Berwick Selective School

[costargh]

"...strong students tend to increase peers’ academic performance and weak students tend to reduce it." (Winston & Zimmerman, 2003)
http://www.williams.edu/wpehe/DPs/DP-64.pdf (page 24)

I'm sure you could mind much more through Business Source Premier and ProQuest if you wished.

[costargh]

costargh why don't you just get up and teach them a lesson?
Tell them off, thats what i would be doing, coming from the north

I'm a non-confrontational person.

[appianway]

Costa, I beg to differ. My research is only anecdotal - I've noticed that the kids at Mac.Rob who significantly lag behind the others end up becoming disengaged with their schoastic pursuits. In year 9, one of the girls remarked that she had no clue what was going on in English class - she couldn't follow the discussion and wasn't familiar with the lexicon being used by her peers.

This girl probably sits at the 80th percentile in comparison to the rest of the state. Now she feels like she's dumb and is reluctant to participate in class.

Look, I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule, but in my opinion, it's just not fair to put people into that position. She'd be better off in an environment where she'd be able to keep up to date and be engaged in what she does.

Does that mean I should drop out of UoM and go to a worse university so I feel smarter? Sometimes people's smartness in tutorials can be intimidating, but that just makes me want to try harder, and boosts my motivation to learn, personally.

That's not what I'm saying at all. What I'm trying to get at is that if you're sitting in a class and not understanding what's going on, you'd be better off at another institution. Learning something and feeling positive about yourself is better than being bewildered and feeling terrible.

[hard]

They just stand in the doorway, and dont move down the carriage and just are really loud and obnoxious.

This one guy yesterday was just sittin in the middle of the doorway blocking everyone so he cood read his paper.
Then this other MHS guy got up off a seat for this old lady and then this other MHS dude just jumped on the seat and made the old lady stand who was too embarrased to say anything.

Just the general "i have 2 be 3cms away from my friends all time on the train really shits me"

The girls from Sacred Heart have to take the cake though. I've seen people doing Long Jump over there bags which create mountains in the walkways because they're too rude to put them under their seats or hold them.

if i was you i'd just push them over. they start something then it's on!

[costargh]

I should campaign for public transport etiquette to be introduced into the high school curriculum.

[appianway]

"...strong students tend to increase peers’ academic performance and weak students tend to reduce it." (Winston & Zimmerman, 2003)
http://www.williams.edu/wpehe/DPs/DP-64.pdf (page 24)

I'm sure you could mind much more through Business Source Premier and ProQuest if you wished.

I don't actually have time to read the whole article, but from my 30 second glance, it seems as though it's dealing with the motivation of students to achieve high scores/attain entrance to good universities.

Here are my questions (which, you know, could possibly be deduced fromm the article, but seeing as I should be doing homework...):

+Are the schools surveyed schools with exceptionally large percentages of students who perform farrrr above the average?
+Is motivation to attend tertiary institutions inherently linked with motivation to master coursework that doesn't affect SAT/GPA/ENTER results?
+Is the motivation of the higher performing students ever altered by the lower performing students?
+Do the teachers in such institutions target the coursework at highly able students, or are classes aimed at those who sit just above the national average?
+Are opportunities at high performing schools consistently given to a similar group of students (hence blocking lower performing students from gaining a broader education)?

[Mao]

I whole-heartedly support selective entry schools [even though I graduated from one of the lowest ranking school in Vic].

To say that selective-entry schools should not be built is the same as saying higher achieving students have a duty to help/motivate others around them. This does improve equality, but in doing so, the higher achieving students sacrifice the potential for higher academic enrichment as the curriculum will be targeted at the average Joe. This kind of equality is destructive, the separation is natural and reasonable, it is unfair to claim otherwise.

[Gloamglozer]

So, what does everyone think about the new selective school?

haven't heard of it. is their some sort of advertisement or somthin?

There was some talk about it some time ago.  There's actually two new selective schools being built - one in Berwick and one in Wyndham (have no idea where that is).  Here is a link I managed to google if it helps.

[methodsboy]

So, what does everyone think about the new selective school?

haven't heard of it. is their some sort of advertisement or somthin?

There was some talk about it some time ago.  There's actually two new selective schools being built - one in Berwick and one in Wyndham (have no idea where that is).  Here is a link I managed to google if it helps.

Wyndham is on the other side of the city; west side.

[methodsboy]

that's weird; the Berwick school will be in the Berwick Monash campus...

[spesh-gun]

There should only be 1 selective school- building so many just loses it prestige. besides, it's a shit location.

[shinny]

Since when was selective schools about prestige? If you want prestige, go to a private school. Besides, Sydney has like 7 of them or something and there are still clear grades of 'prestige' among them (for example, the one with a bloody 99.55 UAI (ENTER) median).

[squance]

Since when was selective schools about prestige? If you want prestige, go to a private school. Besides, Sydney has like 7 of them or something and there are still clear grades of 'prestige' among them (for example, the one with a bloody 99.55 UAI (ENTER) median).

From wikipedia
"According to the school's website, more than half of each year's graduating class ultimately pursue tertiary studies in law or medicine."

Whoa.....

[polky]

Since when was selective schools about prestige? If you want prestige, go to a private school. Besides, Sydney has like 7 of them or something and there are still clear grades of 'prestige' among them (for example, the one with a bloody 99.55 UAI (ENTER) median).

I love that Agricultural School.  It's a great concept!  Would have loved to attend it.

Regarding the new Berwick/Wyndham selective schools, I don't see why they should not be built.  They allow more opportunities for able students to receive education that is specifically targeted towards them and allows for their faster learning skills etc.  The academic environment would be much more mentally stimulating and challenging than that provided at other schools.  Also the location of the campuses would allow those who were reluctant to apply for Macrob/MHS because of distance issues to attend a selective entry school.

Everyone has different learning capabilities, and these schools just cater for them.  Just as students with disabilities have special schools or a special curriculum tailored to meet their schooling needs, people who have above average academic skills should be allowed to be in an environment where they are nurtured and can reach their full potential.

(Although I do acknowledge disadvantages that arise, eg. elitism.  You also kind of lose perspective - being in an environment where the bar is raised so high skews your perception of the world)

[Mao]

Since when was selective schools about prestige? If you want prestige, go to a private school. Besides, Sydney has like 7 of them or something and there are still clear grades of 'prestige' among them (for example, the one with a bloody 99.55 UAI (ENTER) median).

for their scores, few of their alumni are noted. I'd have thought many would become highly distinguished people in their fields..


As for selective schools, Monash is quite ambitious. It is currently building two schools, one in Berwick, and one in Clayton (the John Monash Science School). The prior will be more or less like MHS/MacRob, except with a much higher proportion of students partaking in enhancement studies. The JMSS is, as the name suggests, aimed at science development, probably heavily integrated with the university in senior years, and aimed at producing undergrad research candidates.