Oral Assessment ...

Day 84/365

Assessment is an ongoing process. Therefore, it has to be carried out throughout the year.

Assessment takes place  throughout my lessons. Students are being assessed every day and in every lesson. I know them since they stepped foot in the school. I've been teaching them since they were nine or ten. Their aural oral skills is taken care of well. They listen to their teacher speaking the language all the time.

Despite the challenges faced, my students love the language. They tried their very best to use the language. They took part actively in the games I created for them. Hence, oral assessment is a norm in my classes.

What had happened...?

Day 82/365

What had happened to your school result, Madam?

This very question was posted to me when I attended an open dialogue with district and state education officers. It's never their intention to degrade or to humuliate any of us, teachers who attended the three-hour-meeting. It's their duty to hold the dialogue. They meant good.

Nevertheless, we couldn't help it. It wasn't the outcome that we wished for. It wasn't our goal. It wasn't our ETR! It's no one's fault. Nobody would want this to happen. It's beyond our control.

We had tried our very best to perform. We had done everything we planned. We had taken into consideration every suggested solution. We had loved and cared for our young charges. The rest was the God's will.

The Meeting ...

Day 63/365

I've been attending the same meeting for the past five years if I'm not mistaken. Among the main agendas discussed were annual activities to spur academic achievement and exams.

Exams seem to take the centrestage in education environment. Students'performance in the major public exams is weighed seriously. The numeric printed on that piece of paper is used to determine the ups and downs of a teacher or an institution.

Will discuss this issue further in the next posting.

Good night.

Sophyta

Nine in One...

Good day people.

I'm lethargic but glad that I had crossed one big item off my to-do-list today. I can happily announce that it was a good one. We had an exam-based activity for the 120 sixth graders from nine schools in the district.

The following pictures could serve as testimonials to the activity conducted today.

Thank you Mr Officer for making it happen.

Thank you Madam Headmistress for planning it well.

Thank you Ms Co-Motivator for being supportive.

Thank you dear students for taking it seriously.

Sophyta

My attempt bore fruit ...

Hi peeps.

Feeling good today. This piece came unexpectedly. Although my first try was unsuccessful, my second attempt bore fruit! You may check out my first here.

Letters

Published: Monday November 25, 2013 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Monday November 25, 2013 MYT 11:33:53 AM

Don’t penalise candidates for blunder by the syndicate

  

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I REFER to the article “Exams syndicate: There was no change in Moral paper format” (The Star, Nov 22).

The excuses given by the Examination Syndicate sadden us all, the parents and SPM candidates.

It is utterly shocking and unforgiving. The syndicate is clearly seen to be giving lame excuses in their bid to escape from the trap that they themselves set up for the Moral Studies candidates.

It is true that the paper still consists of two sections as in previous years. But, what has been changed was the nature of the questions.

The candidates who had been trained for years to adhere to the laid out format strictly got a shock of their lives when given the questions on the exam day.

Bear in mind that these candidates are merely teenagers of 16 to 18 years of age. They are neither Masters or PhD students who could adapt to the drastic changes in such a short period.

In short, the changes, no matter how small they were, would definitely have jeopardised their concentration, both emotionally and mentally.

I laud the intention of the syndicate which was said to discourage rote learning and memorising.

However, I would like to stress that students and teachers must be informed of the changes prior to the exam.

Failing to do so is a blunder, and apparently damage will be caused to the candidates.

Since the oversight is irreversible, my only hope is that, the marking of the paper would be done fairly and thoughtfully.

These candidates are our future leaders; and it is our hope to see them live up to the 36 values which they have learned diligently.

SOPHYTA

Baling, Kedah

... and here is the link: http://www.thestar.com.my/Opinion/Letters/2013/11/25/Dont-penalise-candidates-for-blunder-by-the-syndicate.asp

Exam Fever...winding down

My girl's exams are over. It was wrapped up at about four in the afternoon yesterday. She is relieved, of course. Those who had worked hard all these while would feel the same. To them, half the battle is won. Nonetheless, I believe, there are scores out there who merely 'live on charity alone'.

They are neither the poor nor the hungry! They have everything you want in life. 

"But, they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulders, and stopped their ears, that they might not hear."

They are said to live on charity as they depended on 'others' for the correct solution. These poor kids were trained in two very high order skills, i.e. to memorise and to be able to regurgitate. Yes! You heard me right. No doubt, they are spoilt by their parents, and worst still by their teachers. These youngsters exhibit behavioural problems from overindulgence by their affluent parents and unethical teachers. 

These kids have very little consideration for other people. They couldn't handle the delay of gratification. They always demand for having their own way.

My heart goes out to them. I pray that they will be spared from problems in later life. I pray that they will not experience any problems with professionalism and personal relationships. 

I'm thankful to good Lord that none of my young charges were trained or moulded in such a way.

Pictures below are not post-exams celebration. They were snapped on Lyn's 12th birthday a few months ago. 

This giggle of adorable girls has worked extremely hard and they would be rewarded handsomely.

This bunch of boisterous boys has studied equally hard and they would be justly rewarded too.

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The Battle ...Day 1

She was accompanied to the hall. She was showered with blessings.

Her teachers and her mother saw her off at the entrance of the brightly-lit hall.

Both teacher and mother went their separate way.

One and a half hours later, she emerged from the judgement chamber, unscathed!

Her sweet smile dismissed her mother's and teacher's fear.

She entered the hall for the second and third paper consecutively.

She smiled broadly again.

To a mom, one third of the battle was fought...and it was a battle well fought.

Terima kasih, Cikgu Amira!

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Exam Fever...

It seems like yesterday she set foot in this school, but it was long ago.

It seems like yesterday I tied her long lustrous black hair into a  ponytail, but it was long ago.

It seems like yesterday she learned her ABC, but it was long ago.

It seems like yesterday she sat for her first school test, but it was long ago.

And, tomorrow is her BIG day!

She would be sitting for the UPSR.

The four-letter word which turns out to be every parent's nightmare.

Her 6-year education would be adjudged tomorrow.

Good luck my girl. My prayers are always with you.

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Taking a Back Seat...

Source: Microsoft Office

I've been putting all my energies into marking public exam papers and training level one teachers recently so my blogging activities have had to take a back seat. I'm deeply sorry for leaving you, my dear readers in the lurch for a week.


Instead of keeping to a few posts a week, I  manage mere a post a week. But, I always believe in this ...something is always better than nothing! Don't you think so? As for this post which is also my 100th post, I'll only confide in you about the exam-marking...


There is nothing glamorous in wading through piles of scripts, particularly on a hot tropical evening, with the soap opera beckoning. But it is important work, calling for precision, professionalism and, up to a point, compassion. Marking scripts can be pretty monotonous. But you get occasional dramatic glimpses into the lives of the pupils. I can remember one paper with only a plea scrawled across the sheet...PLEASE GIVE ME SOME MARKS. I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWERS. THANK YOU. 


I get a curious good feeling out of marking papers. Sometimes it can be quite frustrating. Again and again, you see pupils not doing themselves justice. Their exam technique is poor and they made mostly some of the 'silliest mistakes' on earth. But from a professional point of view, it is a great opportunity to see how the work that goes on in the classroom stands up to external examination.


These are among the things that I as a teacher hate to see in the scripts I'm marking:

• Handwritings that look like chicken's scratch.
• Dreadful spelling, punctuation and grammar.
• Direct translations from mother-tongue to English.

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A question for teachers: 

What do you look for when you mark your pupils' exam scripts?

A question for parents:

If you were given a chance to whisper a word or two to your kids' examiners,
what will you say to them?