Avoid Negative Thoughts, People, Things and Habits.
Believe in yourself.
Consider things from every angle and others points of view.
Dare to Dream and Dream Big
Energy, Excitement and Enthusiaism is in your blood.
Family and Friends are hidden treasures; enjoy these riches.
Give more than you planned to.
Have a good sense of humour.
Ignore Critisism, Ridicule and Discouragement from others.
Jump on Problems because they are Opportunities in disguise.
Keep up the good work however hard it may seem.
Love yourself, just as you are.
Make Impossibility a Possibility.
Never lie, cheat or steal, always strike a fair deal.
Open your eyes and see things as they really are.
Prefect Practice makes you perfect.
Quitters never Win and Winners never Quit.
Reward yourself for every small success and achievement.
Stop Wasting your Time and Procrastinating important Goals.
Take control of your Life and your Goals.
Understand so that you could Understood.
Visualize your Goals and Dreams everyday.
Win over your own weaknesses and make them as your Strengths.
Xccelerate your efforts
Yes Yes Yes, Yes you Can and You Will…!
Zap your Stress and Enjoy your Life..
Jumat, Oktober 30, 2009
POSITIVE THINKING
Do not think of what you do not have;
Instead, appreciate what you have and can still have.
Do not think of things lost;
Instead, value what you still have and may yet find.
Do not cry over spilled milk;
Instead, rejoice in what was left.
Do not think of what you are not;
Instead, be humble with what you are and can still become.
Do not think of what others say you are;
Instead, concern yourself with what you affirm to be.
Do not think of the hours and days past;
Instead, look eagerly to times that are yet to come.
Do not think of what you failed to do;
Instead, think of those that you were able to do and can still best do.
Do not think of mistakes committed;
Instead, count the things you did right.
Do not think much of the pain you have caused;
Instead, plan for ways to make amends.
Do not think of the sufferings you now bear;
Instead, look to the comfort when relief draws near.
Do not consume yourself with thoughts of what could have been;
Instead, marvel at what has become and will become.
Do not be anxious to attain greater happiness;
Instead, content yourself with the little things which bring you bliss.
Do not aspire to fill your cup at once;
Instead, have the patience to do it little by little.
And if by chance you fail, do not fret over the empty part on top;
Instead, celebrate the space filled up.
Do not condemn nature when it is at its worst;
Instead, think of the times when it was at its best.
Do not blame luck for things you miss;
Instead, learn from things in which you have been remiss.
Nor should you curse luck or others for life's misfortunes;
Instead, accept them as part of life.
I say then, Live fully, die a little,
Learn much but question less.
Have just enough but give much more,
Be contented each time to crave much less.
Doubt less and affirm a lot,
Understand more, and be understood less.
Worry a little but hope you must,
Accept all, resist the least.
For all things happen, In due time they must.
Instead, appreciate what you have and can still have.
Do not think of things lost;
Instead, value what you still have and may yet find.
Do not cry over spilled milk;
Instead, rejoice in what was left.
Do not think of what you are not;
Instead, be humble with what you are and can still become.
Do not think of what others say you are;
Instead, concern yourself with what you affirm to be.
Do not think of the hours and days past;
Instead, look eagerly to times that are yet to come.
Do not think of what you failed to do;
Instead, think of those that you were able to do and can still best do.
Do not think of mistakes committed;
Instead, count the things you did right.
Do not think much of the pain you have caused;
Instead, plan for ways to make amends.
Do not think of the sufferings you now bear;
Instead, look to the comfort when relief draws near.
Do not consume yourself with thoughts of what could have been;
Instead, marvel at what has become and will become.
Do not be anxious to attain greater happiness;
Instead, content yourself with the little things which bring you bliss.
Do not aspire to fill your cup at once;
Instead, have the patience to do it little by little.
And if by chance you fail, do not fret over the empty part on top;
Instead, celebrate the space filled up.
Do not condemn nature when it is at its worst;
Instead, think of the times when it was at its best.
