Citizenship
What does it take to be a good citizen? An A* in GCSE Citizenship that's what.
Last year, I was offered the chance to take this extra subject, which would increase my GCSE tally to 11 and give me a chance to add another shiny A* to my currently small collection (it'll be bolstered in a months time I hope).
Having "studied" (I use the term very loosely) the subject for a year, it's hard to take it seriously. The course mainly deals with human rights, diluted politics and current affairs; topics that can be learnt from simply watching the news. As long as I can still recognise Tony Blair, the exams shouldn't pose a problem.
Here is a sample question from one of the citizenship past papers:
You have found a caterpillar in a sandwich you have bought. Who do you complain to?
A. The government
B. The police
C. The supermarket
Apart from being ridiculously simple, citizenship is only a half course so if I should achieve an A* grade, it would only count for a C grade's worth of UCAS points (these precious points are needed to qualify for further education). So basically, citizenship is micky mouse.
And I've done fuck all in lessons. The teacher has been on leave since having a mental breakdown so I've just been sleeping and playing cards every lesson.
Oh well. It's only citizenship. My exam is a week today.
10 comments:
Citzenship, like Geography to an extent except much worse, is a mish-mash of topics which seem to bear very little connection to one another, as i'm sure you're aware.
This subject Could be an interesting fusion of history and politics, combined with analytical skills and critical thinking; however, it is so typical of this government's dilution of the GCSE as a qualification that it stand for very litte, as you have highlighted, in the eyes of UCAS.
A complete redrafting of the syllabus, i feel, is warranted by the lamentable state of this GCSE's curriculum and its utter lack of credibility as a subject choice.
The caterpiller in the sandwich question here in the states would also have:
D. a Lawyer
E All of the above
And the correct answer would be E
leo: The thing about geography is, it has to cover a broad range of topics - physical geography and social geography (the most boring aspect of the course by far). But you get a choice of questions to answer in the exam (depending on what select topics you have learnt) so you never get a true understanding for the subject.
Citizenship would be so much better if it featured more politics. In fact, they should scrap citizenship and have a GCSE course on politics instead.
UCAS points mean nothing to the high achievers. It's only those at the bottom that eagerly claw at them.
If only you and I got the chance to rewrite the syllabus eh?
hammer: Answer D is a good one. The sue culture in America is getting ridiculous, and it's catching on over here!
That actually sounds like a "fun exam", if you can ever tie those two words together!
Haven't "spoken" in a long while! I've been too caught up with clinics and the workload it has to offer *sigh* Anywho, hope life's been treating you well, and g'luck with exams!
I agree with Hammer. It's kind of ridiculous what people choose to sue over these days.
I had my french oral on friday and im amazed i didnt die, it was so scary but was fine when i knew what i was going to say but there were several occasions when i was horrified because i had no idea what the teacher had just asked me.
i wish i had died tho cos im bored and i got a media exam 2mos and im runnng low on ideas cos i hate media so much and i have wondered why i choose it everyday for the last 2 years, i think i had some vain hope that i wuld get a job and meet some famous people. Anyway, I think u shuld go online and talk 2 me cos im bored.
Well done on your French Cara. As I have said many a time before: the relief as your leave that room is tangible.
I like the idea of GCSE Politics though. We could watch Have I Got News For You on our sit off lessons.
iiih citizenship test. Yikes. Apparently Denmark has started with it too.
Good luck, with your exams and everything.
After teaching such a dummy subject, no wonder the teacher had a mental breakdown. jajaja.
Here, citizenship is the tool to get to know how your country should be, in order to be traumatized when you discover how it REALLY is. It sucks as well.
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