Generation Gifted BBC2

[Buxbaum]

Surprised that there isn’t a thread already - unless I’ve missed one?

Anyone watching?

[catlovingdoctor]

I am!

My god, it's so eye opening! They are all so smart and deserve to do so well. It goes to show just how much circumstances can affect the direction a young person takes, negatively or positively (sadly more the former in this case).

[tygr]

Really angry at the school for giving them GCSE papers so early and so they've got Love marks. Way to shatter their confidence.

Is this usual?

[westridingpauperlunaticasylum]

The boy from Hartlepool and his dad no wonder he conceals his results. His dad just didn't put it into context at all and I'm sure the lad just felt resentful. He didn't need anyone to tell him he is capable of better

[tygr]

*low marks

[Xenadog]

That dad having a go at his son’s exam results has made my blood boil. Crap father of the year award heading straight to him. He really knows how to demoralise and what really annoys me is he hasn’t got a clue - his son was taking GCSE papers in Year 9!

[EveryoneTalkAboutPopMusic]

I hope his Dad is watching and realises how awful he was but I’m guessing not.

[EveryoneTalkAboutPopMusic]

Is Jamala’s Dad dead then?

[westridingpauperlunaticasylum]

Jamas dad is in Jamaica I think

[Quadrangle]

The boy from hartlepool tried to explain it was an actual gcse paper but it fell on deaf ears. The dad thinks saying "that's rubbish" will motivate him but it won't.

[JustDanceAddict]

I watched the girls’ one the night before properly and half watched last night’. My ds is in year 9 and they don’t do EOY exams like that apart from science to decide if those who want to do triple are capable.
They are graded 1-9, but at their level, and they should be staying at that level while the work gets harder up to taking GCSEs.
That dad was horrible, he needed a good talking to himself - and obv has a big chip on his shoulder.

[Oliz]

Asking children to learn how to pass exams and get high grades has never looked more depressing.

[ReinettePompadour]

I watched the girls episode yesterday and was very surprised to see my old school featured.

I'm going to watch the boys episode later.

[dazzlingdeborahrose]

I'm watching. It really shows how it's not just the quality of teaching that matters. It having home support, a quiet space to work and revise and a sense of aspiration. The sense that you can achieve despite all the obstacles. It's the lack of confidence that stands out more than anything. Eye opening.

[Buxbaum]

I had to pause last night when DD woke up so I’m catching up now.

Jamarley’s Dad has been deported to Jamaica for immigration reasons. It sounds like he was very involved until then.

[leghairdontcare]

Is there a 3rd episode tonight?

It's interesting to see the common issues among the children - low education level in parents, reliance on benefits due to disabled family members and the lack of father figures. It would be good if the show could link that back to the wider picture and outcomes for similar children across the county as the show is advertised as being an exploration of social mobility.

I'm very concerned for Ann-Marie from Port Talbot. My heart sank when i saw her looking at courses in the University of South Wales. I work there and it's an objectively terrible university - ranked 116th by the Guardian. The university relies on the low aspirations of the surrounding communities. The worst thing is lack of advice for these young people - she was looking at projected salaries for criminology graduates which were listed as $50k (presumably an american website) whereas the actual destination info for this particular course shows that the average salary 6m after leaving is £14k. There's probably a whole host of better options for her.

[leghairdontcare]

Google & there's 2 episodes a year until 2020 when they do their GCSEs.

[ReinettePompadour]

@leghairdontcare I too am worried for Ann-Marie. She would have had, imho, a significantly better chance in life had her family stayed in London. Criminology is one of the most popular university courses with ever shrinking employment opportunities in that sector. I agree there appears to be a lack of advice for these students.

I also worry about Shakira. A tattoo artist isnt going to earn enough to get her out of her current area. I have friends who live in that area of Tamworth, one is actually a tattoo artist, and its not a particularly cheap area to live. Their children have limited life opportunities too. Most are considering working in retail (same as their parents) once they leave school, around half are thinking of university to study nursing or teacher training but only after going to college to gain suitable qualifications.

