Dunces of illiberalism

[Guest]

Simon Jenkins:

Some 45,000 English pupils are now resitting their GCSE exams after the latest fiasco in Britain's descent from education into testing. Reactionaries may cry that children should be taught that "life is full of reverses", but they have elevated the exam to make it the be-all and end-all of secondary education. It is they who treat academic measurement as an exact science, as they once did "selection by intelligence". It is they who have made the core curriculum the ark of the covenant of wisdom. They are the dunces of illiberalism.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/oct/11/michael-gove-more-soviet-than-socialist

[heliocentric]

Of course professional politicians shove their amateur's understanding and/or ideological misrepresentation of complex social issues into every walk of life, but maybe nowhere more damagingly than in children's education, because their top priority is generally to suppress imagination, instil conformity and thus preserve the inequalities which keep their power structure in place. They will ignore all the findings and insights of committed and experienced teachers and educationalists, impose their own half-@rsed schemes to suit their own agenda, and then trash it all and lurch off in a new direction when it goes wrong. These are people's lives being flattened at an age when they should be inspired. Thank heavens it doesn't work in all cases; but the ideological attack on children's individuality seems to be gaining momentum at the hands of this scoundrel Gove.

[eighthobstruction]

I'm just wondering about the intended rise of school [Education/Training] leaving age to 18....(something that went under the radar as far as I'm concerned)....First there is, why the need of a qualification at 16??....secondly surely this is a breach of human rights and could be challenged at an Euro Level....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_leaving_age

[amateur51]

Of course professional politicians shove their amateur's understanding and/or ideological misrepresentation of complex social issues into every walk of life, but maybe nowhere more damagingly than in children's education, because their top priority is generally to suppress imagination, instil conformity and thus preserve the inequalities which keep their power structure in place. They will ignore all the findings and insights of committed and experienced teachers and educationalists, impose their own half-@rsed schemes to suit their own agenda, and then trash it all and lurch off in a new direction when it goes wrong. These are people's lives being flattened at an age when they should be inspired. Thank heavens it doesn't work in all cases; but the ideological attack on children's individuality seems to be gaining momentum at the hands of this scoundrel Gove.

[french frank]

Some 45,000 English pupils are now resitting their GCSE exams after the latest fiasco in Britain's descent from education into testing. Reactionaries may cry that children should be taught that "life is full of reverses", but they have elevated the exam to make it the be-all and end-all of secondary education. It is they who treat academic measurement as an exact science, as they once did "selection by intelligence". It is they who have made the core curriculum the ark of the covenant of wisdom. They are the dunces of illiberalism.

I've marked exam papers/dissertations from A-level to post-grad and that's one of the factors that became blazingly evident - at least in my discipline.** But it's an idea that seems to have become engrained not only inside but outside the profession too (students themselves, parents, employers): that 65% or a 2.1 "means" something precise.

For most, education is important for the doors that open, moving on from one academic stage to the next, then into employment - badly paid dead-end jobs at age 16 or graduate-level jobs with a lucrative career structure.

Under the present over regulated system, this latest mess was waiting to happen.


** I remember the first exam question I set for first year students on my own lecture course. I had a model answer, with all the points that I would be looking for in a good mark, roughly in order of importance. It was only when I was about a third of the way through the marking and realised that very few students had passed that I abandoned the method and assessed what they had written rather than what I wanted them to write that I began to get a reasonable spread of marks. But it was still pretty subjective.

[An_Inspector_Calls]

I fail to see why examinations and teaching a set curriculum should squash people's imagination and individuallity.

Is the present level of examination frequency any different now to what it was 40-50 years ago? I seem to recall examinations at Christmas and mid Summer from the age of 11 all the way to graduation, so what's different now - apart from the fact that the examinations seem to be p*ss easy?

What is wrong with selection by intelligence or some other ability? It's what any employer will do, so they might as well gain experience at school.

[scottycelt]

As one of the incorrigible 'dunces of illiberalism' I applaud any moves that make exams a real test for pupils. That's what exams are supposed to be about,

We all know that some people who come out with degrees these days can hardly read or write. Just ask any recruiting officer of one of our major private sector companies, and you'll certainly be met with a wry smile and shrug at the very least.

Not everyone can enjoy 'a lucrative career structure'. The world is not solely made up of teachers, doctors, civil service administrators etc ... society also needs shopworkers, builders, plumbers. cleaners and all the other vital occupations.

Educational qualifications are so commonplace nowadays these have become virtually worthless at least as regards any sort of measure of competence in the 'Three Rs'.

If Mr Gove, or anybody else, can increase the general standard of education in England & Wales by making exams tougher then more power to his elbow!

[MrGongGong]

competence in the 'Three Rs'.

which are ?
the only thing I think mr Gove could do to improve things would involve him, an island in the middle of the Pacific and no boat, satnav or chance of rescue

[John Shelton]

the 'Three Rs'.

which are ?

Rigor mortis, rhubarb, retribution.

[MrGongGong]

Rigor mortis, rhubarb, retribution.

[vinteuil]

As one of the incorrigible 'dunces of illiberalism' :

... of which, I wonder, is our scotty more proud -

. being incorrigible?

. being a dunce?

. being illiberal?

Surely the Jesuits who eddicated him wd've expected something different?

[John Shelton]

Surely the Jesuits who eddicated him wd've expected something different?

Perhaps he wasn't paying intention?

[french frank]

I seem to recall examinations at Christmas and mid Summer from the age of 11 all the way to graduation

You must be very young if you remember a system of public examinations at regular intervals, curriculum dictated by government to ensure uniformity. Key Stage 1 for 5-7 year-olds, Key Stage 2 for 7-11 year-olds, Key Stage 3 for 11-14 year-olds, Key Stage 4 for 14-16 year-olds (incl GCSE), Key Stage 5 for 15-18 year-olds (incl. A-levels), a national curriculum, school league tables &c &c.

I fail to see why examinations and teaching a set curriculum should squash people's imagination and individuallity.

I can see that it squashes creativity and imagination where it matters - on teachers, and that's bound to have its effect on children.

[teamsaint]

I fail to see why examinations and teaching a set curriculum should squash people's imagination and individuallity.

Is the present level of examination frequency any different now to what it was 40-50 years ago? I seem to recall examinations at Christmas and mid Summer from the age of 11 all the way to graduation, so what's different now - apart from the fact that the examinations seem to be p*ss easy?

What is wrong with selection by intelligence or some other ability? It's what any employer will do, so they might as well gain experience at school.

its not exams that necessarily squash imagination...its a whole system that elevated them to such a high degree.
Our education system is in large part unfit for purpose.(but not the purposes of gove etc).
After at least 12 years (and usually more) of compulsory education, 20% of our people are functionally illiterate and innumerate, not to mention that most of us are poorly educated in any number of important ways.That is less that he proportion of women who obtain a first degree in Finland.

Meanwhile at the top, academic end, the system still mostly operates as a selection process for the elite universities, a competition of course heavily slanted towards the most privileged.
Really educating people doesn't seem to be really on the agenda, certainly not to the age of 18.

Oh , and this is to do with systems, not teachers. (or those exams that are so "piss easy").

actually, on reflection, perhaps AIC is right. if ordinary people are going to spend their lives being squashed by people like gove and his banker/bullington chums, perhaps its best to get them used to it. Oh look, that is what happens.

[scottycelt]

... Surely the Jesuits who eddicated him wd've expected something different?

Against all the odds over previous form, yuv'e somehow managed to get it ded right there ... go to the top of the class, boy!