Exam PAPERS!!!!!!

Well the grade boundaries wont go higher if the younger generation get stupider

I really don't understand it personally, because this morning I read that starting from 2009 they want to modularise GCSEs much like the A levels. Isn't it the modular system in which people are allowed to resit and maximise points on that are causing passes to rise and the media and prior generations to say exams are getting easier?
Why are they even considering it? LOL!

It's like they've never heard of UMS (in fact, I doubt they have really) and grade boundaries. If the paper is easy, the grade boundaries are higher and the UMS conversion is 'harsher'. It doesn't matter if QCA started allowing the easiest papers to be set- the grade boundaries would still be adjusted accordingly. The system must be working, otherwise everyone would be receiving A*s in all subjects. And are they? No.

ROFL


clasigirl, maybe i can support the asians' system there instead of the UK's it's true that the asians lack this creativity element in their education system but the workload asians are given is sometimes beneficial even to them. i used to swear off every swear word i know on MY own country's education system....yep, you can guess, it's the 100% exam-8 subjects-highgradeboundaries etc. but when i came to england i noticed that people really slacken comparing to the students i've seen in my own country. reason why china and india's going up so fast is probably because of this. you can get the 'creative element' later on in life, especially when you have a massive store of knowledge to be used. sometimes i think the UK's system is abit wishy-washy which is why i'm not surprised it's one of the worst (or is it THE worst) in europe. but i'm with you with the part that asians DO need to include abit of creative element; i know some students who actually committed suicide. and by the time they've finished their education, they get so exhausted they lose this study attitude which is a pity really, when learning, as most of the western education systems are trying to promote, is supposed to be a natural thing in human beings.

I agree. My cousins live in India, and Oh My God. They are forced to work so unbelievably hard, they're under so much pressure from such a young age. I'm not saying it's good - being under so much stress from the age of like 7 - but the system gets them ahead.

I'm not saying the system doesn't get them ahead...but only in terms of traditional subjects and stuff. They teach a different sort of English and there's a different way of teaching languages and stuff.

Also, I've heard that they literally work all day - like, go to school at eight, finish at four, then go to tuition until six and then come home and do homework (from school and tuition)...it really cannot be healthy and yeah - you do hear stories of people commiting suicide. It's just scary that one percent matters *that much* between you getting into a top university and a mediocre one. I suppose it's the same here - but theres a massive difference in the gap between an A and a B and 97% and 98%...

I think that how it was before labour came and had their whole 'state school for all' agenda was good. People who were interested and able could go to a school where everyone wanted to work so everyone could be pushed etc (or at least that was the idea)...now we all get put into the same class and treated the same and often you get slowed down because of it. In India they put everyone in the same class, but go on at the same (really really fast) rate regardless of whether the class understands, which is where the neccesity for tuition comes in.

I know it's unhealthy - my cousins go to school from 8 til 3, they come home, have tutors over until dinner, then they eat and then do homework. There's no time for 'personal growth' which is so essential for children.
I mean they go to a private school in Bombay so I'm not sure about the class size situation but I'd assume the sizes aren't too bad, but as far as I know the classes all move at the same rate (like you mentioned), which explains the need for tutoring.

Although the system isn't fair and technically 'good' for the children, it's essential. C'mon, India's a major LEDC and people would much rather hire someone with a British education than an Indian one, not because it's necessarily better but because it's simply more recognised. While this is unfair for students in India, it's the harsh truth. The fact that they have such a strong educational system puts them as far ahead as they need to be to be able to compete with others from the "Western world".

definitely, their system is far stronger than ours in terms of results and exams...but it hasn't always been this hardline. My father grew up in a village in southern India, then moved to Mysore, this city/town placeto live with his parents...and whenever he talks about his childhood, especially the first 13, 14 years when he was in the country, it seems like he had a very nice, maybe even idyllic childhood. Sure they worked hard and stuff - they were definitely smarter than we are now, but he still got to have a happy, healthy childhood. It's the same with my mum, who grew up in Bangalore, this pretty large city - she had a childhood *and* she learnt way more than we did (but, to be fair, our education covers a lot more - even now, the western system sort of teaches children a little bit of everything and gives a very broad base, whereas it's a lot more specialised and fact orientated in India). So it's only fairly recently that they've started working people so hard at school.

