I think Rita didn't go to the party because she might have felt very nervous at the moment she got to Frank's place. Sharing the evening with those people might have meant a sort of test for her and she did not feel very self confident to take it. Also, because she thought she would not feel at ease and on the other hand she probably compared herself with the guests and she felt she was not up to standard, she was not like them and she would not have anything in common either to share or talk about with them. From the educational point of view, this reminds me of the fear sometimes students feel when they have to face the moment of evaluation. Lots of feelings and fears lurk inside them which make them paralize when they have to sit for a test.
On the other hand I think her mother's words had an underlying message. I guess her mother probably has felt the same Rita feels right now about the challenge of learning at some moment of her life but she might have not tried or succeeded in doing so (we really do not know up to now). This comment from her mother's must have given Rita the strenght to go on and try harder so as not to end up regretting not having at least made the effort to make a change in her life, to improve, to feel a better person... Sometimes, when we are in the role of a student or a techer, the idea of not achieving a goal or having difficulties in our learning process or facilitating knowledge gives us the strengh to go on and overcome obstacles. At times, these difficulties can cause the opposite effect: frustration and giving up our aims.
As regards Fank's comment on Rita's essay I think what he meant was that a student would write just to pass a test and probaly Rita's essay does not have the required academic level for a passing mark. However, Frank recognizes how valuable it is, for the essay shows up her uniqueness and passion while writing and he does not want to change that "trade mark" Rita has. Anyway, Rita does not feel flattered with Frank's opinion because although he says he does not want to change the way she writes for he would be changing her, she reminds him of the change she is looking for.
In my opinion, this episode tells us a lot about who sets parameters when testing students and how these are set. At times there is not a unified criterium to set parameters and it depend on each teacher to be able to test a student taking into account lots of factors which are part of the evaluation. For example: the student's background, social and emotional situation, effort, dedication ... also what do we appreciate of our students ???? Can we see beyond their school work as Frank did with Rita....?
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Hi Silvia!
Your post is packed of interesting ideas! Let me see if I can focus on a couple of them...
1. We cannot go past this question of who sets standards at academic situations, can we? In the everyday rush of thinking of lesson aims, materials and class management measures, we teachers tend to overlook the enormous amount of power we may have to influence a student's life, don't you think? Perhaps not just by ourselves, not over every student, but on the whole...
What has led Rita to undervalue herself like this, in your view? Is Frank right in encouraging her to join "properly educated people" at his place? Or should he protect her from mock and ridicule?
2. Your noticing how our students often feel about evaluation certainly deserves discussion. Do you think we teachers should do anything about it, or is just "the way things are"?
3. Your final discussion on whether we should "personalise" standards of evaluation at school seems fascinating to me... How can we balance a thirst for fostering social inclusion in the classroom with the idea that "standards must be preserved" so that institutional educations keep their prestige?
Let's keep in touch!
Warmly,
Gladys
Firstly, I am not very sure if Frank has thought about how Rita would feel when inviting her to the party. I believe, as Frank has been able to see the sensible and unique person within Rita, he wants to her there at the party but because of what he can see in her which does not mean the otheres would see the same. Probably, he did not place himself in Rita's shoes. I do not think she was ready to face such a situation.
Secondly, I definitely think we need to do something about our students in exams situation for not everyone is able to go through that moment naturally, taking myself as an example in the first place. We, teachers need to take into account not just the academic level of students when testing but we also need to be aware of how much the student has done or not before that moment and how much the student is able to do.
Moving on to the third question, I think "personalized" evaluation has to do with what I've commented before, having a clear view of each student. Of course there must be certain academic standards, however, not everyone is able to do everything the same way and up to the same level so we need to know a lot about each student for an objective evaluation.
What would be Rita be lacking so as to be "ready to face such a situation", Silvia?
As for final exams, if the student cannot "successfully perform" in front of a board, and you'll still make allowances (as their teacher), is there any point in having exam boards "to ensure objectivity in the measurement of standard achievement"?
Finally, after all you've said, to what extent can (and should)"good evaluation of a learner's progress and achievement" be "objective"?
Oh, if discussing teaching was as simple as discusssing maths or physics!!! ;-)
See you in class!
Gladys
Firstly, I think she lacks self confidence and her self esteem is not that high so as to face that situation.
As regards final exams, I think they are not necessary in cases in which teachers can follow the students' learning process through out the whole year havenin regular evaluation instances along the school year. I guess a year is enough ( of course depending the number of student and the quality of personal follow up the teacher can make) to realize whether a student is able to go on or not.
I really do not know, how ojective the students' learning process can be, I believe there are some factors that help good evaluation but this also deoends of the teacher's criterium of evaluation and his/ her objectivivy. I do understand how difficult this is...
Well, if what she needs is to enhance her "self confidence and her self esteem", we'll see a lot of that in the first Scene of Act 2, believe me!
As for evaluation, perhaps we might venture "absolute objectivity" is not even desirable at all, since you've been emphasising teachers should take the student as well as the product into account!
"See you" in your next post!
Love,
Gladys
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