Teacher sees success rate as a reflection of their own qualities

In April, Malmberg conducted a survey among more than 400 teachers in secondary education, to find out how they experience the final exam period. By means of this PR-action, Malmberg emphasizes the focus on teachers. During the final exam period there is a lot of attention on the pupils, but this is also an exciting period for teachers.


Survey results
The survey shows that the vast majority (85%) of teachers experience stress during the final exam period. For teachers, involvement is paramount in everything: 83% of teachers continue to guide pupils, even if the lessons are over, a quarter even feels responsible for the errors that students make during the exam. The actual marking of the final exams is for teachers by far the most exciting time of the final exam period. Bringing good news to the students is the best moment of the exam period. 


Less confidence in exam result
Almost one in five teachers has less confidence in the exam result this year, because of the sharpened examination requirements. For almost three quarters of the teachers, the final exam period is a success, only if they themselves have done everything possible to prepare the pupils or if pupils score above the national average (36%). Teachers see the graduation percentage as a reflection of their own qualities (35%). 


Good advice is very valuable
To prepare pupils for obtaining their diploma, the most popular preparations are as follows: 65% of the teachers keep repeating the material until they are certain that the pupils understand; pupils who are not doing very well, get extra attention (81%); and teachers are extra mild to ease the tension for the pupils (33%). The moment that teachers hear whether the student who isn’t doing very well has passed, is experienced by one in five as nerve-racking. 


Involved until the last moment
The relationship between pupil and teacher changes in the final year. According to nearly half of the teachers, this has to do with the fact that during the exam period students are more motivated to learn. It’s clear that teachers are involved until the ‘moment suprême’: 83% of teachers find it very important to speak with pupils personally, directly after the exam to hear how they have experienced it. "We notice that teachers like to give individual attention to pupils, which is also evident from the survey, and that they welcome the coaching role they have during this period," says Henja de Haas, Marketing Manager Secondary Education at Malmberg.


Marking by far the most exciting
The actually marking of the final exams is for the large majority the most exciting moment of the final exam period. Teachers find it very difficult to mark an answer as incorrect, when they know that the pupil understands the material (42%). More than half of the teachers discuss certain points with the pupils themselves; 14% of the teachers take their worries home and discuss them with their partner.


Young taught, done differently
Older teachers experience the final exam period differently than their younger colleagues. Teachers over fifty give their pupils more trial exams and practice tests than teachers under 35 years of age. Young teachers are more strict during the exam period and they also experience more stress in this period than their older colleagues.


Female teachers experience more stress
Female teachers experience more stress during or prior to the final exam period than male teachers. A quarter of the women find it difficult to let go of situations with pupils that are performing less, and they discuss this more often at home with their partner than male teachers do.

For more information about the survey, please contact Kristel Cooijmans, Marketing & PR at Malmberg


About the research
In April 2012, Malmberg conducted a survey among 412 teachers in secondary education. Teachers are asked about their experiences surrounding the final exam period. A study summary is available.


About Malmberg
Malmberg is a well-known and leading educational publisher in the Netherlands. Malmberg publishes mixed media learning systems, educational tools and services for teachers for the Dutch market on primary, secondary and vocational schools. Malmberg is part of the Strategic Business Unit Sanoma Learning.
www.malmberg.nl