Finally, the truth that Today Tonight refuses to tell COMES TO YOU ON MY BLOG.
The TEE is a scam
Brothers and sisters do not shy away from the light! Open your hearts and minds and come forth into the beam of knowledge, spring of enlightenment, etc etc.
We've all known for a billion years that the TEE is dodgy. That much is firmly established with every Year 11 and 12 student of the past coupla years.... or however this traversty of truth justice freedom and love has been continuated! But now we found out in just how many ways it is so.
Firstly, we have the the issue of scaling and moderation. It shits us all. Everything easy is scaled down, and everything hard is scaled up, but only after a certain point. If you do easy subjects, it doesn't matter how well you do, even at upper echelons such as 90% you are still scaled an enormous 20-25% down. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a thorn in the side of our moral responsibility. There are two problems with this. One, if you aren't naturally super smart and talented, but try your best and do the work to maintain a 70%, you're going to get boiled and kicked in the arse, simply because you can't do any better. Whether it's because you have problems with language, or because you can't grasp concepts as well as others, or you have a learning problem, you get the raw end of the deal for doing the easy subjects. Two, if you do hard subjects because you want to try and get a better score, it's actually quite hard to do so. If you are naturally smart, you're ok, you're set. However, if you aren't and are just trying to do the subjects for marks, it's difficult. Firstly, the work is harder. Secondly, if you don't get the required marks, you're going to be scaled down anyway. Overall, scaling is just sucky. It stuffs up everyone in one way or another. For example, our music students are automatically scaled down 10% because we attend a 'specialist music school' but essentially, that makes little or no difference to the students who do music. Our tutelage is the same as other schools, and we endure the same learning under the syllabus as every other schools. This means that a person at our school sitting on 85% is automatically scaled down to 75%, then because 75 isn't high enough, scaled down further to 70%. A person at another school, sitting on 75% will be scaled up to around 80%. So the disparity now is 10% in the favour of the other person, when originally, the achievement on 85% was 10% higher than the 75. This, my dear friends, is extremely unfair. You cannot tell me that 85% credits a drop of 15%.
Secondly, we have the issue of school results and how they are displayed. What many people don't realise is that numerous private (and even some public) schools request students who are not achieving a 'desired level of achievement' to sit the TEE as private candidates. Now, if you are one of these people and can't see the issue here, this means that the school only sits its smartest students. This drags up lower achievers and allows the school to maintain a 'high-achieving' front, even if this result only reflects 40% of the Year 12 TEE students. For example, Rossmoyne only allows (this should be taken with a grain of salt...I'm not entirely sure of the exact number) its top 20% of Year 10's to undertake TEE. OR it only allows the top 20% to sit the TEE under its name. The issue with this is that it is a misrepresentation of the schools results, resulting in high housing values in the catchment area and UNFAIR JUDGING OF SCHOOLS. You see, the reputation of a school is affected, yes, and the morale of the students is affected, granted, but the ultimate issue with this, is that the students permitted to sit under the schools name are scaled up more, and their results distorted. Tsk, tsk.
