BST - Bloody Stupid Transparency

There's a new acronym in town. We have the GST, the tax we had to have. Now we have the BST. The Bloody Stupid Transparency we had to have.

I noticed an article in the West that TISC had released statistics describing schools percentages of students that achieved their first preferences for university. The West (in typical media fashion) has then released this information with a bit of spin and gloss.

In this age of the BST, the inference is that if students are getting their first preference then schools are obviously superior in their counselling processes.

It is of course a load of complete nonsense. Students have an expectation of a TER score based on their school scores, outside of the top 5% their actual TER can vary substantially due to scaling (how their class does in comparison to the state) and a host of performance issues. Having a range of scores is a sensible solution to a variable situation.

If high percentages are getting their first preferences (outside of the top 5% where students typically are in courses where none more difficult exist), it actually indicates poor student counselling. Students should be aiming to reach for the sky, not just set their goals on the safe options.

The main issue analysing 1st preference data is that this form of transparency in a competitive market encourages schools to dumb down student expectations to promote the school "1st preference" success and subsequent positive publicity (or prevent negative publicity).

Again the statistics are being presented in a primitive fashion with no real causal effect established indicating whether students are better prepared or should have actually aimed higher.

Smacking is good for children under 6

Here's a non-PC article quoting research that smacking (not abuse of) young children is beneficial. 2600 children were sampled and it showed that smacked children under 6 were more likely to perform well at school, perform volunteer work and aspire to university.

To all those from the smacking generation, finally some research that shows smacking might be ok after all.

Being a dad with an eleven month old, I think I still have some serious reservations :-)

Advice for kids in a new year

Ok,

So it's a new year.. new teachers.. new situations.

What can a student do to fare well in a new year.

1. Come with a great attitude.

I don't mean suck up. Mainly I mean come ready to work. A new teacher has no expectations of you, even if you have had them in a previous year or have known another sibling. If you are willing to work, you will be noticed. If a teacher sees that you are working hard, and need some extra help, they will always be more willing if they can see if you have tried.

2. Follow instructions and come prepared.

This seems obvious, but a faster way is not always the better way in mathematics. If you can lay your work out properly from an early age, it's a skill you don't have to learn in year 11. Neatness is something people attribute to braininess (don't ask me why) - but don't let this be an excuse to be slow! ..and don't waste time asking for materials that could be spent working!

3. Sit with people you can work with

If you get to seat yourself, then stay with people you can work with. It can be hard, and sometimes you will need to have a quiet word with the teacher to move you elsewhere. Good students are the people that can help you when you are stuck and the teacher is with someone else that needs help. Remember to help others as what goes around...

4. The teacher is on your side unless..

Teachers are not in it for the money. They get a buzz out of seeing you learn. If you prevent others from learning you are killing their buzz. Expect to get squashed.

5. Be on time and prepared

Being on time is more than being at class when the bell goes. Homework arrives on time. Assignments arrive on time. If you know multiple assignments are due at the same time, spend some time in the library and miss that of so important TV show or MSN.

6. Do your best

Don't loaf. Ability will only take you so far, at some point you need to learn a good work ethic. It's easy to coast. Find ways to stay motivated. Race yourself. Try and get more correct answers next time. See how far you can get without asking the teacher a question. Use notes and worked examples given by the teacher. Make your next test the best result ever.

7. Failure is the path to success.

If you fail, don't give up, see it as learning what not to do. When you fail you learn about what you do not know. This is important. Identify what it is you need to learn and when you get an opportunity find out how to do it. Always, always, always do your corrections after assessment.

8. Read ahead.

Read the text book before school starts. Understand as much as you can. Know what you need to ask the teacher about. If you already know the basic stuff, it will give you time to learn it in more depth during class and with the help of the teacher.

9. Leave the playground in the playground.

Get used to putting your mind in work mode when you enter a classroom. Walking into a classroom high fiving and calling out to friends as you walk in (normally late) is a sure way to get on the wrong side of a class and teacher.

That's it!

Misleading league tables

Today is a sad day. A whole year's effort that can be summed up by a parent saying our results based on league tabled published in the West are in the bottom four in the state. This will discourage parents from entering kids in our school, in a year where getting kids is tough due to the half cohort.

Yet, if I go on last years experience, each of the kids listed as sitting four or more TEE subjects, that wanted university entry, will be in university next year or will have deferred for the following year.

For some they will go through the front door and it is a fantastic achievement whether it is with a 60 TER or 99.5 TER. Students reaching their goals is where our focus should be. They have made it with little parental support, limited schooling, some with ESL backgrounds and with a host of social issues.

For some, they are the first students to graduate year 12 in their families. For others, just the opportunity to try for university is an achievement for this generation - a goal which may still eventuate through a uni entrance programme or other 'back door' programme.

At least the independent schools stood up and said the publishing of these tables was wrong.. It's a pity the department and our politicians still don't accept that these tables give a false representation of what is happening post school.

Misleading and a poor use of statistics.

Here is our state Minister's recent comment on the topic. It credits teachers with using a range of assessment to assist in teaching a child and recognises that change is required but does not recognise the damage caused by releasing data that ignores this information!