As an educator, I'm fully aware of the importance of having the ability to obtain and apply the knowledge being presented. However there are times that I feel the education system has become totally obsessed with measuring the results of standardized test. Are the children in my classroom learning???? How can we be sure???? What is the measuring stick we're grading them against??? Is it fair??? Question after unanswered question. As we should already know, given time and effort, you can find research supporting the positive and the negative of any concern (not that all the sources would be reliable). What are we doing?
During an internship I had over 8 years ago, I had the pleasure of experiencing an environment where children were not formally assessed, however were encouraged to explore in a teacher guided/child centered atmosphere. I must admit, I initially was a skeptic because I was a produce of being taught a lesson and then having my results measures through taking a test. Since this was how it had been done for generations, then it must be right!!!! (not really). When I just couldn't take it anymore, I had to ask the question....how do you know if what we are doing is even working? (Oh by the way, this was the same lead teacher I mentioned previously in my post on "Positive Change Can Come With Time"). With the same caring smile, she began to explain (teach me) that by simply asking the children questions and paying attention to their responses and peer conversations, we would know if they had retained the knowledge through experience or if we (the teachers) needed to take another approach. What about the schedule??? How would we make sure we met the time lines??? Once again there she was, to the rescue.....the children are our indicators, they set the pace on how quickly they learn as well as what they learn. And with that tranquil smile, she shared with me this simple phrase.....It all will work out in the end.
And it did. No one transitioned out without mysteriously learning how to write their names, knowing colors, letter, different kind of sharks and what their diet consist of, what is in outer space, what causes a boat the float and not sink, so on and so on. It happened without standardized test and comparing performances of one child against another. They all learned without being stressed out or made to feel less than unique and I learned the true meaning of education and never forgot.
From an International Perspective:
Again, I'm not saying that assessments are not important, however there are various ways children can be/are assessed instead of teachers focusing on teaching the test, then the children taking the test. Internationally, various countries also conduct assessments on performance of the children in their country. I have attached the link to the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) http://acei.org/programs-events/global-guidelines.html This is a helpful resource that provides information on recommended global guidelines to education.
ACEI was established as the International Kindergarten Union (IKU) in 1892, by educators concerned with the professional preparation of kindergarten teachers. In 1931, the National Council of Primary Education joined with the IKU to form the Association for Childhood Education (ACE). Realizing the critical importance of advancing childhood education throughout the world, ACE added "International" to its name in 1946, becoming the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI). Today, ACEI has members in many nations, country liaisons, and network groups.
Your story is great, The children were assessed but through observation and time spent getting to know them. This is a fabulous example of where we should be headed. Our school is this type of environment although I admit we do 'typical assessments as well mostly because the parents look for them. Children who attain such child centered whole education excel in school because they learn to think more creative and become adept at problem solving! What a great mentor that educator became for you!
ReplyDeleteDantaya,
ReplyDeleteI would love to meet your mentor teacher. She sounds fabulous and that she completely understands how children learn and what is appropriate for them. I wish other teachers would "get it" like she does. I believe children learn more through their interests and hands-on activities. If teachers and parents would ask more questions, then they would know what the child is retaining and learning. I think parents need to talk to their children and ask them questions instead of relying on formal assessments to tell them what their child does and does not know. Also, formal assessments take time away from other children. In my son's kindergarten class, the teacher would take one child out into the hall at a time and assess them. This would go on for at least a week. Meanwhile, the other children were in the classroom doing worksheets and being monitored by the assistant or substitute. It was a week at least every quarter that my child was not learning.
Myra
Hello Dantaya,
ReplyDeleteI agree education has become very obsessive on measuring children's individual skills. Just a couple of years some of my colleagues were in a uproar on the matter of recess being eliminated due to standardize testing. I believe school officials should realize that too much testing does not make a child smart. With thoughtful lesson planning, tutoring and modification, a child is able to learn more and become actively involve in academic studies.
Tanya Terrell