Kumon & other tutorial services

zubs

zubs

Well-known member
What's the percentage of kids that go to after school tutorial services in a typical Irvine elementary? 
Is it 50%?
If 50% of the kids go to Kumon, and the other 50% don't, does that mean the latter group is lagging?
If your kid is going to Kumon does it make it easier to get into the GATE program because you basically stacked the deck in their favor?

In the asian countries, I'd say 90% of the kids go to after school tutorial services.  I wonder how IUSD handles this problem when half the class is punching above their weight while the other half falters.

So grows the educational industrial complex.



 
zubs said:
What's the percentage of kids that go to after school tutorial services in a typical Irvine elementary? 
Is it 50%?
If 50% of the kids go to Kumon, and the other 50% don't, does that mean the latter group is lagging?
If your kid is going to Kumon does it make it easier to get into the GATE program because you basically stacked the deck in their favor?

In the asian countries, I'd say 90% of the kids go to after school tutorial services.  I wonder how IUSD handles this problem when half the class is punching above their weight while the other half falters.

So grows the educational industrial complex.
Click to expand...

Bell curve

 
Like to see where the TI parents are taking their kids and if they like it or not.  Considering putting my kid in when he turns 5.. not sure if I should do math and reading.
 
IUSD now takes a broad approach in deciding GATE admission, not just test scores.  This is supposed to level the playing field a bit against the Kumon crowd.
 
None of my kids are in any after school educational programs and they are A/B students.

I guess if I was a Dragon Dad, I would try to eliminate those Bs but I'm not.

My parents were probably Hidden Tiger Crouching Dragon because I got straight As as a kid (or I would get the belt) but no supplemental programs (I don't think Kumon existed in the 1800s).
 
You guys are forgetting an important point in all this: just because you KUMON your child to death doesn't mean he/she will be ahead of those that do not.  If endless hours of prep were the only prereq to academic excellence, then a lot of kids in Irvine should get perfect SAT scores given the scores of kids that beat that horse (test) to death in the prep realm. 

Additionally, endless/pointless supplemental academic classes after school just takes the joy out of learning for these kids.  It'll eventually affect them adversely in the future, whether thats middle school, HS or college will depend.  Just like adults, kids can burn out too.
 
Happiness said:
IUSD now takes a broad approach in deciding GATE admission, not just test scores.  This is supposed to level the playing field a bit against the Kumon crowd.
Click to expand...
I should add (brag?) that my kids are GATE qualified.

#NoPerformanceEnhancingKumon
 
Happiness said:
IUSD now takes a broad approach in deciding GATE admission, not just test scores.  This is supposed to level the playing field a bit against the Kumon crowd.
Click to expand...

This sounds like what college admissions are doing when they consider extracurricular activities as opposed to just grades and test scores.  So getting into GATE is like getting into a good college....Perhaps kiss the teachers ass and give them gifts??  How do I stack the deck?

I think IUSD and any Asian dominated school district have a difficult job when half the kids are on Kumon and the other half are not.  Sure some kids still do poorly after hours of kumon per week, but the majority will improve.  This is probably a nice problem to have for IUSD. 
 
My older brother and I went to elementary in Anaheim back in the 80s.  He was in the GATE program, and I was not.  I remember those classes were far more advanced than what I was being taught, and I was glad I was not in GATE due to all the extra work.  One example is, He had to give a speech in 4th grade about Lyndon B. Johnson to the whole school at a rally, and I thought that was really scary.  In the end he did end up getting into a higher rated college than I did.

This was in the 80s, so no after school tutorial for us lucky ones.
 
zubs said:
In the end he did end up getting into a higher rated college than I did.
Click to expand...

Is that because he is just smarter than you or because of GATE? 

To me, GATE is kinda BS.  It alienates kids into thinking they're better than others, and when you start telling & showing 3rd and 4th graders they're smart and gifted, it can send the wrong message.  I do think GATE-like programs have a place in education for the truly gifted but come on, 30% of IUSD is gifted?  Umm ok.
 
Good luck getting into a good public university (UCLA, UCSD, Berkeley) if you don't stand out.  Their admissions have been modified to allow more international students (thus more tuition dollars).  If GATE gives an advantage, than it's helpful.
 
isn't GATE an elementary school thing?  If I see GATE in elementary school on a 12th grader's resume during my alumni college interviews, I would seriously LOL. 
 
bones said:
zubs said:
In the end he did end up getting into a higher rated college than I did.
Click to expand...

