Schools suck!

[Julie]

Well I am going to have a little rant now.

I don't know what the public school system is like around Australian but NSW sucks. I just found out today that my daughter is going to be put in a composite class, years 1-2. Now I could handle this if it was for one year but it looks like it will be for the rest of her primary schooling. They aren't even calling the grades Kindy,1,2-6 etc. They call them Stages: Early Stage 1- Kindergarten, Stage 1-(Yr1-2), Stage 2-(Yr3-4), Stage 3 (Yr5-6). I can't see my daughter gettinbg a good education like this.

Up til now I have been very happy with her education. But now I am worried, how is a teacher supposed to teach 2 different grades, I can't see them teaching to 2 different levels. They have a big enough job just teaching one grade but to expect them to teach 2 grades simultaneously is just crap. The lower grade kids are going to be stuck doing harder work and the higher grade kids will be getting dumbed down work. The government has really screwed this one up.

But the thing that p&*^es me off the most is that there no real alternative for us to public school. We are not religious, we tried enrolling her in the local catholic school, we were denied, I reckon they would have laughed out our application. Their criteria for accepting students 1.Local Catholic Children, 2.Non Local Catholic Children, 3. Local Christen Children 4. Others. They expect to see a Baptism Certificate and a reference from our parish minister. Our daughter isn't christened so we were screwed.

Why is it all the private schools are bloody religious? Why can't someone step up and start making private schools for people who aren't religious, for people who want a good education for their child and are prepared to pay a little extra for it.

So now it comes down to keeping her in public school and hope for the best, home school her and she will probably end up with social problems or go to the local church lie from my teeth and make out that we are going to be a good little christian family and get my kids christened so they can go to a private school. At the moment I have 95% made up my mind that the right choice is the latter. I mean thats the only reason a LOT of people get their kids christened anyway.

I am going to hell lol

[Christina]

WTF...??!!!??

they are teaching 2 different years eg: 1 + 2 in the same class?
odd.

nothing wrong with public schools, my school is one of the top HSC acheivers in the state, we do better than most private girls schools.
my dad spent easy 150 000 + on my brother to go to private all his life, he got a UAI of 50.... my dad said the fees were shocking, if you don't pay within 3 weeks of the start of the term, he got a $300 dollar fine, if you didn't pay by week 5, you're out of the school. dispite contracdictory belief, the anglican school my brother went to were not compassionate, but rather money hungry and unforgiving.
my dad had to pay this old guy at this church $400 dollars to write a letter saying my brother was a local christian before he was acceapted into a $5000 dollar a term school.

what did they have? their own swimming pool and a field, woopdeedoo. i have alot i could say, but i won't.


perhaps this grading system is because of the lack of teachers? my HSC courses are so screwed for teachers, i have to be at school every thursday now at 8am for class... usually 8.45, plus no teacher for a one or two classes a week, shocking.

[MikesVT]

My catholic primary school had Grade 5 and Grade 6 in one big classroom. It was pretty good I suppose coz a lot of my friends were in grade 5 anyway and the girls i had crushes on were in grade 6, so i had the best of both worlds plus i had my two favorite teachers!! < an i stil learnded how to speek goods (sorry just had to add that haha)

But yeah smaller classes are heaps better, at uni I love my classes, bout 10 people in them most of the time!! Hopefully its the same this year!

[bezz]

i grew up going through those 2 year level class things in primary school. However at my first school (public school) I was put in a year 1/2 class as a grade 2, their reasoning for it is I could help younger children to learn. My parents didn't like that so they shipped me off to a private school. At the private school, which was also catholic, they also had these 2 year level classes, however I was always in the younger year level. I don't think these classes had too bad an effect on me, as I passed high school and am now a third year engineering student (nerd).

Also, the private school had kids from all backgrounds, at least 1/5 of the students were from asian heritage (buddhist), as well as muslims and other christian denominations (as well as plenty other religions and of course those who don't choose to follow a religion). Anyway, I don't think that all private schools will discriminate due to the child's religion (and why would you want to send your kid to one that does?) However, I think a private school education did definately help me as I was encouraged to learn as opposed to being left alone.

[fourstar82]

Its not exactly an uncommon thing Julie. My sister is a Primary School teacher, and for the past 4 years she had a Grade 1-2 class. She is well respected by all the parents of children she has had, which is a compliment to the time and effort she puts into her kids, and that will be no different to the Grade 3-4 class she is taking this year. If it didn't work, then the system wouldn't be used. There are a few teachers on here that could go into the benefits of composite classes, but one big benefit is the social interaction between the children younger and older than them.

[hakhawk]

have they said specifically that one teacher will teach both classes?

once upon a time in primary school, i was in a class with 2 year levels, but it was 2 teachers in one big room, but 2 seperate bunches of desks and whiteboards, etc.

wasnt too bad, as mike said, met other students you wouldnt normally meet

[STEALTHY™]

Just for info sake, my dad failed grade 3 because he wouldn't fingerpaint.



when i was at school, we had a similar thing,

R
1 & 2
3
4 & 5
6 & 7



Although now year 7 is classed as high school i think

[Julie]

I think the only reason that have changed it to stage 1-2 etc is so they can get away with it. Just the governments way of shortchanging the public. When I went to school (yes public school) there would occassionally be a composite class dependeing on the enrolment numbers. But it was a rare thing, and when it did happen there was a policy that if your child was put in a composite class one year they guaranteed that they would not be placed in a composite class the following year.

