[etni] Bagrut and School Grades

From: Louise - <lu_mmm@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Etni <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 04:53:12 -0500
Dear All,

 

I walked into school yesterday, the day of the Bargut, feeling as if I was 
recovering from a flu I never had. Every muscle was in agony and I was 
exhausted. This is was all due to the week that was really rather a dreadful 
one - all due to the publishing of the school grade aka Magen.

I won't bore you with all the details of how TARFU (Things Are Really F*** UP), 
SNAFU (Situation Normal - All F*** Up) and FUBAR (F*** Up Beyond All 
Recognition) things are at my school that add injury to an already decaying 
system. But I would like to share some observations and thoughts:

Having a school grade be part of the final grade is a rather fair thing to do 
and I am all for it. What shouldnt be allowed is giving 
students/parents/counsellors/principals/ the opportunity to pressure us 
(something I suffered from very much this week). The MOE and Judy Steiner 
should come down hard on anyone who tries to interfere with our grades and 
should give us a way of reporting anyone who does without retribution. While 
its rather "sweet" that students can appeal their grades, there should be a 
formal proceedure that should be followed, similar to the Marquess of 
Queensbury Rules. Yes, our students write notes to the principal - but then 
they stand around us like sharks and wont leave. When they dont get what they 
want they run to anyone who will stand in for them. This is disgusting and 
should be forbidden. The name change from Magen to Tzion Shnati (?) has had no 
impact at all at our school largely because it is still treated the same way. 
Remember: A Rose is a Rose by any other Name.

Secondly, I agree with the teacher who said that it s hard to award high 
bonuses to those who work hard but whose grades are low, due to fear of 
padding. This is unfair and defeats the purpose of giving them in the first 
place. 

Finally, another error, at our school at least, is placing students in higher 
levels than they are able to cope with. There is a general philosophy that the 
student has the right to fail. While, on the one hand this may be true, on the 
other - the student is a minor and is not able to make these decisions 
properly. Then when the student does fail, the cycle of pressuring begins. 
Yesterday, as I was testing some kids orally - I could not believe that they 
were sitting an E exam (for eg) and didn't know what "he spoke" meant. They 
knew ZIP English. 

In case you are wondering what I did under that pressure, my reply is that I 
fought like hell and didnt budge. While I am pleased with my fortitude, I am 
wounded by the experience that is only bound to repeat again and again. All I 
can say is: "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."

-Louise (still in recovery)

 
                                          
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[etni] Bagrut and School Grades

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