Is There a Right Way To Assess Children?

I honestly do not like standardized tests.  These tests are designed to assess a child on what the state believe a child should know.  This in return causes the teacher to lose focus on teaching a child holistically, and instead teach just to the test (which is not beneficial to the child).  I do believe that each child should be measured, so the needs of the child can be met, as well as for their progress to be viewed.  However, I do not believe that standarized test is the best way to do this.  Teachers know their students better than anyone, and are able to assess there students in a way the pencil and paper cannot.  Therefore, I believe that teachers should use the test that they typically use at the end of the week to assess the children.  Now there are some tests that are beneficial to the students, such as Dibels.  This test allow the teacher to see where the child is at phonemically, and what areas need to be work on to enhance the child's learning.

In China, I learned that they have been doing children assessment  longer than any other country.  Just like here in the states, they too have termed-tests, as well as the end of the year testing.  There isn't too much of a difference between the way our children are tested and their children are tested.  Also, literacy is very important to them as it is to us, and they have several programs that are set up to enrich the child's literacy ability.

Noise as a Stressor

One stressor that I have seen effect children directly  is a noisy area.  One of my students live in an apartment complex; and for the past few weeks he has been extremely cranky in the morning.  When I talked to his mom about this, she said that they have new neighbors and it is hard for her son to go to sleep due the loudness.  This not only affects how he behaves at school, but also it is not beneficial to the development of his growing brain.  Kids need an ample amount of sleep, in due to him getting less than six hours a night is taking a toll on him.

I wonder how do children react to noise in big cities like Las Vegas, Nevada.  This city is very busy and always full of busy people.  I did find out that there is something called a noise ordinance which sets the limits on the level of noise during certain time frames.  If one is found to breaking this law, then a complaint can be filed against them.  However, kids that are normally around a lot of noise, are not impacted by it as much.  They have grown accustomed to the loudness, which in returns has little or no effect on them.