Do not blame luck for things you miss;
Instead, learn from things in which you have been remiss.
Nor should you curse luck or others for life's misfortunes;
Instead, accept them as part of life.
I say then, Live fully, die a little,
Learn much but question less.
Have just enough but give much more,
Be contented each time to crave much less.
Doubt less and affirm a lot,
Understand more, and be understood less.
Worry a little but hope you must,
Accept all, resist the least.
For all things happen, In due time they must.
Rabu, Juli 15, 2009
HANDLING CRITICISM
If you are innovative in any area and do stand out from the crowd you are most likely to receive quite much criticism, both constructive and unjustified. Even if you are not the most innovative business owner out there I am sure you have been criticized many times. But were you able to respond to the criticism? Did you take the criticism and turned it in to something good? Below is a few pointers how to handle criticism in your business.
Do not feel discouraged
You have to keep an positive attitude and do something good with the criticism you get. All the criticism you get will not be justified, and when it is not you got to be able to speak up for yourself against the person criticizing you.
If your critic is hostile, it is often from being jealous and what the person criticizing you knows is that it will hurt you, make you sad or maybe even angry. As an entrepreneur you got to work on your self-esteem and keep your head high all the time and really believe in yourself. The best way to handle destructive feedback would probably be to just ignore it. Whatever you do, do not sink to their level, if you are to respond to their criticism, do it in a way that will help you instead of making it worse. You do not always have to defend yourself.
Listen and then act
If it is constructive feedback you get you should really listen to what the person has to say and take that in to consideration, but do not just listen to one persons opinion, whether you feel the feedback is good or bad you should always look for more sources for feedback and if the majority says the same, it is time to act.
Do not forget to express gratitude to your critic when the criticism is justified.
If you feel that the criticism you just got was justified but in no way constructive, take that negative feedback and turn it in to something positive. Ask the critic to explain, and give you full feedback so that you can improve.
You can really benefit from criticism, and the ability to handle criticism is a vital key to success.
Do not feel discouraged
You have to keep an positive attitude and do something good with the criticism you get. All the criticism you get will not be justified, and when it is not you got to be able to speak up for yourself against the person criticizing you.
If your critic is hostile, it is often from being jealous and what the person criticizing you knows is that it will hurt you, make you sad or maybe even angry. As an entrepreneur you got to work on your self-esteem and keep your head high all the time and really believe in yourself. The best way to handle destructive feedback would probably be to just ignore it. Whatever you do, do not sink to their level, if you are to respond to their criticism, do it in a way that will help you instead of making it worse. You do not always have to defend yourself.
Listen and then act
If it is constructive feedback you get you should really listen to what the person has to say and take that in to consideration, but do not just listen to one persons opinion, whether you feel the feedback is good or bad you should always look for more sources for feedback and if the majority says the same, it is time to act.
Do not forget to express gratitude to your critic when the criticism is justified.
If you feel that the criticism you just got was justified but in no way constructive, take that negative feedback and turn it in to something positive. Ask the critic to explain, and give you full feedback so that you can improve.
You can really benefit from criticism, and the ability to handle criticism is a vital key to success.
SELF DISCIPLINE
Self discipline, the art of being able to step out of your comfort zone and stop making all your decisions based only on your comfort level. Is that a good description? I think so, or as a matter of fact I know it is that way based on my own experiences and what I have heard from other entrepreneurs, most of them working from their home.
By stretching beyond our comfort level we are able to really get things done that needs to get done and by that we are also boosting our confidence in what we do. Most of us know what needs to be done and are actually able to do it, but a lot of people, including myself, sometimes find it hard to discipline ourselves above of what is comfortable at the moment, and with this our companies do not perform what they should if we would give 100% to get our job done.
Because of this we all really need to have a look at this, and what can be done to change this set of mind to the better. How do we stretch ourselves over to the next level out of the comfort zone? There are a couple of steps to help you improve.
