[etni] Re: *Spam* Re: Meitzav
- From: "Adele Raemer and Laurie Levy" <raemer@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <graniewitz@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, "'ELEANOR ZWEBNER'" <eleanorz541@xxxxxxxxxxx>, <tsuravi@xxxxxxxxxxx>, <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 8 May 2007 12:37:29 +0300
Dear David et al,
I know these were not addressed to me, but I am taking the liberty of
responding, anyway. My responses are in purple italics (in case the color
doesn't come out) the original text is in blue non-italics:
.... enlighten us, poor ignorant teachers as to the benefits that the
Meitzav exams actually bring to schools, teachers, pupils and to the
educational system in general.
As I wrote in an earlier posting, I, for one, am happy to have an assessment
opportunity that is nation-wide and can give me a good picture of where my
pupils are in relation to the rest of their peers in this country.
I agree totally with Eleanor about not wanting to use the exam as a
semester test (what happens if you teach a weak class, for example?)
This is the beauty of using it as an INTERNAL test! You can ignore the parts
that you feel were too difficult for them! Only count the lower levels of
the exam, and yes -why not include it in their yearly grade!?
And if the exam is being checked externally, then no pupil will know his/her
grade. Why should pupils have to waste precious lesson time taking a test
the result of which will remain guarded from them? How are we as teachers
supposed to encourage them to take it seriously? Many pupils get worked up
over exams - why should they get stressed out unnecessarily over an
irrelevant exam?
Which is why it is so good that we can now do it INTERNALLY! Then it IS a
one-to - one work/result relationship!
I apologise for not having any reliable source for my information. As
Eleanor has pointed out, it just makes sense. During my 17 years in the
system, I have developed a streak of cynicism which I have found tends to
keep me sane at times.
Your "streak of cynicism" may be a survival response that may protect you
sometimes, but maybe it is also blinding you from seeing things that are
good, as well. The bottom line is, as anti-establishment as we former
hippie-generation people may be (and I am referring to MYSELF - not to
ANYONE ELSE - and no INTENTION to offend anyone!!!) we would also benefit
from remembering that in the end, we are all after the same goals: to
improve educational standards in this country. We may not always agree on
HOW to do it, but NO ONE is out to screw us (that is MY view, anyway). Yes -
teachers need to be paid more and appreciated more. The way to that, IMHO,
is upping our professionalism, and I really believe that this new change in
having Meitzav internal as well as external (and NOT only marked by the
so-called education experts, rather given to all teachers as a relatively
valid and reliable way to measure our learners, assess their needs and use
it as a tool for improvement) is a step up in professionalism.
Re: making it the test for the semester grade -- I personally object. I
want to send pupils home with specific items to STUDY, LEARN and prepare for
a test. I hate : "tomorrow is an English test so let's go to a movie..."
already in grade 8. Unseen material (reading or listening or writing),
should be only a small per centage of their grades at this stage
I completely agree about testing what you teach, and the Meitzav is a
direct follow up on the activities that are done throughout the year, in
their textbooks! So, if you work with them on text attack skills, vocabulary
enrichment, and writing techniques, their work will pay off in the Meitzav
results! You are teaching them SKILLS throughout the year. The Meitzav
assesses them. Do they not know the expression "How often"or "take(s)
place"? Compile the expressions you saw that your kids didn't know, and
work them into your instruction! Use it as positive backwash for NEXT
year!
Don't get me wrong - I DO have my criticisms about the Meitzav, as well -
for example regarding not being allowed to use a dictionary, and all these
issues about adaptations for LDs. But that hasn't even come up here! But
just bashing it isn't productive! If you have criticisms, sit down with your
staff, write them down in an organized (and respectful/professional way) and
send them in to Judy Steiner and the testing department. The English
Inspectorate DOES listen to us!
All the best,
Adele
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