Comments on: ENTER the Dragon http://galusaustralis.com/2009/12/2548/enter-the-dragon/ Jewish Life in the Antipodes Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:13:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: watcher http://galusaustralis.com/2009/12/2548/enter-the-dragon/#comment-5675 watcher Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:27:31 +0000 http://galusaustralis.com/?p=2548#comment-5675 For another way of looking at this see a parent's guest post on AJNWATCH <a href="http://ajnwatch.blogspot.com/2009/12/ajn-jewish-students-score-top-marks-at.html" rel="nofollow">http://ajnwatch.blogspot.com/2009/12/ajn-jewish-students-score-top-marks-at.html</a> For another way of looking at this see a parent’s guest post on AJNWATCH
http://ajnwatch.blogspot.com/2009/12/ajn-jewish-students-score-top-marks-at.html

]]> By: Almoni http://galusaustralis.com/2009/12/2548/enter-the-dragon/#comment-5668 Almoni Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:58:04 +0000 http://galusaustralis.com/?p=2548#comment-5668 The VCE industry, and the way that private schools, including Jewish schools  have played into middle class fears is a disgrace.   The Aust Jewish News is particularly culpable in this, but then, there's nothing like advertising revenue from the private schools. With few exceptions, our life choices, chances, and opportunities are NOT determined by a school exam.  The obsession with 99.95, and shamefully the parading of success by private (including Jewish schools) at getting such marks is a fraud, because, kids who aren't doing well are streamed out /moved out of the schools.  And in fact, many kids who seem to 0 do so well, because they have been coddled, struggle in higher education and drop out.  It's likely that kids will have at least 9 or 10 or more jobs and a variety of career paths before they retire--and that VCE mark isn't going to necessarily privilege their life. I too have a highly intelligent son, in the 95% range in a variety of tests, but formal schooling has not been for him. He is taking a break, meeting other kids, working. No doubt he will get back into the system and because of his maturity, do well.  Yet we, as a family, are stigmatized for not being 'succesful', as if final success is measured at the age of 17 or 18. It depresses and infuriates me that the lowest common denominator for 'success' -- actually, shall be say, the worst sort of materialist idol workship, has entered into the privileged Jewish  and private schools --a dedication to personal well-being alone, and a false measure of sucesss through exams, rather then success being seen as the development of a rounded & ethical adult who can make intelligent choices. But try and convince parents, and particularly the school industry, and the advertising and status industry that life is something else. Forget it.  Industry interests have gouging parents' worst worries at heart. It's a truly sorry state of affairs. I'm pleased you had the guts to write this David. I prefer to use my pseudonym only because of the whispers we get otherwise.             The VCE industry, and the way that private schools, including Jewish schools  have played into middle class fears is a disgrace.   The Aust Jewish News is particularly culpable in this, but then, there’s nothing like advertising revenue from the private schools.
With few exceptions, our life choices, chances, and opportunities are NOT determined by a school exam.  The obsession with 99.95, and shamefully the parading of success by private (including Jewish schools) at getting such marks is a fraud, because, kids who aren’t doing well are streamed out /moved out of the schools.  And in fact, many kids who seem to 0 do so well, because they have been coddled, struggle in higher education and drop out.  It’s likely that kids will have at least 9 or 10 or more jobs and a variety of career paths before they retire–and that VCE mark isn’t going to necessarily privilege their life.
I too have a highly intelligent son, in the 95% range in a variety of tests, but formal schooling has not been for him. He is taking a break, meeting other kids, working. No doubt he will get back into the system and because of his maturity, do well.  Yet we, as a family, are stigmatized for not being ‘succesful’, as if final success is measured at the age of 17 or 18.
It depresses and infuriates me that the lowest common denominator for ‘success’ — actually, shall be say, the worst sort of materialist idol workship, has entered into the privileged Jewish  and private schools –a dedication to personal well-being alone, and a false measure of sucesss through exams, rather then success being seen as the development of a rounded & ethical adult who can make intelligent choices.
But try and convince parents, and particularly the school industry, and the advertising and status industry that life is something else. Forget it.  Industry interests have gouging parents’ worst worries at heart.
It’s a truly sorry state of affairs.
I’m pleased you had the guts to write this David. I prefer to use my pseudonym only because of the whispers we get otherwise.
 
