Friday, April 30, 2004
Testing, one...two...
The Grade 10 Literacy Test is in the news again.
Quite honestly, I am waiting for the day that it is abolished. As a teacher, I will administer the test. But that doesn't necessarily mean I will enjoy it. The fairness of the test has been discussed at length in the media. My $0.02?
Among my objections:
The subjective nature of the test questions, and the power that it wields.
Firstly, I remember last year when I volunteered at my old school, my teacher-mentor and I spent a period on a practice version of the literacy test. The students worked on it for their alotted time, and we began to discuss the answers. I don't remember the first question. However I do remember that I got the wrong answer. Or at least, that was according to the set of answers the teachers had received. Several other students got the answer "wrong" as well. I remained mystified, and re-checked the test components--a brief article and its corresponding questions. All of our answers were all perfectly plausible.
Secondly, what if a student takes the test, and simply cannot pass it? What if this occurs repeatedly? Students have the option to take the test again, take a literacy course, etc. However I know of instances where students have had their academic careers ruined over this test. Students with A and B averages, looking forward to preparing for work or post-secondary education. All of their dedication, deemed virtually pointless in a few short hours.
And then there is the anxiety factor. When I was in high-school I was deathly afraid of tests. The word alone, made me uncomfortable. To this day, I am certain that stress stole several marks from my test results.
Today students are no different. Granted, there are those who handle tests with grace. However, there are those whose nervousness makes them freeze. I feel for them...
Quite honestly, I am waiting for the day that it is abolished. As a teacher, I will administer the test. But that doesn't necessarily mean I will enjoy it. The fairness of the test has been discussed at length in the media. My $0.02?
Among my objections:
The subjective nature of the test questions, and the power that it wields.
Firstly, I remember last year when I volunteered at my old school, my teacher-mentor and I spent a period on a practice version of the literacy test. The students worked on it for their alotted time, and we began to discuss the answers. I don't remember the first question. However I do remember that I got the wrong answer. Or at least, that was according to the set of answers the teachers had received. Several other students got the answer "wrong" as well. I remained mystified, and re-checked the test components--a brief article and its corresponding questions. All of our answers were all perfectly plausible.
Secondly, what if a student takes the test, and simply cannot pass it? What if this occurs repeatedly? Students have the option to take the test again, take a literacy course, etc. However I know of instances where students have had their academic careers ruined over this test. Students with A and B averages, looking forward to preparing for work or post-secondary education. All of their dedication, deemed virtually pointless in a few short hours.
And then there is the anxiety factor. When I was in high-school I was deathly afraid of tests. The word alone, made me uncomfortable. To this day, I am certain that stress stole several marks from my test results.
Today students are no different. Granted, there are those who handle tests with grace. However, there are those whose nervousness makes them freeze. I feel for them...
Thursday, April 29, 2004
Welcome to Teach to Change, the first blog that I’ve dedicated to my current passion, teaching.
The decision to become a teacher is something that makes me happy. It makes me scared. It makes me proud. But whatever it makes me…I can hardly wait to get started.
--me, October 6, 2003
In this blog, I plan on focusing on the teaching profession and the education system in my home province of Ontario, and the world, as I see fit. I look forward to watching this project grow.
The decision to become a teacher is something that makes me happy. It makes me scared. It makes me proud. But whatever it makes me…I can hardly wait to get started.
--me, October 6, 2003
In this blog, I plan on focusing on the teaching profession and the education system in my home province of Ontario, and the world, as I see fit. I look forward to watching this project grow.
