'GSAT unfair!' - Non-traditional high schools feel cheated;

[Hortical]

'GSAT unfair!' - Non-traditional high schools feel cheated; most students can barely read or write

Published: Sunday | June 21, 2009

Athaliah Reynolds, Staff Reporter

EDUCATORS AT non-traditional high schools across the island are facing an uphill battle because of the poor quality of students awarded places at their schools.

They argue that the method used to place students who sit the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) is putting them under tremendous strain.

Under the present system, the better-performing students are creamed off and sent to the traditional high schools, while the non-traditional high schools are left with students who struggle at the primary level.

Principals and teachers say they are constantly playing 'catch up', as the majority of the students they get are barely able to read or write, forcing them to spend much of their time conducting remedial classes.

They also get many of the students who are struggling with social and disciplinary problems or learning disabilities, which were not picked up at the primary level.

Traditionally, schools such as Campion College, Immaculate Conception, Munro College and Westwood High School for Girls receive the students with the top GSAT scores, while students with lower marks are sent to the recently upgraded high schools.

When The Sunday Gleaner checked with administrators of many non-traditional high schools last week, they said while they are willing to stand up to the challenges, the education ministry is putting them "behind the eight ball".

"Apart from giving us the weakest of the batch, the Ministry of Education is not providing us with the necessary facilities and equipment to effectively prepare these students for life after secondary school," the administrators said.

Grades below 30 per cent

A senior teacher at Spanish Town High School in St Catherine told The Sunday Gleaner that over the years, the majority of the students sent to the institution had GSAT grades below 30 per cent.

"We are given a bucket without a bottom," the teacher said. "You are being expected to make bread out of stone, which makes it unfair for the vast demands that are being made and the high expectations, especially when you take into consideration our limited resources," the veteran educator further stated.

"To get these students to a level where they are able to obtain high-quality passes at the CSEC level by the time they get to grade 11 is an enormous challenge," the teacher said.

But that is not a challenge that these teachers in the non-traditional high schools are afraid to face.

Hopeton Henry, former president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association and principal of Seaforth High School, said many of the non-traditional high schools had implemented remedial programmes to help students.

"It is a lot of work because we have to do a lot of value added," he told The Sunday Gleaner.

The concerns of the administrators of the non-traditional high schools are shared by Education Minister Andrew Holness who has admitted that "GSAT has only served to create and reinforce the two-Jamaica syndrome".

athaliah.reynolds@gleanerjm.com

[Hortical]

Give me a break! Rhodes Hall High School principal accuses e

Give me a break! Rhodes Hall High School principal accuses education ministry of giving her a basket to carry water.

Published: Sunday | June 21, 2009


Aljoe

Claudia Gardner, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

TEACHERS AT at Rhodes Hall High School in Hanover will have a major task come September when they are faced with 189 new seventh-grade students who all performed below the regional and national averages in this year's Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT)

One hundred and fourteen of the new students are boys who failed to get more than 50 per cent in any area of the GSAT.

Many of the new students are only functionally literate, having averaged less than 30 per cent in language arts and read at the pre-primary level.

A disappointed Loreen Aljoe, principal of the three-year-old school, told The Sunday Gleaner that for the fourth consecutive time the education ministry has given her staff "a basket to carry water".

"I am very disappointed with the scores of the students I got, but I won't go and tear out my hair. This is my opportunity to prove to everybody that I am an effective instructional leader and that my teaching staff is effective. We have already started to prepare for this set of students," Aljoe said.

"I have already had my first-grade meeting and we have looked at what we want for the new school year. Each grade is supposed to submit its action plan before leaving in July. I meet with the heads of departments on Monday morning to look at benchmarking and setting targets," Aljoe added.

She said the question as to why the school, which was built to be operated as a traditional high school, is the recipient of only low-performing students, remains unanswered by the education ministry.

"We were told the school was built in this side of the parish to ease overcrowding at The Manning's School and would be a traditional high school where the students who can handle themselves would go.

"When you look at the academics labs compared to the vocational labs, you see that this is a school which has a bias towards the academics. We have five state-of-the-art science laboratories, two computer rooms and a well-designed layout - a well-equipped school," she said

"But, they have built a brand-new state-of-the-art school, and sent me students with 20s and 30s and zeros. You give me a straight academics-type environment and send me non-readers?" she questioned.

Aljoe said she was also displeased with the Ministry of Education's method of assessing the performance of schools.

Value added

"It hurts, because we are cultured to think that those (schools) with the 90s and so on, make for a good school. But my thinking is that value added makes for a good school. So my value added is far greater than the 'high-achieving schools, because I get them (students) at 30 per cent, and we get to where we have them at 80 per cent on a consistent basis.

"When you get students with a 29 per cent average, you are being labelled as a low-performing school. We believe the ministry has designed for us to fail even before we get off the ground. The playing field is not level," Aljoe added.

The principal said the assessment of schools should not be based solely on CSEC results.

