Some teachers may remember the words of a high school
teacher who said: “I formerly taught the higher grades, but I had an attack of
nervous prostration some time ago, and the doctor recommended rest. So now I
teach in the primary, because teaching primary children does not tax the mind.”
Tell this to the parent of an eleven plus child! Does the eleven
plus tax the mind? It taxes the mind and the emotions! By the way the teacher
talking about moving from the secondary field to the primary was in America, in
New York, in a newspaper article around 1892!
It is also interesting to note that an article by Rice in
1982 on: `The Futility of the Spelling Grind’ appeared to prove evidence that
from tests on 33000 children there was little correlation between the amount of
time devoted to spelling homework and competence in spelling.’
The eleven plus is supposed to predict future success in
academic subjects – and is supposed to pick out the best and brightest. What
happens if one day parents revolt?
Our children should not have to slog through eleven plus
papers
Parents should not `have to’ purchase papers from the `experts’
There is a crying need for a well-researched study into the
eleven plus
Children who are good at spelling at not the only ones who
can pass eleven plus verbal reasoning papers!
The eleven plus should not tax the minds of well-meaning
parents!
