A Little Background on Alchemy Vs Chemistry

A Little Background on Alchemy Vs ChemistryThe difference between alchemy and chemistry lies in the fundamental unit of energy, or as it is sometimes called, the life force. Alchemy is concerned with the mastery of this life force and can be seen as a culmination of the mastery of the energies and forces that pervade all of nature. Chemistry on the other hand deals with the manipulation of matter by manipulation of molecules. While alchemy advocates a spiritual relationship with nature and its life force and chemistry on the other hand is known to be deeply entrenched in the fundamental material processes of nature.Alchemists are deeply involved in studying the chemical process of creation. They seek to discover the inner aspect of the substance that gives birth to the forms that we call life. Their quest is to fully understand the particles that make up everything, in addition to their physical properties. These particles have certain forms of movement and the alchemist seeks to und erstand these to the full extent possible.Chemists on the other hand, with their focuses of observation and experiment, are involved in the study of the properties of matter and how they may be altered or manipulated to affect other objects. Their function is to determine the properties of the objects that they study and find out how they are affected by different stimuli. For example, if you are looking at a glass and you know that if you drop a test tube filled with iodine into it, it will change the color of the glass, then you would know that the color of the glass will change due to the changing of the atoms that make up the glass. What these two disciplines have in common is the study of matter. And their research involves the physical properties of the material that they study.In alchemy, a philosopher would study what he could learn about the elements and their properties. However, as these philosophers were isolated from each other in the physical realm and were limited to the study of the physical world of the realm of elements, they would often meet the fate of passing out after their analysis of the elements failed to help them in their work. Also, since they lacked the understanding of the process that was involved in alchemy, they never understood the idea of transmutation. So they did not understand the importance of the concept of transmutation and in turn never mastered it. Nevertheless, alchemy is still practiced today. Many colleges and universities have departments dedicated to alchemy and many alchemy schools are also present.Chemistry is known to be a science that is directly related to man. It deals with the study of matter. In short, it deals with the study of living things and its elements. However, as it is too closely related to the physical universe, it can never truly control or comprehend the inner workings of the nature.By the way, as you study the study of mystery, you discover that there is a big difference between these two ty pes of science. Alchemy, as well as many other sciences, has traditionally been used to help man communicate with the ancient Greeks and the Egyptians. Chemistry, on the other hand, has always been used to control the physical world. It is the job of the chemist to control the physical world so that man can maintain order and harmony with nature. This science is sometimes called the science of life.Finally, as you study the study of different things and see what they have in common, you realize that there is a lot of similarity and you begin to realize that both alchemy and chemistry share some fundamental truths with each other. But, the principles that make each science unique have been completely different and have their own set of internal characteristics.

What Is The Surrealist Art Movement

What Is The Surrealist Art Movement How Surrealism Inspired Art Changed Perceptions Chapters10 Characteristics And Ideas Of The Surrealist StyleOne Of The Most Well Known Surrealist ArtistsA Well Known Piece Of Surrealist ArtSurrealism was a movement that took the artistic journey inwards. They were deeply inspired by Freud’s principles on the ‘inner world’, they saw the conscious mind, society and social dogma as a restrictive construct. Surrealists believed that our inner truth could only be discovered and expressed when we learned to surpass our conscious mind and draw on the pure power of the subconscious mind.They believed that the subconscious held the core of our creative potential and primal human expression.  