Your Responsibility
A first step to take is to acknowledge your responsibility. You got to see what you have to do to be succesful with your venture and admit to yourself that you are sitting around doing nothing and that it is your own fault if you do not succed when doing this.
Define your purpose
What do you want to accomplish? That is a question that helps you determaine a cause of why you are doing what you are doing. A part of this process is setting goals and realizing the importance of goals.
Do not feel stressed
It may take some time to get things done, but do not feel stressed over work, try to find the balance and allow things to take the time it needs. My article on stress management can be a great additional read to this article.
Schedule work
If you are really having a hard time getting a good structure in your work, setting up a schedule with work sessions is an excellent tool. As self-employed you should still work at least 8 hours a day if needed, and if you are working at home you can be more flexible so if you need you can spread your work sessions over the day. But if you are really having problems with your discipline you should not divide your work sessions in more than two 4 hours sessions.
Except from scheduling the hours you should also set up a priority list, with what you have to do today and what should be finished during these work sessions. When something has been done, strike it off the list.
Avoid distractions
As I discussed in my article, Importance of a seperate work space it is very important to find a place to work at where a minmum of distractions are available. This includes family members, TVs and other stuff keeping you from 100% focus on your task.
As with everything you need to do you will be tempted to not do it from time to time, to make up excuses for youself why you should not do it. Do NOT fall for that. Instead offer yourself some incentives and think of what you can do, when the money comes rolling in. Maybe a cruise in the Carribbeans or a new bike? On what level you put it is up to you, but it sure helps to motivate you.
There is no short cut to this, it is all about hard work, but with the steps above you are able to set your mind to this and start your journey to success.
When you have set a higher level of self discipline you will be able to do almost anything, the only one that can stop yourself from doing something is you.
By stretching beyond our comfort level we are able to really get things done that needs to get done and by that we are also boosting our confidence in what we do. Most of us know what needs to be done and are actually able to do it, but a lot of people, including myself, sometimes find it hard to discipline ourselves above of what is comfortable at the moment, and with this our companies do not perform what they should if we would give 100% to get our job done.
Because of this we all really need to have a look at this, and what can be done to change this set of mind to the better. How do we stretch ourselves over to the next level out of the comfort zone? There are a couple of steps to help you improve.
Your Responsibility
A first step to take is to acknowledge your responsibility. You got to see what you have to do to be succesful with your venture and admit to yourself that you are sitting around doing nothing and that it is your own fault if you do not succed when doing this.
Define your purpose
What do you want to accomplish? That is a question that helps you determaine a cause of why you are doing what you are doing. A part of this process is setting goals and realizing the importance of goals.
Do not feel stressed
It may take some time to get things done, but do not feel stressed over work, try to find the balance and allow things to take the time it needs. My article on stress management can be a great additional read to this article.
Schedule work
If you are really having a hard time getting a good structure in your work, setting up a schedule with work sessions is an excellent tool. As self-employed you should still work at least 8 hours a day if needed, and if you are working at home you can be more flexible so if you need you can spread your work sessions over the day. But if you are really having problems with your discipline you should not divide your work sessions in more than two 4 hours sessions.
Except from scheduling the hours you should also set up a priority list, with what you have to do today and what should be finished during these work sessions. When something has been done, strike it off the list.
Avoid distractions
As I discussed in my article, Importance of a seperate work space it is very important to find a place to work at where a minmum of distractions are available. This includes family members, TVs and other stuff keeping you from 100% focus on your task.
As with everything you need to do you will be tempted to not do it from time to time, to make up excuses for youself why you should not do it. Do NOT fall for that. Instead offer yourself some incentives and think of what you can do, when the money comes rolling in. Maybe a cruise in the Carribbeans or a new bike? On what level you put it is up to you, but it sure helps to motivate you.
There is no short cut to this, it is all about hard work, but with the steps above you are able to set your mind to this and start your journey to success.