I think a lot of it is to do with the basic, really strong work ethic in Asia and the recognition of the importance of education. My grandparents allow their upstairs rooms to be used for tuition for poor kids who go to the temple school and they let a teacher from the temple live their for free. Most of these kids parents are labourers and stuff and they get paid very little, but they make sure they have enough money to pay the tuition fees and to buy books and stuff. The kids also know this and so everyone really wants to learn - and I really don't feel that here. There are, obviously, many people here who are equally as commited to their education, but that basic work ethic which is what I feel is present in places like India and China just isn't present in such a strong way here.

And you also need to be really committed and a really hard worker to stand out if you live in a place with as big a population as India or China. With so many people, all working really hard and all achieving top grades, to sort of stand out from the crowd, you'd have to be really amazing. And so everyone works hard to try to stand out, I guess. It's easy enough to stand out from the crowd here though, just takes some effort (well, I say some, it takes a fair bit - but far less than it would take if you were in the Indian or Chinese education system).

Exactly. They're forced to have to work so hard, because they're put at a slight disadvatage at the beginning. Even when Indians move to England, they work so hard - they set up corner shops, they get lower-paid jobs, but they work hard enough to send their kids to good schools, who then go on to becoming doctors, lawyers and businessmen - and reap the benefits. It's a fantastic work ethic and I think people in this country could really take a leaf from their books.

I think the reason that they work so hard is because they are at that slight disadvantage - but once you take that disadvantage away, in some cases the work ethic dissappears too. The children of people who have money in India (and by money I mean major, send kids to do IGCSEs in private schools that could well be found in England) are often v. lazy too. I think that if you have never known the meaning of being at a true disadvantage, there is never any real impetus to work hard, i.e. the fantastic work ethic doesn't come naturally and isn't present everywhere, like in Asia, but has to be developed. I'm not entirely sure I'm making myself clear, but what I mean is that devloping that sort of dedicated work ethic and discipline is here is a lot harder than it is in somewhere like India as, tbh, if one sunny day I decided I couldn't be arsed, I'd still get benefits and stove and you're basically garunteed a roof over your head and a stove to cook off in this country and the west, but that sort of security isn't there in India. If you can't be bothered and you don't have a family to support you then more often than not, you'll end up on the street.

I dunno I think that although the Asian work ethic and the education system in terms of results and knowledge is fantastic, it is sorely lacking the emotional development and personal, general well roundedness that Western systems seek to provide. Similarly, although the western system of education does produce many well rounded individuals - it often doesn't push those who could do with a bit of pushing hard enough. The only time I can ever remember being comfortable saying 'Right, I can do this, it's really easy, I want to do something harder' was in Maths...and I didn't feel like others thought I was arrogant or something by saying it. The teacher made us feel comfortable and allowed everyone to go at their own pace. She let us know that there is no point in doing easy stuff and if we want something harder then we should ask for it. It's the only class in which I was able to push myself (and it wasn't only me, a whole bunch of us did harder work)...and it's a pity cos I think that people who are capable and want to push themselves could probably achieve really well, and while they wouldn't beat Asian standards, they could definitely start approaching them.

Hmm while I agree that usually the really rich ones lack the work ethic because there's less of a "need" to do well, less motivation, it's not entirely true. My cousins attend a private school - the Cathedral school in Bombay - and they're forced to work really, really hard. If they lack that work ethic for one second, they'll be in serious trouble. My 5 (!!) year old cousin was put under huge amounts of stress when it came to applying to the Cathedral school - luckily she was accepted.

But I see what you mean - they lack the 'social' growth that English schools teach us. Both are important - work ethic and the social growth. I guess a school in between which strikes a perfect balance could be considered to be a freakin' fantastic one.

Hmm while I agree that usually the really rich ones lack the work ethic because there's less of a "need" to do well, less motivation, it's not entirely true. My cousins attend a private school - the Cathedral school in Bombay - and they're forced to work really, really hard. If they lack that work ethic for one second, they'll be in serious trouble. My 5 (!!) year old cousin was put under huge amounts of stress when it came to applying to the Cathedral school - luckily she was accepted.

But I see what you mean - they lack the 'social' growth that English schools teach us. Both are important - work ethic and the social growth. I guess a school in between which strikes a perfect balance could be considered to be a freakin' fantastic one.

I think you've put it pretty much perfectly - it's what I've been trying to say (getting getting really v. sidetracked!). And yeah - Obviously you have exceptions and can't generalise and everyones different, so if I've offended, I'm not saying that everyone in the world is exactly as I've described - just that I've met a fair few people who are .

Ok, I'll shush now and go back to saying how, erm, fecky the papers are!