 
 
 
 
 

]]> By: ariel http://galusaustralis.com/2009/12/2548/enter-the-dragon/#comment-5666 ariel Mon, 21 Dec 2009 05:05:49 +0000 http://galusaustralis.com/?p=2548#comment-5666 I feel that there are two big issues with HSC and VCE. One is the complete myth that you absolutely <em>have to</em> achieve a score of 99.99 to be considered "intelligent" or a "good product" of the school. I blame parents as much as the community. Students should be taught from the very beginning that they need only do their best, which I equate more or less with achieving the mark they need to get into the degree program of their choice. There is no need to destroy your entire bodily system studying day and night to achieve 99.99 if you only need a mark of 75. Apart from which, it is completely unhealthy. In fact most of the most successful students at school and uni continue to participate in extra-curricular activities during STUVAC and exam periods (sports are and especially good outlet). Students should be encouraged by their parents, but not pressured. When I sat my HSC, my parents were constantly asked "How are you coping?", to which they replied "Perfectly well, since we're not sitting the exam. If our child doesn't get into the course of their choice, it's their problem". How right they were to remain calm. (By the way, I did get into the course I wanted). The second big issue I see - which is a byproduct of the first issue - is the fashionable hiring of external tutors to supplement school study. If a student is not performing well in a subject, there are two (cheaper) options: 1. Go and see the teacher after class and ask for assistance. That is their job and most are more than happy to help rather than to be trumped by an external tutor. You pay $20K/yr for an education, so you may as well get the best out of it. 2. Consider that perhaps this subject is not for you. Consider dropping it for something more suitable to your abilities. Taking a subject just because it will (supposedly) scale you up is completely wrong. You should study what interests you and/or what provides  appropriate knowledge for your tertiary course. The HSC/VCE is not the be all and end all of life (in fact it's quite meaningless in the scheme of things) and students should not feel pressured to perform beyond their abilities. I feel that there are two big issues with HSC and VCE.

One is the complete myth that you absolutely have to achieve a score of 99.99 to be considered “intelligent” or a “good product” of the school. I blame parents as much as the community. Students should be taught from the very beginning that they need only do their best, which I equate more or less with achieving the mark they need to get into the degree program of their choice. There is no need to destroy your entire bodily system studying day and night to achieve 99.99 if you only need a mark of 75. Apart from which, it is completely unhealthy. In fact most of the most successful students at school and uni continue to participate in extra-curricular activities during STUVAC and exam periods (sports are and especially good outlet). Students should be encouraged by their parents, but not pressured. When I sat my HSC, my parents were constantly asked “How are you coping?”, to which they replied “Perfectly well, since we’re not sitting the exam. If our child doesn’t get into the course of their choice, it’s their problem”. How right they were to remain calm. (By the way, I did get into the course I wanted).

The second big issue I see – which is a byproduct of the first issue – is the fashionable hiring of external tutors to supplement school study. If a student is not performing well in a subject, there are two (cheaper) options:

1. Go and see the teacher after class and ask for assistance. That is their job and most are more than happy to help rather than to be trumped by an external tutor. You pay $20K/yr for an education, so you may as well get the best out of it.

2. Consider that perhaps this subject is not for you. Consider dropping it for something more suitable to your abilities. Taking a subject just because it will (supposedly) scale you up is completely wrong. You should study what interests you and/or what provides  appropriate knowledge for your tertiary course.

The HSC/VCE is not the be all and end all of life (in fact it’s quite meaningless in the scheme of things) and students should not feel pressured to perform beyond their abilities.

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