Making Up Is Hard to Do

Next week, we will be having midterms and, as strange as it sounds, making up a good, fair test is more difficult than actually writing it. I guess it’s all a matter of perspective. That’s easy for me to say I suppose, as I don’t have to write it and suffer through the anxiety, depression and occasion bouts of projectile vomiting while worrying about passing the test. And that if I fail, my life is ruined forever. It isn't by the way.

As a student, I’d never thought that creating a test would be more difficult than writing it. Try telling that to a group of first-year students who detest the ground you walk on. Well, not really. For the most part, they just hate the subject matter – math, calculus to be specific.

For most students, math really is a four-letter word. I don’t know exactly where their fear and loathing begins, but it really manifests itself at the university and college level. I think the provincial math curriculum has a lot to do with it. It – in a word – sucks. It’s not your father’s math - the one where students at least got the basics. It does not adequately prepare students for post-secondary mathematics. Of course, not all high school students attend college or university, but those who don’t are not well served by our high school math program.

I have many friends who teach at the high school level who are dedicated people but frustrated at the material they have to teach. They are very good teachers who care about their students, going the extra mile to help. But their hands are tied by the curriculum. And many are frustrated as hell. But that’s a story for another day.

In the meantime, here I am, at 6:00 in the morning, trying to find the perfect question on continuity. It was bothering me all night. But alas, I think I may have found it. That’s one question – only eight more to go. And after that test is done, I have to make up a test for my advanced calculus class. It’s going to be a long weekend.