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Leaving Cert - 20minute extra time

  • 26-05-2016 12:01PM
    #1
    Meringue
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24 ✭


    hi, im currently an LC student and im just wondering about this extra time allocation during exams. i know examiners are quite reluctant to give this to students a lot of the time ... like a lot of other girls/women, i suffer from extremely bad period cramps during the first few days and as this year has progressed they have stopped me from studying etc numerous times regardless of what painkillers i have taken.. unfortunately the next round of these is due right in the middle of my leaving cert so i know that the exams around those few days will be unbearable. so i was wondering if this time would be given to such a situation?..hopefully it wont be the case but theres a huge chance that it may otherwise potentially ruin an important exam
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    PLL
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 893 ✭✭✭PLL


    I got extra time in my college exams due to having a spinal injury which disrupted my stidy and distracted me in actual exams because sitting down for so long affects it. Go talk to your doctor anyway and see if you can get a letter from them before you talk to anyone in school.

    P.s. Sorry to hear the pains are so bad, as a woman I cab empathise with how distracting period pains are. You would nearly want to bring a hot water bottle into the exam to get any way comfortable.


  • #3
    livedadream
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,455 ✭✭✭livedadream


    talk to your doctor, i was the same i gave him enough notice so i was put on the pill to sort stuff out.

    obviously this may not be possible for you but approach the school and your GP and see what can be done.


  • #4
    Meringue
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24 ✭Meringue


    thank you both! i will go to him and see what happens!


  • #5
    livedadream
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,455 ✭✭✭livedadream


    Meringue wrote: »
    thank you both! i will go to him and see what happens!

    best of luck, and remember all this work and stress will be totally worth it when your 30 and cant remember what subjects you did let alone how many points you got :D

    and will enable you to sit at your desk in a non descript office on boards.ie before lunch :P


  • #6
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 27,439 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    Meringue wrote: »
    hi, im currently an LC student and im just wondering about this extra time allocation during exams. i know examiners are quite reluctant to give this to students a lot of the time ... like a lot of other girls/women, i suffer from extremely bad period cramps during the first few days and as this year has progressed they have stopped me from studying etc numerous times regardless of what painkillers i have taken.. unfortunately the next round of these is due right in the middle of my leaving cert so i know that the exams around those few days will be unbearable. so i was wondering if this time would be given to such a situation?..hopefully it wont be the case but theres a huge chance that it may otherwise potentially ruin an important exam

    What you are describing is not normal.
    Talk to your doctor.


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  • #7
    DublinArnie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,823 ✭✭✭DublinArnie


    Students can be allocated extra time? Never heard of this before.


  • #8
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 27,439 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    DublinArnie wrote: »
    Students can be allocated extra time? Never heard of this before.

    It's allowed in certain 'Reasonable Accommodation' cases to allow for dictation etc.. I have never heard of it just being giving out to people, especially since additional time was added on to some exams a few years ago.


  • #9
    Meringue
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24 ✭Meringue


    spurious wrote: »
    It's allowed in certain 'Reasonable Accommodation' cases to allow for dictation etc.. I have never heard of it just being giving out to people, especially since additional time was added on to some exams a few years ago.

    nobody said about it just being given out to people :) from what ive heard/been told its given when its necessary in some circumstances..besides, everybody would want extra time then if it were just given out anyway so of course it isnt :D


  • #10
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 27,439 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    It's given where people have a scribe.


  • #11
    TSMGUY
    Closed Accounts Posts: 855 ✭✭✭TSMGUY


    Never knew this was a thing! Thank God I'm not TSMGIRL.

    From what my biology book tells me, can't a doctor give you estrogen and progesterone to induce a false menstruation or something so it doesn't happen during your exams? Good luck.


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  • #12
    DublinArnie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,823 ✭✭✭DublinArnie


    Wonder if some examiners give a few minutes if they see people not finished and pushing for time when the clock ticks the last few seconds. Imagine, this probably happens because there is no way to know if an examiner gave an extra '5 minutes' or not.

    I think I heard someone doing the junior cert get a few extra minutes?


  • #13
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 27,439 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    DublinArnie wrote: »
    Wonder if some examiners give a few minutes if they see people not finished and pushing for time when the clock ticks the last few seconds. Imagine, this probably happens because there is no way to know if an examiner gave an extra '5 minutes' or not.

    I think I heard someone doing the junior cert get a few extra minutes?

    That would be up to the Superintendent.
    They are not supposed to, as obviously it's not fair if in a school up the road papers are being taken off people at the right time, but as in all walks of life, some people take their job more seriously than others.


  • #14
    rainbowtrout
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,466 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    Meringue wrote: »
    hi, im currently an LC student and im just wondering about this extra time allocation during exams. i know examiners are quite reluctant to give this to students a lot of the time ... like a lot of other girls/women, i suffer from extremely bad period cramps during the first few days and as this year has progressed they have stopped me from studying etc numerous times regardless of what painkillers i have taken.. unfortunately the next round of these is due right in the middle of my leaving cert so i know that the exams around those few days will be unbearable. so i was wondering if this time would be given to such a situation?..hopefully it wont be the case but theres a huge chance that it may otherwise potentially ruin an important exam

    This is not the examiners decision. What you are talking about is Reasonable Accommodations. If a student has an identified need for extra time, they are allocated a special centre. They sit the exam on their own in a separate room with a supervisor. That person may also read or scribe for them depending on the nature of their need. A common reason for a special centre is dyslexia. A former student of mine had epilepsy so had a special centre in case she had a fit during the exam. It wouldn't have been fair on her or the rest of the students if she was in the main centre.

    You can't just rock up with a doctor's note on the day of the exam and have the supervisor give you an extra 20 minutes when the rest have left the room. It doesn't work like that, you have to apply to the SEC for a special centre. All of which have been done by now.

    Honestly I don't fancy your chances. Thousands of girls will have their period during the exams. If a special case was made for every one of them, the exams would be chaotic. Also if you have not presented your case before for a special centre due to medical need, it's unlikely it will be granted now for period pains.

    Some girls have gone on the pill in the weeks leading up to the LC to delay menstruation until after the exams. It might be worth talking to your doctor about that option as a short term solution.


  • #15
    Konata
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,164 ✭✭✭Konata


    Strongly agree with the opinions above Meringue - at this late notice I think your first port of call should be a doctor. Going on the pill helps many many women with period pains and the benefit of being on the pill is that you can regulate the timing of your period to a certain extent, for example, you can take two packs back to back to not have a period for 6 weeks instead of 3 weeks. This of course should be discussed with your doctor beforehand, I'm merely using it as an example of how visiting your doctor can help come up with some possible strategies for managing the pain particularly when it clashes with special occassions like this.

    Even if it is too late for the LC (you may not be able to start the pill in time or you may have to try a few different pills etc.) this is something you should absolutely discuss with your doctor for the future.


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