[etni] Fw: yearly grades
- From: "Ask_Etni" <ask@xxxxxxxx>
- To: "ETNI" <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 22 May 2010 21:50:24 +0300
----- Original Message -----
From: sbshai - sbshai@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: yearly grades
Hi Michele,
In answer to your question about what would be accomplished by eliminating
the school grade for the Bagrut, I'd like to first explain why many teachers
find this to be a useless ordeal:
First, it's an ordeal because we take great pains to be both considerate and
fair -- i.e., we want to (realistically) reward students who have attended
class (both physically and mentally!), prepared their assignments and
generally shown an effort to progress in their language proficiency. At
least, this is what we understand the purpose of the tziun shnati to be; it
should serve as a magen for deserving students, especially those who never
quite become 'mavens' at Bagrut stategy (all their practice
notwithstanding).
The useless part figures in this way: No matter how hard we work at these
grades, we are inevitably deprived of a sense of satisfaction: Principals
may be disappointed that our averages aren't higher, parents are upset and
students claim we've ruined their lives -- regardless of how generous we've
actually been!
The sad result is that the best hagglers may win in the end simply by
wearing us down, which is clearly an unjust situation. Why should we be
subjected to such demeaning behavior?
To top all this, there is no standardization throughout the country in the
way these grades are given. For example, in some schools English speakers
automatically get 100%, even if this is unwarranted according to their work
record.
There are many schools who start with a bonus of 10 points for their
students, also without regard for any meaningful criteria.
The bottom line is this -- and it's reiterated by principals, parents and
students: If the student can achieve a higher score on his Bagrut than we've
given as a yearly grade (which can indeed happen as there's bound to be any
easy enough exam among all the ones he's allowed to take, and he receives
THAT mark -- not an average of all his tests), then we do look stingy!
So when all is said and done -- regardless of what we're told -- the yearly
grade is not what it's cracked up to be! It's just an unnecessary hassle
for us, and the way the system works now, our students get enough chances to
succeed on the Bagrut. (Hence, our ordeal is rather useless.)
I believe I've represented the position of many teachers, and I hope this
answers your question.
Shavua tov,
Batya
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