When you have set a higher level of self discipline you will be able to do almost anything, the only one that can stop yourself from doing something is you.
HANDLIN' FAILURE
Failure is something most of us have to deal with in our life, both in our personal life and in business and work situations. Failure should not be seen as something negative, instead you should learn from your failure, and the next time you try whatever you failed at, you use this new wisdom and go for it.
Do not be afraid to make mistakes
If you are starting a new venture or are looking to try out new things in life you are sure to make some mistakes. A small mistake does not make a failure alone, and should never be considered a failure. Make mistakes and learn from them and you will grow in competence in whatever it is you do.
Take risks
I use to tell people “You got to bet to win”, which simply means that you got to take some risks if you are going to succeed, and on the road to success there are many wrong turns that leads to failure but that should not scare you. Dare to do something different and you are more likely to succeed than your neighbour sitting in front of his TV complaining all day long. If you are failing at least it shows you are trying to accomplish something.
See it as a learning process
As with all that is new for us we discover obstacles along the way as we work with it, and because of this you should take it as a learning process where you get valuable feedback to your own capabilities and your ventures possibilities. It is a known fact that we humans learn from failure. Keep trying until you find out what works and what does not work.
Keep a positive attitude
Always aim to keep a positivt attitude to your failures. Do not let the negative sound of the word send shivers down your spine, there should be no shame in failing even if that is what is taught to most of us. Do not mind what other people say or think if they can not give you any constructive feedback to help you improve.
A good thing is to ask yourself “What good comes out of this situation?” and “What can I do better next time?”. By putting yourself against the wall with some questions you get to move on, and put the failure behind you.
So any final words to this article? Yes. DO NOT GIVE UP
Do not be afraid to make mistakes
If you are starting a new venture or are looking to try out new things in life you are sure to make some mistakes. A small mistake does not make a failure alone, and should never be considered a failure. Make mistakes and learn from them and you will grow in competence in whatever it is you do.
Take risks
I use to tell people “You got to bet to win”, which simply means that you got to take some risks if you are going to succeed, and on the road to success there are many wrong turns that leads to failure but that should not scare you. Dare to do something different and you are more likely to succeed than your neighbour sitting in front of his TV complaining all day long. If you are failing at least it shows you are trying to accomplish something.
See it as a learning process
As with all that is new for us we discover obstacles along the way as we work with it, and because of this you should take it as a learning process where you get valuable feedback to your own capabilities and your ventures possibilities. It is a known fact that we humans learn from failure. Keep trying until you find out what works and what does not work.
Keep a positive attitude
Always aim to keep a positivt attitude to your failures. Do not let the negative sound of the word send shivers down your spine, there should be no shame in failing even if that is what is taught to most of us. Do not mind what other people say or think if they can not give you any constructive feedback to help you improve.
A good thing is to ask yourself “What good comes out of this situation?” and “What can I do better next time?”. By putting yourself against the wall with some questions you get to move on, and put the failure behind you.
So any final words to this article? Yes. DO NOT GIVE UP
NO VICTORY WOTHOUT SACRIFICE
I was watching the movie Transformers the other day, which was a great movie. It was one quote that was kind of important in this movie that caught my attention and got me to reflect to what I write about here on the blog and that was, “no victory without sacrifice”.
Take risks
Taking risk is somehow vital that we experience in ourlives. When we want to succeed we need to take the challenge s well as risk in achieving every single thing we dream. In line with this, I include a short list of steps to take to overcome the fear of taking risks. So read the steps below and step out of your comfort zone.
Do not hold back
If you are going to do something, then really do it. Commit yourself to what you are doing and do it fully.
Your feelings
Do not let your feelings control your actions in your business too much. Do not let anxiety beat you, look at the facts and calculate what you have to loose and what you have to gain.
Just DO it
Do not hesitate. Of course you should not always take a risk without calculating but sometimes it is easier to just jump off the cliff than to stand and watch how high up it is. The longer you wait, the higher the chance is that you will “chicken out”.
