Non-Selective Government Schools (1 Viewer)

[BowTrUcKle]

I was just wondering, for those that attend government schools that are not selective if the top-students in each grade get better resources?
This happens at my school, in almost every subject. The top 20 or so students at my school get newer and better textbooks and most of the teachers are always willing to give up their lunchtimes to help the top students out. Is this right? No wonder most students at my school under-achieve..

What are your thoughts?

 

[perfectionist]

at my school i along with some other people was favoured a bit by the teachers in terms of getting more time to ask questions, no1 else acctually asked for extra time. And we were a bit close to the teachers.
in year 12 english, our teacher increased the time of the speech, only b'cos me n my sis had a bit long, btw we were the only ones who knew what we have to study b'cos we did standard and most standard students dont tend to really care.
We were also favoured by the librarian, she used to renew our books all the time.

i think it was ok, b'cos other people were simply not interested in school work.

 

[Lainee]

That really doesn't sound right at all... it's great that they're encouraging the top students to do even better, but if that means disadvantaging the others! I know that you're referring to non-selective gov schools, but in my school it's generally that the top ranked classes get the better teachers while the lower ones struggle along with whomever they happen to get. It should really be the other way around! The crap students (for lack of a better term!) are just going to get crappier without good support, while the ones that are already quite smart have an even greater advantage! If the system was to be swapped around, you'ld have the crappier students slowly catching up to the top ones instead of losing faith and dropping out or whatever.

 

[kimmeh]

do they actually dish out and pick the top 20? and what criteria do they judge you under for the top 20? is it top 20 in each subject or overall? i think you need to be more specific

 

[Lainee]

I think she means, roughly top 20?

EDIT: Unless they actually sit down every year and go 'nahhhh, she's 21st in the grade, no new textbooks for *heerr*!'

 

[BowTrUcKle]

for english, math and science..
they look at those who recieve the top marks in exams, reports etc.. and also look at their behaviour in class, that is if they look like they are willing to learn...
I'm not complaining, because I'm generally in the top 20 or so (no to sound arroagnt) but there are a few students in the bottom classes who really try hard to achieve but never get the appropraite resources to do so. Their teachers generally let them bludge..(they don't bother teaching)

 

[BowTrUcKle]

@Lainee: Yeah I mean roughly top 20...

 

[Wohzazz]

Originally posted by Lainee
That really doesn't sound right at all... it's great that they're encouraging the top students to do even better, but if that means disadvantaging the others! I know that you're referring to non-selective gov schools, but in my school it's generally that the top ranked classes get the better teachers while the lower ones struggle along with whomever they happen to get. It should really be the other way around! The crap students (for lack of a better term!) are just going to get crappier without good support, while the ones that are already quite smart have an even greater advantage! If the system was to be swapped around, you'ld have the crappier students slowly catching up to the top ones instead of losing faith and dropping out or whatever.

sounds like the selective school system to me cept its 'selective student' within a non selective school
thing is they shouldn't be biased, it should be fair to everyone. BTW does newer textbooks mean physically newer or newer in terms of publication data, the later is really unfair
time available for asking teachers is brough upon by oneself. if you enthusiastic, you'll talk more to the teacher and develope better teacher-student relationship. it's just people who don't care about school don't bother asking question, so teacher feel unmotivated to teach them

 

[Xayma]

I got to a government non-selective school and that doesn't happen at my school. Generally all the teachers here are willing to give up their time if help is needed (in fact most offer without people asking), if you ask a question it will get answered its not on any ranking system sought of thing.

 

[Xayma]

Originally posted by Wohzazz
if you enthusiastic, you'll talk more to the teacher and develope better teacher-student relationship. it's just people who don't care about school don't bother asking

Exactly, it is up to the students to see their teachers and if they can't help maybe they can go to other teachers who teach the same subject, Im sure at least one teacher would be willing to help.

 

[sugaryblue]

well, partly.

