[etni] Discrepancies between school mark and exam mark

Greetings all,

There should be no surprise about the discrepancies between the school marks 
and the exam marks in the current Bagrut system. 

It's as simple as the apples and oranges that famously can't be compared. The 
school grade measures X in a certain way. The actual Bagrut exam measures Y in 
a different way. Theoretically, the MOE had no right to suggest that they would 
expect a similar grade. It is theoretically impossible to expect that.

What *is* strange is that we usually seem to get fairly close, despite the fact 
that some strong, but lazy, students don't do projects or homework; and despite 
the fact that some weaker kids work like crazy and we reward them justly for 
their efforts. I have a sneaking suspicion that many teachers are "cooking the 
books" - to some extent - when they finalize the school grades, knowing that 
student X or Y will do better, or worse on the exam. I know I find myself 
wondering how obvious discrepancies are going to effect my status, my staff's 
status, and my school's status with the MOE. 

At the very beginning of change over to the NBA, a number of teachers spoke out 
about the obvious theoretical impossibility of comparing apples and oranges; 
but we were ignored by the MOE. Oh well, one thing is for certain: This should 
not surprise anyone. 

In response to someone's posting about teachers considering aliyah from 
semi-sane and affluent countries, I *have* written to some of these deluded 
souls and told them to stay home. Most of us are stuck in teaching by age and 
the stupidity of outdated idealism, but we can save others from the same fate. 
Until our de-socialized society really understands the rules of supply and 
demand, no one in their right mind should consider teaching. It would be 
criminal not to tell people on the outside about the real conditions inside our 
lunatic asylum. (You may be shocked and offended by this paragraph, but think 
about it - really. I love teaching and I like most of my students, like most of 
us, but there are limits to what employers can demand of us.) 

During last year's strike, I had a bit of hope that the structural problems 
would be addressed - at least in part, but the outcome of the strike dashed all 
of my hopes for change. It makes me laugh to read: We should demand......

On that cheery note, 

Jimmy




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