Child Genius

Today I saw with my own two eyes that the class divide is definitely deepening in Australia.

I just began a tutoring job for a Grade 6 boy who attends a private school. He is brilliant at maths. I've been employed to help him improve his English skills so that he can get a scholarship for High school at one of the elite private schools. His reading and writing was well above standard, with a fabulous vocabulary and orginal thoughts.

Put this kid in the classroom with my Year 10 kids and he would out do most of them.

What does this say about our education system? A school in the lower socioeconomic parts of town does have lower academic standards than private schools, unquestionably. Are the students less capable? I don't think so. But they don't come from a culture where higher education is aspired to.

Their parents may not have finished high school, so from Year 10 onwards - they're on their own. Their parents might be completely supportive of their education, but they can't help the kids with it.

How do we overcome this problem? I have some extremely bright students who don't have the drive that this 6th Grader has. Perhaps they don't know how far they could go. Or they don't aspire to things beyond what they already know. Can this be changed? Should it?

I really want my students to be their best. I'd love to see them go to University and change the world. But if that's not what they want, should I be pushing them on to this? What's my role?

All I know is that a Grade 6 kid whose parents are willing to spend 100s of dollars every week on extra tutoring is going to whip the arses of most of my students who would prefer to socialise than study.