Teacher's Answer Key

So you think when a teacher is grading papers they're expected to remember every single answer on the test, and in what order?

And the student who can't do the work should just be give the answers?

For accuracy, not all answers are black and white, right or wrong. When grading essays with a wide range of abilities the examiner needs to know what is required for each boundary. What would get full marks for a test designed for twelve year olds might not for one aimed at fifteen year olds.

I worked as a teacher (teaching Physics at the high school anc college undergraduate level).

What is a "Teachers answer key"?

maxdancona-

I remember when I was in school (a long time ago) that teachers were provided with the answers to certain tests.

Perhaps they no longer exist.

Teachers make the tests and make a key so they can quickly grade the test without rereading each question.

If students given a standardized test that is to be used by many teachers, I would expect that would come with a answer key. These standardized tests are often graded by machine.

I always wrote my own exams, and I expected students to show their work.

I don't know if this thread is intended as an attack on teachers. I will say this, I quit being a teacher 17 years ago. I now make well more then three times my teacher's salary with a job that honestly requires less effort.

Our unwillingness as a society to invest in education is ridiculous.

Anyone who whines about the quality of teachers should support legislation to raise teacher salaries.

As a former teacher, I agree with both Chai2 and izzy.

An additional reason for teachers having an answers key is, to save time.
This is especially important when a test has been written by another person. (Teacher)

Of course, the answer key can occasionally be wrong. Rare; but, it does happen. This is a good reason for teachers to go through the test, a question at a time (after the tests are graded and returned), to discuss with students why an answer is correct. This gives the student the opportunity to argue for the supposedly incorrect answer they gave.
(this happened when I was a student in high school biology on the midterm exam. The fool teacher just went with the key and during class review I pointed out the error. Victory was mine, as I knew it would be.). (it had to do with the electron microscope)

Apparently, another science teacher had written the test and supplied the answer key - error and all.

If a student had the key prior to the exam it would be wrong. It would also negate the value of test scores.


Study harder, play video games less.

There are certain educational systems where that standard is not followed. Especially in larger systems with several different classes, same learning under more than one teacher yet with the same subject matter, during the period of time. It applies mainly towards midterm and final exams. This is helpful in determining the overall success of students and teachers. A similar situation occurs in New York State with the Regents exams which are given throughout the State. (answer keys are/were used here as well)

maxdancona-

This thread is not intended as an attack on teachers.

I mark public examinations. In order to be an examiner you need to have taught the subject at that level for at least two years.

Today everything is done on line. Before you can mark exam scripts you have to mark exemplars, work that has already been marked. Your mark has to be within certain boundaries or you will not be able to mark any real scripts.

When you pass standardisation you can start marking. The first five or so scripts you mark will also be exemplars, and your marks need to be within the boundaries or you will be thrown off that question and unable to mark it until you speak to your supervisor. Even after doing all of that there are sporadic exemplars that turn upon the course of marking and if you don’t get them right you get kicked off as before.

Exam boards don’t want you to be mean or generous, they want you to be accurate, and it’s not easy.

It’s a darn sight more complicated than just putting a tick or a cross.

And every question is marked by at least two different people. If those two marks are too different both examiners are stopped from marking until a chief examiner has looked at the script.

It happened to me, I was locked out of a question for two days because another examiner made a mistake.