Principals & The "600 points" Students

Blackpanther95

Armelodie wrote: »

I agree with you in the sense that its specifically results day and the student should get their dues...

I think though it runs much deaper than a photo in the paper...

For me it raises issues such as...
A rounded education:
(although in our school a student got the 625 and was into everything so the high achievers shouldnt be portrayed as a homogenous group who 'just study' to the detriment of everything else).

The points race:
If you have issues with the academic process then it kind of implies that 200points precludes you from college..when in fact I know a good few folk who didn't do to well but later in life went on to study in University.

As was mentioned earlier League tables are touted as being the best measure of a good school, when in fact it just shows the transfer rate from that school to third level only. I think its better to have a social mix where a school caters for all students including a trade, joining the army/guards, farmers,doctors,solicitors, stay at home parents. So it returns to the question of what the principal in the photo is 'selling'...and more importantly...what are all the grind school adds stuffed into that newspaper selling, cos it aint a holistic education to my mind.

And of course it leads nicely into the whole question of performance pay to teachers based on results.

So as far as the OP's point goes, I'd say in the microcosm world of ....results day=student with best result photo... then the student has fulfilled the requirement to appear in the paper.
But on a macro level...teachers are sick of the same old same old every year...

but maybe the nub is that the other students who are 'more rounded' shouldnt take any lesson from the token reward of the photo op. because everyone has their own achievements and struggles. They want to do well in school and other areas based on its own intrinsic merits...not because they might get the face in the paper to sell ads for grind schools.

I think it also works the other way, people who get 600 points feel like they have "passed the tests" and now its time to reap the rewards when really they haven't done anything yet, if they don't work as or even harder than before they won't make a cent. The only reason nowadays to get 625 is to do medicine imo.

Pinkycharm

Mary63 wrote: »

Im not assuming people who didnt get 600 points were faffing about,i mentioned that in relation to OP who said the wonderful give it all a go characters didnt get credit for all the extra stuff they did,well,why should they,they obviously got involved because they enjoyed the experience,are we supposed to put all the Gaisce award winners on the front page.
Byhookorbycrook,it is a fact that the private schools top the leagues tables every year and their average points would be 450,you only have to look at the intake into the really high point courses in the top universities,the majority of students are from professional middleclass backgrounds.Plumbers sons and daughters dont go on to study law,brains are genetic and you cant turn a donkey into a racehorse.

Mary you are really pissing me off because what you are saying is complete and utter BULL. Plumbers sons and daughter DO go onto study law, medicine and whatever else they want to if they have worked for it. Lots in my school are prime examples of those you speak of.

Success IS NOT measured by points in any way. I myself got 590 in my leaving in 2008. Then, my mother was unemployed and my father worked in a creamery as well as doing college in the evening. He left school after his intercert and he's more successful than I am now.

I turned down medicine to go into teaching because I wanted to help other kids find their way up because I saw teachers in my own school not give two ****es about kids that struggled on the way up, who could have very well achieved great things with a little bit of attention.

Does that still mean my genetics are off?

Would LOVE to know your story!


EDIT::: Damn only saw above mod post now!!!!! Sorry!!!

On the other side though, I think maybe schools should have a little wall of fame for those who do achieve high in the school but should include those who have made huge progress too!

J.R.

Mary63 wrote: »

Plumbers sons and daughters dont go on to study law,brains are genetic and you cant turn a donkey into a racehorse.

Leonard Susskind's father was a plumber. He is the Felix Bloch professor of Theoretical physics at Stanford University,

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/10654762/The-man-who-proved-Stephen-Hawking-wrong.html

Blackpanther95

J.R. wrote: »

Leonard Susskind's father was a plumber. He is the Felix Bloch professor of Theoretical physics at Stanford University,

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/10654762/The-man-who-proved-Stephen-Hawking-wrong.html

Nooooo Susskind is not (just) a professor, he is the inventor/creator of string theory!

But like there's no need to respond to obviously trolling posts.

Mary63

Why respond so Blackpanther95.

And obviously it is of note that leonard Suuskinds father was a plumber,it is the rarity of this happening that makes it noteworthy,do a search of the backgrounds of professors in any university and you can bet your life the vast majority are from professional backgrounds.

trollfest deleted

spurious

Enough.