Usually the top maths class gets newer books.

but in my experiences, teachers would give you their time if you are willing (and also depending on the teacher). like, my friend she is in ESL english but this other english teacher helped her to mark her essay before the HSC coz her ESL teacher's away.

but i don't think teachers favour over top students. HOWEVER, they might be nicer to certain students

 

[KarmaKitten]

I find that disturbing.. they can do that?

 

[kimmeh]

Originally posted by Xayma
Generally all the teachers here are willing to give up their time if help is needed (in fact most offer without people asking), if you ask a question it will get answered its not on any ranking system sought of thing.

at our school, you have to actually ask them otherwise, they cant make allocated time for you. but i gues if you're close to the teacher, then i guess you can organises something on a weekly basis.

Originally posted by BowTrUcKle
@Lainee: Yeah I mean roughly top 20...

overall in the grade?

 

[nafe]

That doesn't seem right at all. At my old school, there wasn't any sort of 'favouritism' over the more able students. If someone wanted help, all they had to do is ask and the teachers were fully willing to help. Although, the top 1 or 2 maths classes or so usually do tend to get the newer books and stuff, but only because there isn't enough for every class.

 

[marko]

there isnt a teacher that exists that wouldnt help a year 12 person that was asking them a question before the HSC or in the HSC year (or any year really).
At my school it was up to the students to seek help, and the teachers were begging us to ask them things, whether you were the smartest or not.
As to whether smarter students get more up to date publications, they might naturally flow through to those with the most interest in doing well (ie. they push to get them), because we know that in non selective govt schools there is plenty that dont. even so, its not a perfect world and some people miss out but it doesnt mean they cant be accessed at all, it would just take a scrap of motivation to get over it and borrow a newer book from someone to take advantage of the newer resources.
btw- 100% respect public schools and their teachers!!

 

[*girl04*]

Ours is pretty fair. like if they r some new textbook we will have a raffle to see who gets it or sometimes its just luck.. The teachers dont really help the "smart" ppl out more just those who r willing to learn. ie u cant talk though class then expect help, but if u listen and truely dont understand then yeah ull get help
Its just my local public school but its fairly fair]
except that people that teachers " think::" are smart get like teachers talk to them more and stuff, but sometimes ppl r smart but the teachers dont know and they sorta get ignored

 

[*girl04*]

most of the teachers actually seem to favour one of my friends coz they think shes heaps smart and stuff. Its good if im around her then coz i get stuff ( e.g. out of class for special reasons and free food and extended things) but when im not around this friend i get like nothing

 

[grumps]

i find that this does generally happen, i mean the standard english classes in my school are hugely disadvantaged, basically they go through the whole year writing nothing but 4 paragraph essays, it is true that some of these students don't want to learn but there are those that do and they are just not getting the attention they need....as with textbooks, the 'advanced' classes get newer (by publication) and more challenging textbooks and these students are encouraged more, even though they don't need to be encouraged as much as the 'under-achievers', who are just left out in the rain...

 

[Tall_gal]

Some teachers do favour. Others dont. I think it varies. Whats ridiculous is that my year 9 teacher for food tech favoured the "nasty" girls. They did nothing. me and my friend tried so hard. and coz i spoke up she gave me a hard time. It made me drop the subject and switch to Dram in yr 10. But thats the greatest thing that happened to me cos i luv it and im doin it for my HSC. Standard English gets it pretty bad though. I would rather die than havta go through the one of those lessons. No offence. But there is too much slack in standard i think

 

[MiuMiu]

I don't think its just government non-selective that this sort of thing happens in. I was one of the top 3 in our grade, top in humanities, and I got along really well with all of the humanities teachers (even the ones who didn't teach me). They were always willing to help at anytime of the night or day, but I don't think it was so much that I was one of the better students, I think it was that they could see my enthusiasm for learning, and so they had an enthusiasm to teach, knowing that it was going to be worthwhile and appreciated. Because I got along with these ppl so well I found it really easy to approach them about things I wanted help with/to discuss.
I think if you want help, most (and I say most cos there are some pathetic teachers out there and Im sorry if you've scored one) will be more than happy to help if you show that you are interested and wanting to improve. Don't be shy, speak up.