TESTING RANT

Ok.... so while I'm waiting for my seminary final, here's the pre-test conversation while our prof was out of the room.

This is way too much to memorize.

Yeah, it never actually sticks for me.

I used to be able to memorize stuff when I was young, but not so much anymore.

Well, it ain't working for me. (from a young guy)

I just flip through the test first looking for the questions I just barely know and right down all those answers first. Then the information can fly away and I'm ok.

Yeah me too.

Truth be told, if I took this same test I just took next week without cramming again for an hour, I'd fail it. When is someone going to figure out this system is broken. Regurgitating 4 points that so and so made in a book is stupid. That's why he wrote the book. What do I need it memorized for and isn't there a better way to test for understanding than jeopardy style quizzing?

I really didn't want my seminary degree to represent plug and chug making it through a system so I could say I did it. I hate that I'm giving up one night a week to listen to my profs read their notes or power point to me so that several weeks later, I can rewrite their power point from memory- only to forget it days or weeks from the time I took the test.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

I do get more out of seminary than this rant expresses, but I'm tired and hate the testing methods of learnings so tightly tied to my job, my soul, and the God I'm trying to love and serve with my life.

Good thing I don't have to take another class until September.