In their work, they strove to discover and explore the limits of natural human expression, potential and truth. To do this, they created brilliant artworks which were also seen as a weird dream, mind-bending, socially awkward, uncomfortable, and some may say a little crazy. Through film, painting, sculpture, books and other art forms, they opene d themselves up and shared what they found with the world.These art classes near me will help you improve your skill.This was a revolutionary movement that set the stage for many other movements to follow it. Photo Source: UnsplashSurrealism was inspired by Sigmund Freud, his book the interpretation of dreams. The book presented the idea that dreams and the unconscious mind plays a pivotal role in emotion, desire, sex and violence. Although mostly repressed our inner worlds in all of their complexity can reveal the core of our humanity.Surrealist imagery is created from the imagination. Sur, which means above and realism come together to mean above reality. The surrealists dealt with and reproduced art that was inspired by everything above our conscious reality. Imagination, dreams, and spontaneous inspiration as provided by the subconscious.Surrealist image is very striking because it is not based on anything that you have seen before. This exclusivity makes it hard to define and a t times, understand. The imagery is meant to confuse you and jolt you out of your comfort. A little like waking from a dream yourself.Surrealist imagery often has very autobiographical themes since it is created in the mind of the artist. The mind of the artist is feed by things that have happened or are happening in their lives.Artists often had reoccurring items in their images; For example, Dali had ants and eggs, Ernst had birds.As automatic writing is for the pen, Surrealism is for artistic expression (which also included auto writing) Surrealism is whatever allows you to suspend the conscious mind to allow the suspicious mind to express itself freely.The purpose of empowering the unconscious mind was to release pure imagination and overcome the repression of the conscious mind. Repression caused by, they believed, social conditioning and taboos which limited the natural flow of life and the imagination.Surrealism covered many art forms, including film, dance, literature, sculp ture and architecture.Surrealists aimed to be bizarre, unexpected, irrational, poetic, unconventional and above freely unrestricted. They wanted to revolutionise the experience of the everyday person giving them permission to live freely.This was a revolutionary movement that set the stage for many other movements to follow it.For Surrealists the subconscious held the core of our creative potential. Photo Source: UnsplashOne Of The Most Well Known Surrealist ArtistsDaliSalvador Dali is my favourite artist of all time, from the moment I saw his work in a gallery on a school trip was hooked. I love his recurrent themes that show up through his work, things like the ants, the eggs and the landscape which represents the town of Figueras where he was born. Let me tell you all about him.Dali was born in Spain, in a small town called Figueras, which is between the French border and Barcelona. His family were well off, and he was loved dearly as, before his birth, his older brother also cal led Salvador had died. He was often told that he was his older brother back from the grave.He had a strong personality from an early age and also showed an interest in art. His family encouraged him with drawing lessons, art school enrollment and exhibitions at home.Now one of the most lovely things about Dali is that he was not just an artist that created art. But he also was a walking work of art, he dressed in clothing from the 19th century accompanied by knee-length britches, he kept his hair long and began growing his infamous moustache. His eccentric personality proceeded him and his work in most cases. He is famously quoted as saying “I myself am surrealism”.Despite being curious to explore and discover new ways of seeing the world and art as a whole. He was expelled from university but not before being exposed to some of the greatest minds of the time. People such as Einstein, Calder Stravinsky and Freud. His expulsion freed him to travel, he visited Picasso in Paris and was impressed with his Cubist movement. He was studious and delved further into the psychoanalytic of Freud, metaphysical art by painters like Giorgio de Chirco and surrealist artists like Joan Miro.He worked on refining his style to reinterpret perception, reality and experience. His first film ‘Un Chien Andalou’ ( an Andalusian dog) made with Luis Bunuel caused a shocking stir for its content. This film laid the foundation for Dali to join the surrealists in Paris and more importantly to meet his future wife Gala. Gala, who was a key source of Dali's inspiration was married at the time of their meeting, to another surrealist artist named Paul Eluard.Throughout his life and work, Dali used techniques of illusion, cubism, realism, and automatic creation. Dali’s work was greatly autobiographical and symbolic. He believed that the subconscious minds of all humans echoed with repressed themes of sexuality, death and identity. He felt that his work could communicate with all huma ns on a subconscious level.Top Artworks: The persistence of memory (1931), the great masturbator (1929), Christ of Saint John of the cross (1951), The Burning Giraffe (1937) Lobster telephone (1936)Birthplace: Figueras, SpainLifeline: 1904 - 1989Art Style: Surrealism,Art Forms: Painting, sculpting, Film makingSurrealism covered