That's the headline that Fark.com gives to this story, and I can't come up with one more concise - and appropriate:
Pupils across Lincolnshire may soon be able to sit exams without fear of failing, when new government guidelines come into effect. The guidelines, for marking key national curriculum exams, recommend that the current F grade, for 'fail', should be replaced with an N grade, for 'nearly'.
The guidelines were sent out to markers of this summer's exams by the Government's Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. They include instructions that maths exam answers should be marked as either 'creditworthy' or 'not creditworthy', rather than correct or incorrect.
The changes cover English, maths and science exams at key stages one, two and three, which are taken by seven-, 11- and 14-year-olds. Youngsters who do not achieve a minimum mark, where the tests have a target of levels three to five, can be given a 'compensatory level two' award.
A spokesman for the authority denied that the marking scheme blurred the distinction between passing and failing. The spokesman said the use of 'creditworthy' was appropriate because some answers to maths questions were worth several marks, and it was possible to get some marks even if the final answer was wrong.
Nick Seaton, the chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, described the changes as "political correctness gone stark raving bonkers". He said educational managers were afraid to use the words 'right', 'wrong' and 'fail'.
I think, if this is not a joke, that Nick is right. "Stark raving bonkers" is the least-extreme term I'd use for this. Hey, Mr. "Spokesman," do you really think that a kid who gets several steps of a mathematical equation right, but gets the "uncreditworthy" answer, does in fact know what he's doing, math-wise? Do you really believe that kid should get some credit, if only psychologically, for getting to the wrong answer? What if that kid gets into engineering school with this sort of mathematical training? Would you ever drive over a bridge designed by that type of student?
Math has right answers and wrong answers, and all this PC fuddling around to hide the fact that Lincolnshire can't teach its kids to get the right answers isn't going to change that. If they follow the right steps but get the wrong answer, it's just plain WRONG, and the student's work should be corrected.
Methinks these folks need to read music teacher Bob Blount's essay on why effort isn't good enough (cached version; not sure how long it will be up). Key line:
If the results are poor but I praise the effort, here's what I'm telling them: "The quality of effort that produces poor results is not only acceptable, it is praiseworthy." I don't know about you, but I don't want MY kids getting that message from anyone, anywhere, anytime.
Posted by kswygert at September 22, 2003 05:48 PM