EOL (End Of Line) Tests and their uses.

End of level tests do not motivate learning. I'm so unbelievably sick of school that they currently make me believe that maybe I should just fail on purpose to send a message (yes, I'm that desperate). I suppose for someone who is originally motivated to do well in this subject, they might take it as a welcome challenge. However, since all my motivation has been drained through busy work and convolution, I am not motivated and therefore find the CRTs and end of levels shallow and pandantic. Did those words work in that situation? I don't know! I also don't care. That proves my point in itself. A person can't learn without any desire ot learn. Learning is completely self contained and will happen, with or without school, as long as the student has a desire to learn. I used to look things up when I became interested in them and I'd study and show off to my parents how smart I was and how their boy was going to be the world's greatest chemist since he knew so much at such a young age. I still carry interest in that field and hope to delve deeper in highschool. I'd be able to find interest in all my school subjects in the same way if anybody else in my family, or outside of the teaching industry, actually could do what I was learning. I mean Arc Sectors....really? I still don't even know what a radian is, and neither does my mom, dad, or sister. I can carry out high level math equations but outside of right now, I won't need them. Now they want me to feel motivated about taking a test on something I, and most others, will forget halfway through the summer? No, not how it works.
Grades are a second piece of school based garbage. Like a moldy sandwich on the floor that you're too lazy to throw away (or eat...I guess). They're supposed to show learning, but learning is a subjective and opinionative term that changes in the eyes of whomever looks at it. Learning to me is improvement on a subject with a willingness to succeed and self motivation. I want to kill myself after most math assignments and geography too. Sure, I get enough right to drag through the day, but I'm never going to remember what I learned and then it's not really learning is it? Just try to get rid of the assignment as fast as possible and don't allow for any real attention to be payed to the subject. That's the way to do it now days. I learned to ride a bike when I was four, and I still remember how to ride that bike now. I FOILed for the first time in seventh grade...I've relearned how to FOIL twice since that first learning. Quite the difference don't you think? Bikes are fun, math is not fun. There's your problem.
Learning should be measured by sustained improvement over long periods of time. However, this isn't to say the subject should be endlessly studied and tested. I think the system is fixing the wrong things. Kids can't be hit by teachers, but you can base knowledge on equations? That's stupid. I'd like to switch those pieces. If the school were to base my learning on actual observation I'd allow you to smack me if I get too up in your business. Show some general interest in who you're teaching and perhaps you'll get better results Mr. Principal. However, you'd get even better results if you were to trash the current system and start again. Because nobody can decide if I learn except for me. On the other hand, I don't know what a better system would be and I don't intend ot find out, but the current one sucks...really bad. Pay teachers more, allow iPods in class, get to know good students as well as the bad students you already know really well. Changes should be made either way. I think teachers might agree with me.

(Ain't I a stinker?)