Testing Lang, Think Less Benchmarks, and From Critique to Possibility:
Rethinking Early Childhood Education (pg. 113-120)
While reading Testing Lang, Think Less benchmarks, From Critique to Possibility, and Learning Stories from Rethinking Early Childhood Education (pages 113-120). I realize that each stories had a different effects on me, some good and some bad.
As I think back about my school years, one thing came to my mind, I always had problems in taking any kind of exams, and even still today I have this problem. It could be easy ones to hard ones, but the outcome comes out the same, average to below average. I would know the subject either by studying hard or by heart (loving the subject), but once the exam starts “I freak out!” The problem with me while taking any type of exams is, I second guess myself, and I guess you can say I don’t have the confident with me answer. So I totally know what “Testing Lang” is going through. How can I work out this problem?
Is it true that “Think Less Benchmarks” is a test that does more harm than good? In my personal feeling, I feel it’s true. I like what this writer said: “ThinkLink tests are designed to mirror the format of our state assessment. These high-stakes tests are aligned with our state’s arbitrary set of standards for each grade level, standards that tend to be incredibly unrealistic and developmentally inappropriate and it was completely disconnected from the curriculum I was teaching.” As a student it’s good to have teachers like him.
“From Critique to Possibility” (New Zealand’s Radical Approach to Assessment) this reading was very interesting, how educators and government officials in New Zealand can strengthen our hard work to reform our country assessments. I’m really going to research more on this. If this is possible “Why not?”
And last, “Learning Stories” I like this concept: Belonging / Mana Whenua – Expressed in children’s lives as taking an interest. Well Being / Mana Atua – Expressed in children’s lives as being involved. Exploration / Mana Aoturoa – Expressed in children’s lives as persisting with difficulty. Communication / Manu Reo – Expressed in children’s lives as expressing an idea or a feeling. Contribution / Mana Tangata – Expressed in children’s lives as taking responsibility. I feel that this could work, with our children, who are having a difficult time learning our ways of teaching.
Our Journey Begins
Chapter 1 / New Possibilities for Early Childhood Education
I feel that every new day is a new journey for me when I’m working with students. I like what this writer said: “Our journeys would come together in powerful ways, catapulting us into surprising connections and changing our lives forever.” He was talking about himself and his students. Is this what I would feel once I become a full time teacher? “I hope so!”
Last thing on my mind, I was very confuse when the writer said: “ I did not realize I was beginning a path that would lead me further and further away from standard teaching practices and into serious questioning of our teacher preparation program.” What I’m learning now in school (UHWO) am I going to use it?
Hi Gary,
ReplyDeleteI think you are coming from an interesting place as an elementary education student taking early childhood courses. I wonder about the question you end your entry with -- "What I'm learning now in school (UHWO) am I going to use it?" My question back to you is -- what do you think?
In the Rethinking text, the discussion of standardized tests and assessments resemble the rhetoric of many elementary classrooms. Are there ways you can question standards and measurement practices often taught in traditional elementary programs? Is challenging these ideas the only way you might be able to truly consider the population you will serve as a teacher?
Are there ways the ideas expressed in the New Zealand curriculum could become part of your classroom? Is there more alignment with the local communities through these ideas than the methodologies often shared in your elementary coursework?
Jeanne
With regards to assessments, is it part of our American culture to judge people according to their test scores? To get a job with great retirement and benefits we must either pass an interview or take a test. Drug testing happens all over the place these days and at certain times we even must pass a test to receive medical insurance. I find that I get the most out of my classes that forgo tests and replace them with hands on assignments, discussions or papers (such as this course). Is this the case with everyone?
ReplyDeleteIt was amazing to see in the book just how inappropriate the tests were for young children these days. But look around us. Parents here in Hawai'i (myself included) have volunteered our children for more inappropriate test taking at prestigious Hawaiian private schools, because we think we care about our child's education. are we really caring about their education by putting them on a pedestal of judgment? How can we end the insanity of test-taking in a test-taking society?
Hi Gary,
ReplyDeleteThis class must suit you very well because there are no tests and the format lets you express yourself through writing instead of a multiple choice test. Do you feel that you won't be able to take anything away from your ECE classes? I may have read it wrong and if so, I apologize. I do hope that you are able to take a few ideas and apply them to your profession. For me, I learned that we as teachers need to understand where each student is coming from (culture, background, beliefs, etc.) and based on this, provide the best opportunity for each child to grow and succeed. As an elementary school teacher, what do you feel are the factors causing such a wide gap between ECE and elementary education?
Hi Gary,
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't anyone look more into the issue of these tests doing more harm than good? I agree with you and also with the text when the author mentions that assessment tests can do more harm on children than good. I personally don't think it's fair to base a child's knowledge on tests that most times has nothing to do with what they're learning in the classroom. It would be great if more people were like the teachers from the text who speak out, and become advocates for their students. If more people were to do that than maybe this whole situation dealing with assessment test could be remedied.
-Jaychelle