In the United States, our public school systems assess children using standardized tests. These tests only measure reading, math, science, English, and some writing skills. The tests are stressful for the students and the educators. The tests make the teachers only teach the information on the tests so their school can get a high score. I remember taking the tests. I was a struggling reader and after the first one hundred questions, I would just start filling in the circles on my answer sheet. Now the children all have chrome books or I-pads to take the tests and their electronic devices can read the questions to them if they are in need of that. I don’t think the tests measure a child’s overall progress for achievements.
I choose to research Germany’s public school systems because my brother-in-law is from Germany. My sister and brother-in-law have talked about moving there with my niece because they don’t see his family as often. In Germany, they also use standardized achievement tests. But what I found interesting is that they do not penalize the schools that don’t score high on the tests. They don’t cut their funding or threaten to close them down.
I think the countries are focusing on the wrong things when they as assessing children. I don’t use half the information I learned in middle school and high school. I think early childcare centers have the right attitudes. Children need to be evaluated by their abilities to cooperate with others, be flexible, welcome change, have the confidence to accomplish tasks, and have self-regulation skills. School-age children should have basic life skills, be able to build relationships, have the cognitive skills to be aware of other's perspectives, and be able to focus on tasks and jobs that you have to get done.
References
Berwick, C. (2015, November 3). How One Country Managed to Turn Around Its Failing Schools. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/11/great-german-scool-turnaround/413806/
Executive Function: Skills for Life and Learning. (2012). Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/inbrief-executive-function-skills-for-life-and-learning/
Staff, G. (2015). American Schools vs. German Schools | German American Cultural Foundation. Gac-Foundation.org. https://www.gac-foundation.org/2015/06/24/american-schools-vs-german-schools/
Why Core Life Skills Development Is So Important. (n.d.). Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. Retrieved February 20, 2021, from https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/video-building-core-capabilities-life/
Writer, F. R., Staff, & Reinecke, F. (2017, January 5). American, German schools vastly different. The Cougar Claw. https://thscougarclaw.com/in-depth/2017/01/05/american-german-schools-vastly-different/
Kathleen,
ReplyDeleteI love the layout of your blog and I enjoyed reading your blog post this week. It is a good this that in Germany funding is not cut, neither are penalized because of test scores. Here in the united states funding can be cut and school systems penalized when scores are low. There are both advantages and disadvantages to standardized testing, but school officials are more focused on testing rather than the whole-child.
Kathleen, I agree that these standardized tests miss all of the other aspects of a child's appropriate development. I also see the stress these "numbers for achievement" put on educators and can impact whether children are receiving quality learning opportunities or simply being taught for a test. I wish school aged children could focus on basic life skills like you said as well! Let's get rid of standardized testing! ;)
ReplyDelete-Rebecca
rebecca.hurth@waldenu.edu
Thank for all of your thoughtful and great posts throughout this course! Good luck with the rest of your program 🙂
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