[etni] Meitzav
- From: Schroff <schroff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2003 17:08:27 +0200
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> Thus a few schools whose pupils sat the "Meitzav" (School efficiency and
growth index) test, won clemency for another year. Their students proved
relatively good proficiency in the material, their teachers were marked as
having relayed this material successfully, and they - the schools
themselves - could get onto the "good" list. As if that were not enough, at
the next press conference, thanks to this fraudulent magic, the Education
Ministry could record the progress on some graph, indicating the increase in
student achievements, meaning the ministry's achievements.
>
So, that's what it was all about? Our students took the test for the
"efficiency and growth"?
Now can we congratulate all the schools who sent their weak students home,
spent months on Meitzav training and help their students cheat? I guess
their "index" will be rather high. The colorful achievement graphs will
become the object of principals' pride. The whole Meitzav business is not
about teachers and students, not about their relationship and feelings. Its
about graphs and indexes.
Meitzav is also about secrets. We could not receive the copy of the test,
because the mashgihim had a written note not to leave the copy at school. So
no way I could go over the test with my 8th graders to calm them down. Even
though the 8th grade test itself was fair, the weak learners felt rather
confused during the first listening and that feeling stayed with them till
the end of the test. What could I do with the copy of the test, rather then
use it for the purposes of "efficiency and growth"? We may have the copies
of Bagrut, but we are not allowed the copies of Meitzav?
Another secret of Meitzav is the results. When will we get them? Will we get
them at all? We might not want to know them, but our students do. They want
to know how they have done. When my students ask me about the results, I
honestly have no answer for them.
Another thing that bothers me is the whole issue of "weak students". I have
a student who moved from Chabad Yeshiva this year. He has never learned
English till this year. Now he is in the process of acquiring basic
knowledge of the language. He took the test, and obviously he didn't do very
well. Was I supposed to prevent him from taking Meitzav? There are some
other students in a similar position. May be I should have told them all to
go home and pretend they are not the part of the school. By not doing this
did I automatically lowered the chances of the school to get a pretty graph?
The bottom line is Who are we trying to fool? Ourselves? But we all know our
limits (and levels)? The principals? But they are there with us every day;
they know the kids and their abilities. The Ministry? But then it very sad
that we should all go through this just to please the bosses.
And what now? What do we get? Is it true that the schools who did well get
the "Kol Hakavod" and those who didn't succeed would receive extra hours for
teaching English? If that's true, boy, do I want to lose.
Anna
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