Test Taking

Koreans have such high test scores and everyone loves to praise how they are doing so great! After getting here, I must say I'm pretty disappointed and skeptical of the results of their exams. Please know that most of this is based on my class (English) but I definitely make it a point to try and see what the kids do in their other subjects as well. I want to discipline or reward in the same manner. I strive to teach with the same amount of expectation and diligence! I want to prep for exams in the same manner...well, kind of.

Here's the thing. Students are in lecture style classes for the majority of the class time all year long. When test time does roll around they are then given around 10 questions that will possibly be on the test. Usually, the easiest of the questions are picked to be on the real final. Students get this paper at least one week in advance of the test. You're thinking this is the same as the review paper in grade school huh? Maybe, but I don't remember the point of the review sheet being to memorize the questions with their correct answers. 

Tests here equal memorization skill, which predictably go no where when you need a job done. I had dreams of writing my own short answer tests and watching kids either pass or fail and then gauging what I should do better on as a teacher for the next go 'round. Not possible when all is allowed to be memorized. 

Oh well. I did have the pleasure of acting as overseer for exams! The students receive the test paper first printed on a newspaper like material. There are 25 questions total. The students can make any markings they want on this paper, and I do mean any. I saw pictures being drawn, scribbles, etc. Anywho, the scantron consists of 50 lines of A,B,C,D bubbles with 10 blanks for "fill in the blank" questions and on the back 8 blanks for sentences or essay styled questions. I'm not supposed to do anything but multiple choice questions. The other styles are prepared by the coTeacher to focus on writing and grammar.

They seemed to have half of the class time for just using the test paper and then were given the scantron for the second half. I have to admit there were some students that were working so hard and I was proud of them. A little hurt since this was the music class exam, but people don't excel at everything right? I also saw a few expected kids just fill in A for each question; never looking back. I was more hurt because the two in question have worked hard in my class this year and yet I could feel that they'd done the same on my exam. If they had to do an interview, they'd pass with a solid C. If they put effort into my exam, they could pull a high B at least. I hope one day they realize their potential...hopefully that day is in their first year of high school a.k.a. next year.

Is it this way because I'm in the countryside? I don't think so. According to a few city folks, things don't get much better except maybe the overall GPA.