Where will you send your children?

[Electioneering]

Grrr... I always got told off for wearing sneakers at school... And our school isn't even private. :S

wtf?!? haha, in primary school it was 'uncool' to wear black leather school shoes to school.

many years ago i met a girl who was homeschooled, and i asked her how she made friends. she got really defensive and told me she attended these special 'classes' once a week with other homeschooled people, and it was during those 'classes' that they were able to 'socialise' :\ idk it's weird

[mtwtfss]

Also, I don't know having not had any experience, but are there not some negative side effects of going to a selective school? I never really thought that until I saw those facebook groups called things like 'going to a selective school ruined my life'. I'd be interested to hear about the negative experiences of people who went to selective schools (if anyone actually has any).

Selective entry schools are amazing for some students, but definitely NOT all.

Going into year 12 next year, there is about 3 students that I know of who are leaving, to follow interests in hospitality x2 and media/arts x1.

These three students are the bravest out of the lot of us. They've identified within themselves that MHS isn't for them and have taken steps to achieve their ultimate dreams.

Having said that, select entry schools are an amazing environment. Everyone has something very special and unique to be proud of, and everyone is accepted for who they are, apart from the odd dickhead, but they (dickheads) end up losing all respect from the students and don't really count.

I've got friends who confess to 'hating MHS', but really they just dislike the academic pressure placed upon them, not by teachers but by their own peers (the reason why MHS/MacRob is so succesful). These kids love most other things about the select environment of the school and put up with the academic pressure from their peers.

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I'd want my kids to goto a semi-decent local public primary school and be exposed to the real world, and not closeted like some private schools who insist on students waiting in class to be picked up from school etc. Thats the biggest joke ever.

Year 7 and 8, most likely to a decent (or not) local public high school, again to gain life experience, learn how to handle themselves in different situations, be exposed to risks and overall become a better person.

Year 9-12, if they wanted to, for sure a select entry school, as the experience these offer is awesome. If they get into a select school, so be it, if not, then they probably don't deserve to be there in the first place and it would be a good thing that they got rejected if they really weren't smart enough to goto the school and be placed under the pressures involved with this.

[amyminchin]

Co-ed. High achieving public school/private school- maybe my old school.

[brendan]

academic pressure placed upon them, not by teachers but by their own peers (the reason why MHS/MacRob is so succesful).

I don't recall anyone student(s) there explicitly "pressuring" me to do well academically. I think its more internal than anything else.  A lot of people tend to measure their self-worth in relative to other people in their immediate peer group, and when their immediate peer group becomes a group of highly able and ambitious boys, they feel they have to up the ante. In the end, people place the pressure on themselves to do well.

If there is anyone in MHS that hates it, they should immediately leave. They are just a waste of space at MHS. There are countless other people who will be very happy to take their place.

[mtwtfss]

academic pressure placed upon them, not by teachers but by their own peers (the reason why MHS/MacRob is so succesful).

I don't recall anyone student(s) there explicitly "pressuring" me to do well academically. I think its more internal than anything else.  A lot of people tend to measure their self-worth in relative to other people in their immediate peer group, and when their immediate peer group becomes a group of highly able and ambitious boys, they feel they have to up the ante. In the end, people place the pressure on themselves to do well.

If there is anyone in MHS that hates it, they should immediately leave. They are just a waste of space at MHS. There are countless other people who will be very happy to take their place.

Internal pressure due to external factors.

Its not like kids say 'omg you have to do better'.

It's more something which isn't said but happens heaps, when students are coming up with great results consistently, everyone else is pressured to excel in themselves.

Especially in homo classes, kids are literally judged by how well they do on a test, if you get 67% on a test your the joke of the class.

[vce08]

Especially in homo classes, kids are literally judged by how well they do on a test, if you get 67% on a test your the joke of the class.

Very true

[Eriny]

I think that some students don't necessarily like some school environments that are very good/competitive/prestigious suggests that there might not be such thing as a 'good' school or a 'bad' school, but certainly there are good and bad schools for certain students. The indicators remain the same, sure, but how much each individual will value each indicator can vary dramatically. Some might prefer a good sports program or a place that is socially diverse or one which doesn't pressure students into achieving certain things or may place equal value on hard work as it does results.

This is why it's difficult to say right now where I'd send any of my hypothetical children - I have no idea what they'd be like! I would be vaguely pleased if they were smart and I'd definitely encourage them to learn and do their best, but if they weren't and wanted paths different to mine, then it wouldn't really worry me and I'd support that. I think even the act of sending a child to private school places some pressure on them ('Look at how much I'm playing for you to be educated! You'd better make it worth while!') and I certainly wouldn't want to do that to a child who would be happier at the school down the street.

[chemboy]

Especially in homo classes, kids are literally judged by how well they do on a test, if you get 67% on a test your the joke of the class.

Very true

Man thats a bitch, no kid should have to go through that.

