Assessments

I always remember walking into my classrooms on test day with my shoulders up, fingernails chewed up, and my knee bouncing as I sat down in the chair. Test questions ran through my mind as I would inhale and exhale to regain my focus. The school bell would ring reminding me that class was now and session and it was time to take this test. Papers went out and my test anxiety when through the roof. A few days later when my test would come back a big fat "D" would be on my paper. Meanwhile I'm the only person in the classroom that can give an educated synopsis of what we were discussion in class.

Text anxiety ROCKED my life and it still does to this day. Like may young children and adults. They understand the concept but taking test was an unfair way of understanding their knowledge. Assessments based on these key areas are invalid ways to fully understand what each child is capable of doing. A test doesn't show how well a child can formulate their thoughts and write out their feelings, it doesn't test their physical capabilities, nor does it test how well they can communicate. When you think about a child holistically and these standardize test that are given in these school systems they give an invalid point of view on the child. Each test simple focuses on how well a child can follow directions and bubble/circle in the correct answer. The have evolved to having them write short and long responses but that's about it. If you talk about the child's whole development then we need to go back to when the child was in early childhood years. Observations and work samplings were the best assessment to gauge a child's progress. Being in their natural element will help them not only feel like their not being assessed but be able to perform to their best ability. Not every child likes to be put on the spot and told to spell a word but while in a group setting you can observe them helping a peer solve a tough problem or working on their fine motor development by doing an experiment in science. These types of assessments help show the full potential of the whole child and not just a couple of areas.

In countries across the world such as Chine they focus on skills assessment testing as well as we do. However they deal with more extreme issues such as low school enrollment rates. Most children begin school at 6 however depending on financial circumstances they have an extra year before they need to enroll them. Testing isn't as intense in China. They have end of the term test and year end testing to see where their skills lie at the end. Before graduating they have a primary school exam that focuses on Chinese and mathematics. This is similar to what we experience within our country. Children are required to go past primary school but it is encouraged. Many families after they graduate need them to work in the fields or other areas to help their family out so education isn't a necessity.

My biggest concern about assessment is not focusing on the whole child. If there can be an assessment done that lessens the anxiety or concerns that come with test taking and give the option to observe each child, we will be in great shape.