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Songbird

Well........what a day this has been. First London, then I find my brother (truck driver) has been in a serious accident that claimed 2 lives back home in Oz, and now this......

I had my writing exam today. The department a week ago, specifically told me to give them a hard copy of both the exam and answer keys, as well as give them a copy on disk of the same. So, some bright smart a$$ in the department decided to give the students not ONLY the exam, but the ANNNSSWWWEEERRRR KEEEYYYSS as well Shocked

. The exam finished at 10am, it's now after 5pm, and I have just been told. By some nice honest student who called. Nobody from the department called to tell me. So I call them, and speak to the vice dean, who I could literally hear cowering and lowering his voice on the phone. I have now refused to mark the 221 papers (yay!!!!! Laughing

), only the sections that required open answers (ie. free writing, letters etc). Hey, they've already done 1 exam, so it's not all down the poo......after a day like this, all I can do is laugh and prepare for holidays (now the exams will only take 2 days, not 5) Cool

I want out of this *beep* NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Songbird · Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2005 12:49 am Post subject:

Added bonus......

I teach 2 subjects. The second exam was today. The department decided that my exam (that I'd worked for hours writing) sucked, and replaced it with an old paper........it just gets better and better........

Twisted Evil

gulam2 · Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 137

Songbird,
Stay cool. Go with the flow (always good advice in China)
Life has its ups and downs and this period will soon pass.
My sympathies to your brother. These things are hard.
Don't worry too much about the exams - my experiences are that they are a farce anyway.
Good Luck

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

Snowbird, sorry about your brother. With regards to your work, the exams in China are approached totally differently than in any English speaking country. I always worry about my students' progress more than about the farce exams.

When I worked in a government public school the Chinese teachers often gave the exam questions out to their students in advance "TO PRACTICE" having them memorize the right answers. Sorry that I do not know your school's system or your role in it, though as a "foreign expert" I would really have my own standards and progress levels set. Good for you to mark only the open questions in it!

Cheers and beers

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

Hey Songbird mate, SO SORRY for I just realized that I've got your name wrong. I'll be more careful next time.
Cheers and beers

Songbird

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

Yeah! That's what this forum's about. Find someone to talk to or get an advice here.

Here goes a cold larger! Ohh, mate I wish I could donwnload this one now.

Cheers and beers

profile · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Posts: 776

Songbird, sorry to hear of this highly frustrating experience. It's by no means the first of similar for foreign teachers and will not be the last.

Forget the exams now and call your brother or write him an email to give him support in a difficult time.

Enjoy your holiday.

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

Hope your brother is okay.

As for Chinese exams, I have very little to say other than fully understanding why Chinese diplomas are not accepted in the west for employment prospects.

Songbird · Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 12:06 am Post subject:

Whiner, what happened to the wall? You had such a great pic up, really liked it Sad

Jolly · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 202