[etni] A maths problem

From: David Graniewitz <davidzalman@xxxxxxxxx>
To: etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 11:21:22 +0200
I was never much good at Maths ? hence my becoming an English teacher, I
suppose ? but the other day I was thinking and, through some basic mental
arithmetic, I came up with this rather pertinent fact.


Up till a few years ago, English teachers were required to provide 40% of
the total Bagrut grade for each pupil, i.e. we gave a ?magen/shnati? for the
written exam which was worth half of 80% of the total grade with the Oral
making up for the remaining 20%.



More recently that proportion has grown to 50% since we are now required to
provide a ?magen? for the Oral as well. Now I know that many of us have our
complaints about this, but at least this put us on a par with other subjects
in which teachers provide half the final grade.



With the onset of the new literature module, providing that pupils do the
log and not the final exam (which the Inspectorate is encouraging,
apparently)  share of the final grade given by the class teacher will rise
to a whopping 62.5%!



As we can all realise,this can have many implications. If the lion?s share
of the grade is provided by the class teacher, the system will be open to
abuse and when pupils, parents and principals get wind of this, the
thumbscrews will be applied to anyone trying to make sure of their
professional integrity.



I don?t know of any other subject in which teachers are supposed to take on
such a heavy responsibility. Certainly, this doesn?t happen in subjects in
which there are final written exams. What happens in subjects such as art,
drama and music, I don?t know. Another point is how universities are going
to treat the English Bagrut now, given the fact that over 60% of it will not
be objectively assessed. Will the grade needed to be accepted into
university be raised?



I wonder if the Inspectorate has given this subject any thought.



Have a great week



David Graniewitz

Jerusalem

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[etni] A maths problem

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