I believe the child should be viewed in a holistic manner and be assessed but not because they should be in a certain place in development at certain times but for the child's own knowledge and growth. I child should be assessed looking at all developmental domains on a continuum showing where the child is whether they have mastered a skill or if it's emerging so the child can see where they are developmentally and where they need to go. An assessment should never be used as a negative tool against a child; if a child is at a different developmental stage than another child it should not reflect negatively on that child.
In the United Kingdom at the age of eleven all children are required to take a written exam called the eleven plus (LEO Network, n.d.). It is graded with either a pass or fail mark, the children who pass are able to go onto attend grammar school and children who receive a fail are sent to poorly funded schools (LEO Network, n.d.).
This type of test labels children successful or failures at a very early age and set the mode for the rest of their development. I feel this puts a lot of pressure on children and families and sets generational expectations depending on the area the child is from. I feel if a child is not put under pressure and is being educated in a minimal stress environment then they will strive and develop to their full potential.
Resources:
LEO Network (n.d.). The british education system. Retrieved from http://www.learnenglish.de/culture/educationculture.html
Wow! That is so offensive! I can't imagine 2 1/2 years from now my nine year old son being required to take a test that could determine the rest of his future. That is simply ludicrous! Children do not develop at the same rate nor do they learn at the same rate and some children even experience test anxiety causing them to score lower than they should. Reading your post has made me even more grateful to live in the United States.
ReplyDeleteThe assessment method of the United Kingdom in some ways sets children up for failure. That is enormous pressure to place on a young child. Then to be sent off to a poorly funded school, in which they most likely are not educated on the same level as those sent to better schools. Once they graduate school they may continue to be behind in higher grades and in life. I hope they revise this process, and consider the whole child and not just a score on an exam.
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