You should do what your heart feels is right, my son.
May blessing pour upon you.
Go in peace.
Father O'Malley
Clan 24665
One camp not only believes that exams should be abolished, but also report cards, grades, judgment, values, discernment, sound reasoning, etc. A better solution, however, would be to demolish the educational system that systematically picks our pockets to a greater and greater degree and ultimately fails in its mission to educate our children. We need school choice and we need it now!
Originally posted by der schwarze RitterYes, in the US they call them Republicans.
One camp not only believes that exams should be abolished, but also report cards, grades, judgment, values, discernment, sound reasoning, etc. A better solution, however, would be to demolish the educational system that systematically picks our pockets to a greater and greater degree and ultimately fails in its mission to educate our children. We need school choice and we need it now!
Originally posted by der schwarze RitterIf you want children in this country educated, lobby with all your strength to eliminate NCLB or No Child Left Untested, as the case may be. Hands-on and exploratory learning are minimized or eliminated because the government-mandated tests are geared toward skills that only exist for those tests as well as textbook skills. Therefore, education time is instead spent prepping kids for those high-stakes tests. Even at a lower grade level the tests can be bizarre -- can you write an explanation of how you determined that two plus three equals five without saying that you knew the answer because you memorized your basic math facts as you should have?
One camp not only believes that exams should be abolished, but also report cards, grades, judgment, values, discernment, sound reasoning, etc. A better solution, however, would be to demolish the educational system that systematically picks our pockets to a greater and greater degree and ultimately fails in its mission to educate our children. We need school choice and we need it now!
Originally posted by Riddle2007Yes. When I taught sixth grade, two weeks of school were wasted on midterms and midterm prep. Two weeks were wasted on finals and prep for finals. One or two weeks were wasted on the ITBS which is standardized testing. For the social studies units that I gave tests on (as opposed to other things we did) a day was lost for testing and a day for review. That's a whole lot of time that could have been spent on teaching, but wasn't because the Vice Principal wanted things done a certain way.
But that hasn't answered my question, should we abolish exam?
Please understand that teachers have remarkably little say in what they do. All that testing nonsense comes from above...even rules about chapter tests, unit tests, spelling tests, and other nonsense.
Since I've been teaching I've found that the public and the mass media have a very distorted view of modern education. Most teachers that I've come into contact with are highly skilled and committed to helping children learn. Tests are a pain, and they do detract from learning to an extent - but in the whole of Key Stage Three (in England, that means age 7-9) there are only really one set of tests.
I don't know about elsewhere, but in the curriculum in England there is a very reasonable degree of freedom (in my subject (English) anyway). The prescription focuses on skills rather than content or delivery. Do I disagree with certain features? Of course. I wouldn't touch Shakespeare, or teach grammar beyond the very basics. But on the whole it's nowhere near as bad as a lot of people seem to think.
Exams are necessary to sort the wheat from the chaff at GCSE. Prior to that I would prune it to in-school methods of testing. The worst effect of exams is to shift the goal from knowledge to exam-readiness. But even this is, in a way, good preparation for the pressures of later life. Can it realistically be changed? Not until we have a government - and a society, that means YOU, people - that value intellectual inquiry above demonstrable "performance".
I entered teaching to help children think more intelligently about the world. Exams and the strictures of curricula do harm that, but they don't make it impossible.
Originally posted by scottishinnzFirst of all, your an idiot.
Yes, in the US they call them Republicans.
Second, tests are good.
Third, (like all the other loser ideas you support) provide an example or model of a successful method (not some made-up world, but real today working example) or keep your pie-hole shut.
You don't even make a good peanut gallery, very sad.
An absolutely mad idea! Exams is one way of sorting out the losers and unemployable morons (like for instance anthropogenic global warming believers, flat earthers, conspiracy theorists who think the moon landings were faked and the US government destroyed the WTC etc. etc. etc.) from those with promise. How else can we filter them out?
Originally posted by SpastiGovThe problem with most exam based entry and promotional systems is that they allow gormless know-all geeks with no common sense or experience get through. Many employers are asking hand written applications and give a very basic written entry test then a practical test to second interview candidates.. then the successful candidate has a trial period.. Very sensible to find out if the person can do the job and get on with your team.. the exam element ... *in many cases* is not relevant.
An absolutely mad idea! Exams is one way of sorting out the losers and unemployable morons (like for instance anthropogenic global warming believers, flat earthers, conspiracy theorists who think the moon landings were faked and the US government destroyed the WTC etc. etc. etc.) from those with promise. How else can we filter them out?
Interning from scratch assuming the newbie knows nothing often produces a good worker.
I remember working for some really bright idiot bosses who passed exams in there sleep but never had any application and forget the guts of the exam within a very short period.