part 1 of 2 parts
I'm not trying to convey a point there; it's not a rhetorical question. I think we do need to ask that question since there is plenty of evidence that shows that gifted children do indeed flourish under the grammar school system, but that the less gifted, and the gifted but underprivileged, really suffer.
those less gifted and underprivileged suffer only because they under-perform on a competitive test
isn't the point of the test to identify those who are most likely to enjoy academic success in a faster paced academic setting
i too, fail. i fail to see the problem. those who demonstrate the greatest aptitude are given the best opportunity to allow that aptitude to flower into ability
Not really. Grammar schools weren't élite academies. They catered for c.30% of kids.
but it would appear they are elite in that one must test into admission from among their age cohort
Here's a good site that explains a lot about the grammar schools system and explodes a few myths.
it was a good read but i disagree with its conclusions
it repeatedly tells us that kids from less affluent homes do not do as well on the 11+ as do those students from more affluent homes. and water is wet
That ¡s really not the issue since it's a myth that bright students do not receive deeper, more challenging instruction under the current system.
i do not know what is mythical about the reality that bright kids, who are mainstreamed with less able students, will not fully develop their potential. the teachers will teach to the lowest comon denominator. in the grammar school that LCD would be much higher
It's another myth that kids of different ability levels are always taught together and to a median, lowest-common-denominator standard. Kids attending comprehensive schools are streamed to ensure they receive ability-appropriate teaching.
and that is something i did not realize, previously. so, if ability grouping is found appropriate at the comprehensive school level, then why disband the highest ability group, those at the grammar school level?
I think most people who are opposed to grammar schools do so for four main reasons:
1. It is damaging and divisive to separate out kids at age 11 into passes and fails, winners and losers, and thereby damage the prospects of the majority before a large proportion of them have even begun to mature and develop.
by age 11, every kid in every school room knows which fellow students are gifted and which are not
now everyone would prefer to be smart, attractive, athletic, wealthy, and socially accepted. but most of us are not
those who are not academically gifted are not denied a further education, they are denied the ability to attend a faster paced school with more gifted students. again, i fail to see that as a problem
2. Grammar schools were always far better resourced, attracted better teachers and had better facilities than the Secondary Modern schools where the 11-plus failures were sent. There's no reason to believe that that same inequity wouldn't happen again.
in the states, my wife is a master teacher. she teaches in the least socio-economically mobile census tract in the nation where 100% of the students are eligible to receive free lunch and breakfast. despite offering a 10% salary premium to the teachers in such difficult-to-teach schools, there are few who will accept those higher paid teaching positions. teachers know that the job is much too hard to justify the additional salary. over 50% of the teachers leave each year. the bill and melinda gates foundation and local corporations pour money into this and other under-performing area schools. but the end-of-year exam scores do not move: 17% at grade level. no matter how hard the teachers work with these kids, they return home. and home is often a culturally and economically poor environment. a home where education is not valued. a home where the students do not get enough rest, or nutrition, or encouragement, or discipline. there is a good reason why many of the best teachers prefer to teach in a less challenging situation; one in which the students arrive each day ready and eager to learn. THAT is why so many of the best teachers prefer to teach at the better schools, so that they can spend their day actually teaching and not baby sitting
at least that is the situation across the pond