Thirdly and finally, is the issue of the disparity of education standards throughout WA. The schools at risk in such areas as Girrawheen, Cannington, etc, that is, low socio-economic area schools, are the first to suffer. They receive less funding for their TEE students, who subsequently suffer because of lack of resources. The other problem with these schools are the teachers who are delegated to these schools. From experience (my mum) teachers at such schools can become disenchanted with the system and the job, and are often not as dedicated as they once may have been. There are minimal incentives for these teachers, approximately a $10 bonus each week. Secondly, we have rural schools. Most (not all) rural schools suffer from poor educational opportunities and student interaction. The students are often unable to access valuable educational resources available in the metropolitan area, and are often required to attend to other matters that come with living out of the metro area. Many do TEE by SIDE (School of isolated and distance education) which is adequate but only barely. The level of educational opportunities for rural TEE students is appalling. Thirdly, we have public schools in general, which suffer a noted underfunding pinch on their educational credit. The figures stand at around 40% of then funding going to 60% of the students, public students. Firstly, this is unfair because often it is students who attend public schools who require greater resources. It is then even more unfair because these students cannot afford to access their own educational opportunities and so they have to go to public schools, which do not make up for their loss. Public schools often encounter some of the best teachers, but teachers who enjoy no fringe benefits and constantly are downgraded and disrespected by students, parents and the education department. A student can complain that a teacher did not sing them happy birthday in the class, and it will go onto the teachers permanent record as 'negligent'. This, my friends, is the truth of the education system today. This is an era where there is no justice -only avoiding it. Then finally, we have private schools who receive 60% of funding when they only house 40% of the students. They enjoy a rich social environment which propels them into high society circles and are afforded an often undeserved reputation as an intelligent and dedicated student. If you are truly an intelligent and dedicated student, it doesn't matter what school you go to or where you come from. However, the disparity of educational opportunities is too great to even CONSIDER that TEE is ok.
Ok, so that is my ranting down about TEE for now. There is plenty more to rant about, i know, but i could go on forever. Quite simply, it is JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
Oh well, injustice - the new justice.
much love and respect
xxrosie
We've all known for a billion years that the TEE is dodgy. That much is firmly established with every Year 11 and 12 student of the past coupla years.... or however this traversty of truth justice freedom and love has been continuated! But now we found out in just how many ways it is so.
Firstly, we have the the issue of scaling and moderation. It shits us all. Everything easy is scaled down, and everything hard is scaled up, but only after a certain point. If you do easy subjects, it doesn't matter how well you do, even at upper echelons such as 90% you are still scaled an enormous 20-25% down. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a thorn in the side of our moral responsibility. There are two problems with this. One, if you aren't naturally super smart and talented, but try your best and do the work to maintain a 70%, you're going to get boiled and kicked in the arse, simply because you can't do any better. Whether it's because you have problems with language, or because you can't grasp concepts as well as others, or you have a learning problem, you get the raw end of the deal for doing the easy subjects. Two, if you do hard subjects because you want to try and get a better score, it's actually quite hard to do so. If you are naturally smart, you're ok, you're set. However, if you aren't and are just trying to do the subjects for marks, it's difficult. Firstly, the work is harder. Secondly, if you don't get the required marks, you're going to be scaled down anyway. Overall, scaling is just sucky. It stuffs up everyone in one way or another. For example, our music students are automatically scaled down 10% because we attend a 'specialist music school' but essentially, that makes little or no difference to the students who do music. Our tutelage is the same as other schools, and we endure the same learning under the syllabus as every other schools. This means that a person at our school sitting on 85% is automatically scaled down to 75%, then because 75 isn't high enough, scaled down further to 70%. A person at another school, sitting on 75% will be scaled up to around 80%. So the disparity now is 10% in the favour of the other person, when originally, the achievement on 85% was 10% higher than the 75. This, my dear friends, is extremely unfair. You cannot tell me that 85% credits a drop of 15%.
Secondly, we have the issue of school results and how they are displayed. What many people don't realise is that numerous private (and even some public) schools request students who are not achieving a 'desired level of achievement' to sit the TEE as private candidates. Now, if you are one of these people and can't see the issue here, this means that the school only sits its smartest students. This drags up lower achievers and allows the school to maintain a 'high-achieving' front, even if this result only reflects 40% of the Year 12 TEE students. For example, Rossmoyne only allows (this should be taken with a grain of salt...I'm not entirely sure of the exact number) its top 20% of Year 10's to undertake TEE. OR it only allows the top 20% to sit the TEE under its name. The issue with this is that it is a misrepresentation of the schools results, resulting in high housing values in the catchment area and UNFAIR JUDGING OF SCHOOLS. You see, the reputation of a school is affected, yes, and the morale of the students is affected, granted, but the ultimate issue with this, is that the students permitted to sit under the schools name are scaled up more, and their results distorted. Tsk, tsk.
