I don't want just to repeat my moan about maths (or any other curriculum subject) not actually being the most important thing in the world, as I wrote in a previous comment, so I would like to comment on another factor that plays a role here. Not directly relevant to Naomi's post, with which I heartily agree, but still perhaps worth mentioning.
I mean the benchmarks themselves, the school results.
Let's assume, just for a second and for the sake of the argument, that chasing after good marks were, in fact, a sensible goal. (I wrote "just for a second", don't panic!)
Well, to be sensible, this goal would have to be backed up by robust, verifiable testing methodology, and the testing would have to be very carefully conducted. Are either of these the case? I think not. Over twenty years ago I wrote a system-critical book about current mainstream education (which is unfortunately still as relevant today as it was then (and incidentally still available)), and while considering the whole business of marking, testing, benchmarking etc. I started listing all the things that can go wrong in those processes and lead to falsified, perhaps dangerous results. I stopped after having found 23 completely different factors, any one of which can result in an invalid assessment. Remember, this has nothing to do with the question as to whether one *ought* to assess, but whether one *can* assess.
Well, one can't, in my opinion, at least not remotely so as to satisfy even the most rudimentary of scientific standards. And deep down we all know that. So why do we as a society keep trying to do it?
In individual persons such behaviour would appear so dysfunctional that someone would soon call the police or a doctor.
Yes - I love how you've switched it on it's head like that to make a great point 👍 I do wonder though if it has something to do with people believing that once you are an adult, you would have the ability to focus on more activities simultaneously, where as children may not be able to?
I stumbled upon this while my PDA teenager roared and threatened and melted down upstairs. She has final exams this week. They are at odd times (out of the routine) and require that everyone start and finish (or be released) at the same time. She likely will not be able to take them. Pass them? Yes. Take them? No. Not under these circumstances.
I don't want just to repeat my moan about maths (or any other curriculum subject) not actually being the most important thing in the world, as I wrote in a previous comment, so I would like to comment on another factor that plays a role here. Not directly relevant to Naomi's post, with which I heartily agree, but still perhaps worth mentioning.
I mean the benchmarks themselves, the school results.
Let's assume, just for a second and for the sake of the argument, that chasing after good marks were, in fact, a sensible goal. (I wrote "just for a second", don't panic!)
Well, to be sensible, this goal would have to be backed up by robust, verifiable testing methodology, and the testing would have to be very carefully conducted. Are either of these the case? I think not. Over twenty years ago I wrote a system-critical book about current mainstream education (which is unfortunately still as relevant today as it was then (and incidentally still available)), and while considering the whole business of marking, testing, benchmarking etc. I started listing all the things that can go wrong in those processes and lead to falsified, perhaps dangerous results. I stopped after having found 23 completely different factors, any one of which can result in an invalid assessment. Remember, this has nothing to do with the question as to whether one *ought* to assess, but whether one *can* assess.
Well, one can't, in my opinion, at least not remotely so as to satisfy even the most rudimentary of scientific standards. And deep down we all know that. So why do we as a society keep trying to do it?
In individual persons such behaviour would appear so dysfunctional that someone would soon call the police or a doctor.
Yes - I love how you've switched it on it's head like that to make a great point 👍 I do wonder though if it has something to do with people believing that once you are an adult, you would have the ability to focus on more activities simultaneously, where as children may not be able to?
I stumbled upon this while my PDA teenager roared and threatened and melted down upstairs. She has final exams this week. They are at odd times (out of the routine) and require that everyone start and finish (or be released) at the same time. She likely will not be able to take them. Pass them? Yes. Take them? No. Not under these circumstances.