"Testing for Intelligence"
In order to successfully teach a child in a holistic manner and greatly impact the "whole child", I believe that assessments must be done in order to see how children learn and where they are in the learning process. I believe that all children have their strengths and their weaknesses in their learning style and development. I also believe that not all children learn in the same manner, nor do they think or comprehend the same. Therefore, helping a child discover how best they learn and help develop their learning in those specific areas will help them become successful in their learning and future endeavors. Classrooms should focus and/or incorporate this type of approach to help aide all children and not place all them all in a box and expect them to think, learn, comprehend and answer questions in all the same manner.
All students can learn and succeed, but not all on the same day in the same way.”
- William G. Spady
In a way to capture how a child learns in the classroom the federal government has put into place standardized assessments. These assessments have been mandated for several years now and have caused debate over their purpose and effectiveness. While these tests have been a practice in schools, districts and states, standardized tests serves as a lens into the classroom. It has shed light on why a child might be struggling, succeeding, or accelerating in specific elements of their grade-level standards. Results from standardized tests help inform the next step in learning for our students. But, sometimes it isn’t always crystal clear to students, parents and the public as to how and why the tests are developed (Research and Innovation Network, 2015). Many educators and researchers have argued that they spend more time in tests taking and spend less time in the areas of art, math, and physical education, which all are as important in the development of the child and helps tap into their creativity. In addition, these assessments can also be bias towards ethnic groups as they target specific social and economic backgrounds.
The Use of Standardized Tests in Secondary Schools in Germany
A look at other countries and their view as to where they stand in the use of standardized test. Germany is a country of interest to me as I lived there for several years and have experienced some of their cultural differences. In particular, students between the ages of 10 and 19 are enrolled in secondary level and used less often. However, high stakes testing is becoming more and more common in the United States and Germany. The difference between the two countries is the way that they prepare their students for these high stakes tests and who is accountable for the student’s performance. In Germany the whole curriculum is sent up around the Arbiet test for graduation. Students select what test they will take and what classes they need so they can pass that test. The No Child Left Behind Act, in the United States, made accountability testing mandatory if school districts and States wanted to receive Federal funds. They hold the teachers and administrators accountable for the performance of their students. For students these tests are also associated with scholarships and in certain states graduation. It is my belief that high stakes testing does not work in America but has the proper structural support to work in Germany.
References
