When it comes to testing a child, I think it is very important for teachers to think of the child as a whole not just of their mind. Their are many students who are not good test takers.I personally don't like that in many schools a child can be placed in a remedial class because they are not good test takers. I have never been a good test taker and don't feel that it is right for a child to be judged by their outcome of a test. A test could be given on a day where the child had a rough morning or they could come from a bad home life which could affect how they do on test that particular day. Teachers and parents need to think of the child's physical, emotional and mental developmental and not just a grade they received.
In the US children attend elementary school, middle school, high school and most students continue on to college. Having teachers and parents view a child holistically will only help them out in their educational journey. From personal experience I know it is very important for a teacher to be able to see past a students grade and see what they are fully capable of.
Assessment in Japan
"Japan only requires nine years of compulsory education. The Japanese education system consists of six years of elementary school, three years of middle school and three years of high school."(www.factanddetails.com) "The focus of Japanese education in the minds of many parents and young people is on preparing students for two important tests: one at the end of ninth grade, which determines whether a student goes to a vocational school, a first-rate public college-preparatory high school, a second rate high school or an expensive private school; and another at the end of the 12th grade to gain entrance to university"(www.factsanddetails.com) This fact is very similar to how children in the US are tested. A child could get by all year in school with decent grade and one big test at the end of the year can determine whether or not they can move on in the school system. "National achievement tests are given to primary school sixth graders and third year middle school students. In some cases the test require students to not only give an answer but show their calculations." This is similar to the NYS tests that children take today in grades 3-8. "Teachers at a school in Tokyo said they were told by their principal to help students cheat by alerting them to mistakes while taking achievement tests in April 2006. The school’s ranking jumped from 44th place to the top among the 72 schools in its area. School budgets and rankings in that area are determined by test scores. The teachers said they walked around while students were taking tests and pointed out mistakes on their test papers" (www.factsanddetails.com) I think it completely wrong to ask a teacher to help students cheat in order to make your school look better. That type of activity is not allowing the students to fully understand the material, they are just being passed from grade to grade.
Resource:
http://factsanddetails.com/japan.php?itemid=830&catid=23&subcatid=150
Thanks for the insightful information on Japan and their ideas on assessing young children. I was initially looking up Japan when I stumbled across the information for Canada. I am glad that everyone has the same consenus on assessing young children. I to feel as though it has benefits but not the way they are being used.
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