Schoolteachers and Tests

[bumcheekcity]

*For my American Friends*
English Studemts are tested at the ages of 7, 11 and 14 in the SATS tests, tested at 16 for the GCSE's and at 17/18 for A-Level. The SATS and GCSE are compulsory, but A-Level is optional for brighter students.
*For my American Friends*

Teachers do not like this, and they say that this is making children stressed and they cannot cope with the tests. What do you think? Is testing this often too much, about right, or too little?

[Freakapotimus]

I really don't know enough about that education system, and the info you gave wasn't enough for me. Do you have any links? I'll also look around.

We took CATs (California Acheivement Tests) each year, my earliest memory was first grade. These went on until tenth grade. Although you only have to take PSATs and SATs once each, I took PSATs in tenth and eleveth grades, and SATs in eleveth and twelfth grades.
AP exams (Advanced Placement) are usually in eleveth or twelfth, but only in certain subjects. My school offered AP English, AP History or AP Calculus. I took AP Calc.

[NEMESiSZ]

Everyone needs to take tests, all kids just accept it, it's not a big deal.

People who think it's too stressful to the kids are probably the same ones who say toy guns are bad for kids, and girls shouldn't be allowed to play with dolls because it's sexist.

Everyone needs to stop complaining about their kids when their kids are perfectly fine.

[bumcheekcity]

At 4/21/03 02:09 PM, Freakapotimus wrote: I really don't know enough about that education system, and the info you gave wasn't enough for me. Do you have any links? I'll also look around.

Sure. When children are 7 they take the Key Stage 1 SATS Tests. These are for English and Maths. At the age of 11 they take Ket Stage 2 SATS Tests. These are for English, Maths and Science. When they are 14, they take Key Stage 3 SATS Tests. These consist of Maths, Science and English again.

The GCSE's are the very important exams and you take them when you are 16. They usually number around 10 but students can take as many as they like, it depends on the school, area and the resources avaliable.

A-Levels are optional and are taken at the ages of 17/18. Bright students usually take about 3-4 of these.

This is more than any other European Nation, I think and the Teachers Union is getting rather shirty about it.

Thats about it for an Overview of the English System.

As for a link, try this. http://www.news.bbc.co.uk then click I am not in the UK. Its the best I can do. I'll try to get a better one for you.

[FUNKbrs]

too stressful? i dont know if you guys have been watching the news lately, but life is stressfull. After I graduated high school I realized that tests are actually a great way to prepare children for the real world. I personally think standardized testing should be increased, and that standardized tests should include larger elements of composition, and less mulitple choice. in college some courses have no other tests than essays, and the public school system is woefully lacking in its ability to teach proper composition and "info dump" techniques necessary for college. I dont know how many times Ive had to use the "info dump" technique at work, especially when explaining why I shouldnt get fire/training new employees

[XkwiziTOnE]

tests are for shows your weakness and strengths - its up to the student not to jump to conclusions and kill themselves over it............

[Taxman2A]

It's a little rediculous to say that these tests are too stressful. I remember taking many standardized tests growing up in America, and not once did I remember being actually stressed over them. Kids know that the tests don't affect their grades, and the biggest problem about these tests are probably kids not trying on them, and thus reporting lower scores than they could achieve.

[TheEvilOne]

Well, the number of tests that UK students take doesn't seem to be that much greater than the number that US students take, and I never really had a problem with all of those tests.

But then again, the individual states are pretty much in control of how many of these tests a student will take, and it seems like Oklahoma requires lots and lots of testing (judging by the number of tests that I took). How much testing is required by other states, and does it approach the level of testing in the UK? Maybe we can get some answers here.

[Freakapotimus]

At 4/21/03 04:20 PM, Taxman2A wrote: Kids know that the tests don't affect their grades, and the biggest problem about these tests are probably kids not trying on them, and thus reporting lower scores than they could achieve.

I think the tests bumcheekcity is talking about do affact the kids' grades.

[bumcheekcity]

At 4/21/03 04:52 PM, Freakapotimus wrote:

At 4/21/03 04:20 PM, Taxman2A wrote: Kids know that the tests don't affect their grades, and the biggest problem about these tests are probably kids not trying on them, and thus reporting lower scores than they could achieve.

I think the tests bumcheekcity is talking about do affact the kids' grades.

The SATS go into League Tables, showing how well schools perform. The GCSE's are the importnat ones, they are the ones that someone will look at to decide things like wheather he/she should give you a job. A-Levels are as important as GCSE, but not all people take them.

[RydiaLockheart]

My mom is a high school teacher, so I get to hear about this subject a lot. Her complaint is that the SATs do not accurately reflect what a student knows, so it should not be so important to colleges.

[Lord-Miroku-Sama]

God it's insane here in Maryland there are now "assessments" every year it's completely insane.
I think that the people who thought up the idea should have to take the tests themselves and their futures should depend on the outcome like it is for the students.

[Freakapotimus]

At 4/22/03 07:27 PM, Rydia_Lockheart wrote: My mom is a high school teacher, so I get to hear about this subject a lot. Her complaint is that the SATs do not accurately reflect what a student knows, so it should not be so important to colleges.

Last night I talked to two other women in my Spanish class before class started. We were talking about the final exam, which is next Tuesday, and one of them mentioned that she'd been going over a lot of things from Chapters 5 and 6 because she doesn't remember them.

Finals only measure your ability to cram.

I feel that most (not all) teachers don't build upon the last chapter, and only teach you what you'll need to know for the test. My math class is like that. I have no idea what's going on, and the final is Friday. But it's OK, because it's open book (notes and text), we'll be working in groups for a group grade, and it'll be more a party than an exam (there will be food, beverage, and music - I'm serious).

[FUNKbrs]

At 4/23/03 10:28 AM, Freakapotimus wrote: Finals only measure your ability to cram.

ok, Ill shift my view point, as I have seen this first hand. Standardized tests should be increased, but non-standardized (midterms, finals etc.) tests do not properly reflect ones learned knowlege, because they are not designed with standards in mind.