There is a new crisis relating to writing going on in CMS.
As most of you probably know, there is a writing test that each 4th, 7th and 10th grader must take. It is quite poissbly the most awful, counter-productive test known to man. Previously, I and many others quitly suffered through this mostosity. It didn't have much impact on our grade and it was easier to just write some BS than to do anything about it. Until now.
This year, the 10th grade wrting test counts for 25% of the students' final english grades. This is so amazingly absurd that I almost think it must be a hoax. My problem is not so much the large possiblity of getting a bad grade (grading writing is sucha subjective thing) but that this shows that they are putting a large amount of stock in this test. Half of me wants to rise up, protest, change things.
Th other half says there's no way it will make a difference.
And around the U.S. thousands more potential writers were discouraged and squashed in their prime. Out from the wreckage march the mindles drones our socirty prizes so highly.
Sorry for the melodama. This makes me very angry.
Clare
3 comments:
My teacher gave us the news today. The teachers were told in a faculty meeting last week. She was, for lack of a better word, pissed at the administration.
The tests are just so pointless. The prompts are either "extended definition" (what is beauty?) or cause and effect (what are the effects of natural disasters?). They measure very little, and certainly nothing about what we have done for the entire year.
Is CMS trying to make me fail english?
You could start a letter writing campaign. A letter to the Charlotte Observer would be a good start. It's a fun way to see your name in print. I do it every now and then.
Wow...that was fast.
I feel like I have to do something. I've always hated the writing test and this is just absurd. I think I'll start with the Charlotte Observer...start a petition at school. I think most people would sign.
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