If you want to do SATs, go to school in the States
And no, you can’t use class time to revise.
I had eight pupils missing from class today. I know that one or two have had official permission to be absent, but this was one of those occasions when several took it upon themselves to disappear. A mail message this afternoon informed us to be nice to this particular group of egos because they’re off to do their SATs on the 5th of October.
I still don’t understand why Chinese school children do SATs on top of everything else. It’s an exam for American school children who have been through the American school system. While Chinese pupils may get 100% in the maths exam, they usually make arses of themselves in English. (That said, some of them still get exceptionally good marks overall.)
What I’d like to know is whether American universities are even remotely interested in the results Chinese pupils get in SATs. I’m not convinced that any of my pupils need to do this exam, and suspect that this belong right up there beside the fallacious belief that it’s easier to get into a foreign university. Of course, the people who offer SAT training courses are looking to make money out of gullible conspicuous consumers.
28.10.13. I can’t remember when I started writing this entry, but the rediscovery of the draft is timely because I’ve just had one of my pupils claim that he (Chinese students in general) need to do SATs to go to all (? or at least some) US universities. I’m going to ask one of the American counsellors about this, but continue to paint me sceptical that academic institutions in the States demand that foreign students have an SAT score.
30.08.14. The answer is that our pupils have to, although not, perhaps, for all universities in the US. Under our new regime this year, we’re also going to be adjusting their marks to make them fit US grade boundaries because [choose a.) or b.)] a.) it simplifies the process of applying to American universities; b.) the Americans are thick and insular, and expect everyone to follow their system while being wilfully ignorant of others.
11.10.15. SAT English reared its ugly head a couple of days ago. I’m against this because it’s naive to think that’s what our pupils want or that they’ll respond positively to it, and because their English needs to improve first before they start trying to tackle material that’s aimed squarely at native speakers. Let me just repeat part of that sentence: their English needs to improve first. It certainly won’t do that through SAT preparation. [Later. Since then, I’ve heard nothing further about it. We have better things to do.]
28.10.13. I can’t remember when I started writing this entry, but the rediscovery of the draft is timely because I’ve just had one of my pupils claim that he (Chinese students in general) need to do SATs to go to all (? or at least some) US universities. I’m going to ask one of the American counsellors about this, but continue to paint me sceptical that academic institutions in the States demand that foreign students have an SAT score.
30.08.14. The answer is that our pupils have to, although not, perhaps, for all universities in the US. Under our new regime this year, we’re also going to be adjusting their marks to make them fit US grade boundaries because [choose a.) or b.)] a.) it simplifies the process of applying to American universities; b.) the Americans are thick and insular, and expect everyone to follow their system while being wilfully ignorant of others.
11.10.15. SAT English reared its ugly head a couple of days ago. I’m against this because it’s naive to think that’s what our pupils want or that they’ll respond positively to it, and because their English needs to improve first before they start trying to tackle material that’s aimed squarely at native speakers. Let me just repeat part of that sentence: their English needs to improve first. It certainly won’t do that through SAT preparation. [Later. Since then, I’ve heard nothing further about it. We have better things to do.]
Comments