...because today is the first of two brand new GCSE English exams that I've been preparing my students for over the last twelve months. A parting gift from the wonderful Mr. Gove (remember him?), the new GCSE is a very tough course, suitable for those who want to pursue English to a higher level and becomes novelists, copywriters, bloggers of merit et al... yet not entirely appropriate for those tens of thousands of students for whom an English qualification is mandatory to allow them to progress to a higher level qualification in a field such as health, accountancy or engineering.
Personally, I find the new GCSE fascinating because it's all about words, their power, their connotations, how they can be used to influence, persuade and even brainwash readers. But I do understand why 75% of my students find it difficult, and why many employers might find it irrelevant for their needs (though you do still need it to get a good job!). And let's not even start on the new grading system, which nobody understands at all. You won't be getting an A, B, or C anymore... but a number between 1 and 9. Even the Department of Education can't decide what a passing grade will be: at the start of the year, they told us 5... now, in a blind panic over the expected results, they've revised their pass to a 4. I have no idea how many of my students will achieve that... but I know it'll be a damned sight less than got a C or above last year.
So, I'm just not feeling Randy today. We'll get back to that next week. In the meantime, here's Loudon...
9. Loudon Wainwright III - Final Exam
Best of luck to anyone taking the new GCSE English exam today. You'll need it!
Appropriate song for today and feel very sorry for your students who will no doubt have a very stressful day - Exams are about the worst means of testing young people's abilities and I still smart from the fact I got a lower grade than was expected in my English Higher (A Level in England) because I just had a bad day where it all went horribly wrong.
ReplyDeleteShame there won't be a Randy Tuesday as I am intrigued to know who the last 3 candidates are going to be, but not the day for it as you say.
Exams are a horrible way of measuring a person's reading or writing skills. Particularly writing. Unless you're a journalist working under deadline, you're rarely expected to produce a perfect piece of writing on the first draft.
DeleteI'm glad I'm no longer part of it. The new maths GCSE seems to be an incoherent set of hoops that must be humped through.
ReplyDeleteYes. My Maths colleagues chose to hold off another year before starting that one. (Working in FE, we were allowed one more year if we wanted it. Us daft English teachers jumped in the deep end.)
DeleteJust curious, Rol, were you able to download '29 Ways'?
ReplyDeleteMarie
Rol...do teachers get as stressed and worried about exams as much as their students? I'm imagining someone like you, and I base this only on what you write here, really cares for those under their charge and will take it personally if a particularly touch exam prevents anyone from realising their full potential.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great point about how nobody nails thing on first drafts..hadn't ever thought about that way before.
JC
I think it's fair to say that I was a lot more stressed on Tuesday morning than many (though not all) of my students were!
DeleteOne reason I stopped was because I stopped giving a damn what they got. For my last cohort I never knew or bothered to find out their results. I think I met a bloke from your FE place a few years ago, a data/target setting/predicted grades man.
DeleteI have passed the phase when I was giving GCSE exams and I can totally relate to this post. Thanks for refreshing few old memories by sharing this post
ReplyDelete