Academic Pressures

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Isuls
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Post by Isuls » Mon Jun 14, 2004 4:37 pm

Well, I thought I might as well start up a topic in here, as its empty at the moment.
So:

What do you think about the 'academic pressures' that kids face currently?
I think that SATs tests at year two are alright, I guess, because you never really understand what's going on so you don't worry about results and all that stuff.
But the year 6 SATs seem a bit pointless to me, I mean, they barely use them at your next school, although I have to admit it does track your progress.
When Year 9 SATs come around though it seems a bit pointless, because you're thrown straight into your GCSE's after weeks of solid SATs revision, without a break; and if you relax at that point then it affects your GCSE's which are more important than SATs.

So what do you lot think about the way the education system effects kids and stuff?
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Chewi
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Post by Chewi » Mon Jun 14, 2004 5:02 pm

They didn't have SATs when I was a lad. Heheh. At least I don't think so. Maaaybe we did the year 9 ones, I can't remember now. We did CATs, I remember that. I liked those, you didn't have to revise for them, they were basically IQ tests. And I got the highest mark in the year. ;) I think Saddam got the same mark, I don't quite recall.

I think the system I went through served me well. They shouldn't have changed it. What really pissed me off was the switch from A-Levels. I was the last through the old A-Level system. If you ask me, AS-Levels are a complete mess. And they want to move more towards the Baccalaureate. Why?! I think it's great how we began to focus early on. It's a huge contrast to the rest of the world where they still studying lots of other subjects through university. Sure, studying other things is great and we do sometimes get the opportunity through elective modules at university but I think our emphasis on focus really helps.
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Mik
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Post by Mik » Mon Jun 14, 2004 5:13 pm

I was always shit at exams, till I was 13 I used to think revision was a form of cheating and homework was for morons. I released this wasn't the case but it didn't make me change my work ethic. I passed GCSE's without ever having revised at home and alright I failed the shit out of my A-levels but I'd lost interest by that stage, I was just going threw the motions
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Matt
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Post by Matt » Mon Jun 14, 2004 5:21 pm

i took the CAT's Cognative ablility test and the Standard ablity test(SAT'S)

i had the highest mark for the CAT's....much like chewi

i got a 7 in my english in year 9
a 7 in maths
and a 6 in science

that should point that i should have a*'s in my G.C.S.E's huh?

i was predicted A*'s...targeted A*'s....but just never came through..im brainy enough to have A*'s(*ahem* not geeky enough...lol)

the thing that stopped me was DRUGS!!

i think schools should spend less time with stuipid tests and more time on drug education...i mean real time on drug education..if they hammer it into youngsters nowadays it should work

but schools cant account for the skeef interaction(skeef=a person that live in a box and takes drugs...commonly found around the area of bradford) these skeefs are teenagers who dont go to school and smoke pot(i was nearly deemed a skeef)

these skeefs have children as young as 10 doing the dirty work...running to the shops for 'munchies' etc...this way children learn it is ok to do pot....when they learn it is ok to do pot...there power to say no to other drugs is depleted

SAY NO TO DRUGS MKAY
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Matt
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Post by Matt » Wed Jun 16, 2004 12:35 am

wow i sure know how to kill a topic
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Post by Melana » Wed Jun 16, 2004 7:46 am

I always find these threads kind of annoying because there are so many different education evaluations and systems that we all go through. In all reality we should be talking about IB and that's it since it's the only internationally accredited one.

I did the VCE thing, I did pretty good...i stop caring in the final year so I didn't do the brilliant everyone expected of me. We had SAC's and GAT's.

Given the nature of my school whose focus was on entrance into tertiary education and my parents expectations.... I've done the whole teriary education thing.

My parents expect alot from me but there understanding at least.... i've seen some whacked out families when it comes to academic excellence. I dont get having a tutor for classes and supreme excellence... it all comes to nothing in the end once your in uni.
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Squirrel
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Post by Squirrel » Wed Jun 16, 2004 7:22 pm

I think i did badly in my GCSE's. well i didn't go according to plan. I got a D in Maths and Drama (should have taken Art then instead) and the rest were C's and 3 B's. In my tests last year I failed Psychology and History, my own fault for not revising. Mind you I did great in English Literature.
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Mik
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Post by Mik » Wed Jun 16, 2004 7:27 pm

I didn't think they let you pass the year if you failed english and maths, that's why I knew thsi dude who was lower sixth but older than me, we called him rookie cause he was always shit at video games but played anyway.
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Squirrel
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Post by Squirrel » Wed Jun 16, 2004 8:20 pm

They let me into collge Mik. I had at least 5 C's and above all i had to do was resit my GCSE maths.
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Matt
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Post by Matt » Wed Jun 16, 2004 11:27 pm

i got 5 C's
3 D's
an F
and an E

i really should not have wagged school

so you took a level history yuffie.....how was it...im studing it right now...the only subject im confident in
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Saddam
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Post by Saddam » Fri Jun 18, 2004 10:33 pm

It is quite clear that there is far too much focus on examinations and academia. Education is the fundamental building block to or whole society yet through schooling we force people into such a narrow mindset that they leave it ignorant and naive of the world. Increasing the number of exams (like SAT's and CAT's) reduces the ability of kids to focus their attentions on other areas of equal importance.

