So, while those booklets will have two weeks of work, that's really just homework. What about tests and quizzes and exams? They may be a source of stress for school kids, but they are critical to assessment and motivation.
So far, the Ministry has been soft-pedalling, telling teachers not to push kids too hard with distance learning because the COIVD pandemic already has the kids stressed out. But now that distance learning is going into a longer term, Faber says the expectations have to be higher:
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"Isn't having tests and quizzes a major part of motivating students to study hard and learn?"
Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
"You're right, there has to be a ramping up of the efforts to try to get serious, not that we were not serious, but we were saying listen we would have more time to capture things or to regain things once we get back to the classroom, but where we are now seeing that there might be longer period of being out of the classroom, maybe even for the duration of this current school year. We have to be very serious about trying to ensure that the maximum amount of learing that can take place will take place for the next few weeks."
"We don't want undue pressure to be brought on people. I mean this is a very stressful situation as it is. People don't have money for food, much less to purchase internet access and pay a cable bill or whatever. I don't know if the cable companies are lenient as the electrical and water and telephone people, but all we are saying listen it cannot be that we in this time of stress that we say to people listen this absolutely has to be done."
Email
Print