Any strange results out there for Rad major exams this year or was it just my district?

Hi Minnie! in what way were they strange
just curious. Did the District have the same examiner?

Oh yes - all the same examiner. By strange I mean lots of girls who have very poor to average technique scored lots higher than girls who are have very good technique.

Hi Minnie.
With RAD Examinations, you as the teacher, are you allowed into the examination room? As either an observer or instigator of the examination? By intigation, I mean run the Examination so that the examiner has more observation/writing time? Just curious, because if you are allowed into the examination room, it would be much easier for yourself to be able to judge your students performance and its outcome.
I feel that sometimes a student may dance extremely well all year through and then come to the day - whether it be nerves or they are just having an off day which happens to us all - it can effect the outcome. It also works the same with the average student, when under pressure, perform like they never have performed before - and shine. It is these students you quite often wonder "well where did they come from"
I personally tell everyone of my students to not worry about Marks and grades so much, Really they are neither here nor there. it is the comments and constructive criticism and compliments that are much more important. that they are to take the whole examination as a experience of growth and to use it as a learning tool to constantly learn and improve. A good grade is just the icing on the cake.
I do know that the majority of associations and organisations also have grievance councils that you could possibly take the situation up with?
Please let us know how you get on. I for one, would be very curious

What Spangles says is right the comments are far more important than the mark.

I have operated the CD player for exam sessions and have been amazed at what you may consider an "average" student can do in an exam situation. Literally there was one student who I had never seen dance as well before. I have also seen many talented students literally fall apart in an exam and not do as well as you would expect.

Examiners see the students for that one time and have to mark on what they see. Most can see through what is nerves etc and see how good a student's technique is, but nerves can ultimately effect presentation and musicality which also carry marks, so that could explain the strange marks you talk of.

No - this has been across the board at all the dance schools - as there are plenty of eisteddfod/performance/seminar type situations where we all see the girls from the different schools in the district it is fairly well known which girls have good turnout/placement/technique and those who are very lacking in these areas. An exam situation should not affect these attributes to the point where lots of girls who were expected to do very poorly have scored distinctions above the serious students who were expected to excel - you can't suddenly develop nice feet, turnout and placement 'on the day'.

Minnie, have you ever thought teachers may for eisteddford/performance situations that teachers choreograph to bring out what the students do best?

In an exam situation they have to do everything, and some of those things may not be good. They may be able to do a wonderful single pirouette for example, however a double is difficult at times. They may be able to control a develope devant but 2nd is a problem and derriere is okay. Do they have the consistency of height devant, a la seconde and derriere.

For me if a student is not good on a fouette ronds de jambe entournant from the left I would not consider it for choreography -she may be absolutely fantastic from the right !!

There is a course Look , see and reflect - I know the first time I took this course I was astounded at how different teachers saw different things in idividual students. Yes they may have seen that the feet and legs were stretched but they did not see that a transference of weight did not occur from 5th position to 2nd.

There is more than meets the eye here!!!!

Sorry everyone - I can't see how people who treat ballet as a bit of a joke or chore & who have virtually no turnout to the point of being almost pigeon-toed and who cannot do a pirourette to save themselves can score the same or better than dedicated students who have worked hard to attain the skills that the syllabus is teaching. This has been across the whole district - not just one case. The examiner was also very disrespectful and rude to the students and has caused general outrage from teachers & parents to the extent that many have written letters of complaint about her conduct & requested written reports to justify the marks given - some teachers are even saying that some of their students have been marked too high in comparison to others - I think RAD has some serious issues to address here either with their whole system of marking and/or this particular examiner.

It sounds as if the matter is being addressed very well by everyone who has taken the time to write letters. I am sure the RAD will take the matter very seriously and respomd appropriately in time.

I don't feel that anyone on here can comment any further not knowing the students or individual situations.

I agree Joanne. It is hard to comment unless one knows of the whole situation. The organisation that I teach with actually provides us, the teachers, with a feedback form in regards to our examinations and examiners. Does the same go for the RAD? We as teachers then have the chance to let the organisation know for future examinations whether or not we would actually welcome a particular examiner back to examine. A great idea I think. (we also have a chance to verify the reasons behind our decision so that if need be, further action/and or counselling can be put into motion).

Regardless, I am sure that all examiners/assessor's have a strict protocol that they need to adhere to and I am sure that being disrespectful and rude to students would definitely not stand to well. It is in these situations that I personally feel that the particular examiner should be called into for some form of councelling and then discussed further whether or not to allow this particular examiner to continue in their role. (it happens in everyday life in the workplace and should really be no different in the ballet world I feel).

You're absolutely right Spangles. The picture I have formed of this examiner is of someone who does not enjoy or is bored with their work and who does not genuinely like children. Even in Major grades (at the lower end levels of Found Inter & Inter) we are dealing with relatively young children of 12 and 13 who need to be encouraged to continue their dancing.

Oh dear !!! spangles another can of worms here.

How could the RAD arrange a session if 8 teachers liked a previous examiner and 2 didn't?

What organisation do you work with and do they have problems or are the 'not acceptable examiners" sacked?

Hi there.
I do believe that some examiners are more suited to the lower grades and that some examiners are more suited to the upper levels. A bit like Primary and Secondary School teaching. Then there are the ones who examine across the board but I agree no matter what, it should always be about encouraging, enriching and developing the student. My organisation as far as I know has never sacked an examiner but I do know that they have ongoing tutuorials to attend, workshops to attend etc. to all work towards the common goal and that is to provide the very best for each and every individual student in a holistic and hopefully loving environment.
I believe that the RAD if they received 8/10 positive feedback, they would still need to address the other two to try to solve any grievances. As mentioned previously by Joanne, we cannot really comment here as we do not know of the individual situations and/or the students involved. I can't think of anything else at the moment but would love to hear how the RAD do solve grievances whether they are from teachers, students, parents or indeed the examiners themselves.
I sincerely hope whatever the case, it is not the case of the dreaded POLITICS at play. I SHALL LEAVE THAT ONE WELL AND TRULY ALONE

Another quick point - I have had students coming out of exams saying that an examiner was horrible and they didn't like them, weren't very encouraging etc. When I have spoken to the tape operator who is in the exam room they have been bemused and said the examiner was lovely and was just pointing out things the students could do to improve.

When a student is in an exam in a high state of tension it is very easy to take even the simplest of remarks to heart and perhaps miscontrue encouragement and comments as criticism.

Just a thought.

so very very true Joanne. How often have we heard students complain about and examiner and then receiving top marks. how quick their tune changes about that particular examiner. It is amazing the effect that tension can have on one. Perhaps we should introduce to our students Performance Psychology (similar to sports psychology but related more to the dance and performance and/or competition). Meditation also works wonders especially for the younger students. just a thought