Today, I was proctoring a mid-term for a student from the Advanced course. They had chosen to take the test in a separate room from the classroom as some students can do this for various health, etc. reasons. But I was surprised at the number of pages of this particular exam which was made by another Japanese teacher. I watched her work diligently. But after the chime rang, there were a lot of blank answers that she didn’t have time to finish.
Later, I let the Japanese teacher know what I observed and inquired how the other Advanced students had done on the test and if they had been able to finish everything. And he replied that none of them were able to answer everything and that he purposely makes the test this way.
I was a bit surprised. I asked him why would he make a test that was impossible to finish. Why would he make a test that students had no chance of scoring a 100? or even an 80 or above? He was partly at a loss for words, but reiterated that the Advanced students needed to feel the pressure of time to help them prepare for university exams. And I let it go.
I’ve been here a very long time, teaching at this private high. But this was my first time to encounter such a lengthy exam that was made with the intent of being unable to finish. I do understand that Advanced students need timing practice and to be pushed, and I have no problem with this occurring in the classroom or for mock exams. But being able to score a 5 (the equivalent of an A) on their mid-terms is very important for their school transcripts, and I think this teacher is jeopardizing this somewhat. Plus, I find it a bit unethical to create something that cannot be completed.
by maxjapank
