Unjust schools...

School should be about solidarity, about creating a sense of community and belonging for students. It should be about supporting students from day one until the very end. It should be about allowing them to become young adults; yet still helping them with the difficult maturation process. It should be able teaching them in a way that they will actually remember information and still enjoy it.

School should be a place where a student feels safe, feels as if they should be there. School is supposed to be the best years of your life – but unfortunately, for many students – it isn’t. It’s a time that students are put until immense pressure – a time in which they suffer stress so badly that they breakdown that they cry, that they just want to give up. A levels cause students so much stress that they sometimes just drop out of school – not because they want to, but because they feel as if they have no other choice. Personally, I feel that this is completely unjust – I feel that we should enjoy working, and feel a sense of meritocracy. As if all of our hard work will actually be worth it in the end – sometimes, we just work so hard, for so long and still don’t get the grades we would like – still don’t feel satisfied with our achievements. How is this fair?

Students should not have to feel as if they are suffering at school, but as if they are striving – as if they are learning and achieving. Of course it won’t always be fun and easy, but right now – it is very rarely fun or easy. It is rare to see students enjoying their learning and being willing to stay after school to do work, or go to extra classes in order to improve their work.

Schools should be meritocratic and democratic. Students should get their say – after all, what’s a school without students? Schools should be run in a way that benefits students; too often nowadays, schools are run like businesses – for profit. Students are forced to work hard day in and day out in order for their teacher to get a pay rise – or to boost their school’s reputation in the odd ‘Marketization’ process that occurs in today’s society.

How can we enjoy school and be successful if school policies are pro-reputation and anti-child welfare? Schools should be run in a way that benefits students – in a way that creates equality of opportunity for students; in a way that will make them realise that school was worthwhile. Everything is about reputation nowadays, it’s about time the student voice was heard... schools should be democratic!

Teachers...

During your education, you don’t quite realise how important the role of a teacher is. They are there every lesson with you – whether you are in a great mood or a bad mood – they are there for one reason, and one reason alone... to teach. There is only one problem with this... why are they there?

It is extraordinarily rare nowadays to meet a teacher that is actually teaching for the greater good. Most of them are there for the holidays and the pension – however, they must have wanted to be a teacher once... so what has made them lose their motivation? School is hard... everyone knows that – but, it isn’t just hard for students; it is hard for teachers too – they spend all day with disruptive teenagers, attempting to teach them something that they will probably forget in about 10 minutes time. Attempting to get them through school in order to get them decent grades and a reasonable shot at life....

So why have so many teachers given up?

They have given up because of the horrific behaviour displayed in schools nowadays - from 11 year olds to 18 year olds – there will always be a few students that ruin it for everyone. Teachers, they have to sit there every day and attempt not to lose their cool because of that one insolent student that won’t keep their mouth shut. They have to suffer through trying to help others get good grades because of that student.

Despite this, some teachers – few teachers, still have that motivation and drive to make the world a better place; to improve the education and lives of the youth of today... these teachers are the best kind of teachers. They are teachers that are willing to come into school in the school holidays, weekends and after school in order to help students with work; they are teachers that plan their lessons in a way that allows them to cater equally to the needs of every single student in their class. They are the teachers that don’t continuously lose their temper with you – they are teachers that can simply look at you and it will feel like their eyes are burning straight through you because you have disappointed them.

These teachers are more than recognisable – they will be the teachers that offer to sit down with you and help you with your work or even just have a chat with you to make you feel better ... these teachers are sincerely respected within schools and it is extremely clear. They are one of a kind – so please; don’t take advantage of them – because they will be the ones that guide you through school into a better standard of living.

Just appreciate your teachers for once and treat them with the respect that they deserve!

Meritocracy... pfft, what a joke!

Is the education system really meritocratic? Do students really get rewarded for all of the work that they put in? Do they get  the grades that they deserve after staying up late to finish essays and revise; for going to those weekend/school holiday revision sessions and lessons after school? Do they get what the rewards that they have worked for after all that? Do they get repaid for all of the times that they have turned down days out and sacrificed their ever-so precious sleep? For me, the answer is no...

Some students revise every day, stay up every night to finish coursework, essays and revision – they stay up with a goal in their mind; a goal that they are working so hard to achieve ... a goal that eventually slips through their hands like butter. A goal that they have clung onto for ‘dear life’ – and for what? In their minds, they have had results day -  a day that many students like to call ‘ Judgement Day;’ the day that they find out whether they will be carrying onto year 13 or more importantly getting into the university of their choice. This day can decide their fate – via a piece of paper with 3-4 letters on... this day can make or break a student ... it can mean that all of their hard work has paid off... or in my case – hasn’t.

You know what has caused these students to suffer? There are a few things: the removal of January exams – the point of this was to prevent as many students achieving the highest grades ... the grades that they have worked their butts off for! The funny thing is ... to Michael Gove, this made sense – he clearly enjoyed watching students’ hearts break as they opened their results – to see that they just haven’t made the cut. How do you think that this makes students feel? You make it harder for us to get the grades that we deserve? WHAT ARE YOU DOING????? It is already hard, we already sacrifice so much – why are you making it worse for us?

