Comments on: 5 reasons why HSC and ATAR scores make the angels cry

By: kmcg2375

kmcg2375 — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 15:18:08 +0000

Hi Rizzy…it’s a good question, isn’t it?

My feeling is that most students have mastered the ‘basic’ English and Maths needed to ‘survive in the community’ before they get to Year 11…but surely we want more for our kids than that?

English is compulsory in NSW for Year 11 & 12 due to a recognition that students in fact require a very sophisticated level of skill in communication and understanding of language to experience success in society today.

The question is: would students also benefit from being made to study sophisticated levels of Maths? I’m not sure what the answer to this is.

I just wish that a unit of English wasn’t compulsory in the calculation of the UAI The pressure that this places on teachers to ‘teach to the test’ is crazy bananas!

By: Rizzy Phillips

Rizzy Phillips — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:06:03 +0000

I’m a year 11 student parent. Why English is a compulsory subject for ATAR and not Maths? We need basic English and Maths to be able to survive in the community at the basic level. So I don’t understand why Maths is not one of the compulsory subject as english.

Since girls are more advance in language, it may be why more girls do better than the boys in HSC.

By: Laura

Laura — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:53:31 +0000

I have to, and sadly, agree with you. As a teacher who has taken my first year 12s through, I cannot believe that it has all come down to a number that determines their worth. because of the hype and extreme competitiveness between schools and teachers I feel that I will fail them if they don’t get a good score. What happened to all the knowledge gained in class? What happened to enlightenment and wisdom? Because the board has made the end result a number, and the universities evaluate a students worth on a rank. I’ve seen a beautiful girl cry today her world crumbled because of an ATAR of 50 who tried so hard. It is not a reward on effort.

By: Harold

Harold — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 03:48:09 +0000

Well the Results are in and Im sooooooooooo deppressed about my marks. Even though i was a a grade student at school i hated the HSC. Everyday i feell like shit, bieng deppressed about the mark and being counted as a failure. Deppression sucks sooo bad even ruined my bday.

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 02:58:03 +0000

It’s so true, the pressure of comparing yourself to everyone else has destroyed me. I get so depressed about it, leading then to do half-assed efforts in my other assignments, which in turn, leave me more depressed than before. It’s ridiculous. Really, is there no other way they could do it?

By: 2010 in review « Kelli McGraw

2010 in review « Kelli McGraw — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 02:40:48 +0000

[...] 5 reasons why HSC and ATAR scores make the angels cry December 2009 12 comments LikeBe the first to like this post. [...]

By: The HSC again. and again. « Kelli McGraw

The HSC again. and again. « Kelli McGraw — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 05:52:59 +0000

[...] I’m sure this post / these tweets should have some ‘IMHO’s peppered through them, but stuff it – the HSC is an evil device. [...]

By: David Chapman

David Chapman — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:25:30 +0000

Well expressed. The results of the HSC today are causing the predictable highs and lows around students and teachers today. It saddens me to think that we spend so much time teaching to the HSC exam – and Stage 6 planning and reflecting is almost completely focussed on preparing for those exams.

In an age of free (or almost/should be free) information and education – why do we still have to rank? It makes no sense. I love to teach – and I love engaging students in stuff that inspires them – and then we remember the exams.

(for the record this is not bitterness – my students did very well today- but I still don’t like the exams and ranking).

By: kmcg2375

kmcg2375 — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 06:48:17 +0000

Oh, that is sad to hear! But, at least it is almost over now…you are on the home stretch and can get back to enjoying your learning and reading again soon
Thanks for commenting on my blog chickie <3

By: Eleanor Dixon

Eleanor Dixon — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 05:35:18 +0000

omgosh miss!! this is exactly how I feel throughout year 12 !! its so depressing!