You are viewing:

Home
ROdown Blog
Are you more than your marks?

Jump down to: content, section menu, site menu or site info sections.

ROdown Blog

Are you more than your marks?

What’s involved?

School is about more than just your marks, right? What is success at school really all about, and how should it be measured?

All secondary students across Australia now have the opportunity to change the way ‘success’ is measured at school by taking part in the Tell Us survey.

By taking the survey you'll go in the running to win one of the amazing prizes. From iPods to surfing lessons, movie packages to art classes, the best thing about the prizes is you get to choose!

Take the survey now!

Why should people do this?

Have your say about how schools and students should be measured!

Tell Us is open from now until Friday 30 April. The results will be presented to Government, giving young people the chance to speak up and change the way ‘success’ is measured at school.

Other stuff

Watch the Tell Us Video:

Contact information

For more info check out the Tell Us website: http://www.tellus.org.au

15 Feb 2010 07:45 PM |
Posted by: anna in Mental health + wellbeing

Tags:: survey; school; exams

Jump to top

7 Comments

Daniela Falecki

over 1 year ago

Reply Report

I agree

Hugh Duffie

almost 2 years ago

Reply Report

'Tell Us' is an opportunity for secondary students to have a say on the way 'success' is measured at school. I mean, surely there's more to being successful than just getting straight A's, right? We've all heard the stories of self made trillionaires who left school at 15, couldn't spell to save themselves, or were missing their left leg. It's Today Tonight's bread and butter!

But what this campaign is trying to do is engage young people who feel strongly about how success is judged. Whatever you think - FYA wants to hear from you! I recently wrote an email in response to the Tell Us campaign because I thought it was such a great idea, and I would encourage you to do the same, but I thought I'd put down here some of what I said. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. Enjoy! Sorry it's long :)

Hi 'Tell Us' team,

My name is Hugh and I filled out your Tell Us survey. I'm actually finished Year 12 now but still thought I had a valid opinion to offer. Are you just after current students? I also think that recent finishing students would also have a very relevant and interesting point of view on this topic.

I personally feel that school is not just about marks, but rather developing your own character and sense of integrity through exposure to certain circumstances and environments.

When I started high school I was at a school that I had chosen for the wrong reasons. I really enjoyed my time there and had good friends and got good marks but felt like as though I wasn't being challenged enough academically and was getting bored. I admit, it's probably rare for a teenage boy to feel that way, but I just got scared that nothing was ever going to challenge me there academically the way I wanted to be challenged.

So I moved to another school, which happened to be a private school, but I don't think that that is always the answer. I was challenged a lot more with school work and was expected to play several sports. At first I was stand-offish about joining clubs and doing community service activities but I could tell that there was an ethos that promoted involvement in a variety of extra-curricular activities. It was almost a sport to see who could be in the most things and achieve the most.

In Year 11 I developed an interest, from home and from school, in the environment. I decided that the best way I could make a difference was by re-forming the environment group that a previous Year 12 boy had started, which had not been continued after he left. I think that this, combined with my being in the 1st XI Soccer team, made me well known around the school and gave me a deeper appreciation of how supportive the school actually was for people to do something positive.

Anyway, I kind of had to give that as background, but what my point really was is this: I never did Geography or SOSE or anything like that, but developed my own interest in the environment and activism in my own time, off my own back. I think that I was able to do this because I felt encouraged enough to put myself out there and try something new. I feel that without the positive emphasis placed on extra-curricular involvement at the school I would not have been willing to try something like this - particularly as a relatively new boy to the school.

Because I got active like this, I gained so many skills in organising meetings and events, understanding different protocols for different situations and how to interact with different people - from students, to staff, and to the Headmaster. I developed a hunger to see tangible results and see big positive changes to my surroundings and to hopefully to influence others in the process.

Whilst I think that skills I had learnt in the classroom were vital in this process, such as speech writing to speak on assembly and research and writing skills from English and History, I think my example supports the case that there is more to school than marks.

I received good marks - 2A's, 3 A-'s and a B+. However, the skills I learnt from being a leader as the President of the Environment Club, Vice-President of the Interact Club, House Captain and as a School Prefect, have more relevance in my life post-school.

So yes, there is more to school than getting good marks. So sorry if I come across as pompous and self-absorbed, I honestly just could not believe how relevant I thought my circumstances were to this topic and tried to detail it as best as I could.

Best wishes with the campaign!

Kind regards,

Hugh Duffie

P.S. I could never maintain an A average in English at school, yet when I was writing about something I cared about - Climate Change - I managed to win a nationwide essay competition called the Young Leaders Climate Writing Award and won $500. I was more proud to have that on my resume than my school marks!

If you've made it this far, thanks so much for taking the time to read this - I really hope that you feel the same way that I do and get involved with promoting the 'Tell Us' campaign.

If you're still at High School, I would advise that you try and gain a feeling of real achievement outside your academic work. Take on something extra - make something happen from nothing. There are a lot of skills that you can only gain by experience, so whatever it may be that excites you, make it something big.

