In this mornings Telegraph Sarah Sands ( I have no idea either…”but I am happy to be elucidated”) claims that Boris is an “inspired choice for the arts”. Well said. She also describes how Janis Street Porter feels she would have been a better candidate. She (JSP) says of Boris, “you are not as funny or ironic as you think”. I personally find her teeth and glasses “richly comic”.
In Boris’ own column he talks about the rampant inflation of exam grades. Boris begins his oration with a platonian scene setter: the school speech. I wish to reassure Boris that, in private at least, many teachers (I included) agree whole heartedly. It is a worry how little they actually know and and how little they can remember. Here is a revelation that may shock…candidates for GCSE Geography do not have to write an essay in any of their exam papers or coursework and hence, the PGCE does not think it required to teach the kiddy winks how to write one. Many pupils struggle to write more than a few hundred words. Infact, many students struggle to read a few hundred words without their concentration wavering. Boris…keep making these noises…exams are easier! Coursework is a dodle! They’ve got it easy!
If you have no idea who Ms Sands is, Sarah Sands continues as deputy editor of The Daily Telegraph and becomes editor of the Saturday edition. (May require registration.)
we have it easy and find it hard to write more than a few hundred words or so do we? Luckily enough, candidates who take gcse geography have (such as myself) also have to take gcse english, which, surprise surprise teaches you how to write essays! No moaning about how it was harder in your day or whatever, as that’s not true, every generation finds it just as difficult as previous ones. Anyhow, what do i care, I’m meeting the pixies and Bowie in a month’s time, cheerio.
A nerve, I fear, is touched.
Indeed. I was refering to my own experience as a teacher. However, traditionally difficult areas in subjects have been removed from the national cirriculum and are only included as “options” by the exam board. For example, the exam board my own school use for GCSE Geography has meant that weather and climate, glaciation and geology and not required to be taught. The breadth of knowledge imparted is proportional to the topics included for study by the exam board. This, with school pressure to keep couse pass marks (A* – C)up, had lead to the emphasis being placed on “getting as many of the D’s up to a C” rather than challenging the brightest students. Obviously a balance must be met.
It’s Janet Street Porter, not Janis…
Ah…sorry. I was a bit of Bodger there.
I understand the probable correctitude of Badgers point, Re. degrees of difficulty in GCSE examination papers ,due to the difference of emphasis on various aspects of a given subject required ,(within the confines of the National Curriculum )as set by the various Examination Boards used. I also understand the teachers’ resultant frustration in not having a so called level playing field upon which to referee. I would have thought that the same pedagogic mindset would result in the checking of any text to be published,( for instance in these pages), before being offered for publication. The main thing , of course, is for the teacher to be , like Caesar’s wife , above criticism (paraphrasialogical license )There are some rather obvious spelling errors throughout the esteemed Badger’s various contributions. Is this a case of, ” Physician, heal thyself?
Whilst understanding the probable correctitude of Badgers point Re. degrees of difficulty in GCSE examination papers, and the frusration of teachers in not having a so called level playing field upon which to referee, due to the difference in standards required by the various Examination Boards used, within the National Curriculum , I would have thought that the same pedagogic mindset would result in the checking of any text to be published, before being offered for pubication. The main thing , of course, is for the teacher to be , like Caesar’s wife , above criticism (paraphrasialogical license )There are some rather obvious errors throughout the esteemed Badger’s diatribe.
Whilst understanding the probable correctitude of Badgers point Re. degrees of difficulty in GCSE examination papers, and the frusration of teachers in not having a so called level playing field upon which to referee, due to the difference in standards required by the various Examination Boards used, within the National Curriculum , I would have thought that the same pedagogic mindset would result in the checking of any text to be published, before being offered for pubication. The main thing , of course, is for the teacher to be , like Caesar’s wife , above criticism (paraphrasialogical license )There are some rather obvious errors throughout the esteemed Badger’s diatribe.
Whilst understanding the probable correctitude of Badgers point Re. degrees of difficulty in GCSE examination papers, and the frusration of teachers in not having a so called level playing field upon which to referee, due to the difference in standards required by the various Examination Boards used, within the National Curriculum , I would have thought that the same pedagogic mindset would result in the checking of any text to be published, before being offered for pubication. The main thing , of course, is for the teacher to be , like Caesar’s wife , above criticism (paraphrasialogical license )There are some rather obvious errors throughout the esteemed Badger’s diatribe.
I know I will almost certainly be booed for this but…this week saw both AQA Geography exams sat by many students across the country (my own included). The Head of Geogrpahy and I looked at the papers and both agree that they were “good”…teacher-speak for easy…though we dare not say that in public.
Badger, maybe you could learn to spell and use punctuation properly. Several mistakes there. Maybe re-take GCSE English?