"You publicise that the Campions, the Immaculates, are in the top ten. I don't watch that, because I can give them a run for their money any day, as Rhodes Hall has a good structure in place and a good instructional leader. I am not perturbed. I know I can stand up. However, how are you going to assess performance by just looking at the CSEC? What did I start off with?

"Because frankly, you don't expect a child to come to your school with a 90s average and at the end of the five years, go out with anything less than eight CXCs - all (Grade) Ones.

"These schools get the children who score in the 90s. So for them to get nine Grade Ones, it is just the norm. You have not done anything other than to maintain the status quo. Their parents are the ones who are supposed to value education, and who have the means. So most times, the parents are really doing the work and these schools end up benefiting," Aljoe contended.

According to Aljoe, the education ministry should also turn the spotlight on the primary schools in Hanover, as it appears there is a major problem at that level.

claudia.gardner@gleanerjm.com

[Hortical]

Dem non-traditional skools naw go work fi brings yutes up to par. If dem caan read nor write, we haffi work pon developing trades.

[Mosiah]

Why wi just don't turn all a dem into HEART Academies?

[Karl]

To be fair! - Gamma is the only one who questioned Minister Holness' stance with the comment, "the material to work with has to be taken into account"...or some such comment!

Di res a unnuh who a kill di teacha dem only...with no thought on and of other matters that affect type of individual that 'graduates'...?

Well unnuh his merely a product ave di teachin/larnin hen-vironment!

[Hortical]

That is probably not a bad idea. Kids who are illiterate at 12 are more likely to be a killer at 18, than a student at UTECH.

[Time]

These should not be grammar schools!

Give me a break! Rhodes Hall High School principal accuses education ministry of giving her a basket to carry water.

Published: Sunday | June 21, 2009


Aljoe

Claudia Gardner, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

TEACHERS AT at Rhodes Hall High School in Hanover will have a major task come September when they are faced with 189 new seventh-grade students who all performed below the regional and national averages in this year's Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT)

One hundred and fourteen of the new students are boys who failed to get more than 50 per cent in any area of the GSAT.

Many of the new students are only functionally literate, having averaged less than 30 per cent in language arts and read at the pre-primary level.

A disappointed Loreen Aljoe, principal of the three-year-old school, told The Sunday Gleaner that for the fourth consecutive time the education ministry has given her staff "a basket to carry water".

"I am very disappointed with the scores of the students I got, but I won't go and tear out my hair. This is my opportunity to prove to everybody that I am an effective instructional leader and that my teaching staff is effective. We have already started to prepare for this set of students," Aljoe said.

"I have already had my first-grade meeting and we have looked at what we want for the new school year. Each grade is supposed to submit its action plan before leaving in July. I meet with the heads of departments on Monday morning to look at benchmarking and setting targets," Aljoe added.

She said the question as to why the school, which was built to be operated as a traditional high school, is the recipient of only low-performing students, remains unanswered by the education ministry.

"We were told the school was built in this side of the parish to ease overcrowding at The Manning's School and would be a traditional high school where the students who can handle themselves would go.

"When you look at the academics labs compared to the vocational labs, you see that this is a school which has a bias towards the academics. We have five state-of-the-art science laboratories, two computer rooms and a well-designed layout - a well-equipped school," she said

"But, they have built a brand-new state-of-the-art school, and sent me students with 20s and 30s and zeros. You give me a straight academics-type environment and send me non-readers?" she questioned.

Aljoe said she was also displeased with the Ministry of Education's method of assessing the performance of schools.

Value added

"It hurts, because we are cultured to think that those (schools) with the 90s and so on, make for a good school. But my thinking is that value added makes for a good school. So my value added is far greater than the 'high-achieving schools, because I get them (students) at 30 per cent, and we get to where we have them at 80 per cent on a consistent basis.

"When you get students with a 29 per cent average, you are being labelled as a low-performing school. We believe the ministry has designed for us to fail even before we get off the ground. The playing field is not level," Aljoe added.

The principal said the assessment of schools should not be based solely on CSEC results.

"You publicise that the Campions, the Immaculates, are in the top ten. I don't watch that, because I can give them a run for their money any day, as Rhodes Hall has a good structure in place and a good instructional leader. I am not perturbed. I know I can stand up. However, how are you going to assess performance by just looking at the CSEC? What did I start off with?

"Because frankly, you don't expect a child to come to your school with a 90s average and at the end of the five years, go out with anything less than eight CXCs - all (Grade) Ones.

"These schools get the children who score in the 90s. So for them to get nine Grade Ones, it is just the norm. You have not done anything other than to maintain the status quo. Their parents are the ones who are supposed to value education, and who have the means. So most times, the parents are really doing the work and these schools end up benefiting," Aljoe contended.

According to Aljoe, the education ministry should also turn the spotlight on the primary schools in Hanover, as it appears there is a major problem at that level.

claudia.gardner@gleanerjm.com

We need to think outside of the box. Perhaps we need a few specialized high schools.

a) High School for Sports
b) High School for Arts (Music, Fashion etc)

[Islandman]

Maybe so, but why not first concentrate on fixing the problem that is producing all these 12 yo illiterates? Isn't that the real problem?

