Keep the LC?

Envy

I know I'm posting another poll, but forgive me. I love me auld polls. (Although, once again, I'm not sure if a similar question has already been asked here, so apologies in advance.)

Now that you have -- more or less -- finished your Leaving Cert. are you in favour of keeping it, or getting rid of the Leaving Cert. completely?

DEmeant0r

Why not? You worked hard for it (or probably not).

Smellyirishman

How do you mean? As in the system, or would we like to sit the test again cause we did bad or what?

Mutant_Fruit

What would you replace it with? THe shiity edcaution (imo) system that they have in america, where rediculous subjects like skatebording can be taken at collage level?

subway_ie

The leaving cert works... it may not be a totally stress free and totally enjoyable experience, but it works. You get what you deserve, for the most part anyway. There's no viable alternative - the UK, US, Canadian eucation systems are all crap. The proposed Leaving Cert reforms will feck everything up, putting more emphasis on "pracitcal work"... if you want to do "practical work" you do the leaving cert applied. Just leave it as it is.

Suaimhneach

I'd suggest some things like CA or spaced out exams. Having six hours of intensive exams like english in one day is a bit much.

My mam works in a college and according to her, students don't do anymore than one exam a day, and for no longer than 3 hours. So they probably really the hardest exam you'll ever do....

LegacyUser

Just becaus etheres no alternative, doesn't mean that theres no room for improvement. I think a weighted system would be better, whereby different subjects are worth more for different third level courses. Shouldn't subjects like english and history have a higher bearing when trying to get into a journalism course? Or maths for computer programming?


There are five or six types of intelligence recognised on an IQ test. I think its wholely unfair that people with mathematically orientated minds have to get X points in English, Irish etc, when they want to go for a maths type course.

Atreides

Originally posted by Jesjes
I'd suggest some things like CA or spaced out exams. Having six hours of intensive exams like english in one day is a bit much.

My mam works in a college and according to her, students don't do anymore than one exam a day, and for no longer than 3 hours. So they probably really the hardest exam you'll ever do....

And who is exactly will do the CA, teachers? pack of ****ing ****, hate to have had to depend on them to get into college.

Woden

Originally posted by Jesjes
My mam works in a college and according to her, students don't do anymore than one exam a day, and for no longer than 3 hours. So they probably really the hardest exam you'll ever do....

thats not necessairly true and will depend on the college, for example i have more then one exam on one day in college for both my second and third year exams. granted these where hour and three quarter exams. however i'm pretty sure i know one that had to do two exams a day with at least one of them being a three hour exam at some stage through college but its not the norm not in ucd anyway. another bummer about college is exams is that they like to put them on saturdays as well sometimes.

the leaving cert the hardest exams i ever did? i don't know about that tbh i'd have to think about it

Kold

A levels seem better to me. I would much rather concentrate on things that I want to learn rather than have to do a whole range of subjects because some people will never be sure.

The leaving cert does not give you a good education in my opinion. The fact that the vast majority of people only study the likely subjects coming up and then forget it as soon as the exam is over proves my point exactly.

An education system where you are able to study a couple of subjects that you like and that you want to know about is far better. If you have a career in mind you can study what you need for it and if you don't, you can choose one based on your best/favourite subjects.

Dump it.

Woden

yeah but the problem with A levels is that i believe it forces people to choose and specialise to early, better to give them some form of broad education when they are younger and there is less chance of them making a decision they may come to regret. sure its even possible in the GCSE's in england to not just take science but to seperate it down to further levels i believe which at such a young age i think is ridiculous.

furthermore when you go to study subjects that you pick in more details it just works out that there is areas within those subjects you dislike and areas that you like just like in the leaving cert there will be subjects you like and subjects you don't and it works out the same in the end

Kold

In the first 2 years of school you are given an idea of all subjects so you will have an idea of what you do and don't like.

I think that you should have the choice because when I get to college in September, a lot of students will have done psychology as an A Level, whereas I'll be able to locate the Mezzogiorno and tell you the average annual harvest.

Kold

If you want a broader course then there should be more choice (ie. Politics, Psychology, IT) and make only one core subject mandatory.

Woden

yeah but when the degree is finished you'll know same amount of physcology but you'll still know where mezzogiorno is, which imo is better

Kold

I couldn't give a sh1t about the mezzo frikkin giorno. I couldn't tell you about the core and periphery of England or Ireland, nor could the majority of Geog students which would be somewhat more important.

The System is faulted. Also, the fact that students are still being forced to learn Irish is a disgrace.

Woden

no one is saying the system doesn't have faults but i still think its better for example for people to come out of school with some rudiamentary knowledge that would be obtained in business and an appreciation of the english language as well as some science subjects, then people who have done an A-level in say maths, chemistry and physics which would be a standard trio in england.

Mutant_Fruit

A levels are well and good, but you only have a little general knowledge, and some very specific knowledge.

With the irish system, you have fairly good knowledge in a wide range of subjects, which means you are better able to choose what you want to do in collage. That is much better imo than doing 3 A-levels (or whatever it is).

Bear in mind that (at the moment) an irish education is recognised as being among the best in the world...

Kold

These subjects would be done in GCSE's anyway. People at this age would have sufficient grasp of the language anyway. English leaving cert is what? Reading and interpreting poetry and books. Something that a lot of people do on their own anyway but isn't in any way neccesary for modern day life. I just believe that the fastest way between two points is a straight line and that people should be able to thin out the crap if they so choose and not be penalised for it.

Nietzschean

Originally posted by Jesjes
My mam works in a college and according to her, students don't do anymore than one exam a day, and for no longer than 3 hours. So they probably really the hardest exam you'll ever do....

As pointed out not always true.

And as for hardest exams ever i'd disagree, my first CA(i'd only CA's in one subject) in first year was harder than my entire leaving put together imo.

As for getting rid of it for the A Level's lark, i think the system we have here is very good, if i was doing A Level's i'd have done nothing other than maths/physics type stuff, which is bad since with our system i was forced to take things like business, which i believe have stood to me since then.

Taking the 3 systems UK(specialise earlier), IE,USA(specialise later)

i think we have it the best out of the three in where and when to make the specialisation happen.


And as for irish, i'd agree it should be made optional, and only mandatory for maybe up to 3/4th class in primary school, some of us just have useless language skills, better i foucs my meger skills on a language i can use later in life?

I couldn't give a sh1t about the mezzo frikkin giorno. I couldn't tell you about the core and periphery of England or Ireland, nor could the majority of Geog students which would be somewhat more important.

you say that now, give it 3/5 years and you'll be happy to know that sort of stuff.

subway_ie

Originally posted by Serialkiller
And as for irish, i'd agree it should be made optional, and only mandatory for maybe up to 3/4th class in primary school, some of us just have useless language skills, better i foucs my meger skills on a language i can use later in life?

People are too young to decide for themselves about learning irish at that age - they should be given a choice about it, but definetly not untill after the Junior Cert.

Irish Leaving Cert courses cover, on average, 2/3 of the equivalent A-level courses. Where as we take 7/8 subjects, they take 3. There's a reason why the Irish education system is considered one of the best in the world and the english education system is falling apart...

Swifty

Keep it, If I had to go through it all you little bastards have to aswell.