I ‘googled’ school age assessment around the world and found a website about European countries putting the most pressure on children in school (Cassidy, 2008). Even the parents are pressured to pick schools for their children based on previous test scores! (Cassidy, 2008) Children in this age range are being prepped for their SATs! (Cassidy, 2008) In Turkey, children are tested for future school purposes, like high schools (Rotberg, 2006). Also in Japan, children in this age range are not evaluated by achievement tests until they are of age for upper secondary school (Rotberg, 2006). I share information about several countries because I do not have a personal affinity to any specific one, I was curious to know more about all that was happening in the great big world.
I also came across a summary from UNICEF on the child well-being. In 21 nations, six dimensions were studied and reported to compare children: material well-being, health and safety, educational well-being, behaviors and risks, and subjective well-being (UNICEF, 2007). This, is what we should be more focused on than standardized tests. In order to focus on the whole child, we need to look at cognitive ability with social relationships and problem-solving. Berger (2009) lists criticisms of IQ testing and states that humans have multiple intelligences (including academic, creative, practical, and emotional). Howard Gardner also described nine intelligences in his research (Berger, 2009). We need to be focused on this idea of multiple intelligences--NOT just cognitive abilities. I have no explanation on how to do all of this, but I feel that the most effective testing would include social settings, culture, logic, and creativity.
Honestly, I can see pros and cons for intelligence testing, like standardized tests. Assessing through tests can keep teachers accountable for what they are spending their time doing in the classrooms. However, it puts huge pressure on those students to not only learn the material, but to reflect it in a test that was made by complete strangers who know nothing about daily discussions in the classroom or students’ interests. Testing is a way to find strengths and weaknesses in children’s cognitive abilities; therefore, professionals can work with these students to strengthen their abilities. However, how much do those children use from all that knowledge taken in for testing later on in life? I am not interested in history. It has always been my weakest subject. It was also my lowest scores on standardized testing. But what do I do with any of those facts and timelines now? Nothing really. Children learn best about things they are interested in. High quality teachers know how to make some subjects interesting to learn about to keep their students’ interests. But standardized testing is standard, the same across the board. I also naturally have anxiety when it comes to testing and being evaluated…what if students just have a rough morning and do not do well on these tests? Plus, how can there be truly standardized testing across the nationalities when language and culture differ so much?
Additionally, I came across what looks similar to a blog, but it is about the pros and cons to standardized testing. Margie (2011) lists out different advantages and disadvantages to these tests. Some advantages include: tracking results over years (to see how much more children are learning), being able to compare children across areas (although it mentions across cultures and I do not think this is a positive note because we have seen such different cultural values in our text!), and it helps keep teachers on track (which is then two-fold). Some disadvantages include the teachers teaching by the test instead of truly teaching; and the pressure put on schools, districts, teachers, students and parents. (Margie, 2007)
Berger, K. S. (2009). The developing person through childhood (5th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.
Cassidy, S. (2008). Our children tested to destruction. Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/our-children-tested-to-destruction-779790.html
Margie. (2011). Pros and cons of standardized testing. Retrieved from http://www.brighthub.com/education/k-12/articles/16137.aspx
Rotberg, I. (2006) Assessment around the world. Retrieved from http://www.csun.edu/~krowlands/Content/SED610/Leadership/Leadership%20Reader/Assessment%20Around%20the%20World.pdf
UNICEF. (2007). An overview of child well-being in rich countries: A comprehensive assessment of the lives and well-being of children and adolescents in the economically advanced nations. Retrieved from http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/rc7_eng.pdf
Amy,
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned a very valid point. If there's too much pressure on the students and the teachers to prepare for tests and do well in them, students will simply study for the test and only memorize instead of internalizing the information and therefore will easily forget them and won't understand how to apply that knowledge. Teachers also knowing that if their students fail to do well in their test their teaching will be under question, they might teach by test only. I too believe we need to more focus on the ways we can improve children's learning. Thanks for your post
Maryam
I feel that too much pressure is being put on these tests. Teachers really don't take time to help children learn the skills that they are lacking. We do need to focus more on ways to improve children's learning.
DeleteAmy,
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher in second grade I do not have the pressure put on me that the third through sixth grade teachers have. I think that the emphasis that is placed on these tests does not allow teachers to really teach the way that they would like to. Maybe for example a teacher sees an interest in their class for the rainforest. The teacher would then love to teach a unit about the rain forest, but does not have time because it would take time away from test prep material. Students are having so much pushed at them these days that learning is no longer fun and is not allowed to be. The curriculum is being shifted and things that students once learned in 1st or even second grade, they are starting to learn in kindergarten. I can see a "burn out" in children even by the time they get to second grade. There is no longer any time for kids to be kids and have a little bit of fun in school because it takes away from prepping for a test that does not even truly measure what a child knows in my opinion. I find this very disheartening and sad and I wish our country could find a way to balance it all out!
I really like how you mentioned what UNICEF does research on to compare children and I agree that is what she should be more focused on than the results of standardized tests. I also agree that standardized tests are a way to maintain accountability for teachers, but I know that in Illinois, once you are tentured teacher, it is very hard to get let go and a lot of poor teachers hold on to their jobs every year because of this. I wish there was a better way to test intelligence in school and maintain accountability without having standardized tests.
ReplyDeleteI chose to look up France, an I found that France does not pressure their children, they also test the children on actually and factual information. I do beleive that people put alot of pressure on our students when it comes to testing. Not only the chilren but the teachers, and I do agree that teachers are sometimes forced to teach toward "the test", just so students can pass. I do not believe these test showcase all the knowledge our students have learned!
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to view and comment on my blog. I enjoyed reading your posts and appreciate the feedback on my blog. Good luck with your future courses!
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