Thirdly and finally, is the issue of the disparity of education standards throughout WA. The schools at risk in such areas as Girrawheen, Cannington, etc, that is, low socio-economic area schools, are the first to suffer. They receive less funding for their TEE students, who subsequently suffer because of lack of resources. The other problem with these schools are the teachers who are delegated to these schools. From experience (my mum) teachers at such schools can become disenchanted with the system and the job, and are often not as dedicated as they once may have been. There are minimal incentives for these teachers, approximately a $10 bonus each week. Secondly, we have rural schools. Most (not all) rural schools suffer from poor educational opportunities and student interaction. The students are often unable to access valuable educational resources available in the metropolitan area, and are often required to attend to other matters that come with living out of the metro area. Many do TEE by SIDE (School of isolated and distance education) which is adequate but only barely. The level of educational opportunities for rural TEE students is appalling. Thirdly, we have public schools in general, which suffer a noted underfunding pinch on their educational credit. The figures stand at around 40% of then funding going to 60% of the students, public students. Firstly, this is unfair because often it is students who attend public schools who require greater resources. It is then even more unfair because these students cannot afford to access their own educational opportunities and so they have to go to public schools, which do not make up for their loss. Public schools often encounter some of the best teachers, but teachers who enjoy no fringe benefits and constantly are downgraded and disrespected by students, parents and the education department. A student can complain that a teacher did not sing them happy birthday in the class, and it will go onto the teachers permanent record as 'negligent'. This, my friends, is the truth of the education system today. This is an era where there is no justice -only avoiding it. Then finally, we have private schools who receive 60% of funding when they only house 40% of the students. They enjoy a rich social environment which propels them into high society circles and are afforded an often undeserved reputation as an intelligent and dedicated student. If you are truly an intelligent and dedicated student, it doesn't matter what school you go to or where you come from. However, the disparity of educational opportunities is too great to even CONSIDER that TEE is ok.
Ok, so that is my ranting down about TEE for now. There is plenty more to rant about, i know, but i could go on forever. Quite simply, it is JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
Oh well, injustice - the new justice.
much love and respect
xxrosie
5 comments:
Yeah, its so depressing hey, especially since you have absolutely no idea where your scores will end up on December 29. Its frustrating!
Well, it seems your wish has been granted. The government is gettting rid of the dreaded TEE and replacing it with "Outcomes Based Education," - which is clearly loved by everybody *note the sarcasm*
Out of interest - what's your ideal education system?
Well TEE is obviously not the answer, nor is OBE. I don't really have a care for it - because I am outta school and just laughing at all the suckers left behind! How awesome.
I agree with a lot of what you said Rosie... I can't understand why you get scaled down 10% in music because your a specialist music school, when you do the same syllabus as everyone else. Its not as if you have a hugely unfair advantage, I'd say you have an small advatage (with such high exposure to music daily at your school) but its not a huge nor is it an unfair advantage.
Scaling and moderation is an attempt, a failed attempt in many ways i might add, to make the system "fair" What it actually does is reward those that do average to well in hard subjects and penalise everyone else. In my opinion its not practical, in any way, to compare a 70% in calculus to a 70% in discreet... Its not fair either student... what the TEE people decide is harder and how to scale you... Moderation, is good I think... its an attempt to make sure that your school hasn't made their tests and exams too hard/or easy... It makes more sense, bringing people onto a level playing feild... but scaling... grrr
I like, as I understand it, the system in the UK. For admission into a subject you have to acheive A Levels or B Levels in certian subjects. EG. Medicine Requires at least two A grades and a B grade but you must have completed certian subjects. External School examinations are sat, but there is no Ranking, apart from within specific subjects. And provided you are competent and interview well you get into your course. None of this you did calculus so ur better than a biology student and you did politics so that means your better than a drama student... i mean what the hell, you just cant compare those subjects... C'est pas juste!
HUGE rant that was.. Not as big as Rosies but still big!
I AGREE...and SIDE sucks, would have got nowhere without a hell good tutor
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