People's lives are ridiculously affected by the high value given to exam results yet in only ten years time they will be irrelevant.
The trouble, as usual, is that people don't stop and think. They get persuaded by a popular myth, held by millions of people, and as a result their lives become dictated by it because they allow their self-opinion to be influenced by this warped thinking.
The same type of thinking exists regarding the value of money.
If you get loads of money, all your problems will be solved.
If you get really good exam results, all your problems are solved.
Duh! Do you learn anything from the Simpsons. Do you learn anything from in depth documentaries like the series of seven year programs which followed people every seven years from the age of seven. By the time the program reached 35 we found that those that had followed a smooth climb to their desired goal, suddenly woke up to find themselves in cosy jobs and marriages but they weren't happy; they had never stopped to question what was important to them and realised they wanted to ditch everything they had achieved and start all over again. This put a phenomenal strain on all their relationships and their own self esteem - they became shattered useless humans for a time. Meanwhile we discovered a tear away, streetwise kid at 14 had followed his gut instincts, ignored school- became a wizz at calculating betting odds - became a jockey and had a hard life initially but one that totally satisfied him, now apparently having joined the 'successful' with a second home.
Contrast - someone who stops and thinks and one who just follows the crowd/culture - a load of questionable myths.
Stand back a little and look at the world around and try to think objectively and maybe you'll be able to see though all the hype of why it's important to do so well in exams. Perhaps it's only important because everyone else believes the same. You may in fact be ahead of 'the game' if exams results are disregarded.
You may even thank the day when you found that you didn't qualify for that place at university but instead went on a world tour and lived off your wits. These are the people that I'm privileged to mix with here in Ulverston - people at forty to sixty who are having the times of their lives and loving every minute of a life 'on the edge' after a time that many people would call a misspent youth. Fortunately I've also met one or two in the 27 year old bracket that have spent a lot of time thinking 'out of the box' and are just beginning to become well rounded humans who know a little of what they don't want to do and now have an inkling of what is worth exploring.
As ever (on looking up Wiki) my recollections and my deductions are predictably a collection of my myths and very loosely based on facts !
Does anyone else support the premise that exams only serve to bolster or destroy a person's self confidence and are in themselves of little importance?
As I look to my future, I value my self confidence far greater that my degree accomplishments or even past accomplishments of all kinds. For me the self belief that I can cope satisfactorily with whatever life throws at me is extremely important. I know I still have the ability to learn new things and could if needs be earn enough to stay alive and earn money. This leads me to have a low regard for the value of money and everything around me. The most important to me is what is deep inside my emotional being, something that is there as a result of my total life experience.
2 comments:
comment on exam results is both misguided and narrow minded, plus a little out of touch mate. For those hard working individuals it is their passport to a better future. I find your opinions naive, offensive and insulting.
Mike Hunt.
I speak as a former teacher in secondary schools, so not naive I think.
I feel strongly for the substantial number of student that I have known that feel they are failures because the schools believe they cannot achieve a C grade. The preoccupation of most heads that they have to have students that achieve 5 A-C exam grades means that if they feel there is no chance of you getting a C then the school puts across strong messages that the school doesn't want you. If there is any chance of you getting a C then you're flavour of the month and will give you masses of help to help you climb up to the magic C.
I have seen the whole attitude of students change from one where they thought school was wonderful in years 7 to 9 to complete rebels because they believed they where no good - they then became unteachable and understandably very disruptive.
Far better I believe not to put so much emphasis on exam grades and instead seek to help everyone to enjoying education at all levels so that students leave school feeling confident that they will do well in life whatevery their ability. One of the qualities most valued in real life is reliability and not exam results. Be a totally reliable person and you will find people want to work with you whatever your stupid exam results. I change you to find me a teacher that does agree.
Teachers are fed up with being told how to do their jobs my politicians that think they know best - in fact the good ones often leave for jobs elsewhere. Jobs that value their judgement and natural common sense ability.
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