Teachers Deciding Exam Grades

[Apc2604]

I am absolutely against this. Grades will be biased. Exams are the only way for bias not be shown. I worked in schools for many years and teachers absolutely have their favourites and very often it's those studentsthat don't like school or the school system are misjudged and treated badly. Girls will benefit because they are generally more eager to please and are generally more inclined to produce good work. Not all teachers know their students well. As for headteachers having to approve the grades awarded, that is ridiculous. I am so cross for those students who will be denied examinations. One good thing is that very often bright kids do very well in their futures regardless of school performance because they think outside the box.

I know is a rant, but it's something I feel strongly about!

[Apc2604]

What a nice civil discussion. Thanks all of you.

[diddlydo]

Some people have misunderstood my point. What was laughable about last year was that thy had a perfectly good algorithm (just as they do every year) and then did a U-turn and used the teachers' predicted over-inflated grades.

[Apc2604]

I agree diddly. The students didn't like their grades so they got them altered back to what the teachers predicted. As I said before, sometimes we all have to be disappointed and deal with it.

[Ellipsis]

Al Gore rhythms are not trusted.

[Apc2604]

Are teachers all trustworthy?

Is there a completely trustworthy solution?

Why do so many students EXPECT they should go to university these days? But that's a whole new question.

[Peter Pedant]

let em all in !
is not such a gormless idea - not for AB anyway hur hur hur

Italy they do or did - the school classified you as 'maturo' and off you went to uni. At Hull, which you will notice is not in Italy and is not called Looli - they chucked out 40% in the first year

advantages - moolah for the uni - a first year and a chance for the candidate and the candidates/ students themselves decide what their future is

not everyone wd go on to uni as it is so damn expensive now

[and yes, Parrotface our head 1969 an anglican vicar who was a headmaster said:
"I try to tell the truth about candidates in my recommendations"

and the WHOLE of the A level set thought - christ we are completely screwed ! there is no one else in the country doing that!

[jim360]

The algorithm last year was atrocious, and it's wrong to pretend otherwise. In particular, it took input from more or less everybody apart from the students themselves -- past performances at the school, national smoothing, teachers' estimated rankings of their class, etc. Everybody, in short, other than the students' own work. It was quite correctly scrapped; the only mystery is why it was allowed to get so far, especially after the same thing happened in Scotland with the exact same pacing.

[Peter Pedant]

my only grouse is that it is giving the word " algorithm " a bad reputation,

like 'tart' or politician, or "SNP rule in Scotland" haw haw haw

[ParsleyDumpling]

My son is one those students affected by this (second year A level). His college have told us that any grade given has to be evidence based. He can't be awarded his predicted grade without actually working at that level, in coursework and assessments. Whilst obviously I am probably biased, I think that is a fairer way to do it. He knows exactly what is expected of him, if he wants good grades.

[Peter Pedant]

No
No
teachers are human not telephaths or savants or seers of the future
( and exams arent much better)

but at least an exam - shows the pupil was good at that exam