Sport is shunned by most of those who are primarily concerned with academia yet it provides an invaluable asset to our long term health and mental strength. Current affairs programmes are ignored due to the heavy workloads of homework, and or simply being too tired after school to concentrate.
Statistics have shown that extra curricular activities in Britain are decreasing in popularity and in their place school text books are taking control.

An example of this are my current housemates. One is 23 years old yet asked me the other day how to make an omellette. This is a rather specific criticism however her whole attitide to life reflects her inability in the kitchen. Another one of my housemates, also 23, until about two months ago, thought Argentina was in Eastern Europe. Finally the third one. She's the best; she thought Kuwait was the capital city of Iraq and was oblivious to the fact that man had landed on the moon.

These people have the attitude that if there is no examination on the subject, it's not worth knowing - what a disgrace. Interestingly each of them is on course to gain a first class honours degree.

I will never mock someone for not being intelligent or not knowing how to do something. What I am concerned about though, is that these people don't want to learn unless they can be given a grade for their efforts.

Mark Twain once said "I've never allowed my schooling to interfere with my education" If only others could follow his lead.

The issue that frustrates me the most where the flawed educaton system is concerned is that many of those people who gain 4 A's at A-Level actually believe this means that they are intelligent. I can tell you this, intelligence encapsulates far more than academia; intelligence is to be knowlegable in life not the ability to regurgatate the information of a textbook.
Last edited by Saddam on Fri Jun 18, 2004 10:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Chewi
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Post by Chewi » Fri Jun 18, 2004 11:04 pm

I've never admitted this to you before but your words to me back in school, which were much the same as what you have just said there, have stayed with me ever since. You were right, it just took me some time to realise it.
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Saddam
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Post by Saddam » Fri Jun 18, 2004 11:44 pm

I was a wanker in school and should never have insulted you like that. Back then I did not explain things in a rational and objective manner but rather threw insults at people to mask my own pitfalls.

There were many things you were naive about, but then again so was I. Hopefully we've both changed for the better.
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Post by Morbid Angel » Sat Jun 19, 2004 1:16 am

If anything sports are more focused on more than academics here.

10,000 dollars given out at the senior awards for what? Cheerleading! Fucking cheerleading. Which you know, shouldn't even be considered a sport. The second highest amount given out was on 2000 dollars. And in general, alot more money is given out for sports.

While some of us (not me anyway, but still others do) work our asses off to achieve that A average, and don't get squat shit for it.

The weight room was finished before anything else in our entire school, again seeing what our focus is on.

And you know what? Those sports don't really benefit in the future. How many of those jocks and cheerleaders end up being the fat and unhealthy ones at the reunions?

What about art and music students? Who gives a fuck about that? We just get kicked in the dirt and the school thinks about taking that away from elementry schools before anything else. Especially those tons of assistant coaches for each sport team.

And it's not fair either that we base so much on tests either, and it's not a true reflection of how intelligent we are. I don't know how many gifted kids I've seen get low averages, and fail subjects. While the kids on the top of our class aren't even gifted. And of course hog up all the scholarships and awards while at it, while people who deserve it don't get anything.

Now I'm just ranting, but still it pisses me off that things work that way around here.
Last edited by Morbid Angel on Sat Jun 19, 2004 1:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
Isuls
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Post by Isuls » Tue Jun 22, 2004 5:25 am

Yeah, it's stupid how sport gets given so much money.
Every holiday my school organises is for sport or 'activities', never for anything else. The school across the road wants to be made in to a 'specialist sports college', but don't consider that they're the only school left for some people in the area to go to, who might not want to be a wannabe basketball player.
Our school just had an Ofsted inspection, and the art department got a 'very poor' because there weren't enough teachers at the time, not enough equipment and not even enough rooms to put all the classes in. And still they're hoping to get a grant for sport equipment.
Its just stupid that the government puts so much store by sporting achievement. Its not even focused around fitness or anything all the time, just by competing.
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