Yes there will only be one teacher teaching the students, not 2.

I had nothing against public schools until this and I know it is widespread and even common place in public schools, but is it whats best for the students or whats best for the governments education budget?

I was planning on getting the kids christened so they could get into a private high school anyway. The public high schools around here are terrible, just this monday some of you may have heard about a 15 year old boy getting stabbed at school, well thats one of our local high schools. The other is not much better, this kids are probably not so violent there becaus ethey are all mellowed out on drugs.

[fourstar82]

I was planning on getting the kids christened so they could get into a private high school anyway.

Since when did being Christened have anything to do with getting into a Private School? I went to a Private School (associated with the Anglican Church) and I've never been baptised (parents never got round to it and they said to me seeing as they hadn't it was up to me if I wanted to).

[bezz]

i think baptising a child just to go to a certain school is a bit extreme, surely there are private schools around your area that don't care about what religion the child is?

[Julie]

Since when did being Christened have anything to do with getting into a Private School? I went to a Private School (associated with the Anglican Church) and I've never been baptised (parents never got round to it and they said to me seeing as they hadn't it was up to me if I wanted to).

There is a lot of demand for the private schools around here, more students wanting in than places available. The schools enrollment packages state the criteria they use to decide who gets a place, like I mentioned previously its The local Catholic children who get first priority etc all the way down the bottom to non religious, non christened children. By the time they get down to the non christened children all the places have well and trully gone.

The enrollment criteria for our local catholic high school is the same but tougher because there are even less places, all the potential students have to sit an interview. I'll be heading back down to the local catholic school later in the week, I'd be happy to scan a coppy of their enrollment form so people can see I am not just making this up off the top of my head.

[STEALTHY™]

There is a lot of demand for the private schools around here, more students wanting in than places available. The schools enrollment packages state the criteria they use to decide who gets a place, like I mentioned previously its The local Catholic children who get first priority etc all the way down the bottom to non religious, non christened children. By the time they get down to the non christened children all the places have well and trully gone.

The enrollment criteria for our local catholic high school is the same but tougher because there are even less places, all the potential students have to sit an interview. I'll be heading back down to the local catholic school later in the week, I'd be happy to scan a coppy of their enrollment form so people can see I am not just making this up off the top of my head.

Sounds like a cult? i wouldn't want my children going there.

[Julie]

i think baptising a child just to go to a certain school is a bit extreme, surely there are private schools around your area that don't care about what religion the child is?

You would be suprised by the amount of people that do so these days. Unfortunately there aren't any private schools that don't care about the child's religion around here, thats one of the things that I am so annoyed about, because there should be!

[bezz]

There is a lot of demand for the private schools around here, more students wanting in than places available. The schools enrollment packages state the criteria they use to decide who gets a place, like I mentioned previously its The local Catholic children who get first priority etc all the way down the bottom to non religious, non christened children. By the time they get down to the non christened children all the places have well and trully gone.

The enrollment criteria for our local catholic high school is the same but tougher because there are even less places, all the potential students have to sit an interview. I'll be heading back down to the local catholic school later in the week, I'd be happy to scan a coppy of their enrollment form so people can see I am not just making this up off the top of my head.

wow, that sucks. I guess another alternative could be bording school.. although I really couldn't think of a worse way to spend your childhood.

[fourstar82]

Sounds a bit discriminative to me Julie...

[Julie]

It is! Heres the link with their enrolment policy, page 2, 2. if anyone is interested:

http://www.parra.catholic.edu.au/Con...pol_enrole.pdf

I'm sure if I looked hard enough I would also find the part about needing a Baptismal Certificate to verify your faith and a refernce from the parish minister.

[calais_304]

It is! Heres the link with their enrolment policy, page 2, 2. if anyone is interested:

http://www.parra.catholic.edu.au/Con...pol_enrole.pdf

I'm sure if I looked hard enough I would also find the part about needing a Baptismal Certificate to verify your faith and a refernce from the parish minister.

wow i spent most of my life in private schools and never had to do any of that (just rang mum to confirm) and i can tell you now there were asians, muslims and africans. i wouldn't bother wasting your time with a private school like that sound like a cult school.
i also went to 2 public schools in highschool and theres no way in hell im sending my kids(if i have em) there, private only no matter the cost.

[Astranomical]

wow, that sucks. I guess another alternative could be bording school.. although I really couldn't think of a worse way to spend your childhood.

Eww yuck. I went there from grades 8 - 12 and they were bad enough. :P

[VS Omega]

Julez you'd know from NationStates it is just a matter of funding, given more funding there probably wouldn't be composite classes, but you also have to consider increases in the amounts of people living in certain areas (or lack there of) which would make it more viable for them to do this.