many art forms, including film, dance, literature, sculpture and architecture. Photo Source: UnsplashA Well Known Piece Of Surrealist Art  'Metamorphosis Of Narcissus'This is one of my personal favourites of Dali’s surrealist art. As the name indicates, this painting is about the greek legend of Narcissus. Narcissus was a hunter blessed with extraordinary beauty, and many fell in love with him. However, he had no interest in his would be suitors and treated people poorly. The god saw fit to teach him a lesson and so one day while gazing into a pond he fell in love with his own reflection. He couldn't break his gaze until one day he realised it was his own r eflection. Brokenhearted, he committed suicide and was turned into a flower.In the foreground of the image, your eyes are drawn to 2 figures that sit by the pond side by side. They look the same but are actually to symbolise, narcissus before and after his transformation. One figure is the man and the other a hand which holds an egg with a flower growing from a small crack.The figure of the man on the left is almost abstract, he is sitting in contemplation looking into the pond which reflects his image. The colours are warm, yellows reds and browns cover the canvas perhaps to communicate the emotions of love, lust, happiness and life.  Behind this figure, we see what could be his rejects lovers squirming in a distraught state.On the right side, the painting shows a stone hand holding an egg with a flower growing out of a crack on its surface. The flower is a daffodil and also knows as the Narcissus flower. The hand looks fossilised, and the once clear reflection is now muddied and clouded. The flower has black spots on its petals, suggesting it is wilting and no longer beautiful and pure. This side of the canvas uses a blue, grey and black palette suggesting death and sadness.There is too much interesting symbolism to discuss in this article, but take a closer look at this iconic piece of work and see what you can see when you look deeper into it.Artist: Dali Date Painted: 1937 Size: 20 inches x 30 inches Medium: Oil on canvasOther Well-known PiecesBirthday by Dorothea TanningCarnival of Harlequin by Joan MiroThe human condition by Rene MagritteMama, Papa is wounded by Yves TanguyThe accommodations of desire by Salvador DaliThe palace at 4 a.m. by Alberto GiacomettiBattle of fishes by Andre MassonLuncheon in fur by Meret OppenheimThe barbarians by Max ErnstMannequin by Man RayThe surrealism movement is a very interesting artistic movement as it asks us to look past our limitations and our superficial emotions. And invites us to delve deeper into the core of w ho we are as individuals and as human beings, leading us to the thread that connects us all.It is expressive without being expressionism, created base on an impression without being impressionism, and it deals with psychoanalytical topics without being science. As you see the work, you must delve into your own inner world to understand it. Projecting and thus unlocking your own subconscious onto the canvas, creating new meaning for you as the viewer on a deeper level.If you enjoyed this why not read about the Baroque art movement.    check out the Impressionists next or the Expressionists and how they painted differently or maybe about Pop artists who changed art forever

Walk-me-through the Main Features

Walk-me-through the Main Features You may have noticed the latest addition to the Virtual Writing Tutor grammar checker main page. Its a short little walkthrough of the principal features of the grammar checker for newcomers. You only get to see it twice before it disappears forever. Why did we add it? The Problem One usability issue I see again and again is my students rushing to click on the grammar checker button, forgoing all others. Why is that a problem, you ask? It is a grammar checker, after all. Simply put, the grammar checking engine works much better if you eliminate your spelling errors first because it needs to recognize the parts of speech for each word in a sentence before it can tell if your sentence has any errors in it. If you write It dont work, the system cant check for a verb agreement error if it doesnt recognize dont as a verb first. Clicking the Check spelling button, eliminating your spelling errorsin this case by adding an apostropheand then clicking Check grammar is likely to produce better results every time. As with any tool, using the Virtual Writing Tutor step-by-step will help you eliminate more errors in the long run. The Solution So, how can we get users to learn the steps to produce the best results? A little training is in order. Thats what motivated us to add this Show-Me-How walkthrough tutorial. Of course there are other features that are underused and could learners improve their writing if they only knew about them, so here are the 9 steps of the walkthrough we added to the VWT. If you follow or dismiss the walkthrough tutorial twice, it will never show again. We store a cookie in your browser to keep count. Add this feature to your website If you would like to add this Show-Me-How feature to your website, drop us a line and well send you a quote. It wont be expensive because we have done all the design, research, and testing beforehand. Youll benefit from our experience. Please follow and like us:

