Considering a commitment to viewing young children holistically I believe the different types of tools used to assess our children may be positive and some not so positive. I believe that the administrators of these different types of assessments have the right intent but for some odd reason they do not always turn out in the most positive way. According to Merger(2012) In theory aptitude is the potential to master a specific skill to learn a certain body of knowledge. I believe that these types of assessment tools are another form of stereotyping and another form of being judgmental. ProCon.org say's “ Proponents say standardized tests are a fair and objective measure of student achievement, that they ensure teachers and schools are accountable to taxpayers, and that the most relevant constituents, parents and students approve of testing.
Opponents say the tests are neither fair nor objective, that their use promotes a narrow curriculum and drill-like "teaching to the test," and that excessive testing undermines America's ability to produce innovators and critical thinkers.”
Latin America emphasizes on the assessment of the whole child so they depend on test that are administered by psychologist which may not be what teachers see in the classroom on a daily basis.
A realistic example is that assessment should bring about benefits for children; they should be for a specific purpose and should be reliable, valid and fair for that particular purpose. Assessments are important because of the decisions you will make when you are teaching and caring for children.
2 comments:
Janice, I agree assessments can possess both pro’s and con’s and depending on what you’re trying to achieve can certain dictate this. When I worked with preschoolers my co-teacher and I felt pressure to make these kids performed. They had to be school ready which is a big concern with a lot of preschool programs. They must meet certain criteria. The school where I work the principal was trying to slow-down high –stake testing because she felt that the test does not share everything about young children. Instead, portfolios are more practical for this age group. Plus, some preschoolers are neither mature nor developmentally ready for this. However, as education advance and standards and benchmarks change so does curriculum and assessments. So it’s gotten to the point where testing is almost at the preschool level. On the other hand, assessment can be beneficial in helping to accommodate/modify children needs. So, I believe it can be both positive and negative it just depends.
Janice, I have enjoyed sharing this class with you for I have learned a lot from both your discussions and blogs. I wish you the best as you continue on your journey to succeed!
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