Can your school stop you from doing specialist?

[spectroscopy]

My school has a ranking system and only the top 30 kids out of 200 or so will be allowed to do spesh, regardless whether they want to or not
can the school stop you from being in a subject for reasons other than timetabling etc.
they did not say at any point there would be any rankings or requirements for spesh,but yeah
just curious to see your take on it
they did the same for methods as well LOL

[aes_999]

Don't know the answer. But if you do want to know, contact VCAA. Hope this helps, good luck on your VCE years!

http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/contactus.html

[pi]

They probably can, and tbh, if the school maths cohort is a weak one, I actually see it as a good move to prevent people doing a subject just for the scaling (esp is they're going to get high 20s - low 30s raw).

[Eddiee]

I'm pretty sure they are allowed to do that or at worst, strongly recommend that you don't continue into Specialist 3/4

I know that teachers at my school refuse entry based on factors such as exam performance, and will probably suggest that I don't do 3/4 Specialist after taking a look at my horrifying Unit 1 results Almost half of last year's GMA cohort of ~100 aren't doing Specialist but I'm not sure whether they weren't allowed or what..... many of them rage quit after completing Unit 1 anyways...

[Jenny_2108]

My school has a ranking system and only the top 30 kids out of 200 or so will be allowed to do spesh, regardless whether they want to or not
can the school stop you from being in a subject for reasons other than timetabling etc.
they did not say at any point there would be any rankings or requirements for spesh,but yeah
just curious to see your take on it
they did the same for methods as well LOL

yep (imo). To study Spesh, your Methods scores need to be above B+ unless you will struggle, spend lots of time doing questions

[paulsterio]

They probably can, and tbh, if the school maths cohort is a weak one, I actually see it as a good move to prevent people doing a subject just for the scaling (esp is they're going to get high 20s - low 30s raw).

Well you forget that a 30 in Spesh will net you a 42, which is still a very respectable study score - you'd have to be at least top 7-ish% (I think) to get a 42 in other subjects which don't scale up so much.

[pi]

They probably can, and tbh, if the school maths cohort is a weak one, I actually see it as a good move to prevent people doing a subject just for the scaling (esp is they're going to get high 20s - low 30s raw).

Well you forget that a 30 in Spesh will net you a 42, which is still a very respectable study score - you'd have to be at least top 7-ish% (I think) to get a 42 in other subjects which don't scale up so much.

I'm just trying to raise the standard of the spesh cohort for future years so that the scaling is justified! SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

[Stick]

It might seem like a really bad process now, but it's in the best interest of the students and the school. A lot of people at my school bit off more than they could chew during Unit 1 (record enrolments into Specialist, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, for example) and consequently dropped out. These subjects are difficult and only beneficial to your ATAR if you can execute them to a certain degree. Just aim high and see where it takes you.

[paulsterio]

I disagree with you Stick - I think it's not because they bit off more than they could chew, but they picked the wrong subjects. You're right about Spesh - in that there are probably students who aren't good enough to do well in it, but Biology, Chemistry and Physics, there are a lot of students who pick them because of:

1) The scaling
2) They are respectable subjects - in that many people view highly of them
3) Parents (possibly)

They then realise that the subject isn't interesting to them and as a result, they drop it because of a lack of motivation.

The reason I view it this way is because Chemistry, Physics and Biology are just like most other VCE subjects - they are subjects which don't require much knowledge from earlier years. For example, I did Software Development as well as Chemistry and Physics and I found the difficulty of all of them to be quite comparable.

[Stick]

At my school, students were failing horribly. I don't think a general lack of interest leads to failing (the average for Chemistry was 36% in Unit 1). But what you're saying is true.

[brenden]

I think a general lack of interest is probably the biggest reason for a low study score/getting an N.

[Special At Specialist]

I don't think teachers should be allowed to do this. When I was in year 10 at subject selection interviews, they recommended that I did further maths instead of methods and GMA (year 11 specialist). I told them that I really wanted to do those subjects and nothing they could say would influence my decision. They were quite hesitant about it, and at one stage they were willing to 'compromise' and let me do methods but not GMA. But I kept pushing through with it and eventually they gave in and let me do it. Now I am the top maths student in my school.

[paulsterio]

At my school, students were failing horribly. I don't think a general lack of interest leads to failing (the average for Chemistry was 36% in Unit 1). But what you're saying is true.

I'm always of the belief that if you put time and effort into what you do, you will exceed your expectations, sure you might not be the best, but you will do well. Thus I think that generally, if a student fails a subject, then either they didn't put in the work required (i.e. lack of interest amongst other reasons too) or the subject does not suit their learning style - note that this doesn't mean that the subject is too hard for them.

I just feel like I have to point out that there are people who think that the Maths/Science subjects are generally hard whereas the Humanities subjects are generally easy, however this is not true, it depends on which subjects suit your learning style. I have a friend who doesn't do well in Maths at all, however, they got a superb ATAR (99.00+) by doing subjects which they knew they were good at.

I don't think teachers should be allowed to do this. When I was in year 10 at subject selection interviews, they recommended that I did further maths instead of methods and GMA (year 11 specialist). I told them that I really wanted to do those subjects and nothing they could say would influence my decision. They were quite hesitant about it, and at one stage they were willing to 'compromise' and let me do methods but not GMA. But I kept pushing through with it and eventually they gave in and let me do it. Now I am the top maths student in my school.

Now that leads me onto this, now you're right, students should have a say as to whether they want to do a subject or not but I think that teachers should also have a say as well, as you know there might be many reasons why a student might want to do a particular subject. And sometimes, they do subjects like specialist maths for the wrong reasons (scaling...etc.)

[Charmz]

I don't think teachers should be allowed to do this. When I was in year 10 at subject selection interviews, they recommended that I did further maths instead of methods and GMA (year 11 specialist). I told them that I really wanted to do those subjects and nothing they could say would influence my decision. They were quite hesitant about it, and at one stage they were willing to 'compromise' and let me do methods but not GMA. But I kept pushing through with it and eventually they gave in and let me do it. Now I am the top maths student in my school.

The opposite happened to me. I wanted to do GMB (yr 11 further) in yr 10 because i'd already done yr 10 maths but they refused to let me and said I should do methods the following year and made me repeat yr 10 maths.
I'm pretty sure schools can't deny yr 12's any subject they want to do but they can advise them not to do those subjects.

[spectroscopy]

I don't think teachers should be allowed to do this. When I was in year 10 at subject selection interviews, they recommended that I did further maths instead of methods and GMA (year 11 specialist). I told them that I really wanted to do those subjects and nothing they could say would influence my decision. They were quite hesitant about it, and at one stage they were willing to 'compromise' and let me do methods but not GMA. But I kept pushing through with it and eventually they gave in and let me do it. Now I am the top maths student in my school.

you are my idol LOL