What to Do With Your Undergraduate Research

What to Do With Your Undergraduate Research pexels.com Whether its individually directed or under a professor, beginning undergraduate research is daunting. After all, you dont have any letters after your name you might not even have a full year of college under your belt! Is there really anything you can do? Yes! There are entire conferences dedicated showcasing undergraduate research. Besides that, a foundation in research is great way to grow in your area of study, serve the community, and bulk up your resume. Heres how to get started: Find A Research Project Maybe you already have something in mind, something you wrote a paper on way back when that youd like to explore. Fantastic! If not, thats okay, too. There are several different ways to get involved in undergraduate research. You can work on your own project if you or a group of your friends have an idea. Or, if you have no idea where to begin, you can get involved in faculty research projects. Most big universities have faculty performing research in a variety of disciplines, from chemistry to psychology to English literature. Most of the time, these professors use graduate and undergraduate students to help them with the nitty-gritty research categorizing articles, writing case briefs, sorting and clean vials, etc. If you really have no idea where to begin, pick your favorite professor and ask if theyre working on research and, if so, could you possibly be involved. They might say no and thats okay they may be able to direct you to a project you can work on or advise you as you c reate your own. Get Cracking! Once you find or create your research project, get moving on logistics. Can you get funding for  undergraduate research or a scholarship for participating in a faculty project? What about community service hours? You might even be able to get school credit for it. Talk to your academic adviser, supervising faculty, or research department if your school has one about the tangible benefits of undergraduate research. They may surprise you! Find an Audience Youve made leaps and bounds in your project, come up with startling conclusions, and you want to tell the world. But how? You can try for publication at your school if they have an academic journal. You can also talk to your academic adviser or supervising faculty member about publication opportunities. You can also apply to present at conferences such as the Florida Undergraduate Research Conference (FURC) and ACC Meeting of the Minds. These two conferences are devoting to showcasing undergraduate research and are held yearly. Not only are they great opportunities to publicize your work, but theyre great networking opportunities. Undergraduate research really bulks up a resume, particularly if youve been published and/or participated in a conference. pexels.com So what are you waiting for? Get out and get researching!

The Second Presidential Debate What You Should Know

The Second Presidential Debate What You Should Know Photo Credit: theintercept.com 1. No sportsmanship awards for Clinton or Trump. Perhaps a foreshadowing of the night to come, Clinton and Trump didnt shake hands before the debate, which is tradition, as they did in the first presidential debate. At the end of the nights debate though, the two did shake hands. 2. Trump tries to divert attention away from his vulgar comments about women on a 2005 recording that surfaced and over to Bill Clinton. Before the presidential debate started, Trump held a press conference with three women: Paula Jones, Juanita Broaddrick, and Kathleen Wiley, who have accused former president Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct and one woman, Kelly Shelton, who was raped at age 12 and had her alleged attacker represented by Hilary Clinton. What Trump said in 2005 amounts to claims that his fame basically allows him to sexually assault women yet he tried to downplay his words as locker room talk but make Bill Clinton out to be a much worse guy. After trying to dismiss some of the tape and shirk his responsibility to own up to his words, Trump did admit that hes embarrassed by it and claimed that no one has more respect for women than he does. (Proof of that, anyone?) 