What you got to do is bet to win, and realize that you do not always win but for every time you try you are getting closer to you goal. After each risk taken it will get easier, it is like practicing a sport.
Are you willing to risk loosing out on wonderful rewards and success just because you are to afraid to step out of your own comfort zone? If not, it is time to act.
There is no victory without sacrifice
Take risks
Taking risk is somehow vital that we experience in ourlives. When we want to succeed we need to take the challenge s well as risk in achieving every single thing we dream. In line with this, I include a short list of steps to take to overcome the fear of taking risks. So read the steps below and step out of your comfort zone.
Do not hold back
If you are going to do something, then really do it. Commit yourself to what you are doing and do it fully.
Your feelings
Do not let your feelings control your actions in your business too much. Do not let anxiety beat you, look at the facts and calculate what you have to loose and what you have to gain.
Just DO it
Do not hesitate. Of course you should not always take a risk without calculating but sometimes it is easier to just jump off the cliff than to stand and watch how high up it is. The longer you wait, the higher the chance is that you will “chicken out”.
What you got to do is bet to win, and realize that you do not always win but for every time you try you are getting closer to you goal. After each risk taken it will get easier, it is like practicing a sport.
Are you willing to risk loosing out on wonderful rewards and success just because you are to afraid to step out of your own comfort zone? If not, it is time to act.
There is no victory without sacrifice
Sabtu, Juni 13, 2009
Are Examinations the best way to evaluate students ?
Socrates once said, “An unexamined life is not worth living”
The examination system has been used for a long time. But has always been debatable whether it is really a good way to judge a student’s degree in education?
There must be something to segregate the wheat from the chaff.
Can one imagine if there were no examinations how difficult it would have been to employ or judge a certain person’s abilities and qualifications? How could a company employ employees if there was no measurement to determine the level of intelligence?
The score cards, the grades and the degrees play an important role in forming or destroying ones career especially in the service industry. But what about the language subjects? Is it possible to judge a person’s language ability through examinations? Today most companies look for communication skills and fluency in English. In the exam a student might fare well in the written, but when it comes to spoken language he/she is not able to express himself very well, thus loses the opportunity, as Language is the international passport today.
But most of the time, the scoring system is a mandatory tool used for recognizing a student’s ability. Where there is measurement, there are results. Result needed for judgment and evaluation towards a purpose. If student is the purpose for being tested, its usually associated with knowledge, skills, eligibility and behaviors that one can achieve. This is its general purpose. But examining a student should not be the only way to judge a student.
An examination is a memory test only. How much one has been able to memorize in a given time than how much he has been able to understand through the academic year is what is tested in the examination. But if that is the yardstick to one’s intelligence, then I am afraid a person who can mug up the whole book has an advantage over a practical and intelligent person who thinks logically and acts according to the given situation. But the mugger can also be at a disadvantage because he might get some question which he has not mugged up, then he is at a loss, and he is not creative enough to write on his own, so he flunks in the examinations. If they are lucky to conjecture the right questions, then they get better result. It is a convenient system for the teachers but definitely not for the students in the long run. Some students are under a lot of stress when they take the exams and are not able to give in their best, in spite of having the ability to perform better.
Passing the exams with flying colours does not often guarantee a wonderful career but proves ones worthiness through the confidence, one gains in the process. It is not really the level of knowledge, theory or practical understanding that is tested. It is the proceeding value that is underlying.
If gold is measured in carat value; then there must be something to measure intelligence, even though it’s not the most perfect measure, even though a widely accepted one. Though examination seems to be the only reason why people study these days, to achieve high grades, and thus get a respectable position in the corporate world or establish their present and pave way for the future, the question is whether examinations are the only way for evaluation? If not then what could be a substitute or an addition to it, is a matter of concern.
Philosophers like Socrates found knowledge interesting that is why they examined things but these days examination has lead to a great dislike to education, the end is important, the means immaterial! Education is a way of enlightening people and making them aware of the world they live in and to help them voice their opinion on important issues in life later.