Additionally, not only have you removed January exams; you have also moved grade boundaries up – up so high that they are just unrealistic ... how is this supposed to help us? Now, no one is going to get the grades that they deserve because you are too selfish – you are so wrapped up in how much you hated school ... that you are trying to make it worse for us? Why??? What can you possibly get out of making our lives miserable that is so rewarding? Oh yeah... a pay rise.

Well, at this rate – we won’t even be able to get jobs ... because the working world is so competitive already; and because of your brainless, selfish decisions – we are going to be left unemployed, unable to get a pay-rise because we have no jobs! The education system is not meritocratic – it is completely unfair ... and what is even worse, is  that to you – we mean nothing... we are just another number on a piece of paper – another statistic for you to look at contently, whilst in your dressing gown and slippers in your £1000 armchair in your heated living room, in your overpriced, luxury apartment somewhere in London. Whilst we are left sitting in our rooms, crying and thinking we are just not good enough for education – just not good enough to achieve deserved grades; even though we could have never done anymore work for our exams.

So why don’t you actually consider us when you arrange the education system – rather than being so selfish and thinking of just your pay rise and reputation... I tell you know, you reputation is getting rapidly worse – so please, sort yourself out before there is a revolution. Power in this country is so unevenly distributed – it is about time is it equalised and fair.

So, in conclusion – the education system is not meritocratic – and some people, like me; just don’t achieve the grades that they deserve because meritocracy within schools is a myth – and it is about time is it brought back into play.

 

Advice for Year 11s...

So there will be year 11s across the country receiving their GCSE results this Thursday; some will be extremely content with their results and will attend the sixth form of their choice... however, there will also be students that will have not done quite as well as they were hoping/expecting. Therefore, I thought that I would write a blog as a bit of advice for all year 11s that will be attending sixth form this September.

To start with, sixth form is not what you expect... many students expect it to be two of the best years of your life – especially your school life, which it is. However, it really isn’t as easy as people make it out to be. Although it will be fun and you will make potentially life-long friends; it is a LOT of hard work. It isn’t just the odd essay and piece of coursework that you will write once and hand in, hoping to get an A! It is a period of redrafting tens of times, staying up late at night on a school day to re-write an essay that you  have already written seventeen times. It is a time where you have to sacrifice so much: friends, sleep and even food at times. It is a time in your life where you will have to be completely focused if you want to achieve your ideal grades.

Subsequently, A levels are completely different to GCSEs – when you are studying GCSEs, you can revise the night before and still probably get an A or a B; if you do that in A levels, you will undoubtedly achieve an ungraded. I’m sorry if it sounds harsh, or if it sounds like you are not going to work – but, it is completely true... as someone that is currently experiencing the troubles of A levels, I can tell you that they are NOT easy; and they really aren’t for the light-hearted. If you are not 100% committed, you will not get the grades that you wish to, meaning that you most likely won’t get into the University that you want to. Yes, it is harsh and upfront – but it also incredibly true and realistic.

My best advice to you would be to make sure that you stay on top of your work from day one – it is extremely daunting to begin with, and you will feel like you have been thrown into the deep end; however, I can assure you that you will get used to it in no time at all. You will honestly feel like you have been studying this intensely for your whole life. Just make sure that if you do not understand something, you ask you teacher – because at the end of the day, that is what they are there for... it is their job! Moreover, make sure that you are studying the subjects that you wish to; the first couple of weeks of year 12 will be an induction; therefore, if you find that you are not enjoying your subjects or have a problem with one of them – make sure you tell someone, usually your head of year; because it is their job to make sure that you are happy and have everything that you need in order to be successful!

In addition, this is going to sound so harsh; but, make sure that you are friends with the right type of people – if you are friends with people that you know are quite harsh and disruptive; then you are not going to succeed. I apologise for being so abrupt, but it is true. If you ‘hang around’ with people that are not pro-education and are just there for the ‘banter’ or so to speak, then you are not going to succeed. You need to be around positive, supportive people – people that are going to help you achieve what you wish to, not people that are going to hold you back and cause you to underachieve because you are too busy ‘partying’ and going out with your friends.

Honestly, these next two years are going to be two of the most important years of your life; so, please, please do not ruin them. Work hard and make sure that you are receiving all of the help that you need and deserve – because you do NOT want to regret it on results day. Additionally, make sure that you have a goal in your head... whether it is results day or getting into a university of your choice – just make sure that you really want to achieve it and do your best to work towards it. You are going to have to make sacrifices, so make sure that your dream is going to be worth it in the end.

If you are unsure of anything at school, make sure you tell someone –whether it be someone else in sixth form, maybe the year above you; your teacher or one of your parents – just do not sit and suffer in silence... because if you want to achieve you are going to have to sacrifice blood, sweat and tears – but, I can assure you, if you work hard...it will definitely be worth it in the end!!!

Good luck and make sure you try to enjoy it – when times get tough; smile, breathe and think responsibly and in a mature manner. I hope that you all achieve the grades that you wish to and do whatever it is that you wish to do in the future.

“May the odds forever be in your favour.”

Judgement Day...