[bubble sunglasses]

I think that some students don't necessarily like some school environments that are very good/competitive/prestigious suggests that there might not be such thing as a 'good' school or a 'bad' school, but certainly there are good and bad schools for certain students. The indicators remain the same, sure, but how much each individual will value each indicator can vary dramatically. Some might prefer a good sports program or a place that is socially diverse or one which doesn't pressure students into achieving certain things or may place equal value on hard work as it does results.

This is why it's difficult to say right now where I'd send any of my hypothetical children - I have no idea what they'd be like! I would be vaguely pleased if they were smart and I'd definitely encourage them to learn and do their best, but if they weren't and wanted paths different to mine, then it wouldn't really worry me and I'd support that. I think even the act of sending a child to private school places some pressure on them ('Look at how much I'm playing for you to be educated! You'd better make it worth while!') and I certainly wouldn't want to do that to a child who would be happier at the school down the street.

1. Not neccesarily, you can be clear with your child what you want/ think would be good for them to get out of that school -a certain [not neccesarily high] standard of academic performance, having a good time, excelling in a co-curricular pursuit, trying out a wide range of activities, whatever.

 2. I agree. A few people voluntarily leave the private school I went to yrs7-start of yr11, to go to the local public school, which is decent academically and its *lack* of rules, protocol, extra stuff, is often the appeal.

[brendan]

Especially in homo classes, kids are literally judged by how well they do on a test, if you get 67% on a test your the joke of the class.

Very true

Man thats a bitch, no kid should have to go through that.

MHS isn't for everyone. Some people simply do not belong there.

I prefer an environment where scoring 67% means your the joke of the class, rather than an environment where scoring 98% means you are the ostracized nerd of the class.

Internal pressure due to external factors.

I'm still adamant that is mainly internal. Why? Because it wouldn't matter so what other students were doing, if one didn't care so much about what other people were doing.

[bubble sunglasses]

Especially in homo classes, kids are literally judged by how well they do on a test, if you get 67% on a test your the joke of the class.

Very true

Man thats a bitch, no kid should have to go through that.

MHS isn't for everyone. Some people simply do not belong there.

I prefer an environment where scoring 67% means your the joke of the class, rather than an environment where scoring 98% means you are the ostracized nerd of the class.

I'd like an environment with lots of positive pressure, s'pose negative pressure can have it's uses as well though

[Eriny]

Also, I don't know having not had any experience, but are there not some negative side effects of going to a selective school? I never really thought that until I saw those facebook groups called things like 'going to a selective school ruined my life'. I'd be interested to hear about the negative experiences of people who went to selective schools (if anyone actually has any).

Ohhh... That's interesting to hear. I would love to hear this and get some closure, coming from a public school! Hehe, that would be cool if my self-made ENTER beat some of those from a top-paying private school. XD

Going to a private school doesn't mean that you'll get a high ENTER score. The median study scores of those kinds of schools are usually still under 35, which means half of the study scores students got were less than 35. This is a really good average, but in terms of individual scores, it can still mean that lower ENTERs are possible, and indeed, people get ENTERs under what most people would expect after a million dollar education. At Eltham College for instance (I have a friend who went there), this year 66 students (out of 150 or so) got an ENTER over 80. So, many students would have gotten ENTERs under 80 (you just don't hear about them). The stats are really good for most private schools, but averages and top scores don't really give a total picture of what to expect.

[xox.happy1.xox]

Also, I don't know having not had any experience, but are there not some negative side effects of going to a selective school? I never really thought that until I saw those facebook groups called things like 'going to a selective school ruined my life'. I'd be interested to hear about the negative experiences of people who went to selective schools (if anyone actually has any).

Ohhh... That's interesting to hear. I would love to hear this and get some closure, coming from a public school! Hehe, that would be cool if my self-made ENTER beat some of those from a top-paying private school. XD

Going to a private school doesn't mean that you'll get a high ENTER score. The median study scores of those kinds of schools are usually still under 35, which means half of the study scores students got were less than 35. This is a really good average, but in terms of individual scores, it can still mean that lower ENTERs are possible, and indeed, people get ENTERs under what most people would expect after a million dollar education. At Eltham College for instance (I have a friend who went there), this year 66 students (out of 150 or so) got an ENTER over 80. So, many students would have gotten ENTERs under 80 (you just don't hear about them). The stats are really good for most private schools, but averages and top scores don't really give a total picture of what to expect.

That's very reassuring to hear. Thank you.

[xox.happy1.xox]

^
Not to mention the entrance exams and costs it takes to get any child into those selective-entry schools. I guess people who care about their education will excel, irregardless of which selective or public school they attend.

[Mao]

^
Not to mention the entrance exams and costs it takes to get any child into those selective-entry schools. I guess people who care about their education will excel, irregardless of which selective or public school they attend.

I don't believe the fees at select entry schools are expensive, after all, they are still state schools.

But the latter is true, people who care about their education do excel. However, I must say that their potential often isn't reached, I know far too many people who would have performed much much better had they been in a more competitive environment.