Baskadia

「旧帝・国立大学医学部」受験対策講座（8）

Creativity can  be described as letting go of certainties.  (Gail Sheehy)

   受験生が難関校や大規模予備校に押し寄せるのは「確かな道筋」を手にしたいからだ。ここ三重県なら四日市高校や Eisu 秀英には合格の確かなノウハウがあるに違いないと思うからだ。

　私は四日市高校に通ったが、当然ながら「確かな方法」など存在しない。言うまでもなく四日市高校の生徒でもピンからキリまでいる。ビリの方の子は2番手の桑名高校の上位の子たちには追い抜かれてゆく。

　Eisu で学力が伸びなければ秀英に移ってゆく。秀英でダメなら東進に移る。それでもダメなら名古屋まで行き、河合塾に通う。それでもダメなら家庭教師をつける。それでもダメなら・・・。延々とジプシー生活を送っているうちに入試本番を迎える。

　こういう子は根本が誤っている。自分の学力は他人の指導によると勘違いしている。学力が伸びないのは教え方が悪いと責任転嫁をしている。参考書や予備校の評論家のようになり果てた子の難関校合格の確率は限りなくゼロに近い。

  The reason why students are flocking to difficult-to-enter schools and large prep schools is because they want to obtain a "sure path" to success. Here in Mie Prefecture, Yokkaichi High School and Eisu Shuei must have a sure-fire way to pass the entrance exam.


　I attended Yokkaichi High School, but of course there is no such thing as a "sure-fire way. Needless to say, students at Yokkaichi High School range from the best to the worst. The kids in the bottom of the class are overtaken by the top kids in Kuwana High School, which is in the second tier.


　If their academic ability does not improve at Eisu, they move to Shuei. If they fail at Shuei, they will move to Tojin. If they still fail at Eisu, they will go to Nagoya and attend Kawaijuku. If still no luck, he/she will get a private tutor. If still no luck, then.... After living an endless life of gypsy, the entrance exam is about to start.


　These students are fundamentally mistaken. They mistakenly believe that their academic ability is due to the guidance of others. They shift the blame for their lack of academic growth to the teaching method. The probability of passing a difficult school for a student who has become a critic of reference books and prep schools is close to zero.