So today was results day... the day that every student dreads all year; the day that they work for, and the day that makes or breaks them. So many students work day in, day out for this day... they stay up late at night finishing work and revising; they decline invitations in order to finish their work - purely to achieve the grades that they wish to on results day.

For some people, results day is the day that makes them. It is the day that they achieve the grades that they wish to and get into the University that they would like to, to study the subject of their choice. However, no everyone is quite so lucky. Some students work their butts off all year, day in, day out... essay after essay, living and breathing school... but, they do not quite get the grades that they wished for.

These are the students that miss out on success... they may have put the work in and done every single little thing that they possibly could have - but, they still didn't achieve what they would have wished to. They may have missed out by a slither; however, they may have just not been good enough. These are the students that get bad press - from their grade sheet, it appears that they have not worked hard enough - or they are not clever. However, who says that they didn't spend that extra time working - just like the others? Who can say that they didn't just have an 'off day?' They may have been ill - or just not quite on point; and their grades have been decided because of that one and a half hour paper that they completed with a heavy cold two and a half months ago. Their future is all down to that one exam - is that really fair?

It now gets worse ... the decision after receiving their results is the difficult one! Do they resit the year? Do they resit some exams? What do they do? Because the rest of their lives are going to be based on this decision - and it for sure is not an easy one.

Students really do have complex lives... not everyone realises the struggles and pressure that they face on a daily basis. Expectations of them are impossibly high - not everyone can achieve top grades - such as As and A*s - some of us are just not good enough!

So please, spare a thought for the students like myself this results day ... the students that worked as hard as they possibly could have and just didn't get what they had hoped for... the students that have been left heartbroken after looking at that dreaded piece of paper - that essentially has their whole future concealed in that one centimetre squared letter sitting there looking up at them!

Patronisation is not an attractive trait...

Why is it that teachers feel the urge to patronise students at any given chance? They treat us as if we are four year old children! We are virtually adults; and it is teachers like them that make us want to leave school, because we continuously feel belittled and unworthy. Do they get a kick out of it or something? It is as if their ‘superiority’ has gone to their heads, and now they live off of giving us a hard time...

Dragging us around London, showing us up in public and treating us like little children is just wrong. That is the sort of behaviour that makes teachers ‘hated’ – when they act like you have no emotions and that you are just like a punch bag for them to let their anger out on. Well, you know what – we aren’t; we are students, students trying to get a decent education... however, it is not that simple once you get to year 12! It is more like trying to get through each day without having an emotional breakdown or committing mass genocide! Therefore, being treated like garbage by teachers is not helping...

You know what, it’s not fair! So please don’t treat us like we are inferior – yes, you have a duty of care towards us... so why don’t you show it? Why don’t you show your caring side? Instead of making us feel like a piece of dirt on the bottom of your shoe? It is rude and ignorant ... it’s not like we can retaliate either – because that would make us ‘disrespectful’ and ‘mischievous!’ When really, we are just trying to enjoy school and live our lives whilst we can!

Please don’t ask us to act like adults and then treat us like children... this system is just completely and utterly unfair – and you know what, it just isn’t working! Don’t expect us to do favours for you and treat you with ‘almighty respect,’ if you are just going to patronise us and make us feel absolutely minute!

Teachers wonder why we hate school, they wonder why we want to leave, and they wonder why we ‘hate’ them. They have been there... do they not realise the shear patronisation that they are portraying upon us?

Patronisation really isn’t an attractive trait – so get rid of it and start respecting us! Why should we respect your ‘legitimate authority’ when we are treated like toddlers all day? Treat us like adults and we may actually consider liking you!

Reputation, Reputation, Reputation...

Why is it that schools only care about their precious reputations? They treat certain students in particular ways in order to show themselves in a good light; for example, if they believe that a student will be successful publicly, then they treat them like royalty – show them off to the public and make them feel as if they actually care. However, that leaves the rest of us at a loose end; it leaves us feeling belittled and left out – it leaves us believing that we are not worthy, as if we are just not quite good enough.

Schools just focus all of their attention on the students that ‘need help;’ meaning that they end up ignoring those that they think will succeed – just to realise that those left alone are working their butts off, independently. Whereas, the ones that are receiving help are being spoon-fed information, so that they think that they have earned their grades … but have they? Really? Their teachers have essentially done the work for them; causing them to get good grades even though they haven’t actually done anything.

It is pathetic that schools only care about their reputations and not about the lives of their students… to them it is a job, they have an idea in their head, and they will do anything they can in order to achieve that idea. Meaning that us, as students are suffering for their benefit – the education system is completely messed up; the priorities of the education system are skewed and yet again, we are the ones struggling.

Teachers should actually care about their students; they shouldn’t just focus all of their attention on their reputation and allow others to suffer for their benefit. It is completely selfish! It is about time that they got over themselves and began to realign their priorities – providing all students with equal opportunities and promoting the idea of meritocracy. Students should have to work for their grades, they should not be handed good grades on a plate – it is completely unfair and quite frankly, pathetic.

Students deserve equality of opportunity and teachers that actually care about them and their futures; not teachers that ignore them and only pretend to pay any attention when they are under the pressure of OFSTED.