Debate - Week 1 - Handout

ARE SELECTIVE SCHOOLS BETTER FOR CHILDREN?

FOR AGAINST
Ideas Refute Ideas Refute
Higher academic Potential for
standards: Selective Individual Learning Unhealthy Coping Strong Support
schools offer a research- Styles: While some Mechanisms: To cope Systems: Many
based science students may thrive in with the stress and selective schools
curriculum, involving a research-based pressure of selective prioritize the well-being
hands-on experiments, science curriculum schools, some students of their students and
independent projects, and with hands-on may turn to unhealthy provide comprehensive
collaborative activities, others may coping mechanisms support systems to
investigations. Students struggle to engage or such as substance address academic
develop critical thinking benefit from this abuse, self-harm, or stressors. In many
and problem-solving approach. Thus, the disordered eating. cases, they may offer
skills while deepening approach to academic Without adequate counseling services,
their understanding of standards based solely support systems in peer support groups,
scientific concepts on hands-on place, students may and stress management
through practical experiments and resort to destructive workshops to help
application and teamwork may not behaviors to cope with students navigate the
teamwork accommodate the academic stressors. challenges of attentive
→Example: In biology diverse learning needs Example : M. is a academic environments.
class, students could and preferences of all student at specialized
team up to test how students. high school and due to
different things like the competitive Example: Beacon High
sunlight or water affect Explanation: environment along with School offers academic
how plants grow. By Selective schools often the enormous advisors who work
doing this, they learn have a set curriculum workload, she is closely with students to
more about how plants and teaching style, determined to study day develop personalized
work and how to figure however this might not and night, even learning plans, set
things out by themselves. resonate with students skipping meals to goals, and monitor
They also learn how to who learn best through study. As a result, her progress. Additionally,
gather and look at kinesthetic activities, weight has decreased wellness center holds
information, find visual aids, or significantly, and her various resources like
patterns, and come up independent health has deteriorated. mindfulness workshops,
with smart guesses based exploration. In rare stress management
on facts. Working with cases, students with techniques, and access
others helps them think learning disabilities or to mental health
in different ways and those who prefer professionals who can
solve problems better. solitary learning may listen and give out
find it challenging to helpful resolutions.
participate effectively
in collaborative
investigations.
Competitive Pressure and stress: This environment can
environment: Being High-achieving peers The competitiveness of also foster resilience
around classmates who may inspire, but also selective schools can and drive in students.
are excellent at school cause stress. This result in a high-pressure The pressure to excel
work can make students pressure may lead to atmosphere, causing can motivate students to
want to do really well too detrimental effects on stress and anxiety for push their boundaries
and try their best. mental health and students trying to meet and achieve their
→Statistic: According to well-being as a result challenging academic academic potential.
a study conducted by the of having a sense of standards. This can
National Bureau of inferiority from contribute to mental
Economic Research, students who aren’t as health issues such as
students attending academically talented. depression, anxiety, and
selective schools, where As many as 65% of even suicidal thoughts
they are surrounded by American among students.
academically high- undergraduates say Expert opinion :
achieving peers, are 25% that they feel pressured Doctor, Dr. Duong
more likely to pursue to match up to highly Minh Tam, Head of the
advanced coursework achieving peers as part Stress Disorder
and achieve higher of their course. Department at the
grades compared to Institute of Mental
students in non-selective Health, says: "It's
schools noteworthy that stress
is more prevalent
among well-behaved
and academically
achieving children. In
my practice, I've
noticed that the
majority of children
who come for
consultation and
treatment for
depression and stress
are from selective
schools and elite
classes."

Personalized learning: Special schools may More work: Students Balancing academics
In selective schools, offer opportunities for at special schools might with extracurricular
teachers give more advanced projects, have to do a lot more activities fosters
attention to each student work experiences, and schoolwork, which development.
because there are fewer contests, but this leaves less time for Moreover, the
students in each class. doesn't guarantee hobbies, hanging out challenging workload
→Example: For success in college or with friends, and doing can lead to greater
example, in a math class job applications. other fun things. academic achievement
with fewer students, a Colleges and the job Example : For and future
teacher might see that market often require a instance, a typical opportunities.
one student finds algebra combination of schedule for a junior
hard but is good at academic achievement, student in a selective
geometry. So, the teacher practical experience, school might include
can change the lessons to interpersonal skills, AP Calculus, AP
help the student with and adaptability. Biology, AP Literature,
algebra by giving them and honors-level
extra practice. At the courses in history and
same time, the teacher foreign language.
can give the student more Along with their
challenging work in coursework, students
geometry. This way, are also encouraged to
each student gets the help participate in
they need to learn better, extracurricular
based on what they find activities, such as
easy or difficult debate club, science
Olympiad, and varsity
sports, to bolster their
college applications.

Specialized resources : Lack of

These schools may have Having access to Individualized Even in standard
access to specialized resources is only half Attention: Due to the schools with smaller
resources, such as the battle. The quality large number of class sizes, the quality
advanced placement of instruction, teacher academically talented of teacher-student
courses, extracurricular expertise, and the students in selective interaction is crucial. A
activities, and school's ability to schools, individualized skilled teacher in a
partnerships with effectively utilize these
attention from teachers selective school with a
universities or research resources are crucial may be limited. This larger class size might
institutions. factors. A well-run can make it challenging provide more effective
→Statistic: In Vietnam, program with fewer for students to receive individualized attention
90% of selective schools resources might be personalized support, than a less experienced
offer specialized more beneficial than a feedback, and guidance teacher in a smaller
resources such as poorly managed one tailored to their unique standard school class.
advanced placement with a wider variety of learning needs and
courses, extracurricular options. preferences.
activities, and Explanation :
partnerships with Students at selective
universities or research schools are all high-
Explanation: Even
institutions, compared to achieving and
with abundant
only 40% of non- outstanding individuals,
resources, if teachers
selective schools, as they have
lack the necessary
according to a study successfully passed
skills, knowledge, and
conducted by the through the rigorous
approaches to
Ministry of Education selection process along
effectively deliver
and Training with the strict criteria
instruction, students
set by the selective
may not fully benefit
schools. Therefore,
from the learning
teachers at selective
opportunities provided.
schools may not pay
High-quality
overly special attention
instruction involves
to individual students
engaging teaching
 as they would in regular
methods, clear schools.
communication,
differentiated
instruction to meet
diverse student needs,
and ongoing
assessment and
feedback to support
student learning.

Group members:
● Ngô Duy Việt Anh
● Nguyễn Huy Hoàng
● Hoàng Phương Linh
● Nguyễn Thị Kim Oanh.