#48 Complicated exams

summer break

Hello Friend,

My week here in Sicily has been a little hectic. My son has finished the school year this week and has his middle school exams. So I've been helping him navigate his preparations and studies, which has been a challenge because I haven't seen anything like it.

In Australia, when I went to school, there weren't any big exams between primary and high school. I know this probably has changed a little, and there must be a better transition from primary to high school, but I find the exams here to be a bit confusing.

I seem to have grown up sitting written aptitude tests throughout the school curriculum, and there were admission tests or interviews to some private schools you might want to attend. Still, besides that, there was no big exam.

In Italy, instead, they have what they call the ‘prove invalsi’ aptitude tests which reflect how students are going compared to their peers all over Italy in Math, Italian and English, but the test doesn't affect your school grades. The ‘prove’ are done in the final year of elementary, middle and high school.

While my son is now preparing for written exams in Italian, Maths, French and English, he also has to write a 'tesina,' which seems to be the most confusing thing for a teenager to do.

A tesina is a mini-thesis or essay which is supposed to have a general theme which you have to interconnect with the subjects you have studied during the year.

For example, my son has chosen the theme of Australia. So he will be connecting this theme by talking about Australia's geography for Geography, Immigration for History, Minerals in Science, Wind Farms in Technology, etc.

He has had to go through this year's program and try to connect each subject to his theme. So he wrote about his topic in a paper and then has to present it in front of a panel of his professors. He has also had to prepare a visual presentation of this tesina in the form of a PowerPoint slide show.

I mean, like, woah! Doesn't this seem a little complicated and convoluted for young teens who have done mainly oral assessment for most of their school life, apart from the odd in-class essay, most of their school work is graded orally. It seems super confusing to me.

Don't get me wrong, it's been great to see how my son's ideas have developed and how he has linked everything together, and I'm sure the exam will be a new challenge.

The oral exam is open to the public, which I think is stressful. My son has begged me not to attend, but I believe curiosity will get the better of me. I might sneak in for a peek through the door so he can't see me.

I will have to come up with a good disguise. I don't think dark glasses and a trench coat will cut it in the early June summer heat. I'm sure I will come up with something.

I hope everyone in the same hemisphere as Italy will enjoy the transition into summer vacation. And if you have kids in school that they did well. Please keep your fingers crossed for my son. I know I will.

And for those in Australia, let me know how strange you think this thesis exam is for Italian kids. Is there an equivalent exam nowadays?

Thanks for reading along with my rambling thoughts from Sicily.

I might take next week off to chill with my boy. So speak to you in a bit.

I hate to be long-winded, so I will stop here for now.

I'll keep trying to write something worthwhile, well thought out and new here every week, perhaps more often if I get in the zone.

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Cheers to you

Mille grazie

with love from Sicily

Rochelle