EXAMS! Oh my!

 March 20, 2021

I have just experienced an exam week like nothing I've ever experienced before.  Turkey is SERIOUS about their exams.  The exams student just took - in March - were meant to assess what they did from  August - November - their first quarter!  What do you think of that?

Remember.  These students are taking most of their exams in English, while their native language is Turkish.  Most of these students have not been in a school building for a year.  They haven't been communicating in handwriting!  They have been typing on a screen. Suddenly, a student is sitting in a cafeteria, in a spaced out desk with their name and picture taped to the top, writing an answer to a Chemistry question.  Each test was 40 minutes long.  A large digital countdown shone on a screen in the front of the room.  They took 2 tests a day, for a week.  They attended no classes. 

I proctored, or invigilated, a few of the exams.  What amazed me was the focus of these students.  They were razor focused.  These exam scores are not part of their Performance Grade, it is a separate figure uploaded to the Ministry of Education and the weight of these scores on their future, is evidently immense. I spoke with the World Language head of department one day and expressed my amazement of how focused - how still - these students were.  He told me in France the students are much more focused.  More?  I can't image it. I'm use to American students trying to communicate across the room with their best friend, pulling their phone from their pocket to have a look, raising their hand to go to the restroom.  Not this bunch.  Amazing.

After the test, the pressure transfers to teachers.  Since the biggest part of the English exam is writing, English teachers must moderate.  This is actually good practice, although it takes time and I have to read more than my student's work.  How it works:  As soon as the test is completed teachers exchange copies of some of our student work.  For example, in 10th grade we determined to read 6 papers the first night, selecting a range of students who generally receive low, middle or high scores.  Then, we come together as soon as possible, and go over our scoring for each category of the rubric. Together, the paper is determined how it is to be marked.  I have said this many times, scoring writing is extremely challenging, because it is difficult to remain objective.  Moderation helps gauge the subjectivity in scoring and the teacher adjusts.  I have had to ADJUST a lot at Enka.  I am "generous." This term is a euphemism to say I am too easy.  So, I have to toughen up my standards and mark to the papers' moderation.  Remarkably, the four 10th grade teachers ended up with averages within 1-2 points of one another when all was said and done. However the averages were low, and I was mortified to give my students these marks.

Surprisinlgy, most students took it well.  They are ever polite, but their expressions when I met with each one on line, told me how disappointed they were - in themselves.  They were not accusatory, nor did they make excuses.  I spoke to one tearful mother this week who said the exam marks had destroyed her daughters academic confidence and will to achieve.  She lamented about the pandemic and the toll of  attending lessons on line.  As a mother, I sympathize greatly.  Thinking about how my own children would have handled this situation makes me realize how hard these grades are to accept.

Exam grades were a tough blow for many students and I'm not sure how fair it is to  test these students, at this time.  They are good students.  Most have a wonderful work ethic.  These exam results - and not just English -  put many in despair. 

I feel responsible.  

A wise teacher once told me, when students fail, the teacher fails too.  I am learning to teach online for the first time in my life.  Can I teach writing the same way I've always taught it?  No way.  I struggle to communicate the HOW of good writing.  I am preparing to have another go (I think my British friends use this expression!) and try to  help my students make improvements on the next exams... which rumor has it may be as soon as April!