We truly live in a nation that is free--but have we become a nation that is afraid to fail? Current events tell us that we have indeed become that nation...* In Texas, school districts are suing over legislation that requires them to give a child the grade they actually made. Districts are asking to give a grade no lower than 50.
* In Texas, the Census Bureau is giving a test for job applicants in which passing is 34%.
We have even let some of this mentality creep into our tennis officiating and the testing of our officials. In the past, we required every official to take a test in a classroom and they had to pass with a minimum score. Today, they just fill out the test at home with open book... And then we wonder why we have some of the problems we have!
Lack of accountability leads to lack of job performance. Perhaps it is time to reassert our standards...
10 comments:
I believe you hit the nail squarely on the head. It's funny how many officials whine about having to go to school, yet the same questions keep coming up that indicates a lot of "us" have forgotten the rules.
The only way to solve that issue is to go back and have closed book tests at the schools and require the officials to actually PASS the test.
We used to have one instructor who had to be an instructor because she couldn't pass the test. At least she's gone now...
I don't totally disagree with your stance. However, the way the test is currently done FORCES me to know how to use FAC and subsequently FORCES me to actually read what the rules say. I had been an official for years prior to the current open-book testing procedure. I thought it was stupid until I realized each year I am better able to use the rule book; can access information quicker; annually actually reading what the book says (rather than thinking I could remember); and as a result I feel that I know the rules better. I don't know if this makes me a better official, but I feel more confident on the court when I have to enforce those little known rules. (i.e. broken ball vs. soft ball - which happened in large numbers at a recent event)
Again, I don't totally disagree, just offering another way to look at it.
I agree with both sides of the issue. I do know all of us need to spend more time in the FAC but I also know there needs to be some real accountability when it comes to testing. If they can't at least pass the test, then they probably don't need to be out there officiating.
After years spent taking the "classroom style" tests I remained amazed at the amount of time it took many of the test takers to finish the exam. I made the assumption, perhaps mistakenly, that they could read and then assumed they just couldn't come to a quick decision on the scenarios. Each year, I shuddered to think about how much time it must take those folks to make a decision in real time on the courts. I don't know if the open book test is a better way to learn but I can say that I skim through the tests looking for questions from the same section of the FAC. That way I don't waste time bouncing back and forth through it.
Open book at home tests prove nothing other than that you are good at looking things up. A real test with real scores requires at least some proficiency and accountability.
I agree open book tests teach officials how to use the FAC, but we should NEVER have it out while on-court. That gives the perception of incompetence. Closed book tests force each official to actually read the FAC from front to back and not cheat by only going to the index to look up specific paragraphs for the 25+ questions on the test that already have the paragraph number referenced anyway. It would be better to leave the paragraph numbers blank and fill in the blank. That way some brain power would be required to actually find the correct reference without it already staring you in the face.
Hmm. I thought the instructor you are talking about is STILL teaching (or more appropriately sleeping) during the officials school. I was always amazed at how many older officials would cheat by looking at their neighbor's answers during the closed book test.
One major problem with the closed book tests were that the questions were poorly written.
I think what happened is that they had a bunch of older officials failing tests or doing badly so they did what the public schools have done and that is make it easy for everyone to pass. Open book tests at home don't give me any assurance that they know a dang thing.
Since we will always have open book at home tests why not go ahead and put the whole thing on the internet like a defensive driving course and then we wouldn't have to sit through a school...
Just a thought...
DIVERSITY RULES!!!!
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