When this is the aim of being educated, is the examination essential?
Well! This needs lots of brain storming sessions and the changes have to be made in the top rung, that is the education system. So that the demands of the service sectors can be met with equal number of people graduating out skillfully to meet the demands! A demand and a supply equation.
There could be a comprehensive and continuation evaluation of the student through out the academic session. This has been proposed by the CBSE,{Central Board of Secondary education} which would enable the right qualities of a child to be brought to limelight and honed in the right direction thus preparing him to be a better skilled person. Exams should be the exact reflection of what the students have learnt. Nevertheless we all know that the exams as “the only” instrument to evaluation, doesn’t always give the exact picture of a child’s ability. Many a times the resulting grade is usually disappointing and the poor result is not necessarily from the student’s lack of knowledge about the subject but rather from personal circumstances, stress, nervous, health problems, etc. hence his state of mind, resulting in the performance, good or bad!.
When a teacher knows his students well and observes their progress through the academic year, checks their work on a day to day basis, with weekly and monthly assignments and projects, he or she would have a precise and a clear idea about the ability and the performance of the child even before he appears for the examination
If the outcome of the examination is not as per the standard and expectation of the child and the teacher, the child will be at an advantage if circumstances of the student’s environment at home and at class are analysed. Although this is a Herculean task for the teacher and calls for immense patience, yet it is worth the effort, because it helps a young life in the long run and gives satisfaction to the teacher to have been able to do justice to the student.
An efficient and a capable teacher must use every resource within his/her reach to evaluate a child in a continuous and comprehensive manner. Tests, reports, assignments, worksheets, short plays, role plays, etc , are various ways to grade students’ ability and efficiency.
Every new change has obstacles and it will not be an overnight change, although it will be a welcome change in the long run. This would be a silver lining to a child’s education because when a student will pass out of the school, he will be armed with the hard and soft skills as well. Though this cannot be the only way of testing students, this could be certainly an additional tool to the existing examination pattern.
However, not all the exams are the same, some kind of exams are more fair (or just) and their grade more objective than others. The “multiple choice tests” in which one must choose one of the four or five possible answers can be used to evaluate facts, dates, usually very concrete knowledge and in some cases the student can even guess the answer. On the other hand, essay type questions can be tested in written so that the students can express their depth of understanding of a particular subject, where synthesizing and formulating a critical opinion, based of the class room discussions is imperative, as it includes a learning process than the solving process or memorizing concrete facts and reproducing them in the written format.
A preference to one kind of exam doesn’t rule out the value of the other. Both should be complementary to each other as the purpose of both is to measure general educational development and improvement in the student. A wise teacher and an efficient system should implement and practice a continuous and comprehensive evaluation and every teacher must know that “What we test is what we teach or what we teach is what we test”. A student should never be tested on what he is not taught.
But it’s a complete different scenario when the student is analysed only on the basis of the exams and his competitiveness at the university level, for grants or for scholarships. In all these situations it’s not a test of knowledge but a test of scores and qualifying for that particular purpose. Here the understanding between the examinee and examiner is not crucial or viable, but a demonstration through an objective aptitude test is the means to achieve the grades. If the test is well designed and the grading system well adapted, the exam would be just and the calibre of the student well displayed.
When it’s the question of the supply and demand ratio to the job market, it is evident that employers and community groups need validation and certificates. The worth of the candidate is analysed on the basis of the certificates he holds and the grades he secures during the learning process. This is the only authentic way to judge the candidature of a candidate. Sadly, even the certificates can be procured today, by unfair means.
To come to any sort of conclusion it would need many brain storming sessions and changes will have to be made in the education system itself and of course the service industry, because all said an done the education a person acquires caters to the need of the industry, and vice versa. Every new change has teething problems and obstacles and definitely it will not be an overnight change, though it will be a welcome change in the long run. This would be a silver lining to a child’s education because when a student passes out of the school he would be not only be BOOK WISE but also armed with the hard and the soft skills, which he will acquire through the various activities of the continuance comprehensive evaluation, not through written exams.
