“Please find enclosed your end of KS2 test results. We are very proud of you as you demonstrated huge amounts of commitment and tried your very best during this tricky week.

“However, we are concerned that these tests do not always assess all of what it is that make each of you special and unique. The people who create these tests and score them do not know each of you– the way your teachers do, the way I hope to, and certainly not the way your families do.

“They do not know that many of you speak two languages. They do not know that you can play a musical instrument or that you can dance or paint a picture. They do not know that your friends count on you to be there for them or that your laughter can brighten the dreariest day.

“They do not know that you write poetry or songs, play or participate in sports, wonder about the future, or that sometimes you take care of your little brother or sister after school. They do not know that you have travelled to a really neat place or that you know how to tell a great story or that you really love spending time with special family members and friends.

“They do not know that you can be trustworthy, kind or thoughtful, and that you try, every day, to be your very best… the scores you get will tell you something, but they will not tell you everything.

“So enjoy your results and be very proud of these but remember there are many ways of being smart.”

From the Independent

I voted feel good. No harm in it.

However, academic tests are just that. The writer could have written the following to give the same bottom line message, that of it doesn't matter who you are in tests, who you are will be found out in due course by those that are interested.

“Please find enclosed your end of KS2 test results. We are very proud of you as you demonstrated huge amounts of commitment and tried your very best during this tricky week.

“However, we are concerned that these tests do not always assess all of what it is that make each of you special and unique. The people who create these tests and score them do not know each of you– the way your teachers do, the way I hope to, and certainly not the way your families do.

“They do not know that many of you actually speak like gutter snipes. They do not know that you play Candy Crush and Dearth Motor Vampires all weekend or that you can hotwire a car or graffitti public spaces. They do not know that your friends hate you for sleeping with their girlfriends or that your laughter is an ear-splitting crow that gives people the shivers..

“They do not know that you write obscene messages on internet forums, play Death Metal Rock at 2 am, never wonder about the future, or that sometimes you pinch and slap your little brother or sister after school. They do not know that you wander the slums looking for homeless people to tease or that you know how to tell a convincing lie and that you really avoid spending time with family members and friends.

“They do not know that you can be untrustworthy, unkind or thoughtless, and that you try, every day, to be a jerk… the scores you get will tell you something, but they will not tell you everything.

“So enjoy your results and be very proud of these but remember there are many ways of being smart.”

Doesn't quite resound with the same message, don't you think?

And yes I understand irony, however as an afterthought, it was aimed at young teenagers heading off to secondary school, so this part made me chuckle,

for sleeping with their girlfriends

somehow, if I researched it, I think I would probably despair.

Doesn't quite resound with the same message, don't you think?

And yes I understand irony, however as an afterthought, it was aimed at young teenagers heading off to secondary school, so this part made me chuckle,

for sleeping with their girlfriends

somehow, if I researched it, I think I would probably despair.

Lol....from the tone, I thought it was addressed to secondary school kids on their way to jobs or varsity.

Can't vote, as I think there is a possibility that it is both.

Can't vote, as I think there is a possibility that it is both.

Well, how about the third option; "A feel good letter, and therefore wrong"?

And I don't know what Patsy has got to do with it.

Can't vote, as I think there is a possibility that it is both.

Yeah, that, and apparently plagiarised as well.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/inspirational-british-teacher-rachel-tomlinson-embarrassed-by-plagiarism-20140717-ztuol.html

Yes it was plagiarised from a letter previously sent out ( last year I think ) in the U.S

Didn't see you two sitting on the fence.....however, I think it depends on your personal point of view on which side of the fence you land.

Yes it was plagiarised from a letter previously sent out ( last year I think ) in the U.S

That explains it.

"I love you, Momma loves you, but you're as dumb as a rock"

Yes it was plagiarised from a letter previously sent out ( last year I think ) in the U.S

That explains it.

"I love you, Momma loves you, but you're as dumb as a rock"

I must have heard it from my mom a thousands times. "If you don't study hard and apply yourself, you'll end up a ditch digger. I think the letter is saying "embrace your inner ditch digger because the world needs ditch diggers too.

It does not dismiss exam results, but points out that there are other facets to most children.

When I was at school (yes, we had schools in those days) we were encouraged to take on many different challenges. The boy who used to beat me often in exams (we were the top two in a Boys Grammar School) was in the England 4x440 under 16 relay team, as well as our scrum half. I was number 8 in the same team and also chess player. We both used to hunt fossils. Life is not all about passing exams, but they are the foundation upon which our lives our founded. The other things are the rooms in which we live that life and are necessary as well.

Well, I guess I see things in the letter that are all about seeing everything 'in the round', not just a clinical review of what could have been a bad day at the office, and being seen remotely. Remember they are 13 years old's, some may not have the robust spirit they will later grow into, it is an extreme formative part of their life.

If you call a spade, a spade long enough they will never believe they can be a rotavator.

If you are climbing La Plagne and you are in difficulty, do you call them a ditch digger, or do you find ways to better the performance?

Stephen Roche, ditch digger, or finding a better way to reach a goal.

From 1.52 in the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQojh-wqL04

Well, I guess I see things in the letter that are all about seeing everything 'in the round', not just a clinical review of what could have been a bad day at the office, and being seen remotely. Remember they are 13 years old's, some may not have the robust spirit they will later grow into, it is an extreme formative part of their life.

If you call a spade, a spade long enough they will never believe they can be a rotavator.

If you are climbing La Plagne and you are in difficulty, do you call them a ditch digger, or do you find ways to better the performance?

Stephen Roche, ditch digger, or finding a better way to reach a goal.

From 1.52 in the video

What you call them is one thing...but in my experience helping kids reach their goals is a wide ranging task...hopelessly outranging any school.

After all they are not allowed to hand out pushchairs and crack for free now are they?...nor two bedroom flats and CSA application forms.

Smokie,

If you start off cynical, it really leaves little room for manouver , manuover, movement!

But I do agree with you, it is not the schools job to turn out a well rounded individual, but to impart some of the tools, culture, norms, protocols and a set of honesty, trust, well-being and a sense of worth is for the parents to divulge and implement.

In my humble opinion of course.

I am never going to give my boy any intellectual values, but if we get anywhere near the above core issues, well, he won't go far wrong, I'd say.