Over the last week I have been given at least a dozen reports and copies of test results to read and hardly any of them have made sense!
I have seen crazy results with one parent being told- “Your child only reached stanine 3 in the ________ test.” Unfortunately the parent had no idea of what this test meant, let alone the results.
This over-testing of children and labelling has reached epic proportions. The race is on to somehow put every child in a box with a negative label.
Children are not allowed to learn differently.
They must all be the same.
Why not put Ritalin in the drinking water or simply give every child a lobotomy at 2 years if they show signs of curiosity and interest in the world around them!
I have read reports that label realy bright children as C – (satisfactory) and then go on to give the place in class. These stupid strategies were last seen when I was at Primary school and that was rather a long time ago!
Our kids are puzzled, depressed and starting to give up. Many children have told me they KNOW they can never reach a higher score than C.
The education system is choking for lack of positive air. We are shaking the lifeblood from our students and killing their enthusiasm. This is not the accountability that was much needed. Children’s ability, attainment and progress cannot be simply measured by scores. It is far more complex than this. We are treating our children like machines.
It is stupidity of the highest order and is actually harming children.
Who would dig up a healthy plant to keep checking it is growing?
Yet- this is what we do but this crazy over-testing of children is achieving the same results- the love of learning will die!