3. Trump makes snarky comments. Adding to the tension of the night, Trump calls Clinton the devil, and made some snarky comments that were very middle school-esque. After Clinton said its just awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump isnt in charge of the law in this country, Trump snarked Because youd be in jail. Trump also accused Clinton of having hate in her heart and attacking the women Bill Clinton was abusive to. 4. Clinton missteps by bringing Abraham Lincoln into the debate. After part of a paid speech leaked last week, Clinton tried to clear the air by bringing Abraham Lincoln into the debate to explain how a president can have two different sides to them. Clinton attempted to use Lincoln as an example of having both a public and private position on issues, as Lincoln used varying methods and arguments on different lawmakers to abolish slavery. Clinton didnt exactly succeed here and Trump managed to capitalize on that, saying She lied, and now shes blaming the lie on the late great Abraham Lincoln. Honest Abe never lied; thats the big different between Abraham Lincoln and you. 5. Trumps rampant false claims continue. Continuing his streak, as in the first debate, Trump made many inaccurate and false claims, which were fact-checked not in his favor. Claims by Trump about taxes, Syria, healthcare, the Iraq war, Sheltons rape case, trade deficits, refugees, and more, during the second presidential debate were all proven wrong, and while Clinton herself did perhaps make a few misleading comments, Trump outdid himself and her in stating false facts. 6. Trump seemingly abandons VP candidate and running mate Mike Pence. During last weeks vice presidential debate, Trumps running mate Mike Pence took a hard stance on Russia breaking with Trumps policy on Syria   and threatened the use of force by the U.S. if Russia and Syria continued to bomb civilians. During the presidential debate, Trump threw Pence under the bus by disagreeing with him and stating he didnt have the same position as Pence, saying He and I havent spoken, and I disagree. Instead, Trump continued to defend Russia, claiming theyre bombing ISIS. 7. OK kids, lets go around the room and everyone say something nice about each other. To end the night, Karl Becker, a town hall participant, asked the final question and it was quite the change in pace. Becker asked if either of the candidates would name one positive things that they respect in one another. Clinton answered first, saying I respect his children. His children are incredibly able and devoted and I think that says a lot about Donald. She did also slip in that she doesnt agree with everything he says or does but she respects that and as a mother and grandmother, the abilities and dedication of his children is very important. Trump then returned the compliment, saying, She doesnt quit and doesnt give up. I respect that She is a fighter, before also stating that he disagrees with much of what shes fighting for and her judgement in many cases, though overall the fact that she fights hard and doesnt give up is a good trait. So both managed to make genuine compliments about the other to end the night while also stating their disagreements with the others actions and words. Nice try, Becker you almost pulled it off. The third and final presidential debate will take place on Wednesday, October 19, at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Achieving Goals What It Means as a Kumon Parent and Student

Achieving Goals What It Means as a Kumon Parent and Student Achieving Goals: What It Means as a Kumon Parent and Student Setting goals is the first step toward achieving success. And before you can achieve that success, you need to know how to properly set goals. Once you know how to set goals, you can visualize them, make a plan to reach them and ultimately achieve them in the end. When starting the Kumon Program, parents and students have specific goals in mind. They may range from reaching grade level to advanced study to program completion. The beauty of the Kumon Program is that it’s individualized for each student meaning that one student’s journey may not necessarily be the same as another. We have compiled several stories from Kumon Parents and Students on how the Kumon Program helped them achieve their goals. Use these stories to encourage your family to reflect on your goals this past year. Kumon Students “The daily practice helped me set goals, challenge myself, and create a pattern for success. Kumon helped me succeed in school, and I earned a full-tuition scholarship to the University of Washington’s Honors College.” â€" Jake, Kumon Student from Mercer Island, WA “The idea of persevering to make it to my ultimate goal was something I learned from being a Kumon Student.”â€" Cherry, Kumon Student from St. Louis, MO “When I started Kumon, my goal was to complete both programs. The feeling of accomplishment and pride when I completed was extremely fulfilling.” â€" Fahim, Kumon Student from Riverhead, NY “Kumon helped me become confident. I know that I can reach whatever goals I set in life.” â€" Rose, Kumon Student from Orangeville, ON, Canada “Set your goals high and never settle for less. Constantly challenging yourself towards a goal tests how much you can achieve. By setting your goals high, you will never feel as if you failed. You will always land somewhere where you feel positive and where you feel confident about yourself.” â€" Norman, Kumon Student from Bridgewater, NJ “Kumon has turned me into the math person I always wanted to be. In Kumon, I learned that with will and persistent effort, your goals and dreams are attainable. If you can get through Kumon, you can accomplish