...) and no, i'm not naming the school.

 

[MoonlightSonata]

it seems to be fair enough... they're expecting you to uphold your end of the bargain in studying the course, and to commit to it.
You must also remember that your 2 units of english will always count towards your uai (unless you're doing 4 unit). It is in your best interests to put in the effort and get the results, which is basically what you're agreeing to there.

My brother's school (catholic) forces every new student to sign a contract, when they start in year 7, or if they come in another year, then they have to do it before they start. this is signed by both the student and their parents and relates to every aspect of school life. They must also renew and re-sign this contract before they are allowed to continue on to years 11 and 12. It goes for multiple pages... the general gist relates to school work, effort, behaviour, appearance, uniforms etc... (if they are getting a new hair style which is quite different to what they already had, they have to get it approved by the principal first. one of my bro's friends didn't do this and ended up in solitary confinement in the office for a week as punishment. all he did was get his head shaved all over, number 2!)

if they don't abide by this contract they can get suspended or expelled. yours seems to pale in comparison to this one, which governs the rest of their school lives. (and to make you think about it, their school doesn't allow any students to do advanced...) and no, i'm not naming the school.

To enter a school is a lot different, you have a wide choice and you don't have to attend if you don't like their terms. But once you're there and out of the blue you are inhibited unless you sign something, that is quite suspect.

I'm just wondering though, what are they providing you in return (what is the consideration)? An existing duty perhaps, seeing as you may already be entitled to do Advanced English and have paid your school fees, etc... which means there is no valid K.

 

[Phanatical]

My year was the first year they tried to introduce learning contracts at my (selective) school. There was such a backlash against them that the school was forced to pretend it never happened.

 

[wrong_turn]

My year was the first year they tried to introduce learning contracts at my (selective) school. There was such a backlash against them that the school was forced to pretend it never happened.

what did you do? what was THE backlash?

 

[iambored]

"i prepare to sign that i am taking this course against the advice of my teachers" ??

jhakka - lol i just saw your post then

 

[Dimsimmer]

yeah i heard about that; well i was accidentally eavesdropping. it happended to sydney tech a few years back. they won.

so can you tell me about the thing that happened to sydney tech.
i am going to that school next year
thats why i want to know

 

[D_A]

so can you tell me about the thing that happened to sydney tech.
i am going to that school next year
thats why i want to know

Lesmiester, do you goto tech? Anyway, I'm doing the HSC right now and I goto Syd Tech. I don't know happened during Year 10 but at the end of Year 11 the head teacher was spewing all this crap at us [ crappy results etc etc ] and basically was trying to -force- 90% of us to do Standard. My advice, don't worry about it. People usually screw up English during Year 11, as long as you put in the effor during Year 12, it'll be all good. Even getting a band 3 for Adv Eng will be better than a band 4 for Standard. Cheers.

 

[wrong_turn]

i don't actually go to tech, but heaps of my friends go to it. and antoehr factor is that i go to a school in the local area, and live around the corner from it. you get to hear things this way : P

 

[acmilan]

We didnt have to sign anything but we had to do an assesment in the first week of year 11 to see who could enter advanced, there was about 45-50 students wanting to do it but the school knew only about 20 would be seriously able to do it so they gave the assesment and people over a certain mark were allowed in

 

[santaslayer]

Well you can't really sign an official contract if you're not of age anyway. It isn't really a contract, think of it as a reminder?

 

[wrong_turn]

Well you can't really sign an official contract if you're not of age anyway. It isn't really a contract, think of it as a reminder?

yes i know. the age limit to sign a contract is 18 unless surpervised by a guardian, or if it is totally undrstood by the individual. i guess legal studies does come in handy.

 

[wrong_turn]

i'm talking about 50 people doing advanced in year 11. but they're trying to reduce it to one class.

but at the rate tehy're culling people off, there would be about 15 or less left?!

it will be more like an extension class or selective class when they get through with us!

 

[raymes]

i agree with most everyone else -- go ahead and sign it, it wont do u any harm

i dont agree what they're doing however - not having the resources to teach advanced english is not an excuse. i believe that too many people who arent great at english take up standard not completely knowing the consequences of taking the course - especially those who are aiming for a high UAI. I'm certainly not saying advanced english is for everyone, i'm just saying that i think students should be more informed about the skill levels required for various courses so that they can make an informed decision about their choices rather than being pushed into a various course by their school or making a misjudgment about what they are going to benefit from the course. I know i made this mistake choosing, what i now know to be, a less academic subject as it seemed interesting at the time and now it is going to be much harder to get a good UAI contribution from that subject. Let's face it - students have to choose subjects which they enjoy or have a talent for but for those looking to achieve a decent UAI, students certainly need guidance on which subjects will more easily allow them to do that. It's IMO that there should be more talk about scaling, mark capping and maximum UAI contribution pre subject selection, rather than pre december 17th. thats just from my experience anyway