To tell you to tell your teens to read the f*****ing question!

[BorrowedThyme]

I'm spending hour and hours and hours combing through GCSE papers back from the exam board cos mum says Jonnie has told her he had written loads of high quality answers and should have got higher than a 5...

YES! Jonnie has written loads and loads of very high quality content, showing excellent understanding, recall and application of the subject

NO! his answers don't in any way match the question that was asked, so no! he gets no marks for said answers.....

FGS - what a total waste of time and energy for everyone.

And I have spent my entire weekend on these wastes of time

i myself made that error

Yes parents can have influence but this is ultimately the teachers job to teach children how to properly read, understand and answer exam questions

Not a pop at you op as these are not your students, but not all teachers are good at their jobs

The teachers who genuinely don't care about the job or the kids, are not the one getting frustrated on a parenting forum trying to improve things. They're the ones who won't put in any effort regardless.

If every teacher who got so frustrated that they needed two posts to vent was to give up teaching, as suggested by PPs there would be nobody left.

Some teachers really do need a lot more education about specific learning disabilities and how these present (whether diagnosed or not). Many students can read the question and misunderstand because of the way their brain works, what they actually need is a lot more help, understanding and skilled teaching interventions. But usually they just get ignored and blamed

Good point. Sorry though I did accidentally click 'you are being unreasonable'. Ironically I didn't read the answer.

I do think teachers should be teaching exam technique right from the start of year 7 and giving proper past exam questions (parts thereof according to knowledge taught at that time) as homework etc., and marking them strictly in accordance with marking scheme. Or if no appropriate past papers, make up questions on the same basis.

That will really hammer it home to students that they won't get the marks if they don't properly answer the question. It's no point teachers telling students in passing a few times during lessons. "To listen is to forget, to do is to understand!".

It's what some of my son's teachers did (particularly history), and the entire class got very poor marks the first time, which was a valuable lesson learnt - well it certainly was for him as he was accustomed to getting good marks and it was quite a shock when he got something like 25% on a homework question he thought he'd get top marks for. 5 years later when it was time for GCSE, he read the questions and got his well earned grade 9!

Teachers just mentioning "read the question" a few times when the kids are in years 10 or 11, and have spent the earlier years getting good marks in more informal tests/markings, just doesn't have the same impact.

I smiled when I saw an earlier poster mention that spoof test paper where the last question just says only answer question 1 - that's exactly what one of my son's teachers did in one of his first lessons in year 7! They don't forget that!

Once again, this is not everyone's experiences though, it is consistently being overlooked as doesn't suit the narrative of these threads made by the OP but some of us aren't pursuing this, the school are pursuing us to pursue it. No one looking to blame anyone here. My DS was surprised that the teacher is so insistent on pursuing this as he doesn't feel he revised enough to answer the question correctly- that's on him. So some schools are taking this approach it and making you feel like there is a good chance things will change. No doubt this post will be overlooked as doesn't suit the wind up merchant narrative of the 'little Jonny' is hard done by.

Yes, but teaching is only part if the job. Not saying its right but if OP isn't happy doing it they can stop.

It's pretty shocking to be dragged into work without pay when you are meant to be unavailable.

OP, next year, you should book a holiday abroad for the last two weeks of the summer holiday, so you are not expected to work outside of your contract.

(or at least pretend)

Not nearly as much a waste of OP's energy as all the time she is having to go through the papers because Jonnie and his ilk can't be bothered to do the obvious thing when sitting exams. How do they think they are going to cope in the work force?

OP can write ten threads a day on the same subject if they want to - no-one is forcing you to read them. At least it makes a change from the ridiculous posts from people who can't seem to make a decision about the simplest little thing without asking for advice (and half the time then ignoring it).

Yes OP could be reviewing papers that other teachers are convinced the writer should have done better in.

Have you heard of System 1 and System 2 thinking?

When you use System 1, you answer the answer that you think it is, you don't think, it's almost automatic. You don't slow down.

There's an example of an exam paper being in a hard to read font. So people had to slow down and read it. Which means they actually read it slower and the question was read properly. Pupils did better as they "slowed down" and used System 2 thinking skills.

Yes, and wouldn't there be a lot of complaining then?

Honestly, I wouldn't be a teacher if it was the highest paying job in the world. Not only do they have to deal with the kids, but the parents as well, and are expected to teach the kids everything the parents can't be bothered to.

Maybe all you critical parents could home school your kids - but no, you wouldn't have someone to blame then would you.

Bit dramatic. She’s been reading and marking exam papers not sitting in a trench somewhere.
Presumably if this is voluntary then the OP has volunteered to do it, and it’s not compulsory? Either that or she’s doing the job she is paid to do/ expects to do?
I don’t think the OP is being martyr-like about this at all and is trying to send a helpful message, but you’re certainly trying to make her out to be.

@Symphony24 - you can change your vote by clicking on the other option.

Another one that has conveniently blocked out a differing point of view on this. Some of us as was posted on the other thread have not initiated this process we have been requested by the teachers to do so. I honestly didn't even know this happened being a teenager of the 90s. I was first told they may even suggest this back at parents evening, so had an inkling that it is something DS's school does but in no way is this to do with critical parents - I mean, speak for yourself!

Hang on. I thought teachers didn't want parents to teach their kids? What about all the MN threads in the past from teachers complaining about parents who teach their kids to read, write, do sums, etc., before starting school?? Perhaps teachers should produce a "do and don't" list as to what they want parents to do.

It's just exams either, it's a life skill. I have to confess a couple of times I have not read my work instructions properly

School politics is not that black and white

Why are you an examiner/marker if it winds you up so much and you resent giving up weekends to do it? Bizarre!

I understand the frustration, but let's be honest. Exams don't only test what you know, they test the ability to keep a clear head under relatively stressful circumstances. So reading the question properly gauges this skill, rather than the knowledge to answer the question, otherwise there would be no problem with invigilators saying to the kids, " watch out for question 3, it's asking you to name ... whatever "
Same, but even worse is failing to see a page. It's so disappointing. Checking you have seen and attempted all pages is more important than any single answer. It's a "bigger picture" skill test.

It seems don't like your job.

Why not change it? It's not good for you and it's not right for the students you so clearly dislike.

This poster has recently posted to voice contempt for parents and kids who want to follow the guidelines to get their papers reviewed. This thread is not coming from a place of care.

It’s either in your contract or not, negotiable or not, and it’s not a mystery or surprise that teachers are expected to work outside of school hours.