[user1471426142]

The documentary made it very obvious that opportunities are so tied to socio-economic status. It was just depressing to see aspiration being squashed in some cases but also lovely to see the way some of the teachers were really inspirational. I really liked the male maths teacher from Hartlepool. So much of it seems about opening minds to the opportunities that are out there and raising awareness about student financing. It was horrid to see the fear of the costs as Ann Marie and her mum grasped how high the fees would be.

I did wonder why they were pushing shakira towards drama rather than something like graphics which could complement the art. She seemed so talented but when I started to think about my friends that went to art college, they spent a fortune on materials for their portfolio etc. It is just another hurdle where money seems to make a difference. I hope that all of them get to achieve their potential but I found myself really rooting for Shakira in particular.

The only thing I wonder if whether they should have shown the programme once they had done their GCSE’s. It seems like the expectation will only ramp up now the media is following them. Although it would ruin the concept of the programme I hope a wealthy benefactor steps in to support some of the kids.

[Iceskatingsnake]

Oh gosh yes, the father bollocking his poor boy for low marks when he had only been on his GCSE courses for 6 weeks. Talk about not getting the point and making your kid feel shitty.

I felt so sad for the lad who felt he had to be the role model to his younger brother because of their absent father. I hope he does go on to consider other courses apart from just catering. Their aspirations are so low some of them. It must be a real job trying to persuade a kid they could do lots of other courses apart from tattoo artists, chef etc.

Jamarley is doing so well bearing in mind the awful situation with his dad. What a stress for him. I hope they all do really well. They deserve to.

[Buxbaum]

I’ve caught up on the boys’ programme now.

I am so, so glad that this programme is being made. I am a teacher and have always worked with young people in disadvantaged circumstances. Sadly the vast majority of people forming public policy on these issues have absolutely no grasp of the very complex challenges facing disadvantaged kids and their families. The idea that it is simply a case of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps is frankly insulting.

I thought the scene between Kian and his dad over the y9 exam results was really telling. The father clearly felt that he had wasted his own educational opportunities and s is absolutely terrified that his son will do the same. The problem is that he has no idea what academic success and support looks like and he simply doesn’t know how to support his son, who he realises is already brighter than him. Of the three boys I think Kian is the most at risk of disengagement. He looked totally dejected when he was given back his university project, and when he saw his result he looked ten feet taller.

[EveryoneTalkAboutPopMusic]

Yes sorry. I realised his Dad had been deported but when his DM told him his DF had been shot, I thought for a moment that he was dead.

[Buxbaum]

Although- I really hate the documentary style of filming the interviews in a really tight frame with a massive ring light. You could see it reflected in Liam’s pupils last night. It feels really intrusive.

[ZBIsabella]

It's good. I am just watching episode 1. i won't read the whole thread in case there are spoilers for the later episodes but so far it is very interesting. The confidence issue - some seem to have not much. One who seems very bright cries in exams.
The one who does art similarly gets very nervous.
Telling question she was asked - she knows no one who lives near her who went to university and the family think being a tattoo artist is a good career or some of them do.

So confidence seems an issue for those two.

However the other one working hard and sharing a room with her sister seems to have a much better understanding of life and careers. I wonder if she lives in London - the other 2 girls don't?

I will keep watching......
I keep prevaricationg on what I think - in some ways they are told far too much they are brilliant when they aren't so they don't get the robustness to cope with failure somehow, the internal strength. on the other hand if you can find one thing someone is definitely good with that makes a massive difference to how they do.

[leghairdontcare]

Jada is from Birmingham, not London. There seems to be a big difference in attitude between white children and bme children. Not surprising based on existing research.

[ZBIsabella]

I wonder why they made that boy's year do GCSE papers for their end of year exams which meant they all did badly so feel really useless. It is weird.

It is so interesting to me - one school my mother taught right near there (in primary schools for 11 years) and the other was near where she lived as a child (both in the NE). So we got out of there and most of her 52 first cousins didn't. I wonder what determines who does and who doesn't.