Is that because he is just smarter than you or because of GATE? 

To me, GATE is kinda BS.  It alienates kids into thinking they're better than others, and when you start telling & showing 3rd and 4th graders they're smart and gifted, it can send the wrong message.  I do think GATE-like programs have a place in education for the truly gifted but come on, 30% of IUSD is gifted?  Umm ok.
Click to expand...

I mean.. that's all relative.  Same with kids going to a better college.  It's not like you should just keep your possibly gifted kid in with the normies. 
 
jmoney74 said:
bones said:
zubs said:
In the end he did end up getting into a higher rated college than I did.
Click to expand...

Is that because he is just smarter than you or because of GATE? 

To me, GATE is kinda BS.  It alienates kids into thinking they're better than others, and when you start telling & showing 3rd and 4th graders they're smart and gifted, it can send the wrong message.  I do think GATE-like programs have a place in education for the truly gifted but come on, 30% of IUSD is gifted?  Umm ok.
Click to expand...

I mean.. that's all relative.  Same with kids going to a better college.  It's not like you should just keep your possibly gifted kid in with the normies. 
Click to expand...

kids go to college at 18.  they can better process what "smart" means.  even in high school, I knew I was smart, but not THAT smart and definitely not gifted.  I went to an Ivy, and my circle of friends encompasses a lot of fellow Ivy (some same school, some different) grads.  I can count on my fingers and toes how many of them are truly "gifted".

Or maybe I'm just missing the point here.  Gifted = average.  Not gifted = dumb.  In that case, sure, everyone on TI and their kids are gifted :)
 
paydawg said:
Good luck getting into a good public university (UCLA, UCSD, Berkeley) if you don't stand out.  Their admissions have been modified to allow more international students (thus more tuition dollars).  If GATE gives an advantage, than it's helpful.
Click to expand...

I guess you have to have a super star son that plays a sport. Lol
 
bones said:
zubs said:
In the end he did end up getting into a higher rated college than I did.
Click to expand...

Is that because he is just smarter than you or because of GATE? 

To me, GATE is kinda BS.  It alienates kids into thinking they're better than others, and when you start telling & showing 3rd and 4th graders they're smart and gifted, it can send the wrong message.  I do think GATE-like programs have a place in education for the truly gifted but come on, 30% of IUSD is gifted?  Umm ok.
Click to expand...

GATE, like anything else in life, will have believers and non-believers. That's besides the point. I really get curious when people start pulling numbers out of thin air to justify their position. Where did you get 30% from?
 
Cornflakes said:
bones said:
zubs said:
In the end he did end up getting into a higher rated college than I did.
Click to expand...

Is that because he is just smarter than you or because of GATE? 

To me, GATE is kinda BS.  It alienates kids into thinking they're better than others, and when you start telling & showing 3rd and 4th graders they're smart and gifted, it can send the wrong message.  I do think GATE-like programs have a place in education for the truly gifted but come on, 30% of IUSD is gifted?  Umm ok.
Click to expand...

GATE, like anything else in life, will have believers and non-believers. That's besides the point. I really get curious when people start pulling numbers out of thin air to justify their position. Where did you get 30% from?
Click to expand...

Maybe you should try reading the links and posts before accusing people of pulling things from thin air.  IHO posted this on page 1 of this thread.  So is it safe to assume, you were not GATE? :)
https://www.iusd.org/parent_resources/gate/information.html

1. What percentage of students are GATE Identified?

The approximate number of students determined to qualify for GATE is 10% of a student population. However, students are able to qualify in each grade-level from 3rd through 8th. The number of GATE-identified students in IUSD is approximately 25-30% for the total District.
 
Cornflakes said:
bones said:
zubs said:
In the end he did end up getting into a higher rated college than I did.
Click to expand...

Is that because he is just smarter than you or because of GATE? 

To me, GATE is kinda BS.  It alienates kids into thinking they're better than others, and when you start telling & showing 3rd and 4th graders they're smart and gifted, it can send the wrong message.  I do think GATE-like programs have a place in education for the truly gifted but come on, 30% of IUSD is gifted?  Umm ok.
Click to expand...

GATE, like anything else in life, will have believers and non-believers. That's besides the point. I really get curious when people start pulling numbers out of thin air to justify their position. Where did you get 30% from?
Click to expand...


When I read TI, everybody on TI thinks there kid will go to an elite school. But in reality, that will not happen.
 
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