Prick C.
I'd been encouraged by my maths teacher to take the higher tier paper, which, by definition was a whole level above the maths that was already poking me in the eye with a pointy stick and giving me a headache.
If I had opted to do it, I wouldn't have even gotten my C, I would have had a D; D for DENIED!
Bringing my highly relevant preamble bang up to date by, oh, about 15 years, I recently took a couple of assessment tests for a course I'm going to be taking and sailed through the English modules (*smug face*) but I may as well have dribbled on the maths one and coloured it in with crayons.
Do you know why? There are a number of possible reasons, including the fact that I haven't actively done that kind of maths for roughly 8 years (previous college course), that I wasn't ever really very good at it, or maybe even that I was rushing through it to get to the English bit. I think it relies on one thing:
Maths is WRONG.
Ok, maybe not all maths, I'm not going to argue the toss over 2 + 2 = 4, but there is one section that gets my goat: statistics. I know that you may read this and think "Oh wow, she's actually on the spectrum" but just have a think about what I'm about to say.
How is there any other "chance" than 50/50?
One either wins the Lottery or one doesn't, doesn't it irritate you when people say "I was nearly a millionaire last night! I only needed two more numbers!" Well, you didn't win then did you?
As the saying goes: "a miss is as good as a mile".
With multiple choice questions, you may have a number of options, but you either get it right, or you don't, am I right?
This might seem like a completely ludicrous idea and my lovely man tears his hair out when I vocally entertain it; I mean, in truth, I know full well that this isn't how statistics work, I don't know how to work them out very well, thankfully I don't have to use that sort of maths in day to day life (I BLOODY well told you, Miss Aspinall!) and I've been accepted on to the course.
It was just something for you to think about...or not; you either will or you won't. 50/50, you see?
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ReplyDeleteI'm totally with you on this. I was forced into the 'Higher Set' at school, even though I protested that I was rubbish at Maths. "No, no. You're an A-grade student for pretty much everything else. Maths will be a piece of piss for you!" - I'm not sure those were the exact words used when I complained to the Headmaster but I paraphrase.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I got a 'D'. Luckily, we took it a year early (because we were all brainboxes. Yeah, right). So, instead of being moved down into the intermediate set, to make sure I got a 'C', I was forced to stay in the 'Higher' set. This meant that, whilst everyone else was doing a 'Statistics' GCSE (having passed their Maths), the three thickheads in the corner who didn't get a 'C' were just mucking about and largely ignored by the teacher. So, I got a 'C' but only by virtue of the exam board taking pity on me, I'm sure.
Maths is pointless. The basics isn't. Everyone needs to know the basics. But, the rest is superfluous... unless you're wired that way. Everyone should take Maths a year early, with all the 'obvious' stuff, and get it out the way. Those students who want to learn more can do an extra year gaining 'Maths You'll Never Use After School' and pretty much blow their own brains out.
But, I agree with you. It's either right or wrong. I hate it when people say they were one mark off an 'A'. So, you got a 'B'. Say it like it is. There is only 50/50. That is all. You are right. And everyone else is wrong.
xxx
I don't know if I'm insane or making sense; I've heard there's a fine line! xxx
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