anything in life.” â€" RJ, Kumon Student from Tulsa, OK Kumon Parents “Sam has really learned a lot from this experience about setting goals and working hard to reach them. I truly believe that all of his hard work at Kumon has helped him set and reach his goals.” â€" Rachel, Kumon Mom from San Antonio, TX “It is only a little bit every day, and before you know it, you’ve mastered multiplication or algebra. Learning to break tasks down into small assignments is an essential skill for school and life.” â€" Jacki, Kumon Mom from, Plano, TX “Every parent wants his or her children to have the confidence to dream big and attain their life goals, and Kumon helps my son do that.” â€" Akshita, Kumon Mom from Boynton Beach, FL “A solid academic foundation is essential to future success. As parents we must always look at the goals ahead and remind ourselves and our children that perseverance pays off.” â€" Ratna, Kumon Mom from Oak Hill, VA “When my children were younger than had difficulty focusing and sitting still, but now they set-up their own goals. My son, Christopher, for example, wants to reach the Kumon calculus Level before high school.” â€" Jinq-Meei, Kumon Mom from Kettering, OH You might also be interested in: Defining Success: What It Means as a Kumon Student and Parent How Setting Long-Term Goals Led One Kumon Student to Big Achievements 4 Simple Tips for Setting Goals with Your Child in the New Year Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Success with Kumon Achieving Goals What It Means as a Kumon Parent and Student Achieving Goals: What It Means as a Kumon Parent and Student Setting goals is the first step toward achieving success. And before you can achieve that success, you need to know how to properly set goals. Once you know how to set goals, you can visualize them, make a plan to reach them and ultimately achieve them in the end. When starting the Kumon Program, parents and students have specific goals in mind. They may range from reaching grade level to advanced study to program completion. The beauty of the Kumon Program is that it’s individualized for each student meaning that one student’s journey may not necessarily be the same as another. We have compiled several stories from Kumon Parents and Students on how the Kumon Program helped them achieve their goals. Use these stories to encourage your family to reflect on your goals this past year. Kumon Students “The daily practice helped me set goals, challenge myself, and create a pattern for success. Kumon helped me succeed in school, and I earned a full-tuition scholarship to the University of Washington’s Honors College.” â€" Jake, Kumon Student from Mercer Island, WA “The idea of persevering to make it to my ultimate goal was something I learned from being a Kumon Student.”â€" Cherry, Kumon Student from St. Louis, MO “When I started Kumon, my goal was to complete both programs. The feeling of accomplishment and pride when I completed was extremely fulfilling.” â€" Fahim, Kumon Student from Riverhead, NY “Kumon helped me become confident. I know that I can reach whatever goals I set in life.” â€" Rose, Kumon Student from Orangeville, ON, Canada “Set your goals high and never settle for less. Constantly challenging yourself towards a goal tests how much you can achieve. By setting your goals high, you will never feel as if you failed. You will always land somewhere where you feel positive and where you feel confident about yourself.” â€" Norman, Kumon Student from Bridgewater, NJ “Kumon has turned me into the math person I always wanted to be. In Kumon, I learned that with will and persistent effort, your goals and dreams are attainable. If you can get through Kumon, you can accomplish anything in life.” â€" RJ, Kumon Student from Tulsa, OK Kumon Parents “Sam has really learned a lot from this experience about setting goals and working hard to reach them. I truly believe that all of his hard work at Kumon has helped him set and reach his goals.” â€" Rachel, Kumon Mom from San Antonio, TX “It is only a little bit every day, and before you know it, you’ve mastered multiplication or algebra. Learning to break tasks down into small assignments is an essential skill for school and life.” â€" Jacki, Kumon Mom from, Plano, TX “Every parent wants his or her children to have the confidence to dream big and attain their life goals, and Kumon helps my son do that.” â€" Akshita, Kumon Mom from Boynton Beach, FL “A solid academic foundation is essential to future success. As parents we must always look at the goals ahead and remind ourselves and our children that perseverance pays off.” â€" Ratna, Kumon Mom from Oak Hill, VA “When my children were younger than had difficulty focusing and sitting still, but now they set-up their own goals. My son, Christopher, for example, wants to reach the Kumon calculus Level before high school.” â€" Jinq-Meei, Kumon Mom from Kettering, OH You might also be interested in: Defining Success: What It Means as a Kumon Student and Parent How Setting Long-Term Goals Led One Kumon Student to Big Achievements 4 Simple Tips for Setting Goals with Your Child in the New Year Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Success with Kumon

