Tuesday 30 April 2013

Testing, testing

We have selective secondary education here in the Frozen North (and just when will Spring be sprung, anyway?) which means that just now our super Mattman is head down for major preparation works that will last until the last of three Tests in November and December. So we're all battening down the hatches, and life is busy!
We remain very grateful for the very lovely Mr Knight, who has staved off the worst of the pre-selection Grande Panique by simply maintaining that there is more to life in school than testing. This is very good for our souls!

In Googling images of tests I laughed when I found the BBC test card. I am old enough to remember it well, or so I thought. When I gave it some thought, I remembered seeing it in the evening, but was it also there during the day? And my goodness, I so well remember the girl who looked fascinatingly like my Tracy Tea-Party doll with moving arm for pouring tea. But I did not remember the clown. My children are afraid of clowns. Why was there a frightening clown and why do I not remember him?

I live in the hope that, like my clown, even these Testing months will recede from Mattman's memory of P6 and leave Mr Knight's bright pink guitar strap, the wacky flower homework, and the day that Andrew Trimble did their spellings test.

10 comments:

Floss said...

I remember her morning and evening, and maybe before some schools' programmes? Yucky to have So much pressure so young... We think France is pressurised, but at least it's Uber-egalitarian!

Pom Pom said...

Oh, that testing sounds scary. Our testing does not determine students' futures, just teachers. Hmmmm.

Jane and Chris said...

Memories of the 11+ spring to mind.
Jane x

Angela said...

Fear of clowns is coulrophobia. One of my daughters has it [started when she went to a sleepover and they showed some horrid Stephen King video]
The term apparently only dates from the 80s. Perhaps the SK video is what triggered this mad clown fear [check out wikipedia!]

As long as Mattman does not have fear of tests, you & he will be OK!! blessings xx

Left-Handed Housewife said...

I was never afraid of clowns, but if I'd grown up seeing that one, I would have been. You probably repressed it.

xofrances who's against all testing pretty much

Scarlet said...

KL has a fear of clowns. I'm not sure which is worst at the moment - the fear of those, or the stress of looming A levels!

The dB family said...

My brother, several of my children, and I all have a fear of clowns. I have never seen the Stephen King video mentioned above, nor have my children. I think it has to do with not knowing/recognizing the person behind all the make up.

I do hope Mattman comes out unscathed from all this testing!

Blessings!
Deborah

Fat Dormouse said...

Good luck with the revising/preparation & survival of said tests.

Thistle Cove Farm said...

I've never been crazy about clowns even when Red Skelton did his clown. They scare the socks off me! It's Blackberry Winter here...brrrrr and I'm freezing so wearing layers and layers of clothing in bed and out. Too much information, eh, Mags?
soooorrrreeee! -grin-

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Mags, I don't like clowns, they frighten me. And I don't know why.

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