A child's success is measured by the test scores on the paper. A child recognizes 2+2=4 but what happens when that child has had a bad day and thinks it's 5 because of being not focused. Home environment, stress levels all play a major factor in a child's academic testing. It is true in other countries environments play key but we must think of a child's developmental stage. A child who us 7 who grows up in a two family home maybe focused than a same 7 year old who has to care for a 4 year old and a 6 month old because mom is on drugs. They may not be as focused.
"China education is the largest education system in the world. There are more than 30 million students enrolled in China’s higher education institutions. Investment in education accounts for about 4% of total GDP in China. In 1986, the Chinese government passed a compulsory education law, making nine years of education mandatory for all Chinese children."
Throughout compulsory education, students are required to take end-of-term examinations and tests or check-ups at the end of each semester, school year of before graduation. In primary schools, the Chinese language and mathematics are the required examination subjects for graduation, while the other subjects are checkup subjects. In secondary schools, the graduation examination subjects are determined within the scope of the general subjects taught in the graduating class set by the state, while the students' performance in other subjects are only checked up.
References http://www.chinaeducenter.com/en/cedu/psedu.php
Cynthia,
ReplyDeleteIsn’t it unfortunate that a child’s success is through a test? I am aware of the benefit of tests to see where the child needs help on a particular subject but like you, I believe that not all children come to school prepared physically or emotionally because of a home environment.
We also have a final test in Arizona (AIMS) that a student must pass in order to graduate. I feel that with so much emphasis being put on testing children that teachers are also being stressed to teach for testing and not for the love of teaching.