Could it be fair put a label on a child if he or she has not
passed the eleven plus? Is the child then a `loser’ or a failure’? We must all
hope not! The eleven plus examination tests skills that some children are good
at. Other children may be better at other things.
Some children may struggle with parts of the eleven plus
because they have some form of a learning problem. Some children mature
significantly later than others. When a child is presented with a problem that
is outside of the known `comfort zone’ then some children may have the
potential to become over active or even aggressive. Interested parents may sometimes ask the older
members of the family about relatives to try to establish if there is a family pattern
of `late developers’.
There is a process called `myelination’ where the myelin
accumulates around nerve cells. Myelin allows thought processes to be passed
quickly along nerve cells. I have absolutely no idea of how to speed up the growth
and development of myelin – but what an eleven plus tool for parents and teachers
to have access to. Think of the advertisements:
Buy Your MYELIN
Booster from the
`Real Myelin’
Booster Specialists.
There could be one picture of an eleven plus child holding
up a cup. Parents would be gazing proudly at their offspring.
The second picture would be of a nerve with a coating of
`Real Myelin’.
Finally the eleven plus advertisement would say:
This wonderful product was liked by
87% of 150 Eleven Plus Parents.
Parents would be able to deals in the playground selling `Real
Myelin’ in sealed cans. The future of the eleven plus is here now!
