The kids I really feel sorry for are the ones who would have got A or B grades regardless of the " dumbing " down.
My youngest Daughter has a friend who has just finished a four year degree course at Brighton Uni. She got her degree and good luck to her but....I was amazed to hear she sat NO exams at all to gain that degree. It was ALL based on coursework and even she freely admitted some of her mates copied stuff from the internet.
With teachers now only doing four years at uni to attain their degree, instead of the six they used to do, are they better because of it? Yes I know that the other two years are done in the " classroom " but they have still had two years less at uni than teachers of old.
How the heck can you have exams where there are multiple choice questions? There is a quiz on SH and last week out of the ten questions on celebrities, I guessed six right out of ten. Surely the same can happen in an exam?
It is obviously in the Governments interest to bleat about 99% pass rates at GCSE level. But ask an employer and they will say exams nowadays are not worth anything with so many passing.
As I have said I feel sorry for the students who would have got A grades now and ten years ago, but some kids will gain good results that bear no resemblance to exams of years gone by.
Mrs777's Daughter's school was a failing school according to Offsted and the headmaster was sacked and he was slated in their report. Here was a guy at the top of his tree yet still he was useless and of course there were poor teachers and bad standards. Yet their exam results were still top notch, work that one out. :shock:
There is no punishment in her school for not doing homework....sorry coursework, and the discipline issue plays a big part.
I was flabergasted two years ago at the level of questions kids were asked at GCSE level, two of which I have written earlier, add to that multiple choice and being able to take exams a year sooner, then is it any wonder 99% of students pass. Anyway how the heck can you pass with a e grade ffs?
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What teaches children independance?
Quote by benrums0n
I TRY to encourage my two teens to be independent by allowing them to make their own decisions, make their own mistakes and make their own successes without interference from me. Its quite difficult to back off and let them learn but I do my best.
I agree to an extent too we learn the most for our own mistakes, by being independant and wanting that indepentacy by asking why cant I get a job with some form of stuctured learning and the ability to improve and gain knowledge and the ability to be promoted within a stuctured enviroment rather that a paper round at the age of 15. should people of this age have more choice in what they would like to do?
I feel to deny them that chance of as least testing them is saying you are not good or old enough to have that responsiblity. yet society then moan kids show no signs of responsiblity for themselves.
This isnt aimed at you ben but I just wanted to agree with your points and add a few of my own too.
I agree with you Minx, my eldest wanted a job to buy himself some nice stuff and found that age is now a barrier. On the up side the lack of cash meant he couldn't afford the smoking or drink habits his older mates have acquired. Swings and roundabouts I suppose. He is keen to work now he has turned 16 because he wants to become a car driver and he knows as a greeny tree hugger I wont be subsidising that ambition.
In terms of personal development he is lucky enough to be going to a college for his sixth form studies which include 200 hours a year of non academic study that includes voluntary work in a range of environments. Im sure he would rather be paid but its swings and roundabouts again.
My two ambitions for my children are:
They find something that they love doing and get paid to do it.
They acquire the emotional intelligence to cope with the shit that life inevitably throws at you.
Its having these ambitions on their behalf that makes my standing back strategy so difficult at times.
In terms of personal development he is lucky enough to be going to a college for his sixth form studies which include 200 hours a year of non academic study that includes voluntary work in a range of environments. Im sure he would rather be paid but its swings and roundabouts again.
My two ambitions for my children are:
They find something that they love doing and get paid to do it.
They acquire the emotional intelligence to cope with the shit that life inevitably throws at you.
Its having these ambitions on their behalf that makes my standing back strategy so difficult at times.
Quote by benrums0n
I agree with you Minx, my eldest wanted a job to buy himself some nice stuff and found that age is now a barrier. On the up side the lack of cash meant he couldn't afford the smoking or drink habits his older mates have acquired. Swings and roundabouts I suppose. He is keen to work now he has turned 16 because he wants to become a car driver and he knows as a greeny tree hugger I wont be subsidising that ambition.
In terms of personal development he is lucky enough to be going to a college for his sixth form studies which include 200 hours a year of non academic study that includes voluntary work in a range of environments. Im sure he would rather be paid but its swings and roundabouts again.
My two ambitions for my children are:
They find something that they love doing and get paid to do it.
They acquire the emotional intelligence to cope with the shit that life inevitably throws at you.
Its having these ambitions on their behalf that makes my standing back strategy so difficult at times.
:thumbup: I couldn't have put it better myself, Ben.
Quote by benrums0n
I TRY to encourage my two teens to be independent by allowing them to make their own decisions, make their own mistakes and make their own successes without interference from me. Its quite difficult to back off and let them learn but I do my best.
I so agree with you on that ben..
my mantra (given to me by a very dear and well regarded ex boss, sadly now deceased) is "the man who never made a mistake, never made anything"
I will always remember that...