Start exams from a younger age - Tutor Hunt Blog

Start exams from a younger age Start exams from a younger age Start exams from a younger agePrimary schoolsMake children take more exams from a younger age to combat mental health disorders Schools Minister Nick Gibb, addressing a joint hearing of the Education and Health Committees, expressed the view that it would be beneficial to children`s health for them to sit more exams earlier in school. He said that exam stress can be extremely deleterious, and can even lead to mental health problems later in life. The minister opined that children as young as 12 should regularly take exams, ensuring they become accustomed to the pressures, which would allow the examinations to reveal their true academic potential. Speaking to a group of MP`s in a discussion about children`s mental health, he clearly stated his views on acclimatising pupils to the stresses of exams: `The way to deal with exam pressures is to make sure that young people take exams earlier on in their school career at the end of year seven, at the end of year eight and so on so they are used to taking exams,` His views did not meet with universal agreement however - Labour MP Emma Hardy was adamant that, instead of alleviating the stress levels of children, having them take more exams would only add to their burdens. In her opinion these mental health problems are the result of a cumulative, year in year out cycle of revision and exams. Rather than inuring them to the effects of this cycle, having children take exams earlier would only cause more problems. Emma hardy said that health problems caused by exams happen `because of a progressive build-up all the way throughout their years in school until they get to year 10 and they just can`t cope.` This is in direct opposition to Nick Gibb`s theory, that multiple and regular testing of pupils earlier in their school career would have beneficial effects in the long term. `You are talking about exam pressure that is constant, that is in every year group for every subject for every pupil. How many subjects in each year? Is it nine, is it 10? And they`re having to do that every single year,` Ms Hardy continued. `You are giving our young people a constant, unending pressure for exams in every year group.` I can see the merits of both points of view: Emma Hardy is saying you do not alleviate the pressure of exams by making children sit more exams; Nick Gibb is advocating the view that if children get used to taking exams then later on their GCSE`s and A-Levels will not be nearly so stressful. Back in the dark ages, when I attended a rather strict grammar school I was well used to taking exams. Barely a week seemed to go by without a teacher gleefully informing us that we would be tested, our academic abilities scrutinised, in with a test that would determine our very future. By the time I was due to sit my GCSE`s I must have taken hundreds of tests. Despite this lengthy apprenticeship, I was still terrified when I walked into the intimidating exam hall. I was painfully aware that I wasn`t in the (relative) comfort of a classroom, sitting at a table next to my friends. The barren isolation of hundreds of little desks, laid out in a matrix formation, with teachers strutting like sentries down the aisles, was something utterly new and terrifying. Added to this was the knowledge that these exams really mattered: if I didn`t get the requisite grades it didn`t just mean a `disappointed` message in red ink from my teacher - it meant that I couldn`t take the subjects I wanted to at A-Level, or that I would be denied entry to my university of choice. These exams really were life determining, and I knew it. Unless you can replicate those stakes, then I suspect having children take more exams from a younger age will only have a minimal effect on alleviating their anxiety. There is growing concern about the stresses children are being placed under throughout their time at school. Tom Madders, Campaign director of Youngminds perhaps the leading charity in the UK championing the mental health and wellbeing of both children and young people gave his view on the matter at hand: `The education system is fundamentally unbalanced, with a far greater focus on exam results than on the wellbeing of students. Schools that prioritise wellbeing also tend to do better academically, so it makes sense to focus on promoting good mental health rather than putting children under yet more pressure.` In my opinion the best way to make exams less daunting is by ensuring pupils feel they are more than able to perform well in them. No one will be intimidated by a challenge they are certain they can cope with. This is quite easy to say of course, but in my opinion it is more germane to strive to ensure children are more confident taking exams because they believe they can answer the questions correctly, than to work to make them more relaxed about the exam process itself. 2 years ago0Add a Comment