Finally, all said and done, it’s the basic education system, the need of a uniform pattern of education, irrespective whether it’s a public school or a private one and last but not the least the demands of the service industries, which have to undergo a massive change, if the testing of the students through the examination has to change. After all, the result, the grades and percentage is the name of the game. Higher the grades / percentages, higher the chances of getting jobs or getting qualified for further studies, irrespective of whether the student was a product of a public school or a private school. If this changes, the change in the system will be a welcome change as it will bring out the best of the student in a natural process of learning and not through the stressful and strenuous trodden routine of the examination.
The examination system has been used for a long time. But has always been debatable whether it is really a good way to judge a student’s degree in education?
There must be something to segregate the wheat from the chaff.
Can one imagine if there were no examinations how difficult it would have been to employ or judge a certain person’s abilities and qualifications? How could a company employ employees if there was no measurement to determine the level of intelligence?
The score cards, the grades and the degrees play an important role in forming or destroying ones career especially in the service industry. But what about the language subjects? Is it possible to judge a person’s language ability through examinations? Today most companies look for communication skills and fluency in English. In the exam a student might fare well in the written, but when it comes to spoken language he/she is not able to express himself very well, thus loses the opportunity, as Language is the international passport today.
But most of the time, the scoring system is a mandatory tool used for recognizing a student’s ability. Where there is measurement, there are results. Result needed for judgment and evaluation towards a purpose. If student is the purpose for being tested, its usually associated with knowledge, skills, eligibility and behaviors that one can achieve. This is its general purpose. But examining a student should not be the only way to judge a student.
An examination is a memory test only. How much one has been able to memorize in a given time than how much he has been able to understand through the academic year is what is tested in the examination. But if that is the yardstick to one’s intelligence, then I am afraid a person who can mug up the whole book has an advantage over a practical and intelligent person who thinks logically and acts according to the given situation. But the mugger can also be at a disadvantage because he might get some question which he has not mugged up, then he is at a loss, and he is not creative enough to write on his own, so he flunks in the examinations. If they are lucky to conjecture the right questions, then they get better result. It is a convenient system for the teachers but definitely not for the students in the long run. Some students are under a lot of stress when they take the exams and are not able to give in their best, in spite of having the ability to perform better.
Passing the exams with flying colours does not often guarantee a wonderful career but proves ones worthiness through the confidence, one gains in the process. It is not really the level of knowledge, theory or practical understanding that is tested. It is the proceeding value that is underlying.
If gold is measured in carat value; then there must be something to measure intelligence, even though it’s not the most perfect measure, even though a widely accepted one. Though examination seems to be the only reason why people study these days, to achieve high grades, and thus get a respectable position in the corporate world or establish their present and pave way for the future, the question is whether examinations are the only way for evaluation? If not then what could be a substitute or an addition to it, is a matter of concern.
Philosophers like Socrates found knowledge interesting that is why they examined things but these days examination has lead to a great dislike to education, the end is important, the means immaterial! Education is a way of enlightening people and making them aware of the world they live in and to help them voice their opinion on important issues in life later.
When this is the aim of being educated, is the examination essential?
Well! This needs lots of brain storming sessions and the changes have to be made in the top rung, that is the education system. So that the demands of the service sectors can be met with equal number of people graduating out skillfully to meet the demands! A demand and a supply equation.
There could be a comprehensive and continuation evaluation of the student through out the academic session. This has been proposed by the CBSE,{Central Board of Secondary education} which would enable the right qualities of a child to be brought to limelight and honed in the right direction thus preparing him to be a better skilled person. Exams should be the exact reflection of what the students have learnt. Nevertheless we all know that the exams as “the only” instrument to evaluation, doesn’t always give the exact picture of a child’s ability. Many a times the resulting grade is usually disappointing and the poor result is not necessarily from the student’s lack of knowledge about the subject but rather from personal circumstances, stress, nervous, health problems, etc. hence his state of mind, resulting in the performance, good or bad!.
