Assessments
are a good tool for teachers to evaluate what skill level some students are at. For this reason assessments can be very
helpful to the individual child.
National and state standardized testing, however, has very little if any
information to offer about the individual child. These tests are used to determine the lucky
schools that deserve to have funding continued.
The major problem with this system is that we know low test scores are
connected to poverty. Therefore, low
income communities end up defunded and/shut down. The worth of the assessment, to me, is only
as great as the information it tells you about the child…so most are not that
great.
As
educators we must ask ourselves what the purpose of the assessment is. How can this assessment tell us what a
student knows and what a student still needs to know? According to Concept to Classroom (2004) students
can “demonstrate their knowledge in a variety
of ways, including essays, oral presentations, and/or a portfolio of work. Then teachers can use this information to
inform instruction for the things that the students still need to know.
References
How does constructivism align with state and
national standards. (2004). In Concept to
Classroom. Retrieved
December 7, 2013, from
We Should All Move to Finland!
“Teachers
learn how to create challenging curriculum and how to develop and evaluate
local performance assessments that engage students in research and inquiry on a
regular basis. Teacher training emphasizes learning how to teach students who
learn in different ways, including those with special needs. It includes a
strong emphasis on “multiculturality” and the “prevention of learning
difficulties and exclusion,” as well as on the understanding of learning,
thoughtful assessment, and curriculum development. The egalitarian Finns
reasoned that if teachers learn to help students who struggle, they will be
able to teach all students more effectively and, indeed, leave no child behind.”
–Linda Darling-Hammond (2010)
In Finland in the 1970’s there was a huge
overhaul of their education system. One
of the key changes made was the education of their teachers. Teachers began to go through a rigorous
education program and then had to qualify for a fully funded program. Education programs went from 3 year programs
to 5 year programs. Most Finnish
teachers have a Master’s in education and their core subject. This had a huge impact on changing education
in Finland. The most significant impact
was how it changed assessments in Finland.
With highly educated and qualified teachers in the schools the
government turned student assessments over to the teachers and the
schools. They trusted their teachers to
accurately evaluate their students’ needs and implement appropriate
curriculum. For this same reason
national standards decreased significantly as well. The education of teachers was standardized
and therefore curriculum didn’t have to be.
More power was put in the hands of local government, schools, and
teachers.
One of the most intriguing aspects of
assessment in Finland is the emphasis on student self-evaluation. The curriculum focuses on critical thinking
and problem solving in all subjects.
Children are taught how to think critically and evaluate whether they
are meeting set goals. Education like
this is more about the process than the product. Children are rarely if ever tested on
standards, but instead have to show and explain their knowledge.
The government also supports equality in
education. They do this by providing
small schools (300 pupils), and small classrooms (under 20) with teacher assistants,
and equally equipped schools. They also
provide free meals, free health care, and counseling equally in all schools across
the country. With these basic needs met children
come to school on a level playing field.
The following references and resources are well
worth your time!
References
Darling-Hammond, L. (2010, November). What we can learn from
Finland’s
successful school reform. In NEA.
Retrieved December 7, 2013, from
Resources
Student Assessment in Finland-Basic Education:
Hackschooling makes me Happy: (This kid is amazing and it will change your whole perspective on education!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h11u3vtcpaY
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