Julez isn't wrong about schools like that, where I live (Northern Suburbs of Melbourne) ALL of the local private schools (primary and high) require one to be baptized, and all throughout our schooling it was used as an excuse to shove religion down our throats by having us compulsorily attending masses and other things, in time which could be better spent learning. I don't want to offend anyone but I'll say that the religious subjects which are forced onto us were very bias (except in high school thankfully learned about other religions too) toward Christianity, under the guise of teaching us how to live model lives. Bah didn't work..

[Joe Peeps]

Sounds a bit discriminative to me Julie...

You cannot be serious! ITS A CATHOLIC ****ING SCHOOL!!!!!!!!! of course they are entitled to prefer catholic students. Discrimination my ass. wake up to yourself - it sucks that the public school is a series of composites, but if there isnt the numbers there isnt the numbers - some practicality people. If its a real problem then commute, or move.

And Juzza, if your not interested in religion dont go to religious school then. Its like complaining that they teach sign language at a school for the deaf. Public schools all the way. On a constructive note, I empathise with your predicament Julie, but theres nothing wriong with composites. I did a 5/6 composite and we did grade 6 work. Its better in the later years and so long as the foundations are taught early on then it wont hurt them at all.

[STEALTHY™]

You cannot be serious! ITS A CATHOLIC ****ING SCHOOL!!!!!!!!! of course they are entitled to prefer catholic students. Discrimination my ass. wake up to yourself - it sucks that the public school is a series of composites, but if there isnt the numbers there isnt the numbers - some practicality people. If its a real problem then commute, or move.

And Juzza, if your not interested in religion dont go to religious school then. Its like complaining that they teach sign language at a school for the deaf. Public schools all the way. On a constructive note, I empathise with your predicament Julie, but theres nothing wriong with composites. I did a 5/6 composite and we did grade 6 work. Its better in the later years and so long as the foundations are taught early on then it wont hurt them at all.

They are discriminating, based on religion. what next, no black people at an all white school.
They should give every child the right to an education at a 'reputable' school, even if they are not religious. Religion isn't a part of english, maths or even science etc, so what should it matter?

The only real grey area here is All boys/Girls schools, obviously you couldn't have any mixed schools like that.

[Joe Peeps]

Your own argument defeats you. It is a Catholic school - ie for Catholics. Just like a boys school is for boys, and a girls school is for girls. According to your logic, i should be able to go to a girls school because its discriminating against me. Why should gender be a grey area? According to you, religion is not a part of English or Maths - well neither is gender

Im amused by all the try hard political correctness from the some of the same people arguing against it particularly in its application to Islam... So its ok to discriminate against them - "they can follow our rules or **** off mentality" but when it affects you, different story.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

The reasoning behind the stages is outcomes based education. Kids aren't being graded on standards they need to achieve anymore. It's focusing more on the level of understanding they have at given points in the year. Gone are the days of reciting tables and spelling competitions, with OBE it's whether a child can understand a concept, socially and educationally. With the stages it now gives teachers 2 years to educate a child to certain level of understanding instead of 1 year to teach them how to remember things. I'm all for it in principle, but it still comes down to the commitment of the teachers.

[Bravotwozero]

WTF...??!!!??

they are teaching 2 different years eg: 1 + 2 in the same class?
odd.

Not really. My wife teaches grades 5 & 6. When I went to primary school I was in a 3 & 4 class as well as a 5 & 6 class.

The lower grade kids are going to be stuck doing harder work and the higher grade kids will be getting dumbed down work.

I think you'll find that they will still be doing work for their own level.

Why is it all the private schools are bloody religious? Why can't someone step up and start making private schools for people who aren't religious, for people who want a good education for their child and are prepared to pay a little extra for it.

Not all private schools are religious and not all religious schools are private. Wife works at a public catholic school that is funded just like any other public school.

So now it comes down to keeping her in public school and hope for the best, home school her and she will probably end up with social problems or go to the local church lie from my teeth and make out that we are going to be a good little christian family and get my kids christened so they can go to a private school. At the moment I have 95% made up my mind that the right choice is the latter. I mean thats the only reason a LOT of people get their kids christened anyway.

Unfortunately this is where its at. My sister did the same thing to get her daughter into a Private catholic school. If you don't want to do this, I would suggest that you compensate with your own lessons instead of going full home schooling.

[STEALTHY™]

Your own argument defeats you. It is a Catholic school - ie for Catholics. Just like a boys school is for boys, and a girls school is for girls. According to your logic, i should be able to go to a girls school because its discriminating against me. Why should gender be a grey area? According to you, religion is not a part of English or Maths - well neither is gender

Im amused by all the try hard political correctness from the some of the same people arguing against it particularly in its application to Islam... So its ok to discriminate against them - "they can follow our rules or **** off mentality" but when it affects you, different story.

how does my own arguement defeat me? Single sex schools are there as to not distract students.

The teachers at a girls or boys school are the same, but its thought that catholic schools have more to offer.