Comments on: Elite schools, success, and a child’s sense of self-worth

By: Greg from Make Money Online

Greg from Make Money Online — Fri, 30 May 2008 07:54:13 +0000

Some people drive for pefection is so strong it does not seem rational. It maybe with school sports or business. It is a strong drive in some people.

By: Jon Limjap

Jon Limjap — Tue, 27 May 2008 06:19:27 +0000

siu,

Are you talking about PSHS-Cebu? :p

Cross the bridge when you get there

By: siu

siu — Tue, 27 May 2008 05:51:24 +0000

Glad i chanced on this post; it made me think. I just had a small argument with my wife about what school, among many good schools here in Cebu, would be best for our 9 month old first-born to go to in the future. My choice had been that school reputed to have produced such exceptional achievers. I don’t know if its true, but that’s what’s said on its billboard, too. My wife’s very apprehensive because of the very demanding, high-pressure curriculum. I realize, going to an elite school was just a whim that I had. I grew up in a province, and schooled in a good private school. But it was always my belief that the elite schools in the city are way much better–especially during college when my classmates coming from such schools simply aced the physics test. Anyway, i guess im just thinking way too early.

By: Jon Limjap

Jon Limjap — Tue, 27 May 2008 03:20:26 +0000

bugsy,

It’s fortunate that you had a mother who taught you that. Unfortunately too many parents do not even know EQ beyond the infant diaper brand.

blogusvox,

Siguro nasa kultura rin talaga ng mga Pilipino na masyadong mataas na premium ang ibinibigay sa diploma at grade. Mahilig tayo masyado sa papel. Kaya kahit na sa absolute terms eh mas successful ka naman sa kapatid mo… siya pa rin yung matalino. Hehehe.

Diyahe ano?

ed,

I think children in the states are made to face more difficult social situations much earlier. Pinoy child-rearing culture tends to treat kids as babies. They are either ignored most of the time or overly protected. And they are always treated as subordinate to each and every whim of their parents.

Kaya pagdating sa maturity vis-a-vis assertion of opinion and right, mas mabagal ang Pinoy. Pero parity pa rin pagdating sa ibang bagay.

Do note that our students finish school younger as well. Kaya minsan maghi-hit sila ng subjects na nagrerequire ng maturity (e.g., Philosophy) na hilaw pa sila. Kaya nababadtrip mga Philo teacher.

Palma,

Indeed, that’s another consequence of such high-pressure, achievement focused environments. Which is another reason I consider the way parents treat their children as abuse.

By: palma tayona

palma tayona — Sun, 25 May 2008 16:53:30 +0000

… “to get into” the highly competitive prep schools.

By: palma tayona

palma tayona — Sun, 25 May 2008 16:52:14 +0000

hmmm, i can’t help but wonder what the suicide rate in korea is right now amongst these kids leading such stressful and increasingly competitive lives. i remembered in japan, they had problems with increasing suicide rates amongst their teenagers on the middle-school level. depression (a big factor in teen suicide) was high amongst kids who are preparing into the highly competitive prep schools.

i just wonder…

By: ed villanueva

ed villanueva — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:28:02 +0000

Bugsybee,precisely aanhin mo naman ang high grades if you are not emotionally mature, I was listening internet radio talk show DWIZ in PI when they were interviewing a Filipino lawyer from America, he said that students in PI are better off in academics than in USA ,however when you talk to say a 9year old child in USA he said that they are more matured in thinking and reasoning than child of the same age in PI,He goes on to say that Educational system in USA are giving more emphasis on public relations than academic standing hmmmm…

By: BlogusVox

BlogusVox — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:12:33 +0000

This post reminds me of my formative years. My father, a retired engineer, was a consistent honor student during his school years. In my hometown, our family name is synonymous to “matalino”. People expect you to do well in school if you have that surname. Pride, I suspect, is the reason why my father wants his children to excel. Our eldest took the brunt of that pressure. Like my father, his also a consistent honor student but he also gets tongue lashing from my parents if he gets grades less than excellent.

Me, they leave me alone because I spent most of my time daydreaming. My parents consider that as a sign of “lesser intelligence”. Both my siblings went to top universities while I graduated from a state-sponsored practical hands-on oriented institution. But I’m a “take-one” board passer.

Although both my siblings have good jobs, I’m a bit more financially secure compared to them. I found good use to all that “dreaming” I used to do. Now a day, my father is singing a different tune. I overheard him saying “Yang pangalawa ko, gradweyt lang nang so and so, e bakit mas asensado. Wala sa talino yan”.

I detest that, even when praising me, he still consider me a “retard”.

By: bugsybee

bugsybee — Wed, 21 May 2008 06:11:09 +0000

Jon, if there is something very important that my mom has left me, it is that early in my schooling, she reassured me that school life is not all about grades.

Now that I am a teacher myself, I always try to remind my students the same thing. It’s sometimes difficult to “balance” as I also have to remind them to try their best BUT life does not begin and end with a 95 or a 70.

Aanhin mo naman ang high grades mo if you are not emotionally mature?

By: Jon Limjap

Jon Limjap — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:13:57 +0000

Cat,

Precisely. In the end I think EQ might be a bigger factor in absolute success.

Ed,

Naku, compounded pa pala ng problema ng societal “caste”. Ang hirap tlaaga kapag cultural ang nature ng problema