Wednesday, September 13, 2006

I do not understand what joy teachers derive out of setting difficult papers. And it just had to be our prelims. Does seeing students panic in the middle of the examination hall, clutching tightly to their gently creased papers with anxiety saturating their minds give them an ecstatic feeling? Or setting difficult papers just to show to the other schools in Singapore that VS papers are way challenging, meaning we're a good school. I certainly hope not.

Maybe teachers who set difficult papers are just misunderstood by students. Maybe, they're doing it for our own good. They want us to process our knowledge more efficiently and thus we would be well prepared for the O levels. Wow, that's nice. But wait, the O levels DOES NOT require us to apply our knowledge to such an extent. Neither do they twist questions to such an extent. Setting difficult papers drains the morale of the students. Making them feel inferior and helpless about their present condition, when in fact, comparing to national standard, they are way above the average level.

The physics prelim paper today was an example. Okay fine, maybe I'm just the one with a problem with physics. But no, the response was similar throughout the level! You can just guess how 'easy' the paper was. I was diligent and did all the VS prelim papers from 2001-2005, and I have to say this year's is the hardest. Some even said this paper is more difficult than RI's paper, and they're like the top school in Singapore? Okay fine, there'll be moderation. But even if a 50/100 gives you an A1, which will never happen, will you still feel accomplished? Even one of the top students in the level did not finish the paper!

There goes the first three months. Physics was supposed to get me somewhere, but apparently, it stabbed me in the back. I'm sorry if this post is rather offending and one-sided. But nevermind, it's only an examintation. I am moving on and not crying over spilled milk.

I better hope the remaining papers don't turn out the same way. Especially chemistry.

Posted at 1:02 PM