Countdown to Freedom

gallygirl

ammonite wrote: »

GCSEs and A-Levels are the worst exams to prepare a student for the outside world or university IMHO. Students at universities don't have the necessary skills, even basic essay writing skills when they arrive. I can't even see that these reforms will improve anything though! Anyway good luck Tilly Jnr!

Our weather is the same!

What no-one ver actually says is that, regardless of the overall quality of an A grade GCSE compared to an O level, it is easier to get an A grade GCSE as you can take as long as you want preparing each piece of work (and I think you can resubmit?). Personally I like the rigour of exams (when I did my OU degree me & a guy doing the same courses would wind everyone up in the waiting area as we were both really excited as opposed to terrified :rotfl:) but I think a combination is probably best.

I do think it's a shame for the poor students though - they didn't choose the system and it's not fair to denigrate their efforts. Reminds me of Allan Wells winning the gold in the Moscow Olympics - people said he wouldn't have won it if the American's had been there. He beat everyone he could - not his fault if someone else didn't turn up!

Weather pooh here as well . Am going to London later & rain forecast but fortunately will be under cover most of the time. Can cut out most of the outside walking by cutting through a v large M&S :eek:. Just need to leg it from car park to station.

Emergency food parcels for anyone banking with Nat West :eek:.

greent

gallygirl wrote: »

What no-one ver actually says is that, regardless of the overall quality of an A grade GCSE compared to an O level, it is easier to get an A grade GCSE as you can take as long as you want preparing each piece of work (and I think you can resubmit?). Personally I like the rigour of exams (when I did my OU degree me & a guy doing the same courses would wind everyone up in the waiting area as we were both really excited as opposed to terrified :rotfl:) but I think a combination is probably best.

I do think it's a shame for the poor students though - they didn't choose the system and it's not fair to denigrate their efforts. Reminds me of Allan Wells winning the gold in the Moscow Olympics - people said he wouldn't have won it if the American's had been there. He beat everyone he could - not his fault if someone else didn't turn up!

DD has just started her GCSE courses - her school has moved (for her year) from modular to linear mode - so apparently they don't have coursework, it's all exams at the end (drama being the exception, from what I understand) The lesson plans are slightly in the air as none of the teachers seem to have taught for this style of exam before (nor (looking at their ages!:D) studied for this style themselves:cool:

DS1 will be the first year affected by the possible reform changes. I was the last year of O levels (and our school also ran a couple of '16+' papers - which were a sort of trial of what GCSE papers would be like (well, that was how it was explained to us)

I remember being in the VIth form and having discussions with my language and maths A level teachers (I took a slightly strange mix of subjects) as to just how easy the practice papers for the GCSEs that year were - the teachers were horrified at what they saw as 'dumbing down' of qualifications.

Enough of me hi-jacking Tilly's thread now!:o

ammonite

Food parcels gratefully received

In my opinion exams are a pretty terrible way of testing understanding and comprehensive, for the most part they are a memory test. I'm not a fan. I don't agree with lots of re-sitting though unless there is a good reason. Yes I've hijacked TIlly's thread too

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Goodness I don't check my diary all day and it's bedlam . I am going to catch up with you all now.

Tilly x

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hi all, I have caught up on the chat. Whilst I don't agree with re-sits at all, I did like the idea of course work being marked and counting towards the exam grade. I absolutely hated exams and my predictions and actual results demonstrated that fact. I also have very different kids, one total academic who flies through everything and who could cope fine with one set of exams at the end of a two year period, and another who finds exams torture and I know he will struggle with the linear approach.

I do think that University input to the curriculum and methods of teaching could be quite interesting. In addition, we need to think of prospective employers and what they want and need from employees of the future. I have had some interns work with me in the past who were totally incapable of workng with minimal direction, and a handful who were fantastic and really wanted to embrace hands on learning. Who knows where this will end - I know I certainly would not enjoy handling the reform :eek:

Right, I am off to put a small joint of pork in the oven. We are having pork sandwiches, stuffing and apple sauce for tea - I can't call that dinner as it doesn't seem like a meal, but will be fab - we all love the smell of roast pork and no doubt will fight over the crackle, which I know is not good for us, but IS very tasty xxx

Enjoy the wind, the rain, any snow which may fall, or hail storms we could have - I will be making pork sandwich food parcels later :T

Best wishes Tilly x

Radish72

Pork, apple sauce and stuffing on mine please

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

They were yummy x x x x

greent

Hope you're ok - am missing my daily Tilly-fix over breakfast!

Sepa74

Hi Tilly,

i think you should write the 'left overs' cookbook - how to make tasty, left over meals using odds and ends of previous meals, while using up whatever you have in your cupboard. The ingredients list would include lots and lots of substitutes, along with a short description of how they would change the final dish.

It would also be a bit of a 'how to' book, encouraging people to be creative in the kitchen, rather than just slavishly following a recipe.

Take it easy,

Sepa

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Good morning (almost good afternoon), goodness I have a lot to catch up on. I have been feeling quite ropey over the last week and am just beginning to come round now.

I have just checked my bank account and made a small OP, to neaten up my current account :rotfl: I can't help myself.

The rain and sun over the last few days have made a big diffence to the raspberries and strawberries and they are producing glorious fruits. I have just sat outside eating a few strawberries which was lovely.

I have a mountain of ironing to do so am going to do 30 minutes and have a break. On the money saving front, I need to do a freezer inventory update and finish the menu plan for July. As we have loads of mange tout growing, they will feature in a number of ways. I didn't expect the potatoes to be ready this early but they appear to be and it means loads of steamed baby potatoes with finely chopped mint and zest of lemon mmmmmmm. Served with a little butter, that's my favourite.

There are a couple of admin jobs I need to complete, both of which have financial implications so the sooner the better. I don't feel up to doing paperwork today so that can be tomorrow's job

We did a 5 mile walk yesterday with the dogs and they had a great time. I haven't been up to walking over the last few days so it was good to be out stretching our legs.

I think that's it for now. I will catch up on everyone's diaries during the day.

btw - fiscal fast in place and aiming NOT to shop at all this week, nor the weekend. Ideally I want to get to Friday next week before heading out to the shops

Best wishes, Tilly x