NAPLAN stress causes vomiting, insomnia

[paulsterio]

When I had NAPLAN...our school seems to regard it more as a nuisance than anything, like we were just told we had NAPLAN and we just did it...

Haha, same with my school. But then and again, I don't think the top schools like yours would be too worried about NAPLAN because it's pretty much got solid enrollment numbers anyway and doesn't have any issues attracting good students.

What about some of the underperforming schools? They want to attract students and also good students, so they know that they need to perform well for parents to consider sending their kids there.

[jeanweasley]

Am I the only one who didn't give a damn about NAPLAN? Why is everyone overreacting to this? It's not like it's VCE and it's just a test. A publicised test. It doesn't mean that it'll be the end of students' lives. Some people really need to suck it up. It's so annoying hearing whiny little Year 7s and worrying about some dumb test. It irks me. Seriously, if there's anything that people should worry about or feel that they should worry about then it's VCE, not some stupid test nobody will even care about.

[thushan]

Am I the only one who didn't give a damn about NAPLAN? Why is everyone overreacting to this? It's not like it's VCE and it's just a test. A publicised test. It doesn't mean that it'll be the end of students' lives. Some people really need to suck it up. It's so annoying hearing whiny little Year 7s and worrying about some dumb test. It irks me. Seriously, if there's anything that people should worry about or feel that they should worry about then it's VCE, not some stupid test nobody will even care about.

Careful Jean. You or I don't care so much. But:

- some schools care because it determines enrolments because the data is publicised, so they could pressure their students
- some parents take NAPLAN extremely seriously and pressure their kids to breaking point (just like VCE)

[TheManG]

Haha, same with my school. But then and again, I don't think the top schools like yours would be too worried about NAPLAN because it's pretty much got solid enrollment numbers anyway and doesn't have any issues attracting good students.

What about some of the underperforming schools? They want to attract students and also good students, so they know that they need to perform well for parents to consider sending their kids there.

You're making a big generalisation paulsterio. I am speaking through personal experience but 'underperforming schools' don't need to attract students. Why? Because their reputation wasn't built on academic success but instead on getting their students to where they want to be. Mind you, most move onto Tafe or getting work straight out of highschool. I guess that would be the appeal of these schools.

My only gripe with this, and I have bitched/complained about this before, is what happens to the students aiming high. (Therefore aiming for a tertiary course) I really do feel as though NAPLAN should be used an as indicator for said 'gifted' students to be taken from under performing schools and enrolled into select entry schools. Is this poaching? Yes but does it matter? Why should these students be at a disadvantage?

I really do feel as though select entry schools have an obligation to favour, and accept, students from these backgrounds, instead of the typical Private School to MHS/Mac.Rob/.

tl:dr: NAPLAN has the potential, in my opinion, to help gifted students from 'under performing' or 'low socio economical' backgrounds.

[paulsterio]

You're making a big generalisation paulsterio. I am speaking through personal experience but 'underperforming schools' don't need to attract students. Why? Because their reputation wasn't built on academic success but instead on getting their students to where they want to be. Mind you, most move onto Tafe or getting work straight out of highschool. I guess that would be the appeal of these schools.

My only gripe with this, and I have bitched/complained about this before, is what happens to the students aiming high. (Therefore aiming for a tertiary course) I really do feel as though NAPLAN should be used an as indicator for said 'gifted' students to be taken from under performing schools and enrolled into select entry schools. Is this poaching? Yes but does it matter? Why should these students be at a disadvantage?

I really do feel as though select entry schools have an obligation to favour, and accept, students from these backgrounds, instead of the typical Private School to MHS/Mac.Rob/.

tl:dr: NAPLAN has the potential, in my opinion, to help gifted students from 'under performing' or 'low socio economical' backgrounds.

I don't understand your point and I don't believe that I made any generalisations in my post.

I also don't agree with what you're saying. Why should you use NAPLAN? There are already standardised tests for admission to selective entry schools. How would NAPLAN assist with this process?

Also, really and truly, nobody is disadvantaged, at the end of the day somebody is going to miss out, no matter how you look at it - you either have a select entry school with the best students in the state or you have a "nice" school who takes in everyone who has potentially disadvantaged circumstances. They're two different purposes and aims.

[TheManG]

Firstly, I should apologize for my post. I should have indicated which part I felt was the generalisation.

What about some of the underperforming schools? They want to attract students and also good students, so they know that they need to perform well for parents to consider sending their kids there.

That was the main gripe I had and, to an extent, I did let my feelings get the better of me. Personally, I just felt that that was completely wrong and unless you have attended an underperforming school, you would understand my point.

I also don't agree with what you're saying. Why should you use NAPLAN? There are already standardised tests for admission to selective entry schools. How would NAPLAN assist with this process?

I am not too sure if you read my post but I said that 'NAPLAN should be used an as indicator for said 'gifted' students to be taken from under performing schools and enrolled into select entry schools'. To me, It can be used as an indicator for academic success. (Indicator should be stressed)

you either have a select entry school with the best students in the state or you have a "nice" school who takes in everyone who has potentially disadvantaged circumstances. They're two different purposes and aims.

With this, Was this the contention you obtained through my post? If so, it isn't correct. My point was that I feel as though Select Entry schools should have a moral obligation to accept, or give preference to, 'gifted' students from dis-advantaged backgrounds.  How would we know that some of the 'best students in the state' come 'under performing schools'? What happens if they aren't allowed, either financially or having no support from their school/family, to undertake the Select Entry school test? (Another reason could be that it is an external process and is therefore a hassle).

I just feel as though NAPLAN could be used as a determinant for such students, instead of just simply used as an indicator for a schools performance. Why not look at each student, individually, who comprise such indicators?

Disclaimer: I am talking anecdotally and, until I can find some concrete evidence, my views are my own and should just be taken with a grain of salt. 

[jeanweasley]

Careful Jean. You or I don't care so much. But:

- some schools care because it determines enrolments because the data is publicised, so they could pressure their students
- some parents take NAPLAN extremely seriously and pressure their kids to breaking point (just like VCE)

I am quite aware of that but it's just ridiculous. I've never seen parents pressuring children to attain high results in NAPLAN--it just seems all blown out of proportion that I wonder HOW many people are actually affected by it. It's a tiny thing that shouldn't even cause worry and maybe I'm also piqued because I've heard this issue at least three times during oral presentation week at my school and it's starting to sound a little redundant to me.

[Butterscotch]

No offense but vomiting and stress sounds a bit too extreme. Seeing from experience, we had an intensive 'Naplan preparation' in year 7 (for 2 weeks we did naplan prep in all of our maths and English classes), and people took it pretty light-minded. There's nothing there to stress about unless your teachers or parents force you to study for it ad if it's a exam that matters; in true fact it doesn't.

You should really let your parents know if you're being forced to study for this, that majority of the people who undertake Naplan don't even prepare or whatsoever, they just wing it and use their knowledge they already have. There's no point stressing yourself to do exceptionally well (the time constraints are far too lean, most people finish the tests with 5-10 mins remaining in my cohort) – Since you're not even goin to be given a percentile or a ranking for this. Take chill pill!

It's only there to show you an ideal representation of where you stand against the years of 3,5,7 or 9's. I'm doing it this year, and I'm chilling it, although the intensive preparation from my school will hit sometime in April.

In all contrary, it really isn't an exam to be stressing over!

[pi]

One would hope that no exam should cause one to vomit or suffer from insomnia :/

[paulsterio]

One would hope that no exam should cause one to vomit or suffer from insomnia :/

One would hope that nothing should cause one to vomit or suffer from insomnia.