[Year 12 Its] A radical approach to the course

[Keith Richardson]

Hi Robert.
Actually, <<taking tongue out of cheek>> I do agree with you. I LOVE
teaching courses that have no examination or tests but rely totally on
enthusing the kids. I am fortunate enough to have this as electives at
Yr 8, 9 and 10, so in theory the kids doing them are there because they
want to be, and are creating things they want to creatre, and are
learning techniques because they matter to them.
The above only falls down when an honest one says to you "I am only
doing your subject because I don't like the other alternatives, and I
really don't want to be doing this either!" Such is life!
However, with the vce classes, I like to regard exam technique as a
valid part of what I am teaching.
Keith


On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 16:54:54 +1000, "Robert Timmer-Arends"
<timmer at melbpc.org.au> said:
> Hello Keith
> 
> I agree that lots of exam practice produces results, but yes, I am saying
> that
> 
> > conquering the challenge of good exam technique is not a 'good' use of
> > educational endeavour.
> 
> At least not in the amount of time it consumes in relation to what
> (ideally)
> we are trying to teach. While I agree that being able to quickly assemble
> a
> lot of facts and put together a coherent response is a useful faculty to
> have, surely there are more educationally sound ways of doing this.
> Moreover, I am not so sure that the over emphasis on exam technique does
> "significantly better (prepare students) for many other challenges that
> life
> will throw up at them in their future social and working lives." -
> perhaps,
> as others have noted, it does for university, but then that perhaps says
> something about university as well!
> 
> (the soap box could get a little crowded - or should we bring our own?)
> 
> Regards
> Robert T-A
> Brighton SC
> 
> 
> 
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Keith Richardson
Leibler Yavneh College
Elsternwick Ph (03)9528 4911
keithcr at fastmail.fm