I don't think HEART academies or vocational high schools are supposed to have to deal with illiterate students.

[Historian]

Karl, now look here....

To be fair! - Gamma is the only one who questioned Minister Holness' stance with the comment, "the material to work with has to be taken into account"...or some such comment!

Di res a unnuh who a kill di teacha dem only...with no thought on and of other matters that affect type of individual that 'graduates'...?

Well unnuh his merely a product ave di teachin/larnin hen-vironment!

Karl, next time please do a bit of research before you come with these highly incorrect, absolute statements!! What do you mean by the statement quoted above, and in particular your comments about “Gamma is the only one who….” and “De res a unnuh who a kill di teacha dem only….”?

My contribution to the discussion is being copied and posted immediately below. Read it carefully, then remember that, aside from our comments here on the forum, you have no idea what experience and career paths individuals here are involved in!! You certainly do not know mine!!!

Assasin, why do you “stand with the minister who state that principals, teachers and parents have to take most of the blame for what is going on”? It is easy for him to say that, but are things necessarily as simplistic? This particular Minister of Education, in fact, is on record as saying and promoting ridiculous things (as, to cite one example, in his attempt to ban books such as Zee Edgell’s excellent prose on Belize’s development, “Beka Lamb”).

My question now to you is this, do students have a role in their development, or are they totally absolved? (Although you were careful to use the adjective “most,” I notice you did not make any mention of the students’ role in their educational development.)

Secondly, your query about “girls getting better scores, how is that” is a very surprising statement! In fact, I must confess to being really, really surprised at this particular comment, as this has been the case not only in Jamaica and throughout the wider Caribbean for decades, but also in North America! Just check, for example, the enrollment and graduation by gender in every major college and university in this hemisphere! You might get some surprises! (Post #6 in the thread: “This Year’s GSAT Results Not Encouraging”; June 11, 2009)

[Assasin]

Better yet JAMAL because most HEART students have at least 2 CXCs to their names in my time unless it changed.

Early education and Basic school is where it is at. As I said before parents need to go to jail because they are condemning their kids to a life of poverty without giving them a chance.

[Hortical]

JAMAL or some other type of remedial education program would work better than HEART. More efforts needs to be placed on early childhood education.

[Time]

Maybe so, but why not first concentrate on fixing the problem that is producing all these 12 yo illiterates? Isn't that the real problem?

I don't think HEART academies or vocational high schools are supposed to have to deal with illiterate students.

So what do we do? 'Open Schools for the Illiterate' teenages where you group everybody by age and stay until you become literae or reach the kick out age?

[Historian]

Re: So what do we do?

So what do we do? 'Open Schools for the Illiterate' teenages where you group everybody by age and stay until you become literae or reach the kick out age?

So what do we do?

Time, my friend, we do nothing but simply continue the harmless exchange of ideas here . This exercise we engage in does not matter one way or the other as nobody of any significance in Jamaica’s education hierarchy knows or even cares about the existence of an ideas forum such as this (lol).

Make no mistake, whatever ideas being placed on the World Wide Web at this particular address won’t matter one bit in education decisions in Jamaica! Nevertheless, it is good exercise for us to exchange our various ideas, and so I continue to read each post made on the topic.

I’m not in education at this point in my life, but in the past, I’ve been an integral part of the system. For example, in the past I’ve worked on a major curriculum or two that I can boast about. What I’m saying is that I can make an input on this vexing topic, but what would be the point of me doing so? In any case, the Minister of Education, although many of us clearly did not realize it (as we should have from the moment we saw the newspaper headlines), has chosen the political route, and we can see this in his amazingly silly comment about giving principals an “F” grade! That was really silly of a man who needs consensus for education to succeed!! The fact is that I was, and still am, amazed by that statement!

But boss, after all is said and done, I’d rather focus my posted comments here on music and track and field! Those are enjoyable and interesting ways to pass the breaks in our everyday life, and isn’t this why I check this interesting web site whenever I can?

[Karl]

Karl, next time please do a bit of research before you come with these highly incorrect, absolute statements!! What do you mean by the statement quoted above, and in particular your comments about “Gamma is the only one who….” and “De res a unnuh who a kill di teacha dem only….”?

My contribution to the discussion is being copied and posted immediately below. Read it carefully, then remember that, aside from our comments here on the forum, you have no idea what experience and career paths individuals here are involved in!! You certainly do not know mine!!!

[font=Verdana]

I missed your comments. ...and if there are others whose comments I missed...please forgive!

You are correct when you say I have not a clue of the experiences and career paths of most on the forum. ..but I was merely 'pulling the foot' of some of the Massive and taking a light 'jab' at others. I thought the 'juke' would have been taken calmly and in the spirit I meant.

Sorry, sah! Truly sorry!
Please forgive!
I am sorry you were upset. I had no intention of creating 'serious hurt'.

[Karl]

Do you still keep in touch with your former collegues? Do they still 'bounce ideas off' you...'bounce around' thoughts on 'di system' with you?