When a teacher knows his students well and observes their progress through the academic year, checks their work on a day to day basis, with weekly and monthly assignments and projects, he or she would have a precise and a clear idea about the ability and the performance of the child even before he appears for the examination
If the outcome of the examination is not as per the standard and expectation of the child and the teacher, the child will be at an advantage if circumstances of the student’s environment at home and at class are analysed. Although this is a Herculean task for the teacher and calls for immense patience, yet it is worth the effort, because it helps a young life in the long run and gives satisfaction to the teacher to have been able to do justice to the student.
An efficient and a capable teacher must use every resource within his/her reach to evaluate a child in a continuous and comprehensive manner. Tests, reports, assignments, worksheets, short plays, role plays, etc , are various ways to grade students’ ability and efficiency.
Every new change has obstacles and it will not be an overnight change, although it will be a welcome change in the long run. This would be a silver lining to a child’s education because when a student will pass out of the school, he will be armed with the hard and soft skills as well. Though this cannot be the only way of testing students, this could be certainly an additional tool to the existing examination pattern.
However, not all the exams are the same, some kind of exams are more fair (or just) and their grade more objective than others. The “multiple choice tests” in which one must choose one of the four or five possible answers can be used to evaluate facts, dates, usually very concrete knowledge and in some cases the student can even guess the answer. On the other hand, essay type questions can be tested in written so that the students can express their depth of understanding of a particular subject, where synthesizing and formulating a critical opinion, based of the class room discussions is imperative, as it includes a learning process than the solving process or memorizing concrete facts and reproducing them in the written format.
A preference to one kind of exam doesn’t rule out the value of the other. Both should be complementary to each other as the purpose of both is to measure general educational development and improvement in the student. A wise teacher and an efficient system should implement and practice a continuous and comprehensive evaluation and every teacher must know that “What we test is what we teach or what we teach is what we test”. A student should never be tested on what he is not taught.
But it’s a complete different scenario when the student is analysed only on the basis of the exams and his competitiveness at the university level, for grants or for scholarships. In all these situations it’s not a test of knowledge but a test of scores and qualifying for that particular purpose. Here the understanding between the examinee and examiner is not crucial or viable, but a demonstration through an objective aptitude test is the means to achieve the grades. If the test is well designed and the grading system well adapted, the exam would be just and the calibre of the student well displayed.
When it’s the question of the supply and demand ratio to the job market, it is evident that employers and community groups need validation and certificates. The worth of the candidate is analysed on the basis of the certificates he holds and the grades he secures during the learning process. This is the only authentic way to judge the candidature of a candidate. Sadly, even the certificates can be procured today, by unfair means.
To come to any sort of conclusion it would need many brain storming sessions and changes will have to be made in the education system itself and of course the service industry, because all said an done the education a person acquires caters to the need of the industry, and vice versa. Every new change has teething problems and obstacles and definitely it will not be an overnight change, though it will be a welcome change in the long run. This would be a silver lining to a child’s education because when a student passes out of the school he would be not only be BOOK WISE but also armed with the hard and the soft skills, which he will acquire through the various activities of the continuance comprehensive evaluation, not through written exams.
Finally, all said and done, it’s the basic education system, the need of a uniform pattern of education, irrespective whether it’s a public school or a private one and last but not the least the demands of the service industries, which have to undergo a massive change, if the testing of the students through the examination has to change. After all, the result, the grades and percentage is the name of the game. Higher the grades / percentages, higher the chances of getting jobs or getting qualified for further studies, irrespective of whether the student was a product of a public school or a private school. If this changes, the change in the system will be a welcome change as it will bring out the best of the student in a natural process of learning and not through the stressful and strenuous trodden routine of the examination.
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