Assessing Children
I'm siding with the idea of looking at the child as a whole instead of assessing them and basing their knowledge off of tests that they may take in the classroom. For example, every year, even since I can remember, Ive taken standardized test that based my knowledge on all subjects. A lot of children do not excel in them, but that does not mean that they do not understand what they are being taught in the classroom, and that does not mean that they are receiving low grades in their classes. Thats only 1 exam, but its an exam that the school judges all the students and also the teachers by. Standardized testing becomes so important that the teachers begin to teach what may be on that 1 exam, instead of information that may be more beneficial to the student and their future education.
"We are focusing extensively on test scores, and far too little on the whole child."(ASCD, 2015).
It is too often that you hear that teachers test, and they are too worried about how their class did as a whole on the standardized test versus how each student is actually doing individually. Students may express themselves in different ways, some excel in tests easily, some stress out from the pressure of exams and are better at doing assignments or projects. Although the way that we assess children in the United States isn't the best way, around the world they may have better ways of assessing children.
In Asia, they decided that they cannot judge and assess a child based of off exams, what they are doing now is called 21st century skills and competency for all students in Asia. This is based off of cognitive skills, interpersonal skills and intrapersonal skills (which means motivation, the want to learn how to do things). So one way they do this is by assessing the knowledge of a child by doing projects. By doing projects they are applying the knowledge they have to solving the problem in the projects they are creating.
All in all, there is no perfect way to assess a child, but as we progress, we may learn and try new ways.
Assessment. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.wholechildeducation.org/what-works/featured-topics/assessment
Assessing 21st-Century Skills and Competencies Around the World. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://asiasociety.org/global-cities-education-network/assessing-21st-century-skills-and-competencies-around-world
Hi Angie,
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with you on assessing the child on their developmental level. As you pointed out, children do not excel at the same time and often times it takes some longer than others to meet specified goals. Also, I do not agree that one test should determine anything about a child’s learning or even a teacher’s level of competency. These are found to be not beneficial to anyone in the program as it does not completely show what the child is and can learn.
Thanks
Tanesha
Hi Angie,
ReplyDeleteThis perspective is similar to the one of the world's most successful school in Finland. They also are interested in motivation, they use the work being done as a assessment of what progress is made. The children start formal school at age 7, because they all attend high-quality free early care. I like the idea of not thinking each unique child should take the same standardized tests. I can imagine a school that is stress free, where children are excited to learn, teachers are esteemed for their contributions. Learning about these different school systems gives me hope, that America will also find a new productive method of measuring a child's development.
I relate to you so much in relations to always taken standardized testing. I remember in elementary school that we got served breakfast every day prior to our test and got handed a handful of mints to help us stay focus. It is unfortunate that teachers have to teach to the test and not allow children to express who they are. I believe that our schools are losing great teachers because many of the teachers are not able to have their class score as high as the state wants them to. After reading about your findings in Asia - I believe that our country should do the same. Children are bright in so many ways why focus on testing. It doesn't help us when we become adults learning all that material.
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