Is our Education system too harsh on our kids? Is it structured to hinder natural growth?
According to the feedback from parents and Principals in WA, children are rushed to adapt to situations and environment before they are ready. They feel that children are not ready to start high school in Year 7.
The survey by the WA Primary Principals Association also shows 85 per cent of parents do not want Year 7 moved from primary to high school at public institutions.
WAPPA president Stephen Breen said parents feared their children would grow up too quickly if forced to attend a high school so young.
I had no idea that Year 7 is still considered primary school in WA. In Victoria it is high school. As for the argument that children are too young to make the transition from primary to high school at the end of Grade 6 – I think it has some merit. ‘They are young and the transition is a big one. I do, however, believe that it is incumbent on the Grade 6 teacher to help build up their students’ maturity levels to a point where they can thrive in their first year of high school.
I wonder if the same type of issue applies to education systems around the world. Is this the case?
Tags: Education, Family, kids, life, News, Parenting, School
Topical Teaching 
December 19, 2010 at 3:04 pm |
In the US, there are three levels of school: elementary, middle, and high.
Nearly always, high school is 4 years (approx ages 14-19), grades 9-12.
Middle school is 2 or 3 years (so starting at approx age 11 or 12), grade 6-8 or 7-8. Elementary school is grades K-5 or K-6 (starting at approx age 5). In some states, kindergarten is optional, and some have pre-K available at age 4. Many private “preschools” exist.
There are many variants on the system, though the levels (K-12) are fairly universal. Middle schools can be 6-8, 7-8, or 7-9. Schools can cover any range (K-2, K-5, K-6, K-8, K-12, 6-12, … ).
Everyone always believes that changes (like here, moving 6th grade from elementary school to middle school) are either a silver bullet that will solve all problems or the most terrible thing that could happen to kids. In actuality, nothing much changes with every rearrangement. It’s all just straightening the deck chairs on the Titanic.
December 19, 2010 at 3:12 pm |
That’s a very interesting take. Thanks for the reply.