Hugh Duffie

almost 2 years ago

Reply Report

But what this campaign is trying to do is engage young people who feel strongly about how success is judged. Whatever you think - FYA wants to hear from you! <a href="http://www.tellus.org.au">Tell Us now! :)</a> Seeing as this is my note, after all, I'm going to take some time to explain why I'm making my Facebook page a blatant advertisement for FYA and 'Tell Us'. I recently wrote an email in response to the Tell Us campaign because I thought it was such a great idea, I would encourage you to do the same, but I thought I'd put down here some of what I said. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. Enjoy! Sorry it's long :) <i>Hi 'Tell Us' team, My name is Hugh and I filled out your Tell Us survey. I'm actually finished Year 12 now but still thought I had a valid opinion to offer. Are you just after current students? I also think that recent finishing students would also have a very relevant and interesting point of view on this topic. I personally feel that school is not just about marks, but rather developing your own character and sense of integrity through exposure to certain circumstances and environments. When I started high school I was at a school that I had chosen for the wrong reasons. I really enjoyed my time there and had good friends and got good marks but felt like as though I wasn't being challenged enough academically and was getting bored. I admit, it's probably rare for a teenage boy to feel that way, but I just got scared that nothing was ever going to challenge me there academically the way I wanted to be challenged. So I moved to another school, which happened to be a private school, but I don't think that that is always the answer. I was challenged a lot more with school work and was expected to play several sports. At first I was stand-offish about joining clubs and doing community service activities but I could tell that there was an ethos that promoted involvement in a variety of extra-curricular activities. It was almost a sport to see who could be in the most things and achieve the most. In Year 11 I developed an interest, from home and from school, in the environment. I decided that the best way I could make a difference was by re-forming the environment group that a previous Year 12 boy had started, which had not been continued after he left. I think that this, combined with my being in the 1st XI Soccer team, made me well known around the school and gave me a deeper appreciation of how supportive the school actually was for people to do something positive. Anyway, I kind of had to give that as background, but what my point really was is this: I never did Geography or SOSE or anything like that, but developed my own interest in the environment and activism in my own time, off my own back. I think that I was able to do this because I felt encouraged enough to put myself out there and try something new. I feel that without the positive emphasis placed on extra-curricular involvement at the school I would not have been willing to try something like this - particularly as a relatively new boy to the school. Because I got active like this, I gained so many skills in organising meetings and events, understanding different protocols for different situations and how to interact with different people - from students, to staff, and to the Headmaster. I developed a hunger to see tangible results and see big positive changes to my surroundings and to hopefully to influence others in the process. Whilst I think that skills I had learnt in the classroom were vital in this process, such as speech writing to speak on assembly and research and writing skills from English and History, I think my example supports the case that there is more to school than marks. I received good marks - 2A's, 3 A-'s and a B+. However, the skills I learnt from being a leader as the President of the Environment Club, Vice-President of the Interact Club, House Captain and as a School Prefect, have more relevance in my life post-school. So yes, there is more to school than getting good marks. So sorry if I come across as pompous and self-absorbed, I honestly just could not believe how relevant I thought my circumstances were to this topic and tried to detail it as best as I could. Best wishes with the campaign! Kind regards, Hugh Duffie P.S. I could never maintain an A average in English at school, yet when I was writing about something I cared about - Climate Change - I managed to win a nationwide essay competition called the Young Leaders Climate Writing Award and won $500. I was more proud to have that on my resume than my school marks!</i> If you've made it this far, thanks so much for taking the time to read this - I really hope that you feel the same way that I do and get involved with promoting the 'Tell Us' campaign. If you're still at High School, I would advise that you try and gain a feeling of real achievement outside your academic work. Take on something extra - make something happen from nothing. There are a lot of skills that you can only gain by experience, so whatever it may be that excites you, make it something big.

Kyliee

almost 2 years ago

Reply Report

Yeah it is sad anna. I guess it depends on what school you go to and other influences in your life. I know that my school is very encouraging with the small stuff too. At the start of each year some teachers will walk into the room and tell us that as long as we have moved forward and grown then the marks aren't so important - that is the attitude everyone should have i think.

I think a lot of the pressure can come from outside sources. Like parents, friends, the media etc. At the end of the day there is always more then one way to end up doing what you want to do, and too many people forget that.

anna

almost 2 years ago

Reply Report

@ McLeod - I agree completely - I know one of the marks I was happiest about at school was English, because I improved so much in my final year + did much better than I'd thought I would - made it into the paper! It wasn't my best mark, but it's my favourite memory of achievement! I also know that doing really well, but not learning anything new can be incredibly frustrating,

@Kyliee - it's sad there's so much pressure huh. I guess it would be really great if people could be encouraged to focus on the moving forward bit that would be really great - like recognising the small stuff, and not just one mark at the end of the year! Like a 'School journey map' or something?!

There are so many great things we learn and achieve at school, it's a shame to lump it into one mark at the end of it all!

:)

Kyliee

almost 2 years ago

Reply Report

I too just completed the survey and agree that it was a good one.
There is so much pressure put on us to be 'succesful' at school by getting good grades. But there is so much more to that. As long as I have grown and moved forward, I am happy.

McLeod

almost 2 years ago

Reply Report

I just completed the survey... and it was quite a good one. ;D
Success shouldn't be measured by your grades or how well you do on tests. It's about you as a person and your growth.

Email this page

Not a member?
Join Reach Out to access a range of great member features.

Forgot your password?

Blog posts

ROdown Blog

Are you more than your marks?

What’s involved?

Why should people do this?

Other stuff

Contact information

7 Comments

Daniela Falecki

Report this comment

Validation Error

Hugh Duffie

Report this comment

Validation Error

Hugh Duffie

Report this comment

Validation Error

Kyliee

Report this comment

Validation Error

anna

Report this comment

Validation Error

Kyliee

Report this comment

Validation Error

McLeod

Report this comment

Validation Error

Email this page

Email error

The following message will be sent to your friend:

Subscribe

Browse by topic

Browse by tags

Browse archives

Site Information

Member login